Frank Reade Library, Vol. VIII, No. 191

Frank Reade, Jr., in Texas This scientific romance serial features inventor Frank Reade, Jr., and his mechanical marvel, the Steam Man—a giant anthropomorphic automaton of steel standing perhaps thirty feet tall. The machine operates via internal furnace and driving-rods, carries a protective iron-plated wagon with steel mesh netting and rifle loopholes, and is controlled through reins that regulate throttle and whistle valves. Reade agrees to track down Mike Mosely's gang of train robbers terrorizing Texas after receiving a petition from Pecan City citizens. Accompanied by his Irish assistant Barney and African assistant Pomp, Reade ships the dismantled Steam Man via special train to Texas. En route, Mosely's gang attempts to ambush the train, forcing Reade to decouple the passenger car and send it backward down a grade to safety while exchanging gunfire with robbers. The car narrowly avoids derailment when robbers attempt to loosen rails. Mosely sends a written challenge threatening Reade's death. The narrative emphasizes Reade's mechanical genius and cool composure under danger.