The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-02-06

clouds. Just as they came to the edge
of the slip the moon shone out and
showed the vast destruction in dread
| ful clearness. Little pools OF muddy
water were gathering on the track and
creeping towards the engine. The slide
would 90 no farther. 1t had lodged
on the road and was ooZing from 1t on
every side. 1t would settle down into
a compact, immovable mass, blocking
the line for days-perhaps for weeks.
"There is nothing to do" said the
conductor, "but to go back. There is
nothing following us and the road is
clear. I'll put a man on the rear
platform. Back slowly and go easy"
Henry Masterson mounted his post
and took hold OF the throttle valve
lever and looked far off at that tiny
Where? Here on his great machine
or there. 1t was the night of all his
life when he should be there Here
was the company's property, three
score OF men and women, the mails,
his work.
She started slowly and with deep
gasps as If impatient and disappoint-
ed at being turned back. Now the
light had gone. What would the
young wife or they with her think to
see his light disappear? Would they
tell her?
A sudden clang on the bell. Stop
She obeyed quickly and her master
looked out the window up the line.
A red light.
whats the matter ?"
Another slide. Came just after
you passed"
The train was a prisoner. The line
was blocked in both directions and
the telegraph down.
What shall you do?" said the fore
man Of the track gang to the conduct
or.
"Do! Do nothing. Make the pas
sengers comfortable until they dig us
out"
"Dig the train out? The folks will
starve meanwhile. This train will be
a prisoner here for ten days"
Il know what / shall do" said the
engineer. Pm going through. I'm
going ahead. We may as well begin to
dig our own way out as to wait here till
help comes from below. All aboard.
L
The foreman declared the engineer
was crazy. The conductor said moth
ing, but ordered every one on board.
They might as well be in one place as
another, and no doubt the train was
in a safer position on the bridge than
under the shadow of the mountains
where more rivers of mud might plunge
down to overwheim them.
The clear space between the slips
was only about a mile long, and the
train was soon at the western limit OF
its prison. AS it drew near the tan
gled ruin the tiny yellow star came in
sight. He felt better and safer here,
and she, or those with her at home,
could see his headlight, and would
know he was safe.
"She will understand. She will see
we are safe and know the line is
blocked"
The moment the train stopped, the
people swarmed out on the line-a
restless, disconnected and unreason-
able company. They found fault with
everything, blamed everybody, and
asked foolish questions, Just as idle
passengers always will.
Gentlemen" said the conductor,
''the line is blocked both ways. We
shall have to stay here all night, but
help will come in the morning. Every
one will be made as comfortable as
possible, and everything will be done
to clear the road as quickly as con-
slstent with safety.
This seemed to pacify the people,
and most of them went to the cars
and made the best Of a bad matter.
The trackmen and the train hands
gathered in the baggage car and dis
cussed the situation in a kind OF
blank despair. The situation was to
them appalling. They knew its whole
meaning. Fuel would give out long
before help would come. 4 path
would have to be cut, for perhaps a
mile, through the forest and along the
steep mountain side, through which
the passengers must be taken past
the obstruction. Even the conductor
seemed to be discouraged. He came
into the car and asked for the bag
gage man.
owe must break open the freight
and see If we can find food for the
people. There are ninety-two men,
twenty-siX women and children in the
cars-to say nothing OF us"
Just here Henry Masterson came in
to the car. There was a strange fe-
verish lightin his eyes, and he began to
tumble over the strap in an abstract,
nervous way, as if thinking deeply.
Presently he rose and said:
Men, in times OF difficulty at sea
the captain has a right to destroy the
cargo to save the ship. Now we have
on the train plenty of lumber, and
great lot of engine hose. / saw it put
on board at the last stop. I'm going
to dig her out"
81 hope you have lots of steam
power" said the baggageman.
"Ohi Have power enough. There's
millions. OF foot ponds up on the
mountain, and I'm going to fetch it
down and blast our way out"
His words were received in respect
Jul silence. All the men knew enough
to see that Masterson was in terrible
earnest. They also knew enough to
listen to any proposal made by so
skillful an engineer.
He laid his plans before them all and
at the end the foreman OF the track
men said
Boys, it can be done. Let's try
it."
"And don't say word to the pas
sengars, . added the conductor.
The train stood near the stone
| bridge, where the cross valley entered
the main valley and where the branch
brook tumbled in a series OF wild cas-
cadas down the mountain side. Here
was power, millions of foot-ponds 90
ing 10 waste. Could they use it? The
first thing 70 do was to have supper.
and then they set to work to compel
the brook to open the road. Lumber
there was in plenty; tools and men
We're there. Even the weathercame to
their aid, for 1t cleared away and they
| had bright moonlight for the work.
! The carload OF boards was torn omen
I'D the whole force went to work 70
Try them up the rOUuh mOup+a i,,