Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-13
ALL IN ONE DREAM.
A story Showing the Remarkable
Swiftness With Which the Mind
Works Whcn, Is is Supposed to
be Taking u Rest.

n Tow evenings since n ntilODoT OF
newspaper men were in an office await
ing the arrival OF n gentleman who WAS
to call together u meeting that they had
been directed to report for their rcspec-
tive papers.
A number Of topics was discussed, snd
one of these was dreams and the extreme
rapidity with which mental operations
are performed. A number Of experiences
were given. but the one that attracted
the most attention was that Of Call
representative, who narrated what he had
done in Il dream.
1t was," said he. " in 1863 that after
hard days work | reached home and
lost no time in retiring. CHANGING ut
the clock III turned off the gas noticed
that it was just IL minute, after mid
night.
''Shali tell you at this point how
long was dreaming or tell first what |
did in my dream? That you all may
better appreciate what was done, L will
defer the matter until the end. Bear in
mind that what is to be told was all ia
the dream. Seated in the old office on
Commercial street, above Montgomery, 1
was 7endeavoring to put into prescntabls
shape the facts Of trial that had taken
place in the district court, when in came
Il. A. Rockwell, who was the chief edi-
torial writer, and calling me by name
said: You had better get ready and 20
80 San Leandro. There has been a ter
rible railroad accident. There's so or 60
people killed, and don't know how
many injured George f. Barnes at
that time one OF the proprietors and
managing editors, had overheard Rock.
well, and in that quiet way of his sug-
gested that no time be lost In reaching
Oakland, and there procuring buggy
and pair OF horses. 20 to San Leandro
or wherever the accident was.
Rushing down to the ferry landing
Mt the corner Of Pacific and Davis streets.
l reached there in time to find that the
steamer for the other side of the bay had
just pulled out, and that l would have
to wait half an hour for the next boat.
The delay was vexatious, and then when
the terrybOat did move eastward it
seemed rs ii she would never make her
landing, she seemed to be going so slow
ly. When the slip on the other side was
reached, there was some accident to
the local train, and there was not any
prospect of starting for An hour or
more There was not team OF any
kind at the landing, go | had to walk to
Oakland.
IA desire to make up for the time lost
urged me on, and think the time made
from the landing to Broadway and Wash
ington street has never been beaten by
man. Near the corner | went into a
livery stable and ordered pair of horses
hitched up. There was delay there,
Tor the proprietor had his doubts about
the ability Of the team making the trip
out and back. Finally started, and the
way those horses flew over the road WAS
Il caution. When the scene of the disas.
ter. some distance beyond San Lcandro.
about IA miles from Oakl was reached.
l proceeded ut once to gather the facts.
! down on the notebook were pcncilcd
the names Of 30 odd men, women and
children who had either been killed out.
right or burned to death in some of the
cars which had caught fire. Then fol.
lowed the names of about 40 who had
been injured, description of their in
Juries and the opinions of the physicians
who were in attendance as to the posi-
Bile outcome in each case. Now, any of
you who'have had experience in gather
ing information of that kind can fully
appreciate that it was not chid's play.
for the injured were in different places.
aud it required time to get around to
them all
Then there was the obtaining of data
about the dead. A number of them were
well known residents of this CITY, others
were from San Jose, 80 it became neces.
sary to obtain enough to give each de.
cent obituary notice. In addition to
THIS 1t became part OF my duty to get
the statements Of passengers, so as to
describe their feelings when the train
deralled and went over on its side down
little gully and be able to write up
the narrow or fortunate escape of each
Then there were railroad officials to in
terview, and, as you all know, they are
the hardest kind of people to obtain facts
from.
"Wcll, it took nearly three hours to
get all the matter that was needed for a
sensational article that was 10 appaar
under half column scare head, Then
there was the ride back to Oakland
settlement with the livery stable man.
who swore that he would never rent
team to newspaper man again, rush
In hack to the ferry landing and the
trip to this city. Without waiting to
get anything to eat made my way to
the office and at once commenced to write
up, telling every one who came to ask
Tor details to let mo alone. did not
write in copper plate style, aud for that
matter never did, but wrote and kent
on writing until l had enough to fill
what would make about four columns Of
The Call of the present day and wrote
that big scare head. As handed the
last line to the foreman to sc. up I
heaved sigh of relief end exclaimed.
Thank goodness, that's doner That il
my dream.
''''At that moment l felt hand on nv
shoulder, jumped from the bed and
heard my wife ask, What are you dream
ing abouta l lit the gas, looked at the
clock aud discovered that it was ia
minutes after midnight, OF, in other
words, that in my dream Of less than two
minutes had performed all that have
related.
Hov