The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-04

seventy-si1-ton Mogul tpusher Our business was to
help freighrains from Altoona to the top, and run
back empty on the eastbound track
That morning went UP with load of heavy cars,
cut off at Crestline, and started to drop back We had
turned the Shoe and well out on the hill when
heard something snap looked down my drivers and
then across at Jim. Without looking he had known
what the trouble was and jumped. To this day can
hear his yell runaway as he leaped into the bushes
The trouble was this The brake was badly worn, so
that one sprag pressed tightly than the other
its tire The undue friction heated it until it cracked
The broken piece flew into the frame and away the
kng-p This let the whole attachment drop to the
ties and 1t was lerked away The iron horse, freed
from this restraining hold sprang forward like stallion
from broken tether, and started wildly down the
mountain. Before realized that could do nothing
and that useless for to stay it was too late
to jump There was, helpless and alone, in runaway
engine.
And how that engine did runt It seemed as if the
drivers racing to catch the piot-whee and neither
could fast enough to satisfy the piston-rods They
bounded the tracks till every inch of gearing shook
and ratified The sokestack toppied like the head of
dizzy man, while the boiler staggered like his body
about to fak The steam-vave of the whistle was Jared
open now and then, and gave little cries of hendsh
gee while every minute Kept going faster and faster
We had gone perhaps a mile before / could draw
my wits together sufficiently to think just what was the
real danger. AS reasoned the matter appeared
to be threefod would either run into something
on the track switchman in order save other
trains, would open siding and ditch u.s. or else we
would run on until the grade became SO steep and the
speed so great that would fly the track
We passed bock-station. The operator hung far
out of the window to watch Us. Then I saw him turn
to his instrument He sending the word ahead and
the track would soon be cleared The first of the three
dangers might be counted out
reflected, too, that the second became less real
inasmuch as he had seen me; for guessed from the
establishment he showed at seeing an engineer still rid
ing that would have been expected to Jump Now
throw out the engine when warned that it carried human
freight So counted out that possibility
Still we We passed two more bocL-stations,
with operators at the windows but we went SO fast
scarcely caught glimpse of them The trees flew away
behind as if trying to escape from something while
egraphpoes stood 50 close together that they looked
like upright bars across the window of the cab
So far we had sharp curves, and although the
road and out could portions Of it for three
itself You how all the way down here the road is
built against the side of the mountain and that we are
on the outside track You see, too if engine jumped
the track where it would go. Well was looking awav
off yonder when | saw an engine coming head on full
speed up the mountain 1t disappeared after little then
came in sight haf-ile nearer We had passed several
trains either running or standing STILL on the west
bound track but what my horror when on swinging
into line with this that izOas on the outside yGckf
1t disappeared again round curve and I tried 10
estimate the distance 1t could not Be two miles Of
copcluded that they had decided to wreck nv engine
for the safety OF the road and that do this another
one without an engineer, had been sent against mine
and that the two would meet and be thrown over the
cliff a; at point that was still out Of sight
What could do? / tried to think Once I decided
to make wild leap for my fe but when looked down
the gorge my courage failed simply sat still
dazed --waiting for the awful crash
How long would it be? waited what tho,,Oht
was time enough Nothing happened Then / waited
again Then caught my BREATH and when the strain
became too great sprang my feet and looked ahead
There aOcs an engine in sight but it Uds ynnig fo1
NE. "5 49,"
There was an engineer ALSO but he had come ~
save me not to wreck me. He had run as near as he
dared then stopped, thrown his reverse lever turned an
fuil steam, and was running backward ~ al,ost
my own rate. ahead Of It was desperate work bnt
hs gradually a. allowed my engine to catch up with his
received tne shock as easily as he could then put on HI
brakes and brought both under control" - = -
That was before the days Of air-brakes "Rnnawsvs
% not occur now but when they did, that IS how thew
not they either wrecked themselves Or soetng ~a
q both and tor many they were the most Serious
Acghanies p BRACES q inc