Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-18
BEHIND 4 CRACK ENGINE.
Shut,Up in an English Railroad Car Will
Mailman.

Shut,Up in an English Railroad Car with
Mailman.
On my way from Wales to London 1
met with one OF the most exciting scenes
I ever witnessed. We were in rail-
way train going at terrific velocity.
There are two or three locomotives in
E gland celebrated for speed. One they
call the Flying Dutchman. Another they
named the Yorkshire devil. We were fly
ing behind one of these locomotives sixty
miles an hour. There were five of US
four gentlemen and lady-in an EDglish
car, which is different thing, as most
people know, from the American car, the
English ear holding comfortably only
about eight persons, four of them occu
plying one seat facing four Oh the other.
We halted at the depot.
A gentleman came to the door, and
stood q moment, as if not knowing
whether TO come in or stay out. Ths
conductor compelling him to decide i'm
mediately, he got in. He was finely
gloved and every way well dressed.
Seated, he took out his knife and began
the attem of of splitting a sheet of paper
edgewise, and at this sat intently engaged
for perhaps an hour. The sus picion of
all in the car was aroused in reaard to
him, when suddenly he arose and looked
around at his fellow passengers, and the
fact was revealed by his eye and manner
that he was made maniac. The lady in
the car (she was unaccOmp anie6) became
frenzied with fright and rushed TO the
door as if to Jump out. Planting my
feet against the door, made that death
leap impossible.
A look of horror was on sll the faces,
and the question with each WAS: "What
will the mailman do next?" A mailman
uparmed is alarming, but a madmaD with
an open knife is terrific. In the demoniac
strength that comes to such a one, he
might make sad havoc in that flying rail
way train, or he might spring out of the
door, rs once or twice he attempted. 1t
was a question between retaining the
foaming fury in our company, or letting
him dash his life out on the rocks. Also
it might be question between his life
and the life of one or more in the train.
Our own safety said, "Let him 60" Our
humanity said, SKeep him back from
instant DEATH" and humanity triumphed.
The bell rope reaching to the locomotive
in English railway trains is outside the
car, near the roof and difficult to get at.
| gave it two CT three stout pulls, but
there was no slackening OF speed.
Another passenger repeated the at
tempt without getting any recognition.
We might as we'll have tiled to stop u
whirlwind by pulling boys kite string,
When an English engineer starts his
engine he stops for nothing short OF
collision, and the bell rope on the outside
edges of car is only TO make passengers
feel comfortable at the idea that they
can stopthe train if they want to and as it
is not once IL a thousand times anyone
is willing to risk his arm and reach out
of the window long enough to work tie
rope, the delusion is seldom broken. To
rid ourselves of our dangerous associate
seemed impossible. Then there came
struggle as to who should have supre-
macy CT that car, right reason or demen-
tia. The maniac moved around the car,
as if it belonged to him az all the rest
of as were intruders. Then he dropped
III commissions across the lap of one of
the passengers.
At this moment, when we thought the
horror had climacterated the tragedy was
intensified. We plunged into the mid
night darkness of one of those long tun-
neis for which English railway travel is
celebrated. Minutes seemed hours. Can
you imagine a worse position than to be
faster ed in a railway carriage, eight feet
by six, in tunnel of complete darkness,
with maniac. May the occurrence
never be repeated We knew not what
moment he might dash upon US or what
way. We waited for the light, and waited
while the hair lifted from the scalp and
the blood ran cold. When at last the
light looked in through the windows, we
found the afflicted man lying helplessly
across one of the passengers. When the
train halted it did not take Us long after
handing over the poor unfortunate for
medical treatment, to disembark and
move into another car.-PIttsburg Dis
Detch