Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06
AN AWFUL RIDE.
A Crew Helpless to Check the IRE
mcndOus Speed.

Saturday, when the air brakes failed to
hold tho string of cars, related his thrill
ing experience yesterday, telling how the
train fairly flew down the mountain side
like water seeking its level, says the
Portland Oregonian. Bob Sle!gner. en-
gineer. and c. d. Lockerman, brakeman,
were killed In the disaster. and IA heavily
loaded freight cars and the engine prac-
tically demolished
Wylic was the Swing brakeman on
tho Inflated train, No. 222. 1t is the duty
OF the swing man to remain on top
of the cars near the middle Of the train.
Wylie was at his post and the train do
scendng the grade at about It's usual
gait 1t was beyond Clawson, near tun-
mel 49, Suddenly there was a signal from
tho engineer for brakes-one blast Of the
whistle. At once Wylie realized that the
engineer could not hold the train wish
the air brakes. In an instant all thc
brakemcn and conductor Illty were on
top OF the cars, which were gaining more
Roadway at every revolution of the
wheels. Work as they would, their eff
forts failed to slacken the train in Its
mad rush. and while the crew of six
men stood at their posts absolutely pow
erless, the monster string Of freight
cars dashed on and on.
1T was shortly after leaving Steinman
yesterday morning when engineer Steiger
whstled for brakes" Wylie began, when
asked to tell his experience I'VE were
| running along at about u miles an hoir
and everything seemed to be all right.
With the sound of the whistle | ran
| from one car to another, setting The
| brakes as hard as I could. Lockermau
the head brakeman. was doing the same
on the front OF the train, and conductor
Hilty and the rear brakemen were also
| doing their duty. l threw all mJ
strength into the work OF turning thc
slacken it's momentum in the least, re
allied that the situation was becoming
serious.
| Again and again I tried to put or
more brakes. but my efforts only SCENE
to stimulate the velocity OF the wheels
Around curve after curve the cars tore
| Finally It seemed that the cars them
selves were alive. shaking and trembling
| to rid themselves of their human burden
AS last resort. and with the onl,
hope that the train would stick to tn
rails, stretched myself out on a bo.
| car, CIlnPlNH 10 the running DOdTu.
Faster and Faster went the train.
could see Lockerman just ahead Of me
1t was all he could do to stick 20 the car
How far the train travelled in thos
few seconds / will never know Second
seemed minutes and minutes We're long
than hours. Think. Why, man. l coul
hardly think.
AT this time I thought of Timoth
Flats. level stretch In the road abou
a quarter of a mile in length. My on
hope was that Steger would get con
troll of his train at that point. But qutcl,
or than It takes to tell il, we We're D
the fats and passed them without tn
train slackencd in speed in the least. -
, and on we went. | was scared. | kne'
, n wreck was inevitable. | could loo
=. ahead and see the engineer in his CA
, The fireman was out of the tender Steige
had his hand on the throttle. He had a
ready reversed his engine. was pouring
, out sand as fast as the pipes would allow
and time and time again he recharged HI
air. But It was OF no use. I know no.
, the man felt. How could he stick to hi
post? I knew how the others felt, BIT
now 1t seems more like a dream than a
actual happening.
There We were, six men, the train
crew, all at our posts and absolutel
powerless in any way to stop the tremer
dous speed of those cars. How did
feel? Great God. | cannot tell you. No
and then glanced sideways. We mus
have been going at the rate Of two mile
Z a minute The telegraph poles alonGsid
looked like picket fence so rapidly d
we pass them. The trees and the mour
I famous hills resembled mixed mass T
dark green ana brown. In taking II
c curves. every one of which thought cc
t tanly would be the last. | watched tht
= string Of cars. II looked like a rapid
= moving snake trying to get away fro
= threatening danger. Thoughts passe
0 through my mind as never before. NJ
e brain seemed afire. I couldn't help b'
= think how helpless we half-dozen ms
Q were at the time. Never before did | fe
!. so utterly useless. | thought of tumpn
d but that would be suicide, and so | stuC
: to my post.
= with my hands and feet It was all
T. could do to hold my position on top of Il
n car. The train was jumping and lungir
= forward. lodging from side to side, AZ
= at times 1t would seem that everythil
G had left the track and the train W;
o fairly flying through the air.
= II couldn't keep my eyes off the eng
= eer. happened to be looking ahes
= when the engine took the Clawson curry
= 1t seemed TO me that the tender jump
the track first. Then there was a bull
y. and every car seemed to rise hieh In Il
= air and crash into one another. This
: realized at the end OF the wild ride.
>. way | was glad It was over.
I LAS went down with the top OF Il
r. car ! felt the other cars pillng, one aft
II the other, upon me. Something stru'
a. me in the head. My shoulder was twls
e cd and pulled In every direction. T.
claw of a monster seemed to grab al
- scratch my face. All was darkne
about me- And this is death! thougl
l. And then there was silence. All ! cou
n hear was the escape of Kissing stea
And again ] thought of the engineer
> his post. tried to free myself a
found that the debris was all about II
e, l couldn't see, but finally succeeded in c
Treating myself. l was safe at la
a. The sight that met my eyes was ind'
cribable.
Il thought OF my fellow workmen, a
In halfdazed condition, tried to va
r toward the engine. ! almost knew h
Steiger had Jared. but ! wanted to h
IS, him II ] could. found some water a
r section men appeared. and / was
weak to help In the work OF resc'
~ They took me to Ashland, then on
Portland, and here am, l couldn't Il