The Clifton clarion., 1885-02-18
some Railroad "Reminiscences.

buckle, the pioneer engineer, who I run upon the Coronado railroad ( the first locomotive ever put to- gether in Arizona, one day last week. He is temporarily confined to his quarters, having strained
 himself while helping his crew to
 get a derailed car upon the track.
 He informed us that this was the
 second time in five years that he
 had left his engine on account of
 disability, and that he would be on
 duty again in a few days In
 answer to our request to impart
 some information in regard to the
 little railroad which leads from
 Clifton up Chase Creek canyon
 to the mines, he said: "Well, real ly. I don't know what to tell you about. You know, of course, It was the first railroad ever con structed in Arizona" We replied,
 "tell as something about yourself and whatever occurred of interest
 that you can think of in cennec- ton with the road since you have
 run over it." ''To begin with,
 when I left the employ of the
 Union Pacific, where Irun an en-.
 zine. I made up my mind to quit
 railroading and turn my attention
 to mining. This was some SIX
 years ago, and in the Northern
 country there was much talk
 about the Prescott mining region
 and Northern Arizona l say
 Northern Arizona, for at that tune
 the Indians were so bad in the
 Southern portion of the Territory
 that only the most adventurous
 spirits cared to risk their lives ID prospecting it. In connection with some others I went to Pres cett and remained in that vicinity for several months. While there I heard about the LongfelloW mine. and what bonanzas there were in copper properties, and' al : some more of the boys were anx ions to be on the move, we tltte'
 out prospecting expedition an'
 that is how I came to this sectlor
 We were camped above here o' the river, when one day the Lesin . skies sent for me. They informe = me that they had locomotive e
 route from the East to put on thel " railroad (the track had eeen iai .a some time then, and the cars vel ~ /, pulled up by mules), and unde ,' a standing that I was a locomoti' , engineer, they wanted to engas
 me to run it when it arrive 70 They offered satisfactory tern =, and I bid reluctant farewell ;s my prospecting friends and hire .; to them. It was probably a goo ts thing for me, all things consl +o cred, that I did, as the old crov " were, at last accounts, still huntll ' bonanzas, and as far from fndil , them as ever. The expected 70. comotive was the 4ton engine tn .; now runs from the Longfellow n+ Morenci, and is called the "EI nt ma" It was long time gettll m here, having to be hauled 4
 miles from the then terminus L the Atchison road, by bull tean os However, it reached here early 1880, and met with demonst # tive reception. When everythi to was put together, we got up ste
 and started up the track. At o, sound of the whistle, the natl sIr went wild; for you must reme nr Der that few, if any of them, | ever seen steam cars, and 'El por,' as they called the engl
 was a nine days wonder to th' nts' You ask about accidents. The1 en- been none worthy of note, ,altho' the cars occasionally jump the tr;
 of No lives have ever been lost nee the road. The cars have been the and down every day for five ye and regularly, with two excepti' oms wben the track was washed out hey high water. You heard, Of cou tyie about the Indian racket we
 an LID the road, and Louis Smadb ner. and Charles Lesinsky's ride.
 ss We'll. it will be three years ago were coming April. You remember Col. was the time the Chiricahuas Prof. the reservation and made t tved trail of blood from the sub ag' s, in to the Sierra Madres. Those ated exciting times. Clifton had
 the telegraphic communication scott the outside world, and we k
 nothing of the outbreak unti ifton Apaches were upon us Aheie .cted section gang working up lurg, tho stone house. repairlng