Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-10-05

Cleveland Moffett tells in st. Nicholas
of the life Of locomotive engineers.
There is Il place in New York-th
very last place one would think Of
where stories without end may be heard
about locomotives and the men who run
them. 1t is not a place of CRIME and
steam, but a quiet and luxurious club
spreading over the top floor of very
tall building on Forty second street, and
here every day at luncheon time rail
road officials r-superintcndents,
managers and various heads of depart
mcnts, men who may have grown pros
porous and pottly, but are always proud
to talk about the boys at the throttle,
and recall experiences Of their own in
certain exciting runs.
In the wide hall near the entrance of
this Transportation club is driving
wheel, green painted, from the DE Witt
Clinton" the first locomotive that drew
a passenger train in the state of New
York. 1t is scarcely larger than wag-
on wheel, though it is Of iron, and an
inscription sets forth how it made the
historic run from Albany to SchCnecta-
dy on August ., 1891 The walls show
many pictures, famous locomotives,
scenes Of accidents, and there are thrill
ing memories here in abundance ii one
have with him some veteran of the road
to recall them.
at is not always the most serious ac-
marked a high official of the New York
Central one day, while fhc rest Of Us
listened. "Onc Of the worst scarcs |
ever had was on freight train when
there really wasn't anything to be scared
about We had just pulled out of OF
tumwa. Ia, one dark night, with a ca
bnosc full Of passengers, when rump-
imp bang rip, You never heard such
n racket. First one end Of the ear was
lifted up off the rails and slammed down
again, and then the other end was treat
ed tho same way; up and down we
went, bump, bump. bump, and smash
Went a window, and ont went the lights.
Now what do you suppose il VASE Well,
IL wasn't anything alive, but il got us
into panic all right. We waved
lantern like fury to the engineer ahead,
but it seemed an age before he saw H.,
and we just bumped along, expecting
every second to be split into kiudlius
wood.
We stopped at last, aud found it was
q beer keg-yeS, sir, an empty beer key
that had got caught under the caboosr
between the rear axle and the bolster
Of the truck and had rolled along over
the ties with the car balanced on il
like man riding rail. 1t wasn't
broken. either. no, sir. not a bit; and
we had to chisel through every separate
hoop before we could get il out Talk
about making things strong. That beer
kr2 was wonder
81 had more exciting experience than
that" said another official he was in
the freight-handling department. 1T
was a long time ago | remember get
ting out at n station near Cincinnati
for a hurried lunch. and before ! knew
it the train started, | was up by the
engine. and as the drivers began TO
turn / jumped on the pilot. You see.
/ had often ridden there, being a rail
road man, and the engineer knew me.
Everything went well for few
miles. and | sat on the bumper enjoy
ing the rush Of air for it was hot
summers day; but presently, as we
swung around a curve. the engine gave
q fearful shrek, and just ahead / saw
an old white horse on the track. He
seemed not to hear the whistle; at all
events. he paid no attention to il until
we were right on him, AVID then he was
too dazed to do anything. / saw it was
too late, ana / drew my legs up off the
bumper and leaned back against the end
Of the boiler. / must have made a pic