Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-04-09

on our tllne caro- NelRnDOr Ill Tue uls'
patchcr's Office across the hall figured
out that the wheat train would enrich
the company just $1,000. tolls and
premium. "if 1t doesn't break in two
on Beverly hill" growled Neighbor.
with qualm.
On the dispatcher's sheet, which Is n
sort of panorama. I watched the big
train whirl past station after station.
drawing steadily nearer to us, and do.
Ing 1t. the marvel. on full passenger
time. It was great feat. and George
| McNeal, whose nerve and brain were
guiding the tremendous load. was
breaking records with every milestone.
They were due in Harvard Mt 8
o'clock. The first 4, our flier. pulled In
and out on time. meeting So. the west
bound overland freight. mt the second
station east of Harvard-Redbud.
Neighbor and sat with the dis
patchers up in their office. smoking.
The wheat train wGs now due from the
west. and. looking Mt my watch. I
stepped to the western window. Al
most Immediately heard the long, pc
culiarly hollow blast Of the skyscraper
whistling for the upper yard.
"She's coming" I exclaimed.
The boys crowded to the window.
but Neighbor happened to glance TO
the east.
whats that coming In from the
Junction. Bailey?" he exclaimed. turn.
ing to the local dispatcher. We looked
and saw headlight in the east.
"That's S."
"Where do they meet?'
"Fifty-fve takes the long siding In
from the Junction"-which was two
miles east-"and she ought to be Oh II
right now." added the dispatcher anx
iously, looking over the master mecllan
les shoulder. Neighbor jumped as II II
bullet had struck him. Shell never
take siding tonight She's coming
down the m..n track. What's her Or
Jers?' he demanded furiously.
Meeting orders for first : at RED
bud. second here, IS ut Glencoe
Great Jupiter" cried the disra, !ic:
and his face went sick and scared
they've forgotten second A.
"They'll think of her long time
dead" roared the master mechanic say
agely. jumping to the west window
Throw your red lights! There's the
skyscraper now"
Her head shot that instant AROUND
the coal chutes less than mi,e away
and SO going dead against her. stool
like one pals!ed, my eye; glued Oil the
burning eye OF the big engine. As slr'
whipped past Il street arc light carghi
q glimpse Of George McNeai's hell out
Of the cab window. He always rode
bareheaded il the night was warm, and
knew it was he; but suddenly. like II
flash, his head went In. knew why rs
well as If my eyes were his eye; and
my thoughts his thoughts. He had seen
red signals where he had every right
to look for white.
But red signals n0w-tO stop licr-to
pull her fat OH her launches Ike -
broncho? Shake weather flag ut II
cyclone!
saw the fire stream from her driv
crs. ! knew they were churning In
the sand. | knew he had twenty air
ears behind him sliding. What Of it?
Two thousand tons were sweeping
forward like an avalanche. What did
brains OF pluck count for now with 30
dancing along like u schoolgirl right
into the teeth of 1t?
don't know how the other men felt.
AS for me. my breath choked in my
throat, my knees shook. and deadly
nausea seized me. Unable to avert
the horrible blunder saw its hideOus
results.
Darkness hid the worst Of the sight;
it was the sound that appalled,. Chill
dren asleep in sod shanties miles from
! where the two engines reared in aw-
full shock jumped in their cribs at that
| crash. Fifty-five's little engine barely
checked the skycraper. She split 1t
like a banana. She bucked like fran
tic horse and leaped fearfully ahead.
There was u binding explosion. Il sud-
den awful burst of steam. The Win
dows crashed about our ears. and we
were dashed to the wall and floor like
lead pencils. A baggage truck. whip
ped up from the platform below. came
through the heavy sash and down on
the dispatchers table like brickbat,
and as we scrambled to our feet n
| shower Of wheat suifocated us. The
floor heaved. Freight cars slid into
the depot like battering rams. In the
height of the confusion an oil tank
| In the yard took fire and threw vel.
low glare on the CHASTITY scene.
saw men get up and fall again to
| their knees. | was shivering and wet
with sweat. The stairway was crush
ed into kindling wood. ! climbed out
q back window, down on the roof OF
the freight platform and SO to the
ground. There was running to and
! fro, useless and aimless; men were be-
side themselves. They plunged through
wheat up to their knees at 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 a twisted truck. organizing the mer
at hand into a wrecking gang. Soon
people began running up the yard te
where the skyscraper lay. like another
Samson, PROSTATE In the midst of the
destruction 1t had wrought. Foremost
among the excited men, covered with
dirt and blood. staggered Dad Hamil
ton.
"Where's McNeal?' cried Neighbor.
Hamilton pointed to the wreck.
"Why didn't he jump" yelled Neigh
bor.
Hamilton pointed at the twisted sig
nal tower; the red right still burned IN
It.
"You changed the signals on him.
he cried savagely. "What does II
mean? We had right against every
thing. What does 1t mean" he raved
In frenzy.
NeIghbor answered him never 9
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