The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-04-18
ONE LESSON ENOUGH.
The STORY OF AN ENGINEER WHO
SLEPT WHILE ON DUTY.

Wreck and Awful Loss of Lifs-A
Narrow and Lucky Escape.
"There is something about railroading
that conduces to sleep. 1t may be the
be the long hours on duty, but in many
cases, in my Judgment, it Is the failure
OF the employees to secure needed rest
when they have the opportunity. During
my 20 years experience as driver OF
the iron horse i knew OF hundreds or
severe wrecks due entirely to some one
being asleep on the post of duty Even
the responsibility imposed on the man
would not have the effect of causing him
to keep awake"
The speaker was one of the oldest rail-
road engineers in the country, who, after
20 years in charge OF the throttle OF
locomotive, voluntarily resigned to seek
other pursuits not so dangerous or excit-
ing. A question or two about the old
times put the ex-railroader In talkatiye
mood, and he continues:
But once in my railroad career did
turn my engine over to my fireman and
20 back to the caboose for little rest,
and the narrow escape that l then had
from a severe wreck and the killing and
wounding of hundreds OF sleeping passen-
gers taught me lesson that was never
forgotten. The incident occurred in llli-
nois in February, 1879. At that time
was running an engine pulling fast
freight on the Illinois Central railroad.
Ny fireman was young man whom
had instructed in all that he knew about
railroading. My health was not Of the
best at that time, as had been an an
nual victim of the ague that pervades
southern Illinois, and my system was
shattered from the shakes In addition
there was some sickness among the men,
bers Of my family, with the result that
my nights at home would be broken up
In looking after the comfort of the loved
ones. Business ON the railroad was brisk,
and there was heavy passenger traffic
due to the annual Mardi Gras celebration
in New Orleans.
"On the night in question my train
was running south. l had n o1s FOOT
Rogers engine and was hauling 40 load
ed cars. Along about 10 o'clock l found
that could hardly keep my eyes open.
The road ahead of me was clear of trains
for an hour or more. About the only
thing OF importance in view was to meet
and pass the Chicago express at Makan-
da, which was "a miles away. i then
yielded to temptation. Placing my fire.
man in charge of the throttle, with the
head brakeman to do the firing, | went
back to the caboose to secure little rest.
l should not have taken this step II had
not reposed every confidence in my fire.
man, and l believed that he was thor
oughly competent to run the engine.
"How long l slept l do not know, but
l awoke with the premonition that some
thing was wrong. As / regained my
senses l realized by the swaying Of the
train that it was running much faster
than II would have been had / been in
| charge of the throttle. There was a
heavy down grade for five miles to the
| point where l was to meet the express,
and my first thought was that we had
struck the grade and gained the impetus.
"Springing to my feet, l hurried out
the front door of the caboose and climb
| ed to the top of the first freight car. The
sight that met my eyes nearly paralyzed
me. There in full view saw the head
light of the heavily loaded express train
waiting at Makanda for my train to
take the sidetrack and permit it to pass.
How l got over that train to my engine
hardly know. But did.
Jumping down on the tender, /
sprang into the cab, shut off the throttle
and took other means to reduce the mo-
mentum. / glanced at my fireman. lie
was sound asleep on the seat. The head
brakeman kept him company on the 9TH
er side. realized that 1t was utterly
impossible to stop the speed of the train,
and l had visions of the awful wreck
that would follow. My engine was max.
ing 45 miles an hour, being propelled by
the heavily laden cars in the rear, and
certain destruction seemed to face the
express and the hundreds Of sleeping
passengers.
"As the rules required that should
stop and, after the head brakeman had
opened the switch, should pull by the
passenger train there seemed TO be nc
way to avert the disaster. All these
thoughts flew through my brain in
twinkling, and as l expected to meet
death at my post l wondered who would
care for my two boys who would become
orphans.
Fortunately the siding was a short
one, and that fact, coupled with my rep
utation as a careful engineer, prevented
the disaster at the critical moment ant
saved the lives Of many. The engineer
of the passenger train OWNED from thu
rumble made by my train that something
unusual had happened. He told me aft
erward that he knew would not have
approached that meeting place at such
rate of speed il everything was all right
"When my train was about 300 yards
from the express, saw man run from
the engine of the express and throw th'
switch for me. At the same time coult
see by the swinging of lantern in thu
rear of the express that the switch at tn
other end of the siding had also beel
opened The disaster had been averted
My train dashed on to the sidetrack, pas
the express and then out on the mail
track again at the rate of 80 miles al
hour, and could not bring 1t to stand
still until was more than two miles pas
the station.
"You can imagine the effect upon tn
express il the engineer had not acted a
he did. 1t is needless for me to add tina
: during the remainder Of my career on tn
: rail l never left my engine again j
: charge of that fireman or any other fire
man. One such lesson was enough 70
me.
Naturally my fireman was much chf
, grined over his act, but ! never had col
/, fdence in him afterward. He had bee
tried i'm the balance and found wantinI