Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-01-26
CITY
A rRAMp,s RIDE OF TERROR.
Ill Clad and Forlorn, He Stole ~ Place OF
u Cowcateher In Zero Weather.

Ill Clad and Forlorn, He Stole Place on
Cowcateher In Zero Weather.
A poor, half starved tramp stole ride
on the cowcatcher of New York and New
England railroad locomotive last Christ
mas night, and he is not likely soon to for
get his trip. AS Engineer Potter of the
limited express, drove his long train from
the west and halted his painting engine at
the station for few minutes preparatory
to beginning the long run to Boston, a
slight man, shabbily clad in short, thin
coat, light trousers, shoes and felt hat,
came timidly across the network Of iron
rails to his cab and asked il he might ride
ON the engine to Boston.
mo" said the engineer, "the rules of the
road expressly forbid it," Then the tramp
wanted to get aboard the baggage car but
Mr. Potter was not at liberty to permit him
to do so. lie shivered and went away Then
the locomotive bell changed, the passengers
(who had alighted and gone into the depot
restaurant for supper) hurriedly got aboard,
and the train moved Off, quickening its
speed rapidly. 1t was a still night, with
the mercury almost at zero, and the moon
was very bright. The engineer let his steel
horse 20 at the rate of more than fifty miles
an hour, and, though all the cab windows
were tightly shut, so cold was the air that
rushed into the engine that even the en-
gineer and fireman felt chilly.
AS Putnam was passed the fireman fan
cicd he heard m unusual sound above the
roaring of flying wheels, and he hastily
drew aside one sash in II cab window. lie
glanced along the curved side of the great
boiler and instantly uttered u cry of aston
ishment. He saw the wretched tramp,
who had begged for n ride mt Willimantic,
clinging like "A fly to the front of the en-
gine, and whose face, now turned toward
the fireman, was white with hopeless ter
ror. He was shaking like leaf with the
trembling of the locomotive, his clothes
huttering in the hurricane like rush of the
engine, and it was evident to the fireman,
Mt his first glance, that the poor fellow
could retain his grip on the engine only a
few moments longer.
The cry of the fireman brought Engineer
Potter also to the side of the cab in an in
stant and even rs the two men stared at
the wretch, tossing on the cowcatcher, the
latter made n desperate effort to climb
higher upon the pilot to the hot engine
front In doing SO he grasped live steam
pipe. The pipe was blistering hot, but the
tramp dared not let go, for he would have
fgllcu to the roadbed or been ground under
the great driving wheels. Still he uttered
no cry, though the look of agony in his face
told what he suffered
The train was still laundering on at fifty
miles an hour, and the engineer dare not
apply the brakes, for he knew the sudden
jar and jolt that would result from that
net would fling the wretch under the
wheels. There was only one way in which
the man could bo saved aud Engineer Pot
ter saw it ut once, SO he went out on the
locomotive. the fireman following him,
crawled along its side, and yelled to the
man to hold up his hand. The engineer
then fairly pulled the tramp, with the aid
Of the fireman, into the cab Tho man fell
on the floor of the cab completely exhaust
ed He received kind treatment during
| the rest Of the ride to Boston, in which city
he was provided with food and lodging and
medical Attendance New York Sun.