Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-10-30
0nn- I6NhnY F0TheT WOrked one night

"
Merchandise freight westbound dash
"a into gravel pit. The wreck was
not Il serious one rs the train had
kept the rails Of the Y, hut when
it was discovered later That half
a car of silk was missing from this
train, and said silk was traced from
Chicago to the pit and there lost sight
of. talk about ghosts and other queer
things was considerable.
The company gained 10 clow to the
method in which the silk was taken.
and in a month or 50, except to the de-
tectives, the thing was forgotten Then
came another wreck at the dark pit,
a bad wreck. and in that the company
lost nearly carload of mixed NOR
chandise. Now the ghosts or thieves
got away with it was mystery
Wagon tracks wcrc looked for, but not
found. Not a road except that of the
rails led into the pit The nearest
farmhouse was mile away from the
pit. The trainmpn of the Wreck-those
that survived the wild plunge over a
misplaced sWiich-rep0rtcd that farm
erS came to their assistance.
When the third wreck occurred.
about 7 O'Clock one evening. and the
wires conveyed the news to Chicago
the officials looked blankly al each
other Officers and help were ordered
to the spot. hut as ii would take three
or four honrs to get there in the mean
time the train and its men had to be
left to their own care. This wreck
had not injured the main line at all
and McFadden. coming east with the
Orange limited. found at the last sta
ton before the pit would be reached
that he could sail through without de-
lay.
"Hal wreck" lie asked his conductor.
"Iwo dead and everything pied up
In the pit" was the answer.
"Is if a ghost?' he asked Fireman
Forbes in return
Its human devils out for loot" said
Johnny. breaking up the coal into
pieces as small as an apple and spread
ing it over his fire with great even
ness. He gave The sides and corners or
his tireboX a little the preference IN
placing his coal, but only practlced
eye could have told that. Stili. that
little trick had already given Forbes
tie name of being the best fireman Tor
the company Oh the road.
Mci1adden settled himself down IN
his cab seat. giving his engine Just
enough steam toGlnake her start easy
and increase in speed gradually. The
night was uncommon!y dark, ana While
he kept his eye on the rail his hlno
wandered ahead to where his iA'oW
workmen were in the ditch, some dead,
some injured. all i'll danger.
had he been his own master he
would have stopped the express at Il
gravel pit and gone to the assistance o.
tile injured crew. hut his orders We're
TO come in fast and on Time and Nc
Fadelcn always ohcycd. From the
wreck his mind passed to thoughts OF
Brush, and his happy married life the
goodness of the president to him, ana
the general happiness in being alive,
healthy and able to work,
His engine WAS making fine head
way now AID the song of the wheels
on the rails made Wild music.
Coming down to the pitt said
Forbes to him.
Both men cfanrd thcir necl;s for sig
nals, but the gifts 1T tie switches
were white. no}.n N the pit some
lanterns were moving. and oup of tAem
waved fcehly as tLey rushed by just
east OF Tie pit the track cNrVod IN "A
series Of short reyerstS. tlen shot ont
straight, then curved again. Mcfad-
den always kept Il sharp watch IN there
for stray cattle on people walking On
the track. so this night he pceI"d
ahead. feeling the eXuItation oi his
engine, the blast of the wind and the
uplifting the night possesses for any
one compelled to live much in it.
Forbes left his firing and came and
stood behind him Il moment, as WAS
his frequent wont. Both men we're
Watching the rail and the curves ahead,
and then they saw the dim outline OF "A
car HllpHu vi llItll. StN' 'li INV iii- -
ures heard a wild scream. and what
ever had happened was over. McF'ad-
den got his train stopped. happy lie
was still on the rail. The train crew
were out with frightened passengers
looking for what had been struck.
After awhile they found pieces OF two
push cars, couple of bodies, two bad
ly injured men and a considerable
quantity of merchandise in bundles
and packages Then it was not eX-
planable, but the next morning COM
pany agents. talking with one of the
injured men, who was dying, learned
the mystery of the gravel pit ghost
Half a dozen young farmers sons,
wild and hayward boys, had noted the
Y track into the pit and the east, with
which passing freighis could be shunt-
ed in there They had also mapped
out the scheme of breaking into cars
after wrecks took place-wrecks caus-