The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-04

cut f.ruE2ti fi!e MI = ana RuuHeiS SAID
simply:
-'Cus.IJra."
A moment litter he announced: We
leave the r. r l. tracks here and
switch III OH the |. e {. Now you'll
begin To see something"
Down info the cut the little car went.
ard III last Anthony saw the active
pulsati ting heart Of this StuI,endouS I'M
dertul.ing The low range was severed
by :c":-e blasted out hy human hands
1t was mountain valley in the max
ing. High up ou its sides We're dirt
and rnrk trains. dozens of compressed
air drills. their SpnrS resembling the
masts of Il feet of cathoatS at anchor
behind these srimy. powerful steam
shovelS which rooted and gruuted quite
like iron hogs. Along the tracks ut va
riouS levels flowed a constant current
of traffic: long lines of empty ears
crept past the ShGvels. then. filled to
OVERCOMING sped away northward up
the valley. IN return again and again.
Nowhere was there any idleneSS. no
where. II cold machine or ii man at rest
and sweat The drills chugced stead
lily. the hungry iron hogs gouged out
the trails the drills had looSened. the
trains rolled past ut intervals of a mo-
ment or so. Lines of electric wire. car
ried ,lpOn low wooden shears" paral-
leled the tracks. bearing the white hot
sparks that rent the mountain. At ev-
oh
beneath sianting sheet of corrugated
iron. seeking shelter alike from flying
fragments and the blazing sun. From
beneath the drills came occasional sub
terranean explosions: then geyserS OF
muddy water rose in the air. Under
the shouts of the steam Sh0VelS "dObe'
shots went Of as howlderS We're river
into smaller fragments. Now and then
an excited footing of whistles gave
warning Of bigger blast as the flag
men checked the flow of traffic. indi
eating with arms appraised that the
ground was coming up. ThereupOn Il
brief luil occurred: men hid themselves.
the work held its breath. As it Were
But while the detonatiOns still echoed
ceased to shower the human ants We're
moiling at their hills once more. the
wheels were turning again. the jaws of
the iron hogs We're clanking.
Through this upheav:ll the motorcar
penetrated. lodging trains Of ''iiatS."
which moved sluggiShly to afford them
passage up and down over the volcanic
burrows at the bottom of the gorge
or along some shelf beneath which the
| foundations We're being dug. At times
a shovel reached out its five yard steel
| jaw and gently cleared the rails of
debris. or boosted some bowlder from
| the path with all the skill of a giant
hand and fingers. Up and down the
| canyon rolled spasmodic rumblings. like
| broadsides from a feet of battleships.
| Mile after mile the sightseers rolled
tivity-past more shovels. more groups
Of drills. more dirt trains. more regi-
ments of men-Runnels explaining.
Kirk marveiing until he was forced to
exclaim:
Il had no idea it was so big 1t
doesn't seem as if they'd ever finish
it,
"Oh. we'll finish it if we're let alone.
| You see there is too much politics in
it; we never know how long our jobs
will last If some senator whose vote
| is needed on an administration matter
wanted my position for his wife's
brother he could get it,
II suppose I'm an example"
Runnels looked at him squarely be-
| fore answering You are" said he
although | wasn't thinking of you
when | spoke It's something we all
feel however"
don't remember ever taking anything
/ wasn't entitled to. and ! didn't think
when | was showed in here that I'd
shove some other fellow out. | suppose
there is room at the bottom. and fell
| low can work up|
IF he has it in him.
81 think I'll start there
I'm afraid you're a poor business
man." said RunnelS.
Rotten" Kirk admitted. But I've
an idea can make good if try
| eff you feel that way | certainly will
help you.'' said the other warmly lot
course I'll try to help you anyhow. but
i like your spirit. With Mrs Cort
landt TO back me ND. I'll see you &c