Evening journal., 1903-10-13
THE DRAWB GE

II. II. Inc engineer l ran with was q
Scotchman of the name Of Joe VIII
liams.
Joe had only one fault-he drank.
The time l refer to was the morning
OF the Fourth of July. We were run
ming what was called the morning
freight and had to start every day by
4:3O. On this morning Joe was late
In few minutes we got started, pick
ed up our load and were fairly Off. 1t
was clear morning and bid fair for a
fine day, but about sunrise 1t began to
get misty, and we were soon enveloped
in one Of the heaviest fogs / ever saw.
"At H.. Eben Capron, another en-
gineer, who was of duty that day, got
on with us He was going home to
spend the Fourth, and ours was the
first conveyance that came along.
When he saw that it was all that Joe
could do to carry himself straight he
offered to run the train for him as far
as he went, but Joe declined.
Thicker and thicker came the fog
until we could scarcely see the length
OF two cars ahead. Joe went very
carefully indeed and did not run as
fast as is usual. In fact, he went so
slowly that at last Eben commenced to
banter him on the prospect of getting
to the end Of the route sooner than
could naturally be expected.
Well, just look here said Joe. I'm
drunk, and you know it, and If l
should go fast and run the train off the
track reckon you'd both Of you
swear 1t was the fault Of the drunken
engineer
"By the time we got to C. the fog
had partly lifted. Here we had a good
deal Of switching to do, and just as we
were ready to start the conductor came
up and said:
Nothing for P; keep straight
through to e. You have gone so con
founded slow that you are almost an
hour behind time. / should have hur.
ried you up II it hadn't been for the
fog. All right, go ahead And he
waved his hand and started back to.
ward the rear car.
well, I'll go fast enough for you il
that's what you want muttered Joe.
Easter and faster we went until the
conductor evidently began to be afraid
for IL was still so foggy that we could
not see over half a mile ahead, and he
signaled slower
"'There,' said Eben. do you see that
You'll have the conductor here pretty
SOON
"'Well. the fact is'-and Joe slowly
winked one eye-'there's a vessel at r
waiting to pass, and l want to get over
the bridge before it's opened
'The river there was navigable and
was crossed by a drawbridge and very
often we had TO stop and wait on one
side 70 let a vessel pass. When it was
open there was red ball hoisted in
the daytime and a red light at night
Then you are nearing It, continued
Eben, FOR there's the last post before
you reach the river, and-supposine
the draw is open. Joe, you had better
slack up
"'What for? The signal isn't raised.
" But you couldn't see II for the fog.
"'Oh, pshaw! There isn't any fol
now
yes, there is a fog now. For God
sake. Joe, don't murder us! Here, le
me take your place until we &c
across
"Ihe sentence was never finished. IL
was standing up. looking out ahead
when all at once. as If he had beer
struck by cannon shot. he dropped in
TO his seat. and his face turned as whit
as a bleached sheet. while the blacl
/ streals of SCOT and grease stood out il
horrible contrast. He had seen the re,
Eignall l whistled down brakes, an,
he grasped the lever and reversed tn
engine.
"The conductor crazily slgnaled 'stor
after he had heard the whistle an
when the train was running by its owl
momentum.
"As to Joe, he saw that everythin
was done or being DONE and he 81
there Ike a block of marble. Hi
drunkenness was all gone. His frs
words were;
"Well, boys. I'll never get drum
any more as long as live
"'No. l s'pose not replied Eben a
be gave the lever another jerk. 'fo
probably you won't live more than
quarter OF a minute.
Jump. IL you want to- Joe al
swered I hope shall die # the trai
gets smashed. But - that craft ism
moving; the end Of the bridge is swing
ing toward US
= "'Thats so; they are shutting 1t. Go
help us, we may be saved YETI
Sure enough, the bridge was rapiG
ly swinging into place. The tender ha
evidently seen us coming and was tr,
Ing to close the draw against we cam
T up, but it was a doubtful case.
8 "We had got so near now that W
could see the man on the bridge wort
ing rs If his own life. not ours, depend
= ed on his efforts. Eben was huggln
the lever with all his might. and Jc
had convulsively grasped one Of til
forward faucets, as if TO steady hin
q self, and for the last five seconds {
- that awful suspense ! do not beliey
e there was a heart beat on the engine.
Il Three ticks more Of the clock an
p we should have rolled over the abu
ment but with thud the bridge swun
to its place. and we We're on it an
passing over safe and sound.
God bless you. SMITH shouted Jo
i to the bridge tender as we ran pas
q and he waved his cap with Wild joy.
= 1--WE afterward learned that th
bridge was open to let n small vess'
pass, but the bridge tender heard I'll
s train and knew by the sound that