“lll‘lGli l0“ LIVES
By W. W. WILLIAMS.
.me
_ HE following narrative describe!
an actual occurrence on one of our
2railways very recently. The trut of
lllhe- story is vouched for by an engineer
[who took a prominent part in the excit-
ing events. It was suppressed by the
officials of the road upon which it oc-
curred. The only outward manifesta-
tion that something unusual had hap-
{pened was the discharge in disgrace of
‘a. telegraph operator. Not one of the
:800 or more persons whose lives were
{involved and whose existence held by
wery attenuated threads is aware or will
,know, unless he reads this account,
how narrowly he escaped a horrible
lfate in the mountains, on a transcon-
Etinenztnl road recently. The incident
:was as follows:
Trains Nos. 1 and 2 on this line were
behind timein the mountains owing to
a furious snowstorm, which had con-
tinued without ceasing for more than
'24 hours, it now being near midnight.
Together they carried about 800 pas-
‘sengers, many of whom were soundly
sleeping in seats or in berths. They
were both proceeding under orders
from the train dispatcher miles away,
most of the freight trains on the di-
vision having been suspended on ac-
count of the heavy storm. They were
rapidly approaching each other and the
watchful dispatcher saw that he must
make a- meeting point. No. 1 had lav
boriously climbed the summit of the
mountain with the aid of a big mogul
as a push er. As she approached the sta-
tion at the summit, the dispatcher at
the summit station received a dispatch
for her conductor and engineer order-
ing them to pass No. 2 at siding No. 47,
M—-—— being the next telegraph station
beyond that point. This he delivered to
the conductor, taking his receipt theres
’ for in the usual manner. The mogul
V had gone to the-round house, it being
‘the end of a freight division. The con-
. 'd’uctor‘, congratulating himself that
the worst was over and that in ahhort
time he could crawl into a warm bed at
home, turning his lantern, cried: “Al-l
aboard!" and the huge train began to
move down the mountain, having been
preceded by a snowplow. Gradually
the engineer opened the throttle and in
'a. few moments the train was in full
swing down a steep grade, steam hav-
ing been shut off and the heavy train
sliding down the mountain at a rapid
rate.
The operator lighted his pipe, tilted
back with his feet on the desk and sad-
}y ruminated on the fact- that while
.Thanksgiving was drawingnear he was
2,000 miles ”from home, with a prospect
.of remaining there for some timeat
least. Suddenly he was startled by the
call for his» office. in a. hurried manner.
Answering, he received this message as
fast as it could come:
“No. 2 has left M—— without orders.
Send engine to catch No. 1 quick.”
Not waiting to copy the order or to
put on his hat or coat, the now fright—
ened operator seized his lantern and
dashed through the storm for the round
house, which was not faraway. Reach-
ing that building, he jumped through
the door and yelled at the top of his
voice.
“Get that engine out and catch No.
1—N0.2 has left M— without orders! ”
Fortunately steam was still "up” on
the mogul. Under the orders of the
foreman of the round house the “hos—
tler” was banking the fire in anticipa-
tion of some storm emergency. 'while
the engineer and fireman were washing
off preparatory to going to their homes
and beds, this being their place of
abode. Both seized their coats and hats
and sprang on the engine with their
dripping faces and hands. The opera/-
tor ran for the switch while the hostler
threw the big doors open. The engineer
reversed the throttle. the fireman shov-
eled coal into the firebox and the big
machine responded quickly by moving
out across the turn table, which was
still in place.
The switch was quickly reached, the
engine ran out on the main track. the
operator closed the switch, the engi-
neer again reversed his throttle, threw
t. as wide open as he dared, gave a blast
which threw a shower of sparks 50
feet high and a roar from the double-
voiced whistle which echoed and re-
echoed from peak to peak among the
lonely mountain canyons even above
the voice of the storm, starting down
the mountain almost like a ball fired
from a big siege gun.
The firemaon rang the hell all he could
in the intervals between the firing up,
.while the engineer, with one hand on
‘ the throttle, peered anxiously into the
Storm and gave frequent short, sharp
blasts on the whistle in the hope of at-
tracting the attention of the engine No.
1. _ The distance between the two sta-
tions is about 30 miles,'and No. 1 had
some minutes the start. .
