The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1901-04-04
ALONG THE RAILROAD.
Beautiful Scenery, Verdant Fields
A Poem of Nature in Prose.

dutie. a. track walker for the y. q y.
NJ. railroad am promptly on hand at
: o'clock a. m. at the section house,
where find my car awaiting ma
truly sumptuOus vehicle, consisting, a.
il appears 10 ne. mostly Of wheels and
grease, the latter prcpondera'ing.
Well, think there is this consolation,
that plenty OF grease on my clothes Will
perhaps render them waterproof.
have a fun train crew allowed me,
consisting Of engineer. brakeman, con-
ductor. etc. or which am the one and
all. The motive power is armstrong,
and when the gentle zephyr breeZes
blow il requires strong arms, TO say
nothing Or stronger adjectives that are
luckily waited away DER the solitude OF
the prairie, a. with the perspiration
pouring down my face. battle against
Il heavy wind and an up grade. III"
wind, in very wantOnees, takes you In
it, arms caressingly. Now, | am mod
est man, and IL j. too en- barassing, es-
pecially d. the top OF the grade is as
vet afar of. my back and arr2s aching.
TO say nothing OF numerous painful blis-
tero that line my hands, and the steam
is evidently getting low in my boiler.
with long pull and a strong pull L
force my way onward until the haven
is reached and stop minute to draw
a long breath. Luckily my crew are
well trained ana in all things act rs
one. Being fully alive as TO the re-
sponsibility Of my position my eyes are
ever glued to the glittering steel rails,
watching vigilantly for broken rails,
fish plates bolts, etc. Negligence might
mean ditched train, serious injury or
even loss OF human life and lifelong
remorsc. | have often heard quoted:
The steeIy glance Of his eyes, | am
sure mine must by this time be a regu-
lar pair Of annihilatCrs.
The ride from Lordsburg to within
few miles Of Duncan, except for the
relief of the ever present mountains.
delightful after a long journey through
the monotonous level prairies thai
weary the eye with their everlasting
samcncss. \ few miles from the sum
nit we pass Il number of men and mules
widening the road bed, the scrapers
glit;ering in the sun as they constantly
dump their load Of dirt. Presently We
pass their camp of many tents, the blue
smoke curling from the chimney OF the
mess tent brspeak5 bountiful fare for
the hungry workers when they come
In at noon.
On reaching Summit we stop to get
summit To eat, and adjOurning to our
dining car Ia tin pail) we do justice toa
hearty meal, for the exercise is at least
conducive to a healthy appetite. The
grade from Summit is decidedly down
hill and we are able muster up courage
To hum little tune, only Il little one,
however for our be Flows are sore from
previous excrtions. We stop frequently
to replace broken bolts, etc. Swing
ing around q cure we come on the steel
gang busy as Il hive of bees. The dark
kinncd McXicans in their quaint peak
cd hats and their brilliant-colored
sashes look very picturesque. They
are under the supervision of white fore
men, and verify they are but children.
these brown men. You teach them to
do u thing Il certain way to-day, tOmor-
row .and every other day while life last,
They are willing to be taught, but evil
IDENTITY most unwilling to exercise
enough brain power to remember
things, or perhaps they think it amuses
the forcmen, and certainly does not
hurt them.
y few miles from Duncan we pass the
NJ rmOn settlement with its well-tiled
farms, and cross many bright. running
irrigating bitches taken from the Gill,
river. The little town Of Duncan is
gem OF beauty. After the treeless
plains great cottonwood trees growing
on the river bottom, their branches
laden with mistletoe the green alfalfa
fields, or the cool brown of newly turn
ed earth, makes delightful picture.
Through the midst the swift, spar king
ella river takes its course.
The ride from Duncan To Guthrie is
very beautiful and we'll worth Jour-
ney Ia see. The hills on the left ar.
barren and stoney, with struggling
mesquite or grease wood. but on the
right the rich cultivated bottom lands
with the silvcry band of the river ever
visible. On all sides II conglomeration
OF mountains in endless confusion a. il
thrown no by some Titan hand. The
hills are covered with small green
plant. giving them n pitted appearance
as if suffering from a bad attack of
ereen measles; the clear water of the
irrigating bitches rejecting back the
suns rays rs they carry the life-giviug
waters To the thirsty earth and prom
i,inS rich harvest to the sewers of
seed. An occasional white cropping OF
stone on the hills would indicate the
presence Of lime stone. The brown
adobe houses OF the settlers are in keep
ing with the color so prevalent. On q
point near bridge IS is Spanish bay
onvt plant that, for couple of hun
dred yards ere reaching il, does not re-
Quire Il very vivid imagination to turn
into great ostrich, standing with
head erect, as il keenlv alive to the
sense of danger, watching the coming
car. | have often passed the place
and the resemblance, If anything,
grows stronger.