The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-26
Railroad Racket

A misplaced switch at the transfer
from the Chicago, Milwaukee X st, Paul
to the Chicago. Rock Island Il Pacific at
Davenport. caused the wreck of freight
train yesterday morning, doing damage
to the extent Of about 81. 500. and delays
ing trains on the Chicago Milwaukee Il
St. Paul road until o'clock last evening
A freight train of nine ears was going out
when it Tan off at the switch and went
tearing and smashing over the ties En-
gineer Emerson Immediately reversed the
engine and stayed with it in the attem pit
to prevent more damage until the tender
came crashing into the cab. being pushed
on By the impetus Of the heavily loaded
fre'ghts still on the track When he
could stay no longer without endaDgering
his life, he, together with his son, who
was fireman, jumped, and not bit too
soon, for the tender crushed the cab bad
Is aud then was pushed over on its side
and endways across the track One
freight was overturned and another ran
off the track Work was i'm mediately
commenced at clearing away the debris,
but not much was accomplished until
noon when wrecking train arrived from
Oxford junction. Then the work was
pushed more rapidly, but it is no small
Job to right heavy tender and get it and
an engine on the track II was o'clock
before this was accomplished aad the
track ready for travel so that trains could
move again.
They tell good one on Conductor
Coons. OF the Sterling branch passengaI
on the c., B. & Q Conductor
Coons has recently been promoted from
freight train conductors berth 10 that
of passenger train ticket puncher, and
of course is not altogether accustomed to
the luxuTies and conveniences of frs
class railroad travel of the day Conduc
tor Coons home is at Monmouth, and thu
c., B. s. O., which aims to treat its EN-.
ployes like other human beings. allows
them while travelling the best the road
affords. The other night Coons was com
ing up from Monmouth to this city to
take his train out for Sterling, having
been home on visit to his family Tbs
porter in the Pullman had prepared al
upper berth for him. and when the time
came for Coons to retire he threw hi
clothes upon the berth above which wa
provided with blankets, quilts, sheets
etc, while he turned in in the lowe
berth and slept the sleep of the righteous
on bare mattress, until he woke up il
Rock Island the next morning. Conduc
tor Coons will be careful to get the bes
| the next time he goes down to bis HON,
at Monmouth
A signal lantern Of recent invent ion i
being tested by the c., r. l, = P. Til,
lamp is substantial yet simple 10 con
struction, and certainly appears to pos.
sess all the requirements its use eau sug
gest. The bulls eye" is made of heav,
plate glass, having bevel edge around 1t.
entire circumference. immediately be
hind this glass is placed the light, which
Is intensified by highly polished reflec
tor, fastened in rear of the flame. Sc
in revolving interior frame is red anC
green glass either of which can be ad
justed in a second SO as to reflect ethel
of the three colors-red, white or green
as the occasion may demand. The bev
elled edge of the bulls eye concentrate:
the rays toward the center and casts
light almost equal in brliiancy to that o
headlight. There appears to be n,
visible objection to the lantern, and it i
probable the company. after giving it
test, will adopt it for general use for thei
trains. The Leader says that Roadmaste
Preston, of Des Moines, received on
from Superintendent Royce when ii
Davenport, and thinks It fine invention