Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-08-11

anu VIII ueSCrOy TIE apps VlaQuct, anu
carry away the bridges on the Holmes
dale Branch. Stop the traffic, and save
the passengers. God bless you; and,
bark we, ride for your life. will fire
the signal cannon as warninga Good
bye" qES - -
sAmmering Junction was some miles
away. My route lay through an unknown
country, across moorland lntersected
by flooded streams, and swept by the
fierce wind and rain. tkf
l must do it, l thought, as my horse
picked his cautious way amid the loose
stones down the steep by-road we, had
assembled the previous day. l should
need ali my strength, though, to execute
nv task SO / pressed on. A valuable
slice out of my time had. been expended
when / reached the broad highway and
urged my horse to speed had to turn
off again, knew, but l fancied 1 should
easily find the path. Besides, was there
not a sign-post2 -s~-
= reached the turning and pulled up
to read the direction / should take.
nearly. tainted with horror as l read.
The fatal finger pointed up the cross
road was pursuihg-To Holmesdale and
Seaham, The opposite index pointed
To Ruddall and Ammering. l could
scarce credit my senses. Surely, was
right. We had come up the previous
day, and up the hill to the reservoirs.
had merely to reverse the route we had
travelled. This was terrible mistake.
1t was now past 6 O'Clock. One of the
three precious hours had elapsed, and j
was further from Ammering than when
/ started. / was seized with despair ;
whatever could / do now! Two hours
remained; and had three uphill miles
to ride, and then about seven more
across the moor before l could reach the
Junction, and before that the trains
might have started, and then!
i burst out into cold perspiratiOn at
the thought, and then desperate, and
only half conscious, rode madly back
to the Ammering road, and up the bill
again.
The SUBMITS of the neighboring hills
were shrouded in veil of mist, but far
id advance, on the level, I could trace
the railroad line. From the elevation at
which stood, / could trace the channel
of the Apps river down the'valley, and
could guess the spot at which the flood
would strike the railroad, and the branch
line over the spur of the hill. / could
Just distinguish the Junction in the mid
die distance. A dark smoke appeared to
be rising from it; an engine, perhaps,
waiting to start with a train, and / was
lingering on the hill. All this, and more,
/ could perceive as / rested on the sum-
nit. Somewhat refreshed, rode man.
fully into the storm.
How my horse kept his feet do not
to this hour understand. ,r =,
Twas quite alone, not human being
i'm sight, but suddenly the whistle of Il 10
connective was carried to my ears. An
engine moved; out Of the station, An
other whistle shortly afterward.i That
train was safe. | watched il glide away
over the viaduct. Five minutes later
rode into the station, and called for the
station-master. As dismountcd the
clock struck g.. The time was up, and no
signal from McCaslsland. Tclegraphing
would now be easy A porter caIne ont
i'm response to my summons. ~, r,a
''I'm sorry ye lost the express" he be-
gan..,ssf# ~ -. ,e... = as-i . 1sa
81 don't want the train," replied IL
is the StatiOn-maSter: 2" . ''-iiV 5i'2
y
can't telegraph. The wires are blown
down. We had to send pilot with the
express to clear the line UP to Hand
leigh eai slp
= mot telegraph. I tell you, man.
must stop the traffic. The South Holmes
dale reservoir will bnrst this very hour.
Scan that be. true?' inquired a cool,
gentlemanly man at my elbow. 1t was
the statiOn-master himself.
'sTrue!" / echoed. sit is only too
true. | have ridden to tell you. We must
stop the trains.' 1851 s.
''rhe excursion leaves Handleigh at
$780," unused the station master. ''fhrre
may be time come with me- He cross
ed the line and entered shed opposite.
followed. Just then 4 loud booming
sound rent the air. The sound came
back from the hills like thunder.
at is the signal" exclaimed. "The
water is out. Heaven help us ~ 1850
The station-master called out. A cleali-
er appeared. rs that engine ready?"
Eyes, sir, waiting for the excursion"
l"Run and open the points. Now, SIR
get up" 1cs-
i obeyed mechanically, and before ]
quite realized the situation we had cross
ed to the up line.s The. station-master
stopped to get red flag and give few
instructions to his subOrdinates. l now
perceived that we were to race the flood.
Steam versus water. Which would con-
quer? ISL -la.6 -
A whistle; We started. "The flood.
the flood - shouted the porter. We turn
ed one glance up the valley. A moving
snowy ridge, was tearing down the deyO-
ted viaduct. No time to lose. $50 ahead y
cried the statior-master. turned on
steam, put the lever over another notch
and the race began in earnest. oa-
1t was an exciting race, and one never
to be forgotten. On rolled the flood
We were running 'sneck and neck" for
one terrible half minute. Now the re-
sistless flood bore directly to the bridge
Stones were rolling before it like mar.
bles. Trunks of trees, haystacks, debris
OF every description came headlong down
upon the doomed structure. We fled like
lighting over the rail. Our speed told
now. Sparks few from the chimney. An
other "notch"-the beat of the piston
quiekened to an almost inconceivable ra-
pidity. We were on the bridge. Hurrah
The curling wave beneath seemed to
spring forward. 1t broke against the
buttresses. In second we were across.
shut off steam, station-master put down
the breaks. A tearing, rending sound,
that was not the breaks-a crash? We
looked back. The line dropped behind us
like stage-trap. The bridge gave way,
and with roar, that was. heard two
miles of, the pretty viaduct was swept
away by the boiling, furious water.
/ We were truly thankful for our barrow
escape. And now TO save the excursion.
Speeding forward again, whistling like a
demon, our engine-Vigilant by name
soon came in sight of the excursion train.
By waving our FED flag we averted an
other danger-a collision. The telegraph
posts being down, trains had to run up
on the same line as rar as Handleigb. but
our timely action set all to rights at last.
We soon Oave the bewilflerad nacesn