Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-17
A LEAP kND A RESCUE.
How n Tramp Saved n Railroad Train
and What Came of IL.
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record
Coming east March 2s we met the fast
mail at Chauncey. and as ii passed the con-
ductor threw of copy of the Record. Pick
ing 1t up and closing the switch as we pull
ed of the siding, 1 went into the way car,
lit my pipe, and settled comfortably in the
chair to enjoy it's contents. Following my
usual custom, 1 had glanced down the first
column and was almost through the sec
ond when an item caught my attention.
1t related to a band of wandering men on
p train at Little Rock who were seeking
Eork-
The warm fire and my fragrant corncob
alike favored Renaissance, and, following
the thread OF recollection suggested by the
item.I lived over again experience which
Is indelibly burned into my memory. and
j wondered if the hero. the tramp to whose
course SO many owed their lives that June
night. ever rides over the spot in his pri-
vate car without thinking OF IL.
Extra Wallace, west bound, reached Emer-
son at 10 pm June 16. 1878. In switching
out car the forward brakeman was so
badly injured that We left him for surgical
treatment ! was braking behind From
Emerson to Chauncey, twelve miles, Is up
grade. and Conductor Wallace had gone
over to the engine L was left alone on the
rear. The moon shone brightly and l no
ticed a number of tramps riding out on top
We had almost reached the summit and the
hind US when suddenly the speed slackened.
The caboose, two cars Of telegraph poles
and three Of cinders had broken of. was
standing the load of poles and had start
ed for a brake, when one of the poles be-
came lOosened from its position and rolled
on my foot l struggled desperately to free
myself, for the cars had started backward
i thought of the express with her cargo
of precious lives and struggled again. /
seemed to hear the crash; the shrieks and
groans OF the dying; the curses ard prayers.
4 oil d.. -
awful suspense. Then 1 heard a whistle
and saw our front end following down the
hill. On the leading car the conductor was
swinging a back-up signal while the whis-
tie blew a wild warning for No. Z. Faster
and faster spun the wheels. and slowly but
surely was the runaway overtaken.
/ held my breath.
Only twenty feet.
form shot out over the chasm, swung
In clear relief for an Instant against the
sky and then dropped safely on board the
car OF cinders. At the same moment the
conductor gave stop signal and the gap
widened.
Well timed it was, for given a second
sooner and the leap would have been i'm
possible; later, and a collision unavoidable
In a short time every brake was set and
as We slowed down / shrieked, frantically:
Flag No. .. Take a red light and flag the
express
He understood and obeyed without a word
Fortunately or prOviden TALLY. they were
late and he got back far enough to stop
them. i was unconscious when at last re-
leased. My foot was badly crushed, and it
was many weeks before L was again able
TO report for duty. AS for our hero, he
proved to be one of the tramps / had no.
ticed and had volunteered for his danger
Gus task. When the superintendent who
was on No ., learned the circumstances he
onered him position as brakeman, promis-
ing MIN advancement as he proved his abil-
NY. That was the beginning. Today he is
a prominent general manager. and his name
Is a recognized power in the railroad world.