Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-03-12


on' =. ~ Col saRsr he tricd, 'iet d,
sst out OF this, and wns on the poin,
OF jumping mp and running off into the
desert when all of sudden the light
disappeared and was seen no more that
night.
Buck finally quieted down. though
could see by his nervousness and fire..
quent quick glances in the direction in
winch the light had appeared that he
was still in dread of its reappearance.
discussed the matter with him for
hours, trying to explain the real nature
OF the phenomenon, and that no possi.
BILE harm could come of IL. But he
would not have it that way, and all
that l could say did not influence his
superstitious dread of the strange ap.
pearance
" Colonel, he said, it's q hoodoo.
This railroad scheme and its promoters
will die suddenly. Surep
Il laughed at his fears, and we lay
down to rather a restless night. The
work in this section was not completed
next day in time to return to the main
camp, and half dozen times in the
course OF tho work Buck spoke about
the ghosts, as he persisted in calling
tho phenomenon, and he was even more
muddled than usual in his manipulation
of the transit. Finally his slowness
caused night to come on before our task
was completed, and we therefore return
ed at dusk to the same camping place
as the night before.
After we had eaten supper Buck
said: Colonel, / never want to see that
internal light again. Ghosts or no
ghosts, it's no good, and no luck will
come Of it.
THE words were scarcely out Of his
mouth when, apparently not more than
a hundred yards away, the huge ball of
fire appeared like flash, dancing up
and down and seemingly coming dead
toward us. Now Buck became almost
beside himself with terror Let's go.
and the quicker the better, shouted my
now thoroughly alarmed companion, but
suddenly, as on the previous night, the
light vanished. Buck then recovered
some portion Of his equanimity, and
though he was still anxious to return to
camp ! finally persuaded him that there
was danger that we would lose our way
II we ventured out on the desert after
dark, while If we remained there was
nothing to be afraid of. Neither of us
slept much, however, for must confess
that 1 had a sort of creepy sensation
myself, and we were up early next
morning, completed our work and got
an early start back to camp.
while we were on the road Buck
said: Colonel, don't want to disoour-
age you, but the people who are at the
head of this scheme to build competing
railroad will die suddenly, and this
work will stop. In fact, l wouldn't
wonder II you and both went over the
range with them to keep them company.
But they are going, sureP
" How little you knowP / replied,
and could say no more, as my hackers
were then unknown.
"Now let me tell you the strange Sc
quel. The very same week that Buck
made his prediction tho Barings failed.
Early In November Henry ID. Minot,
the leading spirit and financial head Of
the enterprise, was killed in a railroad
accident while returning from Washing
ton, where hs had concluded the pur.
chase OF General Beale's ranches In ey.
cry detail save the passing OF the papers
and paying the money, the intention
having been 10 subdiyide that immense
estate Of 264, 900 acres
"On Thanksgiving day Of the same
month came orders 10 close the work,
discharge everybody and break camp
The following year Allan Marvel, presi
dent VI the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fs road, died after brief illness, he
having been the second bsokeF of this
great enterprises, and soon followed the
death ~ MF. MagOun u the great bank
log hopso " Barring Mag0un x CO.. the
third and last of tho promoters of a
rival railroad 20 the Southern Pacific
system -
What bsoame of Ijueki" I asked ~
tho colonel paused
"Bpekf Just read that clipping. " aud
the colonel took from his p0oketbOok a
worn blt of DsNspaIef ANA HANDED u
~ ne u road ~ follows
bAGbAn Colorado Desert, Jsn, 10, itsg.
40 9ld Inspector SAD surveyor kn0Np az
huek Famsr0y disappears mysteftDnply ffonl
~ camp ~ fhis lshnf itfss hs}s HHg sfa Aa
igeaa N hiia hHs lseu fpuHd tis Wa Va ruiH
ysHy siih $40 fdsllds Hni pss appsfsniiy ~
sfs,d hsalfll Alla rplflis iAey All retired ~
fpstainsFy ssFiy IA ihe evening bui N tiif
iHNIHlnN nuNs NaH WibsiuHl aha aillfenl
sralia - lsllnd ~ nHa kifn 10 seat eHHy
luli ~ ~ Nas rolled iu hia iiaihris l.sFriislt
ID ana hsH affasfd Ons ~ ibe iHen tsle ~
ihosFhi ~ itsFd bnfhs seieg ~ ~ aishl
fsylnE ssiaslllHg sialHi slnlf fh'1siF iiIina 80
sgllm, hut bs iheuFhi " phs > afraia hhd p
iisla ng HfifnfinH " a. hafk hss ffiaeHily
l,ausa illai lnHslasfshle esfsFsH a fnna sii'sst
ilslss aAiifH fllr Fflilis fseilpHp ~ iht afnffl
40 aill deaidisss fslhsia fnfsfel shliYnl
halfHl
fglasd w 500 elipIlgE ena feiafnsa
4 ~ illr eol,nel ~ pui q haei ~ bii
psqAsitook 8ifllopi pela ~ hsi ffsn