The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-05-17

Their shanties OF the night the Black
wood bridge went out and Cameron's
! stock train got away on the hill, with
the Denver flier caught at the foot like
rat in trap H-TfGf III vsEE aEaF
| Ben Buckley was only a big boy
then, bralling on freights. Il was dis
patching under Alex Campbell on the
| West End. Ben was tail, loose joint
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 up to
some sort of Il prank all the time
|T0June was usually a rush month with
US. From the coast we caught the new
crop Japan teas and the fall i1nporta-
lions Of China silks. California still
sent her fruits, and Colorado was be-
ginning cattle shipments. From wy
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 it came d 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 oyer 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 can 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
."Yes, sir, I'd like one first rate, but
you know l haven't been braking very
long, Mr.. Reed" said he frankly
"How long have you been in the
train service?" Ef =.A4u Sill
l spoke brusquely, though knew
without even looking at my service
carl just how long it was. , --.- MAJ
''Three months, Mr.. Reed
1t was right to day.
"Tll probably have to send you out
on II this afternoon I saw him
stiffen like a ramrod "You know
we're pretty short,'' continued. oatn5
Eyes, sir.'' 94n .-v-,a,g al. 7t.L
But do you know enough to keen
your head on your shoulders and your
train on your orders?' .-...u .....-.
Ben laughed a little. II think I do.
Will there be two sections today?''
'They're loading eighteen cars of
stock at Ogalalla. If we get any hogs
off the Beaver there will be two big
sections. z l shall mark you up for. the
first one anyway and send you out
right behind the flier Get your badge
and your punch from Carpenter, and,
whaatey & you 90, Buckley, dent set
10, rhalas you. AZ Reea;s S5[
But his 'thank you" was so pleas
ant I couldn't altogether ignore it.. I
compromised with d 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 sruff people with. Ben
was undeniabIy awkward his legs
were too long and his trousers decided
ly out of touch with his feet, but I
turned away with the conviction that
in spite of his gawkiness there ,,was
something to the boy That night
| proved it. ...... ..-.--- ..s,.-
When the flier pulled in from the
west In the afternoon it carried two
extra sleepers. Tn all eight puIlmans,
and every one Of them loaded TO- the
ventilators. While the train was
| changing engines and crews the ex.
cursionistS sWarmed out of the hot
cars to walk up and down the plat
form. They were from New York and
had band with them--as jolly > q
crowd as we ever hauled-and, I nor
/ ticed many. boys and girls, sprinkled
among the grown folks.
AS the heavy train pulled slowly out
the band played, the women waved
handkerchiefs and the boys shouted
themselves hoarse.
Half an hour after the f1ier left. II.
the fast stock freight. @ wound like a
/ great snake around ithe bluff after it.
Ben Buckley, tall and straight as, a
pine, stood Oh the, caboose.- 1t was his
first train, and he looked as If he felt
|. it. Isl h9:i'5a@@ 81 'so1f a5tla57sd
In the evening got reports Of heavy
rains east of, US, and after Il reported
"out'' OF Turner Junction and pulled
<over' the divide toward Beverly itiWae
.storniag hard all alongothe fline by
d9the time they reached the ehillaBen had