Arizona republican., 1912-03-24

turned back toward the River again 10 work up over the Mineral line from that end, while the Hanger was bur rowing into the drifts from Damascus way, and on the main line McKelly was running trains not more than thirty minutes apart. Snow-crusted from headlights to tenders, the en- zines staggered into the terminals, were given what grooming was abso- lutely essential, and hurried back into the battle again. The superintendent with his read hair tousled and on end, was smoking and planning incessant- ly. Whether 1t were day or night had almost escaped his attention. Again the darkness came down and he tele- phoned his wife that he would try 10 get home by midnight. Then, once more, he forgot everything except that he was in the middle of the biggest blockade the W. G. $. had experienced since their rails crossed the mountains. Bancroft, the chief despatcher. who seemed without nervousness or ia tigue. hung over the train-sheets, try ing hour after hour to bring order out of woeful confusion. Every yard and siding was damned. and the yardmasters and switching crews nearly grew gray in the proverbisl one nights time.
 The encouragement that was fet, when at eight o'clock Friday night the clouds broke and the snowfall ceased. was short-lived, for the wind yeered around into the north and the mer- cury began tumbling down the tube ten degrees to the hour. McStewart of the motive power said strange things in his beard. when he noted 1t, and for the first time in years ab- sented himself from weekly prayer meeting. "Tll be greetin' aboot my engines before morning. he observed 10 McKelly. This does na look good at all"
 It was nearly eleven o'clock when Clinch River reported the rotary by Mildale, the last night office until Glenvar should be reached. and the superintendent looked for another hour to bring him brief respite. Then. casually. Hop" Mcguire. oper- ator at the latter place, reported that the Hanger had passed there going south, some ten minutes before.
 What" snapped Vinson. the de- spatcher on duty.
 The Hanger passed ten minutes ago" repeated Mcguire
 A few meaningless dots went out over the line as Vinson turned to Ban croft Somebody at Irvine balled up the Hangers orders" he said quickly. They were to work only as far as Ironton, yet Glenvar says they're by and going on toward Canton. The rotary is past Milldale and those two blows are working against each other without an office 10 stop them at from here!"
 The demon of mischance had chosen the weak spot in the Morse code and used 1t well. The slightest inatten- ton. the rattle of poker. slurTing over in the repetition. and "lronton and Canton" sound all alike to the hare-brained taker-of-risks that per haps one operator in thousand Is.
 Have Clinch River catch the rotary from their end" directed the chier. and turned back to his efforts to get a report from the north division.
 Then the full force of the situation struck Vfnson. They can'tr' he groaned. The last night office Is MiIldale and they are by there!
 After long absence. Horror, icy as the breath of the north wind 1t came with. once more sat shoulder to shouI- der with the despatchers at the June tion and laid its numbing grasp on their hearts and brains. For one age long moment Vinson sat stunned and helpless. striving desperately 10 re- cover himself, to think. to act. Then the restraining hand seemed partia1Iy lifted from him, and out through tne frozen night the Mineral wire bore his calls for the offices below GlenVar. Heartbreaking was the hopeless appeal in the tones of the saunders that gave it voice. but where the blows were there were none to hear it. Bancroft, his face gray and drawn, was calling the CIinch River despatchers that they too might bend every effort toward stopping one of the blows. With them lay the only real hope, and it was feeble one.
 Meanwhile, the Hanger up on the wind-swept shoulder of Blue Mountain charged again and again at the packed snow in the cuts, burying itself to the tail-lights, backing out and rammlng again, breaking through on the other side with a rush and a cloud or living whiteness that enveloped completely the struggling locomotives behind 1t. But in the cut on the very crest the first disaster came. Four times the huge engines hurled the blow against the close packed snow, and each time they brought up short against the solid mass, with their drivers tearing squirting streams of fire from the rails. For the fifth attempt they backed Tar off and bore down on the drift with speed and force that seemed irresist- ible. There was no sound of whistle or bell, only the fast-following click of the rail-joints and the great pull sating . roar in the deep-throated stacks. Then came a shock that bent the straining steel in the giant blow. the dark shut down, and somewhere In the blind chaos of flying snow and smoke and steam the Hanger left the rails. The locomotive just behind it doubled hideously between cab and tender and there was sickening, crunching sound, succeeded by silence save for the escape of four tall plumes of steam that rose from the domes straight up into the frosty moonlight.
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