The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-26

From Fort Wayne to Pittsburg on the Truck
of Pullman Sleeper.


Pittsburg Special.
Peter She'll, about eighteen years of age, ar
rived here this morning on the truck ola Pullman
sleeper attached to the New York and Chicago
limited express, having ridden from Fort Wayne
Ind, In that way. He says he was en- route to
Washington to see his mother, who was seriously
ILL., The story of his thrilling ride is best told in
his own words He said:
Il knew it was foolish for me to try it, but
then, after all, got through all right The fact
is. before started did not even take time to
consider what were the dangers of the undertake
ing. But last evening got letter stating that
my mother very sick at her home in Wash
ington. / had been working in the foundry
at Fort Wayne. My first impulse was
to hasten to see my mother as quickly
at o'clock at night. quit work in the evening
and then sold my time for the amount duaNme.
but 1t was not enough to buy ticket to- wash
ington. l waited around the Fort Wayne depot
until the limited pulled in from Chicago |
watched my opportunity and slid under the
train and crawled up on the top of one of the
trucks after the inspectors had passed by, sound
ing the wheels with their hammers.
THE train started, and held on as no one be-
fore ever clung to any support for his very life
They say that portion of the time the train
runs mile minute, and to me it seemed as
though never before had train swept along,
mile after mile as did the limited 1t was hard
work TO keep the stones from striking in the
difficulty was the GOODNESS of the night Part Of
the time it seemed though it cold as
winter, and my hands got SO numb that l could
scarcely hold on TO the truck. At last, after
many miles had been passed over, we stopped at
Crestlne, .. was afraid that when the in
spectors went around sounding the wheels of
the cars to see that none were broken my
retreat wonld be discovered. But | drew
my body close ND along the truck of the
sleeper and Rugged close to the wheels l got
twenty minutes breathing spell at Crestline and
then the train started and sped along for anoth
er hundred miles, until Alliance was reached.
where had to look sharp again for the inspect
ors. Again / successful The train again
pulled out, gradually got up speed to nearly a
mile minute, rounded the big curves, some
times almost throwing me under the wheels.
sometimes slowing up little and again seeming
to fairly fly over the tracks started with
still greater speed down one of the heavy grades
on this end of the road. could see nothing, the
dust syas so thick could hardly breathe, and
had TO keep my eyes closed or would have been
blinded 1t was the ride of my life, and am
thankful that at last it is over"
The narration of his thrilling experience was
listened to by the spectators, who stood by in
breathless surprise. A subscription was started
by the passengers which netted the young man
quite handsome sum, and. after a hearty
breakfast, he was started on his way to Wash
ington In Pullman car. Though the distance
between Pittsburg and Fort Wayne is 800 miles.
the limited express makes but four stops and
averages thirty six to forty miles An hour, often
attaining speed of fifty miles. 1t is said that
on one of the straight pieces of track it has
been known to run at the rate of q mile each
minute.