Ralph Jardine's Famous Ride Jan. 3, 1912

Webster TIMES Jan. 4, 1937

A night that will live in the memories of all those who were present is January 12, 1912.

The crash of a "wild" locomotive, stolen from the Worcester freight yards and run over the rails into Webster, on to the railroad yards south of the town, called "Klondike" and returning over the route he had covered, to crash head-on into the famous "Boat Train", Worcester to New London, which had made its regular stop at the Webster station.

The roar of the collision, hissing steam from the wrecked locomotives, screams of passengers on the rain, sounding of the fire alarm, and a rush of people to the railroad station, shortly before 9 o'clock that night, is a picture that will not soon be erased from memories.

In spite of the terrific crash, not one passenger on the boat train was seriously hurt. Many were bruised, shaken and cut, but no fatalities occurred, which seems one of the strangest things of the strangest night that Webster has ever known.

Out of the pile of coal that was thrown over him when the two locomotives came together, police pulled a young man who gave his name as Ralph Jardine, of Worcester, and after two severe cuts had been sewn up, he admitted to the police that he had stolen the locomotive from the Worcester freight yards, and went out for a "joy ride".

The locomotive had two freight cars attached, and on the way down from Worcester, Jardine operated the engine, which was in the rear of the two cars. On the return trip, the locomotive was in front, in regulation position.

Stealing a locomotive for a ride was something new in the history of the New Haven line, and the entire affair created a sensation. That none were killed is regarded as a near-miracle.

From the files of the TIMES, from the next day's coverage, the following is reprinted:

More than 20 passengers on the boat train from Worcester were injured last night (Wednesday night, Jan. 3), when Engine 1549, taken from the Worcester freight yards by Ralph Jardine of 537 Southbridge street, Worcester, running at a rate of 75 miles an hour, crashed into the New London bound train, which had come to a standstill at the Webster station of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad.

The engine, 1549, was missed from the Worcester yard last night, and dispatches sent all along the line in an effort to locate the locomotive, which had two freight cars attached.

Soon after the word reached Webster the locomotive and two cars went by the station at a high rate of speed, with no headlights burning and passed over the crossing with no chance for the gates being lowered. The boat train arrived in Webster on schedule time shortly afterward and was about to resume the south-bound run, when the big locomotive driven by Jardine came back up the tracks and crashed into the engine of the boat train.

The engine of the boat train, 1567, was almost destroyed in the crash, and the fireman, James Montville of Putnam, jumped out in time to save his life. Burt Holmes of Worcester, engineer, and Frank Waden of New London, conductor, were in the station when the crash occurred. Jardine, 20 years old, in an intoxicated condition, received a long gash over his left eye and another on his neck. He was found half buried in the coal and treated at the office of Dr. L. R. Bragg, Dr. George C. Littlefield assisting. Eleven stitches were required to close the two cuts.

Jardine, who at first said his name was James Flannagan, told conflicting stories to the police, stating that two other men were with him, but later told Deputy Sheriff Maurice P. Clare that he was alone. He was locked up at the Webster police station.

Meanwhile, the steam from the wrecked locomotives and the blazing coal strewn about the spot, caused an alarm to be sounded. Firemen, police and hundreds of spectators jammed into the area near the station, runung thru the passenger cars to ascertain if any person was seriously injured. The department extinquished the blaze.

The following were injured, shaken and bruised, but not one passenger was found to be seriously hurt: Mrs. Benjamin Bliss, Jewett City; Mrs. Michael Connors, Putnam; Miss Mary Connors, Putnam; Mrs. P. Boulaine, Danielson; Mrs. Damase Boulais, Danielson; Miss Eva Coffee, Moosup; Mrs. Ella Joslin, Putnam; M.W. Gross, Norwich; H. W. Eaines, Worcester; Ellis Halsa, Gardner; E.A. Pratt, Marlboro; Mrs. Napoleon Rock, Grosvenordale; Michael Cos and Thomas Deni, Worcester; Rev. Ignasius Kosk, Dayville; Henry Borg, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Mrs. Benjamin Savory of Willimantic and Mrs. Thomas Coffee of Moosup.

