Leach the Engineer

The engineer who drives the train,
From scalds he oft doth suffer pain,
And they are more noble scars,
Than hirelings gain in foreign wars.

Our hero’s name should live forever,
Train wrecked in Columbia River,
And fatal scalded was Frank Leach,
In mid the river far from beach.

Heroic deed it should be sung.
Though his flesh in ribbons hung,
He saw a man who could not swim,
And he resolved to rescue him.

And success his efforts crowned,
He saved the man from being drowned,
For him upon his back he bore,
And boldly swam with him to shore.

Heroic deed we now enroll,
And grave it deep on fame’s scroll,
For this great truth we wish to teach,
High ’mong our heroes ranks Frank Leach.

When he had but short time to live,
His strength and skill he both did give,
His poor fellow man to save,
From laying in a watery grave.

The heroes oft in days of old,
Were those who hired to fight for gold,
But the true heroes we revere
Doth fight for home and country dear.