The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-01-30


bany station-forty-fou minutes for
the thirty-eight miles, This perhaps
will not appear anything very difficult
for many of my readers, but to those
who are familiar with the road, es-
pecially us it was then, it will be adj
mittcd that it was fast time.
There were then no safety switches
in the track, no block signals, not even
light on any switchstand TO tell
whether the switch was right or not,
The agents and operators at each
station showed white light, to signify
that all was right at their stations, but,
aside from that, the road was in
absolute darkness its entire length.
The engine ran moderately through
the upper part of the city of Albany,
and when once clear of the streets the
engineer pulled out the throttle valve,
and off they bounded. The rain
poured, the wind blew ficrcely, and be-
fore them the darkness was so thick
that it seemed as if the CLEAN of the
headlight only served to render the
darkness more intense.
The superintendent stood with his
head and shoulders out of one window,
and the engineer with his out of the
other; but neither could see more
than four or five rods ahead of the
engine.
The driving rain beat against their
| faces, almost binding them with its
! fury, while the wind roared so about
the engine that any ordinary tone OF
voice was inaudible, and even the
whistle itself could hardly be heard.
In few minutes the light at West
Troy Junction was seen. cts all
right. Go on!' the signal meant Then
the upgrade into Cohoes caused a SEN
sible dminution of speed.
At that time the Mohawk river at
Cohoes was spanned by long wooden
bridge, high above the river, and all
engineers had instructions to pass
over it slowly. So before reaching the
bridge the engineer shut off steam, and
using his airbrake reduced the speed
of his engine.
A moment more, and they were roll
| ing quietly and smoothly over the
| bridge. When they were once over it,
the throttle valve was again pulled out,
and the engine bounded through Water.
ford, and down the long grade to the
valley beyond.
| Nothing was said in the cab as they
tore along. The superintendent on one
side and the engineer on the other stood
steadily watching. The fireman on the
footboard occasionally opened the fire.
box door and threw in a shovelful of
coal, while the passenger sat in his
corner perhaps enjoying the novelty of
his experience, perhaps wondering If
he should ever reach Saratoga alive.
Now Mechanicsville was passed, and
the engine turned to the west, and be-
gan climbing the long gradient that
the road takes from the valley of the
Hudson to the plain upon which Sara
toga lies.
Next appeared the light at Round
Lake, and the superintendent could not
help thinking of the road crossing just
hey ond the station, where not long be-
fore train had been wrecked in the
night by plank muliciously driven in
next to the rail. This had resulted in
serious accident, killing one man and
severely injuring several others.
But before he could wonder whether
that might perchance be their fate,
Round Lake was behind them, and the
fatal crossing, too; and he heard the
| thud of the switches at East Line. Nc
agent there and no light; but the
switches We're all right, and on they
went, Now they neared Ballston, and
for the first time since leaving Albany
the superintendent drew in his head
and looked at his watch. The engine
was running with steam shut off on
account of the sharp curves at the sta.
tion.
The watch said eleven fifty-two
Eight minutes left, and seven miles tc
go! Let her go, WIFI! he shouted to
the engineer and, the curves at Balls
ton being passed, once more the engi
neer pulled his throttle wide open, anC
the engine raced toward Saratoga.
Now the bridge over the Kyaderos.
seras was crossed, small stream with
a long Indian name, that flows into
Saratoga lake, and so on to the Hudson
river. Then the turnpike bridge, threC