The Day the Railroad Stopped: How Two Boys Nearly Derailed a Train in Seattle
In October 1876, a group of mischievous youths removed the brake from a freight train at the Northern Pacific terminus. A lucky passerby noticed the danger just in time, averting a potential catastrophe that could have turned Seattle’s early rail history into a tragedy.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
NEARLY AN ACCIDENT.
The other evening after a train of cars was left on the track near the repair shop at the terminus of the N. P. Co.'s road, a number of mischievous boys went along and put off the brake. It was followed by an American who happened to be standing near at the time, and who immediately took hold of it, shutting down the brake just in time. Had it not been for this fortunate circumstance, the whole train would, in all probability, have been dashed to pieces.
These little freaks are quite amusing; they seem to take a great delight in all kinds of mischief.
Seattle’s early infrastructure was fragile and dangerous, relying on the vigilance of ordinary citizens to prevent disasters. This 1876 incident highlights how quickly industrial growth (the Northern Pacific Railway) outpaced safety protocols, a theme that resonates with modern concerns about rail safety in dense urban environments.
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