Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-06-13
A HOT CHASE,
BY An Ex-ENGINEER

A locomotive engineer and civil
engineer are two very different persons,
for one has charge Of a locomotive
engine, and the other has charge Of
and controls, a variety of instruments
First is the transit, then the level, the
leveuing-rod, the flag chains, axes ana
stakes, all in charge of competent men.
An engineering party, to do good work
quickly, should consist Of at 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
fag-pole along with him Sticking this
into the ground, he waves his hand for
the others to come ahead and the
transitman sets his instrument in that
direction, and causes the vertical cross
hair in the telescope to cut the pole,
optically, in two
But | am afraid some readers may
not know what cross-hairs are. Most
Of you know the principle Of a tele-
scope; an object-glas collects large
number of rays of light and concen-
trates them. and lens, or series Of
lenses, magnifes them. That is the
simple principle, and in transit, or
level, just where the object-glass forms
the image and the eye-pece magnlies
it, there are two cobwebs, SO fine
that the unaided eye can hardly see
them, stretched across a round brass
ring, at right angles with each other,
one perfectly vertical and one horizoR-
tai. The point where they cross ealh
other is rho eqs-~s. 5s
These are the croSs-hdirS, and tneJS
are on the optical axis of the instru-
ment. With their aid a straight line
can be prolonged any distance, or in a
level, the difference, in elevation, be-
tween two points can be determined to
the thousandth part of foot, provided
the operator and instrument be in good
order and if the rodman, who holds a
jointed pole graduated to one one
of a foot, understands his
business.
TO explain the working of an engin-
eering narty would be tedious and un-
int esting to many, and as that has
nothing % do with my story, will not
do SO.
Instead of that, imagine me and my
rodman running line of levels from a
stream of water to a new railroad, to
see whether there was elevation enough
20 force it 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 Northern
Pacific Railroad Git was not that rail-
road, but it is handy one to use on
his occasion).
The stream of water was two miles
away from the new track, and that
morning we had ridden from our board
place, ten miles east, on little hand
ear. The grade there was a descending
one, westward, for long distance, and
all we had to do, when going in thai
vas to sit still and fly along
over the new rails.
About fiSe miles further west large
gang of men were working, laying
track; and the smoke Of the engine on
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
finished. AS we had nothing more to
10 that day, determined to put the
truck on the track, after we were done
eating, ride down to the track-layers,
and return with them on the flat car
that evening.
But was hungry and ate great
teal, and then began to feel strangely
diowsy; the last thing l remember
before ! fell asleep, was George stand
ing by the level in the hot sun, and
looking through it at the hills east Of
us.
| cannot say how long l dozed, for |
was startled so suddenly as to Jog
my memory to an alarming extent.
Indians | heard some one cry
and l began to rub my eyes sleepily.
But | did not rub them long, for
Jaw George throwing the truck on the
track, in a state of great excitement
was at his side in an instant and a
quick glance around showed me the
true state Of things. Eastward, about
l mile distant, We're five mounted
Ildians, riding toward us at full speed
As the camp had several times been
raided during the mems absence had
no doubt that they were hostile. was
not excited as George was, however, for /
| put my level and leyelling-rod ana
two spruce tics on the car before l
showed off.