The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1883-03-10

Half a dozen railroad men were stand.
Ia, BY the Mon depot lunch counter
the other night, waiting for q train.
drinking coffee aud telling stories about
their cNpcr.cn - IN railroadinS. An
engineer was making carel tracks In 4
half Of n pic. and ciwccn swallows he
was entertaining the boys about = fast
run he made Que day between Milwa,,.
kc. and La Crosse. when the "old
man was in hurry ~ get up there 10
see ab, I the bridge that was being
built there. As he was describing how
tho engine md Two cars Iairly blistcrcd
the rails between Portage and Camp
Douglas. \ frightened looking man
stepped up and ked for q cup OF co.'ee
aid some doughnu,s. and white hc was
soaking n dOlghnu, in the cOlcc. h.
said they didn't know anything about
fat iunnng unless they had been on the
Pennsylvania Road. The men asked
him what he knew about fast running.
and he turned out some coffee in q
saucer, blew on II, 10 cool il. swallowed
Il, and said:
"Well. l Just got here from the East.
and ] have witnessed railrOading that
knocks the socks oil OF anything that
ever was. We started out ri Jersey
City one night at eight o'clock. and up
this side ci Philadelphia there was a
wreck ahead OF us, and We side tracked
Tor six hours. and when the track was
clear We started. Well, sir. that train
few. fairly few. We didn't realize in
the car ,ha. We were going fast. by any
jar, for il was iust ~ smooth as pajl
VI skates on smooth Ice. but Il a mau
went out on = platform he could MOI
breathe. The niger started 10 brine
q lunch from the hotel car into the Cal
] was in, and while he crossed the plat
iOrm the collec frO,c rs stiif rs ict
cream. and q man ate it with spoon
The niger was u raid TO 60 back into h.:
car. AMI waited till the train stopped u,
coal place. The conductor told M
the train was going faster than a bullet
lie said the engineer often shOt his re-
vol or up the track ahead, and the en-
CINE would overtake the bullet and fiat
ten il against the smoke stack. Di'
you ever sec = passenger train jumI
right over u freight train, when bot
were in notion" asked the doughnu
man, as he filled his colee cup up witt
milk.
40. what you giving us?" said tn
engineer. as he loosencl the leather he
around his greasy Ovcralls, and locke
at the man with disgust.
"Wel, you don't have to believe It
you don't want to, but pledge you m
word our tram jumped light over a lon
frcigh, train ahead Of US. We come u
to Il, on = straight track, and our Ell
gineer signaled to the freight enginee
10 slow up q little. and the conductt
|, told us to keep our seats. We Ia
seen the freight train ahead on curve
= and wondered why our train did NJ
I stop. When the conductor told us
keep our seats. | asked him what vi
> the matter. and he said We were goin
J: to jump freight, and II we move
q around we would jar the cars so thu
q wouldn't be 80 liable to hit the tras
ahead. when We come down. Just tn,
9 could feel the train 60 into the al
d and hear tho wheels turn with no ira,
. urdor them, and IN less than ten secOn
): We began 10 descend, and could he
d the wheels on the track aga'n, and
n looked back and the freight engine
70 was wa, ing his hat at us. Why, the
J. waS no more Jar than there is in Il
It room now. Of course they wouldl
e attempt to jump . freight train on
IT curve or In q tunnel" and tho m
10 scratched . mat h on his pants, and
% . cigar stub he had been keeping.
l. Ptck's San.