The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-08-01
A RACE WITH DEATH.
ENGINEER DRIVES HIS IRON STEEo At
FRIGhTFUL SPEED.

Wishes to See His Injured Son Runs
Twenty-eight Miles In Nineteen Minutes.
Beats the Grim Monster After . Most
Exciting Run-Omcials Exonerate Him.
John Boone, one Of the oldest and
best known engineers or the Baltimore
and Ohio Southwestern railroad, risked
his life the other afternoon in order to
see his injured son., Melvin, before he
died.
The father, who has charge of a switch
engine, threw open the throttle when
he learned his son had been fatally hurt,
and he ran a distance Of 2S miles in 10
minutes. He reached his sons side inst
in time to see him breathe his last. The
scere was a most dramatic one. The
story Of the fast run fairly teens with
exciting events.
Melvin Boone was employed by the
Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern rail
road as a brakeman. Several members
Of his family, including his father, have
been employed by the road for many
years. and all Of them are we'll known
and popular in railroad circles. About
4 O'Clock Melvin, who had just left his
home, prepared to 60 to work, boarded
a freight train passing Brownstown,
Ind, station. He succeeded in getting
on, and Immediately started up the
ladder of one of the cars, intending to
walk back to the caboose.
Just as he reached the roof of the car
he saw a water pipe ahead which had
been left hanging from the tank. Before
he could stoop the obstruction struck
him, knocking him to the ground. He
was badly mangled, and the physicians
who attended him said he could live but
q short time. The dying man begged to
see his father.
Mr.. Boone was at work on his switch
engine at North Vernon, % miles away.
He vas Immediately notified by tele-
graph of his sons condition. When the
message reached Mr.. Boone, he was just
about to come from his days work. He
had finished firing up, and his fireman
was at his post. As soon as he read the
sad news he threw the throttle wide
open. Before the fireman knew what
had happened the switch engine was
dashing along at a frightful rate of
speed. He begged Mr.. Boone to stop,
but the latter heard him not.
The lives Of both men were liable to
be sacrificed at any moment. Neither
was familiar with the condition Of the
road as far as other trains We're concern
ed. At any moment they might dash
into a train. Signals We're passed un-
needed, and the old engine tore along,
the boiler threatening to explode at any
moment. Mr.. Boone shoveled coal i'll
the fire recklessly, and every pound Of
steam that could possibly be made was
put ON. Several times the fireman was
ON the point of jumping from the en-
CINE, SO dangerous had the situation be-
come.
Engineer Boone held him back, and
by the greatest efforts induced him to
put ON more coal. As the road was clear
the engine dashed along past all man.
ner Of signals. Boone sat on his seat
holding the throttle open as far as it
was possible and watched the second
hand on his watch 60 round. Fortu-
nately the road between North Vernon
and Brownstown happened to be clear,
but had my train been running on the
division there is no telling what would
have happened.
Exactly 10 minutes after Boone start
ed his engine dashed into the Browns
town station. The run was a most re-
markable one. The distance is exactly
80 miles, and the speed averaged SO
3-19 miles an hour, which is a most
wonderful performance when the fact
that the trip was made by a switch en-
CINE is taken into consideration. AS
soon as Mr.. Boone arrived he was driven
to his dying sons side. The young man
had regained consciousness for the first
time. He recognized his father, and as
he placed his hand in his he died with
out uttering a word.
Mr.. Boone is nearly crazed with grief.
He is we'll advanced in years and was
thoroughly wrapped up in his son. The
strain Of his daring and exciting run
told greatly upon him, and he is COM
pletely Frustrated. 1t is doubtful if he
will be fitted for work in many weeks.
In railroad circles the great run is the
topic of conversation, and although Mr..
Boone's act was not i'll accordance with
railroad rules the officials of the com
pany admire him more than they blame
m.-Pittsburg Dispatch.
A. UJaol