Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-03-07
CHAPTER TX.
IN SIGHT!

Before they reached Calhoun, however,
Andrews was released from his perilous
position. After he had chatted with the
conductor and engineer of the down
freight for some time and found them in
disposed to 60 on their way, he said in the
most matter of fact and positive manner:
~ must press on without more delay.
Pull your engine ahead and let me out"
When the order was given in this direct
form they were obliged to obey or give
good reason for refusing; and it may be
considered certain that if they had de-
layed, though Andrews did not threaten
violence, yet our engineers would at once
have taken control and executed the
order, probably not without bloodshed
At last we are on the main track, with
no train between us and Chattanooga!
and if the reports from Huntsville are
true there is no obstruction west of that
town, as all travel is cut off by Mitchell.
There is reason for eXultation Oh our part.
An open road ahead and scores of miles of
obstructcd and broken track behind us!
For the whole morning we have been
running with train right in front of us,
or waiting for u belated one. We had
passed five trains, all but one either eX-
tras or behind tIme-a wonderful achieve
ment! now the way is clear to our own
lines; anu the "Y" at Chattanooga is nc
more difficult Of passage than any Of the
many side tracks we have already success
fully encountered. No small amount Of
the eXulta.ion we felt on first taking the
train was again ours, as we rushed rap-
idly ON for Il mile or more, and then
stopped to cut the wire, and to take up
rail las we hoped) for the last time. The
Oostenaula bridge was just ahead, and
when that was burned, we would simply
run from bridge to bridge, firing them
as we passed; and no more of
this hard drudgery of track rails
ing and still more terrible work
of sitting silent and housed in a dark car
waiting for trains to arrive! We had
heard the whistle of u following train II
dozen miles back, but it probably was one
from Kingston, and if not wrecked by the
broken rail, would return there for tools.
We knew nothing of Fuller's and Muir.
phys pursuit, and if we had been told the
full story, as already narrated, we would
have thought it too wild and improbable
even for good fiction.
one rail more before we finally changed
our mode of operations. a piece of torn
track had been put before or after every
train that we had met. 1t was we'll to
put broken road behind this passenger
train also, that it might not turn back
after us OH any sudden suspicious freak
and come upon US while working ut the
Resaca (Oostenaula, bridge. The crisis
of our fate approached, and we believed it
would be triumphantly passed. Nothing
had Us yet been lost but time, and if we
were fairly prosperous for fifteen minutes
more, all would be regained; and the full
tlllment of all our hopes, as far as human
prospects could reach, be in our own
hands.
No wonder that we worked gladly and
cheerfully. Scott climbed the pole with
even more than usual agility. Some
worked at the taking in of all kinds Of
combustibles, for we wished to be well
provided for the bridge. Every stick and
piece of wood we could get hold of was
soaking wet, but by breaking and whiting
they could be made to add to a flame, and
from the engine, which was kept full of
wood for the purpose, we could give o
good start to q fire. We had only one