The Dispatch. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1891-02-04
A. Brave Engineer.

When an incident occurs that appeals
to the heroic element in man il ought to
be passed around SO that it will thrill IN
many breasts the brave responsive chord
that cannot be touched too often for TIE
good of human nature. Therefore we
write here again the story below.
John Burns was the name Of an en-
gineer on the Michigan Southern road.
His name, John Burns, is the same &s
that of another brave man, the work
man labor leader-John Burns, of Lon
don. Engineer John Burns was In
charge of Engine No. "a, weighing nine
ty tons and drawing seven passenger
coaches and baggage car. The train
was No. 5 limited. No. was late and
was trying to make up lost time by run
ming at the rate of fifty miles an hour
down grade.
Near Irving station there had been q
ghastly wreck of cattle train, killing
some Of the poor bI'utes. tearing the
horns off Others, crashing several Of the
cars into splinters. Two of the cars
were thrown across the track OF the
Lake Shore limited, No. 5. They lay
there just as the train csrae laundering
Vn fifty miles an hour.
John Burns saw the situation in q
lightning glance just before the train
touched the wreck Two courses were
open. He could stop the train and jump
off just before she crashed into the cattle
cars and save bis own life. But the train
could not possibly be stopped in time to
save terrible wreck of the passenger
coaches. No. was toe friehtfully near
the cattle cars for that. Undoubtedly
there would be terrific collision, and
many lives would be lost; but John
Burns would save his own life. The
other course was to release all steam and
let it drive the ninety ton engine clean
through the wreck The powerful en-
gine could probably clear the obstruc-
ton at a bound, and bring the passenger
coaches through with nothing worse than
terrible shaking up and some bruises.
But where then would be John Bufns2
Probably scalded to death or dashed to
pieces by the collision.
It did not take thonsandth part as
long for John Burns to think this thought
as it has taken fer us to write it. But
he did not think twice. He weighed the
lives Of all those passengers against his
own in one thrilling moment, and slssn
butted thirty-four with all her thunder
ing force square into the cattle cars upon
the track. Thirty-four cut the cars in
two like ? knife, and carried the train
through with her. AS she did 30 John
Burns suddenly reversed the motion and
stopped the train.
Meantime, in the car behind the sn-
gine, was baggage man full of that
fine quality old fashioned people call
'gumption," He saw the situation at a
glance and ran into the cars in the rear,
shouting to yhe passengers to rush, to the
o52Ter side, Tie one opposite 70 the wreck
He was able to go through two coaches
before the crash came The sides oi
those two cars next to the wreck wers
torn out, but the passengers were saved,
every one, though some Of them were
considerably injured, Through the CO
heroism of an engineer and the presence
of mind of a baggage man not life wa.
lost.
The engine and baggage ear were
smashed Grange to say, however, Johr
Burns himsrR was not killed, though
one arm was scalded. and he was cu
and bruised. Courage and presence O
mind seem to carry with them their eu1
mysterious protection.
Such story somehow makes our com
mon life look mean and shabby