Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-05-02
There's a thou
Cowlei Neighbor

all. How'll you run themi Give then
plenty OF sea room. They'll have 10
gallop 10 make H."
Cool and reckless planning, taking
the daring chances, straining the flesh
and blood, driving the steel loaded &
the swapping polnt-that was what n
meant. But the company wanted re
suits, wanted the prestige and the pre-
MUM too. To gain them we We're OK
pected 10 stretch our little resources &
the uttermost
studied a minute. then turned 70
the dispatcher.
Tell Norman 10 send them out oe
second & That gives the right ~ way
over every wheel against them. II
they can't make IL on that kind of
schedule. IL isn't in the track"
II was extraordinary business. rath-
er. sending a train OF wheat through
! on passenger schedule practically as
the second section OF our eastbound
fier. but we took hair lifting chances
on the plains.
IL was noon when the orders were
flashed. At 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 out
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 Nelghbor 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. III II doesn't break In two
on Beverly hill" growled Nelghbor
with a qualm.
On the dlspatcher's sheet. which is q
sort OF panorama, watched the biz
train whirl past station after station
drawing steadily nearer 10 us. and do
ing IL. the marvel on full passenger
time II was a great feat and George
McNeal. whose nerve and brain were
guiding the tremendous load. WIS
breaking records with every milestone
They were due In Harvard az o
o'clock. The first T. our fiier. pulled IN
and out on time, meeting %. the west
bound overland freight. az the second
station east Of Harvard-Redbud.
Nelghbor and sat with the dis
patchers up In their office, smoking
The wheat train was now due from tn
west. and. looking AT my watch.
stepped 10 the western window. Al
most Immediately I heard the long. pc
| culiarly hollow blast Of the skyscraper
whistling for the upper yard.
shes coming" | exclaimed.
The boys crowded 10 the window
but Neighbor happened 10 glance ~
the east
What's that coming In from tn
Junction. Balleyf" he exclaimed. turI
Ing 20 the local dispatcher We looked
and saw a headlight In the east
That's 80"
Where dO they meetT
"Fifty-hve takes the long siding foo
from the Junction was two
miles east--"and she ought 10 be on 10
right now" added the dispatcher auN
.ously. looking over the master mechau.
les shoulder. Neighbor jumped az { %
bullet had struck him. shell ueEe.
take siding tonight. She's coming
down the main track. What's her or
iers" he demanded furiously.
Meeting orders for first I al Red
bud. second { here IS at Glencoe
Great Jupiter" cried the dispatcucr.
and his face went sick and scared.
they've forgotten second A.
They'll think OF her a long time
lead" roared the master mechanic saw
lgely. jumping 10 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 80 going dead against her stood
ike one palsied. my eyes glued on tLp
burning eye Of the big engine ~ So
whipped past a street are light caught
4 glimpse Of George McNears head out
Of the cab window He always rode
1areheaded II the night was warm. and
knew IL was he; but suddenly. lika
dash. his head went IN. ] knew why a,
well as II my eyes were his eye, ana
ny thoughts his thoughts lie had seen
red signals where he had every right
10 look for white.
But red signals now-to stop her-t %
pull her fiat on her launches like a
broncho? Shake a weather flag az
cyclone,
| saw the fire stream from her dr.v-
ers. ! knew they were churnlug in
he sand ! knew he had twenty air
,ars behind him sliding What Of Il:
Two thousand tons were sweeping
forward like an avalanche. What did
brains or pluck count for now with -
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 10 avert
! A. AZ. 1. Il.