The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-12
AWILD RIDE
II Was Made by Veteran En-
gineer and a Fireman.

q 1t Was Made by Veteran En- g
3 gineer and a Fireman. a
6aosoaososo:oo sosoaoeosos6
1t was in Colorado, on one of the
widest and toughest railroads l know
Of.
I was fireman on 81, 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 a run. 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's voice drop
ped to whisper. "One 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 astonishment
with his eyes. but never opened his
mouth.
The superintendent merely glanced al
me and. turning to Matt, continued:
"A lone engine might create suspi
ciOn. so we'll 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. Ee jumped OF and dis
appeared.
For some time Matt and sat staring
al each other. Then lie slid OF 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, whisk;ng the dust and papers
about, while in the south 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
81 found it pinned to my cushion"
On it was scrawIed with lead pen
| ell the words:
| Danger! Don't pull the wild freight tonight il
l you value your lives. TRuE FRIEND.
81 make it that some one beside the
| superintendent and US knows Of it"
| replied, the cold shivers beginning to
| chase each other up my spinal column
| There's danger aheadv'
"Aye, there Is danger ahead, my
boy" Aud old Matt spoke softer than
1 had ever heard him before. If you
want to-
"In 60 where you lead" l replied
quickly, knowing what he was going
to say.
':.Then well go through IL it takes
the wheels out from under! Ring uI
the wipers"
And, without waiting for the hostlel
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 foul
trusty men soon had the square saft
under the coal.
A few minutes later we were coupled
on to a half dozen empty freight car.
and a caboose.
s'Therc's your Orders! cried Jimm!
OConnOr, the conductor, showing vi
the yellow sheet of tissue paper.
Old Matt looked them over, and W,
began to move out of town.
"We've got clear track" he said
looking across al me. and then he drew
up the corners of his mouth. and look
for quick run.
Before we rea ,hed the outskirts o
the town the rail- began to come dow
in perfect deluge.
Great drops fell. mixed with hail
and i'm such quantity that the DIR.
| drains were soon transformed into rag
ing creeks.
The wind howled and shrieked aboy
the rumble of the train and threatene'
| to lift Ga off the rails. When the tele
graph poles began to snap off, Matt
face began 10 lengthen.
Good night for wash overs" he said
land wash overs are as bad as wash
outsv'
Ii was all down grade, and all th
steam used was 10 run the air pump.
had only to keep the fire alive.
Eight miles down we ran past
small station where a freight train wa
side tracked. 1t had perhaps a doze
: cars.
/ Just before we reached it l saw
, man dart in between two of the car
! to escape the headlight.
! / thought him either trainnan @
tramp, but have since changed m
mind.
We were half way down the Havel
: sack grade. with straight stretc
of track and long curve before u
when Matt looked across and said:
'T'm afraid the little pasteboard va
: ouly a scare. IT,
There was . nash Of light beht0f