The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-24

a rat In trap.
Ben Buckley was only a big boy
then, braking on freights I was dis |
patching under Alex Campbell on the
West End. Ben was tall. loose Joint I
ed fellow, but gentle as a kitten; legs
as long as pinch bars, yet none too
long running for the Beverly switch
that night. His great chum In those
days was Andy Cameron Andy was
the youngest engineer on the line. The
first time I ever saw them together
Andy, short and chubby as a duck.
was dancing around, half dressed, on
the roof of the bath house, trying to get
away from Ben, who had the fire hose
below, playing on him with two inch
stream of Ice water. They were I'D to
some sort of prank all the time.
June was usually a rush month with
US. From the coast we caught the new
crop Japan teas and the fall importa-
tons of China silks. California still
sent her fruits, and Colorado was be-
ginning cattle shipments. From Wv
oming came sheep and from Oregon
steers, and all these not merely in car
loads, but in solid trains At times we
were swamped. The overland traffic
alone was enough to keep US busy. On
top Of 1t came a great movement of
grain from Nebraska that summer, and
to crown our troubles a rate war
sprang up. Every man, woman and
child east of the Mississippi appeared
to have but one object IN life-that was
to get to California and to go over our
road. The passenger traffic burdened
our resources to the last degree.
was putting on new men every day
then. We start them at braking on
freights. Usually they work for years
at that before they get a train, but
when a train dispatcher is short on
crews he must have them and Gun only
press the best material within reach
Ben Buckley had not been braking
three months when I called him up
one day and asked him If he wanted
a train.
Eyes, sir, I'd like one first rate, but
you know haven't been braking very
long, Mr.. Reed" said he frankly.
"How long have you been In the
train serviceT'
l spoke brusquely, though I knew
without even looking at my service
| card just how long 1t was.
'"Three months, Mr.. Reed"
1t was right to a day.
''I'll probably have to send you out
on II this afternoon" I saw him
stiffen like a ramrod. ''You know
we're pretty short" I continued
Eyes, sir"
'But do you know enough to keep
your head on your shoulders and your
train on your orders p
Ben laughed a little. 81 think I do.
Will there be two sections todayT'
They're loading eighteen cars OF
stock at Ogalalla. If we get any hogs
off the Beaver there will be two big
sections. shall mark you up for the
first one anyway and send you out
right behind the f1ier. Get your badge
and your punch from Carpenter, and
whatever you do, Buckley, don't gel
ratified"
mo, sir. Thank you, Mr.. Reed"
But his 'thank you" was so pleas
ant / couldn't altogether ignore It,
compromised with a cough. Perfect
courtesy even In the hands OF the awk
wardest boy that ever wore his trou
sers short is a surprisingly handy
thing to disarm gruf people with. Ber
was undeniably awkward, his legs
were too long and his trousers decided
" out of touch with his feet, but J
turned away with the conviction thai
In spite of his gawkiness there was
something to the boy. That nigh
proved It,
When the fiier pulled in from thu
west in the afternoon it carried two
extra sleepers. In all eight Pullmans
and every one of them loaded to tn,
ventilators. While the train wa,
| changing engines and crews the ex
cursionists swarmed out of the no
! cars to walk up and down the plat
form. They were from New York ant
had a band with them-as jolly
crowd as we ever hauled-and / no
among the grown folks.
AS the heavy train pulled Slowly on
the band played. the women wavec
handkerchiefs and the boys shouted
themselves hoarSe.
Half an hour after the flier left II
the fast stock freight. wound like
great snake around the bluff after II
Ben Buckley. tall and straight as
pine, stood on the caboose. It was hi
first train, and he looked as If he fel
it
In the evening got reports OF heav
rains east of us. and after IT reporte
''out'' Of Turner Junction and pulle
over the divide toward Beverly it wa
storming hard all along the line. B
; the time they reached the hill Ben ha
his men out setting brakes - toug
work on that kind Of a night, bJ
/ when the big engine struck the blu