. ,The, problem that presented itself to
’ the pursuing engine was, how to at-
tract the attention of the engineer of
No. 1 and induce him to stop without
running into the rear of his train, still
pnoceeding himself at a faster rate than
that of No. 1. Had the track been
straight, or evgn comparatively so,
much of the difficulty of this problem
would have been eliminated, but it was
not. The job of getting down the
mountain on easy grades had made it
necessary to take a very sinuous course
across' deep gulches, and along moun-
tain sides, with deep gorges on the side
of the track in some cases more than
. a1,000 feet deep. A rear or head-end col-
;lisiou in many of these places meant
the-destruction of nearly if not every
life on the trains, for both were likely
‘ to be thrown downthe great. embank-
meat, at the bottomyof which was often
‘1: deep and rapid mountain torrent.
While the brave engineer was revolv-
.jng this complex problem in his mind
F0. 1 was literally sliding down the
.. a...“
mountain at a rapid rate. much of the
time by her own immense momentum.
Occasionally this was so great that the
engineer was compelled to put on air
to decrease it. The big rotary snow-
plow had lately gone down and was
sidetracked in the mountains near
11—, awaiting the passage of No. 2.
Beyond that point the storm was light
and No. 2 engine was able to clear the
track.
Suddenly the fireman, who was sit-
ting on the deft side of the cab peer-
ing into the storm ahead, not. much
firing being required going down the
mountain, exclaimed:
“George, there‘s something coming
down the mountain behind us. I heard
a sharp whistle. There it goes again!”
The engineer listened a moment, and
said: .
“Jump on top of the train and run
back and tell Tom," meaning the con-
ductor, as there was a.“blind baggage”
next the engine.
The fireman seized his lantern and
made his way back through the storm
to the front end of the "smoker." Here
he drOpped down onto the railing and
rushed into the car. Fortunately, the
conductor was right there, helping a
foreigner look for his ticket, which he
had lostor mislaid. The fireman quick-
ly explained his presence to the sur-
prised conductor. That individual’s
mind acted quickly. He said:
“Go back and tell George to slow up
gradually, keeping a lookout at the
rear. They must know we are here
and -will be looking for our red light.
Tell him to watch the gang.”
The firemen did as he was told and
lost no time at it. The conductor ran
to the rear of the train, told the rear
brakeman to take the red light and
prepare to get off. Asking no questions,
the brakeman prepared to obey. The
train in the meantime was slowing up,
and as soon as possible the brakeman
jumped off and started on the run back
on the track. still having no instruc-
tions, which were not necessary, for
he knew that his order meant that the
train was about to stop on the main
line- and that his business was to pro—
tect it from a rear-end collision.
He had gone but a short distance
when he saw the mogul come around a
curve in the distance, her big headlight
throwing a strong ray even through
the storm, which was lessening as the
foot of the mountain range was being
' approached. He swung his red light
across the track, the conductor on No.
1 saw it, pulled the bell‘cb-rd and the
train came to a standstill.
Just as this happened a man hove in
sight in front, frantically waving a
red light. The engineer of No. 2 had
heard No. 1 and the mogul coming
down the mountain. He had stopped
his train, the conductor had sent out
red lights both in front and rear and
the engineer was hustling to get his
train on a sidetrack near by.
The two conductors held a hurried
consultation which, you may be sure,
was not overheard by anybody. No. 2
pulled out on the main track and com-
menced to climb the mountain. No.
i. resumed her journey down the moun-
tain, passing the snowplow on the side—
ON A SIDE TRACK NEAR BY.
track. The mogul, in the meantime,
had gone back up the mountain, after
the engineer had explained the situa-
tion to the flagman from No. 1.
All this trouble was caused and an
awful accident risked by the criminal
carelessness of the operator at M-—-—,
in failing to put out a signal for No.
2 to stop. be having an order for her
to meet No. 1 at siding No. 47. He dis-
covered his error just as the rear end
of the train was passing his window.
Seeing her lantern be rushed out and
made a frantic attempt to stop her, but
without'avail. Then he did the only
sensible thing he could do by sending
this message to the dispatcher: .
“Have made a. mistake and let No. 2
go by. What shall I do?”
H e got no reply save a quick acknowl-
edgement of his message, but he heard
the operator at the Summit'called up
and the order given regarding the pur-
suit of No. 1. And not a word did he
hear from that _ dispatcher until he
called that ofiicial up with a glad heart
and said: - '
“Train coming around curve, must be
No. 1."
