The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-10-01

Pat sweeny. the Victorian Raiiroader, at
Eighty-hvs.


ing the recent trouble among the yard.
Central and Hudson River Railroad
was old Patrick Sweeny. who is q
watchman up at Stuyvesant.
Ii would be hard to find in any voca.
ton n quainter character than this old
man. Without abusing a much abused
word, Sweeny can be described as
unique-superlativel unique and SUI.
perlatively interesting. Think of a
man eighty-five years of age, over six
feet in height, gnarled and knotted like
a forest oak. who has never been sick q
day In his life, and who has been in the
employ of the railioa company ever
since its first rail was laid Even after
he had passed his eightieth year
Sweeny was able to endure more hard
fatigue than any railroader on the line,
without reference TO age or physique.
Men half a century his Junior could not
compete with him in feats of strength.
and 1t Is one of the stories of the road
that at tours score he could WELD all
day long one of the old fashioned Jacks
which younger men refused TO handle.
Indeed 1t was because of their extreme
weight that these jacks were aban-
doned years ago
He is absolutely devoid of fear, and
to carry out what he believed to be his
duty would defy a regiment of soldiers.
He did this once, with not only reg
iment, but two of them, and with bay
onets at his throat and loaded guns
pointed at his head. refused absolutely
to obey an order which he knew must
result in disaster TO those who sought
to force him into obedience.
1t was in April, 1862, when Sweeny
was approaching the age of sixty, and
was In the fullness of his health and
vigor-when he was better man phys
ically than most men at thirty-active,
alert, capable of depriving himself of
food and sleep, and tireless in the per-
sistency with which he seemingly defied
natural laws. He was switchman
then at Stuyvesant. The road was O
single track from New York to Stuy-
vesapt, and double track TO Albany.
Fifteen carloads of soldiers, on q
special train, bound for New York,
reached Stuyvesant early one morning,
and Sweeny, who was on the lookout,
stopped the train. because the train
which had Immediately preceded it
carried no signal to give warning that
the special was behind it. 1t was be-
fore the days of block signals, and
much depended on a remembrance of
orders as to how trains were TO be run.
The commandant of the troops could
not understand why the train had come
to a standstill. Leaping from the
train. he began making inquiries and
found Sweeny standing at the switch
which he had locked
"a" What does this mean ?" Numbered
the officer. Don't you 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 2"
Sweeny pointed his thumb over his
shoulder, in the direction of the single
track
THE train ahead carried no signal
for yez.7 said he, land there bees an
up train on it's way"
Unlock that switch instantly" COM
manded the officer, drawing his sword.
Not moments delay now. Unlock
it
III not" said Sweeny, and the
words were scarcely out of his mouth
before dozen soldiers, in obedience to
en- order from superior, hustled the
switchman into his shanty. One man
thrust his bayOnet into the boards
alongside OF Sweenys neck Two 9TH
ers pinned him in a similar manner
under the arms. Half dozen others
placed the muzzles of their loaded mus
kets within three 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
tiinched
Not wan step does this train move"
he said, without tremor.
Il will give YOU one MIN
At that moment n shrill whistle was
heard, and before the officer could fin
ish his order the train fo" Albany came
flying along at the rate of forty miles
an hour. Sweeny's watchfulness had
prevented terrible disaster. He knew
perfectly we'll that the first train flying
no signal flags TO indicate that there
was anything behind was a mistake.
Had ne permitted the train carrying
the soldiers TO proceed there would
have been frightful collision at about
Stockport, where curve through n
rocky cut shuts out all view two hun
dred Yards ahead.
1t did not take either the officers or
the men long to realize what narrow
escape they had made, and to appreci-
ate the bravery of the switchman 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
sent him check for generous amount
and summarily discharged the engineer
and crew of the train that had run
through without signal.-Netc York
Horid.