The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-02-13

The opportunity came. One night he
came into the South Consolidating works
and sat watching the machinery. Sudden-
ly he turned TO the engineer and said:
Il heard the death-moaa on the wheels.
Ton"
Had the engineer looked at Marks face.
masked in horrible pallor, BE would
have indeed thought the man had heard Il
sob from the grave. Mark bent his head
a little lower and waited Out of the roar
and rumble he head only the death
moan" as he called II. Suddenly the
bell rang out so quick and sharp that both
men were startled. !, Was the signal of
danger and the quick hoist. The wheel
began to whiri until the spokes mingled IN
a maze. A moment later puff of smoke
drifed from the shafts mouth. and then
a shower of sparks. The NINE was ON
fire.
The cage came WHINING to the surface,
and a crowd of half-naked men reeled of,
blistered and half-sutfocated, into the
dressing rooms The whistle of the nam
sent forth cry for help. and, in few
seconds more, other whistles took up the
cry and beloved forth their hoarse notes,
from the North Consolidated 10 che Bel
cher. Scarcely was the cage emptied
when those below signaled sharply tor II
to come down. Ii shot back into the
depths. almost as iast as if II had been
dropped. The cable touched a piece or
iron near the sheaves, and FROM the point
of contact streamed hne Of sparks. An
other burst of smoke came up the shaft,
and sheet of fame followed for an IN
slant. The timbers became mass OF
FIRE. The hosting works went like TIN
der-box.
The engineer must not only bnng the
cage to the surface. but must stop IT there.
The machinery was growing hot 10 the
touch The cage reached the bottom. and
then came the signal 10 hoist. just rs he
reversed the lever falling timber knocked
him senseless at his post.
A dozen men spraDg 10 the unnamed
engine; but Mark was there first, and
picking up the body at his feet, he handed
II to the nearest two men as If it had been
a child, and merely said. Take HIM
away"
A man close at his side leaned forward
to grasp the lever, but he flung him back
into the crowd. A flare of flames sent
them all staggering away. Mark laid his
hand upon the lever-the first time IN i've
years-and grasped it with his old energy.
ht VI Nds us Aas's ~
would be long minute and a half before
the cargo reached the surface. where he
must prevent its dreadful ascent into the
"sheaves." His hand held the lives of a
dozen men, He faced the fire Ike a sal
amander A prolonged cheer went up.
and then the folds of red smoke covered
him from sight.
The cage reached the shaft mouth full
of men. most of them insensible is they
were dragged out As Mark threw the
lever back to its place and stopped the
engine the flames closed about him. The
superintendent called out:
zone thousand dollars to the man who
saves HIM"
A dozen brave men had already started.
II was too late: the flames had already
overwhelmed him. Three days later the
men whose lives he had saved dug among
the ruins. Lying by the engine they found
his charred remains. and stood by them
awhile with uncovered heads. They bore
away the remains of Mark Havelry IN a
box. and the next day 3,0o0 mourrers
walked behind the coffin. As they press-
ed down the earth over his grave, and
threw the last sprig of green down upon
it. one of the pall-bearers remarked;
There was good leather in that man.