Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-11-17

tive, but there was no time 10 DOlneF
with foaming boilers on the limited
no time for anything but to run at the |
very highest speed obtainabe. Both |
Jake and his partner had reported |
"Boiler washed" on their last two
trips, but, being a week ahead of her
regular wash-out day, the roundhouse
foreman had not chosen to disorgan-
lie the routine OF his work to accom-
modate a couple of engineers, Jake
might have reported him, but that
wasn't his way, and, besides, he had
promised to wash her out next trip,
sure.
The last passenger ascended the car
steps, the conductor waved a signal
to Jake; there was a kissing and spit
ting from cylinder cocks, and, to the
accompaniment Of the slowly changing
bell. he pulled out. He left his cylinder
cocks open longer than usual, and
tried the water frequently. Before he
got clear of the yard he stood up and
kicked the leg from under his seat
something was unsatisfactory beyond
doubt.
But he gave the usual "toot-toot"
and wave of the hand to the little
group on the piazza of the honey
suclle-clad cottage just outside of
town. There was an answering hutter
of handkerchiefs, and the wife and
babies gazed wistfully for a moment,
their faces illumined with a light not
due to the June sunshine at the disap-
pearing dust cloud left by the train at
the curve.
She commenced working water at
the first heavy grade, and he lost a min
ute. After that the fireman could
count the mile-posts by the nervous
swapping of Jake's watch-case. BY
taking water at a certain tank he
could go in without stopping for wa
ter again, otherwise he would have 10
make two water stops, but 1t was there
that he got the bad water last trip,
and It had caused him worry enough.
He had learned from the freight
runners that the water was about all
alike on the road, but he determined,
nevertheless, to make the two water
stops; it might be little better in the
other tanks. He regained ten seconds
of the lost time before reaching the
water plug. Admonishing the fireman
to hurry, he jumped down and oiled,
finding, to his great relief, all bearings
stone cold. In spite of their haste, he
! I1e4 Inn 10 1oA ha INa-
baved so badly that he arrived at the
next station two minutes late. He was
only half way yet, and the prospect
was pretty blue. The next station was
junction from which three engines
ran on a branch out to some coal
mines. One of them would be there
when he arrived. He telegraphed
ahead to have her ready for him, his
engine being disabled. His conductor
and old friend, Phil Howard as well
as every man on the train, knew that
Jake's record was in danger at last,
As there was seldom any baggage at
W, and none to put off this trip,
Howard told the baggagemaster to
jump down and uncouple the engine the
moment she stopped, saying he would
take on any baggage that might be
there, in order 10 save time.
The baggagemaster uncoupled the
air hose, but, before he could pull the
pin, Howard called to him; "Never
mind that now, Jim; come up, here's
a funeral to CO."
While the train crew were busy
loading the casket the station agent
handed Jake a message which read:
mo engine here. Have forwarded your
message to Lelands."
Lelands had been the end of The di-
vision before modern methods com
PEELED the company olengthenit out to
200 miles. There was a big roundhouse
there, and plenty of engines. The
deferential care with which a casket
must be handled caused them to leave
W three full minutes late-the
limit. Neither Jake nor Howard knew
that the baggagemaster had uncoupled
the air hose, and in the hustle at the
station that worthy had failed to OBJ
serve that no change of engines had
been made. So Jake pulled out with
no brakes on the train, and determined
to lose no more time if it was humanity
possible to avoid it.
The roundhouse foreman at Lelandi
received an order to have an engine
ready to take train 10 on its arrival
She was due in 25 minutes, and, won
dering what could have happened tC
"Old Reliable as Jake was popularly
called, he got his whole force on the
jump. Within five minutes of 19's ar
irving time he had an engine
coaled, watered, and with her safety
valve simmering at 14O pounds to tn,
square inch, standing on the maiI
trackin charge of ahostler, just beyond
the station. 1t was a mighty good job
well and quickly done.
After leaving W, the "s7" be
haved a little better; she had thrown
out much of the offending matter, ant
would stand pushing a bit; but at he1
best she had never made up quite
minute between there and Lelands-
and she was far from being It her bes
now,
When he reached the summit Of tn,
] hill from which be could look dow
5 into lelands, a mile away, he knew
he would arrive there only 2h min
, utes late-technically on time. III
knew to an inch how far he could usI
! steam. and m WAS with q sirh Of relie