Middletown transcript., 1908-04-25

uL4O onLl l'CAS3 ohA bS50A " SS~5
ger back and forth again with
his shovel for the fire Vas low,
and ahead lay heavy grade.
Harkness was looking back for
the red signal-flags on the ca
boose. Suddenly he drew in his
head with an exclamation :,
We've broken in two! Only
about ten cars, d third of the
train. remained with the engine.
The other twenty were either
within or beyond the tunnel.
The engineer at once brought
his section to a stop. Had there
been a side-track near, he would
have shunted his ten cars upon
it, and then gone back for the
others with his engine. But no
track was near, and there was
an express not far behind. He
must lose no time.
The head brakeman jumped
from the "way car" where he
had been sorting freight for the
next station. After talking with
Hardness he ran back over the
top of the train to the last car.
1t was in the days of hand -brak-
ing. They had already run far
enough ahead to avert q collision
and give the rear brakeman a
chance to stop his section.
Hardness threw his lever over
and opened the throttle.
Now, my lad, we'll see what
you're made of thought he.
Puff Puff! Back they rolled
at a six-mile rate, heavy black
smoke.coils pouring off the green
coal. Car after car disappeared
down the throat of the tunnel.
Hodgkins was hoping every Sec
ond for the brakeman's shout,
announcing that he had sighted
the rear section. But the train
rolled steadily into the darkness,
and presently the engine itself
was swallowed up.
Farther in, and still farther,
the thick smoke making a mid,
night round them. 1t had been
bad enough before, but this was
ten times worse.
Suddenly, as the locomotive
neared the center, where the
water was deepest, a mufded yell
burst from the brakeman. He
had spied the other section close
behind. Harkness shut his
throttle just as the cars crashed
together.
The engine stopped. Through
the open dampers and up into
the fire swashed the water with g
tremendous Kissing!
| Whoosh !! Out burst flaming
cloud of gas and steam. Hodg
kins, STOPPING forward with 6
heaped shovel, had his face bloWr
full of cinders. Scalded and al
m'st blinded, he staggered back
Then he seized the chain anG
swung the door shut; for with
the gas pouring off the cracking
Goals it was impossible to live il
the cab.
Hardness pulled the throttle
wide open. This was no place
for human beings, dependent or
oxygen. But the big drivers
spun helplessly in the water with
out catching the slippery rails
His fingers instinctively fount
the sand-lever. Then he drew
back his hand. Of what use was
sand with three feet of tide OF
the track?
They must have a hotter fire
even though it meant more smoke
and gas.
Put on your blower! gaspec
Harkness. r-~.
The fireman paved for thu
blower-valve, found the little
wheel, and spun it round. A
rushing in the fire. e-box responded
Hot and murky and dense, ths
black smoke, belching up contin
ually against the low roof, rolled
down on each side of the cab il
choking clouds. 1t could no
have been worse inside chime,
Both men were coughing VIC
lently.
Finding it impossible to bach
the train, Harkness attempted tt
60 ahead. But still the wheels
whirled idly.
Suffocation threatened the mer
in the cab. In desperation the
engineer reversed again. This
time the drivers caught slightly
on the friction-roughened rails
For moment the heavy train
hesitated; then it began to move
But for the older man it came toe
late. Overcome by the fumes, he
loosened his grasp on the levers
4 Il i l.