The new South-news., 1908-10-10

his nerves are concerned. that he was
before he had the horrible exper-
ienre. and In calling where self
possesHion In the first requisite. no
amount Of sympathy can blind the
officers of the road 10 the duty they
owe themselves and the public. There
WAS case on Western road several
years ago that well illustrates this
point An engineer with long and
excellent record for tteadiness and
loyalty 70 'he company. plunged With
bis engine and two mail cars into an
open culyert thai had been washed
ont by a series % heavy foods The
accident happened az night and the
engineer WAS not IN the remottst de-
gree 40 blame for II. lie had n par
ticnlariy strong hold on the affections
of his employers. owing 10 the fact
chat hc was one OF the only men who
rciured 10 80 out during the great
tirifc oi 'I3. and made his regular
run despite the danger TO himself IN
voifed in refusing 90 obey the order
OF the union. After the accident he
was put back on his old trip with a
new engine, and, so far as any one
could zee. was Just the same qniet.
capable runner" he had always
hoen
One night he was rounding long
curve with high bluffs on one side OF
the tracks and steep preciulce on
the other. he suddenly shut on steam,
~hisiled for brakes. for it was be-
fore the day Of "air," and yelled TO
his fireman 60 Jump. When an on
Fineor gives that warning. his com
panion In the cab does not usually
stand on the order Of hIg going. Int
Jumps hrst and looks afterwards
That's what the fireman In this case
did. and when he came TO. ho found
himself with broken arm and cut
head, AZ the foot of the hillside down
which he had rolled. He picked him
solf NJ and scrambled as best he
could 10 the track, looking for the
rest OF the wreck. Looming up in
the Moonlight on the track ahead
ne saw the dark shadow OF the train
with lanterns glinting about IT, The
conductor WAS holding an earnest
conversation with the engineer as
he reached the locomotive. which. to
the astonishment OF the fireman. was
with the rest of the train entirely un-
Injured
II swear by all that's holy. Jim"
the engineer declared to the conduc-
tor. II saw the headlight OF another
cnVlne coming toward ~ on our
trsNs"
| he conductor was scornful and
sn9k nreman mad, and neither of
YVoooese~~~ nI6ar1 FTT
cab. and the train was rsn back ia
pick up the brakeman whn was ont
Win nag. As they rounded the
curve on resuming the trip. the en-
Finoer suddenly shut of steam and
akain called HIS fireman to look
mere ON the track In front of them
was the Hight of headlight so bright
as to be almost binding. The FIRE
man saw. however. what had not
struck the engineer when he first
perceived It. that the light was tho
fenection OF their own lamp. A pool
oi water had collected I'm hollow
IN the bluffs, and was close enough
10 she track TO make powerful re-
Hector. The engineer in this case
was not discharged. but at his own
request served out his time on
switch engine.
The Man Who Takes Chances.
In the two instances sited above.
the men themselves might be said 10
ne only indirectly responsible for the
trouble they caused. There is anoth-
er idiosyncrasy. however. which
while 1t is undoubtedly due TO n
state OF mind. precludss the possi-
bility OF any feeling OF sympathy for
'he person who is subject to it. The
man who takes charces" is Justly
the bsne OF railroad life. and Is the
ono element next to spring freshefs.
most dreaded by the operating ON
GERS. Here is an example OF the kind
OF thing such a man win do. A a.
Vision engineer was one day maS'p,
an Inspection OF track from the cab
OF passenger locomotive which he
had boarded for the purpose. The
engine driver called him over TO his
seat To look at some object at the |
side OF the road as the division en- |
gineer supposed. Instead. he point |
ed to large boulder. the size of an
egg crate, that had rolled down the 1
hillside and lay directly between the
rails in front OF them. There was /
plenty OF time to stop. and the dl,.-
sion engineer expected the driver Ia |
smut on steam. Instead. he opened
the throttle wide and yelled:
see me bunt Il on"
The engine hit the rock with a
mighty ,hud. rolled trife. and t,1,n
settled down on the rails again. the
boulder having gone over to one side
the division engineer. as soon as he
could get possession OF his voice
made the driver stop his engine.
You fool," he called back as he
climbed down from the cab. Il would
not ride another mile on the same en-
CINE With YOU for thousand dol
lars"