Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-06-30
REMARKABLE NERVE At THE LEVER.
An Engineer Prevent. n r.,,,hi. Cal.
nslon with AnnnnuI.. -


eer Prevents n Terrible Col
WIN eunpowder Wagons.
Nathaniel W. Gookin was a man Of
iarge stature. In manner no was quiet.
anyways polite and obliging. but ALWAYS
unpressing those who came In contact
with MIN with a Consciousness Of bia
reserve and self reliance. Ills decision.
were quickly made and Instantly acted
on on one occasion, while running
on the road, he was bringing n train
from Philadelphia to this city. When
nc was nearing the grade crossing Of
tho road leading to Dumont's pier. on
tue Delaware river, few miles above
uiis city, no saw two loaded powder
wagons approaching tho railroad. Tho
foremost team had become unmanngc.
able and was running away. followed
by the second team.
Engineer Gookin calculated that he
would meet ono of those wagons at tho
crossing. There were no air brakes IN
those days, and hc could not stop In
time To avoid n collision. n he slack.
encd his speed he might avoid the ilrs,
wagon to collide with tho second one.
a collision meant an explosion. death
to himself and fireman. and the do
aruction 81 his train. There was but
ono chance Of escape, that was TO In.
crease his speed, outrun the horses and
pass ahead Of the first team or perhaps
between tho two wagons lie accepted
tho issue quietly, threw his engine wido
open and waited.
A stranded fireman, who had begged
srido from Philadelphia TO Wilmington
ON Gookin's engine that morning. told
the story Of that trip TO the writer lilo
said
THAT wns tho most thrilling expert.
ence Of my life saw tho wagons as
soon "a Gookin did. and made ready
TO Jump on heard tho click Of tho
valve and felt the old engine jump az
" shc was trying 10 shake herself loose
FROM tho cans. Tho train held her to
the iron orshc surely would have loft Il.
"dookin's eyes wcrc fixed on tho
crossing. His counicnancc. except for
the dash Of his eye and the compression
OF his lips, was ns iinmovablc a. u cut
from stone. Tho train seemed To
DO flying Tho horses were evidently
ahead In the race 10 the crossing. They
would got thcro. INT, but would they
get overt
ION thcy came. running as horses
wild with fright only can run, and on
We sped ~ u trying TO meet them. col.
lido with and explode tho wagon load
Of powder Great Scott. how those
horses did ranl Il had only been u
minute or two since We lint saw tho
wagona II seemed Ike "a lifetime We
Ind only run n milo or two, but Il
seemed ~ u wo had run around tho
world. The space between the engine
and wagon closed. Thoy wcrc apphr.
emily At tho crossing together The
second team was 40 close that IL horses
and wagon must DO piled up on wrcclS
OF engine and cars In "a second COLI.
Hlon.
As the feet Of tho horses Of the lead.
ing team touched the track at tho cruss.
Ing shut my eyes In horror to avail,
tho colllalon and tho explosion which |
was furc would follow. Tho train How
over the oessing In safety. Tho lint
team had bcaten tho engine and cleared
the track. We had passed between the
two wagons. opened my eyes and
looked back 10 noto what hhd occurred.
Tho int team was passing toward tho
pier; tho second ono was 6till on tho
west aide OF tho tracks with tho wagon
overturned. IL had been 80 near that
tho horses. turning suddenly 10 avoid
tho rushing train. had upset tho wagon.
That train went Into Wilmington at
full speed. Gookln blow az brakes
and shut on steam In tlmc 10 stop at
tho station, but when that was done bis
nerves gave out and ho was helped
from tho engine. Wilmington News