The Press., 1883-11-29
BRAVERY OF AN IOWA GIRL.


 HER FERROUS JOURNEY IN ROWLING
 STORM, AND THE REWARD SHE IS TO HAVE
 FOR TT.
 Kate Shelly is now comedy girl of Is, but she achieved her present fame by an act of the greatest bravery when she was but Is.
 At about dark on the sixth of July, 1881, storm of wind and rain of unparalleled severity broke over this region. In an hours time every creek was out of its banks, and the Des Moines river had risen six feet. So sudden was the flood and such was the velocity of the wind that houses, barns, lumber, and all portable objects within reach of the waters were carried away. Looking from her window, which in daylight commanded view of the Hon. ey Creek railroad bridge, Kate Shelly saw through the darkness and storm locomo- tive headlight. A second later 1t dropped, and though the crash which 1t must have made was not perceptible above the roar of the wind, she knew that the bridge had gone, and that train of cars had fallen into the abyss. There was no one at home but her mother and her little brother and sister, aud the girl understood that if help was to be given to the sufferers, and the express train, then nearly due, warned, she would have to undertake the task alone.
 Hastily filing and lighting an old lan- tern and wrapping herself in waterproof she sallied out in the storm. She first made an effort to reach the waters edge. but finding that the flood was already far above all the paths and roadways, and realizing that she could do nothing in or near that mad torrent, she climbed pain fully up the steep bluff to the track, tear ing her clothing to rags on the thick un- dergrowth and lacerating the flesh most painfully. A part of the bridge still re- mained, and, crawling out on this to the last tie, she swung her lantern over the abyss and called out at the top of her voice. It was pitchy dark below, but she was au- crawled up on some of the broken tim bers, and, though injured, was safe for the time being. From him the girl learned that it was freight train that had gone into the chasm, and that he alone of the train hands had escaped. He urged her, however, to proceed at once to the nearest station to secure help for him and to warn the approaching express train of the fall of the bridge.
 The girl then retraced her steps, gal,. oa the track, and made her way, with s,,,1 tSa Ie, speed that the gale would perr> =. aa,en9 an o,9 Moingona, small station at ,t tiio, oomai.. a;1a from Honey Creek, In uu. tbis IIe ,ar1 m,l1 ous journey it was P .oaasa,,r fo,. l-l bar +o Mo;raa o ,;1.ao. o4 ,stle bridge over the Des TnSt es oha i.e0A' about 800 feet in length. tb;s str,s tremblingly put her foot on i;o.ht1 .cture the wind, rain, thunder, and lE hing were so appalling that she near
 J lost her balance, and, in the endeavor to save herself, her sole companion, the old lantern, went out. She had no matches, but If she had had thousands of them they would have been of no service in such place and in such storm. Deprived of her light, she could not see foot ahead | save when the dazzling flashes of ightn- ing revealed the grim outlines of the bridge and the seething waters beneath. Know ing that she had no time to lose, the brave girl threw away the useless lamp, and, dropping on her hands and knees, crawled from tie to tie across the high trestle. Having gained the ground again, she Tan the short distance remaining to the station, told her story in breathless haste, and fell unconscious at the feet of the gaping rus tics, who, in their eagerness to know her adventures, forgot the terror and suspense which she had endured
 Men were then sent to the rescue of the | engineer, and telegrams were flying up and the line notifying officials and others of the loss of the bridge. The express train came laundering in and was stopped, and ! the passengers, learning the story of the child-hero, looked, Q few at a time, upon her wan face and ragged clothes. The purse that was made up for her was of a very substantial kind.
 When the story of her behavior spread l throughout the state several funds for her benefit were started, and, so far as money can pay for such devotion, she has been well rewarded for her nights work. At the session of the legislature last winter it was ordered that medal commemorative of the girls bravery be struck, and a con- mittee was appointed to present it to her. Her heroism was made the theme of many eloquent speeches