| Browsing through back issues of the The Rutland Herald can become as addictive as doing genealogy research. The following human interest article appeared in the January 18, 1900, issue:
A Runaway Engine
Engine Gen. J. G. McCullough, No. 14, of the Bennington and Rutland railroad took a spin all by herself down the line Monday morning and was finally captured this side of Wallingford after doing no other damage than demolishing a hand car. A new hand at the Bennington and Rutland engine house took the engine out to the coal pile shortly after 7 o'clock to coal her up. He pulled the throttle wide open and then, becoming scared, tried to bring the big engine to a standstill. He failed to do this and, losing his head, jumped to the ground. No. 14 started down the track at a fair speed and was soon out of sight. Near the Cold River woods the engine came up with a gang of five men on a hand car. They did not hear the engine until it was close upon them, when they jumped off the car and waved their hats to the supposed engineer to stop before he should strike the car. In another moment the car and its load of tools were flying through the air and the section men saw that the cab in the engine was empty. The fires in the engine were low and she soon began to slacken her speed. Engine No. 12, which was sent out from here to chase the runaway, found No. 14 nearly at a standstill this side of Wallingford.
Humorous though it may be now, I suppose it wasn't then. Another thing that struck me is that even though the engine was named Gen. J.G. McCullough, it is referred to as "her". Ships in those days were also referred to as "she". Can anyone suggest why that was, or maybe still is?
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