The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-26
HIS VISION
FULFILLED

than it is today, that a prescien
event happened to Engineer Joe Var
Meta, of the Northern Cross, now
the Quincy branch of the Burlington
system. Trains in those days were
not designated by numbers, neither
were the engines: conductors. engin
GERS and brakemen were furnished
time cards showing where passenger
train south would meet passenger
train north which had the right of
way and which would take the
switch Engines were named after
animals, counties and towns Who
that lived on the line OF the 20" in
the sos and is alive to-day is not ia.
miliar with the BLACK Bear ana the
! Polar Bear?' and on the Northern
Cross with the Fulton" the Knox, -
the 'McDonough. the Quincy the
Plymouth" Augusta" and Ma
comb?" Who has forgotten the phleg.
matte Cady that pulled the throttle
of the Plymouth and when the
bridge over Crooked creek was
washed away by the heavy spring
rains of IS offered to jump the id
breach if they would give him Col
mar for starting point,
1t was in the sprlng Of So that q
new train was scheduled to leave
Calesbulg at 2:30 a. M and arrive
in Quincy at $50 a. m, stopping only
at Abingdon, Macomb and Augusta.
1t was run of 100 miles, and 80 miles
an hour then seemed faster than 70
does to-day
The night in question was porten.
tous of evil; the rain was pouring in
torrents and the inky blackness Of the
night only made the headlight shine
with greater brilliancy, the thunder
was muffled at times. like the roar
of an angry animal, the llghnings
flashed at frequent intervals and were
binding in effect
1t was Van Netta's run" and he
left call for 1:45 and went to his
room about nine O'Clock, thinking to
get as much sleep as the few hours
would allow After tossing restlessly
for some time he fell into dis.
turbed slumber; how long he slept
was uncertain: he woke with a start
and feelings terribly agitated lie
had had a vision of an accident. in
which his youngest brother was hor
ribly mangled; he tried to dispel the
fear, but it was useless he got up
and dressed, looked at his watch and
saw it was 1880. too near his cali
to go back to he'd. and started for his
train; reaching the depot, he told his
strange dream, or vision, and said
If it was not endangering another's
life ! would not go out on my run"
The train from Chicago was pull.
ing into the station and there was the
usual turmoil and confusion in chang.
ing cars; the train on the Northern
Cross was standing on the main track,
ready to pull out on schedule time;
Van Meta was just coming from the
opposite side of his engine, oiler In |
hand, when Conductor Goodrich /
called "All aboard" and gave the sig /
lal with his lantern To leave As Joe
stepped into the cab, some one
ouched him on the shoulder and
greeted him with familiar voice. He
urned around and confronted his
brother who had Just arrived
rom the east He was speechless
nd ii was a minute before he was
onvinced 1t was not an apparition:
a .4rku .Iyt ]
e pulled the throttle and the train
vas in motion; it was ten miles to
lbingdon, the first stop, and quietly
urning to his brother he said:
When we get to Abingdon, you get
If and take a seat in the rear coach" ,
he young man pleaded and begged
he privilege of riding to Quincy with
is brother on the engine. but joe
ould listen to no arbitration; his will
as absolute. and when the stop WAS
lade at Abingdon Henry was sent to
le rear coach.
"All aboard" was again rung out In
he darkness. and again the dim light
ON the lantern was sigualed 10 20
AN'NNS I'll NtAs1NA ttfiiilH Abbb IlfiHr
sssion Of Joe after his brother left
le engine, still the rain was pouring
lwn as If the floodgates Of heaven
adj been opened; St Augustine was
isscd and the whistle was sounding
r Avon; both engineer and fireman .
ere stralniug every optical nerve
snetrating the driving rain and The
,pressiye darkness: Prairie City was
fl in the dark. and only four miles
Bushnell; the "Macomb' was being
sted as to her merits of speed. and q
as acting like a restless spirited race
rise. fairly quiyering under the ten {
T urging OF her driver Joe was
mplete master OF her erratic ways.
ldins her In perfect control with his
nd ever upon the lever and throt. 3
Three miles from Bushnell is Kepple h
eek; again was he peering into the s
ickness Of the night made angry e
IN the unceasing rain; only a few
rds from the engine did the head Il