The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-02-04
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A HERO OF THE CAB.

No newspaper ever reported the
deed of Dan Fairbairn, which made
his name famous among the railroad
men of the Canadian Pacific system,
and still keeps we'll kept the grave in
which he lies in the little cemetery at
Chapleau, Ontario. Like many an
other hero of the rail Big Dan es-
capped all the perils of his calling only
to die while comparatively young
from the sickness following an ordi-
nary cold. On the Chapleau division,
which includes most of the stretch
between Sudbury mines and Fort
William on Lake Superior, there is
perennial danger from forest fires.
The track runs through an unculti-
waited country of thick bush, and near
| ly all the bridges are of wood. some
of them long outstanding trestle
| spanning broad rivers or arms of
lakes. Frequently in late spring and
early summer the whole force of the
bridge and building inspector is de-
! tailed for days at time to do nothing g
| but watch these structures while the
fires are raging.
With the first of the warm weather
in 1887 the fires on this section of the
road became even more menacing
| than usual and the evening when
| Fairbairn backed his engine to No. 1
(the transcontinental maiD at Car
! tier, a pail of smoke hid the sky.
| Fifty-four miles from Cartier is Bis
| milo fa RI
is the long Disco trestle. From the
time of leaving the point at which en-
gines had been changed, the fire con-
ditions had been getting steadily
worse, and the pillar of cloud on the
track ahead of the engine blacker and
denser. The muf1ed roar of the con-
suming flames could be heard occa-
sonally, and from time to time the
glare of the confagration could be
| seen for a minute or two by the pas
sengers. Evidently the train was ap-
preaching nearer to danger zone in
stead of leaving the fires behind.
The express had cleared Biscota-
sing and was heading for Ramsay,
when the fireman, Howard Gougeon,
thought he discerned a flicker of
fame apparently in the middle of the
track about half mile ahead.
Great Scott, Dan! 1 believe the
! long trestle is on fire." he said.
Fairbairn scanned the track from
his side of the cab, but could see
nothing of the light ''Nonsense!" he
replied "Between the bridge car
! penters and the section men, we
should have heard of it long ago if
! that was so. That is the one point
they'll both be watching just now
At the same time he took in a
notch and continued to keep a sharp
lookout. They were within two train
lengths of the trestle at the end of a
long down grade, when Gougeon
There it is! Look now!" he cried
No need to tell the engineer; he
had seen, understood and already
made up his mind. He had only a
second in which to act, and that small
squirt of fire told him that he was
within few yards of long wooden
bridge that had burned long since
and was now a smoldering ruin. TIC
attempt to stop within the short dis
tance was out of the question:; ii
! would only mean heavy dead weight
creeping on the charred woodwork
and death for all.
There was just time to jump, but
Dan was not considering that. Still
the young fireman must have his
/ hor oip throw ri
Drop off," to him over his shoulder
AS he shouted the words, he yanked
the throttle wide open and put Oh
every limit OF speed of which his en-.
gine was capable. With roar and
a rumble the train took the bridge
Instantly the rush of the wind crea
ted by its great speed acted as gi
gantic fan on the smouldering wood
the flames leaped high and envelopeC
the whole train in a mantle of fire
Underneath the rails sunk as in {
quagmire; but with hair and eye
brows scorched and the big blont
beard actually on fire, Fairbairr
held tight to the wide open throttle
and after an eternity of few sec
onds the train was on the other side
High above the whir OF the wheel!
on the ballasted roadbed sounded
crash after crasN The long Disco
tasing trestIe had collapsed from ent
to end.
When the frightened passenger
climbed out of cars, from which ever.
vestige of paint had been licked, ant
stumbled over the ties to the rive,
bank, they saw only long blacl
void Not even a remnant of the su
perstructure remained to show tina
there had ever been q bridge at tha
point. Fer a minute they regarded
the scene in awestruck silence, thel
with one accord they made for tn
engine. Ciambering from the ca!
was a blond giant of six feet fiv'
inches. who wiped with a piece of OF
soaked cotton waste face blistere(
and scared by fire.
Dan summoned a very one-sideC
grin. ''Pretty close" he said.
Close! Didn't they realize hoy
close it had been? Could they no
picture what might have been. ha,
this man sought only his own safet
or hesitated with his duty for on
moment?
They lifted him, giant as he was
on their shoulders. and carried hin
to the dining car One OF their mum
her vas doctor, who set about ban
daging the face Of the hero, much t
! Dams disgust
That's all right" said the ergi
neer: but first let's find out whejh
Ell they've sent a brakeman back
It's no use our escaping if the mex
fellow following is dumped into tn
drink
Assured that the conductor La
done his best by placing three re
lanterns on the bank and leaving
trainman in charge, Dan became onl
more impatient of attention. 'Ge
EN- all aboard, gentlemen" he sal
almost harshly. IF the brakema
can't swim, It's up to us to hustle t
Ramsey rs quick as we know ho7