The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-14
you. refused to CO.. said the caller,


his spite. 1t would not do to refuse al
order from him, so father said: .Al
right; you tell Mr.. Hinckley that II
take the switcher at 1 o'clock. The1
turning to US, he said, Our game is III
for today, boys, but never mind; som'
other time will do-it'l have to-
As we wendell our sorrowful wa!
back 10 the house, an idea occurred L
me. | asked father to let US ride on tht
engine with him. He readily consented
but said. Don't come down before 1:3i
or o'clock; give old Martin a chance
to get away, for he thinks more of tina
engine than he does of his wife, and
if he saw you boys on her, he wouldn't
be able to get TO the office quicl
enough to tell Hinckley."
We were on hand at 1870 sharp. The
fireman, nice young fellow, was glad
enough to have another engineer foi
half a day; for, like everybody else, he
disliked Martin, and told US many
amusing stories about his crankiness
would steal the old viper before he got
back. We helped Johnny to clean up
shoveled down coal to him, rang the
bell, looked out for signals and had a
glorious time generally. AS father had
no more affection for Martins engine
than he had Tor Martin himself, he
slung her around in great shape. with
!
or said he only had couple more
tracks to pull, and he guessed that
would he all till o'clock.
AS these two tracks were half a mile
! up the yard, father told Johnny to take
! her and finish up the job, while he Wis
/ tied the yardmaster, a former conductor
and old friend of his.
Johnny gave us a great ride up the
yard; We had to hang on for dear life.
IN m
never let on. He finished the work in
an hour, and took the crew back to the
office. They all got off, leaving us
three boys on the engine. l sat on the
engineers seat, and pretended to be
running.
Member the night you tried to run
OF 21?'' asked Joe.
''Sh!'' replied. Amt you got any
sense?"
Franks a great engineerI don't
think" Sneered Pete.
Joe grinned an Endorsement
You fellers amt got any sense" 1
retorted. angrily; PTS an old scrap
heap; nobody could run her unless they
were used to her.
Can you run this one?"
You bet your life can; just as good
as Johnny or pa"
Lets see ye," demanded Pete, with
leer
4 can do it, but amt goin' to; pa
might not like it."
20, no, He's ascraed; 1 knew you
dassent."
"Dassent 1? I'll show we whether I
dare or not
The lever was ahead; gently, very
carefully, 1 pulled the throttle out. 1t
worked quite easy. There was a light
Whit of steam from the cylinder cock,
and she moved ahead. l shut her off
at once.
"Lemme try" exclaimed Pete,
reaching for the throttle.
20, no." L answered. I'm in chorge
here. an if there's any running to do,
I'll do it myself" / gave her another
little jerk ahead. 1t was perfectly easy.
and l enjoyed it immensely. She had
run in behind a string of cars, which
hid her from the office. Joe helped me
pull the lever over, and 1 backed her
out in sight again.
a brakeman stood in the door watch
ing, when he saw her come out and
stop, he went back in again, closing the
door. We became mildly excited They
both wanted to handle her. l allowed
them to do so under my supervision.
We ran up the track a little way, and
back again to show ourselves to the Of
flee. Becoming holder, we ran further.
We had grand time. 1 would not
leave the throttle, but Joe and Pete
went out on the front end, and on the
back of the tender, and gave. signals to
come ahead and back up They didn't
always give them right, but what odds.
one signal was as good as another to
US.
This was the modern end of the yard.
and II was provided with patent switch
es, but we didn't know that What did
we care for switches? You can run
a font ir.l,,
OFF on the ground, as we did with the
II. 1t will spring open, allowing each
PAIR OF wheels to pass, and snap shut
behind them, but if you attempt to re-
turn before all your wheels have passed
through it you will be on two tracks at
once. and the first thing you know you
viii be off on the ground
Success bred recklessness. We couId
handle her all right We would get her
going and pull the reverse lever suddenly |
over. That would make her grunt a bit !
SLOW up and go the other way. She ran
through the switch, cut onto the main
track. We would have TO let her go il |
was such nice, long. straight track but |
Pete and 1-who We're doing the running 1
Just then-reversed her. The engineer of 1
the train saw us and whistled. She was |
coming very fast 1 became bit ratified |
through the switch. but the tender was
not. The tender shot back on the siding.
while the engine tried TO go up the main
track
saw something was wrong and pulled
the throttle wide open. The other fellow
had his engine reversed but she seemed
70 be coming for us by jumps. Panic
stricken. L pulled the whistle cord as all
four OF our drivers dropped off on the
ground: We jumped and ran. yelling for
dear life. up the yard. The train stopped
within fifty feet of our engine lust as
rather and his crew, warned by our wills
tie, came tearing round the corner of a
car
They saw a once what the trouble was;
the switch engine was derailed on the
main track, right In front of the steam
boat express We boys were frozen with
horror at the magnitude of our misdeed
The passengers fiocked from the train
commenting on their miraculous escape
The ladies' cast sheepseyes at their heroic
oudly of suing the company for the de-
ention. and made disparaging remarks
about the management.
Our crew got out wrecking frocks. wheel
hackers and pinch bars. The other engine
Tut loose from her train and coupled on
o our engine. Father got up in his cab.
md when the conductor said he was ready
10Th engines slipped and roared and threw
showers of hot cinders on the crowd They
rot her started after a while, and she
vent bumpety-bump along the ties half
way to the train, then her engine truck
vent of and she was all on the ground.
With Mr. Hinckley Mr. Dale and a crowd
4 shopmen on her. They brought chains,
wire ropes and / don't know what all.
The men worked and shouted, and the
witch engine was dragged and pushed ,
'ack and forth over the ties half a dozen
INES. A great shout went up from the
men, and she was on the track. The
n: and the express went Oman hour and :
half late.