The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-08-02
THEY Want
STEEL NOSES

Chauncy burlington is one of the
oldest engineers on the Great North
ern railroad, and his run Is through
the heart Of the cattle country in
Montana.
While l was claim agent for the
read, many time did look over
the reports OF stock killed, and many
a time did l see the nane Of Chauncy
burlington, engineer of the flyer al
fixed to the report, and often word-
cred how long it would be ere I re-
ceived message saying that he was
in the ditch and killed.
| mad never seen Chauncy, until
met him one afternoon in the hotel
office at Glasgow, and had pictured
a large, powerful man with piercing
black eyes, aud staggering gait.
AS I looked around the office for
someone to talk to, only saw what
appeared to me to be farmer who
was enjoying the comic pictures of a
Sunday paper.
l edged up to him, and remarked
that it was pretty dry weather for
the farmers, and various other re-
marks about the range and hay pros
poets, to all of which he agreed, and
went on with his paper.
The bartender then dropped in and
1 asked him if any Of the engineers
stopped at the hotel:
Why there is old Bur, ington," says
he, pointing to my farmer friend.
waited for no more but introduced
myself and we shook hands.
$50 you are the fellow that has
been writing me about the cattle and
horses killed along tue track. I'm
glad to see you for have some things
to tell you that you don't seem to
savoy.
Those miserable pine pilots are no
good at all, they go all To pieces the
first critter we slam into at any
speed. Give ME good all steel
pilot, about twice as long, 50 that
can get under them, and l will clear
the track, and put the pesky critters
over the right of way fence. And
the head light
"Why they are no good except to
let lis know that there is another
engine on che siding waiting for us
to pass.
THE best headlight we have on
the road will not show up stock on
the track for more than 100 yards,
and as you know, we can only smash
into them and take chances Of pull
ling through all right ~,
Having report of the killings Of
two large horses, I asked him how
that happened.
ooh, that was daylight, and I'll tell
you all about it. I was on the 1865
pulling Nc. / that evening, and rs
we came near Wagner, I saw two
horses feeding in the ditch close
by. We were jogging along about SIS
miles an hour, should judge, and as
they did not seem to notice me conf
ing, I thought l would just crowd her
some and sneak past.
so l threw her wide open, and
she just walked right along, like a
tourist looking for the Havre pie
counter All Of sudden, when we
were about 200 yards away, one of tht
horses picked up his ears and looked
back, then they both started for the
track. l knew then it was nip and
tuck who got there first, and l got
ready for the finish, and yelled stc
Mike, the fireman, to watch out for
himself.
I'VE were pushing 70 miles an houl
behind us when they made their Last
jump, and before their front feet
could come down on the track We
caught them and sent them into the
clear. I was very, sorry, but yor
see 1t could not be helped, and in an
other fraction of second we woul6
have been past them
mo, I'm not afraid of cattle OF
sheep and such truck, but horses hav,
big bones and it is hard to crust
them up with those miserable pilots
Pulling out his watch, lie quietl.
folded his paper with the famina
} face OF Happy Hooligan, and bid N,
I good evening as he had to look ove1
his iron horse before making til,
) night run.
) Such is one of the ordinary Incl
dents in the every day life of a,
engineer in the cattle country an,
not even tae passengers in the coach
es dream of the strain On the faith
! full Eagle Eye" watching the trac]