The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-01
IuMPlNe FROM A TRAIN.
A Locomotive Engineer Relates Some Ex-
citing Experiences.

A locomotive Engineer helhteb So"' 49,
citing Experiences.
Ibid you ever jump from your cab while
the train was going at full speedy asked
Detroit Free Press reporter OF locomotive
engineer the other day
Eyes, three or four times" he answered
whats the sensation
That's according to how you land. One
night three years ago the train dispatcher
got two of us headed for each other on
single track at gait Of 40 miles an hour.
The first thing saw was headlight of the
other locomotive rounding curve 80 rods
away. shut 'er off threw over the lever
and set the airbrakes and then made a
jump. I'd no time to pick for a spot, and
as Jumped realized that I'd have bad
time of it. as | knew every foot of the
ground 1t was on a level covered with a
thistle patch.
There was strip of them 40 rods long
growing up like cornstalks. lexpect they
broke my fall aomewhat, but don't know
that | ever hit the ground until | fetched
up for good 1t seemed to me that just
swept through that patch about knee high
from the ground, and when there were no
more thistes to knock down landed 'ker-
chugN against an old stump and uprooted
It. | broke leg and an arm, but that
wasn't the worst of it. The doctor esti-
mated the number of thistle points sticking
into my body at 900, 600, 600 My wife and
l have been picking 'em out ever since they
got me home, and we've only finished one
side of me-"
Landing in a mud puddle would be a
soft thing" | suggested
i've been there" he replied, with fleet
ing smile. while | was running freight
they built a side track to a gravel pit at a
certain point In excavating at the main
line they dug hole about 20 feet long by
10 wide and deep. As rule, this hole
was always full of water, and as it was on
my side Of the engine and always came
under my eye l got to thinking what a
snap I'd have If had to makea jump right
there
But you never had TOT"
Didn't II There was a little station
just mile above this hole, and it was d
sharp up grade One day, while we were
humping along to make the station, doz
en- cars broke loose from freight side track
ing at that station, and down they came
| like so many roaring lions after their prey,
| BY the time ] had whistled for brakes and
reversed my engine, it was time to jump
and, bless my soul if wasn't just where
| wanted to be-right at the pond. wait
ed to pass the mile post, and then shut my
eyes and took a header, feeling sorry at the
same instant for my fireman, who'd got tc
jump among the stumps Well, struck
in the waterF' / asked lis he paused
and worked finger in his ear.
"Oh, mol There had been long spell o.
hot, dry weather, and every pint Of waite,
had evaporated out of that pond. The mut
was left behind though. There was thre
feet of 1t waiting 10 catch some sucker, anC
it caught me. | went head first to the bot
tom. Then'I rolled over and ioundereC
around for five minutes and could neve
have pulled myself out unassisted. | didn'
break any bones, but-ughr'
WHAT"
Mud l took q baths before got dow
so l could see my hide, and it was hours be
fore mud quit washing out of my ears
eyes, nose and mouth. tasted mud. fel
mud crawling up and down my back.
snuffed mud. | found mud in my pocket
and combed it out of my hair until 60
tired and let the balance go. I'm runnin!
on the road yet, but I'm not spotting OF
any mud holes to land in. On the contrary
If things turn out as | have figured, m,
next jump will be into patch of black Der
ry bushes, with an old dead tree in the cen
ter, and l confidently expect to NOV dow
everything in my path"