Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-12-06

| cleaner imam usual, Cudb AOAAOWSus
without a trace of hesitancy or indie
cision, on the heels of my startling
statement.
as % there?"
"Yes."
ITO C. & E. Eng. %, NJ. J.-No. Q with
| orders to run south track from Roxpury
to Purdon passed Roxbury at 1890; Eng.
I6 east with stock of water at Purdon,
passed M. j. about 1920 without orders.
With empty engine Is run south track
from Nj. j. to Purdon and north track
from Purdon TO Manorville or until you
overtake Eng. 176 and meet No. 9. Re
turn at once and report.
And this came rafting after it:
ITO H. L. c.. N. J.-Cau out wreck force
and be ready to proceed to scene or accl-
dent between Purdon and Manorville. Have
III. W. X"
The excitement then commenced in
earnest. The first message / handed
to the conductor, who took it and
ran downstairs and up the track to
the engine. Old Sam Gusher, who
was running the IS that night, had
just made the round of his oil cups
when the conductor rushed up to
him with the order. | saw him hold
the crumpled bit of paper up to his
torch and read it. Then blowing out
his torch he hurriedly climbed into
his cab. while the conductor ran to
the rear of the tender to remove the
pin. And then, unable longer to sit
still, | ran down the steps and out
onto the platform, where | stood shak-
ing while the old 2S prepared to start
on the strangest trip of her career.
- 1-nr m
and impatient like a race horse wait
ing for the signal to go, | ran over
and climbed up behind old Sam.
You're not going along, Bud?'
asked the old man.
No." / said. ''only do your best to
catch the 176. and report. And say!"
[ cried. as old Sam laid his hand on
the throttle, tell that puddin' head
at Purdon to put his ground wire on
east"
Then I climbed down, while the old
man pulled his cap over his eyes and
gave a jerk at the throttle; and with
a variety of emotions surging within
me I watched the old IS bound for
ward. down the stretch of straight
line and around the curve to the east.
% having seen lHt AkSb XIX SAPNNA
ton properly started, l prepared to
call out the second. After telephon-
ing the ~yardmaster, who always went
out in charge of the wrecking crew.
| ram the call bells which summoned
the wreckers. Before l had finished
ringing the third and last circuit
could see. on the hillside above the
office, where most of the r~ailroaders
resided. lights suddenly spring up in
hitherto dark windows, and dark
shadows fitting about within. Soon
after a struggling stream of lanterns,
bobbing up and down in the hands OF
hurryfng men, old me that the
wreckers were assembling.
When | had reported progress to
Speedy l took off my ground ard
waited 70 hear from PurGon, for / as
sumed that the break" was east of
there. And il was. Five minutes after
old Sam had pulled away from the
tower at Marston there was a click on
the wire. / knew it was Purdon try
ing his ground and / waited eN-
+, ~pectantly. In a moment | heard him
=, report to Speedily hal Eng. % had
{ arrived. crossed over and departed in
pursuit of the 176. the latter having
left there ten minutes before.
Well" said Speedily to me, they
NAV be together now. but they couldn't
have been when the wires went down.
Meanwhile a motley throng had in
vaded the tower anxious to hear what
had happened and what was going to
happen. Their was the yardmaster'
cool and collected, stolidiy pulling at
a cigar; the doctors. carrying their
suggestive cases and looking slightly
pale: the day man, with his box relay,
ready to open communications the min
ute the wreckers reached the scene OF
the accident; and a dozen or more
others who had no particular business
on hand but whose curiosity had to be
satisfied.
The first news came. as l said before,
from Purdon. when he reported the
arrival and departure of Eng. %. Up
until that time I had hoped. and l dare
say Speedily had hoped, that the operator
there might have heard the order 70
No. 9 going over the wire. and held the
176. That hope was now gone. Ac-
~cordingly, Speedy ordered the wreck
ers t. proceed to Purdon. that they
might be that much nearer the scene
when wanted.
Left alone / had ample time to turn
matters over in my mind. and speculate
on what the outcome of the nights
work was going to be. and how / would
be affected by it. / felt that fortune
had not dealt with me squarely: for
a like combination of unfortuitous cir
cumstances would not be likely TO
happen again in n hundred years. OF
all times. why did I fall asleep; why
had the signal played me faise: why
had No Q been sent up south track,
at that particular time?
The clock indicated that if wa 90
minutes. though I would have sworn
it was as many hours, before further
news was forthcoming. 1t came. as
before, from Purdon.
There's something coming up north
track" he reported to Speedily. Their
a moment later: It's Eng. IS"
Craving. yet fearing. to hear the
next word. I leaned out of the open
window and let the night breeze cool
my temples. Then the instrument
began ticking again:
Eng. g here: says that Eng. as west.
in trying to put derailed cars on track al
Manorville. wrecked two more cars. block
ing both tracks and knocking down tele-
graph pole and wires. No. 8 held east of
accident. Eng. 176 stopped half a mile west
of NV. tower. Send wreckers down north
track"
Ill. 49, "a