Jardine pleaded guilty to a charge of endangering lives at an appearance before Judge Henry J. Clarke this (Thursday) morning and was held in $2,000 for his appearance in Superior Court. J. H. Hanifan and R. C. Kanes, both of Providence, special agents of the N.Y., N.H. & H. railroad and John C. Cull of Worcester, general foreman of engineers, were present in court.

Jardine and the train had not been 10 miles before the railroad officials in Worcester missed the locomotive and terrified people who had witnessed the mad dash of the wild engineer had flooded the company's offices in Worcester and along the line with telephone messages. When he dashed thru the town last night, backing in with the two ponderous freight cars ahead of him, he was without lights and whistled no warning. The train dashed across Main street without killing anyone, which in itself is a miracle for at this hour there is usually considerable traffic there. When Jardine reached the switch yards below the station he stopped his locomotive, reversed the lever and started back on his return to Worcester at a rapid rate. It was then he crashed into the boat train which was standing at the station. After the crash Jardine was buried in two feet of coal in the cab, and was taken from the cab to the office of Dr. Leslie R. Bragg where he was placed under arrest. Chief of Police Maurice P. Clare, who made the arrest, notified the Worcester police who visited the young man's home and notified the relatives of the occurrence. The officer said the family did not seem to be troubled a great deal by the matter. They said that the young man had been away from home all afternoon. Jardine and his companions made the trip to Webster in less than half and hour.

The wreck crew from headquarters in New London arrived in Webster about 1 o'clock this morning and pulled the two freight cars away from the wreckage. The total damage to locomotives, coaches, etc., will exceed $15,000 it is said.

But for the fact that Engineer Holmes came into the Webster station to see why the block was set against him, a great fatality would have occurred. This block was set by Carl White, who saw the run-away flash by at a 60 mile an hour rate.

(Not long after the memorable ride of Ralph Jardine, the following parody was written by a Websterite and was sung many times at gatherings in Webster and vicinity, whenever the story of the stolen locomotive as recalled. It is sung to the tune of "Casey Jones".)

Come all you rounders, if you want to hear

The story of a drunken engineer

Ralph Jardine was this rounder's name,

And he came down from Worcester, where he stole a train.

Mounted to the cabin, pulled the throttle up wide

Shovelled in the coal, and he let her slide

Tooted the whistle, and he rang the bell

Came roaring into Webster like the hammers of......Well...

CHORUS

Ralph Jardine, he mounted to the cabin

Ralph Jardine, he started on his way

Ralph Jardine, he ran the Jardine special

Headed right for Webster, sixteen miles away.

Then over the rails, how that engine flew.

Ralph Jardine was the whole darn crew.

The track was clear, so he let her scoot

Came flying into Webster with a ____ of a toot.

Now the gateman knew by that engine's moans

The man at the throttle wasn't Casey Jones

Couldn't see the numbers as the train flew by

But he heard a fellow in the cabin cry.

CHORUS

"I'm Ralph Jardine, and I'm running special,

Started her up, and now the thing won't stop

I'll stick to the cab and keep the thing agoing

And shovel in the coal until I drop."

You should have heard that engine shreik

Came over the crossing like a lightning streak

The boat train was coming, but Jardine was first

Till he got down to Klondike, then Jardine reversed

Shoveled in the coal, and he poked up the fire,

The steam in the gauge mounted higher and higher

The engine groaned as she rolled on the track---

The he hit the boat train with a ___ of a whack!

CHORUS

Ralph Jardine, he stuck right to the cabin

Ralph Jardine, thru the coal he looked a little pale

Ralph Jardine, won't run another special

He's passing a vacation up in Worcester jail!