Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-12-14
SUICIDE OF A LOCOMOTIVE.
Fagineer Died and His Machine Pinned
Away and Backed to De-
struction.

"Pve always contended that a loco
motive was little less m human said
the fat engineer, relates the Washing
ton Star, "an' that she always keeps a
little cozy corner in her heart for a
man as is good to her m don't boss
Aer aroun' very much. My belief has
been backed up by a recent happenin'
On our road.
Jim Cregan was one of the Oldest
engineers on our line n took a great
pride in the machine he ran, m kept
her bright n shinin' or saw to II
that the fireman kept her so; never
workin' a locomotive any harder than
the actual business at hand called for.
He had been runnin' the 1926 about
two years before his death, n in my
belief she got more firmly attached to
him than she did to any train of cars
she ever drew.
We'll, sir, although the 1926 was one
of the best pieces of machinery in the
roads equipment while Jim had her,
maxim fast time with the heaviest
trains of Pullmans, after his death
none Of the men could do thing with
her. She wouldn't steam, n her ex-
haust was like the SOD of a leadin'
lady who had lost her pet dog. The
steel in her boiler n her trimmin's
took on a CHASTITY, grayish hue.
she wasn't worth her salt, nohow.
The road foreman of engines finally
sent for me n told me he'd decided
to turn her over to me n Murphy to
see what we could do with her. Muir
ply N mself bein' sort of locomotive
trained nurses m gettin all the lame,
halt n blind locomotives on the road
~ brace up.
Murphy didn't like it, n just ex-
pressed his opinion to me.
"'They might just as we'll put that
326 on the scrap heap, first as last,
says Murphy. ''Tain't no use wastin
oil n fuel on her to make her work
She's just pinin' away for Jim Cregan
n that's all there is to it.
I'VE took her, but we didn't have
any success with her. It just seemed
as If she weezed n snorted like an
old woman at a wake.
"She had one of the finest soundin
chime whistles as was a delight to the
ear you ever heard. After Jim died
the steam'ud seem to condense OF
suthin' just as It was enterin' the
whistle bell n the whistle would LEI
out an awful shrek, endin' up with {
sound like wringin' out a discloth.
Things went on this way until sht
laid down on the road with me a cou
pie O. times when we had an impor
tant train, n the engine dispatcher
who was rather a hard-hearted man
not goin' much on sentiment, lost al
patience. / was standin' alongside o
her SEEM that her journals were COO
n everything was shipshape on he
after finishin' a trip when the engin
dispatcher came along by the turn
table.
We'll, Portly, he says to me- Nv
given up all thought of ever tryin' t
reform the 1926 n get her out of he
slovenly ways. After you come 4
with her tomorrow she goes on tn
work train
. |
down through the roundhouse I
stopped minute by the pilot of 80
to pass a few words with the round
house foreman.
YES l says, it's too bad for sue
fine machine as the oL6 was. Copel
says that she's to go on the wor
train Tomorrow
, 81 no more'n got the words out {
my mouth when the foreman n
were startled to hear the 1926 begin [
exhaust n back toward the rear wa
of the roundhouse. l tried to grab Ii
, pilot n climb on, but she got ava
! from me n backed through the brio
! wall like one of the big college team
, would go through the line of a pre-
school team in the present game (
|, assassination football.
, Back of the roundhouse was a b
ravine, n tank over cowcatcher Il
n proud 1876 rolled to her destruction
4 AS she was backin' through the rel
! wall a brick or suthin' must a g
. caught n weighted to her whist
4 cord, n the most doleful screech wei
up from her whistle as she role
= down that ravine.
|, There wasn't enough left of the 3.
to run a nIerry-go-rOund. Somehow
other she slipped her throttle >
backed through that wall, but it's n
b, opinion that the 326 just natche
: committed suicide, or mebbe h
!. throttle was pulled by the spirit
: Jim CTegan when he heard of her fat
NOW, what do you Think"
e