The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-08-19
A RACE WITH FIRE
CARS
- Ia
A Story of the Civil War
By EDWIN c. TRASk
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

When one morning just before sun
taking the place by surprise. we found
three locomotives and twenty freight
cars standing in the railroad yard.
y train was made up, loaded with
troops. and [, having been locomotive
engineer. was put in the cab. Before
starting the general said to me:
Sergeant. the success of this eXpe-
dition depends upon you. Colonel Par.
ker is in command. but has nothing to
do with running the train. That's in
your hands. AS soon as the Confed-
crates know we're here they'll send
force to cut us off. But they'll need
the bridge at B., and l want you to
get these men there before daylight in
the morning to burn it. But you must
keep a sharp lookout for snags. The
citizens on the line you will pass over
are all hostile. and they'll strain every
nerve to wreck your train. Remem-
Der, not only the lives of the men in
these cars. but the safety of the whole
command depends upon you
The first ten miles we did by day.
light. Then it grew dark, and had
nothing to see by but the lantern,
which lit the track dimly My head
was thrust far out the cab window
and my hand was on the throttle.
Twice l stopped her within a few feet
of tie wedged in between a rail and
the ties, and once l bumped a tree
that had been felled across the track,
having not quite stopped before reach
ing it. On an elevation l struck
junction and a lot of people standing
about staring at us as we passed.
didn't like their looks. But the tele-
graph wires had been cut, and l didn't
see how they could send word ahead
There were half dozen freight cars
on sidetrack. but no locomotive.
Soon after leaving the junction shut
off steam and let her roll down the
long declivity. l was nearly at the
foot on short upward grade when
had break-the engine was only fit
for a junk heap-and spent half an
hour at a standstill while I patched it.
AS | remounted the cab Corporal Bob
Jenkins. who was acting as fireman,
pointed up the hill with IL look of hor-
ror saw Il bright light. and mo-
ment later Il short string Of freight
cars shot from out a cut. | knew at
once what it meant. The citizens at
the junction had started the cars ! had
seen ON the sidetrack. first having set
them afre. with the hope that they
would smash us on catching us and
If there was anything left of our train
burn it. l jumped into the cab and
pulled the throttle,
The grade behind us wasn't less than
80 degrees. and the fire train was COM
ing like lightning | had a few train
lengths to go on nearly Il level. then
a straightaway track on slight de-
cline. The fire train was coming at a
rate of mile in forty-tive seconds. and
the best my old wheezer could do was
mile in two minutes. If | couldn't
haul away far enough before the cars
| behind reached a place where they
would lose momentum they would ruin
u.s.
Then began the race of my life. /
could have stopped. let the men out Of
the cars and permitted the smashup
but the bridge wouldn't be burned and
our force at Turnerville would be cut
Off remembered the pressure of the
hand the general had given me. and |
| tightly grasped the throttle. resolved
to get away from those fire cars or
get wrecked.
| | held my eyes front, while Bob Jen-
kins kept me posted on the fire cars.
They're gaining on US mighty fast"
"Only mile away!" They'll catch
US sure!" They're coming like a
streak of lightning" These were the
unassuring words Bob gave me while
my locomotive puffed and sputtered
and dragged along at what seemed to
us snail's pace.
Then suddenly turning Il curve |
| saw a light ahead Great heavens
| Were we to have ire both in front
and behind us? Running on ii straight
track. | saw men kindling small
bridge They had got the ire well
going. but | didn't believe they had
burned the stringers sufficiently to let
US down. AT any rate. determined
to risk it. Leaving on full speed
couldn't put on any more-l dashed
into the flames. My locomotive cross
ed safely, and was congratulatine
myself that the train was all over
when l felt shock. We went short
distance and stopped
The bridge had gone down under the
last two cars. Several men were bad
ly injured. but no one killed. All were
got out before the fire cars plunged in
on the wreck and stopped there tG
mingle their burning with that of the
other material.
The men of the last two cars go
into those cars that had crossed, carry
ing the wounded. | mounted my en-
CINE, and we steamed on for the res
of the night. reaching the bridge a
B. just before dawn. My work wa
done leaned out Of the cab window
watching the men carry the wood ant
patroleum and distribute Them alOn,