The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-05-23
RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVES.
Tho Queer Franks Thoy Often
Play on tho IRON Road

ssWild engines2 Well. yes; have
seen few IN my day" said an old en-
ginecr to Louisville Courier-J Journal
reporter The subject had boon
brought up BY the discussion Of the po-.
culiar actions Of runaway engine.
Tho engineer in question settled him
self comfortably IN his chair, put his
feet on the table, bit of the end Of
cigar handed him by the reporter,
lighted II and, with keen relish, OK
hailed d cloud Of smoke. After several
puts on the fragrant weed he began:
lyon see, ! have been engineering
nov for twenty eight years, and in that
time have seen many curious acci-
dents many narrow escapes and many
horrible deaths, butnand he looked at
The lighted end Of the Twenty-Five
center N . meditntive way that Is
neithor hero nor there.
You wish 70 hear some wild engine
storleA There are few Of these stories
10 tell. Ne these accidents happen but
seldom. and arc becoming less frequent
with each day.
The FIRST ono that I knew Of hap
pcned Just after the St Louis q San
Francisco road was built was at
Canyon City with my train On the
track ahead Of me stood freight en-
Kine that had been uncoupled from the
freight train. which was on tho side
track.
Tho engineer and fireman left the
engine to get orders without warn
ing the locomotive started backward.
Tho switch had been left open. The
men on the train saw It coming and
scattered
Tho engine demolished the first
three boz cars and was badly damaged
$50 badly damaged that careful ex-
animation failed to determine what
had caused the runaway.
Il viii tell about another accident
nearer home, which happened about
nine years ago on the Shore Limo d.
vision Engine No. e7 was standing at
East Louisville. The fireman and en-
Rineer were In the Office. She was
beaded toward Anchorage.
''Euddenly and without warning the
MAeela began 70 spin around For an
Inst nt tho old machine stood still, then
VIII snort leaped forward like o spir-
ID horse that had suddenly freed IT.
telf from tho rein. / was standing
near the end Of the depot farthest from
the engine. My fireman had up q full
head Of steam on No. i07.
II waved TO him and he brought her
up boarded without her being slowed
up. We threw the throttle wide open
md Bill ale. the furnace. Then be-
Jan : race that ] viii never forget
The engineer Of the runaway and the
operator stood on the platform. with
mouths wide open, staring in astonish-
ment at the vanishing engine.
As passed them for an Instant my
heart stopped beating. Catching mr.
breath. turned to yell 70 the operator,
but he was too far behind turned
aud looked at No. 81. She seemed to be
going faster and faster and faster.
looked at BILL His face was pale a.
death
s-Our eyes met and he muttered; NJ
y nodded my head and turned away.
My old horse was nodding from side TO
side. For nm instant I stood aghast as
thought what would happen when
No land the Wild engine met / was
startled By muffied voice: We must
90 II and turning saw Bill working
away Ike maniac at the furnace
7 eased up on the lever, pulled out
The throttle TO the last notch, and the
IRON horse seemed thing Of life as II
leaped forward In answer We could
ieel her pulse throb asst beat, and her
breath came short andy lex as, like q
thoroughbred race horse. she strained
every nerve and muscle in her mad en-
neayor % overtake that steaming. ny
Ing. tireless machine ahead
Our faces were set and determined
- we worked to save the Hives IF those
< on the fast train, which was thunaer-
lngt It's doom-to certain death and
destruction unless we stopped that
engine.