The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-01-22
A TERRIBLE RIDE.

WV OlA lokks
ways Of the states as a "cleaner'S in an
engine shed.
I had been employed in the shed at
Louisville for about fifteen or sixteen
months when I went on my first trip
rs a fireman.
It was very near being my last.
l firmly believe all the years of fly
ing about in an express since I was
made an engineer have not taken as
much out of me as that single turn of
an hour and a half. 1t occurred in
this way:
One evening the superintendent at
Louisville received a wire from Wes-
ton-a station about seventy miles
down the line-to send an engine to
replace n which had broken down.
He came to the shed and selected the
Gen. Grant, n of the finest locomo-
tives on the road. Then he sent word
to the engineer and fireman to come
on duty and start on their journey at
z o'clock.
The driver, Ben Norris. was there in
good time, and busted himself with his
oil can. But Jim West, the fireman.
did not turn up punctually.
At last, when it was near the hour
for starting, he came into the shed.
One glance at his bloodshot eyes
and unsteady walk showed me that he
was the worse for drink. Poor fellowl
l knew the cause of this, and from the
bottom of my heart 1 pitied him. The
week before he had lost his little
daughter Kate, and to drown his grief
he had taken to liquor.
I knew he was utterly incapable of
going on duty, and I also knew that if
he was discovered in this state it would
mean instant dismissal.
There was only one thing for tam
other fireman must be found immedi-
ately. If the matter was referred to
the superintendent it would be all up
with my friend Jim. From that mo-
ment made up my mind to take his
place myself.
I gave him in charge of one of my
mates, who promised to take him home
quietly. l thought that in a few hours
he would have slept off the effects OF
the liquor, and I left word to have him
come on by the night train to Weston.
l had to explain matters to the engin-
ser, but he made no objections to my
plan. 1t struck ME at the time that he
took the matter very coolly; in fact,
he seemed perfectly Indifferent as to
who went with him.
Time was up. 1 took my place in
the cab. Norris set to work at once
and we moved slowly out of the shed.
| We were off
While In the station I took care to
keep bending down, as if examining
the fire, so that l should not be recog-
nized. But once clear of the town /
stood upright and looked around.
IL was a glorious summer evening.
we SKINNED rapidly past meadows
and corn fields and then dashed along
the bridge over the river. l began to
think l would enjoy the run i'm
mensely.
I next turned my attention to the
engine. As l ran my eye over the
shining machinery l felt gratified to
think that its neat order was chiefly
owing to my r / was proud OF the
Grant and wondered if the time would
ever come when I should have charge
of it myself.
was SO elated that l thought my
companion ought to be more lively.
Ben seemed to think of nothing but
his work. He stood with his hand on
the throttle, and his eyes steadily fixed
upon the track ahead. I made one or
two remarks, but he scarcely answered
me. While I was wondering at his
silence he suddenly appeared to rouse
himself. He glanced at the steam
gauge, muttered something which I
did not understand, then bent down
and examined the tire-box.
More coalV" he cried in a voice
which almost startled me.
l complied without a word. Instead
of throwing in the coal recklessly,
which l knew would only deaden the
fire, I piled 1t up carefully around the
sides. Very soon the speed of the en-
CINE increased. We were rafting
along at a grand rate. Iexamined the
gauge and saw that the hand, pointed
to 1876. I could not see the necessity
for this rapid travelling.
My companions attention was again
fixed upon tho road before him. Pres
emily he turned toward me and ex-
claimed excitedly:
who says that the Grant is not the
fastest engine on the roadp"
"Moxly declared that the President
was faster" I replied.
Then he lied" cried Norris. "The
President faster-we shall see, we shall
seeI'
! thought his hammer very strange.
to say the least of it. But I knew his
ways and said nothing. He was al
ways considered rather eccentric. Be
sides, he was easily excited and could
not bear to be contradicted. Still
there was not a driver on the line bet
ter acquainted with his business.
And, by the way, I have forgotten
to say a word as to his appearance.
Well, then, he wa a big. powerful fell
low, with a broad, red face, and a
bushy beard. 1t was hard to deal
with such a man. If he once put his
foot down there was no getting him to
bulge until his humor changed.
We were now coming close upon
Waterford station, and had already
done about fye-and-twenty miles Of
the journey. Ben's eyes were still up
on the track. It was all clear ahead,
yet I expected to see him close the
throttle and slow down while passing
through the station.
But I was mistaken. With a roar
and a rush we dashed right through,
and the next minute we were tearing
along a level stretch on the other side.
More COAL" Not only the words
themselves. but the manner in which
they were uttered caused me serious
alarm. ] began to suspect that some
thing was wrong. Still, If I hesitated
It might onlyaggrayats him. so / flung
In q small quantity.
go on--go on!
What was [ to dop / didn't dare to
nafRBps q Wild look n Norrtsseyss