The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-08-25
me manager caught hi. breath vita :

| TIE manager caught his breath with Z
little gasp. He was excited: an In
spiration seemed to have come to him.
His eyes were riveted to the map.
There. trailing on from the heavy.
black line. denoting the course OF the
road. was faint dotted line leading
away around some buttes and on 4
few inches to an irregular patch OF
waved lines marked "Alkali 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 a bound. Harding snatched a
small file book from his desk; then
raced through a number OF documents
in the pigeon holes. Finally he found
it-what he was looking for.
Great God, What blunder-' he
almost shouted. as he hastily glanced
through the sheets. Then he dashed
from the room and down the long hall
toward the dispateher's office.
AS he fiung himself In at the door.
he nearly trampled on a messenger,
who. recognizing him. excitedly STAN
mered: shes found slr-No. e."
who's"
"Earle's taking it-over there. sir"
Read it TO me. Earle; don't stop
TO write itr' 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 0.
sir. He said he was carrying Lyman.
vice president OF the \. 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 10 connect AL
kali lake. where the salt mill is 10 be
built Condor heard Lyman say that
the piece OF track would prove yalua-
bic shortly. and that he was laying
plans 10 get it for the \. o. K l. A.
Said the charter provided that IL
train wasn't run over the cutoff by a
certain date the charter would expire.
Said the road had never used 1t. and
that the charter expired to-day, and
the y. o. * l. A would buy it for Il
song
Condor says even the boys along |
the line had completely forgotten the
cutoff. and he realized. II 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 a train going over that
line. He knew the penalty for will
fully delaying the mails, but he told
all the passengers there was a bad
wreck ahead, and that to save time
they would have to go by way OF the
cut-off.
I'm lots of places they had TO stop
20 shovel OF the drifted sand that had
buried the tracks, but he says the rails
we're all there. and they finally got
through. IL was dark when the scout
ng crew went back over the line to
ook for 8, and they couldn't see the d,
witch to the cutoff. They had for
,otten 1t was there, anyway. Condor 1
wants to know IL there are any orders.
ir" 4
so he had the nerve to stop the lin {
ted and delay the mall" I
Then to the operator: Tell him to I
eport to me directly when he gets in
D. morrow-" q
On his way back to his office John 4
Iarding glanced at his watch; 1t was J
early 1870 O'Clock. 1
And the directors meet at 1 o'clock" n
e mused-and smiled, then laughed e
oud q
He was passing the superintendent t,
lice. He stopped and walked leisure s.
In. To a man in his shirt sleeves II
: said: cI
"Mr. Sullivan. have you filed the ri
Icancy of assistant superintendent b
.tr W
mo, SIR" q,
Lets see-that pays 5000. doesn't Is
Well, drop in to see me about that M
morrow afternoon-after the direc- til
IS meeting. Goodnight fr
oils Sun. th