, 1884-10-30
A Plot TO Wreck a Union Pacific
Train.
Two Devils Arrange Ties on a Lonu
Bridge.
A Timely Warning Partially Saves
the Express Train.

a reporter of The LEADER approached
one of the train men for the purpose of
ascertalaing if any accident or other oc-
e%urrencc of interest had retarded it. From
the rain man referred to it was learned
nat the train, with its six cars of passen-
gers and the employees aboard, had narrowly
escaped destruction at the hands of train
wreckers. The history of the efforts to
wreck the train, and its almost marvellous
escape, as related by one whose state
statements are thoroughly reliable. is as
follows:
Early Tuesday evening Il German
named Frank Heidi, living at
Schuyler, a station seventy-fye miles
west Of Omaha, overheard the converse
ton oftwo tramps, who were evidently
plotting some scheme in connection with
the w%est-bound passenger train. Heidi
gathered enough Of their CONVEX
sation to convince him that the wrecking
of the train was contemplated and he de-
termined to watch the men. After some
further conversation in a low tone, the
men departed, They started eastward
along the track and the German. con-
WINGED that they were upon some deviltry
intent. followed them. He shadowed
them some distance, but eventually he be-
came alarmed and abandoning his pur-
suit, fastened to return to the station.
where he informed the operator of his dis
covery. The amateur detective was natu-
rally and excusably excited and at first the
operator was not disposed to credit his
story. but the earnestness of the German.
combined with the responsibility that
would rest upon him in the event of the
wrecking of the train, caused the operator
to send a warning to the train which was
then almost due at North Bend, a station
fifteen miles eastward of Schuyler. The
prompt warning was most oppurtune and
alone saved the train, as the subsequent
events will show.
When Jack Dolan, the engineer of the
train, read the message, he laughed at
the bare idea of the wrecking of the train.
He had left Omaha about half an hour
late and was anxious to make up the lost
time by rapid running; still he could not
ignore the dispatch. When the train left
North Bend he tried the steam brake,
settled himself for one of those exciting
runs which keep the nerves and every
sense upon the highest tension, and with
his hand on the lever and his eyes on the
rails which the headlight revealed, he
awaited developments.
The warning had stated that the train
wreckers would probably .endeavor to OBJ
struct the track at some bridge, and as
the first bridge was neared, Dolan slowed
the engine and crossed the structure with
great care. Several bridges were crossed,
and the engineer was almost certain that
the warning dispatch was needless. Then
the rate of speed was increased, and on
steamed the train toward Schuyler.
About a mile and a half east of Schuy-
Ter, a stream known as Shell creek crosses
the track. 1t is bridged by a wooden
structure about seventy-fve feet long, and,
passing over which, the trains cross the
creek about fifteen feet above its bed
Suddenly the locomotive headlight re.
vealed an obstruction on the track.
Quickly, and barely quickly enough
Dolan turned the steam brakes and re-
versed the engine. But the distance was
so short and the speed SO great that no
mechanical appliances could stop the train
before the engine reached the obstruction.
Striking the trap of the train wreckers.
the pilot wheels of the engine reyolved
into the air, spun Il second. and settled
down upon the bridge with n crash. but
the train was saved.
The passengers and train men quickly
aliphted. for the shock of the sudden
stoppare told them all that something
unusual had happened. An investigation
showed that the train wreckers had taken
two ties. and by placing them in aV
shape between the timbers of the bridge,
with the Joined points towards the en-
CINE, had arranged the trap so that the
pilot of the engine would pass over them
The wheels, however, must strike the ties
and riding them, the engine would plunge
off of the bridge down to the creek below.
Nothing but the breaking of a coupling
and the Miller couplings used on the cars