The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-25
a MAN WHO DIDN'T STRIKE
Sixty Years SwitchInan on the Central
He Once Defied Two Regiments.
From the Albany Express. |

oo"h IL az OlUy SSdutJ ou luS NSAlld1-
Hudson road, there is stationed a
sWitchman who has been at his post
ever since the first train passed over
the rails, and had been in the compa-
ny's employ before that, almost from
the day when the first tie was laid and
the first spike driven.
This man did not strike when Lees
order went over the wires on the even
ing of Aug.S. He is not made up of
that sort of stuff of which they are
made that blindly followed the beck
and call Of an autocratic leader. Old
Patrick Sweeny remained at the post
which he has faithfully guarded for
nearly sixty years now.
Although he is wholly illiterate, his
mental powers have natural vigor
that is remarkable. Once the compa-
ny issued an order directing that all
switchmen who could not read or write
were to quit its service. Pat got boy
in his shanty to teach him how to read
the numbers of the engines so that he
could report the time and number of
trains that passed his flag shanty every
day. The old man had apparently
passed the age when the mind can yet
be turned back and made to grasp what
it has outgrown, for he discharged the
boy, but his ear was still keen. In less
than a month he had learned the num-
ber Of every engine on the road by the
sound of the bell, and never made a
single error in his reports. This is
vouched for by the people who have
known Sweeney half century.
He does not know what fear is, and
a story is told how he once defed two
regiments of soldiers because he knew
what his duty was and they did not. 1t
was in April, 1862, during war times.
Sweeny was at his post on the road,
was then double tracked north Of
Stuyvesant, but had one track between
that town and New York. Fifteen car
loads of soldiers on a special train,
bound for New York, reached Stuyve-
SAINT early one morning, and Sweeny,
who was on the lookout, stopped the
train, because the train which had i'm
mediately preceded it carried no signal
to give warning that the special was
behind it. 1t was before the days of
block signals and much depended on a
remembrance of orders as to how
trains were to be run. The command
ant of the troops could not understand
why the train had to come to stand
still. Leaping from the train he began
making inquiries and found Sweeny
standing at the switch, which he had
locked.
"What does this mean?" thundered
the officer. "Don'tyou know these are
Federal troops, under orders from
Washington to proceed to New York
without delay? What do you mean by
stopping this train without orders?"
sweeny pointed his thumb over his
shoulder in the direction of the single
track.
1.-THE train ahead carried no signal
for yez," said he, "and there bees and
up train on its way"
"Unlock that switch instantly"
commanded the officer, drawing his
sword. "Not moments delay now.
Unlock itn'
"I'll not" said Sweeny, and the
words were scarcely out of his mouth
before dozen soldiers, in obedience to
an order, hustled the sWitchman into
his shanty. One thrust, his bayonet
into the boards alongside of Sweeny's
neck. The others pinned him in a
similar manner under the arms. Half
a dozen others placed the muzzles Of
their loaded muskets within few inches
of his head.
"Give up that key and let this train
proceed" was the command, and while
no threat accompanied it the switch
man knew that the next order would
be to PULL the triggers. He never finch
ed.
"Not one wan foot does this train
move," he said, without tremor.
II will give you one min"
At that moment a shrill whistle was
heard, and before the officer could
finish his order the train for Albany
came flying along at the rate of forty
miles an hour Sweeny's watchfulness
had prevented terrible disaster. He
knew we'll that the first train should
have displayed signal flags to indicate
that there was another following. Had
he permitted the train carrying the
soldiers to proceed there would have
been a frightful collision at about
Stockport, where curve through a
rocky cut shuts out two hundred
yards ahead. 1t didn't take either the
officers or the men long to realize what
a narrow escape they had made and to
appreciate the bravery Of the switch
man who was ready to give up his own
life rather than permit a thousand men
to put theirs in danger.
Famous Sam Sloan was President of
the Central in those days, and when he
heard of Sweeny's courageous conduct
he sent him check for a generous
amount and summarily discharged
the engineer and crew of the train that
had run through without signal.
And, strange to say, no strike was Or
dered because of their discharge, nor
was President Sloan asked to specify
reasons.