Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-01-25
CHAPTER XVII.
THE slIADOwGRApu,

Il Angels. ut point where all
further progress seemed def
nitely barred by the huge bar
rier OF the great mountain range, the
Red Butte Western. having picked its
devious way to an apparent cul -de-sac
among the foothills and hogbacks,
plunges abruptly into the echoing can.
yon OF the eastern Timanyoni
For forty added miles the river
chasm. throughout Its length mar
row, tortuous crevice. affords pre-
carious footing for the railway EN-
bankment. At its western extremity
the canyon forms the gateway to a
shut In valley OF uphcavcd hills AMI
Interior mountains isolated by wide
stretches OF rolling grass land To the
eastward and westward OF the great
valley rise the sentinel peaks of the
two inclosing mountain ranges
Red Butte, the center OF the evanes.
cent mining excitement which was
originally responsible for the building
of the railroad. lies high pitched
among the shoulderlng spurs of the
'NH'tAh bHNi'AtiiN luiGt' VII wv
south bank OF the river, ut n point
short distance beyond the stream
fronting cliffs, lies the landmark hin
known as Little Butte, and Mt the sta
ton OF the same name Is the bridge
across the Timanyoni.
On the engineering maps OF the Red
Butte Western the outline OF Little
Init tn I,I a ali ,nl
triangle with FIVE mile sides, the three
angles OF the figure marked respec-
lively by Silver Switch. Little Butte
station and bridge and the Wire Sill
yer mine
Between Silver Switch and the
bridge station the main line Of the
railroad follows the base of the TRAN
gle, with the precipItous bluffs of the
big hill on the left and the torrentlng
food of the Timanyoni on the right
Along the eastern side OF the triangle
and leaving the main track ut Silver
Switch ran the spur which had for.
merly served the Wire silver when
the working opening of the mine had
been on the eastern slope of the ridge.
the summer OF OverturningS this spur
had been disused. though It's track.
ending among IL group of the old mine
buildings five miles away, was still In
commission.
Along the western side Of the TRAN.
gle, with Little Butte station for its
point of divergence from the main
line, ran the new spur built to accom-
modate Flcmister after he had dug
through the hill and oustcd the right
full owner of the true Wire Silver
vein aud had transferred his labor
hamlet and his plant. or the major
part Of both. to the western slope OF
the butte. at this point no more than
narrow ridge separating the eastern
and western gulches
Train 205. with OK Engineer Judson
apparently sound asleep in one of the
rearward seats OF the day coach. was
on time when II reached Little Butte
A moment later Judson had let him
self silently into the rear vestibuie OF
the day coach and was as silently
opening the folding doors OF the vestI-
bule Itself
Hanging Off by the handrails. he
saw the engines headlight pick up
the switch stand Of the old spur. The
train was Enthusiastically slowing now,
and he made ready to jump II the
need should arise. picking his place nj
the track side AZ the train lights show
ed him the ground Az the speed was
checked Judson saw what he was ex'
pectin" 10 see Precisely M the In
slant Of the switch passing a man
dropped from the forward step Of the
smoker and walked swiftly away up
the disused track OF the old spur. Jud
sons turn came a moment later. aOi
when his end Of the day coach fiicksd
past the switch stand he. too. dropped
20 the ground and. waiting only until
be could follow without being detect