Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-06-04
A HOT CHASE.
BY AN EX-ENGlNEER.

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, variety of instruments
First is the transit, then the level, the
levelling-rod, the flag chains, axes and
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 Il
flag pole along with him. Sticking this
INTO the ground, he waves his hand for
the others to "come ahead" and the
transtman 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 II tcle-
scope; an object-glaas collects a 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 a transit, or
level just where the object-glass forms
the image and the eye-piece magnilies
! it, there are two cobweb', 50 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 horizon"
tal The point where they cross can
other is the exact center of the len',
These are the crOSS-hairS, and they
are on the optical axis of the instru-
ment With their aid straight line
can be prolonged any distance, or in 4
level, the difference, in elevation, be-
tween two points can be determined to
the thousandth part of a foot, provided
the operator and instrument be in good
order and if the rodman, who holds a
iointed pole graduated to one one
thousandth of a foot, understands his
business.
TO explain the working of an engin-
eerjDg pqrty would be tedious and un-
intel esting to many, and as that has
nothing % do with my story, | will not
do 50.
Instead Of that, imagine me and my
rodman running a line of levels from a
stream of water to new railroad, to
see whether there was elevation enough
to force it into the tank, and the resi-
of the "party' miles away, busy at
something. That was the very thing
| was doing one day on the Northern
Pacific Railroad (it was not that rail
road, but it is a handy one 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 board.
place, ten miles east, on Il little hand.
car. The grade there was descending
one, westward, fora long distance, and
all we had to do when going in thai
direction, was to sit still and fly along
over the new rails.
About fve miles further west q large
gang of men were working, laying
track; and the smoke of the engine on
the construction train was plainly
visible across the undulating prairie'.
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 tC
do 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
deal, and then began to feel strangely
drowsy; the last thing | remember
before | fell asleep, was George stand.
ing by the level in the hot sun, and
looking through it at the hills east OF
| VS.
| cannot say how long | dozed, for
was startled so suddenly as to "jog'
my memory to an alarming extent.
"Indiansr | heard some one cry
and began to rub my eyes sletpily.
Bat | did not rub them long, for
saw George throwing the truck on til,
track, in Il state Of great excitement
/ was at his side in an instant, and {
quick glance around showed me tn,
true state of things. Eastward, about
a mile distant, were five mounted
Indians. riding toward us at full speed
AS the camp had several times been
raided during the mems absence, In.
no doubt that they were hostile. wa
not excited as George was, however, fot
! Ipnt my Level aud leyclilng-rod auo
two spruce ties On tho car before