New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-01
WHxTA LOCOMOTIVE RUNS DOWN.

EVERYTHING FROM TRAINS TO GEESE AND AN
ENGINEER TELLS HOW 1T ALL FEELS.
dyes" said an engineer who had grown gray in the
service Of the company, as he stood beside Ills loco
motive in Jersey City, the other day. the suspense
attending a turnover accident when you are on an
engine smothers one. can assure you" he continued,
wipIng a blotch Of oil of the side rod with piece
Of waste, "that am somewhat of authority the
subject because have had the misfortune to over
about everything from a chicken to fire engine.
"You would naturally think that a collision, where
vour own life was in imminent danger would you
more anxiety than anything else, bnt 1t doesn't Usually
a collision occurs before you know where you are.
You are sailing along over the rails trying to keep
as near your schedule time you can, when suddenly
something shows up before you. With me 1t has
always been the of train. for have never
tried TO pass an engine on the track coming in
an opposite direction In an instant you slam on the
ar brakes the engine and walt for the
crash and the engine buYes herself in the caboOse
cars of the train you strike. Then yon make the
most Of bad job and II you are not at fault for the
accident and no is injured or killed. you soon
forget all about It, But It is entirely different when
you run over human being. You are speeding along
and see man on the track IN front of you. At first
Won think that he will the train Just thousands
have heard II before and get of the track in time, but
he goes on with his back toward you and you pull
the whistle string and the engine shneks her warning
He does not hear even that, you try to stop the
train The air brakes put on, the engine is re-
versed and the great drivers begin working backward.
sending fire in showers from the shining steel rails,
while sparks live coads from the furnace shoot from
the stack high up into the sky, as the monster groans
and struggles vainly trying to stop the train behind
"while yOu draw nearer and nearer tho victim the
suspense absolutely beyond description. All efforts
are useless You feel slight Jar as the poor devil
is struck and cold sweat breaks out all over your
body and faint feeling comes over you until you fall
back on your seat sick at heart and wonder what the
fate Of the man was and whether he leaves family
and what sadness there will be when they learn the
news at home You think that you would like to stop
railroadng and a living at something else Mean
time tho train has come to standstill. The engine
has ceased her struggles and the only sound you hear
Is the throbbing of the air-brake rs 1t pumps back
and forth, making noise like the breathing Of some
exhausted beast The 'baggagemaster, conductor and
brakeman rush ont of the cars and take all that Is left
of the victim from under the wheels.
awell. You know his fate now. As soon as you are
sIcnallcd to 90 ahead and you touch the throttle,
the engine leaps forward eagerly II she were anxious
TO leave the dreadful place behind, and In moment
the thought Of the accident Is driven by other work
from your busy mind.
"A mig Is n dangerous thing to run over, for he is
likely to throw the locomotive on the track when
the nIot OF the engine hits him ii usually knocks him
down ana then rolls him for few yards under it be
fore the trucks strike him, and when they 90 there
IS great danger of them leaving the rails The drivers
are almost certain TO follow the trucks, and II you
don't 90 down the bank you are lucky. so you see
what havoc one pig can make with railroad. An
other disagreeabe thing about pig is that he never
sops souealng from the time he is hit until he Is stone
dead Engineers are not fond of pork.
at is next to impossible to kill goat with an en-
CINE Goats are the most irritating Of all animals thai
wander along a railroad track. No matter how fast
Won NAV be running how quietly you steal dowl
nnon him he viii you ont OF the corner OF MS eye
and manage to get out Of the way Just In time TO mis-
The cOwcafcher as the engine PUSHES by him at hgnt
ming sueed Cows and horses are generally easily ais
nosed Of Though sometimes they get under the whees
and cause bad wreck. But they arc so large that
he pilot gets under them and throws them to one slde
Sheen are the most ptlfu Of all animals to run down
They seem TO realize the danger that they are In any
hmdSSle together in the middle Of the rails and await
death Their great innocent eyes stare at you s.
fully and sadly that they haunt you for days
come 4 locomotive seems to take savage deilght II
and viii Kill a whole flock in an instant ] struck
dock OF geese once. Well never thought there were
an many feathers In the world. couldn't see anytime
bnt feathers for ten minutes, and when we reachet
the station my engine looked as II she had received
coat nj FAR and feathers. Hello There goes my bell
muT leave your said tho knight OF the footboard
"a he snranC into the cab and started the train out
| the station on Its journey TO the west.