The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-02
PRESIDENT IVES RIDE.

The Locomotive Struck the Bridge and
That Structure Moved Seven Inches.
From the Chicdoo Daily Tribune.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, Feb. 19.-Three or
four years ago President Ives OF the BurI-
ington, CedarR apids and Northern railroad
was coming down the road in his special
after an inspection tour to Sioux Falls.
Chief Engineer White, General Passenger
Agent Hannegan, General Freight Agent
UT and the presidents son Charlie, who
has now become general freight agent were
among those on the OLD special car No, l0I.
The equipment of the road was not in as
good condition then as now, but President
Ives believed It was a better roadbed than
the New York Central had. He would pin
his faith TO that any time, and nobody con-
nected with the road ever thought OF differ
sng with the ''old man."
Now, between Lvermore and Goldfield
there is good long stretch of straight track
which swings of In q sharp bend at Gold
field, Just as the bridge over Boone river is
reached. The Boone is not a large stream
anywhere, and up here near its headwaters
it is pretty small waterway to be called a
river. Still it is big enough to have a bridge
over it, and that is something. All the way
down the party had been sitting in the
cory little Office at the end Of the car look
ing out over the track, spinning yarns and
smoking, and every little while President
Ives would growl out something about the
slow tine the train was making.
At last when Livermore was reached and
a stop made TO take water he said to his son:
Charlie, 60 ahead and tell the engineer to
pull her wide open-lm getting tired of this
slow time" Charlie obeyed with cheerful
Rlacrity. No message ever lost any OF its
redundant accessories, when be carried it,
SO he went up to the engine and yelled:
Dave, the old man says he wants you to
pull her wide open or he'll raise - If
you're afraid to run the train he'll come up
HIMSELF
20, he will, will hes" replied old Funk.
When the train started there was Jolt
that nearly cracked the coupling-pins and
Livermore was out of sight in about
minute. Before the train had gone two
miles General Passenger Agent Hannegau
said: That's a deuced big herd of cattle
grazing over there" The fact was that
there we're several herds of cattle, but the
velocity of the tram merged them into one.
The farm houses, which were never nearer
than mile apart, began to look like row
OF city mats. All this time the inmates Of the
special were being tossed about the car like
dollar In basket. Engineer White bad
MS watch in his hand and was vainly try
ing TO count the telegraph poles so as to
gauge the speed of the train. General Pas
senger Agent Hannegan was hanging on
TO wlndowsill with both hands. aud Gen
eral Freight Agent UT had backed his
cnalr up In corner so that he could not be
hurled to the floor President Ives sat in
his chair in the middle Of the floor his feet
wen spread out so as to guard against the
sudden and terrific jolts, his hands grasuing
tne sides OF the chair, his teeth set and bis
lace pale he was riding about twenty
miles an hour faster than he wanted to. but
he wouldn't own up. and he was prepared
20 die rather than acknowledge by any sign
or word that it wasn't the smoothest road
bed he had ever ridden over
In the meantime the car rolled from side
to side, jumped clear of the track, and then
settled down again as though it was going
right through to China. 1t was wonderful
how 1t ever kept the rails, buc it did.
When the train began drawing near
Boone river every body drew a sigh of
relief, thinking Funk would surely slow up
tor the bridge. But he didn't. In fact. he
seemed to give the lever an extra notch or
two, and all Of sudden the bend and
bridge were struck. There was a fearful
jar that seemed to tear the car apart.
President Ives keeled over in his chair and
landed on Passenger agent flanagan,
General Freight agent UT. who was thrown
into corner, lay still and drew on the
AosOuTCtS VI d CnOlC6 ana rlcn vocabulary of
profanity. Chief Engineer White and
Charlie Ives were inextricably mixed up.
but the chief engineer was the first to un-
rayei himself, and, grabbing the bell cord,
pulled it like man who has come home
from the club at a. m. and finds that the
doorbell won't respond.
Il bet that bridge has been knocked two
feet out Of line," shouted the excited en-
gineer.
The rest Of the party scoffed at the idea.
Well, then, let's run back and see, J." said
the chief engineer. II tell you that bridge
is at least two feet cut of plumb, and I'll bet
months salary on if"
The train was brought to ssandstill and
thon ran back to the bridge Reaching
there the whole party disembarked and the
engineer produced foot rule The bridge
had been moved bodily by the force of the
pIoW-not 80 much as Mr. White bad said.
out good seven inches, as was proved by
actual measurement. Nobody pretends TO
say how fast that train ives run, but every
pody on board is willing TO swear the record
mas never been broken, and the time made
was faster than President Ives ever wants
10 travel again.
TIL 00CCEYT Ecs,sS TOryu