The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-03-24
BOOTHBYs HARD RACE.
He Kept Ahead OF the Train That W'as
Pushed by an Earthquake.

BOOT HBY'S FRhO nHSC.
He Kept Ahead OF the Train That Was
Pushed by an Earthquake.
Boothby told US another story
about phenomenal natural disturb
anoe. He said he felt tender about it
because he had figured prominently
in it himself. The story concerned a
habit engineers on the Vandalia and
the Ohio and Mississippi roads had
of racing. Just east of East st. Louis
is the crossing of r belt railroad, and
from there on to the bluffs, seven
miles away, is straight streak OF
parallel track. AS the outgoing pas
senger trains all leave East ST. Louis
at about the same time, it was the
regular thing for Ohio and Missis-
sippi and Van engineers to hammer
for their lives over these seven miles,
while the passengers yelled defiance
at one another and whooped and got
excited. The Ohio and Mississippi
had one engine, the go, which was
able to walk away from everything
ever put up against her. She had
Inundated all the Van engineers
excepting Boothby, and he fairly
ached to get at her. One day, just as
he had whistled for the crossing, he
heard another whistle, and, looking
over, saw the Ohio and Mississippi
abreast. The engines number WAS
60.
Boothby Strengthened up for the
race of his life. Tenderly, notch by
notch, he opened the throttle, while
tho fireman kept the old kettle just
off the popping point. Over the belt
tracks they went, the 60 alongside.
To his joy, Boothby saw he was
inching away from his opponent.
Like statue he sat, coddling the
machine, and at the first mile he
was two coach lengths to tie good.
His passengers were sbrieking their
Joy while those on the Ohio and
Mississippi were dumb. The Ohio
and Mississippi crew, too, seemed
astonished, and gathered On the plat
forms to look over at the Van s new
racer. It was Boothby's race in q
walk.
Suddenly the Van engineer saw
something was happening. Looking
over his shoulder. he found the Ohio
and Mississippi train only half car
length back and surgirg along like
lightning. 1t scared him, and he
pulled still wider open. Then did
that noble 1e2 engine respond. She
leaped through the air, hardly SEEM
ing to touch the rails. Right at her
shoulder was the co. BootEby gave
her more. They we're both going
within mile a minute. Boothby
said he never saw a locomotive 60
like that GO, but he knew his ma
chino was as good as the best. They
plunged forward more furiously
than the wind. Three miles, four,
five, and tben-ob, oy!-tbe 60 be-
gan to fall back. At the sixth mile
she was two coach lengths behind,
and as tho trains swept away from
each other at the base of the bluffs
the Ohio and Mississippi was three
train lengths off to the rear.
At Collinsville Hank Eibbard,
white faced, came rushing up to the
1872 as she lay under the water tank
getting water.
Great heavens. Boothby,' cried
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 We been run.
ming against an earthquake. The
Ohio and Mississippi train was pick
ed up by it just out 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, T" said Boothby, "did
that earthquake help us any?"
mo. We were 100 yards ahead al.
the tine"
| Boothby climbed back on his boz
and Hibbard returned to the train
But although Boothby's achieve
ment brought glory to his round
house he would never race again
Ho said he didn't mind whipping ar
ordinary engine run by ordinary
steam, but he didn't want to comba'
thing that ''laid up" with devils
and was in league with cyclone
storm and earthquake. = Chicago
News.
A Snake That Swallows Egss.
=.