The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29
A PRECIOUS THIRrY MINUTES.
IL Took that Time to Whip Bailey, but
a. Dozen Lives Were Saved.
Chicago Record.


a Dozen Lives Were Saved.
Chicago Record
Had not Conductor Jim Hartnett conclud-
ed that the time was ripe for the whipping
of Bailey the telegraph operator at High
Ridge, a dozen or more good men would
have died in the darkness and amid the
suftocating fumes of the tunnel-died to the
diretul music Of kissing steam and crash
ing umbers and the meanings of mas
sacred live stock-died smothering in the
bowels of the earth
But Jim Hartnett decided that Bailey, the
operator, should be whipped for his VeXa-
tlous popularity; so they all were saved.
1t was no place to stop a fast stock train
just for joke. quarter of mile ahead
lay the tunnel into which one must plunge
at the best speed to be sure of pulling out
again on the other side. The railroad was
an old one and the tunnel was on old one,
ana had been built after fashion of en-
glneer1nS which In these days would be
deemed outrageously faulty. 1t was the
longest tunnel between Cincinnati and
ChattanoOga-nearly a mile of bOre-and
its shape was very much upon the lines
of the letter V. 1t had been the intention
to dig straight through but on reaching the
center the human moles discovered an
enormous bowlder which effectually blocked
the way The rock was too big for them
to swing the line around it and the effects
of blasting were feared so the builders
determined to drop the grade little lower
and go under 1t.
In addition to this lowering which made
the grade an extremely heavy one the
builders committed an error of omission
They constructed no ventiator shaft and
made no provision whatever for clearing
the big V of the smoke of it's future use.
So that upon the completion of the road
every locomotive which shot down into the
burroW and climbed laboriously up again
left it's deposit of nOXious, sulphuric poison
in the depths. At each opening the smoke
drifted out in a stngy, meager way so
that the Hill looked like a tired old vol
canO which had lain down on its side to
rest, but compared with the black fog down
in the sag the little lazy VapOr thus emitted
was fraction of the third position to the
right of the decimal point. More and more
and more of it gathered; in layers the en-
ginemen said as the numerous trains or
that busy Southern road passed this vile
barrier. 1t was case of pull her wide
open and hold your breath" whenever an
engineer poked his pilot into the entrance.
The alternative was strangulation.
Hartnett's train was the second section Of
a stock train making with ali speed
through the Cumberland mountains to the
Cincinnati market. They were the regula
ton five minutes behind the first section
and the conductor had no desire to pile up
a loss Of time. When, therefore, as they
were laundering along the level south of
High Ridge, gathering up momentum for
the leap into the darkness and the Shrek
of the whistle demanding brakes sounded,
Mr.. Hartnett was filled with ire at the
idiocy of a train dispatcher who would stop
him to give him~telegraphic orders at such
a point. The flag was on display, however,
and in obedience to it's summons Hartnett
rushed into the telegraph Office and asked
prOfanely for his orders.
What orders? amt got any orders for
you" said Bailey. in ndolent surprise.
mo orders. What in''-Various ineIegant
things-"have you got your flag out for?"
Il amt got any flag out, either. What's
the matter with you?" Bailey looked
around for his flag, to prove his assertion.
but it could not be found. Then he turned
to the window. Outside from its socket it
tapped merrily in the wind. 1t was in,
applicable. He had not had occasion to flag
a train for weeks, so the flag could not
have been left out by neglect He tried to
explain this to Hartnett, but the big con-
x7t-at TOD II Is Gin 1~AlN
tiOnal offense, for Bailey had a reputation
as furious joker. 1t was he who had
connected the telegraph line with the water
cup so as TO shock all drinkers-of whom
Hartnett had been one. This flag joke was
inside and started to whip Bailey Bailey.
being built on the plan of a box car OBJ
iected. The fight lasted all of half an hour.
1t was. according to the rear brakeman,
a sublime exhibition. Bailey ultimately
If events were occurring at the telegraph
office at the mouth Of the tunnel graver and
more OminOus ones were in progress in the
heart of the hin down at the sag of the Y.
Rushing frantcaly into the smoke and
fumes Engineer Tillotson had carried after
ing up the first section of the stock
train, hoping by the momentum ac-
quired outside to be able to pull through
again. They went down the grade like
lightning. but as they struck the incline
on the other side the lightning became a
laggard and the trains motion was that
porous poison Of a thousand locomotives,
and as the speed slackened the engineers
face passed from earnestness to gravity
and from that to apprehension Already
he was choking and the fireman was cough
ing as he bent over his scoop. The wheels
revOlved more and more slowly. and the
engineer knew that if they stopped there
in that black hole 1t would be the last of
their reckoning. Even a coward who might
forget about the second section behind
them could not profit by deserton of the
machine. for 10 man could walk more than
one hundred yards up that hill before fall
ing fanting from the fumes. The engineer
leaned forward and Osciated his body in
accompaniment to the labored putting Of
the locomotive. the putting which added mo-
mentarily to the grimy gloom about them.
He found himself holding his breath, not
only for the sake of avoiding the reek of
the tunnel but also to tighten the load of
the locomotive. Then the wheels stopped
turning.
Like the relaxation of the limbs of one
whose death has just this moment come,
the impOtent engine drifted almost Imply
back to the bottom of the tunnel and
under the great rock. 1t was but a short
distance, but it was long enough to place
the certainty to death over the condition
which had been just fair probability. 1t
was death by smoke or death by fire and
crushing timbers, for in a short space now
the second section. hurting itself into that
gopher hole of destruction, would crash
into them. and
TilIotson's head was Keeling and swim
ming and he dropped from his box and
weakly Clambered down to the level Of the
rails. With his forehead pressing the cold
steel he took long draughts of the less
contaminated air below, and recovering
climbed into the cab for another effort
sending the fireman down to take his place
at the floor of the tunnel. for he knew they
must relieve each other at the throttle
In the cabOOse the situation was as Sc
rious and there was less courage. The con-
dUctor at the first slackening of speed had
sent a fagman back with lantern to sig
nal the second section, but the tiagman two
minutes afterward pushed open the door
and accompanied by an thrush of foul air
fell fainting upon the floor his lamp crash
ing beneath him. He had had Just strength
enough to get back after having travelled.
nifty feet. Nobody, ii was plain, could get
into the outer air through those strata of
fCulness.
This the conductor recognized as the end
of hope. and he told the droVers that if
there was any who knew how to pray he
would best set about IL. So some of them
prayed and some OF them strong. stawart
men as they We're, wept. and through the
doors of the caboose came the soft melody
of the grooming and moaning of the dying
cattle
The conductor with his feet almost press
ing the border of the next world, was bit