Telegram-herald., 1889-11-07
BEATING a CLOUD-BURST.
How an Engineer Outstripped a Flood by
Seventy Seconds.

Seventy
George Davis is one Of the oldest and best
engineers in Denver, says the News Of that
city. He commenced IN $50 on the old Den
yer Pacific, and was firing FOR Ed Hoskins
on old No 30 when the engine brought the
first passenger train 10 Denver in 1870 IN
1872 he was given charge Of an engine, and
continued in active service on that line un-
til, owing 10 sickness, he was obliged 10 lay
of; butthe company approaching hls vslua-
bic services, have him employed IN the
Union Depot examining train hands as 70
their knowledge OF train rules and duties.
George had the reputation Of being one OF
the fastest engineers on the road, and on
one occasion when pulling President
Adams car, "a speed Indicator in his car in
dicated seventy miles an hour for short
distance, but George thinks the fastest
time he ever made was on tie afternoon Of
July u. 1915, when he ran race with a
food IN Sand Creek and beat IT by just sew
enty seconds. George can tell the story best,
however:
SIT was during the time we were having
so many floods, and the bridge over Sand
creek had been washed out few DAYS he
fore, and the track ran down over the sand
in the bottom OF the creek, which was a.
I'VE were an hour late that afternoon,
and when we reached Eaton, forty-eight
miles from Denver, we were just taking
water al the tank when D. B. Keeler, who
was the agent AT that pace then. came run
ming ont 10 me with message, which read:
"'Make all possible haste TO Denver.
Water coming down Sand Creek
'The message was signed by Colonel
7 Z l. e
meant get there. and the way damned tho
old machine going over the trackthat after
noon was a caution. We had no air brakes
IN those days. and had SIX stops 70 make,
bat were only sixty-four minutes from
Eaton 70 Sand Greek.
When we reached the bank Of the creek
It was nearly dusk, but ! could see the
water coming only "a few rods above. foam
ing and roaring. a solid wall SIX feet high,
fuu Of timber and wrecsaFe from The
Kansas Pacific bridge "a few miles above,
and thought al first I would not chance IL,
but Just as I was about % bow the brakes
caught sight of Colonel Fisher on the other
side. waving his hat 10 mo- 20 come on, 80 I
pulled her wide open ana we plunged down
in the hole and vriggled up the other side
Just seventy seconds before the water
struck the track and wiped it oct q exist
ence with roar.
Il stopped ss quick as could after we
got over, and If you ever saw a delighted
set Of passengers they were there You
sce they DIDN'T know any thing about II
until we were down iu the creek bottom.
when they saw the water coming. Scsrcdi
Wei. you can bot they were They had
been uneasy 81 tie way from Eaton. and
had been cosKing "a HosKirs-he was the
conducf0r-to make me stop running 50
fast but whom we swung down into he
creek bottom st the rae 20 fifty niles an
hour. they knew something was up aud
when they caught sight q that food they
saw g6t away what the matter was They
got cut OF tie bank 80 acted foolish. /.
Cheering no and throwing their hats iu ne
a. and shaking hands with ue ard ssTiugi
Sod h.ass yoB.' end al thaf kn5 - tnine.
( O. we hs1 = Big t-e there Pr awhile. ana
E Il was days before we cosl6 r8u trains
across - are1k sCsn."