The herald., 1894-08-14
A RACE AGAINST DEATH.
THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF
EX-S. 2. EMPLOYEES.
Tho Skillfui Manner Tn Which They
Saved the Passenger Train at
Chalk Tunnol Last Week.
Their Lucky Chance.

The HERALD gave an exclusive though
brief telegrsphic account last week OF a
landslide at the Chalk tunnel, four
miles north OF Lang's on the Southern
Pacific, and the skillful manner in
which the northbould passenger train
was saved from destruction by party OF
campers in the vicinity.
The details OF the occurrence make
quite an interesting story and reflect
great credit on the men engaged in the
exciting events of that night. The men
turn out to be four ex-employees OF the
Southern Pacific, who lost their places
through the late strike. 1t wss by
their knowledge of the train service and
their extraordinary efforts that ter
rible disaster was averted, which would
undoubtedly have resulted in great loss
of life, az well as destruction OF property.
The party of men who were SO luckily
in position to render this signal SER
vice were w. j. Reeves, I. j. Hender-
con, j. H. Craig and ]. III. Hoffman.
They returned to the city yesterday
and gave graphic account OF it.
After losing their positions they made
up the party and went on a prospecting
trip, taking camping outfit along. The
night of the landslide they camped
ehort distance from Chalk tunnel,
down the hill. There was not human
being in the vicinity. They passed the
time after dark for an hour or 30 in q
game of whist by the light of the camp
fire, and had prepared for bed, one or
two OF the patty having already curled
up under their blankets. Suddenly a
rafting sound roused the camp. One Of
a 4
thing to hear wagon rafting around
loose, another said it was an earthquake.
and as the sounds increased all jumped
up. Roaring, ruEbling sounds fol-
lowed, which continued for little while
and then died away. 1t WAS suggested
that the tunnel had cavsd in, and the
instincts OF the railroad men at once re-
verted to the possible danger to trains.
Pulling on their clothes the four
campers made their way through the
darkness up 20 the tunnel, where they
discovered the immense land slide that
had taken place, in which boulders as
large ss house were lodged on the
track. They knew that No. 20. the
northbound express train, was due to
pass the tunnel in short time, and if
sn extra wac bound south it would be
trying to make Lang's station to meetit.
The task OF flag9ing the train was de-
cided to be an exceedingly uncertain
piece OF business. In that lonely region
they would very probably be taken for
train robbers, and the warning prove
Intellectual. All that could be found for
tagging purposes was piece of old
waste picked up by one af the parties.
Experienced railroad men think quick
under such circumstances, and it WAS
decided at once that two men should 20
to the north Of the tunnel and two
Reeves, ex-freight clerk, and Hender-
son, ex-fremsn-should try to reach
Lang's on foot before the train arrived.
The boys had their work cut out for
them, and started on a run for Lang's.
1t was quite dark, and they had to cross
several trestles. Every little while they
would stop and take pull at the bottle
of water they had snatched up from the
camp as they passed. Running some
times until out OF breath, walking rap
idly when their speed gave out, the two
young men travelled along towards
Lsng's, dreading every minute to hear
the approaching train. At last they
came painting into Lang's station and
had to find the agent, who had gone to
bed. He was dragged ont. and five
minutes after they arrived the train
pulled in. 1t had been properly tagged
and the danger was averted. The train
at the point Of the slide generally has a
speed of from 20 to 20 miles, and such
is the lay of the land that the engineer
would have been right on the obstruc-
ton before he could have known any
thing about it. The boys were pretty
stiff and sore the next day or two from
their race for the train. but felt very
well satisfied with their nights work.
II the hair hiss bsen made to grow natural
color on bald heads in thousands of cases. by
using Halls Hair Remover, why will 1T not in
rCnr rs