The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1903-01-09
Responsibility Makes Heroes.

by which society must be judged IN l9O3,
A. d. Taking him as the standard this
wicked old human race is pretty good,
after all. The old year went out with
plenty of evidences of it.
The wrongs that the old year be
queathed to the new year, the miseries
that will continue in 1903 are not so
much because men willfully create them
as because the average man does not
feel responsible for them.
Responsibility is the tremendous fac
tor in this world 1t transforms ordinary
men into George Washingtons and Abra-
ham Lincolns.
The Post recently told the story of
man named G. A. Marooney, who hap
pened to be the fireman on Engine 80,
drawing Burlington express No. 2,
speeding eastward from Denver.
Marooney is specimen of the great
mass of the people who say thoughtlessly,
but really meaning it, ga Happy New
Year.
They do not feel called upon to do
anything in particular to make anybody
happy but their friends and families.
But responsibility makes wonderful
transformation. The ordinary man, con-
fronted with the lives and happiness of
others actually depending on his nerve
and courage, on his self sacrifice, does
|
what Marooney did.
The train was approaching Culbertson,
Neb., at speed of sixty miles an hour
when pipe broke, overwhelming the
engineer and fireman with a cataract of
boiling water and steam.
The engineer was knocked down and
suddenly the young fireman, Marooney,
realized that the lives of the passengers
depended upon his hand.
Tennyson's famous lines about the
charge of the Light Brigade eulogized
the heroes of England thus:
''Their's was not to reason why
Theirs but to do and die !"
But Marooney's part was to reason
why and then do or die.
Blinded, scalded, frantic with pain,
Marooney resolutely stepped into the
spouting death by steam and Sc the air
brakes and stopped the train.
When millions of Marooneys realize
that theirs is the responsibility they
will not only say, but act to make ga
Happy New Year" for this old world
every year.
Ed Fruin is here on a visit
w. A. Colling is coming back from
Cheyenne.
Engine 73 has been sent to Havelock
to be scrapped.
Dennis Cullen is visiting in Omaha,
part of the week.
J.B. Cumming is laying off an account
of slight injuries.
M. Thorgrimson returned to work,
Tuesday, after short layoff.
Night Operator Beasley has been
transferred from Haigler to Oxford.
Waycars 124 and SO, damaged in wrecks
at Denver, are here for an overhauling.
Charles Overman came down from
Palisade, Friday, to go to WORK in the
roundhouse
Engine 50 is about ready for the road
and engines 80 and 2S9 are in the shop
for an overhauling.
Operator Morton of Oxford went up
to Stratton, Monday evening on 5, on
visit to his parents.
It is said that the new time card, Sun
day, will change arrival time of I'M
perial train to $50.
Firemen Carl Berry and W. E. Knobbs
departed on Monday for Pueblo, Colo
rado, where they are employed or the
D. & r. d.
Sup't Campbell and Asst Sup't Har-
ris were in Lincoln, yesterday, on rail
road business and incidentally took in
the Shrine meeting.
The family of A. G. Wiehe has ar
rived from Salida, Colorado, and they
are now occupying the old home of
Engineer II. L. Donovan on north Madi-
son street. :
Engineer Fl. L. Donovan has been off
duty, part of the week, On account of
sickness. They are now living in their
new home, formerly the George Leach
residence.
Ed Balance had one of his hands
severely injured, the other day, and has
gone to Havelock for few weeks until
it heals. The hand was caught in one
of the machines and the muscles badly