St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-10-30
A Strange Race With Fire.

my engine was hauling an oil-train.
The time of year was October. We had
had long spell of dry weather, and fires
were beginning to break out in the woods
all over the country. That afternoon
the air Yves hay with smoke, and the
sun went down like ball of hot copper
in the thick sky.
about three miles above louisville
the line crosses a shallow little river
which, running through the heart OF the
town, supplies waterpower for two big
mills. The mills were at the lower end
of the town, where the water falls some
thirty feet into deep ravine. At the
place where the railway crossed the river,
the banks we're steep, and the bridge was
a piece OF wooden trestle-work.
GAS we thundered down the grade lead
ing to the bridge,-which was hidden
from view by curve,-we noticed that
the fires were getting close to the track
on both sides.
eth be bad il the fire gets into the
bridge, said Bob Macdonald, the driver,
to me, as heaved a shovel OF coal into
the fire hole. 1t was dusk by this time
looked ahead before answered. Then
said:
"There doesn't seem to be much fire in
that direction. Ireckon the bridge won't
get scorched this time
"Three minutes later we were round
the curve, and in full view of the bridge.
To our horror, there were the vicious
little blue-and-orange tongues of the fire
licking away hungrily at the tall trestles
"Down brakes!' screeched the whistle
wildly. But there was no stopping that
rushing mass ofloaded tank-cars. With
what seemed to us undiminished speed
we slid down the burning bridge.
lump for it !! yelled Macdonald. We
sprang, almost together; and the
brakeman behind followed our example,
The speed was, of course, slackened by
this time.
END over end | went down the en-
bankment, and fetched up in messy
pool not ten yards from the gulch.
staggered to my feet. The engine was
just crashing through the bridge. Down
piled the oil-cars on top of it, like so
many sheep playing follow-my-eader
over a fence. remember noting how
they kicked up behind, just as sheep do,
as they went over the edge. The next
minute the flames were roaring up like
mad. The oil had caught.
"None OF the fellows was much hurt
but Bob Macdonald; and he, though
his arm was broken, was able to crawl
up on the track, where we huddled to
watch the dreadful sight. Then strange
and terrifying thing took place. The
flames ran out swiftly from the burning
ruins over the top Of the water, just as if
the river itself was on fire. The oil was
being carried down by the current.
"Great Heavens walled Macdonald,
the whole OF JonesviIIe will go, sure, In
thirty minutes that will be a river of fire
rushing through the town!
"At these words a pang frightened
around my heart. You'll smile when
tell you why. On the day before, when
my train was running up the other way
through Jonesville, l had CHANGED to
catch glimpse of a little lad, with fluffy
yellow curls, on the balcony of house
right by the edge of the water, The
little lad had smiled and waved his hand
at me, and looked after me some way, as
if he was lonely, and wanted to come, !
carried his look with me all day. About
that time had little lad of my own,
with curls something like this ones, away
East My boy was a good deal big
ger than this one; but maybe streak
of homesickness made me sort OF senti-
mental you know.
"Wel, at those words of Macdonald's
it wasn't the town thought OF, but the
little lad at the window.
"'I'll warn the town. | shouted.
Then scrambled down the bank on the
side above the fire, got across the river
by alternately swimming and wading,
and started on the run down the track
toward Jonesville.
:" In those days | was smart long
distance runner, and five miles was my
pet distance. But it was one thing run
ming on wellmade racing. ground,
and quite another on the iiregularly
placed sleepers of a railroad !"
81 should think so" | interiected
feelingly. had tried it more than once.
"But tell you" continued Sleeves, 81