The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-04-15

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FLASH OF LIGHTNING SHOWED THE TRES
TILE HANGING IN MIDAIR-
faultless. Her headlight shone with
dazzling brilliancy. she was polished
from pilot to tender. and the high light
on her great boiler shone in the electric
light which flashed before the dis
FATHERS Office.
The new engineer climbed aboard,
and when the fireman came back from
the Office he was standing in the cab,
silently looking her over He reached
for the throttle and pinched it gently.
Not for the world would he abuse this
steed.
In mute obedience the racer started
forward noiselessly, for her exhaust
was mufiied. and she was not being
forced. Slowly she glided over the
switches until the station shed was
reached. Then, dropping into the main
line, she crept ahead to the edge of the
depot and waited for her burden.
At 7:45 the yardmaster climbed
aboard and introduced the enginemen,
who up to this time had scarcely
spoken a word John" he said, adj
dressing the fireman, this is Will
Donohue You two have nasty run
before you. No. 5 is twenty minutes
late because of rains over toward Chi
eago. Think you can make it up?"
He was looking at Donohue, who
nodded CURLY. 81 don't know any
thing about her capacity, but she re-
spends quickly and runs smoothly.
I'll test her tonight"
The yardmaster looked serious.
Don't be too daring. This locomo-
tive has one bad fault. She can't stop
quickly. She needs plenty of room.
See that she has it." And he jumped
from the locomotive
At 8:23 the Limited slid. dripping,
into the depot. Her engine. worn out,
ratified off to the roundhouse. and No
$50 glided down the track and gently
made the couplings. No. was COM
posed of seven cars, five vestibuled
Pullmans and two heavily loaded mail
cars. The superintendent, who had
COAAC OfCl LnC tAlinOAS 0itlSlOu Will
her, hurried forward.
1.-The storms following you, with
gale blowing from the east. If you run
fast. you may keep ahead of it till the
times made up
He ran back to the train and climbed
aboard as Donohue slid his window
shut and opened the throttle.
The stars were fading, the sky was
clouded, and brisk wind started up,
advance guards of the storm. In {, mo-
ment they were clear of the yards, and
the great engine buckled down to her
work. Every second the speed went up.
1t was fifty miles an hour. fifty-two, if
ty-four Another touch on the throttle,
and she was wide open. The engineer
put the reverse next to the center and
dropped few hodfuls of sand. He
played with her. humored her, urged
her on, and as the speed Increased he
sat down to watch her and the rails
ahead
He wondered whether If the super
intendent had his head out of the car
window, he would now think the wind
came from the east. He would wager
anything that they were not twenty
three minutes late now.
A star suddenly hove in sight on the
horizon. 1t twinkled and grew steadi-
ly larger. 1t was followed by a trail
of weaker light. A meteor? Nearer
and nearer 1t tore along the eastbound
tracks. For brief moment it shone,
dazzling. on $50. then shot past. VIII
Donohue caught glimpse Of a figure
In the cab. the faint CLEAN of the
Pintsch burners in the sleepers, the
sharper lights on the rear end. 1t was
the eastbound fiier. They were sched-
uled to pass at Woodvale, five miles
ahead. The Limited was five minutes
late. She would be on time in a short
while.
But the sky was black with threat
ening clouds. Even then, as the en-
gineer thrust his hand out in the night,
he felt the big raindrops that presage
heavy storm. He must watch sharp
now, for in a moment the tracks would
be soaked and the wheels would be
slipping.
AS the train swept round a curve,
leaning heavily to the left, a streak Of
lightning flashed wildly. There was
a roar and crash of thunder, and the
gale was upon them, driving resistless-
ly, steadily, from the east They were
of the schedule.
Donohue remembering the words of
the yardmaster, rose to shut off some
steam. They skinned over a bridge,
and Win felt it sway beneath them.
By the lightning he had caught a
glimpse of swirling waters and realiz-
ed that in another FIVE minutes that
bridge would be down. Were there
others like it? His fireman touched
his arm.
For Gods sake" he shouted, shut
off, Bill! Waverly trestle's just a mile
ahead, and heaven knows whether
she s there yet!''
Donohue nodded and turned to shove
the throttle in. 1t would not budget
He took both hands to the task and
failed. Again and again he threw his
whole weight on it. Suddenly it went
home. and he fell to the floor of the
cab. In an instant he was on his feet,
and flash of lightning showed the
trestle hanging in midair some dis
lance ahead. They were running nine
ty miles an hour, with gale to push
them forward, slippery rails and wet
wheels for the brakes and an engine
which needed plenty of room in which
to stopI
On the instant that Donohue rose
from his fall the brakes few to the
wheels and sand poured on the STEEL
stream of fire fell from the drivers
and from every wheel on the train.
With a struggle the engineer reversed
the engine. She shuddered as If In the
clutch of death; she reared and shook;
she seemed trying to tear herself to
pieces, but her speed went lower and
lower. The brakes gripped the burn
Ing wheel treads with . grasp Of iron.