The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-03-14

Neighbor answered him never
word; he only put his hand on Dad
shoulder
"Flnd him frstl Find him. he re
peated with strain in his voice
never heard till then, and the two
giants hurried away together. Wher
reached the skyseraper, buried In the
thick OF the smash. roaring like n vol
cano the pair were already into the
Jam like brace of ferrets, hunting
for the engine crews. 1t seemed M
hour. though lt was much less, before
they found any one; then they brought
out 55's fireman. Neighbor found him
But his back was broken. Back again
they wormed through twisted trucks
under spllntered beams-ln and around
and over-choked with heat, blinded
by steam. shouting as they groped,
listening for word or cry or gasp.
Soon we heard Dads voice In a diff.
ferent cry. one that meant everything,
and the wreckers turning like beavers
through a dozen blind trails, gathered
all close to the big fireman. He was
under great piece of the cab where
none could follow. and he was crying
for bar. They passed him a bar;
other men, careless of life and limb,
tried to crawl under and in to him, but
he warned them back. Who but n
man baked twenty years in an engine
cab could stand the steam that poured
on him where he lay9
i Neighbor, just outside, flashing q
| 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 imprecation and cried
for one to help him. for minute
meant Il life now The boy lying pinned
under the shattered cab was roasting
In n 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 tho dash of the white
let-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
grQaned. the knotted legs slowly aud
painfully Strengthened. the cab for q
passing instant rose in the mir, and In
that instant Neighbor dragged GeorgIe
McNeal from out the wise Of death and
passed him. like Il 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 heap at Neigh
bors feet.
That was the saving OF George Nc
Neal. and out there they still tell you
about that lift Of Dad Hnmlton's.
We put him on the cot at the hos
ptal next to his engineer. George.
dreadfully bruised and scalded, came
on fast in spite of his hurts, but tile
doctor said Dad had wronched ten
don In that frightful effort. and he lay
there very sick and very old man
long after the young engineer was un
and around telling of his experience.
'When we cleared the chutes | saw
white signals, thought" he said to me
at Dads bedside. ~ 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. never choked her
notch to run the yards. Didn't mean
10 do 1t with the Junction grade to
climb just ahead of us. But ! looked
out again, and, by hokey. thought I'd
gone crazy. got color bllnd-red sig
nails! or course | thought must have
been wrong the first time looked.
choled her threw the air. dump
ed the gravel, Heavens, She never
felt 1t! / couldn't figure how we were
wrong, but there was the red light.
yelled, Jump, Dad" and he yelled.
Jump. son" Didn't you, Dad?
"He jumped, but wasn't ever going
to jump. and my engine going full
against red lamp. Not much.
II kind of lodged down behind the
head; when she struck 1t was bff and
she jumped about twenty feet up
straight She didn't? Well it seemed
like 1t. Then it was bff, biff. biff. one
after another. With that train behind
her she'd have gone through Beverly
hill. Did sou ever buck snow with
rotary, Mr. Reed? Well. that was
about It, even to the rolling ana heav.
Ing. Dad, want to lie down? I.e' me |
get another pillow behind YOU Isn't |
that better? Poor Musgrave!" he add.
ed, speaking OF the engineer of 50, who
was instantly killed He and the fire
man both. Hard lines, but I'd rather
have it that way, guess, If was
wrong. Eth, Dad?"
Even after George went to work
Dad lay In the hospital. We knew he
would never shovel coal again. 1t cost
him his good back to lift Georgle
loose, so the surgeon told us, and !
could believe 1t, for when they got the
jacks under the cab next morning, nnd
Nelghbor told the wrecking gang that
Hamilton alone had lifted II six inches
the night before on his back the
wrecking boss fairly snorted at the
statement, but Hamilton did just the
same.
Son." muttered Dad one night to
ieorgle, sitting with him. Il want you
10 write letter for me-"
Sure"
"I'ye been sending money to my boy