The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-11-18

and straln.ng for moment and gather
ing speed as the throttle, opened wider.
She seemed TO be stifI atnirst from long
standing, but as she warmed up she
loosened her joints and at the end OF
the first mile she was whirling along
with the throttle wide open. The race
for life against the insatiate food had
begun and Jim Moore sat with eyes
straining forward over his engine as a
driver looks over his horse, flying
through the last quarter with the wire
just ahead Twenty miles meant only
as many minutes under ordinary cir
cumstances, but these wero not ordinary
circumstances. A hundred lives and a
great engine and train OF cars were in
the engineers keeping. and an angry
Hood, eager to destroy, was creeping
swiftly upon him 10 take them to itself.
Five miles out into the rushing sea
and as the last car OF the train rolled
across a trestle II swayed under the
contendlnR forces OF weight and water
and fell into the torrent. leaving in an
instant gap where an instant before
the train had been. On they sped, and
the bridge over the river was in sight.
The water had risen TO the tracks be-
tween the train and the bridge and
Moore hesitated II was as II he were
plunging into the very river itself. for
there was wide spread of water IN
which no sign OF n track appeared, and
the road might be washed out
How is II. Dick?" he shouted TO his
fireman. who from his side OF the cab
was looking forward.
Wet" yelled Long In response, pale
and frightened. but with his nerve still
holding good
Watch the fire." commanded Moore,
with q grim smile. and the engine
dashed into the unknown. The water
few out at either side from the great
drivers In clouds Of spray. drenching
The cab but the track was firm and the
train passed through safely and onto
the bridge, The long slender structure
swayed ana creaked and groaned, and
the waters roared beneath. but the net
work Of steel held. and the river was
behind them Beyond the bridge for
half a mile tho water obliterated the
track again. but the engineer did rot
stop 10 make inquiries. II was death
one way or the other-siow II he
stopped, sudden II he went ahead and
there was no track. and he chose the
quicker route
Safely again. and on, over another
trestle which stood until the train was
half mile beyond. when II toppled
into the flood and flOated of down the
stream. Five miles more, now. and |
the range Of low hills with their eleva-
ton and safety rose before the hurry
ing train The engine was whirling
along at a mile minute, and but five |
minutes were needed to carry them from |
the Jaws Of death. Suddenly the tract, |
sank and the engine plunged Engineer |
and fireman chung to their places. help |
less. but the wheels stayed on the rails |
and the engine dashed ahead The water |
poured into the firebox and clouds Of |
steam enveloped the men In the cab. |
The steam In the boiler went down as |
tho water rose. but the engine struggled |
on as II conscious of the peril and 10 |
a moment had caught the solid track |
again, and with Groan and a shrek |
as Of pain. yet OF triumph. she dashed |
out Of the water and to the firm earth |
once more.
hut she was not making n mile n |
minute now II was all che could do |
TO turn n wheel; but above tho flood |
she gained heat and steam again. and |
Ton minutes later the train pulled into
little station on the high ground aud
the danger had been passed
White faced and trembling passen-
gers came hurrying from the cars 10
tho engine with all kinds of praise and
congratulations and purses. but Moore
and his fireman were quite calm. They
wore as badly shaken up as any pas
lcnRer they pulled. worse perhaps, but
hey were not showing II to the public.
and In another ten minutes tho train
was running on to bridgeport as II moth
ing had happened
Got any tobacco. Dick2" asked Moore
when things were moving smoothly
Long handed him over o big plug Of
he juicy black kind.
We'll" said the engineer biting OF
a generous chew "this amt exactly the
kind Of Thanksgiving eating was fgur-
ing on but am darned Rlnd TO be able
to get away with it"
Me. too" said Dick as he bit of a
hunk and heayed sigh of relief.
No. AZ arrived In bridgeport ten hours
after dinner tlme.-Detroit Free Press