Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1906-04-27

SHINE, putting up schemes to worry
callahan and the Little Russians The
headquarters for this restless gang
were at Fat Barlie's place, across from
the postotiice. 1t was there that the
cowboys loved to congregate. To chi.
iahhn rat Barlie's place was a wasps'
nest, but to Chris II was den of
wolves, and of n dreader sort than
Russian wolves, for Barlie's pack new.
er slept. w
The east and west section men could
run away from them on hand cars. II
was the yardmen who caught IL. and II
grew so bad they couldn't keep a
switchman. About 10 o'clock at night.
after No. % had pulled In and they
were distributing train load of bridge
timber, switchmans lantern would
go up In signal, when-pist!-a bullet
would knock the lamp clean out of his
hand and the nerve clean out, of his
head. Handling light in the Benkle-
ton yard was like smoking n cellulold
pipe-you never could tell when II
would go off.
Cowboys shot away the lamps faster
than acquisitions could be drawn for
new ones. They shot the signals off
the switches and the lights from the
tops Of moving trains. Whenever a
brakeman showed a, flicker two cow
boys stood waiting to snuff II. If they.
missed the lamp, they winged the
brakeman. 1t compelled Bucks after
awhila IN RIM trains Through panIla
ton without showing ever light. This,
though tough, could be managed, but
to shunt flats in the yard ut night with
no light or to get switchman willing
to play young Tell to Peg Leg Reynolds
William for any length Of time was
impossible. At last Bucks, on whom
the worry reflected at headquarters,
swore he would fight them with fire,
and he sent Shockley. Callahan still
sat spssAilslsilSs ON, rrfl,v lho s,vor,ld no
up against when Shockley arrived.
The impression Bucks letter gave
him, knowing Bucks to be frugal of
words, was that Shockley would rise
up with cartridges in his ears and
bowie knives dangling from his watch
chain To live in fear of the cowboys
was one thing, but to live in fear of
the cowboys on the one hand and in
terror of Il yardmaster on the other
seemed, all things considered, confus-
ing particularly If the new ally got to
drinking and his fire scattered. Just
then train 80 whistled. Pat Barlie's
corner began to sputter its salute. Cal
lahan shifted around behind his bomb
proof, lit his powderhorn and, looking
down the line, wondered whether
Shockley might be on that train.
1t was not till the next night, though,
that IA tall, finnish chap, without visi-
BILE reasons for alighting. got off so and
walked tentatively down the platform.
At the ticket office he asked for the as
sistant superintendent.
"Out there on the platform talking
to the conductor"
The thin fellow emerged and headed
| for Callahan. Callahan noticed only
his light, springy amble and his Ratchet
| face.
"Mr Callahan
Eyes"
Bucks sent me up to take the yard"
whats your name"
"Shockley."
"Step upstairs. I'll be up in a min
ute"
Shockley walked back into the depot,
but he left the copper haired assistant
superintendent uncertain as to whether
it was really over, whether Shockley
had actually arrived or not AS Cal
lahan studied the claimants inoffen-
sive appearance walking away he rath-
er thought 1t couldn't be over or that
Bucks was mistaken. But Bucks new
er made mistake.
Next morning at Z the new yardmas-
ter took hold. Callahan had intlmated
that the night air In the yard, 1t being
low land, was miasmatic and that
Shockley had maybe better try for
awhile to do his switching In the day
time. Just before the appointed hour
in the morning the assistant had look
ed out on his unlucky yard. He thought
to himself that If that yard didn't drive
man to drink nothing ever would
Piled shanty high with a bewlldering
array OF MATERIAL, II was enough to
take the heart out of a Denver switch
ing crew.
While he stood at the window he saw
their plug switch engine that had been
kicked out offeyery other yard on the
system wheeze out of the roundhouse,
saw the new yardmaster filrt his hand
at the engineer and swing up on the
footboard. but the swing--it made Cal.
lahan's heart warm to him. Not the
lubberly jump of the hoboes that had
worried the life out OF. him all summer