The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-14
CHAPTER III-Continued
Copyright, 1892.
WNU Service

Ellen talked TO MIN IN uetdll OF lne
company finances TO point out the
necessity of going even faster. Cars
of air-dried lumber rolled out of Shoe
string; piles of green lumber grew.
New loans, with lumber as security,
were negotiated in Milwaukee to care
for the curt demands of the Kampfest
bank.
But we're only one jump ahead of
disaSterl" she said. these Milwau-
kee bankers have been so decent with
us up to now. but there's no telling
when their good nature will give out.
If we should shut down it would bring
them up here in hurry. If we can
just keep gOing!"
They had not got abreast OF the
situation again as yet. A four-day
tie-up would leave the mill hungry.
Luck is with u.s." Ellen said that
night. We've had no billiards since
you came. You seem to be able to
checkmate their moves, but you can't
beat bad weather."
Gross your fingers" he said grimly.
Right he was. The next afternoon
the placid western sky hazed up and
the temperature, which had been mod
crate for days, dropped suddenly. A
FESTIVE. puffy wind began to blow and
settled, towards dusk, to a moaning
breeze which carried fine, singing
snow before it.
Tiny Temple brought the train In
an hour late, locomotive plastered
with snow, festoOned with icicles, and
John, who had been busy in town all
day, was there to meet him.
Get your suppers." he told the
crew. "She's going to be a buster
Well run the pillow tonight"
That's the way to lick !" brake
man said.
Two hours for food for the men and
coal and water for the engine and to
couple to the wing pillow that stood
ready on its siding. Men were there,
a dozen of them, armed with shovels,
sitting in the heated way-car, waiting
to give battle.
Tucker and John and two section
men were in the pillow; the first brace
to ride in the lookout and watch
ahead; the others to man the big
wheel which manipulated the wings.
They were nearing the first bad
point, and John leaned forward to see
better.
"Ready, there? q. Open your
wingsl" he called, and the men below
bent on the wheel, turning 1t to force
the wings outward so they would toss
the displaced snow far to either side.
An immense, Impending cataract
came over the front of the pillow, shut
ting off their view completely. John
felt their speed diminish as though
velvet-faced brakeshoes had gripped
the wheels and Tucker bawled:
Let 'em in!
A man at the wheel kicked the trip;
the wings were squeezed back against
the sides of the plow; they held their
pace a moment longer and then came
to a stop.
Johns snow fences had functioned
and some of the cuts were easy to
traverse because of these barriers
which caught and held the snow to
windward. but in other places the go
ing was impossible. A dozen times
the shovellers were out, tossing aside
and waiting to shovel the pillow free
when Tiny wedged ii into the drift.
AT FIVE in the morning they gained
the mainline crossing. Atop the ridge
as it was the snow had mostly blown
away, but Tucker held the wings open
until they approached the last switch.
Bring 'em in" he called. and
chewed briskly as they bumped across
the points. 1t was the one place on
the line where caution must be used
with the wings: the one standard
switch-stand on the whole line was
located there and to pass 1t with
wings extended might mean derail-
ment.
John had arranged for breakfast at
the crossing tenders house by tele-
phone before they left town, and as
he watched the men fall to the steam
ing food he grinned. The battle
wasn't over yet, but he had held his
own so far. He had checkmated old
Toms ruthlessness; he was wrestling
an even break from the weather.
He would not have been so easy of
mind, would not have taken such a
fierce glory in the conflict with snow.
had he known that late yesterday
afternoon, in the shadow of a car Of
logs, Tucker had listened to Paul Cor
bel while the man talked, slowly at
first, as one feeling his way, rapidly
later, as one who has achieved his
end.
And now on into camp: hours of
battle through the barren choppings
until they gained the shelter OF timber.
Tiny must tinker for half an hour with
his engine; men must rest. Fresh
shovelers could be taken on at camp,
but the engine crew could not be re-
placed.
AS day waned the wind dropped and
snow thinned. The temperature fell.
too. but the back of the storm was
broken. All that remained now was
to reopen the road from the crossing
on into Shoestring, seven miles and
all down grade.
John opened the pillow door, waiting
for that stop. The wings were spread
and he could hear the iuff of snow
they showed out to either side.
Up above. alone now, Tucker grasped
the hand rail tightly and braced his
feet. One of the men at the wheel
spoke to his mate and looked upward. Il
bit puzzled That standard switch
stand was just ahead
From the engine came a muffled
foot. Brakes set sharply. They
slowed, but 1t was too late.