Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1918 — CRAZY JIM’S RIDE [ARTICLE]

CRAZY JIM’S RIDE

By L. A. WALWORTH.

(Copyright by the Frank A. Munfley , Company.) The Chicago & Northwestern railway built an extension in South Dakota : in 1891 which was known as “Deadwood Hill.” - The length of the extension is about ten miles, with an average grade of approximately one hundred and fortyfive feet to the mile. The Deadwood yard was situated on an extreme incline.; and as cars would not remain standing unless the handbrakes were securely set,«a derail switch was placed at the lowel* end qf the yard. The railroad men immediately called the extension “Deadwood Hill.” It is now more commonly known as “the Hill.” Soon after It was first operated the railroaders realized the chances of accident on the line, and many refused to work on the perilous grade. As a result, it was necessary to select a number of reliable men of long experience to ruif its trains. Among those chosen, and he consented without objection, was Jim. Sunny Jim, it should have been’, for he was a most genial and optimistic character. Jim usually reported and waited until he was called. When he appeared he complained that he did not feel quite so well as usual, but he responded promptly to his call. He performed the routine duties preceding a trip, then ran to the end of the yard; and as there were no cars to be taken out, he coupled to a waycar, obtained his running orders, and started. His engine ran to the derail in the lower yard, stopped, set it clear, passed it, set it once more td the safety position, and proceeded to the derail beyond the tunnel. Here the operation was repeated, and the short train moved on its way. With almost five miles of tortuous track before them, they started down the steep grade. # A great change passed over Jim as they drifted down the mountainside. It was remarkable because It was so sudden and unexpected. Perhaps it was the Illness of which he had complained or the strain of many trips over the same line ;, in any event, in a few minutes Jim’s smiling placidity was transformed Into a most irritable nervousness. He snapped tartly at his fireman. At this point of the descent the engineer was obliged to proceed with utmost caution. Jim evidently had kicked caution out of the cab and was dallying with death. The fireman rushed to Jim’s side and seized him by the sleeve. “What’s the matter with you, Jim?” he bellowed. “Are you crazy?” Jim turned to him with a vicious leer. "Matter?” The words rasped through his drawn, white lips. “Why, we’re on our way to the devil, and you’re going along.” He laughed harshly, and the fireman recoiled from him. Tpen in a flash came swift understanding. Jim’s mind had,overturned. The fireman approached cautiously. “Why,* surely, Jim, I’m going along.” His voice was calm. Quickly he leaped forward and, grasping Jim by the shoulder, reached fojr the throttle. Jim thrust aside his detaining hand and, with a vigorous push, sent him staggering toward the tender. Before he could regain his feet, the engineer picked up a wrench and waved it with a menacing gesture. “I’ll brain you,” he grated, “if you try to interfere. I’m running this engine!” The fireman looked at him helplessly. Jim w r as running to the devil and death, indeed. For a moment he considered the possibility of overpowering Jim, but a violent maniac with a wrench is a fiangerous foe. He glanced out of the. gangway and, watched the right-of-way rush by. The speed was becoming more perilous with every plunge of the drivers. Jim sat leaning out of the window. The fireman could scarcely stand, so violent was the lurching of the en- - glue: —— T ’ “ " 7 He crept forward, but Jim turned and discovered him. “Back,” he snarled at the fireman. “Remember, I’ll brain, you if you don’t stay where you belong.” The fireman stepped to the tender, cast an apprehensive glance behind him, and, observing that Jim was once more intent on his mad purpose, he clambered over the coal and climbed down the steel ladder behind the tender. , Gapping. h& burst into the way-car. On the floor, their faces frozen with terror, was the train crew. At sight of the fireman, ,their mouths gaped stupidly. In a few words he explained what had occurred in the cab, and, after some hesitation, they joined him when he urged them to help him to overpower. the insane engineer. One by one they made their way in silence to the cab, and then rushed at Jim. He turned with an oath and swung the wrench, but a hand caught it and held it aloft while the others mastered him after a short struggle. The speed of the train was reduced, and, with Jim in the way-car and the fireman at the throttle, the train was halted a few yards before the derail which would have hurled them down the mountainside.