Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-02
BRAVE KATE SHELLEY.
True Keroism and Its Appropriate
Recognition.

workmanship, for her heroic conduct three
years ago in saving an express train on The
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, tillec
with passengers. from an instant and terri
BILE death. The medal has been prepared
by Tiffany & Co., of New York, and repre-
sents Kate in the act of crossing the rail
road bridge over the Des MONIES river
Above are the words Heroism, youth
humanity" On the reverse of the medal
is the following inscription: Presented
by the State of Iowa to Kate Shelley, with
the thanks of the General Assembly. In
recognition of the courage and devotion Of
a child of Is years. whom neither the terror
of the elements nor the fear of death could
appall in her efforts to save human life dur
| ing the terrible storm and flood in the Des
Moines valley on the night of July 6, 1881. y
Eugene j. Hall, of Chicago, tells the
story in the graphic sketch and poem
which follow:
Just before Tnightfall, on the 9th of
| July, 1881, a storm of wind and rain of I'M
usual severity descended upon the region
around Boone, Iowa. In an hours time
| the Des Moines river rose six feet. SO great
was the velocity of the wind that many
| buildings were destroyed, Looking from
her window Kate Shelley saw through the
| darkness and storm locomotive headlight.
A second later it dropped from sight, and
| she knew that the Honey Creek bridge was
gone and that the train had fallen into the
abyss. There was no one at home except
| her mother, her little brother and sister,
and the girl knew that if the express train,
soon due, was warned of the dreadful dan
ger, she must undertake the task alone.
She hurried from the house into the
storm she gained the railroad track, and
| made her way toward MoingOna, station
about mile from Honey Creek, as fast as
she could struggle against the terrible wind.
To reach MoingOna il was necessary for her
to cross the high trestle bridge over the Des
Moines river which was exposed 10 the full
force OF the storm and about 500 feet in
length. She crept upon the structure the
wind, the rain, the thunder, and the light
ming were appalling. She nearly lost her
balance, and Just escaped falling into the
swollen stream. She could not see foot
ahead of her The darkness was intense.
except when the dazzling lightning re-
yealed the timbers and the surging and
seething waters. Knowing that not a mo-
ment must be lost, she crept from tie to tie
across the high trestle. Having gained the
ground on the further side, she ran to the
station and told her story in breathleSs
haste, and fell unconscious at the feet of
the stationkeeper. kilograms were sent
flying up and down the line notifying all of
the loss of the Honey Creek bridge. The
express came laundering along with many
passengers ON board, and was stopped. This
account was recently given to the writer by
one who was on board the train at the
time, who said he shou never forget or
cease to be grateful for his life to the child
heroine, with her torn and ragged clothes
and bruised and bleeding limbs. l have
endeavOred, perhaps feebly, to fashion into
song this incident, that every woman of the
West should regard with pride and adnira-
ton, and ever man should remember
with stronger love and respect for woman
kind.
Have you heard how a girl saved the lightning
express,
Of KATE Shelley. whose father was killed on
the road?
We're he living to-day he'd be proud to possess
Such daughter as Kate. An twas courage
she showed
On that terrible evening when Donahue's train
jumped the bridge and went down in the dark
ness and rain.
She was only fifteen but woman in size,
With figure as graceful and 1.-THE rs doc;
With peach-blossom cheeks, and with violet
With teeth and complexion like new-fullen
snow
w
With a generous soul and a warm noble heart
IT'S evening, the darkness is dense and pro-
found
Men linger at home by their bright, blazing
fires;
The wind wildly howls with horrible sound.
And shrieks through the vibrating telegraph
The fierce lightning flashes along the blue sky;
The rain falls in torrents, the river rolls by.
The scream of a whistle, the rush of a train,
The sound of bell, a mysterious light.
That flashes and flares through the fast-talllng
rain;
A rumble roar, shrieks of human alright:
The falling of timbers, the space of Il breath,
splash in the river then darkness and death.
Kate Shelley recoils at the terrible crash.
The, sounds of destruction she happens to
She springs to the window, she throws up the
sash,
She listens and looks with feeling of fear;
The tall tTee-tops groan, and she hears the faint
OF drowning man down in the river near by |
Her heart feebly futters, her features grow wan,
And then through her soul in q moment there |
flies
A forethought that gives her the strength of a
She turns to her trembling old mother and |
q must save the express twill be here in an
Then out through the door disappears in the
shower.
She flies down the track through the pitiless
She reaches the river, the water below
Whirls and seethes through the timbers-she !
shoulders again.
The bridge to Moingonal God help me to
Then, closely about her she gathers her gown,
And on the wet ties with shiver sinks down.
Then, carefully over the ti1nbers she creeps
On her hands and her knees, almost holding |
her breath:
The loud thunder peals and the wind wildly |
And struggles to hurry her downward to
death:
But the thought of the train to- destruction so
Removes from her soul every feeling of fear.
With the blood dripping down from each torn,
bleeding limb.
Slowly, over the timbers her dark way she |
feels:
Her fingers grow numb, and her head seems to |
Her strength is fast failing, she staggers, she
She falls All! the danger is over at last,
der feet touch the earth and the long bridge is
P"Sseu'
She springs to her feet and forgets herdespair.
On on to Moingona. She faces the storm;
She reaches the station the keeper is there
Save the lightning express. Ho hang out the
red light
There's death on the bridge at the river to-
night y
Out flashes the signal light rosy and red
Then sounds the loud roar of the swift-coming
train:
The kissing of steam, and then brightly ahead
The CLEAN Of headlight ilumines the rain
Down brakes r shrieks the whistle, defiant
and shril.
'he needs the red signal she slackens, she'sstin
Nh, noble Kate Shelley, your mission is done,
our gaze;
IN endless Ienown you have worthily won,
let the Nation be just, and accord you its
praise.
-et your name, let your fame and your courage
declare
What woman can do and woman can dare.
ALASKA GLAcIERs.-After visit to some
If the Alaska glaciers Thomas Meehan
tates that beneath the Muir glacier, said to
le 400 miles long flows n raDid torrent