The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-06
BEAT A LIGHTNING BOLT
Narrowing Tale Related by a
Locomotive Engineer.
HE SAW THE BALL STRIKE
Opened the Throttle and Led the Fluid
Merry Race-By Throwing
Switch He Saved Himself
and His Train.

The experience of Engineer David
Jackson in the storm during his run
from Kingston to Campbell Hall, over
the Waikiki Valley railroad, is mary
elous one.
Jackson is a freight engineer and
had nearly finished his homeward trip
when overtaken by the storm. 1t trav-
eled in the same direction in which he
was going and in spirit of daredevil
try he attempted to beat it home. The
elements evidently took umbrage at his
temerity and a bolt of lightning struck
the track behind him.
A fiery ball followed the rails in the
wake of the flying train, seemingly in
no hurry to overhaul it, for distance
of three or four miles. The engineer
and his badly frightened companions
resorted to all sorts of desperate meas
ures to increase the speed of the train.
The iron monster, under full head or
steam and straining every nut and bolt,
responded nobly to their efforts and
managed to hold its own for the dis
lance mentioned
At last, when the lightning was al
most upon them. Jackson was struck
with a happy thought He determined
to slack the train. throw switch and
sidetrack the destroyer. The lightning,
which apparently Travelled but trif1e
faster than the train. rapidly over
hauled them while they We're slowing
up and was almost upon them when
off hp
grasping the switch handle, threw 1t
over with scarce a second to spare. The
story herewith is given as Engineer
Jackson tells it:
I'VE laid over in the siding at Spring
town for No. 2 to go by, and while we
were waiting l saw a big, black cloud
forming up on top of the Shawangunks.
| knew a storm was coming and l was
anxious to get home in front of it. so
after Tom had left us. having clear
track. l let her open and started. we
had just got nicely under way when the
front end of the storm hit us.
I'VE had a light. mixed train of emp
ties and We're getting over the gfounh
pretty fast. seeming to hold our own
against the cyclone, which doomed up
mighty black mile or two behind us.
I wanted to be sure that we were keep
ing'our end up and l tore piece of
paper and dropped it out of the cab
window. The wind caught it and hurled
it ahead of the engine and ! knew we
weren't travelling fast enough. Then l
spoke to my fireman and told nm 10
chuck some resinous wood that we nap
pened to have onto the fire and open
up the drafts.
Just then | saw Charley Morton, the
conductor, crawling over the tank. His
face was whittier than a new boiled
shirt and he shook so he nearly lost MS
hold.
For Gods sake. Dave, throw he"
open wide, he said; lightning hit the
track and is coming down behind u.s.
Il couldn't believe him first on, but
then I didn't think he was joking, for
Charley is the most solemn ticket
puncher on the line. We rounded a
Just outside of Gardiner at that mo-
ment and, hanging out of the window
and looking backward, l saw it for my
self. About half a mile behind ball
Of fire was bowling along on the out
side rail of the track. 1t seemed about
the size of sugar barrel and was
coming end on. Every rail length it
would bound in the air for six or eight
feet / opened the throttle wide and
took another look, thinking perhaps it
might bounce off and become side
tracked. but never-it came back fair
and true upon the rail every time 1t
H.,
I could plainly see. Something had to
to be done Immediately if not sooner.
We were pulling into New Hurley and
! began to slacken up.
"'Great Scott! man. what are you do
ing?' says Morton. Don't you see it
almost on top of us?'
I'm going to slack this train at the
top of New Hurley here, says l, and
when she slows up l want you to drop
off and throw the switch there and
Wen switch the lightning off,
" Excuse me, Dave, you better let
August go says he, pointing to my
fireman. He's a nonconductor, you
know, and the lightning wouldn't touch
him if it caught him at the switch
1T was the first joke | ever heard
Morton crack and it made me laugh
right out, although l knew that certain
death was redhot on our trail 800
yards behind
We'll. when we reached the place
August got off all right, he lost his
feet and hit the gravel pretty hard,
but was up in minute and ha!
thrown the switch. The lightning whiz-
zed by at the same instant. 1t didn't
even scorch him! however, but travelled
the length of the switch and tore loose
a humping block. 1t bounded across
field and took to a barbed wire fence,
which it followed for half a mile before
running against hog pen built in the
corner of lot. Every last hog in the
pen, and there were seven choice ones
there, was killed by the bolt, and,
strange to say. while it left no mark
on their hides. it seemed to have melt
ed every bone in their bodies and the
seven of them lay there, all in heap,
without form or shape, like a pile of
mush.
II tell you, it was the closest call I
ever had in all the years I've been
ralrOading. Morton is sick abed with
nervous prostratiOn and l haven't got
over the shock yet myself. '-Chicago
Chronicle
THEY LACK AESTHETIC TASTE.