The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-02-09
THE LAST WATCH.
How the Track-Wa alker Saved the
Train.

(
train on Western railway. There
we're half dozen of us-two who
looked like railway officers, three COM
mercial travellers, and myself. As we
sat chatting over our cigars, the smoke
from which filled the little compart-
ment so densely that each man could
see his neighbor but indistinctly, one
of the railway men said to the other:
Herbert, how was it you came to
be transferred from the track to the
operating department, about two years
agoa I've heard there was story con-
nected with it; is that so?''
"Yes, there was little story" re-
Piled the one addressed--a young man,
but with a thoughtful, serious face;
"or rather" he added, "there was an
adventure, in which 1 was compelled
by circumstances to play part"
Tell us about it, won't you, asked
The other railway man; 'T'm sure the
boys here would like to hear a true
story, for change.
There was general chorus of 'stell
us, 'let us have it, )" ''go ahead" and
so the young man, who his compan-
ion said was superintendent of that
division of the road. took long,
steady pull at his cigar. Z turned
the burning end of it toward his eyes
and looked intently at it for moment
asif calculating how long the glowing
fire would retain life without further
encouragement, and began:
1T isnotmuch of a story. gentlemen,
merely little incident from the life of
araiway man, but every word of it is
true, rs | happen to know, because
was there. 1t was two years ago, when
] was a track-walker on section 13,
this division. OF course you all know
what track-walker's duties are. He
must once day, and oftener in stormy
weather. walk the whole length of his
section of ten miles, twenty miles of
hard travelling on the ties and rough
ballast OF road-bed. looking out for
broken rails, loose nuts or broken bolts
IN the hsh-plates, damages to the road
oed fallen rocks. trees blown down, or
any other source of danger to trains.
AT the time of which speak there was
aTeshet In the streams. the snow hav-
lng melted on the mountain sides. and
we were kept on the jump night and
oaF watching for culverts and bridges
mat may have been undermined or
swept away, weakened embankments
u, vrotfer injury to the permanent way.
wafer IS one of the worst ene-
ales a railway has, you know,
iof II undermines and weakens and
washes away silently and secretly. 1t
lhe foe most dreaded by train men,
anu II You have ever noticed that trains
aie often behind time in the spring,
ahen freshets abound, you now know
Me cause. Engineers are extraor-
unarlly cautious in such times, and
rshtly 50, for it is impossible to watch
aroaa-bed carefully enough to ward
VI all dangers when this secret foe is
al WORK on the earth-works of a rail
way.
wen. on le night of which / speak
was gong up to the eastern end OF
as section. 1t was just cold enough
freeze still water, and a high,wind
way blowing before which black clouds
M nsrp scuddng along, keeping the moon
:, ~ more than half the time. Every
Waere there seemed to be the sound OF
,ss',s.ef-trickling, ,',. running, creeping,
,%,lillsTany thing but pleasant sounds,
.pa may De sure, to the track-waIker,
,se Is section boss, and the locomotive Ell.
saser, Pretty soon l came to the trestle
NJ, ,ss.Aieadlng up to the bridge over Greer
nser. The river was out of its bank.
sMcevering half the valley. Its current
= running strong and full of ice. and
=, noticed the great rise that had
s ssAea place since I was last there l be-
a. As aiied with fear for the safety o.
ridge 8 ofldge proper, where the water:
~. ~ running with great rapidity
- ,lsng huge blocks of ice before
hsas hcking my way over the trem
s Structure, the sullen roar visibly
i ,,sased = as l approached the channe
@s usually quiet stream, now a rag