Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-12-14
THE LOST TRAIN.
From the Manhattan Mnsazin

AT o'clock in the evening, on the
goth Of August, 1861, thofc stood on
the railroad platform of the little sta
ton of Silver Bow seven persons.
Silver Bow is new settlement on one
of the numerous branches OF the Atch-
ison, Topeka and Santa fc Railroad.
Twenty miles southwest OF Silver Bow,
on the same track, is Lone Tomb. "A
like distance beyond this place lies
Blue Canyon, and still farther Col
couda City, where the line terminates.
Five Of these persons had bought tuck
els for the Atlantic express. Ihey
were waiting tOtakc the mOmentarliy
expected train for Topeka there to
change ears, and reach New ! ork by
way of Chicago. The remaining two
individuals were the ticket agent ana
telegraph operator.
On the platform at Lone Tomb were
n dozen persons, among them a party
consisting Of bride aud groom, Just
married, and mysterious stranger,
dressed in "a long, black cloak and a
SLOUGH hat, who glanced furtlvcly,
from time to time, at the happy par.
The train from Blue Canyon came
slowly INTO Lone Tomb, and the pas
sengcrs soon tool; their seats, the bride
and groom going into the parlor car,
and the mysterious stranger entering
the smoker There we've II few inter
changes Of cnurtcsics between The lott
ercrs on the platform and the conduc-
tor, brakeman and engineer, then the
bell of the locomotive rang, and the
train moved on the single track to-
ward Silver Bow.
There was not IL great deal Of traffic
on this branch Of the Atchlson, Tope
ka and Santa Zee. But two trains
ran daily, Sundays excepted, through
the seventy miles Of wild, but fairly
level country that had occasionally
been we'll travcrscd by the James
boys and other dcspcradoos, fDr the
United States express ear often carried
in It's safe large amount "t specie.
The train that had Just left Lone
Tomb was known as NO. 81. 1t
consisted of Il Pullman palace parIor
sleeper, a smoker, an ordinary pass
engcr coach, baggage car, II United
States express and caboore The
conductors .Icm Harris, was AN Ante
out Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and
Texas TIE engineer. Tim I'crhan,
enjoyed equally as much popularity,
not solely ON account of his good ma
turc. but also for his skill in the game
of poker In remote regions such as
these the arrival and departure of the
train is, outside of an occasional
lynchlng. the only excitement, and
the trIinmcn are lookcd upon very
much as were the driver aud guard III
the old coaching days III England.
Were twenty minutes behind
time, said Conductor Harris To En-
gincrr Trernau. ''Shak" her w., Tim;
we'll get To- Silver Bow by
The seven persons ou the platform
at Silver Bow toward : o'clock looked
anxlnu,lv up the track for n" 81, "
but there were NO signs Of it. I:l5 O.
clock. and still the well known whis-
tic, which could b., heard often n Il
distance of three miles, had not echoed
through the thIcklN wooded hills.
THIS was not unusual for 20 had
been M times half an hour late. AS
the Silver Bow travellers were begin
nlug to pet impatient. the telegraph
operator wire" 10 l'"''e t",'i" NV, ~"
asked what time the train left. The
answer soon came
No. 61. IN charge of Harris left
mere Tor SILVER 80" ut Wv ''''
loa4; :, ,,.......,..,. A.. ,;..,.a. ,,,t
wen F'h'arN'" ''y ltN'' |N'l''
VINO was IN 'harEe "l Tue S''''""'
she must be along III Il l'" minutes
now.
The passengers we're Sa'Nnra ana
content To wait. lh'N "''N'1 "p
and down I'll" PLATFORM an" "'N'T" "'-
caSt"nally ON th'lr u UnNH anu o"S-
gage, which were P''e@ up ready 10
be deposited INTO the baggage car ID
20 ,....
III was now "Ei"TN IN" a,''0>'
dark, without amy indications "i the
approach "t the tram. lhoNe W'l"
before mad been impatient now De
came alarmed, especially tn" step
mother ot the bridegroom. VINO, WIN
his father intended accompanying
the young people as Tar rs topeka, rs
neither had been able I" u" present at
the wedding. The telegraph opera
tor, at the request OF the ticket agent
wired once moro To Lone Tomb as ioi-
lows - .,,,, ..;,.,l u-,,,,,
w. -, wy NV ' - '''''''
".''s
Lone TOMB reriedi
Must br all right perhaps not DON
Good night gong home.
ut is y o'clock, S"d the ticket
agent To the tired and ANXIOUS persons
ON the platform, as he loo led at ms
watch; something must have hap
peued, but don't think 1t can be any
thing serious. n piece OF machinery
may have got out at order and Iim
Tcrnan is repairing II guess %
will turn up by and by IN good shape
The ticket agent talked III this
way To keep mp the spirits of the 9th
ers. but it was easy 10 see by his
forced Jolllty that he did not like the
looks of things. wv hat can have
happened Z he muttercd To himself.