Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1910-07-15


any damage to the line and stopping
the transportation of troops. But al
though the Major and his staff were
continually on the qui vive, and the
sentries and patrols were doubled, a
daring little Jap almost wrecked a
troop train, which would not only
have meant the death of hundreds Of
Russian soldiers, but would have
hopelessly blocked the line at a time
when Russia was hurrying every
available man to the front. How
Major Chicherine saved the train from
destruction and thwarted the Japanese
plot forms one of the most thrilling
episodes of the war.
For some time the Major had been
uneasy in his mind concerning one OF
the Chinese coOlies-ChO-ting-f Spies
were everywhere, and one evening
while waiting for another troop train
to come through, the Major confessed
to the station master that he believed
the cOolie was really a young Japa-
nese engineer whom he had met five
years previously at the Japanese I'm
baSsy in Berlin.
To the amaZement of the Major he
noticed, while talking to the station
master, the stoker and the driver of
huge engine which had helped to
being a heavy transport train in, and
which was standing ready for any
emergency, turn their backs to the
n 10
cent wall to smoke.
1t was quite contrary to the regula-
tons for them to leave the locomotive
when ready to start. A lever pressed
by an unthinking or malicious person
might put the great machine into mo-
lion and change it in an instant into
a fearsOme monster, scattering death
and devastation down the line. The
Major was angrily striding toward
the men, when suddenly little man
emerged from underneath the engine
and sprang up nimbly on to the foot
plate. Quick as lightning he had
pressed over the starting lever, ana
with the same rapidity was down
again and had disappeared under the
carriages of an empty train.
Even while the Major shouted and
rushed forward the great engine,
snorting and Kissing, began to move
ahead, before the amazed engine dr1v-
er and stoker could make out what had
happened. It's that william. Cho-ting-
flu" yelled the Major, as he drew his
n civ alarm
Madly he. rushed to the telegraph
room to alarm the military guards on
along the line, but to his horror dis
covered that the telegraph wires had
been cut.
"A fearful picture arose before my
imagination" said the Major, when
describing the incident afterWard.
The runaway engine was under
strong pressure; the reservoir was
full of water; there was plenty OF coal
in the furnace, and if ChO-ting-fu I'm.
derstood anything about this engine
as the cunning spy undoubtedly did
he must have opened a tap through
which flowed thick liquid SUBJ lance
produced from petroleum, and largely
used in Russia for heating lOcOmO-
tives. Therefore, tho fire would be
kept up and the engine would rush on
ward, tearing through long tunnels
and over miles OF rails, TO meet the
crowded troop train coming the other
way. A terrible collision would take
place, the line would be hopelessly
blocked. and the death roll must needs
De frightfnul."
Suddenly an idea flashed through
the Majors mind. He ruSned to
second reserve engine which had stood
behind the one started by the spy.
The driver seemed to understand him
without word, and pressing the
lever. the engine, tender foremost
moved rapidly out of the station and
disappeared into the night in chase of
the runaway. Working as he had
never worked before, the stoker
shoveled on coal. and, soon they were
tearing through the night at a pace
of SO versts Gust over so miles, an
hour Mile after mile they covered,
straining through the gloom TO eaten
the first glimpse of their quarry.
Suddenly the Major was attracted
by a cry from the driver as they
rounded a curve. In the distance the
white light at the back Of the runa-
ways tender swung into view.
Everything now depended on cool
ness and deXterity," TO quote the
Majors own words while the
stoker piled On yet more fuel I hur-
riedly explained my plan to the driver,
and climbed out on to the coal stacked
ND in the tender. endeavoring to bal
ance myself as the flying leviathan
Numbered along the track, swaylng
dizzily from side TO side. The dis
lance between the racing engines d.
minished sensibly. Presently it was
only a hundred yards; in half min
ute, so Then an anxious look came
into the drivers face glued tight TO the
glass. and his hand went to the lever
again. Soon the distance was reduced
4l1, Nv foot mar.