The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-15

the Atlantic, and which nature made so
propitious for laying a railroad.
| On the slopes of the Atlantic basin
| already appeared the first streams.
| tributaries of the North Platte River.
The entire northern and eastern horl-
zon was covered by the immense semi
circular curtain. which forms the south
ern portion of the Rocky Mountains,
| the highest being Laramie Peak. Be-
tween this curve and the line of the
road extended vast and plentifully wa
tered plains On the right of the road
rose tie first spurs of the mountainous
mass, rounding off to the south as far
as the sources of the Arkansas River,
one of the large tributaries of the Mis-
sissippi
AT half past twelve, the travellers
caught sight for an instant of Fort Hal
leek, which commands this country.
A few hours more. and the crossing of
the Rocky Mountains would be accom-
plished 1t was to be hoped, then, that
no accident would mark the passage of
the train through this difficult region.
The snow had stopped falling. The
weather became cold and dry. Large
birds, frightened by the locomotive,
were flying in the distance. Not
deer, bear. or wolf, showed itself on
the plain. 1t was the desert in all its
barrenness.
After very comfortable breakfast,
served up in the car, Mr.. Fogg and his
partners had Just resumed their in
terminable whist, when sharp whistles
hn ira cfD
Passepartout put his head out of the
door and saw nothing which could e.
plain this stop, No station W., in
sight. Mrs AoHda and Fix feared foran
instant that Mr.. Fogg would think of
going out on the track But the gen.
tleman contented himself with saying to
his servant:
"See then what it is. D."
Passepartout rushed out of the car.
Ahnnt forty passengers had left their
seats, and among them Colonel Stamp
Proctor.
The train had stopped in front of a
red signal which blocked the way. The
engineer and conductor, having got out.
discussed quite eXcitedly with signal
man, whom the station master at Medi-
cine Bow, the next station, had sent in
advance of the train. Some of the
passengers approached and took part in
| the discussion, among Others the afore
said Colonel Proctor, with his LOUD
voice and imperious gestures.
Passppartuut. having rejoined the
group, heard the signal man say:
mo! there is no means of passing.
Nj - II Iol IL L..
and will not bear the weight of the
train"
The bridge in question was a suspen-
sion bridge over rapids, about a mile
from the place where the train had
stopped. According to the signal man,
it threatened to fall, several of the
wires having snapE ed, and it was i'm
| possible TO risk its passage. He did not
exaggerate in any way. then, in assert
ing that they could not pass over the
! bridge. And besides, with the careless
habits o; the Americans. we may say
that when they are prudent we would
be very foolish not to he so.
Passepartout. not daring to go to in
form his master. listened with set teeth,
immovable as statue.
''Ah, indcedr' cried Colonel Proctor,
"we are not going, l imagine, to re-
main here, and take root in the snowi"
Colonel replied the conductor,
''we have telegraphed to Omaha for a
train, but it is not probable that it win
arrive at Medicine Bow before six
hours"
"Six hoursn' cried Passepartout.
1 4 10
ductor - Besides. that time will be
necessary for us to reach the station on
foot"
! =. Rnt 1t ia only a mile from here :"
said one OF the passengers.
"A mile, in fact, but on the other
side of the river"
And can not the river be crossed in
boat?n asked the Colonel
Impossible. The creek is swollen
with the rains 1t is torrent, and we
will be compelled to make detour OF
ten miles to the north to find ford.
The Colonel launched volley OF
oaths, blaming the company, the con-
| ductor, ard PaSsepartUui. furious, was
not far from 10 n NJ with him. There
was material obstacle against which,
this time, all his masters bank-notes
would be of no avail.
The disappointment was general
among the passengers. who, without
counting the delay. saw themselves
obliged to foot II fifteen miles across
the plain covered with SNOW There
was q hubbub, ordinations, loud and
deep, which would certainly have at.
tracted Phileas Fogg's attention, if that
gentleman had not been absorbed in
his game.
But Passepartout found himself com
PEELED to inform him, and with droop.
ing head he turned towards the car,
when the engineer of the train. genu
inc Yankee, named Forster, raising his
voice, said:
Gentlemen, there might be way
of passing"
ION the bridge?' asked passenger.
"On the bridge"
"With our tramp asked the Colonel.
With our train
Passepartout stopped and deyoured
the engineers words
but the bridge threatens to fall p
continued the conductor.
1T don't matter" replied Forster
Il believe that by rushing the train Over
at its maximum of speed we would have
some chance of passing"
"The deucer said Passepartout.
But certain number of the passen
gers were Immediately carried away by
the proposition. 1t pleased Colone
Proctor particularly. That hot-heaC
found the thing very feasible. He re
called. even, that engineers had haC
the idea of passing rivers withou
bridges. with trains closely coupled
rushing at the height of their speed
etc. And, finally, all those interested
took sides with the engineers views.
ave have fifty chances for passing,
said one.
"Sixty," said another.
Eighty! Ninety out of one hundredr
Passepartout was perplexed, although
he was willing to try anything to ac
complish the passage OF Medicine
Creek, but the attempt seemed to hin
a little too american"