The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-12

L nave only run against one lucky man
IN my time spoke up a gray-haired and
mIiIsKeled engineer. but the incident is
worth talking about The man I refer to
toIa me this story shortly after the ex-
perience took place.
1t seems that the poor fellow got out
Oh work. and, no money coming in. his
wife deserted him. Then he became serl-
ouslY Ill tor many weeks, and when he
was able to walk about life had very lit
tie charm for him. Then he decided to
commit suicide In novel manner, and as
luck would have 1t, If his plan worked, 1
was to do the killing.
The fearful novelty of the method he
selected for ending his life was sufficient
indication Of the frenzy to which brooding
over his troubles had driven him. I was
running on the western division of the
Baltimore and Ohio then, and at the time
mentioned was clearing Cincinnati at a
torty-mile minute gait.
The Would-be suicide went out on the
freeman avenue bridge in that city where
1t crosses the Baltimore and Ohio tracks
After waiting some time my train swung
into sight, and he quickly mounted the
bridge railing. l saw the fellow but there
are so many curious antics going on about
railroad that he but slightly interested
me and let my train speed ahead. Just
as We were dashing under the bridge the
poor fellow threw himself head first TO-
ward the tracks below. AS saw him take
the plunge my breath forsook me- as you
know, boys, it takes a tough man to kill
a human being without a culver of re-
morse
THE poor devil intended to throw him
self in front of the engine, but waited just
fraction of second too long. Instead
of meeting the horrible fate he had planned
for himself his body struck the convex
side of the engine boiler, glanced off and
rolled into the mud al the side of the
track. Several bystanders who had seen
the man take the terrible leap rushed to
the spot, expecting, of course, to find him
crushed and bleeding mass. They found.
instead, that, though he was badly bruised
and his nose and face badly lacerated, he
had few bones broken and in few weeks
was fully recovered.
He came to see me afterward at the
station in Cincinnati, and after telling me
his troubles, said his experience with my
engine had completely cured him of sui
cideal intentions and that he was going
to brace up and be a man.. That was
lucky jump for him, for, besides not kill
ing him, as it should have done, it, knock
ed some sense into his foolish head"
THAT escape was almost as lucky as
Jim Walters" chimed in another one of
the group. "At the time 1 speak of Jim
was firing on a through Pennsylvania pas
senger run, and, on account of the heavy
traffic, had been working about twenty
hours straight OF course, he could steal
little maps off and on throughout the run
between this city and Philadelphia, but the
engines are big. the work hard and he
finally worked himself into half-con-
scious condition.
"He was coming south on run that
reaches Washington near midnight ana
about an hour earlier than that pulled OUT
of union station, Baltimore. You all know
what 1t Is to get through the big tunnels
up there with a heavy train, and Jim
worked like pole horse to keep up fun
head of steam After they cleared the
tunnels Jim nuTsed his fire nicely, so as to
get a little rest down to the grades near
Severn.
HE had finished trimming up the Goals,
and was turning to creep up into the little
resting nook opposite the engineer, when
he lost consciousness. Jim told me after
ward that he imagined he was home in his
little sitting room and was about going up
stairs to bed. AT the time he was mag
.nging himself opening his bedroom door
and was stepping therein he stepped off
the side of the engine, which was run
ming fully forty miles an hour, and had
reached about the worst spot on the Penn
sylvania road-the high bridge over Gwyn-
mes falls, near the stock yards.
"At that time the gully side were COW
crashing through these like so much pa~
per to the bottom. a distance of 100 fees
or more. He was picked up unconscious
and with hardly stitch of clothing on his
back but not a bone broken He regainen
consciousness in the hospital opened his
eyes, heaved a deep sigh, turned over on
his side, and slept ten hours straight
away He missed two runs, and then took
his old place, none the worse for his eX-
perience."
"Wel that was lucky escape of Jim's,
sure enough" spoke up an intelligent
looking engineer who had just come in off
his run from Philadelphia, but Jerry
O'Neill the travelling engineer, told me
of an experience he had last September
while on his way east from Chicago that
will make you hold your breath, and make
YOU all more positive in your belief in
luck.
"Jerry said he was coming to Washing
ton on train No. 6. the daily flyer between
Chicago and Pittsburg, on the Pittsburg
and Western road. The train consisted of
a baggage car, five Pullman sleepers and
d dining car, and was crowded with pas
sengers. Numerous little delays threw the
train behind time, and when the accident
happened that 1 am telling of the engine
throttle was wide open, and the train was
running at fully sixty miles an hour
Charley Parks, Jerry told me, was
handling the engine, and from the
] knew he wasn't guessing at the speed.
The engine had just crossed the Pine
creek bridge, when Charley, Jerry and the
fireman were almost thrown from their
seats by violent jolt. To say that the
trio was startled is putting it mildly. .
Balancing back toward the train, they
discovered the cause of the jolt. The
tender and three cars had jumped the
track on the cure, and were bounding
about between the engine and the rear
cars in a frightful manner Charley at
once threw back the lever, but the speed
of the heavy train was so great that a
sudden stoppage was impossible
This state of things continued for
about fifty yards, when, with a mighty
lurch, that stopped the breath of the
three badly frightened men in the engine,
the cars plunged on to the rails again,
making the trucks tremble and creak as
they struck the track of steel. The dan
ger was over, but no one, except the men
in the engine, knew. or ever will know,
what terrible catastrophe was avert
ed.
Jerry said he went back to examine
the rails and roadbed after the train was
finally stopped, while Parks and the
he IL