Then he got this reply:
“Conductor and engineer No. 1; Pass
No. 94 at J.”
Then he got this message:
“Be ready to turn over your office
on arrival No. 6 to-day. Report here.”
Then he sent this message: ,
“No. I arrived 1:57." -
When that message went over the
line all the night operators on that d1-
vision “applauded," and a tired dis-
patcher, with the sweat running down
over his‘face. sank backin his chair.
drew a long sigh and said: “Thanx
God!”
The next'day the delinquentoperatci
reported at headquarters. After “a bad
half hour” “on the carpet,” he was dis.
charged. but he never will forget, while
time and memory last. that night’s
work on the mountain divisionof a:
great transcontinental railway.
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’W-‘i‘ fialwrngk‘mfi m W. ’ 'e
..—-*'.z;a‘ Elisa.
I II,“
PROVIDING DARK unsrs. .
now Two That Will Answer Every
Requirement Can Be Built
Within a Shoebox.
To prevent hens from eogg-eating it
is well to have the nest as dark as possi-
ble, bUJt' the making of a practical nest
that shall be fairly dark within is not
an easy matter. as those know who
have assayed to build them. The cut
shows two nests that can be construct-
ed' within a shoebox that will be is dark
within as is necessary. and that can be
reached very easily. The shoebox is
pldced upon its side, the other side be-
ing hinged for a top. Two small gro-
cery boxes are fitted within, as shown.
In the cut the top, one side and end are
fame aunt ,
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s “elm _s
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:-
HOW TO MAKE DARK NESTS.
shown removed so that the arrange-
ment of the interior can be plainly
seen. If the shoebox can be nailed
against the wall of a henhouse having
a walk at one side, the eggs can be
gathered from the walk by cutting a
round opening through the back of the
nest, the openings being covered with
slides.
It is to be remembered, however,
that there is something to be dorie to
stop egg-eating besides providing dark
nests. The habit is usually acquired by
the hens becoming fat and laying soft-
shelled eggs. These easily break in the
nest. The hens get a. taste and the mis-
chief is done. Make the hens work for
a. living. Feed whole grain. and feed it .
in litter, where they will have to
scratch for it. Keep the fat off the
birds and they will lay better and the
eggs will be hard shelled. Feeding soft
food to hens in winter‘is one'of' the
most potent causes of overfatne'ss. It
is too quickly assimilated, and when
thus fed a hen has no incentive to
scratch. Feed sparingly all day and
make the birds scratch for what they
get. .Then at night give all they will
eat. They thus get enough in each 24
hours, but have to work all day long
—and this is nature's plan—N; Y. Trib-
une.
THE AMERICAN HEN.
She Plays a Most Important Part in
the Agricultural Economy of
Our Country.
P. H. Sprague, a Chicago poultry
dealer, read a paper before the farm-
crs’ institute at Princeton, 111., in which
he stated that the production of chick-
ens in the United- States last year
reached 3,350.000,000 and eggs 13,000,-
0-:.0,000. The total value of chickens
and eggs produced; was $290,000,000. Ac-
cepting these figures as approximately
correct, we must conclude that the
hen plays an important part in our
American life. But. we will better un-
derstand the relative importance of that
part when we come to make some com-
parisons.
The value. of our tobacco crop has
rarely been. as much as $43,000,000. The
value of our potato crop is less than
$80,000,000 on the average. The value
of our barley. crop is not often as much-
as $30,000,000. An oat crop worth $200.-
000,'000 is unusual. Our annual output
of pig iron. has rarely exceeded $130.-
000,000 in value. Coal, by far the most
valuable of our mineral products, gives
a total annual output of some $200.-
000,000.
Raw cotton, wheat, hay and corn are
the only four products of our country
that exceed in value hens and hens’
eggs, according to the above estimate,
and cotton sometimes follows the lat
ter in the order of importance, the crop
having exceeded $290,000,000 in value
only three times, and the highest hav-
ing been not quite $310,000,000. The
wheat crop has ranged in value. from
$213,000,000 to $513,000,000, and. tin-300m
crop from about $440,000.00!) to $783,?
000,000. The average value of the hay
crop may be stated at about $390,000,-
060. From this comparison the impor-
tance of the hen, especially in our ag-
ricultural economy, will be appreciated.
