Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1890 — Nearly Another Wreck. [ARTICLE]

Nearly Another Wreck.

There came near being a railroad wreck in Rensselaer, last Saturday morning. A freight tram from the south was trying to make Fair Oaks ahead of the morning passenger train following, and came to town at a high speed, in order to get up the grade, just above town. The agent here had orders to stop the train, to meet another from the north; but in the dim and confusing light of’ the morning the engineer did not see the signal to stop until he was almost opposite the depot. The engineer knew by the signal that he was liable to meet the other freight at any minute, and the curve in the road by Spittor's crossing preventing the track being seen any distanceahead,hereversed his engine, whistled all brakes down, and then set up a most frantic tooting and screeching in order to warn the other train. His action was taken none too soon, tor «p uosnding the curve by Spider's place, the engineer found himself face to face with another heavy frieght, coming south, and only a few hundred yards distant.

By good luck this last train was running very slow and was brought to a stand-still, before the north-b.ound train could reach it. When both trains came to a stop the interval between them was only 50 or 60 feet The tremendous racket made by the reversed engines and the screeching and wailing whistles called several people living near, to the scene, and they found the train crew on the northiound train, a pretty badly frightened set of men. The fireman on that train stood on the foot-board ready to jnmp, but the engineer stood by his post until the trains were brought to a stop, and then leaned back on his seat and relieved his feelings by a torrent of indiscriminate swearing.