Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-11

Tackled b broken, and that, tie grade
being pretty steep, the directors and
one brakeman hare 20 doubt gone back
to the starting place.
But the conductor is cool. He re-
moves his bsll.crowned plus-bat, and.
taking out his orders and time-card, he
finds that the track IL clear, and, look
ing at q large, valuable Waterbury
watch, presented to hin by . widow
whose husband was run over and killed
by the train, he sees he can still make
the next station In time for dinner
He hires o livery team to 90 back after
the directors coach, and, calling "Ali
aboard" be springs lightly upon the
moving train.
II is now 10 o'clock, and nineteen
weary miles still stretch out between
him and the dinner-station. To add to
the horror, the front brakeman dis
covers that a very thirsty boy in the
emigrant. car has been drinking from
the water. supply tank on the tender,
and there is not enough left to carry the
train through. Much time is consumed
in filing the barrel again at a spring
near the track, but the conductor finds
"spotter " on the train, and gets hin
TO do il. lie also induces him to cut
some more wood and clean out the
ashes.
The engineer then pulls out draw
head and begins to make up time. In
twenty minutes he has made mp an
hours time, though two miles OF hoop
iron are torn from the track behind
him. He sails into the eating station
on time, and while the master mechanic
takes several Of the cosch-wheels over
to the mschinc-shop to soak ne eats a
hurried lunch.
The brakeman here gets his tin Ian
terms ready for the night run, and iihs
two of them with red oil to be used or
the rear coach. The fireman puts a
fresh beacon-rind on the eccentric
stuffs some more cotton.batticg around
the axles, puts a new lynchpin in the
hind wheels, sweeps the apple-peeling'
out of the smokipg-car, and he Is ready
Then comes the conductor, with hi'
pIng-hat full Of excursion tickets or
ders, passes, and time checks; ne looks
at bis Waterbury watch, waves hi
hand. and calls L" All ABOARD" again
II Is un.erade. however, and for TIVE
miles the "spotter" has to push be
hind with all his might before the con
ductor will allow hun to get on an'
ride. 81.
Thus begsn the history Of giganu
enterprise which has grown till 1t IS
comfort, convenience, luxury, AM
vet a necessity, Ii has built up an'
beautified the desert. 1t has crept be
meath the broad river, scaled the snow.
mountain, and hung by iron arms frou
the canon and the precipice, carryin
the young to new lands and reunlhni
those long separated. 1t has taken tn
homeless to lands Of new hope.
has invaded the solitude of tn
wilderness, spiked down valuable LAND
grants, killed cheap cattle and the
paid a high price for them, whoope
through valleys, snoTted over loft
peaks, crept through long, dark TIM
nels, turning the bright glare of da
suddenly upon those who thougt
the tunnel was two miles long, roare
through the night and glittered throug
the day, bringing alike the groom to h
beautiful bride and the weeping prod
gal to the moss grown grave Of n
mother.
You are indeed heartless, soulle
corporation, and yet you are very {
sential in our business. BILL NYE.