The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1899-03-25

A6A ai Oii1 ftltAt
freight for home, and then I got to
work. The water pipe came from the
tank, ran along under ground and eaue
up through the platform close to the
edge. Mighty handy arrangement for
anyone that wanted a drink OF water,
and the company even provided an iron
dlpper; but they had to chain it 10 the
end OF the pipe, for the Indians will
steal anything loose that isn't too hot or
too heavy. | went out and turned the
water on, and let it run until the ground
where the Indians stood when they were
drinking was soft enough for me too
drive the piece of brake rod. l drove 1t
down level with the ground, and then
put the piece of sheet iron OH top Of it,
making a good connection. | took the
wire. and, passing one end of it through
my window, carried it through a crack
in the platform down to the ground
and on to the water pipe. | had plenty
OF wire, so carried it OIL up the pipe and
made connection with the dipper chain.
| had a spare instrument in the office,
and fixed it with the wire so / could cut
the current in or. out handy like, and
then | made connection with my bat
terry.
"The Indians began to come back in
the afternoon; they always 1ocked in to
see Number Six go by, and it wasn't long
before they were gathered around the
water pipe thick as brakes around the
pay car. | waited until a solemn-look-
ing old buck got a good stream of water
the key and shot him full of electric
lights. You should have seen him
jump. The dipper flew ont of his hands
and he went three feet straight up, the
most surprised Indian in New Mexico.
When he hit the ground he wheeled
around, belted his squaw in the face,
and then took up the dipper again. OF
course I'd shut off the current. He care
fully looked the dipper over, inside and
out, and seeing nothing wrong about it
he filled it up again and went to drink
ing. l waited until he got under good
Roadway, and then pulled the key wide
open. He went INTO the air again, and
when he hit the ground he hit it rum
ming.
"The other Indians looked at him like
they thought he'd been locoed, and then
they gathered around the pipe and pow
vowed awhile. They'd pick up the dip
per and turn it over and over, but hand
ling it mighty gingerly, like they
thought it was loaded. Pretty soon all
of them stepped back, and one of them
that looked like "a chief took a try at the
water. ! waited till he'd almost emp
tied the dipper. and then l gave him an
electric bath that make him howl like a
coyote. 'Ei DenIonio..' he hollered soon
as he got his tongue straight, Then the
Indians struck Tor the pueblo"
"And were YOU discharged for that??'
| asked after the laughter had snbsided.
"WeIl, not for that just exactly"
Baker replied. "You see, it wasn't long
before every Indian in the pueblo had
heard the devil was in that water pipe,
and. they quit coming about the station.
1t was only when a stranger would corNp
along that | could have any fun. I'd
almost forgotten about having the pipe
wired, when one day a special carrying
the general manager came along and
stopped at my station. The manager
got off and brought in IL bundle OF mes
sages for me to send, and while | was
Just tearing my shirt to get EN- off the
devil put it into his head to see what
water tasted like. | must have brushed
the KEY with my coat sleeve and pulled
it open ; anyhow it was open when !
looked to see, for the general manager
dropped the dipper and did some expert
cussing. III Demonio' didn't go with
him Though, and he mighty soon had
that wire located. He came into the
office looking like he'd just sat down in
a bunch of cactus, and wanted to know
what in hello I'd wired that water pipe
for. tried to explain and make him
see the fun I'd been having, but it
didn't go, and Number Five the next
morning brought a man to take my
place"
Baker did not work long with me. AS
o as the road was completed to Mex
leo City he concluded to try his luck on
the south end. He went to work firing