Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-24
IN TIE NICK OF TINE.
Moments of Intense Anxiety IN an Engl-
pecr's Night Fun.
philadelphia Times.

Bill Jones. thu driver Of The big express
engine l.7o6. wiped his hands on bunch
Of waste and leaned back III his cab con-
tentcdly smoking. awaiting the signal Of
the conductor 70 start. In front the green
light below the headlight. indicating that
another section Of the same train would
follow. shons brightly, while behind II
long Inc Of haggago-day and sleepinc-cars
stretched out INTO TIE darkness beyond
the station.
At last the signal came. With alert
senses the encineman opened the throttle
and the train slowly started through the
maze of tracks in Harrisburg ward on its
long run 10 Philadelphia. Little by little
more steam was put on, and faster and
faster the express ratified along. Then the
deafening noise and roar ceased, and then
the steady chick, clckity-click Of the
wheels as they passed over The rail
joints indicated that the long siding filled
with freight-cars had been left behind.
Gathering momentum the tram dashed
into the quiet night. Far of IN the DIS
tauce q light shone from farm-h house. but
the nearer dwellings, lay white and silent
in the moonlight. Suddenly dazzling
lights glarod all around. Big half-naked
men. looking all the more gigantic III the
radisnce, ran hither and thither upon
tasks which could only be surmlsed,
and then the picture was blotted out.
1t was o group Of irOp-mills. On dashed
the train. ITS course now living between
the old canal and the broad Susquehanna.
slight mis-; was rising from the river. but
far across twinkled the din hight OF
another train, emphasized by a clear light
as the furnace was opened by the fireman.
Bill Jones saw II aud smiled TO himself. 1t
was the Baltimore connection which had
lett Harrisburg five minutes before his
train. He jerked the cord and a shrill
whistle sounded through the night. Two
minutes later an Gnswern. blast foated
eleepily across the water.
Tho express rumbled on, now at full
speed, whlzzlng by coal train which had
crossed over 10 the west-bOund track TO
let 1t pass, and ratified through Middle
town past long lines of other freights held
back by the angry red of the semaphorc
60 that the express might not be delayed
ut the intersection. Far ahead the signal
governing the east-bound track shone
crimson. suddenly II turned into a
white light. and Jones released the air no
had just pct on. the train dashed forward
and with jolt. a rumble. and twist sped
across the mainline tracks, disappearing
down the Mt. JOY branch. the single
track lino used for passenger service be-
tween Lancaster and Harrisburg.
just TWENTY-FIVE minutes from the time
the express passed the intersection 1t drew
up 1T Mt. Joy, fourteen miles distant.
and took the siding to clear the Pacific
express gong west. The silence Of night
was almost oppressive and the only sound
which broke the stiffness was the steady
working of the injector. resembling no.
thing so much as person painting after q
long run. From down the valley camo a
faint whistle. then a rumble. o roar, the
fash Of o headlight and the rush OF a
heavy train dashing by at full speed, with
Ie xstrx u. 10 L..
sleepers. As IL passed Bill reused himself
and pulled the whlstle-cord sharply three
times TO warn the other engineer of the
section following aud then be started his
train again for Lancaster.
Meanwhile, the rear brakeman was
standing half doing on the platform of
the last sleeper. He heard Jones give the
signal to the engineer Of the Pacific, and
he saw the red tail lamps Of the other
train vanish In the direction of Harris.
burg as he felt his own train in motion.
Then there 6oated back another signal.
loot. toot. toot. The breakman's heart
leapod. That meant that there was an
other section Of tho Pacific, also, close be-
: bind and the engineer had neglected TO
all Joness attention TO the green lamps
u his Own engine until aroused By Bills
whistle. The brakeman was in "A ouan.
diary. Should lac pull the bell.cord and
stop the train only 10 mud that Bill already
knew Of the second section Of the Pacific
running that night and was supplied with
orders, be would invite o Teprimand for
bis oihciousness.
On the other hand, II his fears were we'll
founded and the express was running on
the single track toward the opposing
Train. He resolved 10 run the risk OF
leaving his post and 20 forward. 1t is no
easy task to thread ones way throuA
three or four sleepers, around state-rooms
and smoking apartments. and 1t is still
more difficult 10 pass through an ordinary
coach in the middle of the night, when
passengers sprawl into easy attitudes and
extend their limbs into the aisles Like an
age II seemed TO tho brakeman ere he
gained the platform Of the front car. clam.
bercd over the rocking tank Of the engine,
nnd stood beside tho engineer. "Bill, did
you notice Pacific carried signals for |
Iecond ssctlony" be yelled into the engi- |
nssr's sav. my God. no."
Then the man accustomed 20 dangers
pads > lightning calculation. There would
70 ct least twenty-five minutes Roadway
sstW1sa The tU0 sections caused by thai