The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

for the test fight Of the Yellow Mail.
doubleday spent ali day Thursday
and all Thursday night in the round
house. He had personally gone over
the engines that were TO take the rack
ct in the mountains. Ten wheelers
they were, the 1912 and the 1014, with
ntty-Sfx-inch drivers and cylinders big
enough to sit up and eat breakfast in.
Splek and span both of them, Just
long enough cut of the shops to run
smoothly to the work; and on Friday
Oliver Sellers. who, when he opened a
throttle, blew miles over the tender
like feathers. took the 1912, groomed
, like a Wilkes mare. down to Piedmont
for the run up TO the Bend.
Now Oliver Sellers was a runner in a
thousand, and steady as a clock; but
he had a fireman who couldn't stand
prosperity, Steve Horigan, a cousin Of
Johnnie's. The glory was too great
for Steve. and he spent Friday night
in Gallagher's place celebrating. telling
the boys what the 10l2 would do TO the
Yellow Mall So when Steve showed
up at a. IN. to superintend the move
ment, he was Seasick. The minute Sol
lers set eyes on him he objected to TAX
ing him out.
Neighbor himself was on the Pied
mont platform that morning. watching
things. The McClOud diSpatchers had
time, and her smoke was due with the
rise of the sun. The big superintend-
ent of motive power, watching anxious
~ for her arrival and planning anx-
iously for her outgoing, glared at the
bunged fireman in front of him. and
when Sellers protested NeighbOr
turned on the swollen Steve with sore
" bitter words and while they poured
on the guilty Steve's crop there was
shout down the platform. In the east
the sun was breaking over the sand
hills, and below it a haze of black
thickened the horizon 1t was Nc
Terra with the sos and the Yellow Mail.
Neighbor looked at his watch. She
was, II anything, a minute to the good.
When McTerza blocked the big driv-
ers at the west end of the depot every
eye was on the new equipment. Three
standard railway mail cars, done in
vanished bUttercup, strung out be-
hind the sizzling engine, and they
looked pretty as cowslips- While
Neighbor vaguely meditated on their
beauty Jimmie Bradshaw, just in from
a night run down from the Bend,
walked across the yard. He had seen
Steve Horigan making a "sneak for the
bathhouSe. and from the yard gossip
Jimmie had guessed the rest.
What are you looking for, Neigh
bor?'' asked Jimmie Bradshaw
y man " uIC AOE SOllGES-uD- OO
You want ito"
Neighbor threw it at him cross and
carelessiy, not having any idea Jimmie
was looking for trouble But Jimmie
surprised him.
Sure I want it. Put me on I'm
fresh as rainwater- Put me on, Neigh
Dor; III never get fast any other way.
Doubleday wouldn't give me a fast run
in hundred years.
There wasn't much time to look
around; the 1912 was being coupled on
to the mail for the hardest run on the
line
Get in there, you blamed idiot"
roared NeighbOr presently at Jimmie
Get in and fire her; and if you don't
give Sellers two hundred and ten
pounds every inch of the way I'll set
you back wiping"
Jimmie lost no time climbing in. The
1912 was drumming at her gauge with
better than two hundred pounds. Adam
Shafer, conductor for the run. ran
backward and forward a minute exam
lining the air. At the final word from
his brakeman he lifted two fingers at
Sellers; Oliver opened a notch. and
Jimmie Bradshaw stuck his head out of
the gangway. Slowly, but with swift
" rising speed. the yellow string be-
gan to move out, and those who
watched from the Piedmont platform
thought a smoother equipment never
drew out Of the mountain yards