Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-08

From the stand point of the Man on
-he Foot-Board-Investigati of Lo-
connective Mind and Matter.
Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph
"Do railroad trains think? have they in.
sttnct! do you fancy train has any quali-
ties that has not already been attributed to
it as common carrier. l mean psycho-
logical qualities was the odd lot of ques-
tions hurled this morning in a bunch at q
reporter.
Il can not say as to trains" he replied,
with deliberatioG; but as you suggest the
possibility, may say that anything is
within the limits of the attainable in this
progressive age. Locomotive engineers
have been known to regard their engines
as things possessing qualities fully up to
the instinct of animals. Its a sort of iron
horse sense | should say. Sometimes
certain engine is regarded as unlucky, and
engineers dislike to handle it. There have
been stories of the tendency of such an en-
gine to get into smash-ups and to kill its
attendants, for all the world like vicious
horse. Others have been renowned for do.
cility, the ease with which they work,
their quick response to the manipulation Of
hand when there is an accident, their small
consumption of fuel and water, and then
infrequent visits TO the hospital. Such ar
engine seldom gets sick, and is the pet Of
the engineer, and receives the tender atten
tion of the rubbing down cloth of the fire.
man.
An interesting book might be written OF
the engineers and firemen's estimate OF
anatomy, physiology, and psychology OF
the locomotive. But Yet, do you know,
have my doubts as to its having a thinking
arrangement within its iron-bound car
cass. In reference to the engineers SUPER
stition perhaps it would be as well to give
a point as TO locomotives possessing in
stinct, but draw the lice there; they GER
tainly haven't brairs. As for cars, l be-
heve they are positively stupid. They
have no motive in life except when an
nexed to the intelligent engine"
Possibly, then" said the searcher into
locomotive mind and matter, perhaps it
may be that an engine may have so much
wit as to be the mentor of an entire train
permeate the stupidity of the cars, so to
speak. When you rush for Union station
and see the train you were hurrying for
putting out of the shed and the cylinder
cocks putting out sarcastic remarks at the
lrdiness of mankind, don't you fancy for
q moment that that train knows more
about Eastern standard time and prompt
ness than your"
.No, the feeling is that of an indignant
reproach at the locomotive. / acknowledge
regard it for a moment as / would man
who hadn't quite come up to my expecta-
tions in regard to an appointment, but the
train, the cars, do not enter into the con-
sideration except as a dead responsibility
annex, of no more account than the coat
tails of q man."
~ am largely of your opinion" was the
Interested reply. Let me relate the in
cident that impelled my first series of
questions. Yesterday evening, when !
got home, found two relatives from a
city in an adjoining State. They had
taken a sudden notion to visit me and
came without notice, Of course. Within |
an hour two relatives from the northern |
part of this State put in an appearance. |
No sooner did party No. see party No. |
than there was cry of surprise. why, |
you here" calculated No. 2. How fortu- |
nate. We went to O. this morning |
to take the train to pay you visit. At |
Owe saw our train leave a minute too |
soon, but just then an engine on another
railroad began making up a train for
Pittsburgh and we concluded to visit our
friends here.' As party No. l had not left
home until two hours after, No. 2 e--
perlenced the wisdom of the two en-
gines at O., the inference is that loco
motives not only know what is going on.
but possess a sort of prescience, a proph-
etic instinct that in this case was superior
to the minds of the fewer Intelligent per-
SONS comprised in my Nos. 1 and 3 WIS.,
ltins parties"