Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-11-13
A WILD RIDE
1t Was Made by Veteran En-
gineer and Fireman.
'c9c9C3CCaC1C9E

C@C9c3C3caC3 CC3C4C.C3C4C4C
1t was in Colorado, on one of the
widest and toughest railroads know
Of.
was fireman on 67, which was used
In the passenger service. She had the
largest drivers on the road, and they
only measured forty-eight inches in d.
ameter. Matt Irwin was the engineer.
Sixty-seven had just been housed aft
er run. l was filling the oil cans and
Matt was hauling off his overalls when
Mr.. Fox, the superintendent, climbed
into the cab.
After a few commonplace remarks
he said abruptly:
Matt. there's been a big mistake
made in the higher offices-but that is
not for us to criticise-and there Is but
one way to rectify it."
Here the superintendent voice drop
ped to a whisper. Zone hundred and
fifty thousand dollars in gold has got
to be in B before midnight, to con-
meet with the eastern express, and you
are the man selected to take it through"
Old Matt showed his establishment
with his eyes, but never opened his
mouth.
The superintendent merely glanced at
me and, turning to Matt, continued:
"a lone engine might create suspi-
cion, so Wen make up wild freight.
They'll all be empties. Back down to
the offices before you couple on, and
we'll put the safe under the coal in
the tender"
That was all. He jumped off and dis
appeared.
For some time Matt and sat staring
| AT each other. Then he slid off his seat
| and said:
This won't do! Supper, Harry; sup
per! We haven't much time to lose. 1t
only lacks few minutes Of 6. Be back
before the quarter"
The wind was whistling among the
cars, whisking the dust and papers
about, while In the south a big black
cloud was coming up. respondent with
chain lightning. Altogether the night
promised to be unusually bad.
was back on time. but Matt was
there before me. He had lighted the
shaded steam gauge lamp and stood
scanning a small piece Of pasteboard.
''What do you make of this, Harry?"
he asked as climbed up beside him.
II found it pinned to my cushion"
On it was scrawled with lead PEN
Gil the words:
Danger! Don't pull the wild freight tonight IL
you value your lives. A TRUE FRIEND.
81 make it that some one beside the
replied, the cold shivers beginning to
chase each other up my spinal column.
There's danger aheadv'
AYE, there is danger ahead. my
boy" And old Matt spoke softer than
l had ever heard him before. IF you
want to-
'I'll go where you lead" l replied
quickly. knowing what he was going
to say.
"Then we'll go through if 1t takes
the wheels out from under! Ring up
the wipers"
And. without waiting for the hostler
to run the engine out, old Matt backed
her on to the turntable, where the
wipers swung her around, and then we
backed down to the offices, where four
trusty men soon had the square safe
under the coal
A few minutes later we were coupled
on TO half dozen empty freight cars
and a caboose.
There's your orders" cried Jimmy
O'Connor, the conductor. showing up
the yellow sheet of tissue paper
Old Matt looked them over. and we
began to move out of town.
"We've got clear track" he said.
looking across at me, and then he drew
up the corners of his mouth. and look
for quick run.
Before we reached the outskirts of
the town the rain began to come down
in perfect deluge ~~~-
Great drops fell, mixed with hail.
and in such quantity that the dry
drains were soon transformed into rag
ing creeks.
The wind howled and shrieked above
the rumble of the train and threatened
to lift 81 off the rails. When the tele
graph poles began to snap off. Mats
face began TO lengrhen.
Good night for wash overs he said.
"and wash overs are as bad as wash
outsr'
1t was all down grade. and all the
steam used was TO run the air pump.
had only to keep the fire alive.
Eight miles down we ran past
small station where n freight train was
side tracked. II had perhaps a dozen
cars.
Just before we reached II | saw a
man dart in between two of the cars
to escape the headlight.
thought him either trainman or
tramp. but have since changed my
mind.
We were half way down the Haver-
sack grade, with straight stretch
OF track and a long curve before us,
when Matt looked across and said:
I'm afraid the little pasteboard was
only scare. r.
There was flash Of light behind,