Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-03-16
ELI PERKINS RIDE.
.AoW AND WHEN HE LOST HIS REP
uTATlON FOR vERAclTY.

u ThrftiinE experience on Onc OF tie Coiu-
cat Nights of Cold Winter In Ioun---A
Telegram That Was Inspired by tho Am
bition OF n Candidate For Congress.
/ have travelled over the Alps when
we started on wheels in Italy, were put
on runners at the monastcries of st. Ber-
nard and the next day came tumbling
down into the wheatfields Of Switzer
land and the Rhone. Then / have jim
rikishad through Japan and wheelbar
rowed in China. But the most exciting
trip of my life was taken in our own
country, out i'll Iowa. 1t was one of tho
coolest night of cold winter. Ilcotured
for the college ut Osago City, northeast
from Cedar Rapids, one night, and the
next night was to be at Grinnell col
lege, near Dcs Moines. / had to ride
down through the central part Of Iowa,
on tho old Iowa Central road. To do
this ] was compelled to drive 30 miles
across tho prairie, from Usage City to
Mason City, i'll order to strike O'Clock
morning train for GrinnelL
Thirty miles over tho prairie in
northwest storm, with the thermometer
10 degrees below zero, was q test OF
strength, nerve and bodily caloric. But
we made the trip. Once our sleigh tip
ned over, and our blankets and robes
blew away 1t was hurricane, and
even our hot soapstone toek to the wind
Once we got to ciroling around on that
80 mile prairie, and the driver threw up
his frozen hands and screamed:
"We's lostn'
But the stars came out, and we
whirled around toward the north star
and struggled on.
In the gray of the morning with what
Joy we saw the struggling lights Of the
little station of Mason City, now place
of s, 900 people! / remember well how I
rolled out of the sleigh and tottered up
to the station door. 1t was all dark
within. knew the morning train hadn't
gone. We had won, but, oh, with what
costl
Knocking ON the door, then pounding
louder, tho agent finally opened it.
"Has tho 8 o'clock train gone south
to Grinnell?" / asked, with tremulous
voice.
"What?"
"Has the train gone south?"
He looked at me in amazement and
said
"Gono, man! Gone? Why, she went
last September. She is summer train.
But" and he looked kindly at me, ''she
will go again in june If you must so
on her you can sit around here i'll the
depot and wait.
What did do?
Why, Invent right over to log hotel
and went to bed, and sleep smothored
my sorrows.
Sleep! Sleep!
At 10 o'clock 1 crawled over to the
depot and opened tho wires on Presi-
dent j. b. Grinnell of tho Iowa Central.
This, by the way, was tho original man
whom Greeley told to 'go west. F" Grin
nell went west, and it was he who
founded the city of Grinnell, where l
was to lecture. He built the college
there. The railroad, the town, the col
lege and the lecture course were all his.
And threw myself into his arms with
this telegram:
"Pleaso give me an engine. Get mo
to Grinnell tonight
''Any engines needing repairs at Ma
son City? Ii SO, send Perkins down."
came over the wire from Grinnell.
"No wants n new firebox," went
the answer.
80. K. Send with Perkins Get
him here or kin him, replied Grinnell.
In 30 minutes we were oil. We went
bounding over tho old iron rails between
Ackley and Marshalltown, and how we
flew! Villages became splotchcs of ma
room paint Telegraph poles blurred like
wagon spokes i'll the sun.
We blew tho whistle, bus tho train
beat tho sound into Marshulltown, and
the agent camo ont and looked tl,o
wrong way. We had passed tho town.
and the whistle was still Behind.
We'll, We got to Grinncli and struck
the audience on the stroke Of s. Prcsi-
dent G-in,ell hndn't told them about
the ride Tho audience thought came
on regular train OF drove over from
tho next station. When | tried to tell
them abous n3 trip, they only laughed.
They didn't believe me. Alas that was
the day. that was tho night, that lost
years have struggled to get it back. !
am vestryinan now and q member of
the Young Mems Christian association,
but nothing viii get back my lost vc-
racity, except perhaps this open con-
fession, NOW for the first time made.
When asked the venerable President
Grinlell years afterward how no came
to telegraph, "Gct Perkins to Grinnell
or kill him." ho said:
"Well. my son, you see l was run
ming for congress then, aud didn't
have any record to run on. All had
done was to condemn land for right OF
way and ieiil immigrants ON our trains.
Twas dying for record to run on--one
that would bring me the sympathy of
the people, and it occurred-mind me, ="
he said it slowly, sit simply occurred
to mo as businoss mani beg pardon
fo,. Gnyi,o, IL - and tho tanre rama IN