The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
AS TOLDBY AL MOORE
That Versatile Writer Tells Story
About Former Brakeman
Glaze of OsCeold.

Anul Wi SoSiAV HlISVA hSAlS OA0h y
About Former Brakeman
Glaze of OsCeold.
AN iNSTALLMENT OF A BATCH OF TALES
THAT WILL RESULT FROM MooRE'S
RECENT TRIP OVER THE O.
How Verdant Railroader pumped Water
for an Engine with the Swing
Bar of a Water Crane.
Down at Osceola, two weeks ago,
while on jaunt over the Burlington, l
met Bill Glaze, brakeman of the an
Gent time. Bill was assistant editor on
the weigh car with which l made the
first trip over the old middle division,
from Creston to Ottumwa, nearly
twenty years ago. At the time he was
braking behind for Conductor Lou
Reno. He knew every foot of track
from the Ottumwa yards to the derail-
ing switch at East Creston. The "hog-
backs" "dips," reverse curves and
grades were so familiar to Bill that he
could shut his eyes the darkest night
and get his train under control at just
the right place. Bill's sense of humor
was quite embarrassing to me for some
time after became member of the
crew. lie is the genius who once sent
me twenty car lengths over to the head
end to ask the engineer for "frog."
The latter was equal to the emergency
and "pushed the joke along'' by grave
ly explaining to me that he was just
out of frogs, but volunteered the sug-
gestion that could secure an excellent
supply if would take a cob and go
over to an adjacent pond. Dense as 1
was caught the faint glimmer of the
joke, but returned TO the way car
greatly mystifed. The next flash of
Bilps humor illuminated the opaque
ness in the vicinity of Lucas. Here
there was water crane at which pas.
senger trains quench their thirst. 1t
was set parallel to the main line and
passing tracks so it could be swung
either way. 1t was turned by long
iron bar attached to the center by a
stout hinge. Bill knew about this
crane and brilliant idea Illuminated
his mind. After the train had dropped
down Whitebreast grade he strolled
over ahead to where was standing on
top about four box cars from the engine
and becoming quite confidential, re-
marked:
"You were not born on fiat car and
you're not next to everything on this
line. There's gang O. geezers that 'ud
string you if they had half chance,
but I'm going to impart to you some
valuable information SOS they can't
made a monkey of you. See! Now
down here at Lucas, the next town
there's water crane. l don't NEAR
one of them birds that wades about or
stills in the water. looking for suckers
but thing to give the engine a drink
Usually the water runs out the spout
itself, but something in its internal
machinery's wrong and SO you'll have
to pump some to help it along.
heard the engineer and fireman putin
up job back at Charlton to guy you
so I've come over to head 'em off
NUNS the word, cause if they knew l d
tipped their mits there'd be no Twin
with 'em,''
Having delivered himself of this cor
pulent chunk of wisdom, Bill winkeC
solemnly turned about and walked back
to the way car. When we pulled in OF
the passing track at Lucas and haC
drawn opposite the water crane, the
fireman told me to hop of and turn the
spout around SO he could take water,
did so.
"Now young feller," he remarked
oracularly, "there's some green ones or
the main stem O. this road that CAM
tell the difference between a box ca,
and mouse trap, but you look cute
am charitable enough to believe
there's some raw material in you for 6
Teller to work on, though you cant
always tell from the tenor of a letter
from the sold man request your pres
ence at the office whether he's goin' tc
set you up to handling throttle OF
dump you in the scrap heap for thirty
days. Now, as beglnnin,' you twis
that wheel around in the box dowr
there, and then you grab that lever and
pump for life. The water'll start al
right, but you'll have to work the
handle like the dickens to keep it from
shutting off,"
| twisted the wheel which worked the
valve that controlled the flow of water
A stream six inches in diameter poured
from the spout and dropped with {
great splash into the tank.
"Grab that handle and keep it NOV