The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-17


you fellows here would lauah at me If
I hinted that officials as well as en-
ploycs of railroads are supcrstitious.
CHASED by WILD CARS.
"I can recall a run made by a special
train about three years ago." said a
member of the group. whose road
winds in and out of the l.ehigh coal
region, that comes into my mind
without the least trouble to my think
ing apparatus. The special was made
up of an engine and two cars. and the
distance covered was only ten miles,
but, although no record was kept of
the time made, ! am positive it was
record breaker for the distance.
I'VE had been up i'm the mining re-
gion inspecting the road and We're re-
turning down the hill at an easy rate.
AS we neared little telegraph office
stuck in the side of the mountain our
engineer noticed the young operator
| running toward the special like a wild
man. The engineer lost no time in
pulling up to meet him, and was more
| than frightened when he called out:
Three loaded coal cars have broken
| loose up near the mine and are coming
| down the hill like h; pull out for
| Sidell for your life"
"Whilc officials are averse to. having
| their employees use profanity while on
| duty. | doubt if either one of us ever
! thought of the breach of the rules by
! the little operator. Sidell was ten miles
! away, and was the nearest siding, and
away we flew. If the worst came we
! knew we could slow up a little, jump.
| and save our lives, but the engineer
| was true blue. and put forward his best
/ efforts to save his engine ana the two
| cars he was hauling. Sometimes ]
| think these nervy knights of the thrut-
! tie care more for the equipment of a
railroad than they do for the officials
This little sally on the side created
| considerable merriment among the
| group of old gray-beardcd railroad
officials, but the story teller was COM
manded to continue his tale.
"Wen. that engineer simply pulled
| the throttle wide open and after the
special had made a tremendous start
he closed her w. and we drifted down
the mountain like the wind
when we started for Sidell we had
| about half a mile the best of those
| runaway coal cars ana | don't believe
they Gained an inch on us. ! was on
|
| times for the engineer to reverse the
lever. and nut on the air brakes so
we could Jump, as | was hanging on to
the side of the engineers cab for dear
life, because at every curve we struck
thought We would leave the rails,
hut as he and his fireman stuck %amcly
to their posts without Quiver | knew
| it would never do for me to weaken
first.
1--WE finally reached that siding. I
thought It was about a month from the
time we had received the warning. and
i'm about twenty-five seconds the three
cars dashed by with rush, and were
| caught as they stalled on Il heavy NJ
grade near the base of the mOGntain.
| There were Il half dozen attaches of
the road in the rear car during that
run, and | must say, with the cXccp-
tion of a little paleness, they wont
through the ordeal like game men"
ONE NERVY FIREMAN.
The nerve displayed by that engi-
Eecr is met every day in railroad life,' -
chimed in Eray-haired veteran; but,
! speaking Of special trains. | ran across
a nervy display--this time by a fire.
man. About two years ago our diVi-
sion received a new locomotive Of very
peculiar pattern. being exceedingly
large and equipred With many new
patents whereby great speed was Ia
be attained,
Il was superintendent Of the road
then ana determined to take the engine
out myself on 2 special schedule and
ascertain if the new ideas were practi-
cal. | selected a hrst-cIass engineer
and fireman to accompany me. The
latter particularly / want to call at
tention to, as he plays a very important
part in my story. lie was six feet tall
and built in proportion, and rs he stood
in the glare Of the omen ilrohoy pre-
scnted a picture worthy of the finest
| artist.
| THE locomotive proved to he all the
builders claimed for her. ana ran the
record up to NiNty-One miles an hour
which is quite a speed for Our road
being possessed of many sharp curves
and grades. When the engine was go-
ing her best and mad Just rounded a
81 arp curve ! noticed directly ahead
a little girl half way across a single
track bridge that spanned quite a body
of water.
There was no room for THE child and
engine tn pass on the structure. and in
despair / pulled the whistle. and tried
although | knew it was a hopeless task
| 10 stop the locomotive. As the shrill
Shrek of the whistle reached the little
| girls ears she turned, and seeing the
| engine bearing down on her ran ahead
a few StonS, ana then, realizing the
impossibility of reaching the other side
| before the engine would he upon her
| sh" SDrang to the side Of the bridge
and with n scream jumped into the
deep water twenty feet below.
MY reversing the engine startled the
half dozen railroad men in the single
coach / was hauling, ana they at once
rushed out on the front platform II
ascertain the cause in time to witness
an act worthy of the bravcst man.
''As the little girls form sank he
meath the dark water another figure
went whirling through the air 1t was
that big fireman of mine, He had seer
the child simultaneously with me, and
acting instantly, had jumned down on
the step between the engine and ten
der and as the girl sprang into the
water he leaped after her Owing I,
the velocity of the train his bod a
whirled around like a ball before stril[,
ing the water. The stream had become
quite swollen by recent rains and the
current was swift The fireman had
hardly disappeared under the water
i than the child was seen several yards
in front Of the place where he struck
but he quickly came to the surface and
struck out manfully after her Tho
little thing went under Il second time
| 81 81 ha