Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-04-10

We pulled out, and from The way Dot
handled her l knew that he meant tr
PICK up that fifteen minutes. If r. wa,
IN the old machine to do it, IL snnnose
We made thirty-five miles an honr par. ,.
haps forty, on the level stretches. :
On We went, reeling off the dark, bleab
=! mnes, With sharp wind cutting into
Inc cab, till near New Hamburg station,
where the line then crossed Wappinee,
U1eek on irestle bridge which had J
draw IN It. 1t was comfort to thinh
that the draw would certainly not be
open on such o tight, for the creek was
frozen up, an acre would be no DELAY
Ah, if it were only permitted to train
men to know just what is ahead on the
track on these black, bitter nights! Bui
we can only see what the headlieh,
shows us; and often the signals seem
strangely obscure in fog, or in driving
rain and snow.
One OF those always possible ssbreaksn
which may not occur for years. Int are
yet constantly liable to happen. had
occurred that night. One of tha south. nth.
bound night freight trains, running
down to New York, broke an axle and
and got one of its middle cars off the
rails before reaching the bridge.
How far they dragged the car in that
condition no one knows, for it was SC
cold that the conductor and all the
brakemen were huddled in the caboose
behind. But they found 1t out after a
time, and slowed down Just as the train
got on to the bridge. AS they came to
stand still two or three other cars
jumped the track, and one of these. an
oh-car, with a long tank on it, broke it's
couplings and was showed over on to the
up-hne OF track-our line-where it
| stood sidewise across the track.
The accident made great confusion
with the men on the freight; but they
claimed that they got out their signal.
lanterns as soon as they could, and that
1t was not minute before we came up.
AS we shot along past the dark station
and out towards the bridge, I saw the
white steam of the freight train.
"We shall pass No. 10 right by the
bridge" Doc said.
Both Of us were looking, Doc on his
side and on mine.
Suddenly, right ahead, we saw red
lantern swinging on our track, at the
end of the bridge.
God save us, Doc!" I shouted, 'the
draws open!'
Spring the patent brake!" he said to
me-that was what We called the air
brake, then-and in moment we had
shut of, reversed and whistled for the
hand brakes.
But we were going at great speed,
In moment more we had come along
side the freight.engine, and out on the
bridge we saw the oil-car right across
our rails! 1t had a look of death in Il,
swung out on the ,step.-
''Shant you jump, Doc?" I cried.
He stood with his back to, me. looking
ahead, but turned when I called out. [
shalt never forget that last look he gave
me. He did not speak, but his looks
seemed TO say, "Yes, you may as we'll
jump, but I must stick TO my post.
He barely looked round to me. but
made no answer, then looked ahead
again.
Then I jumped-went heels over head
along the side of the embankment
leading to the bridge, rolled over and
over, and landed down on the ice Of the
creek, near the abutment, which / had
scarce touched when I heard the crash,
as our engine struck the oil-car.
With the collision came a sudden,
brilliant flash of light! Everything e
above me, the whole bridge and the
cars on it, seemed wrapped in blaze
of fire.
at the same instant, too, there is o
dull, long, tearing crash The trestle
had given away beneath the strain.
Down came our engine, the three bag
gage cars, q passenger Car, and I don't
know how many freight cars of the other
train, on the ice. The whole wreck, as
it fell down, seemed enveloped in flames:
for the oil had splashsd over everything,
and the blazing GOALS iron the fre-box
exploded it on the Instant 5-T
When the engine struck the ice. it
broke through and went with hiss to
the bottom of the deep water there, and
on the top of it came tumbliug down all
the other cars. =.
For a moment following the crash
there was almost complete silence:
then agonizing screams aud prayerful
cries for help from the imprisoned pas
sengers.
We who were not disabled did what
I'VE coul9. The seven rear cars did not
run into the chasm, but two of them
burned on the track, along with num-
Der of freight cars. h Twenty one of the
passengers were killed outlight, and a
still greater number were injured.
As we worked there in tine noise, heat
and awful confusion of that night, !
cast many an anxious glance Tfor Doc,
hoping and half expecting that he had
Egot clear and would. be; at work with us,
trying to get out the passengers. But
saw nothing of him, and by sday
IIfelt sure. he had gone down with his
engine.
The locomotive was not hauled up
out of the water till the next week.
Then we found his body jamn,ed down
under the engine on the bed Of the
creek. His hands, face and clothes had
been scorched !; but whether he was
drowned, or burned to death we could moi
tell. kf} y "a ;s,t3
He had met his death at his post ol
duty: gone out of the world with his
hand on the lever; giving his own life
that the lives of others might be saved
Ia man of whom any people may be
lproud.