The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-09-18

his nerves are concerned, that he was
before he had the horrible exper-
fence. and In a calling where self
possession Is the first requisite, no
amount OF sympathy can blind the
officers OF the road to the duty they
owe themselves and the public. There
was a case on Western road several
years ago that well illustrates this
point. An engineer with a long and
excellent record for steadIness and
loyalty to the company, plunged with
his engine and two mail cars into an
open culvert that had been washed
out by series Of heavy foods. The
accident happened at night and the
engineer was not In the remotest de-
gree TO blame for II. He had q par
ticularly strong hold on the affections
OF his employers, owing 10 the fact
that he was one OF the only men who
refused TO go out during the great
| strike OF '73, and made his regular
run despite the danger TO himself in
volved In refusing TO 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 see. was just the same quiet,
capable runner" he had always
| been.
One night he was rounding n long
curve with high bluffs on one side Of
the tracks and a steep preclpice on
the other, he suddenly shut off steam.
whistled for brakes. for It was be-
fore the day of "air." and yelled to
his fireman to jump. When an en-
| gineer gives that warning, his COM
panion In the cab does not usually
| stand on the order OF his going, but
! Jumps first and looks afterwards.
| That's what the fireman I'm this case
did. and when he came to. he found
himself with a broken arm and cut
head, at the foot Of the hillside down
which he had rolled. He picked him
| self up and scrambled as best he
could to the track, looking for the
rest OF the wreck. Looming up in
the Moonlight on the track ahead,
he 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, Il saw the headlight of another
engine coming toward US on our
track"
The conductor was scornful and
the fireman mad, and neither of
them, of course. believed the story.
The conductor climbed aboard the
cab, and the train was run back TO
pick up the brakeman who was out
with a flag. As they rounded the
curve on rcsuming tho trip. the en-
gineer suddenly shut off steam and
again called his fireman 10 look.
There on the track I'm front OF them
was the light OF a 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 tho light was the
reflection OF their own lamp. A pool
OF wafer had collected in a hollow
in the bluffs. and was close enough
TO the track to make a 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 TO
be only Indirectly responsible for the
trouble they caused. There is anoth-
er idiosyncrasy, however, which,
while it is undoubtedly due TO
state OF mind, precludes the possi-
bility OF any feeling OF sympathy for
the person who is subject 10 IL. The
man who takes CHARGES" is Justly
the bane OF railroad life. and is the
one element next TO spring frshets.
most dreaded by the operating Off
GERS. Here is an example OF the kind
of thing such a man will do. 4 di-
vision engineer was one day making
an inspection of track from the cab
~ " isiR1NhHNA AONbAAlbAANt NulCu ut
had boarded for the purpose. The
engine driver called him over 20 his
seat to look at some object at the
side OF the road as the division en-
gineer supposed. Instead, he point
ed to n large boulder. the size OF an
egg crate. that had rolled down the
hillside and lay directly between the
rails in front OF them. There was
plenty of time to stop. aad the divi-
sion engineer expected the driver to
shut of steam. Instead. he opened
the throttle wide and yelled:
See me bunt IL on"
The engine hit the rock with
mighty thud. rolled tribe. and then
settled down on the rails again. the
boulder having gone over to one side.
/ The division engineer, as soon as ne
could get possession OF his voice.
made the driver stop his engine.
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