The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-09-04
OVER CAPE HORN.
A Thrilling Sketch.
By F, E. Hamilton.

There are three Cape Horns. The first
geographical cape, a point of land ex-
tending into the ocean at the Southern
extremity of the American continent, the
dread mariners in the far-away Antarctic.
A second, also geographically named, up
on the magnificent Columbia River, in
Oregon, the delight of tourists in that
fresh region; and the third a mountain
cape, spur Of the rocky Sierras, around
which daily creep the trains upon the
Central Pacific Railroad, while the pas
sengers gaze with awe and wonder at
the mimic ocean Of green valley spread
out more than two thousand feet belQs1
them. ...- 1880 ktn'
Four years ago Edward ParksIn b.
freig ht engineer upon the Sas.de maad
division of the road and once eatey w
dragging the long line of loaded CO: )
the steep mountain side, or with z
equally long line sliding carefully DOWN.
he rounded the dread cape. The up trip
was safe enough, but the return, when
the immense weight and momentum of
score or more of heavily-laden cars COM
bined to push the engine onward, was
dangerous indeed, and Parker knew it.
One morning in November, 1878,
Parker started with his train from
TrucEee, the station on top Of the noun
tains, for Sacramento. There were thirty
cars to draw, more than half Of them
loaded. The train crew consisted of a
fireman and three brakemen beside him
self. ..- ...g'r ..-ss..- ,.,<
As in the early dawn they switched
from the siding and rloved cut upon the
main line, the snowjlay ten feet deep all
about thea1, while a heavy fog turned the
towering trees upon either hand to gigan-
tic spectres, and the overhanging rocks
to eloud-born castles, gloomy and grand.
But Parker cared little for the beauty or
phantasrsagora of'nature; he knew that
before night, if all vent we'll, he should
be in a land OF fruit and fewers, and the
bread valley of the San Joaquin would
spread in wide green beauty upon either
hend, whale the soft air brought to him
delicious perfumes, and the snow-clad
mountains glistened in Innocent purity
far behind so great is the change from
the Sierra SUBMITS to the happy Cali
tornia below. Now, however, his only
trouble was that the dense mist which
filled the air, choking even the engine,
which weezed and coughed in clouds of
half condensed steam, rendered it almost
impossible for him to see any distance
ahead, or so far behind as the caboose of
his ownstraln. With greatcare, therefore,
he opened the valves and slid down the
mnging rails. .& "
Ehe distance fronl Truckee to the Horn
is some sixty miles, and the day was al
ready half spent, when, with every nerve
upon the alert, his head out Of the cab
window and his bend grasping the thro.-
tie, Parker found his train at the sum-
matt of that sleeper grade which would
sweep him around the terrible cape,
around the double curve below, across
the sloping trestle, and at last into
the little town of G. H. Mills. Still the
fog continued. AS the rumbling car
passed one by one the point where the
heavy grade commenced, Parker, stand
ing upon his engine, could easily
note the increasing force with which he
was urged forward, 1ntil the entire train
shot onward with highly -accele
speed. $500 t&.2''&3 = ~
At this point it was the duty Of the
train hands, without warning from the
engineer, to set the brakes 50 that before
reaching the Horn the train would be
moving at not less than six miles per
hour. But upon this dreary morning
this duty was not performed, the brakes
were not set. As this fact flashed across
Parkeris mind, he pulled his whistle
sharply. But still he was hurried on
vord on1 1ownuor1 oooh - ~ -. 81