The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-22
GOULD CHANGED HIS MIND.
On Second Thought He Didn't Want t.
Ride Fast on Texas Road.

Jay Gould once made a trip to Mex
leo to inspect the International and
Great Northern Railway. 1t was in
the autumn of 1878, and, as usual, the
millionaire was in a hurry. Meeting
the gentleman who had the sale of the
road in hand, he said:
"I'm busy man, and l want to be
back in New York next week. Rush
me through"
A special train was made up and put
in charge of Jake Lauer, one of the
pioneers in Mexican engineering.
"Rush him" was the order, and Mr..
Lauer, did some hard thinking. He
knew that the roadbed was in a terri
BILE condition, and that to run over
twenty miles was taking desperate
chances. Lauer had lots of nerve, but
he felt the responsibility imposed on
him by the officials in placing Gould
in his hands. He concluded finally to
use his own Judgment, take no chances,
and stick closely to the schedule time.
Between Marshall and Galveston the
schedule called for 1926 miles to be
made between dark and daylight. Jay
Gould did not retire early, and on that
night seemed particularly wide awake.
He sat reading newspaper by dim
light, and every once in a while
glanced out the window impatiently
1t was evident that the great man was
becoming angry. Finally the storm
burst. Turning to one of the officials
accompanying him, he remarked tes-
tily:
"If this were funeral train it
couldn't possibly travel in a moro de-
corous manner. Steam up and let US
go along"
The gentleman spoken to was aware
that the night ride had been specially
arranged in order that the condition
of the roadbed could be concealed
from Gould, but thus forced he had
nothing to do but to order an increase
of speed. The order was given, but
the train moved along at the same
speed.
"Send the engineer to me-" said
Gould. "I'll talk to him."
At the next stopping place Lauer
was summoned and given to under
stand that he was not capable of driv-
ing a car horse, much less running an
engine.
%Get along! Push her! Let's see
what the machine can do" urged
Gould.
Lauer demurred and the railroad
magnet concluded that he was afraid.
"He's coward" he finally said; "put
another man in Charge"
Lauer overheard the remark and
flushed up. "All-rightf" he said, "we'n
open her up"
In few moments the little special
was speeding through the night at the
rate of forty-fve miles an hour.
Lauer sat at the throttle, watching
the rails as they cleaned like silver
threads. He was as pale as those in
the train behind, but, as he remarked
in telling the story the other day: "Pd
have gone up with pleasure before
would have given that little cuss the
chance to say 1 was squealer."
Once he looked back at the swaying
train and said: "He won't stand il
long"
The engineer was right. At par.
ticularly bad place the bell-cord was
jerked and the train brought to q
standstill. Jay Gould was picked from
under seat, where he had been
thrown, and angrily faced the engi
neer, who had come back to the car.
"What, in the name of all that il
good and holy. do you meanP" he de.
manded. "Do you want to kill US all.
you said you wanted me to pull
her open" replied Lauer, quietly.
Gould glared at the man for mo-
ment and his manner changed.
"My man." he said, "you go bach
there and use your own Judgment the
rest of the trip. 1 know how to man
ipulate a railroad, but l guess you
know more than do about running
an engine" Then he was assisted t
his birth.-SaTa francisco Chronicle.