Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-08
HEARD, THOUGHT AND SEEN.

AZ The thirty-fourth annual fair OF
the State Agricultural and Mechanical
society Is to be held in Columbia on
October % to 81. The railroads are ad-
vertising reduced rates foShe occa-
sion.
AZ The top growth of cotton, which
came to a sudden and unaccountable
halt q month or six weeks ago, Is now
progressing finely; but there Is no prob
ability, Of course, that 1t can help out
the situation.
IL The Adam Forepough and Sells
Bros. shows are touring the south again
this season; but from the advertise
ments in the papers it appears that they
are visiting only the larger towns and
railroad centres. The shows are billed
to exhibit in Charlotte, Saturday, Oc-
tober 18.
8F Mr.. John Jackson, who lives about
five miles north Of Yorkville, has added
to THE ENoUIRERs collection Of Indian
relics an assortment Of arrow and
spearheads. including about twenty
pieces. The heads are Of various sizes
and shapes and of different kinds Of
stone, a few being Of genuine flint.
With this latest addition THE ENQUIRER
now has nearly hundred spear and
arrowheads that have been picked up
and handed in at various times.
38' While columns and pages have
been written about the deeds of hero
ism and daring Of officers and soldiers
in the civil war, there is not a great
deal on record about the splendid ser
vice that was performed by the rail-
road men almost from the beginning to
the end Of that remarkable struggle.
AS a matter of fact, the story Of the
part that the railroad men played would
fill many interesting volumes. These
observations are suggested by an Incl
dent related by Mr.. Edward Thomas, OF
Sharon, well-known throughout this
section as an old-time locomotive run
ner and master mechanic Of rare abili-
ties. Mr.. Thomas Is Welshman, and
came to the United States about 1867.
He worked for awhile on the Atlantic
Coast line and other roads; but for
nearly forty years was connected IN
various capacities with the road from
Chester to Lenoir, now known az the
Carolina and rth-Western: but when
he first became connected with 1t
was known as the Kings Mountain
railroad. He was the first super
intendent after the change Of gauge
,lr. Thomas was in Yorkville last
Friday evening attending meet
inc of the Masonic lodge, ami
somehow some of his friends got
him to talking about the war. He was
in the Confederate service as an engi-
neer, and although his first and most
important duty was to pull trains or
soldiers, when not so engaged, he was
employed in carrying cotton to the
coast and exchanging it with the block
ade runners for bacon, flour, arms and
ammunition, at first from New York
and later from England. He was his
own conductor and frequently reported
directly to General Lee himself. He
ran into Petersburg just about the time
the Yankees were investing the city,
and fearing probable capture, he was
anxious to get away with his engine.
"I went to General Lee" said Mr..
Thomas, "and told him wanted to take
my engine out. He wanted to know
whether the Yankees had not destroy
ed the bridge. I told him had walked
over it during the day and found 1t NIL
right. He then asked me whether they
had shot at me, and told him yes; but
being a small man. they had not hit
me. The old general smiled at this and
wanted to know whether I was not
afraid I would he hurt in crossing the
bridge, if the YANKEES should weaken
it from below. told him that wartime
was no time to think of getting hurt:
but If anything should happen, would
not fall any further than the bottom OF
the river. This seemed to please him
and he told me he would give me pass
II would take one Of his big guns with
me. I said all right; that II I went
through the gun would go with me.
The gun was loaded on car, and the
next night I started out, slipping along
as noiselessly as possible without any
lights. AS I approached the bridge.
lights suddenly flashed from a large
house on the side Of the railroad, and
a moment or two afterward big shells
came screeching over me. My fireman
was frightened almost to death, and l
did, not like it much either. On the
other side Of the river was q big cut,
and when I got into that l stopped,
thinking they would not reach me; but
after a little the mortar shells COM
menced dropping around me and saw
would have to get out Of that. open
ed the throttle as wide as 1t would go.
and away I went with the shells buz.
zing all around me. But they did not
hit us, and after time I got down to
Richmond, hauled my engine through
the streets with a team Of mules. got
it on another track and used 1t FOR a
long time afterward. That, I reckon,
was about one Of the narrowest es-
capes I had during the war;.