The San Francisco call., 1908-03-08
The Ghost at the Throttle


submit the following story to you.
trusting you will publish it in The Call
I have written it as IT was given to
me by Mr.. T.. who was boss Of a gang
OF trackmen in the railroad yards at
that time and was an eyewitness TO
the strange psychic phenomenon. Mr..
T. Is thoroughly reliable man and
one whose veracity 1 herein vouch for.
having known him intimately for a
number OF years
have given the details in full and
have only kept back the full names OF
the persons connected with the cir
cumstance out of respect to the wishes
OF the family of the dead engineer.
Yours sincerely,
NJ. L. ARMSTRONG.
In presence OF j. A. L. Horton
most remarkable instance Of
ghostly apparition occurred in the
yards of one of the big railroads run
ming into during the winter of
1895.
Engine No. 5s7 was one OF the larg-
est and best on the division, and had
been reIegated TO the switch yards for
bad behavior, so the yardmen said
Ever since No. 5s7 had been built it
had been run by Mr.. W.. one of the
oldest and best engine drivers on the
railroad. The iron horse was a beauty
large. powerful. and the pride Of
every one who had anything to do
with It.
= x-sI- - 49,
r. U. Mr.. W. died very suddenly and No.
5s7 was of course turned over to other
engine drivers The old engine went
all right for while, but it was not
long after Mr.. w.'s death that it began
kicking up and playing all sorts of
pranks. 1t ran off the track one night
and came near ditching a whole train
of freight cars. II it had run or the
track but once nothing would have
been thought OF II. but the perverse
monster kept running of the track
every few weeks and smashing things
so badly that IT was In the repair shops
nearly q third of the time.
The superintendent OF course always
laid the blame on the engine drivers.
and more than one man was laid or
for IL.
Finally No. 5s7 was transferred to
the switch yards. where 1t worked all
right for a while, then it began smash
ing things again. At last it was turned
over to one OF Mr.. ws old friends, Mr..
N, an engine driver OF exceptionally
good record. who prided himself on
never having had a wreck, but even he
could not keep No. 5s7 on the track.
The weather had been bad for over
week. the tracks were slippery, and
the engine driver of No. 5s7 alwavs
was on the lookout that he kept to the
track all right. One night it was rain
ing hard and was as dark as pitch.
No. 5s7 started down the tracks after a
bunch of cars. There was a lot of
freight to be pulled out that night and
the switching was unusually heavy.
The fireman had filed the firebox with
coal and had settled himself on his
bench for rest. Mr.. N had his head
out OF the window and was backing M
slowly when he felt cold hand laid on
his own, which was on the lever
The coldness OF the hand startled
him. but he thought of course II was
the fireman who had clutched his hand
to warn him OF some danger: turning
his head to see what was the matter.
he beheld 20 his horror Mr.. VS. ap-
partition. looking as natural as though
he were alive and about to start on his
night run.
OF course his account OF the apparr-
tion was met with scoffing and con-
siderable chatting upon the part Of the
railroadmen about the yards. and the
engine driver began to think that it
might have been a delusion after all.
One night. however. about a month
after VS. apparition made it's first ap-
pearance in the cab of No. 5s7. the
|, engine driver had his head out Of the
, window. waiting for the signal to back
up. The fireman was fussing about the
frebox- Suddenly. as before. Mr. w.
put in his appearance again and stood
there with his hand on the throttle.
Both engine driver and fireman saw the
figure.
II the engine driver had been fright
ened at Mr.. VS. apparition the fireman
was paralyzed with fear. crying out.
, with chattering teeth: ITS w.'s ghost
and no mistake about itr'
The recognition from his two old
, friends seemed to please the phantom.
) for he nodded his head, smiled. pulled
open the throttle and backed the en-
! gine. AS the engine driver said after
, ward: II didn't know whether / or w,
ran No. 5S7 that nightg'