The Press., 1892-05-12
FOURTEEN MILES OF FEAR.
A Ride Back End Foremost Over a
 Strange Railroad Track by Night.

A Ride Back End Foremost Over a
 Strange Railroad Track by Night.
 Funny, isn't it, what daredevil acts railroad men will often do?" asked a little travelling man of few friends as he dropped into one of the Grand Pacific rotunda chairs.
 "Yes, something like trying run two trains on the same track or trying to see whether the rails or mans leg is the hardest" suggested a fellow drum mer.
 "No, I mean in the ordinary course of business. The other day 1 stared for Washington and l had prenpnition that the trip was not to be of tie best, for on the way to the depot purchased a pocket comb of a street vendr, who gave me quarter too much thange. We got as far as Auburn Junctpn and it was awful dark, when the station agent informed us that there was a wreck between us and Defalce, O. Later he said there were two wrecks and that three men had been kill,d. The debris was piled so high upon the tracks that it would take the wreckers hours to clear them. saw our condutor and engineer in close conversation.
 Suddenly the conductor sad, Bill, there is nothing left us but to orunaround on the Wabash tracks to Defiance
 "'But the Wabash has no. perator here to give us orders,' answered the en- gineer.
 "'Oh, I'll cut you off and well turn the engine around at the rou1dhouse table and make our way over tie four teen miles of strange track. Aslong as your headlight shows up you c.n creep over the road, can't you?
 ''The knight of the throttls was a careful man, but he knew hat the United States mail was being delayed and couple of hundred passengers were angrily demanding that the trailmen dc something to hurry them on. sIn go you,' he said, and the engine welt down to the turntable to turn aroundI Upon coming back it was discovered that ii would be impossible to couple hi to the hind end of our train, as thesleeler draft irons were of different pattrn and higher than the coupler of theengine, Another pause for deliberation.
 ''Finally the conductor advsed the engineer to go back, turn areind and couple on in the original position We'll just cross over on the aJfir- and back up the fourteen miles. And we did. That stretch of fourteenmiles or night as dark as pitch, !ovei an un known road, without headlight and with 200 passengers unaware of the risk the trainmen were running to ascommo date them and-well, tell vol it was exciting. No orders, no nothing, as you might say.
 "I stood on the hind end, witch was then the fore end, with the conductor and four brallemen, as we slowly dragged our way through the darkness. The fagmen carried red lanterns and torpe does to run. ahead and flag should : train be heard approaching, but it wal dollars to butternuts that had head light appeared around one of those un known curves no one of our train coult have reached the approaching train il time to prevent her from crashing int our train. I've done little railroadint in my time and have taken trsinove some risky places, but that fourteen miles of backing up without orders without headlight to aid our progres and on 8 strange track, is about tn most squea1nish ride ever travelled That shows you how many risks 3 rail road man will take to please the travel CTS. ."-Chicago, News. .ss