The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-03

at the depot were throwing into tn,
car the sacks of papers for Western
Montana. In a minute the go aheaC
signal was given and after a pause o.
an instant at the second switch, tn,
train was flying again. Now we car
make up some time" was the remark
of the engineer. and the big machine
was given an opportunity to show what
was in her. The lights of Anaconda
on the left were soon far behind and
the station at Warm Spring was mere
| ly a shadow as the train swept by, on
| toward Deer Lodge. 1t was like fly
Ing. AT Deer Lodge a glance at the
| watch showed that 10 minutes of the
| lost time had been made up and there
| was minute lost by the stop at this
| station. Then the throttle was opened
| again and the run to Garrison was be-
| gun. 1t was not much more than be-
| gun before IL was over 1t was day.
light now and the station at Garrison
was plainly visible as the train rounded
the curve toward IL. I'VE have beaten
the stub train" said the engineer as
the train was stopped at the platform,
and no train was in sight on the other
track
The flyer was only 10 minutes late
when this stop was made, but there
was a wait of 20 minutes for the stub,
which had had some difficulty with a
freight train and had been delayed
This afforded time for a cup of coffee
that was very acceptable, and was
thoroughly enjoyed. The transfer was
soon made when the stub train from
Helena did finally get in and the re-
porter once more climbed to his seat
with the engineer. Thirty minutes late
now and an hour and 81 minutes in
which to reach Missoula on time. The
distance is "A miles, but the track is a
nr1n n nd he ina In,
shape. Every bearing had been oiled
while the wait at Garrison was in pro-
gress and the conditions for a good
run were the best
well. / guess that We'll make it,"
was the cheerful remark of the engi-
neer as he climbed to his place and
opened the throttle again. Care was
necessary for the first few miles and
the train ran slowly around the sharp
curves between Garrison and Drum
mOnd. There were some orders to be
taken at Drummond and this meant a
little delay there. When the start was
made from there, however, the watch
showed that five minutes had been
made up. This was good, as the effort
to run fast had not yet been made. The
orders were to meet an extra freight at
Bearmouth and to wait for ii, if neces-
sary. 1t was not necessary, however,
as the extra was drawn up on the aid
ing when the flyer came in sight. There
was signal from Conductor Dyson on
the steps of the caboose as the train
sped by and then came the run for
home. There was nothing else on the
road. 1t was plain sailing.
Now, l guess I'll have to show you
some track" said Rogers as the train
passed the extra and then the race
with time began. 1T was a glorious
ride. If the reporter did not know
what ii meant to be shown "some
track ne did not have time to inquire
before he found out from experience.
lie saw track" with a vengeance. |
There was a lot of track to be seen, |
and he asked the enginesr to run so
that he could see more of il. He |
had developed a sudden interest in |
track. But Rogers said that there was |
not time Ito make a careful study of |
the roadbed at that time A better |
time would be when the reporter was |
over the line. So the reporter |
rode. He had no time or opportunity |
to do anything else and he rode plenty. |
1t was riding enough to last a long |
time.
The morning was a fine one. The
rain had made the air clean and cool /
and there was no dust. The hills and
the fields, all that could be seen of |
them, looked bright and fresh and the
world was just waking up a little.
There was slight stir at some of the
small stations as the train whiZZed by |
and now and then some early riser
sent a cheer after. 1t was supposed,
rom his movements, that that was
what he did, but the cheer never
taught the train. 1t was going too
asst. AS far ahead as could be seen
he threads of steel stretched away and
he engine devoured them as If miles
we're yards. Steadily and swiftly the
big machine sped on. 1t was running on
low. There was no time to talk. Bob
eaned far out of the cab window with
his hand on the emergency valve and
his eyes fixed on the track ahead. 1t
vas business with no fooling. one lit
lie obstruction on the track meant a
rood deal and II must be seen in time
'r there would be trouble. The fire. |
nan was doing some tall shoveling and
lid not seem to be benefited by the
lown grade.
So the train flew to Bonita. The
fireman was sent back to measure the
water In the tank and reported that
here was just about enough to run
o Missoula. "All right. we won't stop
or water then, but don't let her blow
m. We can't waste any of it," There
vas no stop at Bonita and the run to
'linton was a quick one. Here the
watch showed that there had been 25
iliiIultS uldue UP anu lueIG was a SOOd !
iece of track on which to make up
he other five. At Bonner the men
I the station were astir and the mail
vas thrown off and on without the
rain coming to a full stop. 1t was
My two minutes behind the schedule
$ the speed was increased for the
asst time and there were Is minutes left
n which TO make the seven and a half
niles between Bonner and Missoula. |
he he Ia- I
{ the canyon was a dandy and as Bob
ulled his whistle at the Rattlesnake
rossing the big whistle on the shops
answered IL and IL was Z o'clock. Tn
o the station with its crowd of people
nd its trucks and piles of baggage
nd then the air brakes gave their /
brill squeak. The train had stopped
nj was in on time. 1t had been a
reat run. A shake Of the engineers |
and and the reporter climbed down !
rom the cab. lie had had one of the |
est runs that have been made on tho |