Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-08-06
How Jimmie Got His Engine.

R. that when Jimmie Kincaid got bis
engine be would also get Nettie Oil
yer. But Jimmies chance for getting
an engine in the near future did not
seem particularly bright. He was
fourth on the list of fremen of the
Lawrenceburg Division, and that meant
be must wait until four engineers died,
reached the age limit, or were fired.
OF course there was always the chance
that he would be able to do something
to attract the attention of the super
intendent of motive power, and then
he might get bis engine at any time.
In the meantime, Nettie had fair
ly good position as telegrapher at Ben
son Station and Jimmie could get a
chance to chat with her for a few min
utes every day when his train, Pas
senger No. IA, laid over on the siding
at Benson to allow the Limited Mail
to pass. When he had begun scrap
ing an acquaintance with Nettis, some
thing over a year before, Jimmie had
used the pretext that he was thinking
of learning telegraphy, and under her
tutorship he had picked up a fair
working knowledge Of the Morse code.
Many sly joke did the train crew
of No. IA crack at Jimmies suddenly
born ambition to learn telegraphy,
but be bore all Of these with equanim-
ity and said that the knowledge might
come in handy some time. After a
while it became understood among all
the men that Jimmies case was really
serious and then the jokes stopped.
Even the head brakeman of No. IA,
who had a reputation as a wit, for
bore to make remarks about the con-
lection between the Morse code and
pretty girls.
Benson Station is at the foot Of
"Twelve-Mile Hill, and this hill is
regarded by the engineers as the worst
place on the division. The grade is
so heavy that the track winds up the
hill in two long loops. When you
get to the beginning of the second
loop you are only mile from Ben
son Station on a straight line, but ii
is six miles distant by the track. Af-
ter he had mastered the rudiments Of
the Morse code Jimmie would take
hold of the whistle cord when No. Il
came to the loop on the down grade
and signal Hello" to Nettie at Ben
son Station in sharp blasts upon the
whistle, which stood for the dots and
dashes of the code.
So things went along for year and
Jimmies prospects of promotion got
but little brighter. On the records Of
the office of the superintendent of mo-
tive power he was still merely James
Kincaid, fourth on the list Of fremen,
with good reputation and the pros
pect of succeeding to an engine in the
course of FIVE or six years. When
business picked up il the fall num-
Der of extra freight trains were put on
and he got his first chance to run an
engine.
On the first trip it fell to his lot TO
take out the third section of freight
train No. LOG, eastbound. The third
section Of No. lO6 was made up of 81
heavily loaded cars, and none Of these
were equipped with air brakes. AS
he pulled out Of Adairville the old
yardmaster swung himself up into the
cab of the engine and said:
Il think yell pull the engine all
right, Jimmie, me bye, but for the love
of the saints be careful when you strike
the top of the hill this side of Benson.
Faith, it's heavy train they've given
We, and if it should break in two 60
ing down that hill and thin cyars
with no air brakes on to thin, there'll
be the devil and all to pay"
Despite the warning there was no
fear Of "break in two" in Jimmie g
heart as he nursed his engine along
toward the top of the hill, OF the 9TH
er side of which lay Benson. This is
an accident which happens very rare
ly, and which not even the most ex-
perienced engineer can successfully
guard against. But as he struck the
top of the hill and began to descend
on the side toward Benson he felt a
jerk which nearly threw him off bis
feet. Looking back he saw that the
worst had happened. A coupling had
snapped in the middle of the train.
For the present there was but one
thing to do, and that was to go down
grade as fast as he could. Looking
back he could see that the rear brake