Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-09
AN AWFUL RIDE.
The Swing" Brakeman Relates a
 Hair Raising Adventure.

train on steep grade in the Siski- you Mountain Saturday, when the air brakes failed to hold the string of cars, related his thrilling experience yesterday, telling how the train fairly flew down the mountain side like water seeking it's level. Bob Sleiger, engineer, and c. D. I.ockerman, brakeman, were killed in the disaster and fourteen heavily loaded freight cars and the engine practically demol- ished.
 Wylie was the Swing brakeman on the ill-fated train, No 222, It is the duty of the swing man to re- main on top of the cars near the mid dle of the train. Wylie was at his post and the train descending the grade at about it's usual gait It was beyond Clawson, near Tunnel 16. Suddenly there was signal from the engineer for brakes-one blast of the whistle. At once Wylie realized that the engi- neer could not hold the train with the airbrakes. In an instant all the brake men and Conductor Hilty were on top of the cars, which were gaining more headway at every revolution of the wheels. Work as they would, their efforts failed to slaSken the train in It's mad rush, and willie the crew of six men stood at their posts, absolute ly powerleSs, the monster string of freight cars dashed on and on. 1t was shortly after leaving Stein man, yesterday morning when Engi- neer Steiger whistled for brakes" Wylie began, when asked to tell his experience "We had been running along at about fifteen miles an hour 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. Locker man, the head brakeman. was doing the same on the front of the train, and Conductor Hilty and the rear brakeman were also doing their duty. l threw all my strength into the work of turning the brake wheels and as the train did not slacken it's mo- mentum in the least, realized that the situation was becoming serious.
 Again and again I tried to put on more brakes, but my efforts only seemed to stimulate the velocity of the wheels. Around curve after curve the cars tore. Finally it seemed that the cars themselves were alive. shak- ing and trembling to rid themselves of their human burden. As last resort and with the only hope that the train would stick to the rails, stretched myself out on boxcar, clinging to the running board.
 Faster and faster went the train, I could see Lockerman just ahead of me It was all he could do to stick to the car. How far the train travelled in those few seconds I will never know. Seconds seemed minutes and minutes were longer than hours. Think. Why, man, could hardly think.
 At this time thought of Timothy Flats. level stretch in the road about quarter of mile in length, Ny one hope was that Steiger would get control of his train at that point. But quicken than it takes ao tell 1t, we were on the flats and passed them without the train slackening in speed in the least. On and on we went. I was scared. I knew a wreck was in- evitable. 1 could look ahead and see the engineer in his cab. The fireman was out on the tender. Steiger had his hand on the throttle. He had al ready reversed his engine, was pour ing out sand as fast as the pipes would allow. and time and time again he recharged his air. But it was of no use. I knew how the man felt. How could he stick to his post? l knew how the others felt. but now it seems more like dream than an actual happening. -s.. There we were, six men, the trains crew. all at cur posts and absolutely powerless in anyway to stop the tre- mendous speed of those cars. How did I feel? Great God. l cannot tell you. Now and then I glanced side. ways. We must have been going at the rate of two miles minute. The telegraph poles alongside looked like picket fence, so rapidly did we pass them. The trees and the mountainous hills resembled a mixed mass of dark green and brown. In taking the curves. every one of which I thought certainly would I've the last. watch ed that string of cars. It looked like rapidly moving snake trying to get away from threatening danger. Thoughts passed through my mind as never before. My brain seemed afire. | I couldn't help but think how helpless
 we half dozen men were at the time. | Never before did l feel so utterly use
 less. thought of jumping but that would be suicide, and so l stuck to my post.
 With hands and feet if was all I | could do to hold my position on top of | the car. The train was jumping and | lunging forward. lodging from side | to side and at times it would seem that everything had left the track and
 the train was fairly flying through the air.
 'I couldn't keep my eyes off the en- gineer. happened to he looking ahead when the engine took the Claw
 son curve. It seemed to me that the
 tender jumped the track first Then there was bulge and every car seem | ed to rise high in the air and crash l into one another. This I reGlied as i the enI of the wild ride. In a way | was glad 1t was over.
 With the most terrifying sound | ! ever heard in my life. or ever i'm 1 agine,l. there was a sudden shock. ] Then confusion. As the force of those heavily laden cars pushed themselves | against the locomotive the compact was awful The box cars were flat tened out like paper boxes under the band of giant.
 "As I went down with tho top of the car I felt the other cars piiing. eae after the other. upon me Some thing struck me in the head My shoulder was twisted and pullei in every direction. The claw of a