The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1899-12-07
Al. Moore Tells OF one OF Bill 6lazes'
pranks.Iears Ago.

al. Moore, a bright newspaper man
in Des Moines, who used to twist brakes
on the G., B. 4 o., is writing railroad
yarns for the Sunday Leader. The fol-
lowing is of local interest: cone of the
meanest, yet, perhaps, the most laugh
able trick .that.cam under my observa-
ton in the years l have been railroad
ing, was perpetrated on an engineer,
old Jack Garter, by brakeman named
Bill Glaze. We were west bound carry
ing signal for section following on
turn. around from Charlton one night,
with Carter in charge of the engine.
Jack was an old timer, and, having lost
the best part of his nerve, was retired to
run on the branch from Charlton to
lndianola on which the speed never
exceeded twelve or fifteen miles an
hour, and where the line was SO crook
ed the engineer could reach back from
the cab on the way car in going around
some of the reverse curves and take a
chew of tobacco from the conductors
coat pocket. He had acquired the hab
it, from long service on the branch, of
running at steady, sedate speed, and
when, on emergency, he was called out
on the main line, the excessive caution
asserted itself to the great annoyance Of
hustling conductors, who were accus.
toned to taking a half hour Of lost time
and making it up in runs of twenty
five or thirty miles. On the night mem
toned we were toiling up Woodburn
hill at pace SO faltering that it was a
question if we would not have to dou
bic into Brush Siding at the top. Carter,
long accustomed to regular sleep on a
regular run, became drowsy. and, drop.
ping the lever over on the quadrant to
about the fifteen mile notch, adjusted
himself to comfortable position on the
seat and settled down to take nap
while the train crawleu up the hill
Glaze, who was braking ahead, and
whose resources in the preparation of
practical jokes attained 10 positive
genius, noticed the degree Of solid com.
fort Jack was getting out of a situation
that drove the rest of the crew to Il wild
desire to embark upon life of dissipa
ton, and was seized with a brilliant
idea. This was rare with him and he
didn't propose to let it get sway
From his position in front of the fire.
man he craw.ed out the front alb win.
dow, passed forward to the pilot, pickle d
one of the red lights off the cross beam
and, sneaking back along the running
board on the engineers side, edged up
to within three feet of where Carter was
snoring away, making noise like the
escape steam rushing from a pop valve.
Then he let yell out of him that must
have soured the milk in the cellars Ct
the adjacent farm houses, at the same
time swinging the red light directly
across the vision of the engineer, giving
violent signals to stop. Carter awoke
With start, and seeing the light with
in a few feet Of his nose, imagined he
was about to crash into way car ahead
At bound he eaped from the seat
siezed the reverse lever in desperate
grasp, and, planting one foot agains
the boiler head and the other OF
the deck, he hossed it over in tn,
back motion in twinkling then
grabbing the whistle rod he Sc
up yell for brakes that partial
<ol bn IS tl,o
brakeman and year afterward sen
him, bug house, to the asylum. Glaze
quick to detect the sensation he ha
created, worked it for all there was in
: and continued to swing the red light a
right angles to the cab This was to
many for Jack and seized with the tel
ror of riding into way car and gettin
tangled up with the mess such accident
make, he released all holds, whippe
around the edge of the tank and took
header from the gangway in frenzie
break for safety. Glaze was so convulse
with laughter that, losing his balance
he troppled over and fell of the engine
Meantime the latter being in reverse
had almost stopped l feared we migt
get under motion on the steep dow
grade and roll down the hill back
Woodburn and, grasping the lever, Sc
% it forward and managed to get the trai
= under slow Roadway up the grade AGAR
Carter, now thoroughly awake, saw I'll
b. situation and was wading in to lie
ri Glaze and they were hammering ava
: at each other after lively fashion, whe
:. turned the engine over to the tirema
~ and, taking the coal pick in one han
10 and packing hook in the other, ho|
no ped off to induce arbitration. 1t requi
IL ed the persuasive eloquence of both
10 bring about cessation Of hostiities bl
~ got them separated. The indignal
nd engineer threatened to report the brak
h. man for the trick, but when the latt'
es profanely retorted he would do son
n telling himself and dilate how Cart
~ had gone to sleep on his engine,
reconsidered, and a precarious peace W,
signed. The tail end of the train ",
s,s passing at this time and, realizing Y
would be left alone in the wide, wiz
SoiyoI 70 Hoofiy