Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-21
HAlRBREADTH ESCAPES.
An Old Engineer Tells Of Some of
His Adventures.
An Unsuccessful Attempt at Suicide by a
Man Now Prosperous-Ths Closest Pos
sible Escape From "A Terri
BILE Collision.

BILE Collision.
Alderman DE Witt c. Kellogg was
not always grocery man, or a politi-
clan. more than he has always been an
Alderman. It has only been within
the present year that that Alderman
SHE'D his castor into the political ARENA
For twenty years previously he was
one Of the most reliable locomotive en-
gineerS that ever leaned out of cab
window and raced over the earth from
town TO town, from county to county
and from State to State.
The engineer Alderman sat in the
Council chamber yesterday morning,
entertaining Il cluster of his brother
Aldermen with stories of narrow es-
capes during the years he was on the
road. They were intensely interesting.
rs the speaker was full of animation
and not at a loss for words.
Coming into Detroit. and while APP
preaching the Grand River avenue
crossing, said he, you c;:n see down
iaiC 81 tCb "a IOllt- olG vi l4O-
ticed fellow drive slowly toward the
crossing. | footed the whistle TO lei
him know we We're coming. and the
fellow took his whip and touched up
the horse with it. The horse was 4
tiae-lOoking animal, young and full OF
life, and the buggy a new one, alto
gethcr very handsome RIG. The horse
trotted faster toward the crossing and
We were pounding along ut a good
speed ourselves. As we got closer |
measured the distance and saw that
If both OF us kept up the same gait we
would surely come together on the
crossing. l jerlled the whistle several
times TO warn him: he looked at Us
coming, but I'll be hanged if he didn't
touch up the horse again. On we both
raced, and about one hundred feet from
the crossing | saw we we're going TO
collide without Il doubt. Ii was too
late then TO stop. just as We dashed
upon the crossing his horse swerved
around. threw the buggy on the track
in front of us, and the next moment
buggy. man and horse were pitched
crashing into the cattle guard and
ditch. | stopped as sOoa as | could
and backed up. The fellow was just
crawling out of the wreck. His face
was us white Us his shirt-bosom. The
horse was dead. with a spoke of one
Of the wheels sticking through his ribs.
The mans hat-a big white one
lodged on the pilot OF the locomotive.
/ pulled it off and handed ii to him.
His hand trem5lod 80 that he could
hardly hold it,
Didn't yea hear TIE whistler
4 ,led him.
Yes he said. but thought I
could beat you across.
Now here is where tle rub comes
in. Railroad money seem, TO b. re-
g2rded us prey for any body who can
-et i. a few weeks afterwards gen
tleman called on Superintendent BLDG
cit. In case an engineer strikes any
thing he is required to make out a
written report OF it. with fail plrticu-
lars. had done so in this case. The /
superintendent visitor stated that he |
had been struck by . Lake Shore train. |
his horse killed and his buggy smashed |
into kindGng wood. lie himself. fortu- |
nately, escaped with his life The |
horse and buggy he estimated to be |
worth $3.50. ana he came 10 see if he !
couldn't get little so.n,thing from the /!
company for their loss. He was will |
ing TO come down to $3.50.
did theengineer blow the whistler |
asked Blodgett.
"'No. he did not said the man. Il
can bring half-a-dozen people who will |
swear that the whistle was moi blown. |
The superintendent called clerk !
and sent for my report. He read to the |
man his answer to my question rs to |
whether he heard the whistle or not. |
and then the clerk was directed TO
show the gentleman how the door
looked on the outside. He went and |
the road was sued.
"A man who Is nov on the police
force here" continued AID. Kellogg.
had the closest escape from being cut
into mince-meat that [ ever saw. He
got TO drinking, then left his faIaily
and stayed away about a year. He
was returning empty-handed and sor-
rowful when l saw him that day sitting
on the end of n tie just the other side
of the Rogue bridge. l was coming up
from Toledo, my regular run. and was
trying to make up fifteen minutes time |
which we lost in leaving Toledo. There /
was fifteen-mile stretch between here |
and Wyaadotte in which We did not /
have to make a stop and the boys used
to call 1t the race course. Well, was
booming over the race course at about |
forty miles an hour. When | saw this |
man, blew the whistle and not 'ced !
that ne looked around at US. Now. |