Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-09
BENNETT SAVED THE TRAIN.
In Return He Is Given Short Ride Free
Rrom the penver Times.l


From the Denver Times)
Undaunted 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. 1t was train No 4,
the Atlantic coast express which was so
disastrously wrecked at New Castle 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 railroad construc-
ton crew. But he was disappointed, ana.
being financially embarrassed, SET our
afoot for the Leadvllle mines. When
about twelve miles from Buena Vista he
stepped aside to allow freight train 10
pass. The jar of the passing cars was
perhaps the cause of a huge boulder pc
ing loosened on the high bank, about Do
feet above the tracks. The lone traYeler
soon came upon the boulder. 1t weighed
fully 1900 pounds, and was lodged between
rails 'fB'' and &C. on the rail used tor the
narrow-gauge trains only, and the out
side rail nearest to It. L was on a, a sn 13tpP
side of the track runs the Arkansas river,
20 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 in starting fire on
the outside of the track among some
boulders. No sooner was he getting thor
oughly thawed out than he heard the
rumbilng of the passenger and express in
the west. The wind was in the east, and
the heavy cars were almost upon him ne
fore Pat heard them. He ran at break
neck speed, following the track around a
bluff, and waving his hat franticaMy. 10
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 ar
stopping difficult 1t looked as if the train
could not be stopped The pilot of the
engine came up to within few yards OF
the huge boulder and still the brakes had
not gotten In their work. But Providence
seemed to be guarding the many lives en-
dangered and when the pilot was within
IS feet of the obstruction the train came TO
At first 1T was suspected that the man
who had tagged the train was a schemtng
hobo who wanted a ride, but the light
have been almost impossible to scale the
steep bank, and again there were no
tracks. The track of the boulder was
plainly visible. showing where. 1t had
rolled until it struck a firmly fastened
rock and then bounced clear of the ditch
and to the roadbed, becoming wedged be-
edges. but the strength of the three men
was required to roll 1t off the track.
The heart Of Conductor Roberts went
out to the hero, and all that could be
done for him was offered. He was
brought to Salida, where Superintendent
Ridgwey gladly gave him pass to his
destination. 1t 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 pas
sengers could see far enough ahead to
ascertain the cause of the sudden stop,
and they were well up ahead. The news
was kept from the others, and the easy
going loungers in the smokers, the merry
bridal couple from Leadville in the par
lor car and all others We're carried to
their divers destinations ignorant of the
fact that they came to within few feet
of being hurled down 20-foot embank-
ment into an icy river. Pat Bennett was
warmly congratulated and thanked for his
nervy 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 obtained
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 Leadville, as has
been told.
The train consisted Of a baggage, car,
one combination mail and express and five
crowded passenger cars.