The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-27
CHAPTER vi.
Copyright, 1901, by Charles King


than a brook eight months OF the year.
but Is advertised all the year round as
one of the scenic attractions OF the Seat
tie road. much TO the disgust or the gem
eral passenger and ticket agent OF the
Big Horn, whose right OF way Is, IN his
opinion, twice invaded, by the stream IT
self and then by the Seattle. Following
the north bank OF the Red Water, the
Big Horn -had-tn-e encounter all The en-
gineering difficulty OF laying out stable
roadway across the mouth or this little
tributary that In the months or meltins
SHOWS became n boiling torrent and the
expense of constructing a massive bridge,
while the spectacular effect was lost on
It's passengers because that right or way
was scooped out at the base or steep,
rocky chfs- that shut entirely the view
of the cs le and rapids until the car
was directly under them and was then
too close to get the best effect, whereas
from the opposite bank the passengers
OF the Seattle line, sweeping round nne
curve. concave TO the north, were treated
10 a capital view not only OF the foam
ing, spray tossing little cataract and the
leaping rapids back OF and above the Big
Horn briuge. but OF the fine bride itself
and the really magnificent gorge OF the
Red Water between the lines. Big Horn
people thought Il rough that the Seattle
their property. Some OF the directors
advocated boarding up the whole north
side OF their steele truss, thus hiding the
sight from Seattles eyes. But. said 9TH
ers. that would spoil IL for our own pa
irons, besides making II dangerous for
the bridge, for whenever a blizzard ala
sweep from the north--a rare occurrence
near Brentwood--it came for all II was
worth down the selfsame crosscut guicn
and beat In fury against the bridge at It's
foot. The massive stone piers were or
double strength, and the stanch truss or
tempered steel. that would stand any ver-
tical strain the possibilities OF railroadIng
could heap upon It, had twice been pre-
ceptibly shifted by this lateral pressure.
II was for this reason that siding
had been let into the bank for quarter
OF a mile west OF the bridge, and a tram
OF fiat cars, heavily laden with railway
iron was kept there until certain says
and anchors could be made and set anu
the bridge stiffened laterally--a long up
GRAFTON. The object was 10 run those
cars out on the bride, set the brakes
and by this vast increase OF weight so
add TO its stability as 20 bid defiance
when the elements threatened. The re-
pairs had been made and that auli-
airy train removed before the manage
ment was called on TO resist storm
OF far greater magnitude and very DIFF
ferent character. But the siding was
still there "It may come in hany some
day" said the division superintendent.
and the day appeared to have come. Old
hands minded them OF that old tram,
and some fat cars were loaded up.
The American is never satisfied with the
powers OF his own verbs-to add. to load,
to open, TO saddle and others Of that ilk.
He must, as he conceives strengthen each
by the suppostion OF up" despite the
fact that when correctly done there Is
no difference In the result OF adding up
n. 81. .a1h h1NH ct
talk of adding UP a column, the section
boss loads up his team, the railway
"opens up the new region, the trooper
saddles up" histeed, and the newspaper
sanctions and follows the example. Old
hands knew It wouldn't do to hinder the
mail trains, so the bridge was not de-
stroyed or even blocked against them, but
on the rumor that troops were coming
conservative fellows among the strikers
ran those iron laden cars down grade TO
the siding and there held them in readi-
ness to be showed out on the bridge the
moment II was known the dreaded train
had started from Gunnison. 20 miles to the
east One by one the heavy cars were
then showed across the bridge until the
east approach and the span itself were
covered.
Then the more determined took things
In their hands also picks. crowbars and
shovels, and so undermined the track at
a point some 20 yards west OF the bridge
foundation that S should the trTo9Ps 3Pbsr sue a,-
tempt to move the obstructing fats west
ward out of tha way, their weight would
break through the weakened roadbed ana
pile up a barricade OF tangled rails and
ruined fat cars that. without damage to
either engine or troop train, would Of
fectually block their passage, since men
and tools and the wrecking train would
be needed 20 clear the track, ana as mat
ters stood on this 18th of November these
were not 20 be had.
And now at 4:SO in the wlntry gloam-
ing silent save for occasional mutter-
ing, shivering bit from mingled cold
the a%s hands backed by twice their mum
ber OF "toughs" and tramps, were gath
cred about the blvns at Bridge siding.
sound OF the coming train. The rush OF
the Red Water over It's rocky bed In the
gorge below was the only sound that
steadily bore upon the ear. Some few
of the men. painting not a little, We're
laboring up the steep with hats or HANDS
full OF rocks. oyer on the opposite, :. ne ne
southern-shore the concave curve or the
Seattle was lined for n third OF mile
with sympathizing operatives or the iva
road, and for time shouts OF encovrassec enc ,d ,sc
management had echoed from oank tc
bank Now, however the gravity OF the
situation weighed upon .he IeauSrs, ,,,,,n. am
ernmont" as several expressed IL. caus
ed some OF the older men. who had gone
tbrough n harder tussle 20 utter defeat
In 1871 TO draw aside and confer together
in cautious tones. From mere brayadS
an uncouth looking fellow began climhint
the telegraph pole west OF the bridge
and the applause OF certain among th'
tramp element. at other times The ma
turai enemy OF the trainhands, attracte.
tho attention OF the leaders on tho blum
Instantly the query was beloved IRON
above: ~
Hold on What are you at?''
"Cutin' de wire. of course was I'M
shouted answer. and an unkempt fac'
peered upward through the dim twilight
Let n alone you fool. We're runnin
the telegraphr' And n dowp spinning
''dornick," sent by no reluctant mana
skimmed so close 90 the fuzzy head that
amid ieors of derison now. the would ~
wire clipper slid back 10 earth and skalk
ed I'm among his cronies In the shado" o.
the blum. ., ..-.
Barely 200 yards away eastw9rd. acros' ..
the deep rocky Euich. Two nl'i', h " i,i,
tilghted from a buggy One. stannlng
the horses head, nodded appreciativvse,l,N ve,,
"Uear that. major7" he asked. "Thel
have not lost their senses. ,anyhow, -