Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-10-19
Netting a wild ENGINE.
By James Buckham.

It was lonely enough at the little
Pineville railroad station, set down as
it was like a box-trap in the heart of
the woods. "Pineville was q good
name for it," thought Arthur Sever
son, the young station master and
telegraph operator. Great pinetrees
towored all about, their thick tops and
spreading branches casting solemn
shade all day long over the two or
three small buildings that represented
the railroad centre of this back
wood settlement. Yet considerable
traffic came to the railroad company
at that out-of-the-way station. During
the fishing and hunting seasons it was
a favorite point of departure for city
sportsmen coming into the Maine
woods. During the winter large
quantities of hemlock bark, for tan
ming purposes, were shipped from
Pineville; and there were always piles
of furs and pelts on the platform,
awaiting the next train out" Never
theless, for the greater part of the
day, Pineville was silent and deserted
save for the young telegraph opera
tor, Arthur Severson, who had recent
ty been sent there from Portland. 1t
was the loneliness of the place that
distressed him most. His work was
light, as there were only four trains,
freight and passenger, each day; and,
aside from the train dispatcher mes
sages, he had very few kilograms to
handle. But Arthur had been used
to plenty of company, active employ
ment, and wholesome excitement; and
the utter quiet and lack of compan-
ionship at Pineville made him feel
blue and homesick. He had not been
at Pineville long, however, before an
event occurred that gave him more ey-
element in half an hour than he had
known in all his previous experience
in 'railroading.
IT was hot summer afternoon; and
Arthur was sitting in his shirtsleeves
on the station platform, about as lone
some and depressed hoy as could be
found anywhere in the State of Maine,
when suddenly he was brought to his
feet by the sharp, distinct call of the
train dispatcher over the wire. He
sprsng to his instrument in the little
office. and promptly answered the
call. Then came this startling mes
sage.
Wild engine on limo between Racquette
and Pneville. Side-track No. 40 If possible,
before collision. Repeat.
d. j. COLLISION, Dispatcher.
Trembling with excitement, Arthur
, repeated the despatcher's message, and
added-he could scarcely tell why,
Tor there was no distinct plan of action
in his mind Twill try to stop wild
sngine."
Then he sprang out on the platform
and gazed up and down the long.
straight stretch of track that cut the
forests i'll two like the blade OF knife.
No. 40 was the down passenger train,
and she was due at Pineville in 15
minutes; but as yet there was no sign
Of her approach, not even the sound
Of her powerful chime whistle in the
distance. Neither was there any sign,
in the other direction, Of the coming
Of the dreaded wild engine that ter
:or Of every railroad mans life. The
woods were as still as death, save for
.reaking of few locusts about
the buildings and the ''a-ronk" of a
big bullfrog in ditch back of the sta
| tion.
| Yet, peaceful and reassuring as the
silence was, Arthur Severson knew
that, somewhere down the track be-
tween Pinevill and Racquette--a dis
tance of Is miles-that engine was
rushing toward him with the speed of
! :he wind.
His first impulse was to run and
throw over the switch at the lower
end of the siding, and derail the wild
sngine. if possible. Then he remem-
bered his orders--to sidetrack the pas
senger train, and let the wild engine
go by. There could be no excuse for
him if he disobeyed these instruc-
tions upon his own responsibility, and
The collision should take place after all,
as it might if the passenger train
should fail to pass the upper end of
the siding in time. "Obey orders
firstr' thought Arthur, as he ran at
the top of his speed to the upper end
of the siding, and threw the switch
over for the passenger train.
The side-track now belonged to No.
40, and was ont of the problem as a
factor in stopping the wild engine.
Whatever the young telegraph opera
cor might do to redeem his promise to
the train-desratcher must he done
without its aid. This he thoroughly
realizrd, as he dashed back to the
station.
In circumstances of extreme ext
gency and peril the mind sometimes
works as if inspired, suggestions COM
ing to it with lightning rapidity from
every object that catches the attention
of the senses. AS young Severson
rushed back to his post of duty, his
his eyes fell upon great heap of two
inch rope, coil upon coil, piled on the
station platform-a consignment just
received by the Moses Valley Lum ber
company. Instantly plan for stop
ping the wild engine formed itself in
Arthur's mind, if he could only ac-
eomplish it in time. He would string