The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-08
a HoMIcIDAL LOCOMOTIVE.
Santa Fe Engine No. 763 Said to Be
Haunted.

Santa F'e engine. No 1853 had been I'M
coupled from the train and while she
was painting in the semi-darkness in the
Union depot yards last night, her fire.
man and engineer, with Har1ng, smoky
torches were looking her over and clos
ing the oil cups, says the Denver Repub-
ican. With his Pickering light the fire
man was well under the great machine
when suddenly the silent black thing
gave little shurren and began to move
slowly forward. In a moment the engi-
neer was at the air lever, jamming on
the brakes.
'.She often does that-takes steam
even when the throttle is closed said
he, as he climbed down out of the cab.
CLOSE call for you, jim" to the grirny
fireman who craWled out from under
your" The fireman was not-and went
on with his work tapping bolts and feel
ing bearings.
sThat is bad habit-she is a vicious
machine, and you dare not trust her"
continued the engineer, turning his re-
marks toward the person who had been
watching him before the little incident
"She has killed her two men that way
and is likely to kill more before she is
put in the scrap heap. In her young
days-and that is not so many years
ago, she did not show her failings often,
when she did it was with results, I can
tell you.
'Tn fact, she has the reputation of be-
ing haunted, and she comes we'll by it.
1t was some years ago, down by La
Junta. I was a fireman on a freight
train at that time and we had stopped
on a siding. No. 763 was up ahead.
Frank Barker was engineer, and a, fell
low named Perkins fireman. For some
reason the two had scrapped and in
dead earnest. 1t was over a girl
think, and only because they could not
help themselves they went out together
on that trip. Perkins was fixing the air
between the engine and the train, and
Barker was taking it easy on the grass
up the slope of the cut when all at once
763 gave a little puff. and slid forward
yanking the cars with her. She pulled
again, and it was all up with Perkins,
for he had a leg and an arm cut off,
and his skull crushed. No one was in
the cab, but we all knew of the trouble
between Barker and Perkins, and we
knew Barker. Ghost at the throttle,
said Barker, and we let that explana-
ton suffice.
1T was scarcely three weeks after
that that practically the same crew,
with 763 hauling the train, and Barker
at the throttle, stopped on the same
siding to let the express pass. There
was some trouble with the eccentric
gear and Barker, having a green fire.
man, was attending to it himself. He
was crouched down between the drivers.
| half way under the engine when 769
| gave a warning wheeze and started
| ahead. The big connecting bar came
! SACffAy 0ONds Catching Barker on the
/ shoulder. He had no escape and
though he struggled to get out, the slow
/ moving wheels caught his crouchine
| body-and there was an end to him
Ghost at the throttle said some one, as
/ we loaded him into the caboose and COW
cred him with a blanket-and not a, one
of US would have been surprised to see
/ Perkins there in the body.
7 am still wondering whether Barker
fixed her for Perkins, or whether she
just took steam he concluded. as he
rang the bell and pulled the throttle t.
send her ahead