The Dolores star., 1917-06-22

II WuIIy states to Omaha. The |
xA piping whistle sounded, |
the engineer slid out the |
reverse lever. opened the
| throttle. and with IA series of stoccato
throbs the train was of. In the tense
hurry OF starting on time, had for.
sotten myself as I sat on the fireman's
side OF the cab.
| Ihe black studded end Of the boiler
protruded Into the cab, a tangle of
pipes, gauges and valves across Its
face. Between the clinks of the fire
doors at the bottom. the flames with
In sent faint streak OF light back on
the dark tender In the rear. The fire.
man, Dock" seated himself on the
seat with me. where he might look out
on the track ahead.
From the murky. smoke-filled shed
OF the depot. we entered the yard,
weirdly lit by the great arc lights. A
curve turned us or past the brightly
Illuminated building in which the dis
patchers mt work in shirt sleeves
watched our departure. On the signal
bridges above. mysterious red. green
and white lights blinked at the seeth-
ing activity In the mouth Of the great
Union station. To me the lights meant
nothing: to Dockery and the engineer
NJ. ]. Demmer. they told story as
clear as though printed in words.
But always, like a beckonlng star,
green light stood above our way.
"An right" Dockery shouted.
IAN right" answered Demmer.
"All right" cried Dockery. as we
came to another signal.
IAN right" responded the engineer.
"Green." said Dockery.
"Green," checked Demmer.
Soon the hum OF the yards grew
fainter and the green lights came far
Their apart. No. II began to go through
the city. first along. lane Of
many tracks, which gradually merged
into four open lines. The en-
gineer opened the throttle wider. set
the reverse lever two more notches,
and, as the engine responded. the cab
began to rock and sway with the in
| creased speed From the cab window
a glimpse Of interrupted city streets
was caught. Dwarf street cars waited
in several places, the conductor stand
ing out In front to signal his petty way
clear to the motOrman. The hum Of
the city lowered around US. rising
above the deafening roar OF the en-
CINE.
Strings Of box cars stood silent and
dark on the sidlngs along the way. Two
of the main lines curved of to the
south. A roundhouse went by. where
some engines were being groomed
after their days work. and others had
steam up ready for a nights toll. We
have made two stops at accommoda-
ton stations in the city. and finally the
buildings melted away, leaving us In
the country.
shoveIs Coal necessarily.
Dockery was engaged necessarily in
shoveling coal into the mouth of the
furnace beside us. And when he had a
minute to spare he perched on the seat
behind me, peering out for the signals
which he checked with Demmer. Pick
ing the way through the scattered
houses Of the country We swung along
all along for a space Of many min
utes. Then Demmer shut down his
throttle little and we rounded a
long curve. Ahead cleaned a deep
green light on the right side Of the
| track.
"Green," said Dockery.
"Green 1t Is" checked Demmer.
THAT gives us the st. Charles
BRIDGE" Dockery yelled into my ear
as Demmer opened the throttle again,
and perceived we were mounting the
long trestle of the approach. A sweep
| ing curve brought us round gradually
and the searchlight centered finally
upon the Orders and iron works Of the
long bridge before US.
We entered the bridge and an In
| termlnable number of cross-pieces
passed the cab window like shadows.
Before US, the searchlight threw its
rays down the vista Of steel. But we
had passed the headlights reach as
soon as we could visualize what 1t
showed us. Framed In by the net Of
steel, the bridge was more than mile
of darkness, hundred feet above the
muddy river.
Beyond, the little city spread itself
out on the hillside, Illuminated by blue
arc lights which were interspersed with
the yellow lights of the buildings.
AS Demmer brought the train to
stop Dockery scampered up over the