If Mr. Sprague- stated the value of
the egg product separately the fact is
not reported. It would- be interesting
to know the value of the egg output.
Probably it exceeds the value of. any
mineral output exceptingcoal, butnot
excepting pig iron. Probably, too. it
exceeds the value of any farmcrop
txcept corn, wheat, hay, cotton and
oats, and it may even exceed oats. The
hen is by no means to be despised.—
Chicago Chronicle.
Yon-g Gru- lo lnjurlous.
When young grass, rye or oats ' is
out before making much growth it is:
watery and contains but little nutri-'
tion, too much of such food, causing
the hens to have “scours.” Many per:
sons have been disappointed in confin-
ing their henson young rye as an ex-
clusive food. It is excellent. as a diet-
ary food, but all very young grass is
mostly water. It is not best to out such
for winter use, and if early cats are
grown, and the crop cut when the
grain is in the milky stage, the nutri-
tive matter, on its way to fill out the
grain. will be arrested in the stalk. so
that when cured. the whole stalk (with
grain) stored in the barn. and out fine
with a cutter, will make excellent food
for the hens in- winter. The oats should
be cut green, just as the seed-headshe'
gin to form.——Farm and Fireside.
5‘- ‘- .-.._. .......-... A-..“
«can... ...
A Drunken Hired ManMeets
Death From a
‘Bullet.
SHOT TH ROUGH HEART.
'“Charley” Fishof New Canaan Held up by
a Highwaymen.
Charles Fish, the well known milk-
man and horse dealer, who lives at
White‘Oak Shade, New Canaan, met
with an experience while driving past.
Mount Kisco Sunday evening that he
will not soon forget.
- In company with Dr. A. C. Hexamer,
of Stamford, “Charley” was driving
along the road when they were met by
a. man who ran out from the roadside
brandishing a club and who attempted
to stop them. Applying the whip to
the horse they got by and escaped the
intention of the highwayman who ran
back to a. white house nearby and
showered stones into the dwelling,
trying to break down the door of the
dwelling in the intervals of his stone
throwing. .
Mrs. Elizabeth B. L01ing, the owner,
secured a. revolver and fired two shots
at the man. .
1n the meantime Fish drove into the
village of Bedford and securing a. con-
stable returned to the scene.
The party found the man with his
head stuck between two fence rails,
His neck was brOkeu as he
rested there. Investigation showed
that the man had been shot. through
be right nipple, the bullet from the
revolver held by the woman having
performed its mission.
He- was identified as Andrew J.
Roan, Mrs. Loring’s hired man.
Roan had had trouble with the Lor-
ing children during the afternoon, and
not being allowed to punish them he
went away and returned under the in-
dead.
fluence of liquor.
The doors were barred and bolted
against him and then followed the in-
cident in which Fish and the doctor
figured and the shooting from the
house which ended in Roan’s death.
‘
Vv'
Well Known'Ac'tred‘s'DeEd.
HYDE PARK, Mass, April 26.——Olive
Humans, well known as an actress, is
dead at her home here. Her work 'as
“Little Lord Fauntleroy” .in the dra-
‘matlzation of Mrs. Burnett’s story won
her greatest fame. She Was about 20
years of age. '
Pennsylvania Paid.
WASHINGTON, April 26.——The sec-
retary of the treasury has drawn his
warrant for $164,983 in favor of the gov-
ernor of the state of Pennsylvania in
settlement of the claim of that state for
expenses in raising troops for the war
with Spain.
Another Load of Seals.
ST. JOHN’S, N. F., April 26.—The
sealing’ steamer Diana has arrived here
with 23,000 seals, a full cargo. Only twc
other vessels of the fleet, the Nimrod
and Walrus, are still fishing, and these
are expected to arrive before the end of
the week.
A Bold Robbery.
LYNN, Mass, April 26.-——Two un-
known men set upon J. Harovitch, a
collector residing in Boston, last even-
ing and after throwing snuff into his
eyes, relieved him of 8200, his watch and
every trinket of value upon hiswperson
Incorporated 1812. Charter perpetual.
Capital and Assets,‘8,902.272.0g.
[usures againstloseand damageby nun
terms adapted to the hazard andconmsu 8
With thelaws “compensation .
