The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-26

| ct agent. Morristown was the other
| terminus, SO miles from Bristol, so the
name Knoxville & Bristol" was more
significant of the hopes and aspira-
tions Of the little road than Of its
achievements
The inhabitants along the thinly set
tied mountain slopes had three never
failing sources of income-chickens
tan-bark and summer boarders.
The K. G. B. flier headed out of Cory
ton each morning, and for several
years, in the capacity Of postal clerk, l
shared its many and varied vicissi-
tudes, its joys and sorrows, failures
and triumphs, wash-outs, wrecks and
occasionally the thrill of arriving some
where on schedule time.
The engineer was big, raw-boned,
good-natured individual named Bill Al
len. 1t is Bills story, not my own, that
am about to tell.
It was late one summer evening, as
we were winding our way down the
little valley and got laid out for sev-
eral hours while section gang ahead
repaired burned trestle, that old Bill
sat by the side Of his engine and to an
attentive audience composed Of the
train crew and several Of the passen.
gers who had walked up ahead from
the coach told the following story:
There is something about this aft
mo mi 49, Ao
Of long ago. day that shall never be
able to efface from my memory. It
happened number Of years ago. when
was pulling passenger train over in
the Birmingham district.
ION the day speak OF we had on a
couple of extra enthusiastically
school picnic or something Of the sort;
anyway, the entire train was crowded
full Of women and children.
Every time we made a stop l could
hear the shouts and the merry laughter
of those children up to the engine.
I'VE had pulled into little station,
and l sat there in the cab watching
the children and waiting for the con.
ductor, who had gone in after orders.
I'VE were on the main track-in
fact. there was no siding; Just big
water tank and a turntable, old and
seldom used. Straight ahead for half
mile was one Of the steepest grades
In the division. Just at the top of the
grade a branch line turned of for sew.
eral miles. leading to the coal mines.
Some way, in switching the coal
cars around up there at the top Of the
grade that afternoon a big, heavily
loaded car suddenly got loose and
headed down the grade straight as an
arrow for our train.
Gentlemen, l will confess / turned
perfectly weak as l saw that black
demon Of destruction bearing down
upon us. gaining speed at every Sec |
ond!
II thought Of the merry laughing
children back in the coaches, of the |
mothers all-unconscious of the awful |
danger. and l thought of the fearful |
and certain result that seemed newt.
able.
Faster and faster 1t came, with a
roar, and cloud of black dust hover. |
Ing about it! tried to think of some
way to save the train and the helpless
women and children, but my brain re. |
fused to work.
But. gentlemen, there was a better
man than myself at hand. My flagman,
a quick, active young fellow named
Walker, had taken in the frightful sit.
uation at a glance, and made a wild
dash for the turntable.
"Great heavens! Will he be in
timer l gasped. |
Now the car was almost upon us
coming like streak Of lightning
swinging and roaring, and the sparks
flying from the wheels. Then it struck
the turntable, on to which the flaeman
had turned the switch-and we were
saved!
For the fagman quickly turned the
table around and sent the car flvine
back up the grade!
Its fact, gentlemen" said Bill re-.
proachfully. as several Of his listeners
turned sadly away. III you don't be-
lieve 1t. you can see the turntable anv
time. for 1t is still there. I can show
you the car. too, on the branch to the