Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-08-16
a Race with a Snake.

THAT was a terrible experience
Eharlie Lockwood had once, thetime
the big blacksnake chased him and
his engine down the Summit grade,
west of Deposit, on the Erie, and I
there amt any mistake about it"
said IA man from Delaware county to !
IA New York Sun writer. u didn't |
see the race myself. but heard Char
lie tell about it at the time, and I've
heard him tell it several times since.
lie always tells it just the same, and
SO there ain tany doubt but whatit's
true. Charlie says he had just clear
ed the Summit to make the run down
the hill ia Deposit when he saw a
blacksnake rise up out of the brush
alongside the track, not more than
three feet from the engine cab. Char
lie was hauling n heavy train, but
the size of that snake and the way it
poked it's tongue out at him and his
fireman and his engine made him a
little searey, and he said 10 his fire
man TINT lie guessed he'd run away
from there considerable lively, and
away he tore down the mountain.
lie thought, Of course, that they
would run right away from the big
snake, but AtIer they had gone ;
mile or so Charlie looked out OF hi
cab window and there was the snak
keeping right along with the engine
Charlie was knocked almost back IN
I 10 the tender the sight gave hin
b such shock, INT he saw right ava.
TINT the snake had made its min
to yet into that cab ifitcould. Char
e lie said he whistled for the boys |
!. let up some more on the brakes. bu
= OF course they didn't know what wa
b the matter and ms the train va
2 wnoopin her up then easy tort
/, miles an hour they wouldn' take O
another brake.
Charlie says that he had alwaN
.. heard That Just before one oi tho
hig Summit blacksnnkes made
aF lump for anything his eyes began
bulge. Finding that he could ne
run away from the snake. and fe'
"a ing sure that IL would makea eiio
To capture him and his fireman l
~ fore they could rensh Deposit, ev'
al tile terrific rate they were goin
N he scratched his head for an idea al
az soon found one.
~ III just watch this snake seye
Y. Chorlie saws he said, and whel
~, See EN- bulge I'll be ready fer him.
3a3 There was the snake sailing alo'
70 hnlf The length Of the tender back
n" the cab at the rate Of forty miles
IN hour. ana doing il easy. Char
% kept his eye on him, and pretty so
'ns he saw the snakes eyes begin
IN bulge Charlie said TO his TRENT
Ma so h. snys:
az Jim he said. open the iurn
~ door and scrooch down 10 the ;
Is o your cab.
.om ".Iim opened the furnace door 4
" srrooched. Charley says that
rs and hy the snakes ewes stuck
ger nearly half an inch. and Il was ri
", that its jumping time had nrriN
.,' He gave a spring and shot iorw
IN. toward the cab ike n skyrocl
Charlie jumped To one side.
mo snake had 20 duck his head 70 &c
~ tie cab. and he shot square into
oih. furnace through the open door.
The he was going so fast that ne ne
ha'e stopped till his head struck c
ams ngaiust the far end Of the iurn
ckct Charlie clnpped the door shut as
abs, ~ he could lie couldn't get 4
,r,r the way shut for six feet Of the 81
far were still on the outside, They q
.cnr. ped on that part, and the rest oi
nay snake wns burned up. Charlie
NJ has run twenty-five years on
; cap comotive and had some close sha
but That was the nnrrowest es,
I ~. To over Ind.