The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-26

STRANGE AND PECULIAR FEATURES
OF RAILROADlNG IN OREGON.

OF haIlROADlNG IN ORtGON.
= Cunning for Grouse aud Other Game Gu
OF the Baggage Car Doors-A wild Cbas'
G Amer scroggins Hog-How the Engince
4 Struck and Tied Up the Whole System.
q "1f you over 20 up 10 Oregon said Col j
N. Scuter at tho Baldwin, you don't want
to miss trip over tho Narrow Escape rail
xay that runs from an indefinite point out
side Of Portland to wherever night overtake.
, tho train
, "A man who likes excitement and advent
IRE would enjoy tho ride. The road has
been In the hands OF n receiver for some years.
and has fallen into n state Of picturesque dc
cav
mo two rails on the entire system are on
the same level. and there IS an absence Of
straight lines and regularity that gives a
charming variety and waviness TO the per.
spective OF the track The coldly practical
theory that the rails should DO supported by
tbo tics does not find favor with the section
men on tho Narrow Escape line
"Tho ties hang from the rails by the spike
| heads, but for tho sake Of variety an occa.
siona tic is permitted TO touch the roadbod.
which is largely composed Of loose cobbles.
DESCRIPTION or THE ROAD.
Talk about riding horseback for exercised
II doesn't compare with railroading over the
Narrow Escape. You get a greater variety
| and amount Of motion to the mile than you
| could get anywhere else in the world, except
on the back Of n camel with peg leg"
Sometimes, when the track is little too
wayy, they run tho train of the rails aud
take short cut over the prairie for a quar-
ter Of a mile or 50, and then run back upon
the rails when they strike a good place on the
grade. When they come 10 trcstle, and
there are several high, spider legged struc
lures OF that sort. the engineer slows up
leaving just enough steam on TO give head
way
They are very careful about crossing tres
ties have seen them 50 cautious that the |
engineer, conductor and whole train crew |
would get Off and walk over and wait for the |
train on the other side They never alarm |
the passengers, however, by saying anything |
to them about getting OF and walking.
1.-THE line is about forty miles long count
ing the twists in the rails and the trains that
leave the lower end early in the morning gem
orally get up 10 one OF the other ends by
night. There are two or three upper ends to
the line.
1.-THE men who built it had a notion 10 run
II over 10 tho coast, but when they got near
tho mountains they changed their minds
went back few niles and branched OF 10
the southwark. They changed their minds
several times, and the result was a lot Of
ragged ends Of track rlrling out into the
prairie and stopping no yiere in particular
Sometimes the train runs up one spur and
sometimes up another-just depends on how
the section men leave the switches When
tho sea breeze draws down through the gapl
In the Coast range and blows right hard, they
don't go up the west spur at all, but switch
off to the east and scud before the wind. You
see tho prairie is 50 soft up the west spur that
they cant run OF the rails and tack very well
Il remember one evening when tho train
got up 10 Sheridan before dark, and the in.
habitants all rushed over to the station 10 see
what was the matter 1t turned out that one
of old man Scroggins' hogs had wandered {
down tho valley, and when the engineer saw 8
him on the track he just clappcd or steam
and went for him.
The Sheridan switch happened 70 be
open, and the train followed the hog up the /
west spur and chased him into town ahead Of [
time. The engineer came pretty near being I
for reckless running but the ex
element Of tho chase was considered as an 20
circumstance.
IT WAS FINE SPORT.
"You ought to 60 up and have hunt on
hat railroad some time. There's some Of the I
,cst grouse shooting on tho limo that ever i
aw. The conductor is a good shot and the
ngineer is no slouch. ! had a hunt with
hem few weeks ago.
mas the early morning Is the best time e.
ind birds, the train pulled out about an hour
eforc tho usual time Of starting. The con.
uctor and wero in tho baggage car with L
ur guns, and tho engineer had gun in the
alb.
I'VE had conc aboHt a milo when the train
Owed down and the conductor told me 10 =,
'atch out lo took ono Of tho wide doors In n
he sides Of the car and took the other. Tho
owing down meant that tho engineer saw
irds, and in a moment the conductor BANGED
way.
"Ihe train stopped and brakeman iumped
I and picked up a dead grouse. Pretty .
on tho grouse became thick along the sides
tho track and didn't seem 10 mind the
ain in the least We heard tho engineer
piping away, and We whangcl at 'ern ripbt
ID left and kept the brakeman busy. The q
itary passenger became interested and Nc
ade first class retriever. me-
The grouse were plentiful, but tho China tne
easanis were thicker than flies We saw '''
least 900, but didn'tgct many Tho China
easant is the finest game bird IN this conn.
2. Seven pairs wero imported about eieb mn,
m years ago, and, being protected bv law ''
r ten years, they have increased wonder VIII
Ily, and there must be millions Of them IN CT
ogon. stat
you see, It is no fool Of n trick 10 shoot
M moving train that wabbles along as
)ush the wheels were gcared on ccccntrics
] 50 we wasted a lot Of powder We used /
out n hundred shells and secured thirty
birds, mostly grouse. That beats tramp NJ
over the hills all TO thunder. Il
i don't know as you had better 90 mn ~
re right away to hunt on the train When 30 30
10, the Narrow Escape system was tied an
a strike The engineer hadn't s0t any 20
Tor two years, and be started q Kick. ~
The receiver received well enough but lie 40
MT seem to give up quito so well, but Der
IS That was because there wasn't much 10 81
Q up. The section men didn't mind. be. 40
50 they could pick up a hand car load Of
ties most any time, run down to old man D seo
rsrave's place and swap them of for beer All
the engineer and fireman didn't have in u
nce to pick up any more ties than they
led 10 burn under the boiler.
50 one day the engineer ran the Iocomo- by
or the rails into Sim Hydes potato field s p9,,
swore he'd stay there with it until tie ceiye
pany paid him something on account CE
tied up the whole system, and the last a0H y
" the engineer was camping in the cab in r. ~, ~
potato field You'd better wait until YOU IA be-