The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-09-12
on to half-dozon er?ty freight cars

"Old Matt looked them over and we
began to move out OF town.
"'We've got clear track, he said,
looking across at me; and then he drew
up the corners Of his mouth, and
looked for a quick run.
"Before We reached the outskirts OF
the town the rain began to come down
in perfect deluge. Great drops, mixed
with hail, and in such quantity that the
dry drains were soon transformed into
raging creeks.
THE wind howlod and shrieked
above the rumble of the train and
threatened to lift 81 off tho rails.
When the telegraph poles began to
snap off MATHS face began to lengthen.
"'Good night for wash-overs, he
said. And wash-overS are as bad as
washoutS!"
at was all down grade ard all the
steam used was to run the air-pump. l
had only to keep the fire alive.
Eight miles down we ran past a
small station where a freight train was
sidc-trackcd. 1t had perhaps dozen
cars.
"Just before we reached it saw a
man dart in between two of the cars to
escape the headlight.
Il thought him either a trainman
or a tramp, but have since changed my
mind.
1--WE were half way down the Haver-
sack grade, with a straight stretch of
track and long curve before us, when
Matt looked across and said:
"'l'm afraid the little pasteboard was
only a scare. If
There was the flash of light be-
hind, the rattle of coal, and Bob Dun
can, the forward brakeman, stood in
the cab. His face was as white as a
sheet.
"'Shut her down-shut her down, for
Heavens sakem he shouted. a freight's
broke loose and is coming down the
grade two miles minute!' !
Before you could snap your fingers
my face was as pale as Bob's.
"Matt Irwin never lost his head, and,
with u GOODNESS that comes to few men
in a time of danger, he asked: How do
you know
"'Secn her by flash of lightning.
O'Connor and Billy have jumpedn
And then he swung out on the ster
and disappeared.
Jump, if you want to, Harry. called
old Matt Pm going to stick to herr
Il gave one look at the Egyptian dark
ness and concluded that would stay
with old Matt.
Keep your eye peeled for her." he
cried, and commenced to let g. out.
""Hherc she Isl shouted.
And there it was, sure enough. 1t
had just como out of a cut. One of the
boxes was on fire, the flame streaming
back half Car length and cutting
through the air like meteor.
shes four miles behind said old
Matt, and coming four feet to orr one.
If we can get around the cIrve thcre'sa
show of her Jumping
And then began that terrible ride.
''Ilc hooked 81 up to the first notch
and opened the throttle.
with seven cars behind we Shot
down the grade of one hundred and Sc y
enty-1ivc feet to the male.
so set low in her frame; but every
low joint rung her bell Cor an eighth OF
a mile. She jumped and swayed and
threatened TO leave the rails Tho wind
shricked around us like y thousand de-
mons and tho rain poured against the
windows IN q perfect stream.
There danger ahead and death be-
hind shouted the old engineer. If the
rain loosens u bowlder ard drops it on
the track
i shuddered. There wls,thc blasted
pine that married tho curve: The next
second we gpachcd it. F0Er IL moment |
Thought il vas all over: Then 81
righyed. Tarre was shaEp jerk. We
forged ahead faster, and cur seven cars
cleared the 30md-bed and vent down the
bluff with = crash that vl;Es heard high
above the storm, leaving d, clean track
for the runaway behind, that was COM
ing as, swift and sure as death.
If the runaway got around thu curve,
the probabilities were that, VIC would be
Knocked frouc. the track into the'river.
"Ns' were very near TO the bottom
now, whore the road-bedi followed the
river, and engineers werPcau ii aIsed not
to rum over fifteen miles nor hoNr.
Butt orde.s, were no'trrspe1tel that
night. We we're making thirty miles
an hour WREN q fasll of. Lightning
showed mo that dark strines of cars
coming, around she curves Tho 5lazing
box vas OH the oppos lte' sidel
visihs.
''O2n Matt. gave ca the steam so sud-
denly she seerned to jump frena under
U.S.. but the runaway was not more than
half mihe. behind and aominG with the
speed; of II tornado.
'Hrherc was no gettl 40 -out'E the way.
In! = mOnEant it would be or MS. I'M
agned could see thP black mass com
ing down on us in tbs. darl1esS, when.
= heavy humble was heard followed by
a tremendous crash.
1.-THE rain had lossencd abe rock ald.
dirt orerhanging the track, and it o,ay
needed the jar OF the passage of "a to set
it in motion.
Something like thousand tons of
debris rolled on to the track directly
behind us, and into this those runaway
cars plungcI.
But we did not find this out until
aitcrward. Matt kept 81 up TO what
was a tremendous speed on that
track. She plunged and rolled and
rang her bell continually. A dozen