The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-18
WILD LOCOMOTIVES.
QUEER FRANKS THAT RAILROAD
ENGINES SOMETIMES PLAY.

from t1e IOutSIStee OOufEcF-oOhfnUts
"Wild enginess Well, yes; have seen a
few in my day." said an old engineer last
night. The subject had been brought up
by the discussion Of the peculiar actions of
the runaway engine at the Tenth street
depot the otter day. The engineer in ques-
ton settled himself comfortably in his
chair, put his feet on the table, bit off the
end Of Perfecto handed him by the re-
porter, lighted it, aud, with keen relish, ex-
hailed q cloud Of smoke. After several puffs
on the fragrant weed he began:
"You see / have been engineering now for
| twenty-eight years, and in that time have
seen many curious accidents, many narrow
! escapes, and many horrible deaths, butt
and be looked at the lighted end Of the
| 25-center In a meditative way-''that is
neither here nor there You wish to hear
| some wild engine stories There are few of
these stories to tell. as these accidents hap
pen but seldom and are becoming less fire.
quent with each day.
1.-THE first one that knew of happened
just after the st. Louis and San Francisco
road was built l was at Canon City with
my train. On the track ahead of me stood
freight engine that had been uncoupled
from the freight train, which was on the
side track. The engineer and fireman left
Tie 6URlD6 W kob OIncIbs w liuOub WdTu-
ing the locomotive started back ward. The
switch had been left open. The men on the
train saw it coming and scattered. The
engine demolished the first three box cars
and was badly damaged-so badly damaged
that a careful examination failed to de-
termine what had caused the runaway.
II will tell about another accident
nearer home, which happened about nine
years ago on the Short Line division.
Engine No. 81 was standing at East Louis
vile. The fireman and engineer were in
the office. She was headed toward Anchor
age. Suddenly and without warning the
wheels began to spin around. For an in
slant the old machine stood still, then with
a snort leaped forward like a spirited horse
that had suddenly freed itself from the
rein. | was standing near the end Of the
depot farthest from the engine. My fire.
man had up full head of steam on No.
101. | waived to him and he brought her
up. boarded without her being slowed
up. We threw the throttle wide open and
Bill filed the furnace. Then began a. race
that will never forget. The engineer of
the Runaway and the operator stood on
the platform, with mouths wide open, star
ing in sstonishment at the vanishing en-
CINE. AS passed them, for an instant my
heart stopped beating. Catching my
breath l turned to yell to the operator, but
he was too far behind. turned and looked
at No. 81. She seemed to be going faster
and faster. looked at Bill. His face was
pale as death. Our eyes met, aud he NUT
tered No. l. l nodded my head and
turned away. My old horse was rolling
from side to side. For an instant I stood
aghast as thought what would happen
when No. and the wild engine met. was
startled by a muffied voice: BY God, we
must do it, and turning saw Bill work.
ing away like a maniac at the furnace.
Z ~ InA Al
throttle to the last notch, and the iron
horse seemed q thing Of life. as it leaped
forward in answer. We could feel her
pulses throb and beat, and her breath come
| short and thick, as like thoroughbred
race horse, she strained every nerve and
muscle in her mad endeayor TO overtske
| that steaning. flying, tireess machine
| ahead. Our faces were set a1d determined
| as we worked to save the lives OF those on
| the fast train, which was laundering to its
deom-to certain death and destruction,
| unless we stopped that engine
Clifton, Calls, Crescent Hill had been
passed. On we Numbered, gaining slowly
| but surely on the crazy machine in<front.
Would we have time to reach it? When
| we passed the operator on our mad ride he
stood for some seconds talking with the de-
| serted engineer, when, remembering No. l,
he rushed TO his instrument She must be
| stopped at Anchorage. He dropped help
lessly in the chair when the words came
| back: No. l just pulled OUT
1--WE were going sixty miles an hour.
What was to be done | did not know. No.
l was almost due. We lived year In the
next few minutes AS we struggled up the
grade to Ormsby's we gained perceptibly
on the flying runaway. There is long
side track there. l heard the whistle OF No.
/ as she passed Lakeland. and my heart
stood still. In three more minutes and we
would see men and women crushed, man
gled and scalded, probably burned. My
God how l suffered and prayed for the
help that came. A section gang were
working near the switch They had
left it open. When we were heard
! laundering along the boss started
for the switch. AS he reached
it the runaway dashed into the switch. He
turned it, aud we dashed by on the main
track. The wild engine for an instant spun
along on the wheels of one side, and
prayed that it might turn completely over
My prayer was not answered. AS 10 settled
back we came abreast of it. Bill leaped for
his and hundreds of other lives 1t was q
breathless moment. He caught with one
hand to the handle of the cab and swung
for one breathless second, and then mounted
into the cab. looked forward, and again
my hair rose on end and my heart ceased to
beat Tor within few hundred yards around
the curve Numbered the fast train. re-
versed my engine and waited. She seemed
to rise in the air like spirited steed
checked while at full speed by the cruel
curb. Struggling TO go forward, she
swayed from side to side, the wheels spin
ming backward, while the momentum car
ried her forward. The fast train still came
on. Bill had reversed and his engine was
tearing herself to pieces in a mad effort to
| reach the main track but a short distance
ahead. breathed freer as my old favorite
began 10 move, for the engineer of the pas
senger had reversed. Ws still got nearer.
but was going so rapidly and the other SO
| slowly when we touched that hardly a jar
| was felt. The runaway was at a standstill
. few feet from the switch, with Bill in a
dead faint IN the bottom of the cab. We
got back to Louisville, and / was taken
down with brain fever, from which / re-
covered, after long struggle. So ended
my last experience with wild engines"
snow will tell you about an engine, No.
Is, called old Eccentric You are not
superstitious, you say. Well, you would
have been so had you had anything to do
with this engine. Her actions were at
times almost human. She was first put on
the Santa Fe In &c. About week after
she had been in service she started for lit
tie run by herself She was stopped with
out any damage being DONE No cause for
such an unbecoming action could be
found. The old girls next break happened
a month afterward The dav nravious En-