The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1872-10-05
Incidents of the Great Chase for,
the GOyefnorship. -
rrnn tre NO. Tfmes.i

0elUS VI LuC SiGoI idSO OcG"oSu
the Governor and Lieutenant
Governor, over the seventeen
hundred mile track from New
York ia New Orleans. We.fai4ed
tocentey a full and graphic idea
of the desperate Intensity and
periIpus. energy with which the
Governor and his companion, Col.
E. Lawrence, prosecuted their
plan and determination to thwart
the. conspiracy of the GRANTEES.
Herein they were intelligentiy
and vigorously aided 10y those
who controlled the Central Mis-
sissippi andi Jackson Railroads,
who took PROPER measures to
have the whole track cleared for
fourhundred and forty three miles,
and to place a special aud their
most powerful locomotive, at the
service ofthe Governor---1.---
On reaching Humboldt, the con-
ducter Of this train asked the Gov
ernor what speed was required to
enable him 20 achieve his object.
Tie Governor replied, as the road
was clear for fonr hundred miles,
he thought that sixty miles an
hour might be made with safety,
and would satisfy him. To this
the conductor raised,bis eyes and
hands in borrow, and. declared
that it was beyond the bower of
steam, that their matimum speed
was thirty miles, bat, in a great
emergency they might venture
forty miles.
The GoEeruor said, "this would
never do" but finally a .compro
mise was effected on fifty miles.
Aud thetrains rushed ahead at
this rate. They had not proceed
ed far before a mishap occurred.
The breaks gave way. Ii was re-
ported to the Governor. "Take
off the barkes, open, the valves
and go ahead" he exclaimed.
Then the conductor, with a grave
face, remarked to Colonel Law
renee that he had q wife and two
childred. and did not like to risk
his lie so recklesSly. TO which
Ceio1iel Lawrence replied that he
had wifeand six children. and
that be could make almost is good
speed with his Steam pillow &;is
they were then going and that
if the-conductor thought the risk
was too great orhim, he I Col. L.
would take charge of the iocomo-
tive and train and run them LAS
he irsi no idea of losing the elec
,tpral vote of Louisiana for little
dsugervof that sort. Thereupon
the conductor gave In, and the
tram -wns pushed ahead with the
velocity of a tornado.
Tremendous was the Sensation
all along the road as the mad en-
CINE rushed on its wild career.
The whole animal creation was
aroused. The. mules and horses
snorted in wild terror; the COWS
beloved ami skunk terrified to
the'woods and ,Swamps, twirling
their tails high in the air: the ne
groes yeIleth and the continual
blowing of the whistle as they
passed the towns. aud villages
drew every body to the doors, and
window. They could hear, but
could only see a cloud of dust
which enveloped the train, whilst
their.hats were blown off by the
wind created by its tremendous
velocity. The rafting of the
panes of glass as one by one they
were Jared from their frames, con
tributed to the general uproar.
The passengers in the meantime
were having rough tples of it,
pitched and jolted from side to
side from floor TO roof, and con
PEELED 10 grasp firmly their seats,
In order TO keep from being hurled
out of the windows. Especially
hard was the lot of the negro fire
man in the tender, who could
hardly maintain "a standing posi-
ton sufficient long TO throw wood
Into the furnace, after which he
wenid PROSTATE himself flat on
the floor and cling raadlY to it.And
thus, and with a hundred other
Incidents of a like exciting nature,
was accomplished this remarkable
railroad chase, which could only |
have been justified for its desper-
ate and portions character by the |
important political results that
depended ,upen dits successful
result. 0sg v9-ToG 4