El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-20
A TRIP FROM
LORDSBURG
New Mexico, Over The Southern
pacifiC,-In Cupold Of Caboose
366 As The Guest Of "Montana
Bili'' [Wm. Weedon.]
BY TOM MAHER.

BY TOM MAHER-
On arrival in Lurdsburg after our
interesting and very exciting trip
from Ell FasO, 1 learned thot the crew
l was riding with .was marked second
out, Conductor Lon Hsley's crew be-
leave for Tucson in six our with q
train consisting of ten cars of cattle
for Pautano and ten cars of coal for
Tucson The second train was bull
letined to leave in ten hours and con-
sisted of ''Raymon DIV hitcomb" ex-
cursiop. This was good news for
ssMontana Bill, "as trip on q passenger
over this road is solid comfort.
train Montana Bill' buisied himself
several times endeavoring to locate the
three St. Louis hobos who so mis-
teriously beat our train out ola ride all
the way from Ell PasO. He failed in
his effort so with q request from Bill
we retired for q nap in cab 356. Soon
after loud knocking by the caller cut
short our nap and told US our train was
in the yards. We were soon on our
feet and started through the yards to
hunt our trail, but were hailed by the
engine hostler who said: ''BOys, 1
can't turn this big engine. She goes
out on the next train for Tucson. The
turntable is stiff, will you give me a
little push aud oblige?' All hands
willingly placed their shoulders to the
long levers. and for the first time real
lied that" Montana Bill" was dumped
and Conductor Haley was figured out
onthe second. train, the Raymond Whit
comb excursion, while the stock and
coal train was good enough for Mon
tapa Bill.
We found the turn table very stiff un.
der the weight of the engine. Several
time we stalled and again started, all
the times kicking, chewing the rag aud
silently abusing G. II. Phelps, the train
master, for what at that time appeared
as his ''favoritism." Suddenly and at
the same moment, all discovered the
table had gone around twice and was
starting on the third round to the great
tos' Montana BILL This stopped fur
Their rag-chewing and all proceeded to
hurry odt of Lordsburg. Everything
being now ready we started for Tucson.
Mr.. Filbert, the agent, stepped from
his office door andsyelled to Bill On the
moving train: "Say, Bill. ascertain If
the men accompanying the stock In
your train returned from the eating
house. If not stop at once and wait for
them"
Here was grand opening for de-
ception aud only discovered when too
late. simultaneously and in one voice
the three men answered from the inter-
Tor of one of the cattle cars: Eyes, we
are on all right. Let her flicker" This
answer was satisfactory to Bill and Mr..
Fiber. SO off we are through a grove
framed with sand banks on either side,
over rainbow fashioned mounds,
through the miraged lake over Playes
valley. But once in the lakes center
sun baked mud replaces the blue
waters shat appeared sea of dazzling
brilliaucy few nom ents before, and
now hot barren ak ali flats. We are
rising some seventy feet to the mile up
the long grade, natures gateway
through Stems Pass range. Here before
us ia ledge after ledge of huge rocks,
locked in giant arms forming into
fortresses and slanting abruptly from
the side of the railroad reaching their
graycapped palisaded heads heaven
wards, picture OF proud triumph
over their humber companions below.
Stems Pass, from this little station
on the mountain, on bright spring
of April % 1882, General
Forsyth commanding the United States
4th cavalry charged through the rug
ged hills on the east side while Lie ut
enant Mcdonald, with only a half dozen
Indian scouts rushed through the foot
hills, canons and long defles on the
west side, hot on the trail of a band of
Apache Indians, who were
marking their trail with death.and cruel
butcheries three days before. While
crossing the railroad, for want of bet
ter amusement, they cut off the head
of Tipperary Dan, the track walker,
and with rawhide dashed the CHASTITY
head to the switch target
In the morning of the 23rd, shortly
after the troops left Stems Pass sta
ton the perfect quiet was changed to
roaring thunder by the guns of battle
aud the demon yell from two hundred
Apache throats, picked up and echoed
by airy tongues from mountain wall
reverberated fer miles and miles,Over
the alkali plains. The Apaches am
buscaded not the 4th cavalry but
Tiautepaut McDonaid and his little