Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-06-06

creaking Of cars. the putting and whs.
Ting of the locomotives. arose only 70
be snatched aloft by the wind and be
blended in the mad tumult all about
Beyond. lit by the lightning and the
headlights on the engines, we're the
vast dim lines Of the bridge and the
wild, tumbllng, foaming. waters of
the Crazy: over all the flying clouds
and the writhing blur of wind and
rain.
At the little telegraph shanty near
the bank Shelburn paused long enough
for the news from home and to leave
instructions as to finding him. The
boy was still holding his own. AS
he turned to leave he came face to
face with his assistant. Hatless was
Mahoney, water pouring off his leather
clothing. four days growth Of beard
on his chin, living in a world that
for forty-eight hours had consisted
only Of bridge and an insane river.
Thank the Lord. you've GOMEZ" he
shouted into his chiefs ear through
hands held trumpet In the same
fashion he outlined the situation. The
food from the broken dam had not
yet reached them. but the rails were
now onlv three feet above the water.
On this side the river was eating at
the bank as though trying to leave the
bridge stranded over the old channel
while 1t flowed through a new one.
Brush mattresses we're being sunk
under the weight of tons of earth and
rock along the threatened railway en-
bankment that was the approach to
the bridge. On slight elevation two
hundred yards back the linemen were
busy with a shed for the telegraph in.
struments. The present location would
be unsafe when the flood came. AL
ready engines from sde-tracked trains
farther up the line had been cut loose
and sent down to the river to bring
back as far as Monica the stalled
trains at the bridge On the other side
Of the stream Number Fifty-four. the
New Orleans Mail, was due but 1t was
not expected that she would try to
cross with the river in its present
state and in the face of Mahoney's or.
der that no train be allowed on the
bridge until the danger lessened. The
despatchers would doubtless hold her
at Pilot Junction. Shelburn nodded in
token Of understanding and took COM
mand while Mahoney sought out an en-
CINE to take him back to Damascus
Junction, where he could have copies
OF the bridge specifications ready to
forward to the builders should the
great structure go out. Borne down
family on the wind came the sound of
the blasting at Monica to loosen the
rock for the steam-shovel.
AS the chief watched the sinking of
another mattress the operator handed
him a damp,wilted bit Of paper. He
held his lantern up to 1t to read mot
so we'll Fever rising. VIII wire
, dSdlH Ill ullctu IAc tuIuSt
1t into his pocket and the man stood
. on tip-toe to shout yet more i'll news.
pilot junction says Fifty-four ran by
, the board there In the storm. She'll
be on the bridge any minute now"
Shelburn issued orders as fast as he
could make himself heard. One man
, ran to hold up the dozen cars of stone
, that were about to be pushed out on
the southbound track to help weight
the structure against the rush Of the
/. Durham flood, another TO get the way
:. cleared for the passage Of the Mai
when she should be over. The waves
: were on a level with the bridge ties
, and In torment the big engineer
prayed that she would cross before q
wall of water should sweep the rails
, Now that the northbound track wa!
, being blocked by freight whose real
, lights could be seen slowly advancing
D.. over It, there was no opportunity Il
: send an engine across in safety to stol
p Fifty-four on the farther side. TheI
g. the red lights halted and from thu
q other shore there suddenly flashed thu
j., binding glare Of headlight through
which the rain fell like Thousand
, darling spears Of silver light Slowly
!, steadily. the long train drew across tn,
, bridge, her bell tolling dismally Shel
, burn caught sight Of two figures on thu
a right-hand side Of her engines cal
a as she passed. and afterward he knew
. that one of them WAS dead, the bod,
;. of old Pap" Sterling who had died OF
q his engine. Like ono Of the lords o
n old whose bodies were set at the hea,
of the feast. Pap was making his las
9 run home through the night and tn
a tempest. With qnickening speed tn
g cars whipped past and were lost t.
|. sight in the darkness and driving
a rain. The Mail was over and the foo,
!, was yet to come. The taillights o,
d the bridge receded rapidly now. TIL
n engineer on the freight, whom, in spit
o of orders, "Stubby" Sullivan had hyI