Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-07-28

n
AAsNe%
AN EXPLOSION LIKE THAT OF A THOUSAND
GREAT GUNS RENT TIE AIR.
A touch of this button. a dash along
the wire and the fuse ia struck. Then
four or five minutes and up goes a
mountain that has stood here since the
world began isn't it giorious?" He
Strengthened himself and took OF bis
hat mr. Howland. will you press the
button?"
With a strange thrill Rowland bent
over the battery. his eyes turned to
the mass of rock looming sullen and
black half mile away. as II bidding
defiance in the face of impending fate.
Tremblingly his finger pressed on the
little white knob. and silence like
that of death fell on those who watch
ed One minute--twO--three- pass
ed. while in the bowels Of the noun
tain the fuse was sizzling to its end.
Then there came pun. something like
cloud Of dust rising skyward. but
without sound. and before its upward
belching had ceased a tongue Of fame
spurted out Of It's crest. and after that,
perhaps two seconds later. came the
explosion. There was rumbling and
Earring. as II the earth were con-
vulsed under foot. Volumes of dense
black smoke shot upward. shutting the
mountain in an impenetrable pail Of
gloom. and in an instant these rolling.
twisting volumes of black smoke be-
came lurid. and an explosion like that
OF thousand great guns rent the air.
As fast as the eye could follow sheets
of flame shot out of the sea Of smoke.
climbing higher and higher in light
ming flashes until the Iurid tongues
licked the air quarter of a mile above
the startled wilderness. Explosion fol-
lowed explosion. some 1T them coming
in hollow. reverberating booms. others
sounding as II in midair. The heav-
ems were filled with hurtling rocks:
solid masses of granite ten feet square
were thrown hundred feet away:
farther. as II they were no more than
stones flung by the hand Of giant:
chunks that would have crashed from
the roof to the basement Of q sky
scraper dropped Il third and nearly
half a milo away. For three minutes
the frightful commissions continued.
Then the lurid lights died out Of the
pail OF smoke. and the pail itself be-
gan to settle. Howland felt grip on
his arm. Dumbly he turned and look
ed into the white. staring face Of the
superintendent. His ears tingled. ev-
cry fiber in him seemed unstrung.
MacDonald's voice came to him
, strange and weird.
what do you think Of that. How
land?"
The two nen eripped hands. and
when they looked again they saw dim
" through dust and smoke only torn
and shattered masses Of rock where
had been the giant ridge that barred
the path Of the new road to the bay.
Rowland talked but little on their
way back to camp The scene that he
had Just witnessed affected him
strangely 1t stirred once more with
in him all Of his old ambition. all Of
his old enthusiasm. and yet neither
found voice in words. He was glad
when the dinner was over at Th0rne's.
and. with the going IT the mail sledge
and the senior engineer. there came
over him a still deeper se1ee of Joy.
Now he was in charge. II was his
road from that hour on. He was IN
charge-in charge Of the greatest rail-
road building job on earth-he. Jack
Rowland, who less than twenty years
ago was a barefooted. half starved
urchin peddling papers In the streets
where he was now famous: And now
what was this black thing that bad
come I'D to threaten his chances just
as he had about won his great 6ght7
He clincbed his hands rs he thought
again of what had already happened-
the cowardly attempt on his life. the
warnings. and his blood boiled to fevel
heat. That night. after he had seen
Meleese. he would know what to do.
But he would not be driven away as
Gregson and Thorne had been driven.
He was determined Oh that.
The gloom of night falls early In the
great northern midwinter. and 1t was
already growing dusk when there came
the sound of voice outside HOwland's
cabin, followed u moment later by q
loud knock Mt the door. At HOwland's
Invitation the door opened. and the
head and shoulders Of a man appeared.
Something has gone wrong out at
the north coyote. sir. and MIR. MacDon-
aid wants you just as fast as you can
get out there" he said HE sent me
down for you with sledge."
Macdonald told me the thing was
ready for firing" said Rowland. put
ting on his hat and coat. whats
the matter?'
bad packing. l guess. Heard him
swearing about 1t. He's in . terrible
sweat to see you"
Half an hour later the sledge drew