Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-11-04

True, he looked a little ont Of nroo0
here with his old clay soiled clothes and
TunpIed hair, but so long as Mr. pan4
was his sponsor it was all right.
shortly after midnight an engine. ca
pooSe ana gondola moved out of the
station at BaFnstablc. The gondola was
In front and the caboose behind tho or
CINE. The Caboose was filed with mon
In the cab of the locomotive were tho
engineer and fireman, also two others
On the seat with the engineer was Mr.
Dumond the general superintendent; with
the fireman was Mr. Bent
The special flew through the darls,os,
until that part of the road was reached
where the track was lost in the water
Here the pace was slackened to a mere
crawl as the heavy monster felt it's way
over the hidden rails
The gondcla had been heavily loaded
with stone and placed ahead so that II
could be showed over the track as sort
OF feeler to see whether the road bed had
been weakened by the flood or whether IT
would stand up under the weight Of the
engine.
The water began to splash ana swirl
about the wheels. It rose higher and
higher. Il touched the bottom of the
fire box and there was an ominous hiss
on pushed the train, and higher came the
water until it was almost up to the cab
floor.
Bent" said the superintendent. do
you think we can make it2"
Il don't know was the engineers re-
ply as he peered out into the darkness
trying TO get the exact location 81 think
we are at about the lowest point now
We run on level for a short distance
here and then strike a per cent grade
which VIII lift us up again"
What's that exclaimed Mr. Dumond
gazing ahead.
'Whcrc?' inquired his companions
TOUT there on the gondola."
The engine man looked over his shout
der. Looks like a boy" he said
We'll III be hanEedw was Mr. Bent's
comment after drawing in his head If
that isn't that young rascal. Dick He's
bound to see the thing through sure
enough"
And Dick IT was, standing in the gon-
dola He had CrOuched down among
the stone inside and hidden before the
start but now the swishing of the waters
had aroused his curiosity, and he was
standing erect, peerng into the waters
ahead like a ships lookout
THAT boy will make a hustler, all right
If he only has the right sort of training
said Mr.. Bent. Looks like an admiral
taking his fleet into action, doesn't he?"
And Admiral Dick he was called from
that day
The up grade was soon struck, and by
the time the scene of action was reached
there We're scarcely six inches Of water
on the rails
Out of the caboose tumbled the men
with heavy iron cables, chains and hooks.
They crept cautiously up the bank to the
rival roads trestle. The chains and ca
bles were passed around the timbers Of
that structure and made fast. A great
saw was Judiciously applied in certain
well selected places. The cables were
made fast to the drawhead OF the engine
and the word given
Puff Puff Puff 1t seemed as II
the whole hillside was breathing The
valley echoed with the sound as the mon.
ster gasped for breath. The cables swish
ed up out of the water and grew taut.
Dick, standing on the upper level at a
safe place, watched breathlessly.
There was a sputter and roaring stutter
as the driving wheels slipped and went
whirring round. Again the steam was
let into the cylinders cautiously, again
that echoing snort and straining of wires |
but this time the drivers took a good grip
on the track. There was a cracking
sound then a crash and roar as the
structure gave way and went crashing
into the ravine
Il guess there won't be many trains run
over that trestle this week" chuckled Mr.
Bent as the train swept back toward 3.
1T looks to me as If the water was
t'IAL'ilb' anu III SOllb " nave llle TdliS
laid over that culvert and see If we can't |
get train through to Pittsburg in the
morning, If it's nothing but a switch en-
CINE and a fat car"
The first faint streak of dawn found
Dick still on the spot. anxious to see the
downfall of his enemies
Below him gang Of men We're laying
the rails over the culvert. The water had
receded rapidly, and the entire B. r. limo
was above water. of to the north he