The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-09-20

when Blackburn left the chair saw him put out his
hand to the night dispatcher. They spoke a minute
and went out and up Third street toward Fred Nor
mans room. vas a gloomy day around the depot
Everybody talking about the trouble and the way
in undertones. little groups in and in rooms
with the doors shut There wasn't much OF that
day there. and it depressing. went home early
to bed for / nights. But the wind sung so.
in the afternoon, that L couldn't quiet down to
sleep
We were handling trains then on the old single or
der system. I mention this because in no other way
could this particular thing have happened but there's
no especial point in that since other particular things
do happen all the time single order double order
The wind had dropped, and there was just a drizze
of rain falling through the mountains when 1 got
down 10 the depot at O'Clock that sunday evening.
I don't know now much sleep Blackburn had had dur
ing the day, but he had been Fred Norman's bed
most of the afternoon with Doubleday Carhart so
Maxwell sent me there with note and his storm
coat for him and the three men were in the then.
Boy-iike, hung around untH II was time FOR Black
burn to take his trick and then he and Doubleday and
walked over to the Wickiup together
At shutdown everything shipshape. There
hadn't been engine failure in the district for
snoothy. MoreoEer there We're no extra sections
marked up and only special the division card.
a theatrical train eastbound with Henry Irving and
was heavy it always is; that night there
baggage cars, a coach and two sleepers. ] am par
tcular to lay all this just as the night opened
when Blackburn took his train sheet because some
sure on the line and sometimes they don't; sometimes
they happen under pressure on the dispatcher him
not only his tick but the first two hours of Freds
tick. which would carry till O'Clock in the morning.
At o Maxwell was to double into a fOur-hour dog
watch and Callahan was to sit in till noon.
There was nothing to hold the big fellows around
the depot that night and they began struggling home
through the rain about o'clock Before Bucks
and Callahan had left the office: bv n Neighbor had
got away from the rOundhouse; Doubleday had gone
back to sit with Fred Norman.
The lights in the yard were low and the drizzle had
eased into a mist; it nasty night and yet
promised better for quiet Before midnight the
switchmen snug in the yard shanties in the
W1cklup
and the night baggageman. Upstairs every door
locked and every dark except the des-
patcher's Office. In that Blackburn a his key:
near by but closer to the the night caller
for the train crews, trying to starch his hair with
The westbound overland passenger. No. /. was due
have met special like the Irving at Rosebud. which
haq Deen stealmng badly an 'he way from McCloud'
and her schedule which crazy fast all night,
she did not make Ames till some fifty minutes late.
WINE lHeIe were no speclaI ORDERS II was UNDERSTOOD
we were to help the Irving train much possible
any way. Bucks had made the acquaintance of the
great man ana ms IeHoWs on the Westoound run and
they had paid the particular compliment of
return trip minded to give them the best of
lt-eVen against NO. l. which was always rather sa-
cred on the sheet This 1 say, pretty generally
criticism whatever on BIackburn's intention of max
ing meeting point for the two trains, they then
Between Ames and Rosebud. twenty miles apart,
there are two sidngs-O' Faons. west of the river,
and Salt Rocks east There operator either
omen for t,vantv niles With only ec5ad1Ie rzl,+s or
despatchers tissue between her and the of it.
At 1 o'clock that morning Blackburn wired order
90 Ames for No TO hold at OFalons for special 202.
minute later he sent order for special 2O2 to
to OFallOn's regardless of Mol. At least thought
he sent such an order; but he didn1-he made mis-
take
When he had fixed the meeting point Blackburn
rose from his chair and sat down by the stove. I
lazy watched him. too. falling into a doze I eyed
him drowsiy. he began to loom up in his chair and
to curl and twist toward the roof like signal col
then the legs Of his struck floor.
and with start woke, just he stepped hurriedly
back to his table and picked up the order book.
The first suspicion had that anything wrong
was exclamation from Blackburn he stared at
the book Putting it down almost at once and holding
the page open with his LETT hand ne plugged Gala
hans house wire and began drumming his call. Gala
hans AYE, aye" back inside of a minute, and
Blackburn tapped right at him: Come down. And
I began to wonder what
There was interval; then Callahan asked
What's the natter"
got up and walked over to the water tank for
drink. Blackburn again pressed the key, and
poated to Callahan precisely the words he had used
before: Come down.
His face was drawn into the very share of fear,
and his eyes. bent hard me, looking through
me and through the sivering window know it
and through the storUtng night horrorset into the
canyon of the Peace river.
The sounder broke and he turned back listened a
moment but it stray stuff about time freight,
pushed the chair from behind him. still like lis
tenlng-hStening; then with an effort plain TO
he walked the Office. pushed open the door
of Galatians private room and stood with his hand
on the knob. looking back at the lamp. It if
he still seemed to listen for he stood undecided
moment; then stepped into dark room and
closed the door behind him, leaving alone and
dumb with Gear.
The mystery lay. I knew in the order book. Curl
Osity gradually got the better of my fright
courage and showed the train register around nOisy.
I crossed to the despatchers table and made a pre-
of arranging the pads and blanks. The
der book was lying open where he had left it under
the lamp. With my eyes bulging 1 read the
ord copied IN il:
c. and T. No. L. Ames.