The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-02-29

ming on schedule. Seventy-six, through
freight, southbound. would be little hate
getting out OF Eighteenth Street because Of
waiting for three cars of dressed beef COM
ing IN from Chicago over the O. g. c.. but
he would provide for her against third
Seventy-iive later on At two O'Clock
Jimmie was almost alone in the dimy
lighted building. In the office with him
was only Pctey Ferguson. who copied on
that trick, and the Iathead," staying
after hours to memori1e the ruics was in. a
corner droning over his book In the next
room was the North End dispatcher. while
down below were the ticket agent and few
baggagemen some of them mapping during
the dullest hour OF the night. Except for
halt dozen through freight and passen-
ger trains the ClinCh River Division slept.
snatchmg 4 few hours uneasy slumber be-
fore waking to the turmoil and fierce
struggle Of another day
In one of the dark and silent offices in the
third story. rat stole tinidly out from his
hole scurricd across the room. and took
refuge in an uncmpiicd wastc-baskct On
the second 10or, al the lar end Of the long
building Jimmie called Tor some bclated
20. SIS and entered them on his sheet
The Fathcad yavncd sccpy, rubbed his
eyes, and went home Quiet broken oniv
by the ticking Of the clock and the muillcd
chattering OF Sounder in the next room,
settled down over the big depot.
Overhead his ratship made 4 hasty exit
from the waste-basket 4 faint odor d
burning paper arose, and then a tiny tongue
OF flame ran up The ceilcd wall beside the
basket Another followed, and another.
The dry vanished wood smoked then
caught IRE and burned on unnoticcd Soon
the heat about the window cracked the
glass and ii fell tInkling outward admitting
more air. The flames ate through parii-
ton, shot up into the attic, and roarcd
along under the metal roof Just as Jim
rnle began to feel an unusual warmth in
the room and catch slight Whit ..-a-.,a...i.s...
wood an engine in the yards set up a frantic
whstllng Others took it up The hoarsc
voice of the shop whistle doomed out the
ire alarm Downstairs a telephone beIl
rang insstenty. Shilling high above the
clamor without CHANGING out Of the win
dow, jimmie saw Il glowing liickering light
on TIE long lines ol freight cars standing on
the tracks below At The same instant the
door vas flung open by the North End
dispatcher. Hey, YOU ieiiows' he
shouted. The building all on fire. Get
out quick before the stairs 60,
But jimmie refused to be excited Such
emotion had no place in thc traditions OF
his craft He was a dispatcher nov and he
to act according to his own no.
tons OF one
Get the nlcs and The typewriter, out
he said to the loyal Pctey Who still stayed
by for orders then come back alter the
quad instruments il you can
B-but ain I y-you going, too2"
"Not now, snapped Jimmie I've got
an order to give Screntv-six at Nortondale
or there'll be head-on Hustle those files
1ow"
The mad wbirrDg cl7tter Of gongs AID
he sound Of galloping boots on irozcp
ground came up fsindy from below as the
all alone in the upper part Of
he depot began calling Nortopdale. The
ire had caught him with an uncompIctcd {
rider out that made it imperative 70 him {
o reach Number Seventy-six with sc,rld {
'rdcr a that point But the Nortondale
perator. usually prompt TO answer. seemed
O have lett his key for the time being S
he perspiration dripped from Jimmie's
orehead as he called. Nd. ND. ND, DI. :" q
he oeiling was beginning to smoke Again a
nd again he clicked off the %" Of the j
espstohers call, but from IND" there J
anne no answer.
u amt coming back any more, painted a
etey on his third trip with the type h
-riters It's too hot You better come II
y our whi!c you can. b
II minute replied Jimmie, and he h
ent on calling s.
rirebrands sailed blazing across the h
ards driven by the wind that had sprung J
D Switch engines shot up and down The h
dder tracks, bumoed into long strings Of
MS and bore then7 ont ct danger nith clang n
x gbells and greatpufhns and h'stlng In fl
,e Tiare ne sa1 inemsn N top Of tele-
.aoh poie in ront o. the cepo; pouring D
ar@r on i 'rnu. orcSet- rhch wee heirk d.
issei au 20 or, >; s3o.Flades. Qn their c;
fm's tegerp>o the Ssls, ri The wires. se
-. 9 ss'Ill 6g = ssss,ipn H. remembered 40
~ he c'ty t.-erden volid e -. pol,e
irn ose,i. -yihc- iba" suG tie rsb oi throw tc
Z v-,'.r from nose ON Vi'es tha might be
oSsef with athrrs of 9aia Voltage m
' Keep i up, -eep it up prayed Jimmie. y
ID c.eu as he spoke the glass in the tran ct
m cracked with ,hc heat ani the stran-
ne smoke cam, drifting in There were eN
IN q few min ttles lri,. mol lime opnugh III
him maze dash for the south Tower co
ihe vsr.i~ sni reach il i,clore Scveniy-si. fa
d;ie a. Nc..ords,e. q
"Ny3, NG NJ ~ O. o he called. r.