Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-29

distinguished the lights Of Coalport in the dis
lance he felt the train elacken its speed and
turning one more brake, he fell in faint on the
top of . car.
Gradually the train slowed down, but did not
stop until II had run to Tannery, small sta
ton two miles past Coalport. There some of
the yard hands sawthat something was wrong
and leaped aboard and stopped the engine.
Collins was lowered to the ground and revived
He was affected by his terrible experience
for several days, but ia consoled by the thought
that his heroic act saved scores Of lives.
AT BIG sHANTY STATION.
Another instance wherein q fireman appeared
as the bright particular star occurred not long
since ct Big Shanty station out in Kansas. The
Alton hummer" was running at q great rate of
speed down grade, the engineer and fireman
being in the cab and both keeping q sharp
lookout ahead. At a siding few miles dis
tant another train was to be passed.
Inc engineer was but human and forgot
The fireman expected him to shut down the
engine every minute, but on and on he went,
and rounded the last curve between the train
and the siding with Q rush. Then it was too
late. Another headlight dashed into view.
The engineer with a wild cry of fright threw
down the bank out Of harms way. Not 80 his
fireman. Quick as fash he sprang over the
boiler and was in the engineers place Back
came the ponderous lever and on with crash
went the air brakes.
Some claim that the fireman did not have
time to reason. His hands few to the air lever
throttle and whistle valve as il controlled by
mechanism. The motion was wholly inyolun-
tary.
II the engineer had time to think that an ac-
cident was about to happen and had time to
throw himself from the cab window his fire.
man had an equal chance for his life. As il
was his life paid the forfeit for his bravery.
But 1t was a case Of educated bravery. as often
found in the tender as in the cab of the loco
motive. Such men, long accustomed to danger,
show no fear of death.
At the longest but few seconds had elapsed
from the time the engine passed the switch
until tho two headlights crashed together
Probably the fireman saw from the color of the
switch lamp that there was trouble ahead. II
he did the time which elapsed before the crash
might have occupied twenty seconds 1t would
have been as easy to jump through the cab
window as to have made the motions necessary
to save the train.
Here is fine point for metaphysicians. The
fireman must have thought that his time had
come. man thinks hard in seconds like
those. He may not be able to tell his exact
thoughts, but he knew that a responsibility
rested upon him. Experience brought about
that state Of mind. He had been over the road
hundreds Of times. each time with mind full
OF the dangers of his position. He was con-
| stantly fearing an occurrence such as took
place at Big Shanty. When the supreme in
slant came and the engineer threw himself from
the cab he looked upon it as inevitable. and
clinching his teeth, he did his duty relgiously.
Probably he murmured prayer for himself
rs he closed the throttle and the air brake, and
for the sleeping passengers behind him. His
action was not mechanical. 1t was a sort OF
bravery for which years of experience had
trained an already brave cool man.
Not one Of the passengers was killed, and
only small number were injured, but the fire.
man lost his life. But what Of that; he did bis
duty as only brave men know how