The Western news., 1904-08-17

TIE manager caught MS Dre4t0 Win
little gasp. He was excited; an In
spiration seemed to have come to him.
His eyes were riveted to the map.
There trailing of from the heavy,
black line. denotng the course of the
road, was a faint, dotted line leading
away around some buttes and OF a
few inches to an irregular patch OF
waved lines marked "Alkai lake"
Then it kept on around in another di-
rection and Joined the line of the rail.
road just little clear of Lost Trail.
With bound, Harding snatched a
small file book from his desk; then
raced through number of documents
in the pigeon holes. Finally he found
it-what he was looking for.
Great God! What a blunder" he
almost shouted, as he hastily glanced
through the sheets. Then he dashed
from the room and down the long hall
toward the dispatcher's Office.
AS he flung himself in at the door,
he nearly trampled on messenger,
who, recognizing him. excitedly stam-
mered: "Shes found sir-No. g."
"Who's-"
"Earle's taking it-over there. sir"
Read 1t to me. Earle; don't stop
to write it," exclaimed the general
manager as he reached the operator.
Then the telegrapher began slowly, as
he spelled out the words:
William Condon's in charge Of g.
sir. He said he was carrying Lyman,
vice president Of the N. o. & l.. A.,
this trip; and as they were passing
Salton he heard Lyman-who didn't
know he was near-telling another
railroad man about the old cutoff that
was put in along there to connect AL
kali lake, where the salt mill Is to be
built. Condor heard Lyman say that
the piece Of track would prove valua-
BILE shortly, and that he was laying
plans to get it for the N. o. & l. A.
Said the charter provided that if a
train wasn't run over the cutoff by a
certain date the charter would expire.
Said the road had never used it, and
that the charter expired to-day, and
the N. o. Il l.. A. would buy it for a
song
Condor says even the boys along
the line had completely forgotten the
cutoff, and he realized, il something
wasn't done, the company would lose
that road. He says he knew head
quarters couldn't act in time to mend
matters, SO he took the responsibility
on his own shoulders. had the limited
backed to the switch and started out
over the cutoff, so as to live up to that
clause about train going over that
line. He knew the penalty for will
fully delaying the mails, but he told
wreck ahead, and that to save time
they would have to go by way OF the
cutoff
''In lots Of places they had to stop
to shovel Off the drifted sand that had
buried the tracks, but he says the rails
were all there. and they finally got
through. 1t was dark when the scout.
ing crew went back over the line to
look for 6, and they couldn't see the
switch to the cutoff. They had for
gotten 1t was there, anyway. Condor
wants to know If there are any orders,
sir"
$50 he had the nerve to stop the linn
tied and delay the mall"
Then to the operator: "Tell him to
report to me directly when he gets In
tomorrow"
On his way back to his office John
Harding glanced at his watch; it was
nearly 1890 o'clock.
And the edirectors meet at l O'clock"
he mused-and smiled, then laughed
aloud
He was passing the superintendent s
office. He stopped and walked leisure
ly in. To man In his shirt sleeves
he said:
"Mr. Sullivan. have you filled the
vacancy Of assistant superintendent
YETI"
mo, SIR"
Lets see-that pays 5000, doesn't
It? Well, drop In to see me about that
tomorrow afternoon-after the direc
tors meeting. night."-Indian.