The Progress., 1894-11-17
DON'T LOOK FOR IT.
There Is no "Safest Car on = Railroad
Train.

Train.
(which is the safest car on a rail-
road train?' repeated an old Detroit
railroad man, as he strOked his chm
and seemed to reflect on the question.
'.Well, the best answer can make is
that it is the car which doesn't run Off
the rails when all the others do, and
which is left on the bank when the
rest of the train. goes through
BRIDGE
*YOu've Travelled thousands OF
miles by rail?" asked the Free Press
man.
"Yes: tens Of thousands"
land been in half a dozen tccI-
dents9"
live been in exactly seventeen
railroad accidents, but some of them
were hardly worth MENTIONING.
And do you locate yourself in any
particular part of the train?"
mo. When first began travelling
] wouldn't ride in any coach but tie
rear one. had about two dozen rna-
sous why that was the safest car, and
for six or eight weeks went rolling
over the country feeling as safe as II
in my own brick house. One night We
lost too much time at a station, and
special Overhauled us and smashed
into the rear coach. You'll think 1t
funny. but out of the sixteen people
in that car | was the only one badly
hurt. | had leg ind two ribs
broken. and was covered with bruises
When | was able to be out again /
went dead back on the rear car.
lana took the next one to the
smoker, eh?"
'That's what | did. A dozen dif-
ferent railroad men had dozen rea-
sons auiece why that was the safest
place, and for three or 1oul
months ! rode in that car and laughed
at the chaps who carried insurance
policies. Then my fond dream o
safety was rudely shattered. Ih'
engine, baggage and smoking car
passed safely over a certain swltcl
while running at the rate OF fort
miles an hour, but the forward truck
of my car caught somewhere, and tn
car was twisted out of the train. Yes
sir, it was torn loose at both ends an
d. rolled down an embankment, an
not another car left the rails. We ma
two hilled and a dozen hurt, but | &c
off the car with a bad shaking VI
by Nv confidence in the first car We
tn gone, however, never to return"
nd land then you took the middle
al the train?"
'" II did, my son. Yes, | sat dow
and reasoned it out to my perfect sa
! jsfaction that the middle car OF Il
train was as safe as sitting on Il
ig. postoffice steps in Detroit. 1t W
about a year before anything ha
pened to undeceive me. One ate
noon, when we were busting along
make up lost time, we crossed t
tracks of another road just few 81
onds too soon or too late, just as y
I will have it. An express train on t
n other road game booming along a
waded right through US. 1t stru
my car, of course, and what was
~ of it after the grand smash could
no' have been worked over into whe
barrow. Five killed was the reco
ped and l got a broken arm, SC
orr wound ana general bad shaking u
of "And after that?"
cry CATER that and up to the pres
ght date | have no choice. drop into
nch seat wherever | can find one and az
worry about accidents. I've know
whole train except the last coach te
through a bridge, and I've kn(
every car but the last to pass sa
pu' over. In head-on collision the
the ward coach may be smashed all
~ splinters or it may rear up on end
sny- escape all injury. was on a Il
DOR once where a locomotive struck
'ces' rear car, rolled it aside witho1t
IN GUS injury to anybody, and then Xxi
Ieeo or wounded every passenger in
Eices next coach. The man who hunts
con- the safest car on train is thro'
rlee, away his time. He may take any
BOIL and travel for ten years and n
one. even be delayed by hot box; ne
give settle down in car of his choice
. be killed in a ride Of ten miles
N. once saw twenty-five people sma
to pulp in coach and yet two tel
. who were stealing ride on the tr
underneath got off scot-free. just
first-class ticket, get aboard b.
the train goes and leave the re
providence. If you win it's all r
If you lose your heirs can get
$4,000 to $1,000 damages from
company"
A Natural Error.
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