Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-02-12
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!. y Sankey's Double N N
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e. HE Oldest man and the foods and the SHOWS and

anu TIE HOOuS duu Vic UuOWo, ohu ~
he could get home pretty near on
schedule, with everybody else late. he
was happy, and In respect Of that as
Sankey used to say. George Sinclair
could come nearer gratifying Sankey's
ambition than any runner we had.
Even the hremen used to observe
that the young engineer. always neat
looked still neater the days that he
took out Sankey's train. BY and by
there was an introduction under the
catalpas. After that 1t was noticed
that George began wearing gloves on
the engine-not kid gloves. but yellow
dogskin-and black silk shirts. He
bought them In Denver.
Then--an odd way engineers have of
paying compliments - when Georgie
pulled into town on No. 2. II 1t was
Sankey's train. the big skyscraper
would give short. hoarse scream.
most peculiar note. just as they drew
past Sankey's house. which stood on
the brow of the hill west of the yards.
Then Neeta would know that No. 2
and her father and naturally Mr.. Sin
clair were In again and all safe and
sound.
When the railway traInmen held
their division fair at McCloud. there
was lantern to be voted to the most
popular conductor-a gold plated Ian.
tern, with a green curtain in the globe.
Cal Stewart and Ben Doton, who were
very swell conductors and great rivals,
were the favorltes and had the town
divided over their chances for win
ming 1t.
But during the last moments George
Sinclair stepped up to the booth and
cast Il storm of votes for old man
Sankey. Doton's friends and Stewards
laughed at first. but Sankey's votes
kept pouring in amazingly. The fl
vortes grew frightened. They pooled
their issues by throwing Stewards vote
to Doton, but 1t wouldn't do. George
Sinclair, with crowd Of engineers
Cameron, Moore. Foles. Bat Mullen
and Burns-came back ut them with
such a swing that in the final round
up they fairly swamped Doton. San
key took the lantern by thousand
votes, but l understood 1t cost George
and his friends pot Of money.
Sankey said all the time he didn't
want the lantern; but, just the same,
he always carried that particular Ian
tern. with his full name, Sylvester San
key, ground into the glass just below
the green mantle. Pretty soon, Neeta
being then eighteen, 1t was rumored
that Sinclair was engaged to Miss San
key-was going to marry her. And
marry her he did. though that was not
until after the wreck in the Blackwood
gorge, the time OF the big snow.
1t goes yet by just that name on the
West End, for never was such win.
ter and such II snow known on the
plains and in the mountains. One train
OH the northern division was stalled
six weeks that winter, and one whole
coach was chopped up for klndling
wood.
But the great aud desperate effort Of
the company was to hold open the
main line, the artery which connected
the two coasts. 1t was u hard winter
OH trainmeu. Week after week the
snow kept falling and blowing. The
trick was not to clear the line; 1t was
TO keep it clear. Every day we sent
out trains with the fear we should not
see them again for week.
Freight we didn't pretend to move.
Local passenger business had to be
abandoned Coal. to keep our engines
AID Cur towns supplied, we were oblig
ed to carry. and after that all the
brains anI the muscle and the motive
power were centered OH keeping Nos. ]
and 2. our through passenger trains.
runnin.-.
Our tra.nmcI worked like Americans
There were ID towards Oh our rolls
But after too long II strain mel he
come exhausted. benumbed, Indifferent.
reckless even. The nerves give out.
and will power seems to halt on inde-
eision, but decision Is the life Of the
fast train.
None Of our conductors stood the
hopeless fight like Sankcy. Sankey
was patient, taciturn, untring and. In
a conflict with the elements, ferocious.
All the fighting blood Of his ancestors
seemed to course again In that struggle
with the winter king. | can see him
yet on bitter days standing alongside
the track In a heavy pea jacket and
Napoleon boots, a sealskIn cap drawn
snuggly over his straight black hair.
watching, Tdering, signaling. while
No. 1. with Its frost bitten sleepers be-
hind a rotary. struggled to buck
through the ten and twenty foot cuts
which lay bankful Of snow west Of
McCloud.
Not until April did 1t begin to look
as II we SHOULD win out. A dozen
times the lire was I'LL but choked On
US. And then. when snowplows were
disabled aud train crews desperate.
there came storm that discounted the
worst blizzard OF the WINTER. as tue
reports rolled in OH the morning Of
the 9Th, growing worse as they grew
thicker. Ncighbor. dragged out. played
out. mentally and physically. threw up
his hands. The 9th It showed all day.
aid ON Saturday morning the section
men reported thirty feet In the Black
wood canyon.
1t was o'clock when we got the
word and daylight before we got the
rotary against 1t. They bucked away
till noon, with discouragin3 results.
and came In with their gear smashed
al IL driving rod fractured. 1t looked
as II We Were heatcn.
No. got into McCloud eighteen