The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1882-11-17
A Famous Fast Run.

Last night as "A Commercial re-
porter was lonnging through the
corridors of the Gait House listen
ing to the friendly chatting OF the
engineers, gronp Of veterans,
seated around one Ot the pillars
laughing over old stories, drew the
news man toward them. "Did you
ever hear how Jim Hamett brought
DeFnniak from Nashville to Louis-
willie n asked one OF the Louisy lille
engineers. swell, yOu all know
Jim, ] guess, or know OF him. lie
can make the fastest time on the
Louisville aud Nashville when he
wants to. lie has been in dozen
wrecks aud got hurt Ia all OF them.
don't believe there's "a sound bone
in little Jiln'S body, but the more
bumps aud knocks he gets the tdst-
er he wants 10 run. About two
years ago DeFuniak was down at
Nashville aud had important bust
ness that required his Immediate
presence in Louisville. He was then
general manager OF the Louisville
aud Nashville and ordered the road
clear between the two cities. Then
he looked out tol an engineer to haul
him through. Hamett was Just in
of of his run aud DrFuniak knew
he was just the mau. He sent Tor
him aud said:
"'Mr. Hamett, want to get to
Louisville as quick as possible. The
roads clear; you won't tind ANY Oh
structim. VIII you take me y
"Hamett's eyes sparkled, but he
touched his hat aud said quietly:
'l'll try, SIR ANY man who knows
jim II ,mett would know what that
meant. DeFuniak had his ear
coupled on right next to the tender
and another car behind. Jim limp
ed up into his engine (he cant walk
straight snice his last wreck aud
there was kind of smile hanging
around his mouth. The train pull.
ed out of the depot at Nashville rs
the negro porter was fixing the
dishes in the sideboard. They start
ed out at n pretty lively gait and
weut on increasing It. The con-
ductor il the back ear began to get
uneasy, Tor he hadn't heard Jim's
instructions. Every minute the
train wentfaster. Houses aud trees
aud fences became IA blurred line.
The cars jumped aud rocked aud
rolled like mad animals wanting to
leap from their place of contlue.
ment. The porter began to look
frightened. The train instead OF
Stacking increased it's speed. No
body in DcFunak's Car could re-.
main in the seats without desper
ately clutching to the seat in front.
II seemed impossible for the ears
to remain on the track, they bound
e,l aud rolled so violently. The
dishes in the sideboarl rolled out,
the bed fell IN the middle of the
floor, chairs were rent from their
tasteuings: but the porter didn't
care a straw for that-he thought
his time had come aud Was pray
ing desperately.
DeIuniak, with his expression
less tace, wao calmly holding on tn
some straps hanging from the cell
ing aud waxing at Hamett through
the glass door to 90 on. The con
ductor grabbed the bell cord aud
nearly jerked it of. lie lirmly be.
lieved that If they escaped with
their lives both he aud the engineer
would be discharged as soon AS they
reached the city, jim was sitting
on his seat in the engine calmly
smiling and paying not the least at
tention to the frantic conductor.
About hundred miles from Nash.
vile Jim got couple OF hot boxes
and had to stop. He made the hun
! dred miles in about eighty seven
tlinutes, about the fastest Time on
, the road. There Wasn't a bit of fur
niture lett in DeFuuiak'sclr. There
was confused heap of broken
plates, pictures aud chairs and that
; was all. Jim was outsi e calmly
limping arounu and cursing the hot
; boxes between times, when DeFu
max came ont of the carand brusque
IL told Jim he had made fast run
> "'Not very fast, sir said Jim
; If | had run her as fast as she car
90 it wouldn't have only broker
Your plates and pictures, but thpr,
!, wouldn't have been u bit of the in
: side of the car left. That was !
: mighty poor run, sir, mighty poo
: rum The porter resigned as sool
! as he got to town and always gce
|, by boat now, when he cam
: