CHASED BY DYNAMITE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue II, 14 July 1894, Page 32

CHASED BY DYNAMITE.

THE LATEST AMERICAN LIE. • These air-brakes on freight cars are great things, Bill,’ said the engine-driver. *A good while ago now, before they were brought it, I was running a “ pnsher ” between Conemaugh and Cresson, helpin’ freight and coal trains np the hill. One night it was onr turn to assist what was known as the Panhandle heavy up the mountains. We started out from Conemangh about 11.20, pushing the train, which was made up of about ten cars of pigs, two goods cars, and'fifteen or twenty four wheel coal cars—“ Jimmies,” we called ’em. The goods cars were at the rear, that is, right in front of us. We made pretty fair time up to South Pork, where the flood broke afterward, you know. Then the engine in front began to steam bad, and what with us pushin’ hard and it pullin’ by fits, ’twasn’t long before the cars were bumpin’ and jerkin’ pretty rough. Then I saw the conductor cornin’ back hard as he could. When he got within bearin’ he yelled : • For God’s sake, stop that bumpin’, we have two cars of dynamite in the train !’ ‘ Did I stop it ? Yon better believe I did, and mighty quick too. I blowed for brakes, and the engineer in front answered, for as the grade there is about eighty feet to the mile we soon stopped. I sent my fireman forward to tell the other engineer to try and get bis steam gauge up, and that I wasn’t going to bump myself into eternity if I knew it. After he had gone I discovered my water was low and concluded to run back to a stand pipe, about half a mile down the track, to fill the tank. So, cuttin’ the couplin’ myself, I dropped down. I found afterwards the crew didn’t know I bad gone, and failed to put the brakes on the last cars, thinkin’ my engine would hold ’em. * I hadn’t more than got alongside tbe pipe than I caught a glimpse of tbe tail lamps of the train cornin’ lickety split toward me. I knew at once what had happened. The train had broke in two, and part of it was runnin’ wild down the hill. That often happens, you know, and there ain’t much danger in stoppin’ the wild cars ; all that’s necessary being for tbe engineer of the pusher to run backwards slowly, so as to make the bump easier when it comes than if the engine was stopped. * But you can bet I wasn’t hankering to stop two cars of dynamite that way, and when I saw ’em cornin’ I didn’t stop at the pipe, but kept on goin’. Myoid “pusher” jumped, and then lit out down the hill. Jimmy crickets ! how she was hummin’ in less than a minute, while the runaways was chasin’ us hell bent. Scared ’ Well, mebbe I wasn’t, though it wasn’t long before we begun to gain on the cars and leave them further behind. Lord I how the little drivin’ wheel of that old “pusher ” did hum. * All this time I was think’, and thinkin’ hard as well as fast. I knew that bein’ on the east-bound track I might run slap bang into a train cornin’ up, and what would be left after that wreck would be blowed to kingdom come when the dynamite arrived. In a case of that kind a man’s got to think and act mighty prompt, and it didn’t take me long to form a plan. I had a good half-mile lead then and steadily gainin’, and if I bad wanted to could have had time to stop, crawl behind a rock up the hillside, and see the biggest display of fire works ever known when the dynamite knocked the engine into smithereens. * But I conjured up a bettter scheme than that in less time than it takes to tell. About three miles farther down was an abandoned coal mine with a siding connecting with the up track. If I could reach it in time to alter tbe points the runaways could be turned off and do little damage beyond destroying themselves. On the other hand, if the night express should be near, and I knew she was

about due, the consequences would be horrible if I failed. Bad predicament, wasn't it ? But, as I said, in such a case a man’s got to decide quick, and I made up my mind to risk it.

* I opened the whistle wide and fastened the whistle rope so as to keep up a steady biowin’. Great Moses,how we spun down grade ! All the time the lamps on the runaways were twinklin’ in plain sight, and I knew the cars must be commin’ a-whizzin’. We passed a train goin’ down on tbe

other track, and, although it was making pretty fair speed itself, the engineer told me afterwards that I slid past him like as if the devil was chasin’ me, and, when, a minute or so later, the cars came along like a comet he thought I was a goner sure.

‘Well, I reached the sidin’, and by usin’ sand and reversin’ got my engine stopped. Then I jumped for the switch to alter the points. It was rusty and bent, but fortunately not locked. I gave it a terrific jerk, got it turned, and then run as hard as my legs would carry me. I was too busy gettin’ out of the way to watch for the cars, but I heard ’em cornin’, and I remember thinkin’ that if they jumped the points and kept on down the main track it wouldn’t be my fault. ‘ Then there was a crash and shock which seemed to come out of the sky. I was knocked head over heels by the concussion of the air, and when I crawled np on my feet it was rainin’ pig. Fact. The sky was full of ready made sausage meat. A car of hogs had broken loose with the dynamite, and, of course, went up when it exploded. Spare ribs and pork chops fell all over Cambra county that night, and a farmer livin’ near the railroad got three whole hogs out of the tops of pine trees next day. I was so weak I could hardly reach my engine, but I managed to get her on to a sliding out of the way just as the express came along.’

• How did the company reward you, Pete ’’ asked Billy. ‘ Suspended a month for leavin’ the train without notifying the conductor. *