Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-06-12

until there is time between the pass
ing OF trains TO right tiff II can De
righted. Cars may b. swung directly
across the track. lying on their sides
or ends. possibly ground into a mere
mass of splintered timbers. or literally
reduced 70 kindling wood. their con
tents scattered a. hundred yards about
The wrecker who has been in the
business FOX any length OF time can
tell IA a moment the most difficult
task before him and. II possible. goes
at that first. IL 4 loaded freight car
prevents him from reaching the part
~ demolished engine, he sets Il afire.
One OF the greatest delays, however. il
caused by the track being torn up. for
new ties have to be put In position and
perhaps dozen rails weighing a ton
apiece cut and Strengthened In order
TO form a foundation OH which to
move.
Everything goes with 4 rush from
the first news Of the accident. Once
the wreckers get busy there Is no stoD-
ping for rest or refreshment. although
a man may have to work all night or
all day. With the broken and twisted
mass Of steel and wood piled on one
side OF the rOadbed. however there
comes breathing spell. and the su-
perinteldent or other officials look over
the Gebris TO see what is worth saving.
Going from pile to pile. they soon de-
eide what to pull out and block M.
aud then the wreckers get to work on
this. II there Is an engine. It Is gen
orally secured first Perhaps It was
imbedded IN two or three feet Of mud
or ten or twelve feet down an embank-
ment Here the little men, come In
handy. WorminS themselves under
the boiler, they scrape holes beneath.
so that the steel tendons of the crane
can bc passed round IT,
Now the crane goes into action. n
the embankment is sloping the usual
plan is 10 drag the locomotive along.
allowing the earth and ballast to as
sist in supporting it until the top is
reached. But there are places where
IL has 10 be lifted clear Of the ground.
then swung over on the track.
Machinery has done much to aid the
breakdown gang in recent years. But
away back In the early days Of the
way Of steel they were called to many
disaster, for then. rs now. trains
sometimes butted into each other on
the same track. To clear the road the
locomotive OF the wreck train could
songtimes be pressed into service. but
many derailcd car or engine was
pulled back Oh the rails merely by hui
man muscle. Here again the sailor
man came in very handy. rs he knew
so we'll how 10 arrange the ropes and
puleys and Il make lines fast around
the ear or engine that had TO be
moved
One OF the curious methods Of en-
ploying the locomotive OF the wreck
train was 70 make it move a car for
ward by starting the locomotive back
/ ward. Fastening a tackle securely
/ round the car. il would be passe,
/ through Il pulley fastened 70 n tree o
| post I'm front Of ia. and the rope thsI
/ led back 90 the locomotive. Reversin.
/ his lever. tAc engineer of course pullel
/ the rope around the pulley on the tree
I thus forcing the car ahead. BY thi
/ novel plan. which is still used occa
sionaliy. much of the debris in iron
OF the wreck train could be cleare,
/ away.
There are times. though, when ever
the most careful riCgers make a mis-
! take. They have not realized the straii
which the tackle must stand whel
things begin % move. Then. like tn
crack OF rifle. snap goes the line
| More than once a loose end has cauch
some poor fellow round the legs. break
Ing the bones like pipestems. Man,
q man on the railroads payroll who (
TT only 10 wave the signal flag at tn
street crossing was among the wreck
ers until the day the rope broke.-Da,
/ Allen Wiley in Denver Times.