The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-25
Catching a Runaway Engine.
From the ctncinnati commercinl.

1.-THE liveliest time ever experienced
was IN chasing runaway engine" said
an old railroad man to party of friends
recently. 81 was an engineer on the
Northern Michigan and Lake Superior
line at the time" he continued, land
pulled fast freight between Michi-
CANINE and Menomonee. We stopped at
little station called Maple Ridge one
afternoon, as usual, for water, but had to
wait awhile for an engine which was
taking water at the time. The fireman
was on the tender guiding the spout from
the tank, and the engineer stepped down
from the cab to do some oiling. The en-
CINE was ready to go out on passenger
train, and had high pressure of steam
on. Suddenly there was a rush of steam,
the smoke belched from the stack, and
the locomotive gave leap forward as a
horse would if prodded with sharp
stick. The fireman was thrown off, and
the engineer jumped aside, to see the en-
CINE start down the track at an alarming
rate of speed. ,air-F w7I
1--WE knew instantly what had hap
pened. The pressure of steam has been
so great as to blow the throttle open and
let the steam into the cylinders full force
She was now running away. and we knew
that she would go on at that alarming
rate of speed until the fire died out under
her boiler or she collided with some oh
stacle. What to do was evident The
runaway must be caught, and every
second lost was valuable-probably lives
depended on it, The operator had seen
the engine start and was already pound
ing desperately on his key to clear the
track and notify the superintendent
Uncoupling our engine, pulled the throt-
tie open, the fireman shoveled in the coal
and we started in pursuit. We had
enough water in our tank to last for some
time, and trusting in providence to bring
US out safely, we began the fastest ride l
ever experienced. The runaway had
about two minutes the start of us, and for
the first few miles, at least, would gain
on US. Our hope lay in keeping pace
with her for some distance, and then
gradually closing up the gap between us.
If we passed the first few stations safely,
it was quite probable that the track
would be clear for US after that.
Campbell was the first station, and we
whizzed by at rate Of speed which made
the station appear like little streak of
brown. Five miles had been covered,
and we felt sure we were holding our own
in the exciting race. Three miles further
we sped by the little town of Beaver and
Perkins, which is one mile further,
seemed to be a part of the same place !;
and thus the race continued. AS we pro-
CeeueU we saw crowns OF people gathered
about the stations, who cheered US as we
passed, but their cheers scarcely reached
our ears above the thunder of our locomo-
tive. After we reached Narenta, thirty
three miles from Maple Ridge, we began
to expect some trace of the fugitives We
did not let up on our speed, and, as there
were no sharp curves, we had a view of
the track for a mile ahead Finally, from
behind patch of timber, we Sighted her
bowling along at very sharp rate, but I
knew we were gaining on her fast. A
piece of upgrade was ahead, and we now
felt that our prey was in our grasp.
Gradually we drew up behind the
runaway, until not more than 100 yards
were between US. Both engines were go
ing at a speed of twenty-five miles an
hour, and l called TO the fireman to take
the throttle Then l climbed down on TO
the pilot and waited for us to come up.
When we touched there was jar, and 1
had a good opportunity to climb on board.
Crawling over the coal into the cab,
shut off the steam, and the runaway en-
CINE was captive again"