El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-10
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Mig. the switch dog of Forks Creek
is the popular hero of Colorado.
He is only humble black and white
dog of mixed spaniel. setter and other
descent. but he saved a train from de-
struction and the life of Superinten-
dent T. H. Sears. of the line.
His act was one not only of devo-
ton, which is so common among dogs,
but of extraordinary intelligence.
He Jagged a train because he found
that the switch would not work.
| Nig'S performance deserves to rank
with thos of the ablest members of the
| canine race who have distinguished
themselves in history. He is entitled
to take a seat alongside of the presi-
dent of the canine humane society of
Mount st. Bernard. or the captain of
the Newfoundland life saving dogs.
| The best of it all is that Mig is so
delightfully."- modest. He still prefers
to go about his duties regularly and
does not care for the caresses of pro-
miScuOuS visitors. He refuses to be
kissed by all the maidens in Colorado
He will not answer parents who tell
him that they are going to name their
baby after him. He will not write any
magazine article entitled How |
Saved the Train or deliver any lee
lures on the same subject. He does
not wish his portrait to be printed on
cigar boxes. He has expressed him
self in the most emphatic manner on
the subject of photographers. For
tunately for Mig. he lives in a sparsely
populated region. so that he is not in
as much danger of being patted to
death as he would be in some places.
Mig lives and labors at Forks Creek
in Colorado in the heart of the Rock
les. He acts as yard master. switch
IA NJ CT
ular agent in performing the multi
tudinous duties of his position as sta
ton agent for the Colorado & South
ern railway.
Forks Creek is little station con-
sisting of two buildings. water tank
and a coal bin. The station agent. G.
NJ. Davis, has a lonely time. 1t would
be far worse if it were not for the COM
partnership of Mig.
Four passenger trains. two running
each way pass the station every day.
and usually four freight trains. The
latter have two or three engines apiece
on account of the heavy grades. and
the helpers" as the extra engines are
called. usually return after helping the
trains up the hills to Central City or
Georgetown. East of Forks Creek is
a single track hut at the station the
road DIVORCES. The right fork goes to
the gold regions of Central City and
Black Hawk and the left to the silver
regions of Georgetown and Silver
Plume. When coming down the grade
the engineers whistle for the main line
giving a different signal. according to
the branch Of the fork they are on.
This work. although there is not
very much of it, requires the constant
attention of the agent, because the
freight trains are likely to come
along at any time.
Now Mig has been a prominent rail-
roader ever since his birth. which hap
pened in a deserted box car four years
ago. His mother was in very reduced
circumstances, but with an intelli-
gence which has since manifested
itself in her son. she chose the best
available place in which to raise
family without paying rent.
Mr.. Davis adopted Mig. and by the
time he was year old he became
keenly interested in railroad mango
ment. He always watched what his
master was doing with the keenest in
terest. and never interrupted him with
frivolous acts such as some otherwise
excellent dogs are given to. While a
thing was being done he would stand
with tail erect and still and head held
slightly to one side. When it was done
he would wag his tail vigorously. in
ulcdtlnS tndt ne uHueTStOOu, anu ali
was well.
The signals to switch have sounded
in his ears ever since he was an infant
learning to walk. In time he came to
know the difference between the toots
for the different tracks. He heard one
sound and he noted that the train
went on one line. and he heard the
other sound and noted that it went on
the other line. In studying the life of
young Mig we find that he was con-
tinually observing what was going on
around him. and that he never wasted
the precious hours. Thus he has
grown up to be the most famous dog
in Colorado. holding an order for one
large steak a day. Little boys and
girls should follow his example.
Having mastered the duties of the
station agent in theory. he determined
one day to put them into practice.
When the signal was given he ran to
the switch and tried to open it. At
first he had some difficulty. but after
three trials he learned to lift it out of
the slot with his nose and push it
around with his paws. He deserves