The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-09
KATE SHELLEY.



Boone, Ia, Special.
Next week, when the committee OF the
Iowa Legislature will formally present to
| Miss Kate Shelley the medal voted her by
that body in recognition of her bravery, this
little town will indulge in celebration,
which, it is expected, will eclipse any public
demonstration ever held in this region.
| There will be procession music, speeches,
and banquet, and many distinguished peo-
pie from abroad will be present So wOrthily
| bestowed is the Legislatures medal for hero
ism that no one here Will fail to do every
thing in his power to make the demorstra-
ton success. Kate Shelley is now comedy
girl of eighteen, but she achieved her present
fame by an act of the greatest bravery when
she was but sixteen.
AT about dark on the 9th of July, 1881 a
storm of wind and rain of unparalleled Sc
verify 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 vel
ocity 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 Honey Creek railroad bridge,
Kate Shelley saw through the darkness and
storm locomotive headlight. A second
later it dropped, and though the crash which
it 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, and the girl understood that II
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 filling and lighting an old lantern
and wrapping herself in a waterproof, she
sailed out in the storm. She first made an
effort to reach the waters edge, but finding
the Hood a
paths and roadways, and realizing that she
could do nothing in or near that mad tor
rent. she climbed painfully up the steep
bluff to the track, tearing her clothing to
rags on the thick underground and lacera-
ting the flesh most painfully. A part of the
bridge still remained, 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. 1t was pitchy dark below, but
she was answered family by the engineer,
who had crawled up on some OF the broken
timbers, and though injured was safe for the
time being From him the girl learned that
it was a 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 Sc
cure help for him and to warn the approach
ing express train of the fall of the bridge
The girl then retraced her steps, gained the
track, and made her way, with all the speed
coma, small station about one mile from
Honey Creek. In making this periious jour
ney 1t was necessary for her to cross the high
trestle bridge over the Des Moines river,
about 500 feet in length just as she trem-
I blingly put her foot on the structure the
wind rain, thunder and lightning were so
appalling that she nearly lost her balance,
andin the endeavor to save herself her sole
companion, the old lantern, went out. She
had no Matches but it she had had thou
SANDS CT them they would have been of no
service in such place and in such a storm.
Deprived of her light, she could not see
foot ahead save when the dazzling flashes of
lightning revealed the grim outlines of the
bridge and the seething waters beneath.
Knowing that she had no time to lose the
brave girl threw away the useless lamp, and,
dropping on her hands and knees, crawed
from tie to tie across the high trestle. Hav-
ing gained the ground again, she ran the
snort distance remaining to the station, told
her story in breathless haste, and fell uncon-
sciouS at the feet of the gaping rustics, 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 kilograms were flying up and
down the line notifying officials and others
of the loss Of the bridge. The express train
| came laundering in and and was stopped,
and the passengers, learning the story of the
Cullu- nero, looked, q lew at time, upon ner
wan face and ragged clothes. The purse that
was made up for her was of very substan-
tial kind.
When the story of her behavior spread
throughout the State, several funds for her
benefit were started, and so far as money can
pay for such DEVOTION she was 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 committee was appointed to
present it to her. Her heroism was made the
theme of many eloquent speeches.