Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-10-23
An AVALANCHE OF FIRE.
nl a D cox.

Prom Prescott, away If the top Of the
Aiieebanles, 70 Spoaord. at the foot Of
the fuountains was n distance Of ten
snilet a. the crow flies, bui BY the rail-
soA5 fourteen.
This r-ilroae was only q branch, and
mad bcen called into being ty The OH
weils. the transportation Of OH and coal
being about the only business Of The
road
Prescott was a small oil and mining
oer. coat being mined there, while
spoford, helue AZ The junction with the
main iinc, wac larger place
Several Oh and coal trains were run
soen from Prescott every day II was
ui'a one - The former that we have to
do
u was Jour O'Clock o. a very bot
afternoon IN August that this particular
oil train pulled out Of Prescott TeH
Callahan, a youth Of sixteen, the Young
est and one Of the best engineers on
the road, was Al the throttle, and every
ching babe fair for successful run.
The young engineer was destined to
undergo the most thrilling adventure OF
his iiic however, before the ran was
ended
ftis Impossible 10 close the big tanks 1
40 eighty as 10 keep the OIL from oozire /
out and on an Oh trains, n YOU will I
take che trouble % look YOU wi see
oil running down The sides Of the big
tduks This, 20 real hot weather, IS
sontce Of danger, as there q dagger nj.
0ays Of The sun heating the tanks suH
cientv TO set The oil on fires or. maybc
spark from the smokestack of the
locomotive will catch and ignite the oil.
This Is what happened on the occa-
sion Of which I write A tank on a car
situated at about the middle Of the
train caught Gre, and when first noticed
by JEFF, was blazing hereelv
90 God heavens, Tom he cried 20 the
areman @Iook yonderl a tank is on {
5re
The fireman looked, and turned pale ,
.NVhai shall We do'" he asked
For answer Ien hut Oft steam and re- 4
ersed. causing the wheels 80 revolye
backward c
II was hard work, but finally the train II
as brought 20 a standstlll
he rear brakeman and conductor
citied to understand what wac desired
them, for they uncoupled the cars two =,
+ three hchiud the one with the burn q,
" tank Jen then sent the fireman =.
ack 10 uncouplc the cars n a point be- -
eren the engine and the burning tank. -,
e could not get closer than within FIVE d.
.ys. however, owire to the heat, but he a.,
occupied them at point and re- HI
rned to The engine. re
geH Immediately threw the lever az,
ross. opened the throttle, and pulled ~,
.wu ihe track distance Of perhaps IA
80 mile IA.
Iie was on the point ct coming 10 a 81,
,r when cry from 81. fireman ,.t
rtled him "a,
-Look Wonder lsa~ the areman ,,r
sd eThe cars are running wild The ,ro
akemau dldNt set thc brakesi7 Inc
Tea looked. and, brave though he was, emit
hcar grew cold with horror. The ret
ruiua train for The tanks on an eight Cor
tbc cars we're NOW oo FIRE was ush-
down upon them az speed oineary ton
aHe minutei With such momen. era
- Ga would be Impossible 70 stop the we,
laway train. and so remain where use
q we're would be the means Of IN up
wing ail To the general ruin. tee
rheve was really only one thing to do tab
t was go put on all steam and run be- KIN,
Z the rupaway &c II possible. Y
{ was extremely dangerous, owing to KIN,
steepness Of the grade and the the
okcdncss oi the track-was only a as
.nce. aud a Slim one at that, bnt worth inti
ing. and ea pulled the throttle wide SO
%. throwing on full head OF steam tha
ne engine leaped forward ike the
ig of life, and the race was begun. wcr
here were eight ears with burning The