The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-22

Isaac Adams, otherwise known as
"uncle Ike" has had one of the most
eventful careers as a locomotive engineer
OF anyone in Birmingham. Although he
is not now running a locomotive, but is
handling the stationary engine at the
shops of the Alabama Great Southern
here, he spent thirty of the best years of
his life in the cab.
He has had some experiences that were
narrowing, and yet he has never been Sc
riously injured. lie has been in tunnel
: wrecks, head-end collisions, wrecks on
the open plains, and even had whole
freight train run off a bridge with him
into the Warrior river, but he came out
Of them all and is sound and healthy yet.
Is Born in Kentucky.
Mr. Adams was born in Kentucky
nearly sixty years ago, and it was in the
famous old state that he had his first
railroad experience lie began and
worked seven years driving stakes for a
railroad surveying crew. Later he went
INTO the shops, then served as fireman
for a time, and while he lived in Ken
lucky he was employed ON three differ
ent roads as engineer.
In spite of his long service as rail-
roader, however, Mr.. Adams found time
TO serve four years and one month in the
federal army during the civil war. He
SAYS he went into the army weighing rs
pounds and came out tipping the beam
at 1872 pounds, which is his exact weight
now. Some of his war experiences were
almost as thrilling as his later escapes as
an engineer.
Peculiar Accident.
The only time he was ever injured was
IN a peculiar accident just as his train
was coming out of a tunnel on the Lex
jngton and Big Sandy. There was a
sharp curve at the mouth of the tunnel,
so that he could not see the track TAR in
font of the engine ON account of the high
embankments on each side. 1t was mid
night and large rock about feet long
end feet thick had fallen down on the
track.
When the engine struck it she jumped
the track, and although he reversed the
lever the iron monster scraped along the
side of the slate embankment for quite
a distance, for the train was running
thirty miles an hour. The cab smoke
stack and dome were all scraped off by
the overhanging ledge and he was sitting
in such a position that his leg was pretty
badly crushed. lie was the only man on
the train that was injured
While he was serving fireman he had
the cab of the engine taken away in a
tunnel accident, but he got out of that
without a scratch.
Head-End Collisions.
Mr. Adams has been in three head-end
collisions, the last of which occurred on
the Alabama Great Southern, near the
Sloss furnace. His engine and a switch
engine ran together. When the man run
ming the switch engine saw there was
going to be collision he reversed his
engine and jumped. The two engines
struck, but as the lever was reversed the
switch engine started back down the
track. There was no one on her. and IL
the master mechanic, who was near
hadn't jumped on her as she passed
and shut off the steam, there is no tell
ing where she would have landed.
Mr.. Adams served seventeen years or
the Alabama Great Southern railroad
but has not been on the road since his
terrible experience near I1utaw. Tit
water in the Black Warrior river neal
there is about twenty feet deep and the
railroad bridge is forty feet above the
water. Mr. Adams was pulling a freight
train out of Eutaw. and, he says, he saw
the draw-bridge was open to let boat &c
through when he was half mile away
But he thought he would let the train
scoot up a little closer before stopping
but when he applied the brakes they re-
fused to work.
Everybody on the train feared some
thing was going to happen, and all jump
ed off long before the bridge was reach
ed except Uncle Ike" He was hoping
all the time he would get the train
stopped in time, and stuck to his post
but everything seemed to be against him
FrehtfuI Leap.
It was raining and the track was slip