The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-09-12
OVER CAPE Holm.
A ThrillinE sketch.

NAOe'U AoiAHCiS LII Tue PARKWAY dutaTCti(
A second, also geographically named, W
ON the magnificent Columbia River, j
Oregon, the delight of tourists in tina
fresh region; and the third mountai
cape, spur of the rocky Sierras. aroun,
which daily creep the trains upon tn
Central Pacific Railroad, while the pas
sengcrs gaze with awe and wonder a
the mimic ocean of green valley spreat
out more than two thousand feet belo,
hem.
Four years ago Edward Parker was
freight engineer upon the Sacrament
division Of the road and once each day
dragging the long line of loaded cars u
the steep mountain side, or with al
equally long line sliding carefully down
he rounded the dread cape. The up tril
was safe enough but the return, wbe1
the immense weight and momentum O
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, 1873
Parker started with his train from
Truckee, 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 q
fireman and three brakemen beside him
self
AS in the early dawn they switched
from the siding and moved out upon the
main line, the snow lay ten feet deep all
about them, while heavy fog turned the
towering trees upon either hand to gigan-
tic spectrGs, and the Overhanginc rocks
TO cioud-born castles. gloomy anj grand
But Parker cared little for the beauty or
phantasmagOra OF nature he knew that
before night, if al went well, he should
be in a land OF fruit and flowers, and the
broad valley Of the San Joaquin would
spread in wide green beauty upon either
hand, while the soft air brought to him
delicious perfumes, and the snow-clad
mountains glistened in innocent purity
far behind $50 great is the change from
the Sierra SUBMITS to the happy Cali
fornia below. Now, however, his only
trouble was that the dense mist winch
filled the air, choking even the engine,
which weczed and coughed in clouds Of
half.condensed steam, rendered it almost
Impossible tor him to see Any distance
ahead, or SO far behind as the caboose OF
his own tram. With great care, there tore,
he opened the valves and slid down the
ringing rails.
The distance from Truchee TO the Horn
is some sixty miles, and the day was al
ready half spent, when, with every nerve
1pcn the alert, his head out of the cab
window and his hand grasping the thro:-
tie, Parker found his train at the sum-
init 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 rumbing 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, until the entire train
shot onward with highly accelerated
speed.
At this point it was the duty OF the
train hands, without warning from the
engineer, to set the brakes SO that before
reaching the Horn the train would be
snoving 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
'Parkers mind, he pulled his whistle
sharply. But still he was hurried on
ward and downward each moment with
increasing velocity. Again the whistle
shrieked; they were now within two
miles of the curve, and with all its force
the engine ground its wheels backward
upon the slippery rails.
Still no answer and rs Parker looked
from his cab at the shower OF sparks
strsck from fhe heavy wheels of his long
train rs it flew forward, and felt il was
beyond his power of control, he knew
that destruction and death stalked before !!
for at that rate of motion it was beyond
a possibility that the engine would keep
to the rails upon the crrve, but she would
be pushed from the track and hurled
over the precipice below,
On. on they flew A mile was passed.
and already Il great wall Of rock stood
upon the one hand, while the chasm was
each in tant deepening upon the other
Three minutes more and they would he
at the Cape. and then Parker dared
not think AS he looked into the horrible
gulf at his side. There WAS but one
chance of escape--to spring from the
train.
Turning to his fireman, the brave en-
gineer. WAC still retained his grasp upon
the throttle valve. said. "Jim, we must
jump for i'll Take the rock side and wait
until she leaves the rails"
The fireman nodded. But even at that
moment the engine gave u furious lurch
and bound, and the increasing roar be-
hind them told the two men that they
were off the track and might at any in
slant be hurled upon the rucks beneath.
Yet still they were pressed onward. With
great leaps like . frightened deer the
mighty machine upon which they rode
was urged along. the steam escaping from
every point, the fire flying from the box
below, and the danger Of explosion added
to the horrors that threatcned them.
On, onl The long train. like . grea,
snake, writhing in and out along the mar.
row track. yet ever approaching that tar
.sible curve, that fearful plunge that muss
be made!
Nearer and yet nearer, clossr and sin
-caoeee. until PaskorS fbok tzunblod upoa
~ step Il his cab and HI hand ~
salssd % give ths signal 70 tAe Arsnaa
~Aa VIII 60 fseis1s ePEhg tAssoaPlino