The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-01-27
LA, JANUARY q. 1897.
BOOTHBY'S HARD RACE.

BOOTFBY'S tiAf,D RACE.
Ee Kept Ahead of n Train That Was
Pushed by an Earthquake.
Boothby told us another story
about phenomenal natural disturb
ance. He said he felt tender about it
because he had figured prominently
in it himself. The story concerned a
habit engineers on tie Vandalia and
the Ohio and Mississippi roads had
of racing. Just east of East st. Louis
III the crossing Of a belt railroad, and
from there on to the hleEs, seven
miles away. is a straight streak Of
parallel track. AS tbs outgoing pas
songer trains al leave East St. Louis
at about the same time, it was the
regular thing for Ohio ard Nissis-
sirpi and Van engineers to hammer
for their lives over the.e seven miles,
while the passengers yelled defiance
at one another ard wheoped and get
excited. The Ohio ard Mississippi
had one engine, ths 90, which was
able to walk away from everything
ever Iut sp against her. She bad
Lumilisted all the Van engineers
excepting Boothhy, and he fairly
ached to get at her. One Cay, just as
he bad whatled for the crossing, be
heard another whistle, and, looking
over, cav the Ohio ard Mississippi
abreast. The engines number was
60.
Boothhy Strengthened up for the
race CT his life. Tenderly. notch by
notch, be opened the throttle, while
Che fireman kept the cid Kettle just
off tho popping point. Over the belt
tracks they went, the 60 alongside.
To his JOY, Roothhy saw he wes
ineaing away fren his oI~-casur.
Like a Static be EST, eoddling the
machine, srd at tie FIRST Rsile he
was two coach lengths to the good.
His passengers were shliekang their
joy whilo these en- the Ohio and
Mississippi were dumb. Tie Ohio
e.d Mississippi crew, too, seemed
f:tonisLed, and gatheredo on the plat
ferns to look over at the Van'snew
racer. 1t was Boothby's race In q
walk.
Suddenly the Van engineer saw
something was happening. Locking
ever bis shoulder, he found the Ohio
and Mississippi truin only half q Car
length hscS ard surging along like
lighting. It scared hin, and he
pulled still wider oIen. Then did
slfat robe 1G2 engine respond. She
lcspea through tie air, hardly seem
ing to touch tie rails. Right at her
shoulder wss the co. Eootlhy gave
her more. They were 10th going
within a mile a minute. Boothby
said he never saw locomotive &C
like that co, but he knew his ma.
chino wac as coed RS the best. They
plunged forward more furiously
than tho wind. Three miles, four,
Eve, ind then-oh, ioy!--tEe so be-
gan to fell back. At the sixth mile
she was two coach lengths behind
ard as the trains swept away from
each ether ct the Iase CT the bluffs
the Chic end Mississippi was three
train lengths off to the rear.
At Collinsville Hank Hibbard
wlita faced, came rushing up to ths
1872 as she lay under the water tanl
getting water.
Great heavens, Boothby," cTiei
the conductor, do you know what
you've been running against?'
"The Ohio ard Mississippi's hot
test stuff, and I cooled it for EN-"
eyes, you have. You've been run.
ming against an earthquake. The
Ohio end Mississippi train was pick
ed up by it just cut of town. A hill.
90 feet high followed her last Pull
man, and she was running down hill
the entire way, being pushed for.
ward all the distance"
"say. Hank" said Boothby, Ibid
that earthquake help us any,"
mo. Wewere1 leo yards ahead all
the time"
Boothby climbed back on his bog
and Eibbard returned to the train.
Eut although Boothby's achieve
ment brought glory to his round.
house be would never race again.
He said he didn't mind whipping IN
ordinary engine run by ordinary
steam, but hedidn't want to combat
q thing that "laid up with devils
and was in league with cyclone,
storm and earthquake. = Chicago
News.
A snaso That Swallows Eggs.
The Hydraoi yeti is a native Of
South Africa, and, taken all around,
be is a ouriousity in the reptile line.
JT,l;Lo %io ou,,1ofiop e,,Lo ba boe