Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-17

could Is dol Al ths Third Sand Spsople.
even this little midget, were beyond lis
help today it seemed.
'sHo, ! Ant afradss the child said.
seeing the anxiety ON his face and laugh
ing at II. ssThe last time granny didn't
come home till day after tomorrow, aud Il
want afraid. Y / lest play and take maps
ON the floor. Guess I'll take one now
Them boys y havin 4 bonfire some
where's. smell smoke, and it makes me
sleepy. Goodbyn
There was nothing for Jack to do but
50 home.
AFTER all. nothing could happen TO her
unless the props under that thing should
give way some time. But, then. II that
should happen, ten grannies couldn't hefp
her much,"' be. said to himself, that
thing" being q great storage tank full OF
oil set up ON atilts on the hillside Just
above the cabin.
Jack followed the trnmway home, for
It led directly TO their back gate, and ut
once fell to work putting the lever in
place on the hand car. That was alb
sorbfng work. When he got II done at,
last and came out Of his little work
shanty. he found that things were hap
pening.
That little FIRE In the woods was al
ready an army with banners Of fame
and smoke, moving swiftly to destroy.
All the men OF the Third Sand had gone
out to meet and fight the terrible in
vadef. Many Of the Oldtown men had.
gone TO help them. More were running
20 join them. and jack ran with these.
.tOh. It's an too late!" Jack gasped as
he ran. "a thousand men couldn't stop
that Ere now!n
For all the world over there beyond
the hills seemed dreadfully alive with
rushing Are and smothering smoke. They
could hear the ruar Of the flames, and
the cincers fell in showers about them.
They came to { high place where they
could zee the actual swelter of the FIRE.
Then all stopped In their tracks APP
palled. One great cry of dismay sound
ed, then MI the tumult Of the crowd was
hushed into silence. The Oldest man
there had never seen a fire like that.
Third Sand was doomed. Everybody
realized that. The very air Of the place
was alvays ready for kindling. It was
fIl Of petroleum gas, and the watchers
feared to zee It burst into flames before
their eyes. The fierce gale now raging
had brought the dre so close and had
% spread 1t about on all sides OF the
fated place and was hailing such q storm
Of blasing FACETS down into the hollow
that It seemed q miracle that derricks
and tanks were not on Are already.
I'VE must help get the folhs out!
That's al We can do"
And some % tho Oldtown men started
down the hill to run the gauntlet of FIRE.
Jacks father shouted after them, calling
them back.
mo man living can get in from this
side now. We must go in by the rail.
road. And We must 80 by train. The
1875 b almost due, and We must capture
that. Come On, men!!
So the men ran full speed for the Old.
town station. Jack going with them. 10,
now the railroad cut between Oldtown
and Third Sand was the only breach in
that wall OF fame. What dreadful hap.
penings there might be, even now. with.
In that wall they could only imagine, fol
they could not see.
The 1888 train up was already at the
station when they got there. 1t had
taken on a score of hardy men besides
q willing crew.
The people never tire Of telling how
those brave men came back out Of ths
seething furnace of blazing tanks AM
derricks and houses, their clothing
scorched, their hair singed, the sides e
the train chnrred and smoking, bu
bringing with them every soul out o
Third Sand.