The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-11-14
A FAMOUS FAST RUN.
How Hammett Drove His Mad
Engine a Hundred Miles in
Ninety Minutes.
Louisville CONNIE cial.

Louisville CONNIE cisl.
Last night Commercial reporter
vas Iounging through the corridors of
the Gait house, listening to the friend.
~ chatting Of the engineers, a group
of veterans seated around one of the
pillars laughing over old stories, drew
the man of news toward them.
did you ever hear how Jim
Hammett brought DeFuniak from
Nashville to Louisville ?" asked one of
the Louisville engineers. well. you
all knew Jim, [ guess, or know of
him. He can make the fastest time
on the Louisville & Nashville when
he wants to. He has been in dozen
wrecks and got hurt in all Of them. /
don't believe there is sound bone in
little Jim's body, but the more bumps
and knocks he gets, the faster he
wants to ruiz. About two years ago
DeFuuiak was dowa at Nashville, and
had important business that required
his immediate presence in Louisville.
He was then general manager of the
Louisville & Nashville, and ordered
the road Gear between the two cities
Then he losked out for an engine er to
haul him through. Hammett Was just
in off his run and DeFuRiak knew he
was just the man. He sent for him
and said
Mr. Hamett, | want to get to
Louisville as quick as possible. The
roads clear; YOU won't find any OBJ
struciion Will you take me?"
Hsmett's eyes sparkled; but he
touched his hat and said quietly: III
Try. sir Any man who knows Jim
Hamett would know what that meant.
DeFuniak had his car coupled on
right next to the tender, and another
Car behind. Jim lin.ped up into his
engine Che can't walk straight since
his last wreck, and there was a kind
of smile hanging around his mouth.
The train pulled out of the depot of
Nashville AS the negro porter was fix
ing the dishes in the sideboard. They
started cut at pretty lively gait, and
went on increasing it. The conductor
i'm the car began to get uneasy, for he
hadn't be ard Jim's instructions. Ev-
cry minute the train went faster.
Houses and trees and fences became a
blurred line. The cars jumped and
rocked and rolled like mad animals
wanting to leap from their place of
confinement The porter began -
look frightened The train. insteau
of Stacking, increased its speed. No
BODY in DeFuniak's car could remain
in the seals without clutching TO the
seat 10 front. 1t seemed impossible
for the cars TO remain on the track,
they bounded and rolled so violently.
The dishes in the sideboard rolled out.
the bed fell in the middle of the floor.
chairs were rem: from their fastenings;
but the porter didn't care straw for
that-he thought his time was come,
and he was praying desperately.
''DeFuniak, with his expressionless
face, was calmly holding on to some
straps banging from the ceiling and
waving at Hamett through the glass
door to 60 ON. The conductor grabbed
the bell cord and nearly jerked it of.
He firmly believed that if they escaped
with their lives bota he and the engi-
neer would be discharged as soon as
they reached the city. Jim YVES sit
ting on his seat in the engine calmly
smiling and paying not the least atten-
ton to the frantic conductor. About
hundred miles from Nashville Jim GOT
a couple of hot boxes. and had 10 stop.
He made the hundred miles in about
ninety minutes, the fastest time ever
made on the road. There wasn't a
bit of furniture left i'm DeFnniak's
car. There was confused heap of
broken plates, pictures and chairs and
that was all. Jim was outside calmly
limping around and cureing the not
boxes between times, when Der uniak
came out of the car and brusouely
told Jim he bad made fast run.
mot very fast, sir" said Jim. eff
l had run her as fast as she can
go it wouldn't have only broken your
plates and pictures, but there wouldn't
have been a bit of the inside of the
car left. That was mighty poor
run. sir, mighty poor run" The
porter resigned as soon as he get to
town, and always goes by boat now,
when he can"