The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-10-27
AN AWFUL RIDE.

Brakeman's Story of Runaway Train.
 Propped up in a cot at the Good Sa- maritan hospital. Samuel J Wylie. the brakeman who was injured by the wreck of a Southern Pacific freight train on steep grade in the Slskiyou Mountains Saturday, when the air brakes failed to hold the string of cars. related his thrilling experience yester- day, telling how the train fairly flew down the mountain side like water seeking It's level, Bob Sleiger, engi- neer, and C. D. Lockerman, brakeman, were killed in the disaster, and four teen heavily loaded cars and the en- zine practically, demolished.
 Wylie was the swing" brakeman on the Inflated traln No. 222. It 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 descending the grade at about its usual gait. It was beyond Clawson, near Tunnel 16. Suddenly there was a signal from the engineer for brakes one blast of the whistle. At once Wy lie realized that the engineer could not hold the train with the airbrakes. In an instant all the brakemen and Con- ductor 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 slacken the train in It's mad rush, and while the crew of six men stood at their posts, absolutely powerless, the monster string of freight cars dashed on and on.
 Tt was shortly after leaving Stein man, yesterday morning, when Engi- neer Steiger whistled for brakes" Wy lie began, when asked to tell his expe- rience. We had been running along at about fifteen miles an hour and ev- erything seemed to be all right With the sound of the whistle l ran from one car to another, setting the brakes as hard as could. Lockerman, the head brakeman, was doing the same on the front of the train, ahd Conduc- tor 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 dlu not slacken its momentum in the least, l realized that the situation was becom- ing serious.
 Again and again 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, shaking and trembling to rid themselves ot their human burden. As last resort and with the only hope that the train would stick to the rails, stretched myself out on box car, clinglhg to the running board.
 Faster and faster went the tram, I could see Lockerman just ahead or me. It was all he could do to stick 10 the car. How far the train traveled In those few seconds will never know Seconds seemed minutes and minutes were longer than hours Think Why' man, could hardly think
 At this time I thought of Ilfnothy Flats, level stretching the road about quarter of mile in length. My one hope was that Steiger would get con trol of his train at that point But quicker than it takes to tell it we were on the flats and passed them without the train slackening in speed m the least. On and on we went. was scared. I knew wreck was ineVita- ble. I could look ahead, and see the engineer in his cab. The fireman was out of the tender. steiger had his hand on the throttle He had already reversed his engine, was pouring out sand as fast as the pipes would alio", and time and time again he rechargea his air But 1t was of no use. l knew how the man felt. How could ne SUCK to his post? I knew how the others