Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-05-02
IN the yard took fire and threw a yel


back wi ldow. down on the roof of
the freight platform AMI - to the
ground. There was Il running to and
fro. useless and aimless; men were be-
side themselves. They plugged through
wheat up to their knees ut every step.
All at once. above the frantic Kissing
of the buried skyscraper and the wild
calling of the car thinks, | heard the
stentorian tones of Neighbor, mounted
on twisted truck, organizing the men
at hand into a wrecking gang. Soon
people began running up the yard to
where the skyscraper lay, like another
Samson. PROSTATE in the midst Of the
destruction it had wrought. Foremost
among the excited men, covered with
dirt and blood. staggered Dad Hamil-
ton.
where's McNealT cried Neighbor.
Hamilton pointed to the wreck.
why didn't he jump" yelled Neigh
Dor.
Hamilton pointed at the twisted sic
nal tower; the red right still burned in
it.
you changed the signals on him."
he cried savagely. what does 1t
mean? We had right against every
thing. What does 1t mean?' he raved.
In frenzy.
Neghbor answered him never a
word; he only put his hand on Dads
shoulder.
Find him first. Find him. he re-
peated. with strain In his voice |
never heard till then, and the two
giants hurried away together When
reached the skyscraper, buried In the
thick of the smash, roaring like vol
cano. the pair were already into the
Jam like Il brace OF ferretS, hunting
for the engine crews. 1t seemed an
hour though ii was much less, before
they found any one: then they brought
out 5Js fireman Neighbor found him.
But his back was broken. Back again
they wormed through twisted trucks.
under splintered beams-in and around
and overlooked with heat, blinded
by steam. shouting as they CROPPED.
listening for word or cry or gasp.
Soon we heard Dads voice in Il diff
ferent cry, one that meant everything.
anu the WTe'ktlS, llht DtdN CTS
through a dozen blind trails. gathered
all close to the big fireman. He was
under a great piece of the cab where
none could follow, and he was crying
for a bar. They passed him bar;
other men, careless of life and limb.
tried TO crawl under and in to him, but
he warned them back. Who but a
hal-a1 tvvn ~ in M
cab could stand the steam that poured
on him where he lay?
Neighbour just outside flashing a
light. heard the labored strain of his
breathing. saw him getting half up,
bend to the bar and saw the iron give
like lead in his hands as he pried
nightly.
Neighbor heard and told me long aft
erward how the old man flung the bar
away with an imprecaton and cried
for one 10 help him. for a minute
meant life now. The boy lying pinned
under the shattered cab was roasting
In jet of live steam. The master me.
chanic crept in.
BY signs Dad told him what to do
and then, getting on his knees, crawl
ed straight into the dash Of the white
jet-crawled into 1t and got the cab
on his shoulders
Crouching an instant, the giant mus
cles of his back set in tremendous
effort The wreckage snapped and
groaned, the knotted legs slowly and
painfully Strengthened, the cab for Il
nasSinU instant In tho mir onI In,
that instant Neighbor dragged George
McNeal from out the wise Of death and
passed him. like a pinch bar, to the
men waiting next behind. Then Neigh
Dor pulled Dad back. blind now and
senseless. When they got the old fire
man out he made pitiful struggle to
pull himself together. He tried to
stand up, but the sweat broke over
him, and he sank in a heap at Neigh
boris feet.
That was the saving Of George Nc
Neal, and out there they still tell you
about that lift Of Dad Hamlltons.
We put him on the cot at the hos
pital next to his engineer. George.
dreadfully bruised and scalded, came
Ou III Spitc VI his uuEtS, Dut tut
doctor said Dad had wrenched a ten
don in that frightful effort, and he lay
there very sick and very old man
long after the young engineer was up
and around telling Of his experience.
when we cleared the chutes saw
white signals, thought" he said to me
at Dads bedside. IL knew we had the
right Of way over everything. 1t was
hustle anyway on that schedule. Mr.
Reed, you know that-an awful hustle
with our load. I never choked her y
notch to run the yards. Didn't mean
to do 1t with the Junction grade TO
climb just ahead Of us. But looked
out again, and, by hockey. thought t.
gone crazy. got color blind-red sis
nails! OF course thought must hay,
been wrong the first time looked !
chOked her. l threw the air. I durrr.