Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-09
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!: LOOKER.ON IN IOWA !

Manson, Jan. 7.-There was all kinds
of weather in Iowa on the day OF the
big blizzard last week. Where the
writer was the thermometer was ~
degrees below zero, and the wilma
blowing at the rate of fifty miles an
hour, bringing down into town all the
snow that had fallen in Minnesota
for the past day. During the Storm
the conductor Of the passenger train
had to walk up to the engine to start
the train, the engineer being unable
to see the usual signal. or to hear the
conductors voice. In this storm a
passenger train ran two miles by
station, the force Of the wind doing
that for the engineer, who did not care
Ito set his air brakes hard enough to
make her slide"
Imagination works curious tricks
with railroad men, as well as others. 1t
seems that the engineer had no faith
in his old tea kettle" 1t was one Of
these contrary engines. Some days
she'd steam and at others times all
the coal in the tender wouldn't make
her steam So when the conductor
told him how many loads and how
many empties he had behind him, he
kicked and asked the train dispatcher
to cut out two loads. But the train
dispatcher told them to go. And sure
enough the engineer was right. Inc
engine wouldn't steam, they kept los
ing time, and nearly got stalled on
Four-Mile Hill. At the first station
the engineer again told the train dis
hatcher his troubles. About that time
the conductor had checked up his way
bills. and found he had made mistake
of two loads too much in telling the en-
giners how many tons he was hauling.
Just the same that old engineer will
have it, that old tea kettle overheard
the first report, and acted bad just for
meanness.
Back in the caboose one day we saw
the train stop near switch and heard
the engine back up to take on car.
And when the crew came back we all
heard their talk. ut was risky thing
to take that car 1t was way over the
center and it was liable to jump the
track any time. Besides there were
those passengers in the caboose. and he
told the dispatcher all this" Well, we
were not a bit happy thinking of that
damaged car ahead if us. liable any
moment to send US all In the ditch.
And down the hill we rushed sometimes
sixty miles an hour, every time we
crossed bridge, the roar sounding to.
us much as GabriePs trumpet is sur
posed to. And at the first station We
got out to see for ourselves that dam
aged car. Where's that lame duck you
took on at the last station? we asked
of the brakeman. ooh, we left it, con
refused to take it." was the reply.
We had been making up lost time
on a train scheduled to make thirty
eight miles an hour including stops. 1t
stopped at the water tank, then started
for the depot, and then the air brakes
went on with a thud and some Of us
Investigated, suddenly. the seats in
front Immediately we all went
out to see about It, One of
the big driving wheels had
broken off at the axe" and fortunately
that was all. But here's the strange
part of it. The fracture showed on old
rusty crack half thru the six inches of
STEEL the final break being fresh and
bright. And as we sat there, waiting
four hours for the arrival of another
engine, we wondered what would have
been the result IL that big drive wheel