Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-02-07
OLD PATRICK SWEENY.
Sixty Years Switchrce1 on the
 New York Central
Although He Is Wholly sIlliterate Ills Mental Powers Have 8 Remarkable Natural Vigor-How He Once
 Defied Two Regiments.

Defied Two Regiments.
 Down at Stuyvesant, on the Central
 Hudson road, says the Albany (N. "
 Express, there is stationed switchman
 who has been at his post ever since the | first train passed over the rails, and had
 been in the company's employ before
 that, almost from the day when the first
 tie was laid and the first spike was driven.
 Although he is wholly illiterate his mental powers have natural vigor that is remarkable. Once the company issued an order directing that all switch men who could not read or write were to quit it's service. Pat Sweeny got a 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 vet 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- Der of every engine on the road by the sound of it's bell, and never made a single error in his reports. This is vouched for by people who have known Sweeny half century.
 He does not know what fear is. and . l story is told how he once defied two regiments of soldiers because he knew what his duty was and they did not. It was Tn April, 1862, during war times Sweeny was at his post on the road, which was then dou uble-tracked north of Stuyvesant, but had but one track be- tween that town and New York. Eff teen carloads of soldiers on a 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 car ried no signal to give warning that the special was behind it. It was before the days of block signals, and much depend ed on a remembrance of orders as to how trains were to be run. The com mandant of the troops could not under stand 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.
 ''What does this mean?" thundered the officer. Don't you know these are Federal troops under orders from Wash ington 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.
 ''The train ahead carried no signal for yez," said he, land there bees an up- train on it's way"
 Unlock that switch instantly" com handed the officer, drawing his sword. ''Not a moments delay now. Unlock it.'
 ''I'Il not" said Sweeny, and the before dozen soldiers, in obedience to an order, hustled the switchman into the shanty. One thrust his bayonet into the boards alongside of Sweeny's neck. The others pinned him in similar man. ner under the arms. Half dozen oth- CTS placed the muzzles of their loaded muskets within a few inches of his head.
 ''Give up that key and let this train proceed" was the command, and while no threat accompanied it the switchman knew that the next order would be to pull the triggers. He never flinched.
 ''Not wan foot does this train move," he said, without tremor.
 ''I will give you one min-"-
 At that moment shril whistle was heard, and before the officer could finish his order the train from Albany came flying along at the rate of forty miles an hour. Sweeny's watchfulness had pre- vented terrible disaster. He knew well that the first train should have dis played signal flags to indicate that there was another following. Had he permit ted the train carrying the soldiers to proceed there would have been fright ful collision at about Stockport, where a curve through rocky cut shuts out all view 200 yards ahead. 1t didn't take either the officers or the men long to realize what narrow escape they had made and to appreciate the bravery of the switchman who was ready to give up his own life rather than permit 1000 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 act he sent him check for 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 ordered because of their discharge, nor was President Sloan asked to specify reasons.