The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-09-02
CHAPTER TX.
SWeepinu Orders.

The burning of Smoky Creek bridge
was hardly off the minds of the noun
tain men when a disaster of differ
ent sort befell the division. In the
Rat valley east of Sleepy Cat the main
line springs between two ranges of
hills with dip and a long supported
grade in each direction. At the point
of the dip there is a switch from
which a spur runs to granite quarry.
The track for two miles is straight
and the switch-target and lights are
seen easily from either direction save
at one particular moment of the day
"a moment which Is in the valley
neither quite day nor quite night.
Down this grade, a few weeks after
the Smoky Creek fire, came double
headed stock train from the Short
Line with 40 cars of steers. The
switch stood open; this much was
afterward abundantly proved The
train came down the grade very fast
to gain speed for the hill ahead of 1t.
The head engineman, too late, saw the
open target. He applied the emergency
air, threw his engine over, and whis-
tied the alarm. The mightiest efforts
powerless to check the heavy train.
On the quarry track stood three fiat
cars loaded with granite blocks for the
abutment of the new Smoky Creek
bridge On sanded track, rolling at
80 miles an hour and screaming in the
clutches of the burning brakes, the
heavy engines struck the switch like
an avalanche, reared upon the granite
laden flats, and with 40 loads of cattle
plunged into the canyon below; not a
car remained on the rails. The head
brakeman, riding in the second cab
was instantly killed, and the engine
crews, who jumped, were badly hurt.
The whole operating department of
the road was stirred. What made the
affair more dreadful was that it had
occurred on the time of Number Six
the east-bound passenger train, held
that morning at Sleepy Cat by an en-
CINE failure. Glover came to look into
the matter. The testimony of all
tended to one conclusion-that the
some time between 4 80 and O'Clock
that morning. differences were many:
Tramps during the early summer had
been unusually troublesome and many
of them had been vigorously handled
by trainmen; robbery might have been
a motive, as the express cars on train
Number Six carried heavy specie ship
ments from the coast.
A third and more exciting event soon
put the quarry wreck into the back
ground. Ten days afterward an east
bound passenger train was tagged In
the night at Sugar Buttes, IL miles
west of Sleepy Cat. When the heavy
train slowed up two men boarded the
engine and with pistols compelled the
-engineman to cut off the express cars
and pull them to the water-tank q
mile east of the station. Three me1
there in waiting forced the express
car, blew open the safe. and the gang
rode away half an hour later loaded
with gold coin and currency.
Had a stick of dynamite been ex
ploded under the Wickiup there coulC
not have been more excitement al
Medicine Bend. Within three hours
after the news reached the town 6
posse under Sheriff Van Horn, with {
car load Of horsehesh and IA guns
was started for Sugar Buttes. The
trail led north and the pursuers rode
until nearly nightfall. They crossed
Dutch fiat and rode single file into {
wooded canyon, where they came
upon traces of a campfire. Van Horn
leading, jumped from his horse anC
thrust his hand into the ashes; the,
were still warm, and he shouted to hi
men to ride up. AS he called out, I
rihecracked from the boXelder trees
ahead of him. The sheriff fell sho
through the head, and deputy spring
ing from his saddle to pick him up wai
shot in precisely the same way; tn,
posse, thrown into a panic, did no
fire a single shot, and for an hou
dared not ride back for the bodies
After dark they got the two dead mel
and at midnight rode with them int,
sleepy Cat, .
When the news reached McCloud h
Nr7 'r'l.rg with Bucks over the wires
~ had got into headquarters a