The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-02-27
A SHOCK TO THE ENGINEER.


Always Unnerved II HE L.ocomotive
Rune Down . Man.
Some one with o fondness for the
compilation Of statistics has evolved
the theory that engineers hold their pO-
sitions on an average ten years. Den
yer knights Of the throttle must be SUI
perior to their brethren in other places. |
TO, 1t is not at all unusual to encounter
men there who have labored for the
same corporation from fifteen to TWEEN
ty years and feel that they still have
many years to toll in the harness.
Charles Frye OF the Rio Grande Is
one Of these. Last year he completed
his twentieth consecutive year with
the company. He is n splendid speci-
men Of the engineer--a man Of Drawn
and brain. His hair is quite white. but
his physical and mental vigor has not
decreased; rather has it grown with the
digit of years and the assumption OF
greater responsibilities. He bubbles
over with good nature and laughs at
the suggestion that anything In his ca
reer would prove of interest to the
general public. He was born In Frank
lin. Mass. April II. 1916. He began fir
Ing on the Boston & Albany In 1862,
but the war fever was contagious and
he enlisted with his father. The au-
thOrities discovered that he was too
young and his father too old and both
were compelled to return to peaceful
pursuits. After three years. shovelinR
of coal he graduated to the upper side
of the cab and pulled trains all over
the Bay State. In 1873 he came West
with an engine from the Taunton
works apd ran between Cheyenne and
Sidney, Neb. Two years later he came
to Denver and went to work for the Rio
Grande. For the last eighteen years he
has pulled passenger train out Of Den.
yer toward the South.
He has been unfortunate enough to
kill several persons who got In front
of his engine. which 10 one Of the speed.
lest on the system.
what were my sensations after the
tragedies2' he asked. and the smile
faded from his face. II can't describe
It. suppose fellow Of my size should
be ashamed to confess that anything
caused him to collapse. but after We
crash into some one and know that
a fatality has resulted am unable t.
stand. When see the danger L con
centrate every energy to avert thu
catastrophe. am not nervous then
but when It Is over | collapse. Abou
Ave years ago. few miles below Col
orada Springs. on clear day. we wer,
bowling along at forty miles an hour
: and observed man walking dow
the middle of the track. pulled thu
whistle. but he did not pay the slightes
: attention. thought he would get OIL
. Of the way. and we were upon hin
4 before l realized that he did not inten
! doing SO. reversed and put on tn
e brakes. but the cowcatcher caught hir
9 and hurled him against a Telegram
i pole. Life was extinct when we reache
: him.
1--WE turned him over to the coroner.
said Mr.. Frye. according to the Denye
J. News. land afterward that official toll
r. me that the dead man was a fugitiv
J. from justice. He had murdered ma
y in Oregon and for months had evade
the authorities. That day he ha
= learned ip Colorado Springs that 9TH
!. local police were looking for him. n
i. had evidently grown weary Of neein
IN from place to place and determined
It commit suicide"
fe Intelligence Of Insanity.