The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-23
OPEN THE DRAW I!

during the war, and was an uncommon
event. for scarce a week passed with US
without some wonderful, new and startling
occurrence.
But it was foreordained by the fates that
our season of quiet should speedily come 10
an end, and it so happened that was one
of the actors in the new ragedy.
During the two months above mentioned,
the Confederate forces mad been slowly and
surely approaching our railroad, and al last
the news was brought up the road by train
that they were within SIX miles OF the
southern terminus. This train had come
direct from there, and the engineer re-
ported that all the inhabitants were leaving
the place. Furthermore, he said that spy
had been captured the previous night, who
revealed some of the plans Of the COnfed
crates. They intended 10 attack the town.
seize ALI the engines and cars they could.
run quickly up the road, capturing cars as
they went and then run back again.
Well, it so pleased our superintendent
just at that time 10 save the single train
that had been left at Darlington. He had
run down with ms in an extra train with
few officers to Stonington. station
about fifty miles from Darlington, and we
had remained there all night. / had just
reversed my engine. and was making
ready TO take this party back to Mount
Pleasant. when the news of the advance
of the COnfedeTates reached US. Theirs
was no time for delay. and was ordered
could carry me to Darlington. Once there
/ was to couple quickly Oh TO the train at
that place and bring It with ne.
Ny fireman was just through oiling the
moving machinery, the tender was fun of
wood and water, there was a roaring fire
boiler
Jump or, Danl' l shouted, and my ian
sprang aboard. the next thing l did was
20 run the two cars / had coupled back on
T1asr Ill III 1xF-a
more on the main track, l gave the lever a
jerk. pulled the whistle string and moved
off down the road. In two minutes more
We were rolling over the rails at the rate Of
forty-fYe miles an hour, and running back
ward at that. II must be borne in mind
that l had not waited to turn MY engine
around before starting, and as IL had been
headed the other way l was now travelling
hind end foremost
Ii was necessary to keep a verv sharp
lockout before US in order TO stop in an In
slant in case of accident Many engines
were stationed at different points on that
end OF the road, and the special danger at
that time arose from the fact that some Of
Them hearing or tie new state of affairs
would start up the road aud run into US at
some curve.
1t may as well be stated here that our
road crossed the T River about twelve
miles from Darlington, and at this point a
drawbrdge was located, over which bridge
sisted Of a single section Of the structure
which turned around on a pivot aud al
lowed the river boats TO pass. Il was located
at the extreme southern end Of the bridge,
and just there the road curved to the left
and ran through pretty deep cut, so that a
train approaching from the south would be
within thirty feet Of the draw before the en-
gineer could see IT,
Well. on we ratified over the loose rails
and dec8yed erOsS-ties, until we had passed
md h.
four miles Of Darlington. We were just en-
terlng tunnel when the shrll whistle of a
locomotive came TO our ears from the direc-
tlon IN which we were going. Now the en-
CINE WAS running was small locomotive
which had been used until IL was almost
worn out. This fact made NE cautious, Tor
did not wish 70 be compelled 10 run any
great distance from an approaching train.
as soon as the sound ofthe whistle struck
my ear | shut OF almost all the steam and
stood ready TO stop the engine at mo-
ments notice. The tunnel was a long one,
and as had checked up" it took US sew
eral minutes 10 20 through. When at last
we came out at the other end | could see a
locomotive coming up the road al a high
rate OF speed and carrying over her the Con-
federaie flag Her tender was full Of SOL
dlers, too. and | cOmpre hended in moment
that the enemy had captured CaTlngton
and that few OF the soldiers Were now
riding np the road on al engine
Ii took me but moment to Jam the lever
hard back, reverse the engine and tell Dan
10 break up, which he did al once
quickly the engine came to a stand-still
but before | could get started back the
approaching locomotive bad come within 500
yards and her engineer had discovered US
loud shrek from the engines braZen
throat told ne that he had seen us, and an
other in reply from my iron horse let him
know that we defied him.
Away we went over the rails at the rate
OF f'ty-odd miles an hour, and on came the
other engine dsshing after u.s. Now the
pursued would blow his whistle. and again
would reply, making the hills and valleys
echo with the sound. Had it not been for
the TACT That L did not certainly know my
ability to escape them with the poor engine
was running that race would have been
full OF fuu for me, for il made my blood
larry burn and my heart swell IS we went
whlrling around curves, over bridges, into
tunnels, over high entertainments and trestle
works and again into some deep and long
cuts" The engine rocked and swayed to
and fro, the steam Kissed in its rapid pass
age out OF tie cylinders, the trees and
shrubs seemed to fly by us like "ereased
lightning" and the wheels clicked and rum
bied as they passed from one Loose rail to
another. We appeared TO fairly leap over
the cross-ties, so rapidly were we travers.
ing the distance between our starting point
and the place 10 which We were bound
just at this section of our road there were
great many very sharp curves, and as my
engine was light one and the track in q
bad TX. 1t was exceedingly dangerous to
run at the rate we were going. On this &C.
count the enemy had the advantage of me
for their locomotive was great. heavy one
and would be less likely to Jump the track
than the one / was on.
They had crowded on every pound OF
steam they could, and were coming on "Iike
Lhnhaer, gaming ON me very fast, while
dared not open the valve another Bit, thong b
L might easily have carried fifteen more
pounds of steam IL the track would have
permitted il.
In this manner we dashed on over the
road intervening between Darlington and
the river bridge. We lad reached point
only bali mile from the bridge, when 8
saoden thought struck me, and / recollected
plan once laid by our superintendent.
In an instant my whistle pealed forth
seven short blasts and then one long one
gave the lever one more pull, and we shot
forward into the long cut which hides IN,
bridge from view. On, on, around the long
curve at rate which knew was Leaving
the other engine behind me- The wheel!
struck the bridge, the engine dashed on Il
II. and shut of the steam. We did no
stop. however. but rolled along until W,
were half way across and then we came u
a dead halt. The minute we stopped
turned my eyes back. NV sigma
and everything was working right
Scarcely half minute more and thu
locomotive came tearing around thu
curve. wild yell of despair arose from
those on board as they saw their situation
and the next instant their engine, with al
on board, jumped from the track into oper
space where the draw had just been, an(
Tell with splash and the sound OF an ex
ploston into the river below
Such are the chances of war. But min
ute before, and those mangled bodies wer,
living, breathing human beings Yet thi
was the only course which could have beer
pursued.
My signal had been heard by the guard a
the bridge. and it read like this to them
open the draw as soon as cross il. ttpr
Is danger behind" They had done go. an,
az soon as my engine left it. they hsd ran