Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1896-07-04
{ TX, c. TsSo&s MI

>~--->---(-----> -z--------.-
I OPENED THE THROTTLE.
gauge to standard, ind rs II had beer
raining for the past week, the stream'
were all swollen, and the roa,lbed wa
soft, making travelling at any very grca
rate of speed very unsafe. We made tn,
trip from Chcrryvale to Fort Scott ant
back in one day, and all the crew, there
fore, made their homes in Cherryvalc.
On the morning OF the Sd Of July
left home for the roundhousc. prom
Using my little boy TO bring him soml
fireworks for the Fourth. made the
purchases ut Fort Scott, and among
the fireworks was n large cannon
cracker, which tossed In the fireman.,
seat-box.
We pulled out of Fort Scott OIL time
and in such n rninstorm rs have ncvc;
since witnessed. BY the time we arrived
ut Pittsburgh we were 20 minutes late
on account Of the storm. At the mex,
station we got orders to run to Chcro
kee and 90 in the hole" rs we railroad
men call side-tracking, as n train had
been wrecked west of that place.
We were due out of Cherokee at 5:l5:
but before the two cars that had jumped
the track could be got back on the rails
II was eight o'clock, and raining us 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 MI
engineer never thinks of danger " hen
he is behind time.
The headlight burned with dim. vel.
low light, and only pierced the darkness
10 the distance OF few yards. There
was but one bridge OF any consequence
between Cherokee and Cherryvalc, and
/ intended Stacking up for 1t. The fire.
man worked like q beaver to keep up
the steam, as the rain cooled the boiler,
making 1t more difficult to keep the
proper pressure. Alongwe sped through
the darkness, the flashes of lightning
lighting up the surrounding country
us bright as day, and making It almost
impossible to see ut all by the sudden
return to darkness.
As we nearcd 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 n single torpedo.
Instantly shut her of, reversed the
lever and applied the brakes. She
slowed down quickly and stopped with
the pilot of the engine projecting over
q chasm-for Ncosho bridge was gonel
The conductor came running forward
to see what caused us to stop, and when
he saw how nearly had came to pulling
the passenger train into the Neosho
river, he trembled like an aspen, and wau
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 ut me. How could anyone
put torpedo on the track at that place
and 10 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 certnin-the bridge was
gone, and there wns nothing for us to
do but TO hack to Cherokee and get
orders, and | jumped into the cab. feel
ing little more queer than ever felt
before In all my railroad experience.
ooh, Ned, look hercl" said my fire.
man, rs we stopped ut the sidetrack at
Cherokee.
He was holding open his seat-box.
looked. and the whole thing duwned
upon me.
There, in the bottom of the seat-box,
was n mass Of torn, blackened brown
paper, and the firemnn's dinner-bucket
and his pipe. which he threw lighted
into the box when getting down FROM
his seat 10 put in q fire." and which
had ignited the frecrncker fuse.
We were saved a horrible death indi.
rectly by my little hoy. and never al
lowed Fourth" to pass after that with
out buying him large supply of fire.
works.
When we told the story In Fort Scott.
the railroad fellows would not believe
Il; but, after they found II was the
truth, they took up collection, and now
Larry Doolen. the fireman, is the owner
of the finest meerschaum pipe west of
the Mississippi.-Evert l. Paul, In
Golden Days.