The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-07-08

"eASI ~N
than go to a hotel"
That's so, Bill; you're right there!"
! exclaimed the oldest n Of the party,
as he knocked the ashes from his
pipe. Dan Reynolds would always
stay by his engine under all circum-
stances, though he never had a smash
up or killed a man. I remember one
time be stayed, and I sha'n't forget 1t
as long as I live.
I 1--WE had three engines on. Old Dan
, with Ninety-three was head. Then
came Jim Barton with Ons-hundred-
| and-eighty, and then me. Before leav-
In. Burr, the general superintendent,
came along ard said as there was
, some passeng g who wanted to catch
a steamer next day at Philadelphia.
ana for us to connect at Harrisburg.
If it was possible.
well, We went along, runnin' with
about two feet Of snow on a level.
For over thirty miles we didn't have
much trouble. Finally we came to
| the 'Broad-cut.'
1.-THE snow fills IN there four and
! five feet, even when the wind isn't
| BLOWN at all. Suddenly Dan blew
for brakes, and we stopped.
Then I saw the conductor go up
to Dan and commence talking to him,
Dan shakin' his head. 1 found out
afterward that the conductor wanted
him to give up tryin' to 60 through on
account Of the drifts, but the old man
wouldn't hear to 1t.
Then the conductor got aboard,
Ninety-three whistled twice, and we
started with q full head Of steam. 1t
| didn't seem as though anything could
| stop u.s., and nothin' did for most a
mile. All at once we slowed up and
stopped. I had my throttle wide open,
the sand-ptpe open, and the drivers
went around 80 that the sparks flew
I'D to the cab-windows. But 1t was
NJ go. o
IT got out on my tender and looked
round. Everything was snow and the
drifts were as high as the cab-Win-
dows.
II could see old Dan in his cab try
in to back his engine. One hand was
on the throttle and the other on the
lever, his cap was off and his gray
hair and grizzly beard was BLOWN in
the wind.
1--WE took the fre-shovels and man.
aged to dig a path alongside the train
so that the passengers could get out
to the end Of the drift. Then every
body but Jim and / started for a
small town, q couple Of miles back on
the road.
"We went up into Ninety-three's
cab, and there sat old Dan ~barehead'
ed. just as he'd stopped work.
Says I: Come on. Dan, put on your
cap; we're goin' back to Blossburg
and wait for help. The storms comm
on heavy, and you'll be covered up If
you stay here!'
1.-The old man lifted up his head and
said: Boys, I don't 90 back to any
town. I made up my mind to get this
train through, but I can't do It. It's
the first time I was ever stalled in my
life. But faint the old machines
fault, and she feels it as much as I do.
She and I'll stay together now. II 1t
SHOWS a hundred feet Deep
II knew twas no use arguin' with
him. He'd stay, II he made up his
mind to, and so we left him sittin'
there. By this time 1t was after mid.
night, and the snow came down thick
and fast, but we finally reached the
town. Next morning we all shouldered
7hovels and got on the wreckin' train
yhich had been sent from Pittsburgh.
1--WE came to the cut, but nothin'
was to be seer but snow. Engines.
cars, and all we're buried In 1t. We
finally reached where the train was
and commenced to dig around it.
AT last we saw the head engine. I
climbed up and pulled back the cab
curtain. The old man was still there.
He was kinder standin' up and leanin'
forward, lookin' ahead the engine as
he always did when comm into the
station.
"One hand vas on the lever and
the other was at the throttle, but all
the valves were closed, the fires out
and the cab half full Of snow from
the windows, which were all blown
open.
II looked In his face and" here
the speakers voice dropped nearly to
q whisper-"boys, I saw that old Dan
Reynolds had made his last run"
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