The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-09
RATHER A RAPID RUN
A PACE THAT MORE THAN PLEASED
AN IRATE RAILROAD MAN.

\
Open Things F1ew-when the Trai,
Struck Bridge That Structure Moved
Three or four years ago President Ives
Of the Burlington. Cedar Rapids anC
Northern railroad, was coming down tn.
road In his special after an inspection
tour to Sioux Falls. Chief Engineer
White, General Passenger Agent Han
negan, General Freight Agent Cit and
the presidents son Charlie, who ha:
now become general freight agent, were
among those on the old special car No
l01. The equipment of the road was not
III as good condition then as now. bu.
President Ives believed it was a bette,
roas ed than the New York Central
had. He would pin his faith to that any
time, and nobody connected with the
road ever thought Of differing with the
''Old man.
Now, between Livermore and Gold
field there is a good long stretch of
straight track which swings of N a
sharp bend at Goldfeld, Just as the
bridge over Boone river Is reached. The
Boone Is not a large stream anywhere,
and up here near its hesEwaters it is a
pretty small waterway to be called a
/ river. Still, 1t is big enough to have 8
| bridge over II, and that is something.
All the way down the party had been
/ sitting in the coy little Office at the end
of the car looking out over the track,
: spinning yarns and smoking, and every
! little while President Ives would growl
out something about the slow time the
train was making.
At last, when Livermore was reached
and a stop made TO take water, he said
TO his son, Charlie, go ahead and tell
the engineer 10 pub her wide open: I'm
getting tired of this slow time" Char
lie obeyed with cheerful alacrity. No
message ever lost any Of its redundant
accessories when he 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 -.
II you're afraid 10 run the train, he'll
come up himself"
'Oh, he viii, will he:" replied ole
Funk.
RAPID TRAN ELING.
When the train started there was a
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
flanagan said, That's deuced big
herd Of cattle grazing over there" The
fact was that there were several herds
of cattle, but the velocity of the train
merged them into one. The farmhouses,
which were never nearer than a mile
apart, began to look like row Of city
flats.
All this time the inmates of the spe-
cial were being tossed about the car like
a dollar III a basket. Engineer White
had his watch in his hand and was
Yainly trying to count the telegraph
poles so as 70 gauge the speed of the
train. General Passenger Agent Han
negan was hanging on to window sill
with both hands. and General Freight
Agent Utt had backed his chair up in a
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 well spread
out, so as TO guard against the sudden
and terrific jolts. his hands grasping the
sides of the chair, his teeth set and his
face pale. He was riding about twenty
miles an hour faster than he wanted to,
but he wouldn't own up, and he was
prepared 10 die rather than acknowledge
by sign Or word that it wasn't the
smoothest roadhed he had ever ridden
over.
In the meantime the car rolled from
side 70 side, jumped clear of the track
and then settled down again as though
it was going right through 20 China. 1t
was wonderful how it ever kept the
rails. but it did.
THE BRIDGE MOVED sewn INCHES.
When the tram began drawing near
Boone river every body drew a sigh of |
relief, thinking Funk would surely slow
up for the bridge. But he didn't. In
fact, he seemed to give the lever an
extra notch or two, and all Of a sudden !
the bend and the bridge were struck. |
There was 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 a corner. lay still and drew on the |
resources Of choice and rich vocabu- !
larry Of profanity. Chief Engineer White |
and Charlie Ives were inextricably |
mixed up but the chief engineer was
the first TO uuravel himself, and. grab /
bling the bell cord, pulled it like man
who has come home from the club at
? a. N and finds the door bell won't /
respond.
I'll bet that bridge has been knocked /
two feet out of line" shouted the excited |
engineer.
The rest of the party scoffed at the
idea. Well, then, lets run back and
see," said the chief engineer. Il tell /
YOU that bridge is at least two feet out
Of plumb, and I'll bet a months salary
Oh ii.
The train was brought - stsndstill
and then ran back 10 the bridge. Reach
ng there the whole party disembsrked
md toe engineer produced foot rule.
The bridge had been moved bodily By
-he force OF the blow-not so much as
Mr.. White had said, but a good seven
inches. as was proved by actual measure
nent. Nobody preteuds 10 say how fast
hat train was run. but everybody on
OoaTd i willing 20 swear the record has
never been broken. and the time made
vas faster than President Ives ever
wants Il, r-svsi asaIn-Iowa Cor. Chi