The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-11-08

| (which Is the safest oar on a railroad
train?' repeated an old Detroit railroad
man. as he stroked his chin and seemed
to reflect on the uuery. well, the best
answer can nj Is that 1t is the car
which doesn't run of the rails when tho
Others do, and which is left on the bank
when the train goes through bridge"
You've travelled thousands of miles by
rall2'
''Yes. tens Of thousands
dents2'
I've been In exactly seventeen railroad
accidents, but some of them were hardly
wor h mentioning"
And 40 you locate yourself In any par
tlcuinr part of the trainp'
NO. When ilrst began travelling L
wouldn't ride In any coach bit the rear
one. had about two dozen reasons why
that was the eaiest car. and for six or
eight weeks went rolling over the ooun.
Try feeling as safe as II IN my own brick
house. One night we lost too much time
| at u station and special overhauled US
and smashed Into the rear coach You
may think 1t funny but out of the eixteen
people In Tie car was the only one badly
hurt. had n ley anu two ribs broken
and was covered with bruises. When 1
was abie to bo out again l went dead back
on the rear car"
And took the next one to tho smoker.
eh?"
That's what did. A dozen different
railroad mon had a dozen reasons apiece
why thJt was the safest plnce and for
thres or four months ] rode in that Car
and laughed at the chaps who carried In.
surance policies. Then my fond dream
OF safuty was rudely shattered. The en-
gina baggage and SIN oking car PASSED
SAFELY over n certain switch while cunning
at the rate OF forty miles an hour. but
the forward trucks OF my car caught
and al ityht
out OF tho train Yes bir. 1t was torn
loo "a at both ends and rolled down an
enoanktnent, and not another cur left
the rails. We bad two XII ed and dozen
hurt, but | got oil the car with bad
shaking up. My confidence in tho iirsL
car was gone. however, never 10 be re.
stored"
And then you took the middle OF the
trainT
ibid. my son. Yes. sat down and
reasoned 1t out to my perfect satisfaction
that tue middle car was uB safe AZ
alLting on tho post olice steps in Detroit
1t was about year before anything nap.
prned to undeceiyo mo. ono afternoon,
wnen wa were dusting along to mako up
lost time, we crossed tho tracks OF an.
otn-r road just u few seconds too sooE or
too iate, just as you will nave 1t. An OK
press train on the . her road came boom
ing along aud wadel right through lis
II siruck my car, OF course, AMI what Was
ljlL u IL WtlBT tHe KrtIl bWuSl COuIUuU
have been worked over Into Il wne eslbar-
uow. Five killed was tho record, and / got
broken ara. y scalp wound and u gem
erai shaking up"
'And after that?
After mt and up to the present dote l
have no choce. l urop Into seit where-
ever can lind one aud don't worry auout
accidents. I've know u whole train except
tho last coach togo through u brld sye and
Ivn known every Cur except the last TO
pass safely over. In h ,ad on collision
the forward coach may be smashe to
pieces or IL may rear up on ono end and
escapa AL injury / WIS on u train once
whero locomotive strucN tho ranr car.
rolled 1t asice with out serious injury to
anybodt. and then killed Or wounded
every passenger in the coach The man
who goo5 hunting for The sifsst car ON u
train Is throwing away his lims. He mty
taae any car aud trsv5i for tUn ye"'' aud
n'ver oven 10 delayed by Il hot boy; or
shttio down In Il car of his choice .... %
Killed In u ride OF ten miles | once saw
tWeDij TWO people sinu+hsi In COCA
aud got two follows wlo wsrs stealing Il
rue on ths trucks uu ierne tth got of seot
trae Just buy IL t.rst-class ticket. get
aboard before the tram goes, and leave the
rest to providence Free Press.