Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-08-06
A HOT CHASE.


CINE. and the other has charge of, and
controls, n variety of instruments. First
is the transit, then the level, the level
ipg-rod, the flags, chain, axes and
stakes, all in the charge of competent
men. An engineering party, to do
good work quickly, should consist of ut
least ten persons. The chief of the
party usually goes ahead and picks out
the route the others are To follow, and
often takes a llag-pole along with him.
Sticking this into the ground, he waves
his hand for the others to "coIne ahead, !"
and the transitman sets his instrument
in that direction, and causes the vertical
cross-hair in the telescope 10 cut the
pole, OFFICIALLY, in two. But am afraid
some readers may not know what cross
hairs are. Most Of YOU know the prin-
ciplc of the telescope: an objcct-glaSS
collects large number of rays of light
and concentrates them, and Il lens, or
a series of lenses, magnitics them. That
is the simple principle, and in transit,
or level. Just where the object-glass
forms the image and the cyc-picce mag
mites il, there are two cobwcbs, SO fine
that the unaidcd eye can hardly see
them, stretched across round brass
ring, nj right angles with each other.
one perfectly vertical and one horizontal.
The point where they cross each other
is the exact center of the lens. These
arc the croSS-hdirS, and they are on the
optical axis of the instrument With
their aid straight line can be pro-
longed any distance, or in u level, the
difference in elevation between two
points can be determined to the thou
santh part of foot, provided the
operator and instrument be i'm good
order, and if the rodman, who holds n
joined pole graduated To one one-thou-
Santh of a foot, understands his business.
To explain the working of an en-
ginccring party would be tedious and
embarrassing to many, and n that has
nothing TO do with my story, will not
do 20. Instead of that, imagine me and
my rodman running line of levels
from stream of water To Il new rail
road, to see whether there was elevation
enough TO force il into the tank, and
the rest of the party miles away,
busy at something. That was the very
thing | was doing one day on the North
crn Pacific Railroad Git was not that
railroad, but il is handy road to use
on this occasion) The stream of water
was two miles away from the new
track, and that morning we had ridden
from our boarding place. ten miles east,
on little hand-car. The grade there
was Il descending one, westward, for n
long distance, and all we had to do.
when going in that direction. was To sit
still and fly along over the new rails.
About five miles further west large
gang of men were working, laying
track: and the smoke of the engine Of
the construction train was plainly
visible ACROSS the undulating prairies.
George and |. therefore, did not feel
lost or alone, and we worked hard all
the morning and ate our lunch in The
cool shade of the tank-house Just lin
ishcd. As we had nothing more to do
that day | determined to put the truck
on the track after we We're done eating
ride down to the track-laycrs. and return
with them on the iiat.cars that evening.
But was hungry and ate n great deal,
and then began to feel strangely drOwsy;
the last thing | remember before ] fell
asleep was George standing by the level
in the hot sun, and looking through it at
the hills east of us. | cannot say how
long doZed, for was startled so sud-
denly rs to jog my memory to an
alarming extent.
Indians" | heard some one cry and
began to rub my eyes slecpily. But |
did not rub them long, for saw George
throwing the truck on the track i'm a
state of great excitement. | was ut his
-. l.. ,,.I s.,l ell
around showed me the true state of
things. Eastward about mile distant,
were five mounted Indians, riding to-
ward us at full speed. As the camp had
several times been raidcd during the
mems absence, had no doubt that they
were hostile, was not rs excited as
George was, however, for put my level
and lcvcling-rod and two spruce ties ON
the car before | showed off, The rails
were new and rough, and the hand-car
was not worn much yet, but as jumped
on felt il gaining speed down the
straight track, and | arranged the two
ties in the form of n barricade. Then
looked back.
The five Indians evidently meant bust
ness; for they were coming rs fast as
they could toward us, and were gaining
upon us: and when ] heard George
moaning as he crouched behind the ties,
did not feel very cheerful or hopeful.
I reached for my revolver in my hip.
pocket, and examined its charges rs
cooly as ] could There were seven
large-sized cartridges in il, and the fii
Of u bullet by my ears ut that moment
| showed me might have TO use them.
also crouched behind the ties after thi:
warning, and looked cautiously over
| tho top nj our pursuers. They gained
nearly half the distance during the first
five minutes, but tho increasing quick
ness of the click of the wheels at the
joints of the rails gave me little hope
as | watched them. AS TO George, h,
was so terrified as To be unconscious
but long life of engineering upon Tho
! plains had hardened me a little: neither
was this my first adventure. The SUI
poured down upon us, and but for on
motion il would have PROSTATE,
US; the wind was blowing thu
same way we were going, bu
we were moving faster than L., an,
this gave us q faint breath of air.
took offmy light GOAT and formeda shade
over George, who was helpless, an,
looked ahead. Far away, through thu
moving waves of heat, l could see tn,
smoke rising lazily from the engine, an,
the two rails stretching in kong per
spective until they were lost where tn,
grass seemed dyed brown; but th,
steady click-a-click-click of the wheel
reminded me that II was long way of
and fastened my eyes on the Indians
Theywere spreading out, One Of them
on my right, had left the main body be
hind, and was circlng around to ge
ahead of us. Then thought how luck,
10 was there were no curves TO Civ
them an advantage. When ] had iirs
sighted them they were making grea