The Grenada gazette., 1888-06-02
A BOTTLE OF OIL.
The Watchman's Adventure with
.... Train-Wreckers.

Wishing to take the night train at
the small station of B.. and hav-
ing nothing to employ my attention
about the village, l went early to the
station. and was ushered into the wait
in groom by the watchman, stout,
good-naturcd- looking man in the prime
of life. who wore. pinned across his
breast. an empty sleeve.
As had an hour or more of leisure
before my train would arrive. Ipassed
the time chatting with the Waterman.
and he told me the story of the aa-
venture in which he lost his arm. l
repeat his narrative as nearly as pos
sible in his own words:
Before l was intrusted with the
night duties of this station formed
one of crew Of three section men,
who had in charge seven miles Of
track upon our road, some three hun
,dred miles west of here. in the rough
est and most lawless part of the Ter
ritory. Oar duties were to keep in
thorough order the track upon our
section. and we were held responsible
to the company for any thing that
would endanger or delay the train s
while upon it.
Ore section began at Summit Sta
ton, and ran east seven miles Thence
to Brews'sr's tho next station east OF
Summit, and fifteen miles distant
from it, was another section eight
miles long.
The night duty of a sectio n hand is
not pleasant. III rain or shine, snow
or sleet, the section must be patroled
by one man-who employs in good
weather light hand.car for the pur-
pose-ahead of our overland Pullman
train. This train passed over our
section at midnight and our departure
was timed so as to inspect the track
immediately ahead of it. So. taking
turns at that duty. we started from
Summit at ten o'clock sharp. and
usually arrived at the "half-way
house about ten minutes ahead OF
the train. Here we met one of the
men from the section east of us, who
had started about the same time, and
for the same purpose. You see the
precaution taken by all well-managed
roads for the safety Of its patrons.
How many of the passengers on the
Overland tonight know. or knowing,
give q thought to the men who. since
darkness settled upon thcm. have been
plunging through the snow-for hand
cars are useless in such weather as
this--swinging their lanterns from
side to side. examining carefully every
cut for fear Of falling rocks, every
bridge for broken rails, thus enabling
them to ride in safety.
As SAID before. the men from each
section having patroled fifteen miles
of track. meet at little shanty situ'
ated beside the track, just large
enough to hol small stove and
few necessary supplies. and allow th'
men to enter. Here they stay unit
the train comes in sight; then outside
and display their two white lights
that the engineer may know all Il
we'll. Failure to do this would resul
in a report to headquarters, and pos
sibly in discharge from the service.
One night i came my turn 10 rur
the section. Before starting, 1T oc
CURED to me that our supply o
lantern oil at the half-w house wa
low, so procured and filled quar-
bottle of lard oil, the kind which j
used for the purpose, put 1t into tn
inside pocket Of my heavy coat, but
toned 1t snugly about me. and started
1t was stormy summers night, a
black as ink. Ny car ran smooth.
over the rails. and soon had tray
eled about hall the distance, and ar
rived at bridge crossing Snnk
river Hero ] dsmounted from tn
car, and pushing it ahead OF mo as
passed. / gave the structure q carefu
examin alton, found every thing al
right and was about mounting my ca
again, when received violent blow
upon the head which stretched m
senseless upon the rails.
Recovering consciousness aiter aieN
moments / found myself bound
gagged and lying but few ieet iton ~
gang Of masked mon, whom saw y.
a. well as the darkness would permit
a. work with bars removing one OF tn
& rails just at the entrance o. ~
y bridge. # . "
Train eckersl Ihad hchru gre"
dcA about the desperate cAarac'er y