The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-07-31

the siding. When Dad, looking back
for the hind brakeman to lock the
switch and swing on, called MI clear.
George pulled her out another notch
and the long train slowly gathered
Roadway on the slippery track
As the speed increased the young
man and the old relapseds into their
usual silence. The pa was always a
free steamer, but Georgis put her
through her PAGES without an apology.
and it ..ook lots OF coal to square the
accOulp.
In a few minutes they were pound
ing along ID through the Narrows. Tho
track there follows the high bench be-
tween the bluffs. which sheer up on ons
side. and the river bed. thirty feet be-
low the grade, on the other.
1t Is not an inviting sire oh at any
time With a big string Of gondolas be
hind. But on a wet night II is the
last place on the division where an
engineer would want a side rod to go
wrong; and just there and then
Georges rod went very wrong indeed.
Halfway between -centers the big
steel bar on his side. dipping then 50
fast that you couldn't have seen it
even in daylight, snapped like a stick
Of licorice. The hind end ripped up into
the cab like the nose Of a swordfsh.
tearing and smashing with appalling
force and fury.
George McNears seat burst under
him as if stick of giant powder had
exploded He was TANNED against the
cab roof ike link pin. and fell sprawl
tHg. While the monsters steel haI
threshed and tore through the cab with
every lightning revolution Of the great
driver from which it swung.
1t was a frightfuI moment. Anything
drought or done must be thought and
done at once. 1t was either to stop
that train. and quickly. or to pound
along until the ga jumped the track
and lit in the river. with thirty cars
of coal to cover it.
Instantly-so Dad Hamilton after
ward told me-instantly the boy.
,scramblng to his feet. reached for his
throttle-reached for 1t through a rain
of iron blows, and staggered back with
his right arm hanging like a broken
wing from his shoulder. And back
again after it-after the throttle with
his left; slipping and creeping carefully
this time I'D the throttle lever until.
straining, and twisting. and. .dodging.
he caught the latch and pushed II
tightly home. Dad whistling Vigorous
~ the while for brakes.
Relieved Of the tremendous head on
the cylinder, the old engine Gained
down enough TO let the two men. COL
lect themselves. Rapidly as the brakes
could do it, the long train was brought
UP standing, and George. helped nv
his fireman. dropped out OF the cab.
and they set about disconnecting-tbs
engineer with his one arm-the foruid-
able ends Of the broken rod.
1t was a slow, difficult piece 81
work to do. In spite OF their most
active efforts the rain chilled them to
the marrow. The train crew gave
them as much help as willing hands
could, which wasn't much; but bv
every man doing something they got
things fixed. called in their fagmen
Just before daybrealS. and started
nome. When the sun rose George.
grim and silent. the throttle a his
lett hand, was urging the old engine
along on dog trot across the Black
wood fats, and so. limping in on one
side, the kid brought his train into
the GAINESVILLE yards. with Dad Ham
llton, unable TO make himself helpful
enough, unable to show his apprecia-
ton Of the skill and the grit that the
night had disclosed in the kid en-
Gineer.
The hostler waiting in the yard
sprang into the cab with amazement
on his face, and was just i'm time to
lift limp boy out of the old fire.
mans arms and help Dad get him 10
the grOund-for George had tainted.
Whesn the pa reached the shops
Few minutes later they photographed
that cab 1t was the worst case Of
rod-smashing we had ever seen. and
the West End shops have caught some
pretty t0ush-loOSing cabs in their day.
The boy who stopped the cyclone.
and saved his train and crew lay
stretched on the lounge IN my Office
waiting for the company surgeon
And old Dad Hamilton-crabbed,i ras-
chile old Dad Hamilton-hew around
that boy exactly like an excited old
rooster, first bringing ice and then
water. and then hot coffee and then
tanning him with a timetable. 1t was
worth small smash-uD to see it.
The one swooD of the rod which
caught Georges arm had broken tt
in two places, and he was of duty
for three months. But it was nov
city to see that boy walk down to
the DostOfice and hear the strikers
step up and ask him how his arm was,
and to see old Dad Hamilton taS
around GAINESVILLE after him was re-
freshing. The kid engineer had won
his sDura-