Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-29
MEN OF NERVE.

About three. fourths of the railroad
engineers OF the country are out and
out followers of the 'Genial Bob" and
the other fourth followers from dis
lance. Christian societies are doing
great and commendable work among
the thousands of railroad employees
the colntry over but let any person
DESTROYS of contradicting or substanti-
ating these statements visit meet
Ing of one Of these societies and as
certain how many engineers are
among the throng These men alb
hor any thing that has semblance of
artitice, and have a kindred admira-
ton for a man that has the courage
of his convictions and will fight for
them. All engineers are brave, and,
as natural development of circum-
stances, a six months service will
drive men deficient in these require
ments from the business
Out in the western section of Phil
adelphia, almost to the boundary line.
resides an old white haired minister
of the gospel. He has been a latorer
under the banner of the Methodist
faith since early manhood, but now
rests In the coy little home he has
built for himself and wife out of the
savings of a LIES work and small
pension allotted him for his fidelity
and energetic work for the Christian
cause The old preacher is still
brilliant raconteur, but his arch
enemy--rheumatism. as he puts it,
keeps him within doors and prevents
him from further exercising his tai
ents In behalf of his great Master.
The greater part OF his Christian work
was performed through the interior
of Pennsylvania and principally
among railroad men and miners.
Knowing the fund of anecdote and
personal experience among this class
Of people that he is the custodian of,
the writer one evening recently called
upon the Old divine and his good wife
to renew former acquaintance and
incidentally pilfer a story or two
from the bounteous collection in his
possession.
After the happenings of the day
were gone over, and the progress of
Christianity discussed, the reporter
veered around to the subject upper
most in his mind and asked the dis
ciple of Wesley about his labors up in
the region of coal and iron.
The instant this subject was
preached the face of the old minister
frightened up with enthusiastic fire
rs old recOllections aud experiences
were recalled.
My! my! what grand field that is
to work in," he said. 1.-THE work is
hard and the subjects stubborn. but
what glorious victory is gained when
once you make convert Of those
people. They are by nature rugged
and brave, but possess tenacious
spirit that makes them valuable con-
verts ana eradicates all thought of
backsliding. Their learning is of a
necessity limited, but upon religion
the ideas of Ingersoll--embracing as
they do love and duty-found easy
access to their rugged minds, and,
when once therein, a dislodgment
was an almost impossibility There.
fore, when l made convert from the
ranks of the engineers it was an
achievement to &c proud of.
Zone of the arguments l found
very popular among the engineers
was: I'll try aud do my duty and be
square to every one here on earth,
and If there is a God above I'll take
my chances with Him in the great
hereafter. You see here one of
Ingersoll's ideas crudely but forcibly
expressed.
II recall one of these men, Nick
Gilman by name, who was brighter
than the est of his companions, and
possessed natural gift of ready
speech. would often meet him and
bis cdmpanions together in the round
house Of the road upon which he was
employed, and for hours at time ar
gument and croSs-questiOning would
find ready output, and didn't always
come away victorious Gilman al
ways led in these good natured argu-
ments, and l became quite attached
to him. He was brave and fearless.
and was considered the fastest runner
on his divisions; hence his popularity.
But, poor fellow, he was killed be.
fore could convince him of his souls
responsibility, and how we'll remem.
Der his last words.
HE was going west on the limited
express, the second day OF the ex-
lstence of the term and train, think,
and was running as only the elm
TIED" with Gilman at the throttle
could run. On the instant of his
rounding sharp curve upon a part
OF the road where there was a deer
embankment on one side and tower
Ing masses of rock on the other, be
discovered an immense bowlder on
the track hardly fifty yards ahead,
that had been washed from its rest