Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-24
STOPPED JUST IN TIME
A Wild Train on the Edge of q
Precipice
IL Was Saved by a Brakcman-Au
Others Had De-
serted ID.

Passenger train No. 4, on The Stony Cove
and Cstskill Mountain railroad, crawls
along nafrow-gauge track from PhOenicia
10 Hunter. y. Y. a distance of fourteen
miles. and all the way climbs a steep grade.
In many places the track curves sharply
around lodges of the mountain and over
looks precpices that drop hundreds Of feet
straight down. 1t is n ride that nervous
people fear and passengers have often
thought that an accident would be certain
Death.
Saturday afternoon train No. left Phee-
nicia half an hour late. 1t was made up
OF Two coaches and n combination car
carrying about sixty passengers. Ii toiled
up the mountain until the little town Of
Edgewood was reached. where teiegraphlc
orders were given the conductor. counter
manding his original orders to run straight
through. Instead of waiting at Edgewood
the train kept on and short distance
up the mountain met a wild train running
down. The engineer of No. Z reversed his
engine aad all the crew jumped. Several
passengers did likewise and escaped in
jury. Then came the crash.
The only news that reached New York
was the following report of the railroad
AN engine on the Stony Cove branch
jumped the track rear Edgewood and de-
layed traffic two hours. No one was in-
lured.''
A Thrilling Experience.
But what did occur was one of the wild.
est rides passengers ever experienced, and
they were saved from fall down the
mountain side by the bravery of one man.
When the crash occurred the engine Of
train No. was not badly broken, and. be-
ing reversed under full head Of steam,
4 q tod ha.lr
nriver or fireman. In a moment terrific
momentum was gained. and the train of
night cars rocket and roised around dam
gerous curves.
Edsewood station was passed like a flash.
some OF the passengers prayed aloud 9TH
ers orawled under the seats imagining
themselves safe, md many gathered in the
forward car, which they knew would be
last 10 IAN The airbrake cord was pulled
tut Il had no effect on the flying train
Another train was known to be on its way
up the mountain and there were no sta
lions where IL could be stopped Every
BODY had given up hope. when gradually
me tran. slackened its speed ana suddenly
came TO an abrupt stop. No one knew what
caused IL and the passengers scrambled
out OF the cars.
A Hero for the Emergency.
Down the track they saw a brakeman
with his flag ready to stop the upbound
train. That brakeman was the hero. He
alone Of all the crew had not jumped. His
station was on the rear car. and when the
Wild run commenced he tried vainiy to
stop the train with brakes. Then he heard
the putting of the engine aud realized that
something must be wrong there. Running
through the cars. he climbed into the cab
and found IL deserted He knew nothing
about engines. but his eye caught sight of
the throttle. He pushed IL and sew that
the steam was cut or Then he tired sew
eral valves until he found the airbrake. sni
stopped the train.
A hundred yards further down was the
sharpest curve on the road. on the edge OF
cliff 80 feet high. The flying train could
never have passed IL in safety. The brake
mans name was Arland b. Porter Of Gra-
Evansville, Sullivan county. Led by Mr.. s.
s. Kaliske of New York. the passengers
raised a purse for him ana united in a let
! ter to the president Of the road. commend
| ing the mans brave act.