The morning news., 1893-12-03

Miraculous Escapes From Death-Re-
counting Wonderful Experiences at
Tie and Rail Club Social Better
Lucky Than Rich.
From the Washington Star.
IF there is ono thing that a railroad en-
pIole believes in more than another it is
luck. No matter how clearly practical
man may aualyze a certain odd occur
renee they will obviously shake their
heads and contend that it was case of
luck good or bad pure and simple. For
Instance, if one of their number had been
ordered out on a certain train and through
sickness had failed to report and the man
taking his place had been killed, they
WILL enc and all, emphatically declare it
was case of lucky sickness for the man
tnat was compelled to remain at home.
They fail to see the fact that the substi-
tIte proved negligent in his duty and had
the regular man been in his place it was
TOO To / chance that the accident would
not have occurred.
1t is, however, an undeniable fact tina
there are more strange and weird occur
rences taking place daily in the railroad
service than in any other branch Of en-
p.Oyment. The DOnderous rolling stock
swift flight through the country, over
Splder-like bridges, under the earth in
long dismal tunnels, and in weather vary
lng from the pleasant to the most trying,
all tend in the direction of beliefs almost
supernatural Then, again, train service
IS not the kind that calls so much for
brain as physical equipment. The element
o' chance does, to certain extent, enter
INTO the everyday service of train men,
ana that they should be superstitiOus is
only following natural lines.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
1t is occurrences like the following, the
details of which come from Hazleton,
Pa. that lend color of substance to a
uamman'S belief in luck. When coming
INTO the yard at Weatherly, d small sta
Non near HaZletOn, with his train, Con
oUcfOr John McHugh told one of the
brakemen to cut the caboOse loose at the
lower end of the siding ana let the engine
AXE the train to a point near the western
.nd McHugh had then been on the road
."r twenty hours and his eyes were heavy
Tor lack of sleep. As ordered, the brake
man a few minutes later pulled the pin
u0lolag the CabOose, and SuppOSlnp the
CONDUCTOR would take care of the caboose,
,ontInued up the track with the cars. He
noticed later, however, that the cabOose
udu run out on the main line again and
mat McHugh had not appeared on the
PLATFORM. The road at that point is
marked by a grade which drops fifty feet
10 the mile and to catch the caboose was
Impossible
Taking in the situation the trainman
naStened to the telegraph office and mes
Adses were sent TO the different offices be-
LOW TO either sidetrack or derail the run
away caboose 1t was not known whether
yne conductor was on it or not. The OPP
orator at Black Greek reported the car by
n.S station and the man at Penn Haven
was barely notified when the runaway
sNoI by the window of the station. Down
me mountain side the car rushed with the
Iapqlty of lightning, while within it sat
NonQuctor McHugh asleep and oblivious
me danger his nap was mourning.
otIunately there were no west bound
talHs started out from Packington and
-.e immense distance allowed time for the
Operator TO set the switches and run the
4I up the safety track Other trainmen
~eGe distributed along the graded track,
~Au as the speed OF the runa way caboo ?