The Greenville times., 1896-07-01

gauge to standard, ind as II had been
raining for the past week, the streams
were oil swoIlea. and the roadbed was
soft, making travelling at any very grea:
rate of speed very unsafe. We made the
trip from Chcrryvale to Fort Scott and
back in one day, and all the crew, there
fore, made their homes in Cherryyale.
On the morning Of the Sd Of July |
left home for the roundhouSe, prom.
ising my little boy to bring him some
fireworks for the Fourth. | made the
purchases at Fort Scott, and among
the fireworks was large cannon
cracker, which tossed in the fireman's
seat-box.
We pulled out of Fort Scott on time,
and in such a rainstorm as have never
since witnessed. BY the time we arrived
at Pittsburgh we were 20 minutes late
on account of the storm. At the next
station we got orders to run to Chero.
kee and go in the hole" as we railroad
men call side-tracking, as train had
been wrecked west of that place.
We were due out Of Cherokee at 5:lj,
but before the two ears that had jumped
the track could be got back on the rails
II was eight o'clock, and raining as only
IL can rain in southeastern Kansas.
After leaving Cherokee | opened the
throttle, and we shot along through the
rain at speed that was frightful, con-
sidering the softncss of the roadbed
and the danger of washouts. But an
engineer never thinks of danger whcn
he Is behind time.
The headlight burned with dim. vel.
low light, and only pierced the darkness
TO the distance Of few yards. There
was but one bridge of any consequence
between Cherokee and CherryyaIe, and
| intended Stacking up for it. The fire.
man worked like beaver to keep up
the steam, as the rain cooled the boiler.
making it more difficult to keep the
proper pressure. Along we sped through
the darkness, the flashes Of lightning
lighting up the surrounding country
as bright as day, and making IT almost
impossible to sec at all by the sudden
return to darkness.
AS we neared the Neosho river slack.
ened the speed, intending to run slowly
over the bridge, when distinctly above
the roar of the train, and the storm
sounded the report Of single torpedo.
Instantly shut her off, reversed the
lever and applied the brakes. She
slowed down quickly and stopped with
the pilot of the engine projecting over
a chasm-for Ncosho bridge was gonei
The conductor came running forward
to see what caused us to stop, and when
he saw how nearly had came to Iullinr
the passenger train into the Neoshq
river, he trembled like an aspen, and waa
utterly powerless to move.
But about the torpedo signal?
When | told the conductor how hap.
pened to stop, in answer to his question
he laughed at me. How could anyone
put torpedo on the track at that plac,
and no station within ten miles? / did
not know, but heard 1t distinctly. and
SO did my fireman, who could no more
explain its being there than ! could
One thing was certain-the bridge wa.
gone, and there was nothing for us tc
do but to back to Cherokee and pei
orders, and jumped into the cab, feel
ing little more queer than ever fell
before in all my railroad experience.
"oh, Ned, look herel" said my fire
man, as we stopped at the sidetracls Al
Cherokee.
lie was holding open his seat-box.
looked, and the whole thing dnwnet
upon me.
There, in the lotion of the seat-box
was mass of torn, blackcned browr
paper, and the firemans dinner-bucke
and his pipe, which he threw lightet
into the box when getting down from
his seat to put in fire." and whicl
had ignited the freeracker fuse.
We were saved horrible death indi
rectly by my little hoy, and never al
lowed Fourth" topass after that with
ont buying him large supply of fire
works.
When we told the story in Fort Scott
the railroad fellows would not bcley
it; but, after they found it was tn
truth. they took up collection, and no,
Larry Doolen, the fireman, is the owne
Of the finest meerschaum pipe west o
the Mississippi.-Eyert Il. Paul, il
Golden Days.