Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-11
Pretty Fast Travelling.
From the Louisville Commercial.

lrom Tue LOUISVILLE commercial.
Ibid you ever hear how Jim Hamett brought
De Funiak from Nashville to Louisville:" asked
one of the Louisville engineers. '.Well, YOU all
know Jim, l guess or know of him. He can
make the fastest time on the Louisville and
Nashville when he wants to. He has been in a
dozen wrecks, and got hurt in all of them. /
don't believe there is sound bone in little
Jims body, but the more bumps and knocks he
gets, the faster he wants to rum About two
years ago De Funak was down at Nashville.
and had important business that required his
immediate presence in Louisville He was
then general manager of the Louisville and
Nashville and ordered the road clear between
the two cities. Then he looked for an engineer
to haul him through. Hamett was lust in OFT
his run, and De Funiak sent tor him and said:
"'Mr. Hamett, want to get to Louisville as
soon as possible. The roads clear; you won't
find any obstruction. VIII you take me?'
"Hamett'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. De Funiak had his car coupled right
on next to the tender and another car behind
Jim climbed up into his engine, Che can't walk
straight since the last wreck and there was
kind OF smile hanging around his mouth. The
train pulled out of the depot at Nashville as the
negro porter was fixing the dishes in the side
board. They started out at pretty lively gait
and went on increasing it. The conductor in
the back car began to get uneasy, for he hadn't
heard J1ms Instructions Every minute the
train went faster and faster. Houses and trees
and fences became a blurred line. The cars
jumped and rolled and rocked like mad animals
wanting to leap from their place of confinement
The porter began to look frightened. The train
instead of slackening, increased it's speed No
body in De Funiak's car could remain in the
seats without desperately clutching to the seat
In front. 1t seemed impossible tor 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 rent from their fastenngs; but the porter
didn't care straw for that-he thought his
time had come and was praying desperately.
"De Funiak, with his expressIonless face was
calmly holding on to some straps hanging from
the ceiling, and waving at Hamett through the
back door to go on. The conductor grabbed
the bell cord and nearly jerked it Off He firmly
believed that If they escaped with their lives
both he and the engineer would be DISCHARGED
as soon as they reached the city. Jim was sit
ting on his seat In the engine calmly smiling
and paying not the least attention to the frantic
conductor. About 100 miles from Nashvill elm
got couple of hot boxes and had to stOD He
made the hundred miles in about 81 minutes
about the fastest time on the road. There
wasn't bit of furniture left in De Funiak's car.
There was a confused heap Of broken MATES
pictures and chairs, and that was all. Jim was
outside, calmly limping around and cursn1 the
not boxes between times, when De Funiak came
out OF the car and brusquey told Jim he had
made a fast run
80 Not very fast sir said Jim sIf Ibad RIM
as fast as she caa go it wouldn't have Only broke
your plates and pictures. but there wouldn't
have been bit of The inside of the car left
That was mighty poor run, sir; mighty poor
run The porter resigned as soon as he got to
town. and always goes by boat now, when he
can"