Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1897-07-03

There are few locomotive engineers
alive today who have hal a more
thrilling adventure IN cab than the
man who pulled trainload ~ passen-
GERS out Of Charleston. :. c.. on the
night of the memorable earthquake,
nearly eleven years ago. The throttle
was wide open AMI .he tram was dash
ing down long. steep grade AZ the
rate 81 City miles an hour The en-
eineer hal 20 reach "a small station a
short distance ahead and sidetrack To
allow ap excursion train for Charles
ton Co pass. The LEGAL was hehind
time and The engineer knew that sou
hives depended on his getting safely
INTO the siding before the headlight Of
the other tram hove IN sight sud
denly the earth shook. bat the rum
bling Noise accompanying the shock
was drowned in the roar 81 &he speed
.ng tram. without the least notice
the track under the train began 20
Guiver and move. while the locomo-
tive tremhiei like deer az bay The
enginee- Thought that the engine had
jumped the track anl was running
along over the croesties The tram
rolled on Tor half a mile before heinc,
was the only person injured. aud ne
would have escaped unhgrt had he
jumped Tie remained 40 has post.
however. as 81 glued to the seat His
mind was seq intent upon rearhing the
side track thaf he could give hitle
Thought to the earthquakes Mr Burn
Recently gave ID New York sun CORES
pontent his story
III was 9.-5 on the night Of August
81. 1855. he sand. when / mounted
tne train IN thc railroad Yards here
and got ORDERS to pull ont to summer
Vile. thirty miles distant The
weather was hos. with not IL breath 81
nir stirring. Ny train started on time.
nut soon ufterwarl We We're delayed a
iev minutes Ny ORDERS read to side
track at Ten Mile for down rassen-
ger excursion train 90 pass. When I
got to "a point u mile and a half from
tAc station / found that I had only
two minutes Co make the run and have
the switch clear for the other train.
The chances We're. too. that 10 would
he on time. anil ] realized that had "A
race against death. The track ahead
90 me. however. was clear. Every
nerve in me was strained. for I knew
what would bc the consequences II 4
ran in hnlf minute late. was in
tins condition and flying over tho
final stretch. with the throttle wide
open. whom the first tremor Of tha
earth was felt Ny first impression
was that the engine had Jumped the
raI and was shooting over the cross
ties j looked hacl, once and saw that
u. 4. III
the next instant I knew 1t was an
earthquake The track under me was
lerked t. one side and then go the
other. I looked ahead and the bright
ghstening on the top Of the shiny rail
could not he seen. \ second glance
showed that the rails were moved out
az their original position and we're ia
the exnct shape II horseshoe The
engine would twitch and squirm. but
10 held 20 the rail. and the movement
OK tIe whole train was very much like
that of a snake crawling over the sand.
When / saw how the rails had con
tracted tried 10 stop the train. APP
piled the brakes. and Immediately the
engine jumped the track. IL was like
awhirlwind 10 me. The cab ON the
engine was broken oil. and the top OF
the cab was thrown thirty feet, bottom
upward. Arnold. the colored fireman.
went with it aud had close shave. but
escaped unhurt.
1t Is almos: impossible for me To
describe my feelings while on that
rocking engine, speeding over rough
track az the rate Of ifty miles an hour.
The speed was not slackened by the
winding of the track, but the engine
was dying 60 the right one second and
10 the left the next. aud getting over
the ground 40 swiftly that il took all
my strength 10 keep myself in by hold
ing On 20 the lever. The engine
seemed 10 groan.
When We were ditched / was
thrown into the soft mud aud pinned
down by part of the engine. Another
shock came about this time, and il
buried the engine lower ia the loose
sand. This made IL harder for me. but
fortunately / was not burned nor
scalded. The third shock came, and
down went the engine again IN the
sand 1 could not move limb. and
the heat from the furnace near me