The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-11-02
A Maniac at the Throttle.

IA ohOlO lltiO uSO iOOChNUN oh
ton to take ride in an engine cab, !" re-
marked a travelling man in downtown
hotel few nights ago, "and as the privi
lege is an unusual one l gladly accepted.
The engineer and fireman were fine types
of the train crews of today and at inter
walls in the run they dropped into remi-
niscences.
CATER the newness of the situation
wore off took the time to glance about
me little. could not but help admire
the perfect coolness of the two men who
were my companions, though, / must ad-
nit, my own senses were in constant
state of nervous excitement. My excited
brain began also to recall some of the rail
road accidents of which I had read or
heard, until, as had just arrived at the
height of anticipation, l suddenly ex-
claimed: What's that ! on hearing some
thing like prolonged whistle.
"'Your ears are quick, said the engi-
neer; that is the No. 81 accommodation
train. We will pass it at the next sta
tion'
"We passed the train indicated pres.
emily, and at the station the telegraph
operator handed the engineer an order,
which was to the effect that the engineer
was to make up for lost time, as there was
large train-or, rather, would beat
Logansport, Ind, on the Pennsylvania
that wanted to make connections at Chi
cago for Milwaukee.
"Once more under way, after receiving
the telegram in question, the engineer
presently remarked:
g Speaking of experience of an exciting
nature, perhaps, in many particulars, the
narrowest and at the same time the mos
thrilling escape from a frightful accident
happened to me about 19 or 20 years ago,
when 1 was firing an engine instead Of
taking charge of one This adventure
occurred on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne
and Chicago Railroad, between Fort
Wayne and Chicago.
"'My superior, Charles Knots, was a
strong, wiry man, and considerably larger
than myself 1 had been running with
him for about four months, when one day
we left Fort Wayne in charge of the loco
motive attached to the fast mail for Chi
cago.
Suddenly my superior, who had not
spoken since we started, jumped from bis
seat, and, throwing open the furnace door,
stood still for a moment, glaring into the
fire, and then, turning savagely upon me,
he exclaimed:
"Oh, that's the way, eh :? /"
g 81 guess SO, T" I replied.
"'It is, eh? l thought So thought
SO. Make up that fire, quick Heat it
up ! Heat it upr' And he commenced to
throw shovelful after shovelful of fuel
upon the mass of redhot Goals beneath the
boiler. Almost Immediately the steam
gauge indicated an increase of pressure,
which was noted complacently by Knots,
who resumed his seat at the lever. Pres
emily he turned and, glancing back at me,
said:
s'sWhat in the dickens is the matter
with you2 Didn' tell you to heat her
up? Man ! she is freezing to death, can
you see? Heat her up, man, heat her up
heat her up high man, or, by the living
God, I'll throw you in there r.
'I threw in shovelful Of coal and at.
tempted to shut the door of the furnace,
but he OWNED my purpose, and fiercely
springing from his seat he grasped the
shovel from my hands and threw in two
or three bushels of fuel.
"'My worst fears we're realized-the
man was raying maniae-a crazy mar
at the throttle, and over hundred lives
on the train depending on him to take
them safely to their destination.
/" The situation was horrible.
sesA few miles ahead was a freight
train, and toward that, with lightning
speed, for he had turned the throttle wide
open, rushed the fast mail.
g Faster and faster it few along, ovel
bridges, tearing around corners, plungins
down grades, whizzing past stations, clash
ing over crossings and roads-on, on
with the swiftness of whirlwind.
g Suddenly the thought of the preced
ing train came upon me with an appalling
rush, and I reached out involuntarily t
blow the whistle; but my crazed superio
struck down my hand. Our conducto
saw that something was wrong and ran
the bell violently. My superior laughed
ssssI see, / see r he cried. "Warl
her dp-warm her up I see what is rob
Nbing her Of heat, but r fx that all rigl