The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-06

west end of the line, and when he wasn't
to work spent most of his time at home
with his wife and two little girls; he
was about thirty-f five years old, I think.
Zone night / was called to take out
a solid stock train and as usual Gowan
was at the lever. The stock was for
export, and as the steamship was go
ing to sail the next day, we had orders
to wheel 'em for all we was worth. The
A. and Q is a single track road and we
was ordered to run extra to MinnviIIe,
about 25 miles from ALI Jnta, IA, ,r the
tunnel freight, go in on sidin' and let
passenger train No. 50 go by. We
hadn't more'n twenty minutes start Of
50 when wepulled out of Altoona, but that
was a enough, for we had a good rail
that night and Gowan hustled 'em
along at a25 mile gait, through ocotra,
Eppingham and Dryden, past Jones'
switch, which was the last sidin' on
the dead level of the river valley, then
up the grade in fine style, where the
road curves off toward the east, and in
a few minutes had went over the top
Of the hill and was scootin' down to
ward Minnville not less'n 80 miles an
hour. That's a limestone country
down through there, and the road has
lots Of sharp curves and deep rock cuts
We was about a mile from the sidin'
and every minute I expected to hear
Gowan blow brakes, when the engin'
give one awful yell. The next minute
the hull train brought up standin' and
we found ourselves layin' in a heap in
the front end of the caboose with all
u furniture and things piled on top
of us.
81 don't know how I managed to git
out Of the caboose, but I did and run
down the track through the deep cut
and round the curve where we was,
toward the engin'. The hind end of
the train was standin' on the rails all
right, the cars damned tight together,
but when I got to within eight or ten
cars from the engine I found the hull
cut filled with cars piled up in every
shape and the air was full of the roarin'
and bawlin' of such of the poor cattle
as was left alive. I soon found out
what was the matter then-we had had
a head end collision with the tunnel
freight. Our engin' hadn't left the iron,
but stood on her drivers, her machinery
all broke to scraps with the tunnel
freight engin' up on top of her. I had
a lantern with mellow or when I got
it l could never remember-and when
I held it up toward the cab window, 1
seen a sight 1 will never furgit. There,
settin' bolt upright on his seat, was
Gowan. His face was as white as chalk
and a thin stream of blood was fowin'
from his mouth. When the light fust
flashed upon him, his eyes was shut,
but he opened them then and recog-
nized NE.
Jack he said, in a hoarse whisper,
have you sent back a flag for 529'
Nor I almost shouted, as I remem-
bered my duty.
"'Go and flag her right away he
gasped; she's due in five minutes; and,
jack he added, tgood-by, old fellow
I'll be dead when you get back
ooh, no, Henryr 1 cried, L hope
not
eyes, 1 will, he whispered; the
levers gone right through me. Tell
Lily and the babies good by for me.
Good-by, -Jack,-go now, or-youll-
be-too-late.'
81 went then, sent back the flag and
run back to the engine. The engineer
was still settin' on his seat with his
head Ieanin' against the side Of the cab
winder. spoke to him, but he didn't
answer; he was dead.
81 carried out poor Henry's wishes
the best I could and then. after the in
vestigation was over, handed in my
resignation. 1 had had railroadin'
enough that night to last me a lifetime,
I thought, but three years after found
me back agin', and here I am yet"
How'd the other engineer and the
two fremen come outG" queried Dick
Morley.
"KiIed, poor devils, every one of
en-" was the reply; -four as good
men as ever trod a runnin' board, done
up by an operators blunder
- Silence fell on the party when Jack
oopoI11o6 hia ctOru. tboro Woro M mOrn
rough jokes or boisterous laughter.
Costly time pieces were drawn forth
and examined, rough coats we're but
toned over kind and sympathetic