The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-02-09

END OF the structure on which | soon
found myself lfstanding, lantern in hand,
was trembling like a tree in a storm.
AT first | felt oppressed by sense of my
utter helplessness in the. presence of
such display of natures powers; but
IN few moments the thought suddenly
came to me that had duty of great
responsibility to perform, and to per.
form quickly. The west-bound express
Train was due in twenty minutes, and
one OF the chief objects of my visit to
the bridge at this time was to note it's
condition and if necessary signal Ne. Z.
Depending upon signal in case of
danger, the engineer would in its alb
sence be sure to drive ahead at the
usual rate of speed in crossing bridges.
There was. therefore. all the greater
necessity for action on my part.
1T was absolutely necessary that l
stop the approaching train. but how?
just beyond the bridge was curve in
the track, and just at the curve was
high embankment, completely hiding
from the engineers vision until he was
upon the bridge itself any signal which
might be made from the spot whereon
stood. Here was, indeed. singular
circumstance. If the bridge had been
sent to watch were all right, and no
danger signal needed, l could walk
across the stream and give such signal;
but if the bridge were washed away,
and a signal required to save many
lives, it would be impossible for me to
cross and give it. Strange. reflected,
that nobody had ever thought of that
before; and remember wondering as
l stood there how many railway disas-
ters had resulted from failure on some
bodys part to foresee conditions quite
as obvious as those which now had to
face. But there was no time for such
reflection. 1t was action that was
wanted-action quick and successful.
MY first thought was to run back
to the first station and tell the tele-
! graph operator to stop the train by
wire; but glance at my watch showed
me the impossibility of that; the train
was due in eighteen minutes and the
telegraph Office was five miles away.
l thought of building huge bonfire,
in hopes the engineer would be alarmed
by its light. A hundred plans, some
of them impossible and ridiculous,
chased one another through my brain.
I was soon half dizzy and faint with
fear an excitement. But at last-it
seemed to me / had been standing
there thinking for an hour, but my
watch showed me that l had really
been there less than minute-at last
hit upon the plan os climbing down
upon the timbers to see if there was no!
some means. no matter how dangerous,
by which l might cross to that por.
ton of the bridge which could plainly
see some twenty OF thirty feet away,
whenever the moon came out from be.
hind the scudding clouds. I did climb
down upon the shaking timbers, with
my lantern hung over my arm, but
there was no connecting link between
the two sections of the shattered struc.
ture, not even an iron brace-rod along
which a desperate man might pull him.
self. Dismayed at the discovery,
clung to the beams, with the water
smashing along and the ice humping
and pounding at my feet. / watched
the huge cakes of ice floating
past. Thay seemed to possess fas-
cination for me. A moment later
had decided upon something. The
floating ice-cakes had given me sug
gestion, an opportunity, a possibility
| At that point the river runs south; bu
few rods below the railroad it turn:
to the southeast, and for several mile:
the track runs along the river bank,
excepting here and there, where i
darts through tunnel or cuts shor
4 across some bend in the stream:
course. Along this track No. z wa
at this moment laundering. From n
ice-cake in the river could, with m,
lantern. signal the engineer. 1t wa
upon an ice. cake that l had deter
mined to throw myself.
''Tearing from the bridge PARTIAL.
loosened timber, SO heavy that it re
quires all my strength to handle it,
get it in such position that when tn
favorable moment comes can push
! out and let one end of it fall upon al
ice-hoe. Soon a large piece come
floating by; l run out my stick. succee'
in stopping the foe for an instant, ant
in the next second / leap from m.
perch, alighting safely upon the ice
| seize the timber and endeavor to pul
it up on the foe. Why / do this cal
not tell, but do it. After struggl
the thick plank is placed upon the ic
by nv side, while the foe rides rapid
J, away, sweeping round the bend in tn
/ river. Seating myself on the plank,
put my lantern down on the ice nea
/ by and reach for my watch to see wha
time it is. My hand has hardly reache
the watch when there is crash and
am nearly thrown into the water M
{ ice-foe has collided with a tree, and
L L. i Il