The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-05-25
ALL IN ONE DREAM.
WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY A MAN IN
A SHORT SPACE OF TIME.

Il ness With Which the Mind Works When
Il It Is Supposed to BE Taking a Rest-How
Long 1t Took to DO Ten Hours Work.
4 few evenings since number Of
newspaper men were in an office await
ing the arrival of a gentleman who was
4 TO call together a meeting that they had
been directed to report for their respec
tive papers
A number of topics was discussed
and 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
a Call representative. who narrated what
he had done in 4 dream
at was" said he, lin 1858 that after
4 hard days work reached ho,ne and
lost 70 time in retiring. CHANGING at
the clock rs turned off the gas noticed
that it was just lG minutes after mid
night.
Shall tell you at this point how long
was dreaming or tell first what | did
in MY dream? That you all NAV better
appreciate what was done, | vii! defer
the matter until the end Bear in mind
that what is to be told was all in the
dreal Seated in the old Office On Com
mercLl street, above Montgomery. was
endearoring to put into presentable
shape the facts of a trial that had taken
place IN the district court, when in came
E. a. Rockwell who was the chief ed
itorial writer, and calling me by name
said: You bad better get ready and 20
to Sal Leanaro. There's been terri
ble railroad accident. There's 50 or 60
people killed, and | don't know how
many injured George E. 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, to go to San Lean
dro or wherever the accident was.
Rushing down to the ferry landing
at the corner of Pacific and Davis streets,
reached there in time to find that the
steamer for the other side of the bay had
just pulled out, and that would have
to wait half an hour for the next boat
The delay was vexatious. and then when
the ferry boat did move eastward it seem
ed as if she would never make her land
ing. she seemed to be going Sc slowly
When the slip on the other side was
reached, there was some accident to the
local train. and there was not any pro-
spect OF starting for an hour or more
There WIS not Il team Of any kind at the
landing 50 had to walk to Oakland
A desire to make up for the time lost
urged me on and think the time made
from the landing to Broadway and
Washington street has never been beaten
by man. Near the corner went into a
livery stable and ordereda a pair Of horses
htched up. There was a delay there,
for 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 a caution When the scene of the
disaster some distance beyond San Le
andre, about IA miles from Oakland,
was reached. proceeded at once to
gather the facts.
Down on the note book We're penclled
the names Of 80 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
beer. injured. description Of Their in
Juries and the opinions of the physicians
who We're in attendance as to the posi-
bic outcome in each case. Now, any Of
you who have had experience III gather
ing information Of that kind can fully
appreciate that it was not child's play,
for the injured were in different places,
and it required time to get around to
them all
Then there was the obtaining of data
about the dead. A number Of them We're
well known residents Of this city, others
We're from San Jose, SO it became neces-
sary to obtain enough to give each de-
cent obituary notice. In addition to this
II became part Of my duty to get the
statements of passengers, SO as to de-
scribe their feelings when the tram de-
rallied and went over on It's side down
Little gully and be able TO write up the
narrow or fortunate escape OF each.
Then there We're railroad officials to IN
terview, and. as you all know. they are
the hardest kind Of people to obtain facts
from.
Well. it took nearly three hours TO
get all the matter that was needed Tor
sensational article that was to appear
under half column scare head. Then
there was the ride back to Oakland SET
tlement with the livery stable man, VINO