The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-21
A Free Ride for Saving Lives
Denver News

DCAsr NC"oJ
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
entire passenger train or the Denve and
Rio Grande Railroad. 1t was train No.
4, the Atlantic Coast express, which was
so dangerously wrecked at New Castle
a few weeks before.
Pat was thrown out of work in Victor
a week ago and went to Buena Vista,
hoping to get work with a railroad con-
struction crew. But he was disappointed,
and, being financially embarrassed. set
out afoot for the Leadville 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 a huge bowlder
being ,oosened on the high bank, about
fifty feet above the tracks. The lone trav-
eler soon came upon the bowlder. 1t
weighed July twelve hundred pounds,
and was lodged between rails Z and
CO.. or the rail used for narrow gauge
trains only, and the outside rail 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 be-
low. Pat tried without avail TO move
the rock. He could not bulge il.
The cold December blast went through
his scant clothing, which, although neat
and clean, was not we'll adapted for such
weather. But Pat resolved to stay On the
spo and flag the first train. After half
an hour he succeeded in starting a fire
on the outside of the track among some
powders. No sooner was he getting
thoroughly warmed out than he heard
the runbling of the passenger and eG-
press in the west. The wind was in the
east and the heavy cars were almost
upon him before Pat heard them. He ran
at breakneck speed. following the track
around a bluff waving his hat frantical-
ly. To be sure he was seen, he continued
within a few feet of the engine before
he stepped aside.
Engineer Anderson, one of the Oldest
on the road, was quick to see the warn
ing. and in an instant had put on the
airbrakeS and reversed the engine. The
grade rendered stopping difficult, but the
engineer laid back on the reverse lever
as if he were trying to hold a runaway
horse. Sometimes a sudden reversal
when a great momentum has been at
tanned causes the ratchet that holds the
lever to break. For this reason the mus
cular engineer threw all his strength
against the lever.
1t looked as if the train could not be
stopped. The pilot of the engine came
up to within a few yards of the huge
bowlder. and still the brakes had not
gotten in their work. But Providence
seemed to be guarding the many lives
endangered. and when the pilot was
within fifteen feet of the obstruction the
train came to a halt.
At first it was suspected that the man
who had tagged the train was a schem-
ing hobo who wanted a ride, but the light
snow indicated him of this. 1t would
have been almost impossible to scale the
steep bark; and, again, there were no
track. The track of the powder was
plainly visible, showing where it had
rolled until it struck a firmly fastened
rock and then bounced clear of the ditch
and to the roadbed, becoming wedged be-
tu-nan the ais II was rounded on the
edges, but the combined strength of
three men was required to roll it off the
track.
The heart of Conductor Roberts went
out to the hero and all hat could be done
for him was offered. He was brought to
Salida, where Superintendent Ridgeway
gladly gave him a pass to his destina-
ton. 1t was all Pat asked for, and he
was happy.
50 sharp was the curve where the train
stopped that but one or two of the pas
sengers could see far nough ahead to
aScertai1 the cause of the sudden stop,
and they were we'll up ahead. The news
was kept from the others, and the easy
going lou GERS in the smokers, the merry
bridal couple from Leadville in the par
lor car and all others were carried to
thei- divers destinations ignorant CT the
fact that they came within a few feet
of being hurled down a twenty foot en-
bankm6n into ar icy river. Pat Bennett
was warmly congratulated and thanked
for his ne1vy deed by the few who knew
of it. To these he told his story.
He had come to Colorado three months
before from southern Texas, and obtain
ed employment in a mine at Victor,
where he has a married sister. Leaving
there on account of reduction in the
corps of miners he started for Lead
vile, as has been told.
. The train consisted of a baggage car,
one combination mail and express and
five W. passenger cars.