The Mogul Mountain Mystery (1917)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Short, Thriller
Release: 1917-01-06
Director: Walter Morton
Writers: S.A. Van Patten
Language: None | English
Stars: Helen Gibson , Scott Pembroke , George Routh , William J. Burns , Gus Pullian , George A. Williams
Runtime: min
Awards: N/A
AKA: The Hazards of Helen (#113): The Mogul Mountain Mystery (United States of America) , The Mogul Mountain Mystery (Germany) , The Mogul Mountain Mystery , The Mogul Mountain Mystery (United States of America)
Plot: Bert Morgan and "Squint" Booth are freight agents for rival railroads concerned in getting the contract for hauling the gold ore produced by the Mogul Mountain mine. The contract finally falls to the road employing Morgan upon his promise to have cars in operation over an abandoned spur track within three weeks' time. "Squint" learns that there is a law on the statute books which says that a railroad's right of way reverts to the owner of the adjoining property if no trains are run over the rails within five years. He purchases the adjoining farms but falls under the suspicion of Helen, the telegraph operator at Lone Point. Helen telegraphs her suspicions to the division superintendent who looks up the law and determines to send a special train over the abandoned spur track before four o'clock of the same day that the five-year period would expire. "Squint" has left one of his lieutenants on guard at the mine to watch developments. Learning that the "special" has started and realizing that he must prevent its completing the trip at any cost, he forces Helen, on duty, to stand by while he telephones his aide to release the brakes on an empty car at the mine. As "Squint" and his confederates rush out of the station Helen runs down the track towards the onrushing runaway car. In her desperation she can only think of one thing to do and Fate wills that a lineman repairing the telegraph wires shall be the one to aid her. Proceeding a bit further up the track she orders the lineman to climb a pole and to lock his legs around the cross arm in such a manner that his hands and arms are free. Helen then climbs to the top of the pole and as the runaway car, bearing a box of dynamite that "Squint" has placed in it, rounds the curve she reaches up her arms for the lineman to grasp. With the pole swaying beneath its extra weight, the lineman takes a firm grip on Helen's wrists and swings her out over the track and drops on to the runaway car as it passes. In a few minutes she has recovered her breath and is tugging at the brake wheel. She stops the runaway within inches of the oncoming special, thereby earning the gratitude of both Morgan and the division superintendent.
IMDB:tt1570710