The morning call., 1892-01-02
A MOMENT OF PERIL.
The Mad Dash of Four Great
Engines and a SnOw.PlOW.
1t Was Case Of Life or Death, But the
Slender Bridge Over Toughannock
Gorge Stood Firm.


CINE? Well, l should say l have been-so
much that l have felt my cap rise off my
head as my hair stood on end. Get up in
the cab here and I'll tell you about the only
time L ever said prayer in my life.
Il was running on the old G. [. and A.
Railroad, before it was consolidated with
the Lehigh Valley. The road in those days
was not so prosperous as it IS now, and we
did not have all the material that we should
have had to work with. An engine was
often kept running until she actually broke
down on the road before she could be taken
to the shop for repairs. But that is not
what was going to tell you about. They
were good old days, and we had lots of fun
mingled With the hardest kind of work. L
suppose that makes it all even. We had
one terrible enemy in the winter. That was
the snow. Along tho lakes are long
stretches OF level country, over which the
wind blows the snow in the llveliest posi-
Die manner. 1t would fill up the cuts and
make huge drifts on the track, compelling
the road to suspend business. sometimes
for three or four days. until the track could
be cleared.
zone night there came a tremendous fall
OF snow. Trains were stalled all along the
line, ana passenger train was caught
somewhere near COyerts. Early in the
iiAOtiliA5 ali Tie dFdIldDIS 6uSlHeo H6lS VI
dered out with snow-pl0ws and gangs OF
men to clear away the snow. had big
slX-Wheel 'mOgul, one Of the heaviest en-
glneS on the road, and of course we were
expected to do some effective work. We put
a big supply of coal il the tender and started
out to clear the track. The snow-plow was
built up about ten feet high. and was made
oil Doler-rOn fastened on strong tim beTS. 1t
was bOlted to the front end of tlat-car, and
TONS OF OLD scrap-lron were piled or the car
10 make 1t heavy, so it would not rise from
the rails when we struck big bank Well,
we got out of Ithaca all right. The old
'mOguP went along blowing through the
snow, pushing it aside and throwing it
around as if it were only fun for her
WE GOT OVER THE HILL
Without any serious delay, but there was
cut just the other side of the summit that
was completely filed with snow. saw it
and pulling the old 'mougPs' throttle wide
open, made running jump for it. The
snow-plow was driven about halfway
through the cut, and then we got stuck.
we backed up and tried again, bnt 1t was
no use; we couldn't get through. Word
was telegraphed back, and IN an hour or so
three locomotives were sent 10 our assist
ance. We coupled together when they
arrived and made another effort. With the
increased power we pushed our way through
as clean as pin.
There is another cut just west of Tough
annoek, similar Ito tie one we :had just
cleared, only it is n little deeper, ii any
thing. The boys had a consultation and
decided to go ahead and ram our way
through this cut, if we could. / pulled
the whistle, signaling to the other en-
glneers 10 come Oh, and in moment
the four big 'mogulS,' with the snOw-plow
ahead, were going like a streak for the
snow cut couple Of miles away. On the
other side Of ToughannOck Station is Tough
annOck Gorge, over which was an iron
bridge. The gorge is not wide at that point,
but very deep, with little stream f water
sparkling and glimmerlng in the bottom like
a tiny line of glttering silver You see, the
gorge was between the engines and the cut,
and no one had thought OF tbs bridge when
we decided TO charge on the cut. 1t is
dangerous thing, as rule, to run two en-
gnes coupled together on bridge. let alone
four, and q great snow-plow with all the
weight that could be piled on it, We were
within hundred yards of the bridge be-
fore thought Of 1t. but when | did my
heart went down in my boots. There was
no use trying to stop. That was simply im-
possible. | felt sure that my time had
come. sat down on my box and
HUNG on TO THE REVERSE LEVER
With both hands. ! could hear the engines
behind putting aud snorting. their little
driving wheels going around so fast that
you could scarcely see them. Above all
could hear the big No. TO- the last engine on
the sitting. working with the fury Of a devil,
doing her best to push the rest of us along
little faster. What / suffered in those
few seconds l cannot describe. These gray
hairs, think was caused by that terrible
strain. We drew nearer and nearer the
span. / looked across the boiler at my FIRE
man, thinking it would be the last time
should see him on earth. There he stood
grlDniDg like a jack-lanteru, his white teeth
shining beneath the black SCOT on his dirty
face, wiping his oily hands with piece of
waste, utterly unconscious of the awful
death that awaited him.
Poor loo" thought. YOU had better
die in peace" / could not warn him of the
danger If | would. We were now very near
the bridge. In an instant more we should
all be dead. closed my eyes and began to
pray. The snow-plow struck the span, and
trucks Of my engine struck it. There was
roar from the gorge, as 1t echoed back
the noise made by the train. All the en-
gines seemed to leap through the air as they
ran On the bridge and before | had time to
realize what had happened we were on the
other side. tearing on toward the object of
our attack, like so many agents from the
Internal regions.
"We had q fearful time clearing out that
cut We got stuck dozen times and could
not get either way, but when the engine
men got together and told them Of our es-
cape there was more than one pale face in
the group. GU asked me IL | ha ever
been frightened. We'll, this is the time, and
never want one minute OF such agony as |
suffered that day again-not for the world"
N. i. Tribune.