The morning call., 1894-07-08
WONDERFUL NERVE
Of a Locomotive Engineer Who Was
- = = Pinned Down in a Wreck.


..'Es was riding on the Seattle, North
Shore and Western Railroad four years
ago when the engine went through a
trestl6 into a shallow stream. The engi-
neer; jim Boyle, was under the locomotive
and tWo other train-hands were holding
. lis head up out of the water when l
reached the spot. From just above his
knees his body was uninjured, but the
lower parts of his legs were crushed fiat
and held in a wise which knew n loosen
Ing, Several miles above some Chinese
miners were working and they damned
up:the water every night before quitting
letting it loose again when they began
to O-Wasti dirt next day. The engineer lay
fn water Of sufficient depth to prevent a
doctor; even had he been present. from
amputat1ng his legs, and there was the
.added danger that at any time the Chi
:nese might set the water loose and thus
.dIo wn'the injured man. Boyle lay there
in What must have been agony certainly,
and, w i'm the water barely below his
MOUTH. and lev cold at that, and never
Whjmpered. He inquired calmly if a
Golfer. dam couldn't be built around him,
and when this was found to be impossible
he%. asked that his wife be sent for-he
: Fyed* few stations back-tO come up
q n The Wrecking train. Then be asked
= Tor smoke, and smoked away al pipe
: as eon1entedly TO ali appearances as if he
. b adz been in his engine cab. The tTai D.
men relieved each other and the passen-
gers also took turn in holding up BOyle's
head above the water, and, as the hours
. rolled: away, everybody seemed to feel Ihe
awful strain but Boyle Shortly before
noon s. welcome tOOt was heard to the
south of us, and Boyle heard it.
d. "'Prl' bet the cigars that Clara's aboard
that train. was all he said.
"It was. the wrecking train, and the
first person off it was a white-faced little
w0ufan with tightly compressed lips. She
kheW:' the state of affairs, and went
straight to the cut and down into its awful
bOttetn with unhesitating Steps. She toOK
her husbands head in her arms and
= kissed him.
-" My legs are gone, sure. Clara said
tile man, with a smile.
Well, your hearts all right she re-
sponded cheerfully. There was no hope
lessness ln her appearance. no matter how
full. her heart might have BEEN Some one
camerunning down with startled cry,
~ .Ihe. Chlnamen have begun washing!
Neither the man nor woman showed bit
Of fear.
'f'Let me have the gun, DEAR he
pleaded.
-".' You die with a sin on your soul.' she
replied. 'I'll do it. darling, and live
to square myself
THAT woman. gentlemen. had come
prepsrsd to kill the man she loved In
preference TO letting him die most hor-
rlbfe death in a flood Of dirt and sand and
gravel. An Engiishman. who bad been a
passenger on the train, appeared at this
juncture with an imi lement shaped some
thing like a mattock. No one knew where
be got it. Maybe we can scrape the bot
tom away under Boyle's legs and drag him
out, or what's left of him, anyhow be
suggested.
He went to work. Every now and
then he would strike the crushed legs OF
the engineer aud calculate, j beg pardon,
and Boyle would invariably reply, " 0
harm done, general In ten minutes be
asked Boy le to brace himself and mOtioned
to The men at his side. Boyle's arms and
shoulders were quickly grasped by mus
cular trainmen; there was a strong jerk
and Boyle was relea sed. Even in that
supreme moment of agony, when he was
laid On the side of the cut. with masses of
breeding. crushed, quiveriug flesh and bone
d. Whare MS feet and shns nd knees had
been, he looked up al the EngIishman and
sald, General, thanks; you are corker,
ana then tainted Ia bis wife's arms. Ten
minutes ater the cut was ten feet deep,
with bubbline, kissing. rapid 3tream of
yellow water. w Washington Star.