The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-07
HANDSOMELY REWARDED.
A Poor Man Gets n short Free Ride
for Saving IA Passenger Train.
Ernn thn nnnNnr. n,irnnn

for Saving Passenger Train.
From the Denver Times.
Undaunied courage and endurance In the
snow. with the mercury at zero, last
Thursday afternoon, on the part of Pat
Bennett a miner and carpenter in strait
ened circumstances was no doubt the
means Of saving scores Of lives and an en-
tire, passenger train on the Denver and
Rio Grande railroad It was train No. 4.
the Atlantic coast express, which was so
disastrously wrecked at New Castle a
few weeks before.
Pat was thrown out OF work in Victor a
week ago and went TO Buena Vista, hop
ing TO get work with a railroad construc-
ton crew. But he was disappointed, and.
being financially embarrassed, set out
afoot for the Leadvllle mines. When
about twelve miles from Buena Vista he
stepped aside to allow a freight train TO
pass. The jar of the passing cars was
perhaps the cause OF huge boulder being
loosened on the high bank, about fifty feet
above the tracks. The lone traveller soon
came upon the boulder II weighed fully
POO pounds, and was lodged between rails
"B" and &c" on the rail used for narrow
gauge trains only, and the outside ral
nearest to it. IT was on a sharp curve
around a bluff, and on the outer side of
the track runs the Arkansas river twenty
feet below. Pat tried without avail to
move the rock. He could not bulge It.
The cold December blast went through
his scant clothing, which, although neat
and clean, was not adapted for such
weather But Pat resolved to stay on
the spot and flag the first train. After
half an hour he succeeded i'm starting a
fire on the outside Of the track among
some boulders. No sooner was he getting
thoroughly thawed out than he heard the
rumbIing Of the passenger and express I'm
the west The wind was in the east, and
the heavy cars were almost upon him be-
fore Pat heard them He ran at break
neck speed. following the track around
bluff and waving hts hat frantically To
be sure he was seen, he continued within
a few feet OF the engine before he STEP
ped aside.
Engineer Anderson, one Of the Oldest on
the road was quick 10 see the warning and
IN an instant had put on the air brakes
and reversed. The grade rendered stop
ping difficult. II looked as If the train
co,ild not be stopped. The pilot of the
engine came up 20 within a few yards
Of the huge boulder, and SIN the brakes
mad not gotten In their work. But Provi-
dence seemed TO be guarding the many
lives endangered, and when the pilot was
within fifteen feet of the obstruction the
train came 10 a halt.
At first IT was suspected that the man
who had tagged the train was schem-
ing hobo who wanted a ride, but the light
snow INDICATED him of this. 1t would
have been almost impossible to scale the
ateeD bank, and again. there were no
racks The track Of the boulder was
plainly visible showing where II had roll
I'd until it struck firmly fastened rock
ana then bounced clear of the ditch and
To the roadbed, becoming wedged between
The rails. II was rounded on the edges,
hnt the strength Of the three men was
required 20 roll & off the track.
THE heart of Conductor Roberts went out
70 the hero. and all that could be done for
h.n was offered. lie was brought to Sa-
ida where supt Ridgway gladly gave
him a pass 10 his destination. II was all
pat asked for. and he was happy.
SO sharp was the curve where the train
stopped that but one or two OF the pass