The Railroad Venture of Danny Helm

About the Book

Danny rescued his children from ex-Capitan Stover who had demanded ransom and rustled cattle from many ranches. Danny decided to drive the huge herd from his ranch in New Mexico to a railhead in Kansas. He needed to know where the railhead would be. He and Becky moved to Topeka near the railroad headquarters. Their children started to school. Danny and Doctor Miller outfitted some cabooses to support the railroad. Doctor Miller went with the medical cars. Danny started up a medical clinic. The herd was delayed. The closest railhead would be at Newton. The railroad would not go near his ranch which was his dream. The closest he could drive the herd was Wichita. Danny paid half to get a spur line from Newton to Wichita. Jayhawkers held up the herd. Danny convinced them to help him drive the herd and get homesteads. Danny started up a bank in Wichita with his father-in-law as president. The railroad started building again Danny and Becky refurbished the medical cars and went to tracks' end. Danny went to Fort Lyon so he could be honored as their surgeon at Glorieta Pass by the Pike Peakers. Becky was pregnant again. They returned to Topeka. Danny helped the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad secure the Raton Pass. Danny was missing. He was found on a ledge. Some men from an opposing railroad had thrown him there. Recovering from his wounds on the front porch of his ranch; his dream came true when he could see the railroad being built.

About the Author

Hill DeMent is a retired teacher. He grew up in Bunceton, MO. He graduated from high school in nineteen forty six. He worked in a hardware store in Red Fork, Okalahoma. He had to be a veteran to get a job near a college campus. The government was still paying for the GI Bill. He joined the Army Air Force under a career plan. He went to a diesel mechanic school. He was in Alaska when the Korean War started as a heavy equipment mechanic. After two years in Alaska he was rotated to San Benito eight. He was put in charge of an upholstery shop. This was not in his career plan. He applied for early separation. He enrolled in the Chanute, KS JuCo. He entered Pittsburg State University and earned a BS degree in Industrial Arts with a minor in Science. He taught Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Arithmetic and Career Exploration in the Ft. Scott, KS Jr. High. The NSF gave him stipends. He earned a MS in Natural Science. He taught Chem., Phys. plus Bio at high school and JuCo level. He has one patent. He retired in nineteen eighty eight. He has written five novels.