The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-08-12
CHAPTER I.
The Wreeklna Boss.

son, was overseeing the making up of
his wrecking train, and the yard, usu-
ally quiet at that hour of the morning,
was alive with the hurry of men and
engines. In the trainmaster's room of
the weather-beaten headquarters build
ing nicknamed by railroad men THE
Wickiup," early comers-sleepy-face
keen-eyed rainmen--lounged on the
tables and in chairs discussing the re-
ports from Point of Rocks, and among
them crew-callers and messengers
moved in and out. Two minutes after
they had their orders and were pulling
out Of the upper yard, with right of
way over everything to Point of
Rocks.
The wreck had occurred just west
of the creek. A fast east-bound freight
train, double-headed, had left the
track on the long curve around the
hill. and when the wrecking train
backed through Ten Shed cut the sun
streamed over the heaps of damned
and twisted cars strung all the way
from the point of the curve to the foot
of Smoky hill. The crew of the train
that lay in the ditch walked slowly
up the track to where the wreckers
had pulled up, and the freight conduc-
tor asked for Sinclair. Men rigging
the derrick pointed to the hind car.
The conductor, swinging up the ca
boose steps, made his way inside
among the men that were passing out
tools. The air within was blush
thick with tobacco smoke, but
through the haze the freightman saw
facing him, in the far corner of the
den-like interior, a man seated behind
an old dining-car table, finishing his
breakfast: one glimpse was enough to
identify the dark beard of Sinclair,
foreman of the bridges and boss of the
wrecking gang.
Beside him stood a steaming coffee
tank, and in his right hand he held an
enormous tin cup that he was about to
raise to his mouth when he saw the
freight conductor. With laugh, Sin
clair threw up his left hand and beck
oned him over. Then he shook his
hair just little, tossed back his head
opened an unusual mouth, drained the
cup at gulp, and cursipg the freight.
man fraternally, exclaimed: How
many cars have you ditched this
timer"
The trainman, sober-faced fellow
answered, dryly: "All had"
Running too fast, eh?" glared Sin
clair.
With the box cars piled 40 feet high
on the track, the conductor was toe
old hand to begin a controversy
"Our times fast" was all he said.
Sinclair rose and exclaimed: Come
on" And the two, leaving the car
started up the track. The wrecking
boss paid no attention to his com
panion as they forged ahead, but
where the train had hit the curve he
scanned the track as he would blue
print. They'll have your scalp fol
this" he declared, abruptly.
Il reckon they will"
whats your Nance"
Stevens"
Looks like all day for you, doesn'
It? No matter; | guess can help you
out"
Where the merchandise cars lay
below the switch, the train crew knew
that a tramp had been caught. A
intervals they heard groans under The
wreckage. which was piled high there
Sinclair stopped at the derrick, ant
the freight conductor went on t
where his brakeman had enlisted TIVE
of Sinclair's giants to help get out thu
tramp. A brake beam had crushed tn,
mans legs, and the pallor of his fac'
showed that he was hurt internally
but he was conscious and moaned soft
ly. The men had started to carry hin
to the way car when Sinclair cam'
up, asked what they were doing, ant
ordered them back to the wreck. The,
hastily laid the tramp down. But h.
wants water" protested a brakeman
who was walking behind, carrying hi
arm in a sling.
'Waterl" bawled Sinclair. "Hav
my men got nothing to do but carr,
a tramp to water? Get ahead Their
and help unload those refrigerators
He'll find water fast enough, Let tn
damned hobo crawl down to the cree
after it."
The tramp was too far gone for re
sentiment; he had tainted when the
laid him down, and his halfglaze
eyes staring at the sky, gave NO ev
dence that he heard anything,
The sun rose hot, for in the Re
desert sky there is rarely clout
Sinclair took the little hill neares
the switch TO below his orders from
running down among the men wheI
ever necessary to help carry them GU
Within 30 minutes, though APPARENT
no impression had. been made on tn
great heaps of wrenched and spliI
tered equipment, Sinclair had the 10
In hand.
The freight conductor, Stevens
afraid of no man, had come up {