The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-12-01


on the "Davy Crockett" Line-How Oil
Saved Many Lives.
A railroad man is responsible for the
following story, says the St. Louis Globe
Democrat:
"There is road up in Pennsylvania
that runs from York to Peach Bottom
that the people living in the country
through which it passes call the Accom-
modation.' 1t was, when originally built,
a narrow gauge road, and as business had
to be developed the train service was much
on the order of the go as you please. There
were two trains, and each made one round
| trip day, the road being about 60 miles
long. The officers gave orders to the train.
men to make friends with the people, 80
! as TO make them 20 uut of their way to
! patronZe the new road The tranmen
! took advantage of this order at every op.
portunity
"There were no telegraph or telephone
! stations on the road, and when the trains
left the terminal stations the conductor
was master of the situation until he got
back again or arrived at the other ter
minus, They say that the superintendent
of the road had tho hardihood to ride over
and buggy and rode back to York, as he
was in hurry
1.-THE train that puts up at Peach Bot
tom for the night leaves York about 2
O'Clock in the afternoon, and it is optional
with the trainmen as to the time they ar
rive home One of the trainmon on the
road told some time ago that on one of the
trips down they picked up drunken
farmer who had stretched himself out on
the track for quiet sleep. The conductor
CHANGED to know him and held the train
while the brakeman and baggage master
carried him to his home, nearly q mile
away. In about an hour the two men re-
turned with an invitation from the farm
er's wife for the crew and passengers to
come over to supper
"There were only three passengers, and
they quickly accepted the invitation. OF
course the crew went, and after the repast
an old negro with cracked fiddle was
brought in and dance was inaugurated
The conductor then wanted to proceed,
but the engineer had become sweet on the
farmers daughter and persuaded him to
dance a few more rounds.
1.-THE train was due ut Peach Bottom at
6 p. M, but that night it did not reach its
destination until midnight. Only one
|
end of the road, and he only grumbled u
little, so no harm came from the incident
the engineer accounting for the delay to
the superintendent with good story about
the engine giving out,
"That road is now owned by Baltimore
people and is broad gagged, and the train
service is almost first class. l might add
that it was a common thing for the train
men in the earlier days of the road to take
large tin pals along and stop the train at
a good locality and fiji them with black
berries before proceeding, but that only
occasioned an hours delay and was little
thought Of No wonder they called ii
Accommodation road
when the Erie road was first built
the railroad man continued, (which now
runs from Harrisburg to Canandaigua,
n Y, it was nicknamed the Davy Crock
EFT, and for many years thereafter the
name chung 1t was brought about in
this way
lone dark night, when the conductor
was taking three passenger cars through
to INJURY, he noticed the headlight of q
locomotive in his rear. He instantly in
formed the engineer of the fact, and botl
} began specializing what it meant Tit
train was running at high rate of speed
but the headlight in the rear was gaining
! steadily on them. AS there were no light.
! in the rear of the headlight they concluded
. 1t must BIO an empty engine That roat
e twists in and out among the mountains
/ and skirts the banks of the Susquehanni
$ river in such way as to permit any on
looking back to observe what is going or
in the rear for considerable distance.
"rhe conductor ordered the engineer e
put on more steam, and the latter pulled
the throttle wide open Then followed 1
= wild, weird chase through the night Pnr
\ suer and pursued tore along at the highes
J speed. Every body on the cars believed
that tho engineer of the pursuing engine
was either drunk or crazy
AT last n brilliant idea struck the en-
gineer. He recalled the fact that loco
. motive can make little progress on greas.
rails. The contents of two large cans o
lard oil were poured on the track from thu
rear of the last passenger coach. The idei
proved great one. Soon the headlight o
the pursuing engine grew dim in tho dis
lance When it was safe to do so, the trail
stopped and backed up to solve the mys
terry. a very funny sight was revealed.
!, "One of the finest engines on the road
called the Dayy Crockett-they gave tn
locomotives names In those days insteat
of numbers-had broken away from tn
hostler up at Williamsport and starte,
down the track on voyage of destruction
The oil poured OH the track had baflled al
, the destructive abilities that locomotiy
possessed There stood the Davy Crockett
putting and snorting and paving like
= wild Texas steer, the driving wheels buzz
ing around on the CREASED track like
flywheel in machine shop, but hardl
moving an inch.
Not u sign of an engineer was found
and the fireman of the pursued trai
mounted the engine and shut her of
They towed her into Sunbury, and theI
: found dispatch ordering them on to
side track out of the way of the runaway
but the oil had saved them.
"A large excursion train was returnin
An Al...A LIZ IL