The Bossier banner., 1877-08-09

=
ceive as rested on the summit. Some
what refreshed,s I9rode 1nanfully into |
the storm. stf
How my horse kept his feet | do not |
to this hour understand. ST bIuow
| was quite alone, not human being
in sight, but suddenly the whistle of.
locomotive was carried to my ears. An
engine moved out of the station.
Another whistle shortly 81 afterwards.
That train was safe. | watched it glide
away over the viaduct. Five minutes
later rode into the station, and called
for the station-master As dismoupted
the clock Struck eight The time was
up, and no signal from, eCausland.
Telegraphing would now be easy. A
porter came out in response to- my
summons. .-...f.;..- s.z.ees III
~ ''1'm sorry ye lost the express" he
began. IG9muTs7azg lETsnsO sdi ,
a don't want the train,''. I replied;
az must telegraph at onee,I through.
Where is the station master?'''' ''''ar.xzs
He'll be here in minute But ye
1danttelegraph. b The wires are blown
down. We had to send a. pilot with
the express to clear the line up to Hand
high.1', sit faru T,7osE443@ us,5g !
e''.Not telegraph! | tell you, man, /
must stop the traffic. The South Holmes
dale Reservoir will burst this very hour
:. Can that be true?'' inquired a cool,
gentlemanly man at my elbow. 1t was
the esstation-master himself. 49, as ,;E
"True!'' I echoed. ait is only too
true. L have ridden to tell you. We
must stop the trains ,;-a5
@"The excursion leaves Hal1dieigh at
500, unused the estation-master. ssThere
may be time; come with me- He cross
ed the lineand entered a'shed opposite.
| followed. Just then loud booming
sound rent the air The sound came
back from the hills like thunder. z54t,a
1t is the signal, / exclaimed. !" The
water is out. Heaven help ustn fsf~
The station-master called OUT A
cleaner appeared. "Is that engine
ready ?i' '5I5Tyd @ZE hggd9F e5Yf3f
:. Yes, sir waiting for the excursion. !"
" Run and open the points. Now, sir,
get5up." o1 t9a #4g gssamestf 83=sf /
obeyed mechanically. and before. |
quite realized the situation We had cross
ed to the up line. The Istation-master
stopped to get a red flag and give few
instructions to his subefdinates.s L now
perceived that we Wereto race the.hood.
. Steam versus water. Which would con-
rqaer? siI3iI#i I,f@i1slaf & fa last
A whistle; we started. ':ssThe flood,
the food!" shouted the porter We
turned one. glance up the valley: A
moving brown wall, capped with a
snowy ridge, was tearing down the de
voted viaduct. No time tolose. g &c
ahead, cried the station-master.. / turn.
! ed ON steam, put the lever over another
"notch, y and the race began in earnest
Tt was an exciting race, &C e and one never
Il to be forgotten. On rolled the flood
We were running "neck and neck - fol
4 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, headlons
down upon the doomed structure. W.
4 fed like lightning over the rail- Oul
d speed told now. Sparks flew from tht
chimney. Another Ssnoteh the bea
!. rof. the piston auickened to an almost in
conceivable rapidity. We were on tn,
! bridges Hafrahf 3.Fhe beufling way,
beneath seemed to:spring forward. + 1
/ broke against the buttresses. In
second 1--we were across. & | shut off steam
station master put down the breaks. 1
! tearing, rendihg sotnd, that was not th
| breaks erashps We looked back. TIL
line dropped behind us like a stage-trap
The bridge gave way, andswithl "a roar
that was, heard two miles off, thesprett
viaduct was swept away by the boiling
T furious3watelge aIa1 80 es.Cs3
b =. We were truly, thankful, for, our nal
: row escape. And now to save the ez
: icursion. Speeding forward eagair
e whistling like q demon, our engine
vigilaht BY 1iameLso6n came in 81 81
< of the excursion train4 waving q so4l
red flag we .ayerted another, dalfger-
/ beoilisioad fThe ste1egraph posts befh
= down, trains had to, run upon the. sam
line as far as Handleigh, but our tirl1el
rbacdon set all to rights aslasf.o7o VI
\ We soon gave the bewildered passe1
: gers to understand the marrow Fesear
at they bad had. Fefyeab8 and isineel
were the thanks we received from, al
hsexosptE one q man .aaHe awa5 escapIn
/, from Justice, and was captured Fro
4 the elevated einbankment we coul
/ trace the course of the food for mile
4 The train back to- Handleigl
whence the passengers were forwarde
$ by another company.
+ BY the timefwe had aasanged matte
e and returned to the broken ,xiaductgtl
n water had subsided. A foot-way w
e. constituted across themuddyniNerebe
e and trains stopped at both sides Of Il
It stream, the passehgers exchanging fro
IL one to the yotherag bsratnaosn9 sd