Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-02-03
across die tracf-

slement OF danger would not come I'D /
before me was crushed 90 t of me. Be /
yond the curve l came to the first long
straight bit OF the road on the line. l |
knew I must do over sixty miles an
hour here In order 70 get through in
he limit Of time. For twelve miles /
Kept my eyes fixed On the track illu-
minated by the headT ight. tearing along
70 fast that should an obstruction be
On the track coubi never slow up IN
time to avoid It, Every minute Of
strain on my nerves took just so much
strength out OF them. believed that
no one would place anything on a
straight track TO throw me off and took
all the chance on this. besides the
danger OF leaving the rails. The loco
motive swayed and groaned and
bounced till It seemed that the next
bump would surely throw it off, At
even the slightest curve 1 held my
breath, and every time l came to a
switch which l could not plainly see
was sure the rattling and pumping
beneath meant that we were on the ties
and In another moment would be rolled
up in q universal smash.
IL had an excellent headlight, the
reflector Of which l had polished my
self. Under its glare the shadows be-
fore me looked black and heavy as if
they had been stone. There were tele-
graph poles beside the track. and it
seemed to me as l approached their
shadows that | was about TO en-
counter the trunk of a fallen tree.
They faded in rapid succession, but the
approach of every shadow was like
the falling of sledgehammer on my
nerves.
Il had gone seventy miles and was
ON time when suddenly a big block
of solid stone doomed up ahead. l
reversed, whistled down the brakes
and came to a full stop. But neither
knew when / stopped nor for a few
moments after whether 1 had escaped
the peril, for | was so benumbed with
fright that my senses refused to act.
As soon as ] was conscious that the
machine was at rest l took another
look ahead. There was the block 1
had seen, but as far distant as it had
been when l discovered it. l jumped
down and ran ahead. l couldn't see
the obstacle, for my own shadow con-
cealed It, Nevertheless did not reach
It, | stepped aside, and there it was
ahead. l ran forward a bit and, not
reaching it, returned and examined
my headlight. There on the glass
directly before the light was tiny
moth,
"Summoning all my resolution to dis
regard these phantom obstacles, put
on full speed, and when / came to a
straight bit OF road | shut my eyes
that might not see and be racked
by them. Again the old iron swayed
and groaned and wheezed and pulled
, and spit fire and smoke till 1 entered
| upon the last ten miles between me
and my destination. Then suddenly
there was a crash, and bit of spin
} tered glass struck me in the face.
| supposed that at last the catastrophe
had come.
! But, no The cowcatcher had
thrown up a chicken or some Other
, object that had broken the lamp Of the
headlight. The lamp continued tC
/ burn, however, though unprotected
Y since I had reversed as soon as the
4 crash came. However, l knew Il
3 would not keep lighted under speed
{ and felt that after all had beer
l. blocked, But just as / was about t
q give up hope | saw light ahead, and
q presently q locomotive bore down OF
us, slowing up as 1t came. 1t haC
Q been sent out by the commander a
{ L., who was hard pressed to learn i
i we were nearing him.
1--WE managed to get this other head
e light in position on my locomotive
e and again ! pushed forward. From
this point now and again we coul'
y occasionally hear the faint booming O
4 guns and as we drew nearer the rattl
b Of musketry. The moon was at tn
e full. Evidently the Confederate com
k mander was determined to crush hi
enemy before the arrival of REINFORCE
e ments, and the Federal officer wa
b fighting against time.
l. 81 did not know at what momen
o the latter might give way, and, a
d though the road was as rough and a
l. ShOOhcu a. onJ part hdu pdSSeu I'VE
d / drove the machine as rapidly and a
b recklessly as before. l approached gu
x men from the rear, though they wer
being fianked, which we were mad
ID aware of by sudden fire into GU
d train.
Ie 'orhe commander of the troops 1 ha
ID hauled through pulled the bell cor
70 and when l had come to a halt o.
10 dered his men out Of the train. The
"A drove back the Confederate tanker
" and joined the main body,
a. tThe arrival Of reinforcement
caused the Confederates to Withdraw
~ and the place was saved.
y, "As soon as my work was over
"a tumbled over on the cab floor. N
- fireman picked me up, and revive
~ very shortly. l know what an impo
~ tant victory 1 had achieved and wan
=, ed to go right back and tell the ge
III oroI all oho.rf Pt1f instead IF fbi