Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-01-07
a WESTERN ADVENTURE.
~" courageous Fireman BROKE
band Of Train Ra,,,ar.

~" courageous Fireman RroL.
nand OF Train Robbers.
~"e engineer OF the through Pacific
cypress on a leading Western "a i,roaa
anu nad stopped my train at a water
e"Hk mat stood by the track In lonaIr
spot FAR from any prominent st,t,o,,
4 IT, 80 my fireman was swinging up the
ppI "i'er ming the tender from the
.ahk' Q man stepped suddenly into tbe
cap oi the engine with revolver in each
nana' and said, in a low, determined tone.
there" anu s1op
recognized at once noted desnerado
ior whose discovery reward OF a tbon.
sand dollars had been offered Lrau !.
was as useless to discuss point with
ehe revolver he held at my head as Il
wouid nave been for him to dispute the
rlght OF way with my locomotive II ba
were on the track below, where I heart.
ny wished had him. The woods wara
iour miles ahead, and, of course. bis
con1ederates were hidden there. WAITING
10 rob the train ! knew that Tho 90
press car contained good many thou
SAND dollars that day, and that anv
gang OF train robbers such as the des-
perado beside me would belong To
would think nothing of killing the mes.
senger in charge if he resisted, or even
hesitate Tor an instant to do their hid
ding. Then, besides the mail and bag-
gage cars full OF plumber, there we're the
Ten passenger coaches filled with pas.
sengers, well toward thousand people.
sucn as ride on first-class express
traln, and are sure to have large
amount OF money and other valuables.
made as hard and slow work of get
ting the heavy train under headway as
could, SO as to gain time to think: and
while we drew too rapidly nearer and
nearer the woods where must stop nv
train and deliver all up to the robbers.
canvassed plan after plan in my mind.
rejecting one after another as imprac-
tlcable. The wrong end of a revolver
barrel close beside your head is a new
factor that seriously complexities many
an otherwise simple problem.
Meanwhile my fireman had quietly
kept about his business, appearing to
accept the situation as something that
could not be avoided, and for which he
was In no way responsible. Yet /
thought he betrayed little nervousness
by his manner of firing. He would bring
small shovelfuls from the tender poino
to and fro more times than were neces.
sary to put that amount Of coal on the
nre, and, besides, would do this in a
sort OF shutfling, uncertain way, as if his
mind was so much on the trouble al
hand that he only half attended to what
he was doing.
A hammer lay on the bottom OF the
tender, that was used for breaking
Jumps of coal that were too large. II
had handle two feet long, but com.
paratively small head. 1t was much
like an ice-pick, with short Ratchet OF
wedge-shaped head on one side and a
point or spur on the other. I remember
noticing, without much thought except
that he did not seem to know what he
did, that every time he came from the
tender with coal he hit this tool with
his foot and moved it nearer the engine.
We came in sight of the woods ap.
preaching them with express speed, and
my heart chilled as | thought of what
the next few minutes must bring forth
when, quick as fash, he caught the
hammer and dealt the outlaw blow in
the back of the neck at the base of the
skull that dropped him dead across the
footboard. The revolvers had hardly
touched the floor before each of us had
one in his hand. We emptied every one
of the twelve barrels into the woods as
we flew by, hoping that some stray shot
would go where it would do the most
good and secure our departing passen-
gar congenial company for his long
journey on the other line.
Within week afterward my fireman
was passing rich" with the thousand
dollar reward.-N. Y. Ledger.