Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-01-30
GHOST OF THE PIT

kept the rails of the Y, but when
it was discovered later that half
a car of silk was missing from this
train, and said silk was traced from
Chicago to the pit and there lost sight
Of, talk about ghosts and other queer
things was considerable.
The company gained no clew to the
method in which the silk was taken,
and IN a month or so, except to the de-
tectives, the thing was forgotten. Then
came another wreck at the dark pit,
a bad wreck, and in that the company
lost nearly carload of mixed mer-
chandise. Now the ghosts or thieves
got away with it was mystery.
Wagon tracks were looked for but not
found. Not a road except that of the
rails led into the pit. The nearest
farmhouse was a mile away from the
pit. The trainmen of the wreck-those
that survived the wild plunge over a
misplaced switch-reported that farm
ers came TO their assistance.
When the third wreck occurred,
about 7 o'clock one evening, and the
wires conveyed the news to Chicago,
the officials looked blankly at each
other. Officers and help were ordered
to the spot, but as it would take three
or four hours to get there in the mean
time the train and its men had to be
left to their own care. This Freck
had not injured the main line at all,
and McFadden, coming east with the
Orange limited, found at the last sta
ton before the pit would be reached
that he could sail through without de-
lay.
bad wreck?'' he asked his conductor.
1.-TWO dead and everything pied up
in the pit" was the answer.
'Is it a ghost" he asked Fireman
Forbes in return.
tits human devils out for loot" said
Johnny, breaking up the coal into
pieces as small as an apple and spread
ing 1t over his fire with great even
ness. He gave the sides and corners or
his flrebox little the preference in
placing his coal, but only a practced
eve could have told that. Still, that
little trick had already given Forbes
the name Of being the best fireman for
the company on the road.
McFadden settled himself down in
his cab seat, giving his engine just
enough steam to make her start easy
and Increase in speed gradually. The
night was uncommonly dark, and while
he kept his eye on the rail his mlnd
wandered ahead to where his fellow
workmen were in the ditch, some dead,
some injured, all in danger.
Had he been his own master he
would have stopped the express at the
gravel pit and gone to the assistance or
the injured crew, but his orders were
to come in fast and on time, and Nc
Fadden always obeyed. From the
wreck his mind passed to thoughts OF
Brush, and his happy married life, the
goodness of the president to him, and
the general happiness in being alive,
healthy and able to work.
His engine was making fine head
way now, and the song of the wheels
Oh the rails made wild music.
Coming down to the pit" said
Forbes to him.
Both men craned their necks for sig
mails, but the lights at the switches
were white. Down in the pit some
lanterns were moving, and one of them
waved feebly as they rushed by. Just
east of the pit the track curved In a
series of short reverses, then shot out
straight, then curved again. McFad-
den always kept sharp watch in there
for stray cattle or people walking on
the track So this night he peered
ahead, feeling the exultation of his
engine, the blast Of the wind and the
uplifting the night possesses for any
one compelled to live much in it.
Forbes left his firing and came and
stood behind him moment, as was
his frequent wont. Both men were
watching the rail and the curves ahead,
and then they saw the dim outline of
car ahead of them, several moving fig
ures, heard a wild scream, and what
ever had happened was over. McFad-
den got his train stopped, happy he
was still on the rail. The train crew
were out with frightened passengers
looking for what had been struck.
After awhile they found pieces of two
push cars, a couple of bodies, two bad
ly injured men and a considerable
quantity Of merchandise in bundles
and packages. Then ii was not ex-
plainable, but the next morning com
pany agents, talking with one of the
injured men, who was dying, learned
the mystery OF the gravel pit ghost"
Half dozen young farmers sons,
wild and wayward boys, had noted the
Y track into the pit and the ease with
which passing freights could be shunt
ed in there. They had also mapped
out the scheme Of breaking into cars
after wrecks took place-wreckS caus-
ed by themselves-and of loading their
plunder on to push ears held on the
track near by. These cars were rapid
ly run down the track a couple of miles
and then unloaded on to wagons stand
Ing in the road. They were stored in a
distant granary, from which in time
they were conveyed into Chicago and
sold at a considerable profit to the
thieves. The use of the push cars had
covered completely the manner in
which the goods were taken from the
cars and the blackness of the gravel
pit itself had made it easy work to loot
a car while pretending to be rescuers
Of the injured.
The night of the last wreck in their
the young criminals had
forgotten that they were working on
the time of the Orange limited. They
did not know it was upon them until |
the electric headlight flashed out and It
was too late to escape. So the ghost"
,f the gravel pit was laid forever.-Chi- |
csgo Record-Herald.
Virginia is taking steps to hold IN |
In 1907 to commemorate the |
'our hundredth anniversary of the
of Jamestown, the first per-
nanent English settlement within the |