Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-07-27
CAT IVl(|
MISC DfHE LoDs
IG PIN.
Down Curve Ahead and
Going he Clip--The Rum
away Carr and Cattarausus
yiadact Bcfl TN Jumped.

".he month / don't rememb Der.
but it was in the spring Of '92, and /
was in Pennsylvania half on bust
ness and half for pleasure for there
was a peculiar rocky-formation that
l wanted to look up down thore, =
said the goologist to.the New York
Sun man. II had walked out to the
place Of my geoloe yical research,
which was near East Concord, and
had pretty we'll tirel myself out
walking and CHM bling, when a
freight train came slowly along. At
that time 1 knew every engineer on
that division, and this engineer.
whose name was Wind. slowed up
and took me aboard. There's steep
grade there and the train was hard
to control. We hadn't fairly got
started down that grade when Wind,
looking q little grave, turned to me
and said:
e There's something the matter
with the air brakes. They're not
working.
Well your engine will hold the
train in check all right, won't it,
asked
1.-The engineer glanced back over
the train, then turned and looked
ahead we Were rafting on at a pref
ty lively pace now. and it was get
ting livelier every minute. The old
locomotive was dancing q jig. Wind
put his hand on the throttle. His
fireman was scared.
We've got to slow up before we
get 70 Observation-Disclosures, he shouted,
the words rafting from his mouth
as the cab shook and shivered.
There's only one thing I'm afraid OF.
If we can Ah!'
..For minute / didn't understand
just what had happened All that |
knew was that old 100 (the locomo-
tive) had bounded ahead like live
thing and was running away from
the rest of tho train | turned to
Wind. His face was all pinched up
and his eyes looked like gimlet
holes. Leaning over to me he
bawled in my ear.
I" That's what / was afraid of.
Coupling pin joggled out. Bad
business!
What are you going to do?' /
called back.
...Only one chance, he answered
in the same tone. Got to save the
train. Got to catch her ON the tly
and hold her, or it's case of smash
of the worst kind, and there's men
in the caboose. Jim, he added, turn
ing to his fireman. its going to be
a bad business, and the turn of a
hand will finish it the wrong way.
You can't do any good. If you see
a chance, Jump. You'd best jump,
too, SIR be added to me. Theirs
water down here bit further, and
you'll come out easy
wind was enough to give man
new courage. The pinched look had
gone out of his face. and his expires.
sion was steadfast and composed.
His eyes. wide and steady, were
fixed on the piunging monster be-
hind. and the hand that grasped the
throttle was instinct with nervous
force and readiness There was only
fifty yards between Us and the cars
now, and it was rapidly decreasing.
| Nearer and nearer it came, until it
seemed as if it must leap and hurl us
from the track. We were on a small
embankment now. caught a CLINT
of the water below, and wondered
vaguely if ones body could be recov-
cred there. Then something flashed
past me, there was a yell-and there
were only two Of us in the cab. Old
100 at the same instant leaped for
ward out of danger. But two wrin-
kles appeared on Winds forehead
4. Let her out too quick he
shouted. Jim jumped and shook
me up. Well have to try her again.
Hope Jim struck the water
when heard that we were going
to get in the way OF that mountain
slide again felt like man who has
been invited to catch n cannon ball
in his teeth. wanted to jump ifpd
only dared, but there was no water
beneath now; only har d ground
Moreover ] was wasting tiRe in
thinking out chances that might be
my last moments for prayer and re-
pentance, and that train was coming
down on us again. This time shy
my eyes and pulled myself into &c
heap. As nearly as can remember
/ huddled up with the idea that ]
would prefer to be found in one piece
after the crash. rather than in dis
lntegrated sections Any 81
didn't open my eyes until / felt a
sharp jar, and then sthat heav-
,1,, or IL,
again. The yrain had touched us,
but so quick ana read was the en-
gineers pull of the throttle that he
had brought US away again-and
a second. the fractional part of sec
ond, too soon. His face was rcd
with anger when opened my eyes
again and looked around me.
Its now or never this time I'll
stop her now or wen all be in the
ditch.
1T was now or never without
doubt. for we could see the curve
ahead and not far ahead at the
sixty-mile clip we were going.
Wind slowed up sharp, and | shall
never forget my feelings as the cars
bore down on us This time /
couldn't shut my eyes. The fascina-
tion Of imminent death held them on
the laundering mass behind y
.'.Brace yourself and hang on,
shouted Wind, as he felt FOR a brace
with his feet and gripped the
throttle SO tight that the muscles
stood out like cords on his arms.
1.-The next instant he sprang to
/, e, +Io ,,;l1