The herald., 1894-12-01

his race against time TO Harrispurgs tns
other terminus Of the division Out neas
Bryn Mawr, q suburb of Philadeiphia our
special was simply shattsring space.
Something got wrong with the oil TUBS
running to the axle box on one Il the
cars, and Charley Douglas, one ON the
brightest young men then in the employ
of our company, grasped the handle along
side the steps, and, leaning far over en-
deavored to repair the break. At the mo-
ment he was deeply engrossed over his
work tho train dashed around slight
curve, and the next instant poor Douglas
forehead came in contact with milk
stand alongside the track. He never knew
what struck him, as his death was in
Simultaneous. As his body rolled from the
steps pulled tho bollcord, and after rum
ming quarter of mile the train was
stopped and backed no to where the body
lay. The object of o special was lost 40
q stop had been made, but for tho rest OF
the run the different engineers made REQ
ords that stood for several years.
- can recall a run made by a special
train about four years ago. said men,
Der Of tho group, whose road leads in and
out Of tho Lehigh coal region, THAT
comes into my mind without tho least
trouble to my thinking apparatus. The
special consisted of an engine and two
cars. We had been up in the mining ro-
gion inspecting the road and were return
ing down the hill at an easy pace. As we
neared a little telegraph office stuck In tho
side of the mountain our engineer observed
the young operator running toward him
like wild man. The engineer lost no
time in'pulling up to meet him and was
more than frightened when he called out:
1.-The strikers up the hill have sent
down two loaded coal cars after you. Pull
out for Sidcll for your life!'
''Sidell was seven miles away and was
the nearest siding, and away VIC flew. II
the worst came We knew we could Jump
and save cur liyes, but the engineer was
true blue, and I told him to try and save
tie engine and the cars. And he tried.
He simply pulled the throttle wide open,
and after we had made tremendous start
he closed her up and we drifted down the
mountain like tho wind. When we started
for Sidell, we had about half mile start
on those two cars, and 1 don't believe they
gained a foot ON us. / was on tho point
Of crying out couple Of times for the en-
gineer to reverse the lever and put on the
airbrake so wo could jump, MS at every
curve thought we would leave the rails,
but as he and his fireman stuck gamely to
their post without culver l knew ID
would never do for me to weaken first
Well, we reached the siding in safety, nnd
In about 25 seconds tho two cars passed by
with a rush and wero caught as they
stalled on a heavy up grade near the base
of the mountain"
You fellows run toward the dramatic
in telling your stories," chimed in nerv
Gus looking man Of about 40 years. who
was hidden behind a great cloud of cigar
smoke. why don't you tell something
funny? Listen to this ono, and you will
have the laugh on me. 1t occurred about
year ago out In the wild western coun-
try. From Butte to Helona the tracks
of the Great Northern and the Northern
Pacific roads run sido by side for miles
together, each taking the same curves
around the base OF tho same mountains
and jogging along in genial compan-
ionship About half way to Helena
from Butte tho Great Northern plupges
into an obstructing mountain and runs
through tunnel nearly a mile long Tho
Northern Pacific here leaves the Great
Northern, and instead of passing through
a tunnel, winds about twisting and turn
ing, reversing itself dozen times, until
one imagines, as he stands upon the rear
platform, that he secs q dozen different
railroads instead Of one. Tho grade Is ex-
tremely steep. From the top OF tho decline
ono can see the track five different times,
each track being from go to 76 feet below
the one above it,
"At that timo official business called me
form Helena to Butte, and q special train
60 n ofs
We started all right but soon began to
lose time, and of course became hot I'M
der the collar. CHANGING out Of tho win
dow suddenly espied almost directly be-
low about 100 feet-another track. I re-
membered that tho Great Northern ran
parallel with the road l was now using.
and that tho latter's train would soon 10
due and place me in Butte ahead Of my
slow special. Without a word pulled tho
bellcord, clambered of the car and made
an uncomfortable climb down the 100 foot
cliff. sat down ON the end Of tie and
waited for my train. Fully 30 minutes
passed and no train. Five minutes later
heard whistle, and minute later d
locomotive came into view.
II whirled my hat, and the locomo-
tive stopped Running forward to climb
on the first car, who should confront
me but tho conductor had left 90 min.
utes before, and then 1t dawned upon me
had mounted my own special again.
Well, / reached Butte finally but 1t cost
me something like $1.40 tor drinks for
that train crow SO as to keep tho story west
of tho Mississippi river. Washington
Star.
One of the curiosities of Sacramento