The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-09-19
CHASED BY THE FIRE.

In the coal regions of Pennsylvania
there are railroads called "gravity
roads," over which long trains run with.
out the aid of locomotives.
The tracks are laid on gentle in
cline, till they come to steep ascending
planes, where stationary engines are
placed, either at the head or foot of the
slope. Here strong iron ropes are at
tached to the cars, drawing them to the
top of the hills, when they again can
run down on the other side, controlled
only by brakemen, till other elevations
are reached.
These roads have two tracks, not par
apart. The one on which the loaded
cars pass is called the heavy" and
the other, where the empty cars return.
the sides of the mountains, and at times
climb to the mountain SUBMITS, giving
the eye grand sweep over broad and
beautiful landscapes. Then, gently
descending, they follow the mountain
ravines, and sometimes dashing through
unbroken shade over the track.
In the spring of 1875, John Ward,
the hero of this story, was head brake
man on one of the coal trains. During
that spring, this part of the country
was visited by an unusual drouth. Day
after day the sun rose clear, and ran its
course over a cloudless sky. But at
length veil gathered over the land
scape, through which the sun shone only
like dull red disk. The people said
that forest fires were raging in the lum-
Der districts north.
Near the close of day in the month
of May, Ward and two other brakemen,
in charge of an empty train, noticed a
cloud of smoke at the head of the plane
next above them. AS they ran down to
the engine-house, which was here at the
foot of the slope, they inquired if the
woods along the track were on fire.
The engineer replied that they were,
but he thought they could shoot by
without danger.
The men resolved to try. But when
they reached the top of the plane, they
saw that they had no time to lose. The
fire was rushing towards them, and they
could feel it's hot breath. Loosening
the brakes, they sped down the track
with covered faces and suspended
breath.
But few moments sufficed to carry
them out of danger, as they supposed.
The road then wound round curve of
two miles through dense pine forest.
Josh and Dan McChing, Wards two
companions, congratulated themselves
ON their escape; but Ward felt anxious
lest this was but the beginning of their
fro111oc His homo xuoo IN, fbo - ae
the woods some miles further down: and
for the first time he realized what terri.
BILE foe fire might become.
Scarcely had these thoughts passed
through his mind, when the train round
ed the curve, and there before them was
the fire crossing their path.
They had gone so far down the plane
that it was impossible to run the cars
back. They felt that they had better
abandon them and return, while there
was yet a chance, to the engine-house at
the foot of the slope.
But on rounding the curve again, they
saw, to their dismay, that the fire had
reached the track behind them, and was
furiously burning on both sides. All
chance of retreat was cut off. But the
forest where they stood was cool and
green, the underground so luxuriant and
damp that it did not seem possible that
it could burn.
The next moment, however, a burning
twig lodged in one of the tall trees near
them, and igniting the pine needles,
darted out tongue of flame.
The men now saw that they must
push their way through the fire in front
or perish. With hearts trembling with
fear, they took off the brakes, and were
about to rush down the burning track.
when woman darted out from the
trees, dragging little boy by the hand,
and screamed to them in tones of agony:
"Stop and take us in |"
Josh McChing shouted back: "We
can't possibly" and pointed to tall |
tree left standing in the clearing ahead
against which cord-wood had been piled
and which was already in flames. Rnt
with a firm hand, Ward pressed down
the brake, and ordered the others to do
the same, saying;