El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-09
LINK AND PIN.
THE WHEEL OF LIFE.


few weeks ago a gang of work
men were busy at the crossing OF the
Southern Pacific traks and Mesa ave-
nue.. They we're putting in the APP
paJatus that raises and lowers tie long
d. sIivegS of wood that shoot out across
the street when a train is passing.
In the gang was Il nan who answered
to the name of Joe Lemry. To the
eye he was as fine specimen of Drawn
and muscle as any one could desire to
see He swung the 20-pound sledge as
easily and untiTingly as the advertising
agent wiclds mis- little tack hammer
on telegraphic poles. AS he worked he
watched out OF the corner OF his eye
the easy fitting of the bicycles as they
passed him on the crossing and rapid
1y disappeared in the perspective.
Though very familiar to him IN the abb
stract they were not at all familiar
to him in the concrete and longing to
possess one and ride it entered his
mind The longing grew until it had
entire control of his thoughts so that
he decided 70 ccnfide his desire to the
foreman of the gang. TIE foreman was
a good fellow and he agreed to stand
surety for the money until payday
came around. Accordingly thsy re-
paired to one of the local bicycle
stores, and Joe after being initiated in
to all the mysteries of ball bearings
double tires, SprOcketS, and so forth.
eventually became the proud DOSSeSSOr
of a brand new shining and nickle
plated wneeIl. 1t is best to pass over
that heart-brakinS and clothes-deStroy-
ing period when the uninitiated is
learning to keep the rear wheel track
ing the front wheel Joe showed up at
work with a new brand of the struggle
somewhere about his anatomy. but he
was not easily daunted and finally tri-
uMphed to the extent that he could
go down the street without bringing up
in someone's back yard. Then the
pleasure began and Joe literally lived
On his wheel.
But as turn the wheel under the pro-
polling power of it's rider, so turns the
wheel of life under the guiding power
of the Great Mover of all things. Yes
terday came letter to the proprietors
of the local bicycle shop. 1t bore the |
sad intelligence that Joe while riding
his wheel during the evening in the |
town of Maria had suddenly lurched
forward and had fallen over the handle |
DarS-dead. The wheel of life had stop |
ped revolving. and the human machine |
was as inanimate as the iron one that |
lay by its side in the road. ,,
CORRIGAN STARTS WORK.
Dirt will commence flying today III |
Oklahoma. says the Kansas City Jour |
nal. Bernard Corrigan starts work I'M |
der his contract 10 build III miles of |
railroad for the Choctaw railroad Cur |
i0usly enough. the work has been de-
layed through the Intervention of a for |
mer Kansas Cityian. w. J. Scott. man
who practiced law in Kansas City for |
some time.
Scott has been looking after conces-
sions and options from Indians. and
professed to have tied up whole coun-
ties OF coal. iron. oil. and grass lands.
The route of the proposed extension
on the Choctaw cid not suit his ideas
and he went into court to have the
work stopped. Eventually the row
reached the office of the secretary Of
the interior Mainline the railroad had
rur its surveys. called for bids, let the
contract to a Kansas City man, Bernard
COrrigan, and stood ready to begin
spending the 81 900 900 the Corrigan
grading and laying contract called for.
and the other $500 900 which the steel
and cross ties will cost. On Friday the
department of the interior turned Scott
down on every point he raised. the
right of way was opened to the rail-
road Mr.. Corrigan was telegraphed
to ship his headquarters and order the
grading crews to start and yesterday he
himself made the announcement.
incidentally this is the heaviest con-
tract of the kind that has been let In
the United States in five years and al
though all the country bidding against
him, the Kansas man secured the
award.