Crittenden record=press., 1907-05-02
There's q thou


all. How'll you run them? Give them
plenty of sea room. They'll have to
gallop to make it,
Cool and reckless planning. taking
the daring chances, straining the flesh
and blood, driving the steel loaded to
the swapping point--that was what it
meant. But the company wanted re-
suits, wanted the prestige and the pre-
MUM too. To gain them we were cy.
pected to stretch our little resources t.
the uttermost
l studied n minute. then turned to
the dispatcher.
"Tell Norman to send them out as
second 4. That gives the right OF way
over every wheel against them. If
they can't make it on that kind OF
schedule, it isn't in the track"
It was extraordinary business. rath
er sending a train OF wheat through
on passenger schedule. practically ms
the second section of our eastbound
fiier. but we took hair lifting chances
on the plains.
1t was noon when the orders were
flashed At 3 o'clock No. was due 10
leave GAINESVILLE. For three hours
kept the wires busy warning all op
orators and trainmen, even switch en-
gines and yardmasters, of the wheat
special. second 4.
The flier, the first section and regu-
lar passenger train, was checked ont
Of GAINESVILLE on time. Second 4, which
meant George McNeal, Dad. the sky
scraper and fifty loads of wheat, re-
ported out at $40. While we worked
on our time card Neighbor in the dis
patcher's Office across the hall figured
out that the wheat train would enrich
the company just $1,000. tolls and
premium. "if 1t doesn't break in two
on Beverly HILL" growled Neighbor,
with Qualm
On the dispatcher's sheet, which is
sort Of panorama, l watched the biz
train whirl past station after station.
drawing steadily nearer to us. and do
ing it, the marvel, on full passenger
time. 1t was a great feat. and George
McNeal. whose nerve and brain were
guiding the tremendous load, was
breaking records with every milestone.
o'clock. The first 4, our flier, pulled in
and out on time, meeting 55, the west
bound overland freight. at the second
station east of Harvard-Redbud.
Neighbor and l sat with the dis
patchers up in their office, smoking.
The wheat train was now due from the
west. and, looking at my watch.
stepped to the western window. Al
most Immediately l heard the long, pc
culiarly hollow blast Of the skyscraper
whistling for the upper yard.
"She's coming" l exclaimed.
The boys crowded to the window.
but Neighbor happened to glance 10
the east.
What's that coming in from the
Junction, Bailey?" he exclaimed, turn
Ing to the local dispatcher. We looked
and saw a headlight in the east.
That's 55."
where do they meet?"
"Fifty-fve takes the long siding in
from the Junction"-which was two
miles east--"and she ought to be on il
tight now" added the dispatcher anX-
Iously, looking over the master mechan-
les shoulder. Neighbor jumped as if n
bullet had struck him. shell never
take a siding tonight. She's coming
down the main track. What's her or
1ers?' lie demanded furiously.
Meeting orders for first at Red.
bud. second 1 here, IS at Glencoe.
Great Jupiter" cried the dispatcher,
and his face went sick and scared.
they've forgotten second A.
They'll think of her long time
lead roared the master mechanic saw
agely, jumping TO the west window.
Throw your red lights. There's the
skyscraper now"
Her head shot that instant around
the coal chutes less than a mile away.
and 30 going dead against her. | stood
ike one palsied, my eyes glued on the
burning eye of the big engine. AS s..e
whipped past street arc light caught
Sil4iiBSc VI c -hN-Ntdl HtiG OGt
Of the cab window. He always rode
0areheaded II the night was warm, and
| knew it was he; but suddenly, like
aash, his head went IN. knew why a.
well as if my eyes were his eyes ana
NY thoughts his thoughts. He had seen
:ed signals where he had every right
10 look for white
But red signals now-to stop her-to
pull her fiat on her launches like
broncho? Shake Il weather flag at
cyclone,
| saw the fire stream from her driv-
ers. | knew they We're churning in
the sand. | knew lie had twenty air
:ars behind him sliding. What of it:
Two thousand tons were sweeping
forward like an avalanche. What did
brains or pluck count for now with 90
dancing along Like a schoolgirl right
into the teeth Of it?
/ don't know how the other men felt.
AS for me, my breath choked in my
throat, my knees shook and a deadly
nausea seized me. Unable to avert
the horrible blunder, | saw its hideous