CO LES Av. MERRILI. _
SoleacentsforNorwalk anducimtv
ADAM -‘ EXPRESS COMPANE
Low Rates. Prompt Bulb 0‘
hracnh Ofiice. Norwalk.‘at Mon'ip ] um
Alain Oflice.dep_ot South Norwalk. .
L. HUNTmnm.
The. Nnndl Fll‘ll Insurance Cu
Hesnowcompleted ts
32d SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS YEAR,
And has not outstanding a dollar of unpai
losses orclaims for losses. No soun com
pan} insures for less _
.A . G. McIlwaine . Pres-G. B. St. John.V1ce-Pr
F. E . Shaw. Sec._Geo. B. Cowgs» Resident S
TERI... GUIGE. Florist and NUrsepy'
man Union "Avenue. north of Union
Cemterv Norwallt. Conn. pealer in are"
House Hot Housyand Bedding and Vega
ablePlants. Fruit and OrnamentalTi-eag
nubbery. ines, Ont lowerfr. always or
a, nd.and all sorts of designs 1 n flower-ear
auged to order. _ ,
WGradxvig and refillingcemeterx lots at
t nded to.
Rav'mond &SOn.
anAeuox-a to Genrg‘eu Raymond
Furniture Dealers and
General Funeral, Directors
‘6 and 48 llaln St, Ionian, 0a..
Bellanca, borkehv mace.
lelonhowe No. 17-4.
lsumv WUMAN. .
a WI‘NA INSURANCE 00., of Hartford,'
r—
l
ill
:1
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. z
1-.
jmiu
Parisian Model Nainsook SliirtQWaist.
designed especially for thin fabrics, 15
of nainsook with pointed yoke of ma-
chine embroidery. The pattern, pub-
lished by HARPER’S BAZAR where the
shirt-waist appears, consists of back
part of back and front of waist. The
_ lower pa rt of the waist is laid. in quar- :
turning toward the
tar-inch tucks,
centre from each side, which entirely
girdle the body. The tucks are not
quired to get the effect shown in the
illustratiOn.
The sleeves have four groups of three
A very pretty shirt-waist, and one .
and front yoke, a separate band or box- .
pleat for the centre front, tucked {
sleeve pattern, and pattern for lowerl
traced, but measurements are carefully .
taken so that the paper pattern indi- Q
cates the exact amount of material re-.l
tucks each, extending from shoulder;
PARIS SHIRT \VAIST or NAINSOOK FROM HARPER'S'VBAZAR
to cuff, lines for which are marked by
perforations in the pattern. The calls
are plain and rounded on the comers,
and the collar-band is shaped to the
neck. The box-pleat may be made
separately or stitched upon the bodice,
as may be preferred. When made sep-
arately, it is stitched on both sides and
has five eyelet-holes down the centre.
The waist is finished under this band
by plain hems, which should also be
closed by eyelet-holes. A pattern of
the standing-collar does not accompany
that of the bodice. This bodice design
will prove a. very attractive one for
light fabrics,such as bastistes and lawns
fine dotted Swiss, or sheer nainsook.
To make this shirt-waist 3 yards of
nainsook, 36 inches wide, will be re-
quired, also 4} yard of 22 inch embroid-
. cry, and 1% yards of insertion for finish-
ing edge of yoke. '
'33? THE GAZETTE covers the cream
of the trade iii this section. An advertiSe-
meat in! its columns will nay.
wl
IT GIVES humorous ilt .;
E c ucztion, V .
.FOR Noble Manhood,
FOR True Womanhood.
ll Tl
~. FOB
' '% ERY membero
EVERY family on
EVERY farm, in
EVERY village,
EVERY Stateior Territory.
gxxxxXXXxxxxxxxx
IT GIVES all important news ofthe Natl“
'TGIVES all important news of the Wor'd
ITGIVES the. most reliable market no?"
IT-GVES brilliant‘and instructive. Hit-vie
lT-gGlVES fascinatlin‘g'short stories. '
ITGIVES an 'uaevcelled agricultura' departme
' IT GIVES scleot‘fic' and mechanical informatn
IT GIVES illusurated *1 ihion' articles. "
.trations.
IT GIVES entertainment to young and old.
ITGIVES satisfaction everywher «9 to null f
' Tribune (both papers),
WONE YEAR
Wl'llo yearn-mo and nddros
”uh Building, New, Ink
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Norwalk Chronicler