Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-12-10

wreck, the wreckers would rush in and
secure 100000 which the operator had
| notified them was in the express run
that night, and then make their escape.
Even now the miscreants were get
ting the rails in shape to insure the
| contemplated disaster. How could
perate men in the Office who were GER
| tainly armed. Swipes had nothing TO
combat them with save pocket-knife.
It would be useless to attempt to over
power them.
He quietly arose, slipped his clothing
on, stepped to the window, and by the
| light Of the moon, just disappearing un-
| der the western horizon, saw by his
watch that it only lacked ten minutes
Of the time when No. 16 was to leave
| Brewster, the station west of Cromp-
| ton.
His line of action was laid out in an
instant. Quietly opening the baggage
room door, he rolled his bicycle outside
and, taking lantern with red globe
in one hand, he mounted, and was soon
| speeding westward at tremendous
rate. Faster and faster he urged his
wheel. He could never pass the bridge
in time to stop the train. Then, too, he
would be seen by the wreckers if he at
tempted it, as the wagon road followed
the right of way at the bridge. 1t was
impossible to go around off the road on
account of the ravines. Precious mo
ments were flying. Swipes set his
teeth together with bull dog determi-
nation and pedaled for life.
| In his strenuous efforts to get more
speed out of his wheel one of the pedals
broke, causing him almost to take a
header. He sprang to the ground and
ierl1ed the tool bag from the wheel; as
he did so the wrench fell out, struck the
globe of the lantern and broke it into
fragments.
Great God!" he exclaimed, "what
am to dol"
| But not a moment did he lose. Seiz-
ing pair of pliers and short piseac of
wire which fell from the tool bag, De-,
dashed up the road like mad, leaving
his wheel where it had fallen.
Far away in the distant city the train
dispatcher was slowly calling Brewster
station for the report of train 16. The
train had been few minutes late all the
evening, but was gaining, and he had
hoped to have it reach Brewster on
time. 1t was now just due at Brew
ster, and he continued to call:
| 'Bu., Bu., d., Bu., Blu"
| There was an interruption on the cir
cult. First few unintelligible sput-
ters from the instrument, then slowly
was spelled out the following:
"T-r-a-i-n w-r-e-c-k-e-r-s have re
m-o-v-e-d two rails at high
bridge. For G-o-d's-s-t-o-p No
Six"
Then the wire came open.
The dispatcher comprehended the sid-
uation in an instant. He sprang to the
key on another line and fairly made the
telegraph instrument jump from the
table as he called Brewster. He finally
raised him and said:
mo. 49,"
Here, go in min.," was the response.
Hold 16; don't let Der get away!"
No answer to his order.
Again he made the sounder hum as he
rapidly called Blu"
Presently he was Interrupted by the
operator at Brewster answering:
Just in time to catch hind end rear
coach and pull bell cord as train start
ed"
THANK God!" exclaimed the dis
patcher.
In q very few moments orders were
given 20 the section 1nen to proceed to
the high bridge ahead of No. 16 and
thoroughly examine the bridge before
allowing the train to cross. And to also
examine wire No. 1, for an opening be-
tween Brewster and Crompton.
Two rails were fund with angle bars
removed and the spikes drawn and
pulled out in such shape as would have
sent the train to destruction.
After getting the track in shape and
the train safely over the bridge, the
trackmen proceeded to look for break
in line No. /. AS it was now daylight the
line could be plainly seen.
Three miles west of Crompton the
break was found. Swipes was also
/ found at the break, with one broken
arm, and his right leg broken above the
knee. He had climbed a telegraph pole
t which was supplied with ground
WIRE" cut the main wire and attached
;. the wire he had taken from the toolbag
of his bicycle to the west end of the
= main wire, so it would be long enough
? to tap against the ground wire on the
2 pole. He could just accomplish this by
< hanging on to the pole at the extreme
1 top. Then he was able to roughly spell
. out a message of warning by tapping
e the main line to the ground wire, al
p though he had no means of knowing
e whether he was heard or not. Receiv-
n ing q severe shock from the wires, he
had lost his hold upon the pole and
0 fallen to the ground, thereby breaking
/, his limbs.
4 Swipes privately told his story to the
e agent after his fractured limbs had been
] attended to, and the superintendent OF
e the road was sent for. On the arrival OF
that official the night operator was