The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-07


summit. It required two engines to
pull train of five cars up the steep
grade. Several high trest1es are cross
ed by this line, and it winds about the
mountain SUBMITS IN a very bewflder-
Ing fashion. In 1881 this road carried
10000 passengers and paid 80 per cent
IN dividends on its capital stock Of
$3.50, 900. When the oil boom died away
and the timber was about exhausted
the road was reorganized, the debts
were declared off, and new rails, ties
and rolling stock were purchased. This
road cost 14,500 a mile and now has
forty-pound steel rails and twenty
etght-ton engines.
It is remarkable that there have been
Sc few accidents in the history of the
oil region narrow gauges. The only &C.
cident in the history Of the Bradford,
Bordell & Kfnzua was a terrible one
In January, 1884, a 250-barrel tank Of
crude oil burst and the oil ran down
over the snow on the track, forming
a pool between the rails for a long
distance. The Smethport passenger
train Of two coaches and a baggage car
dashed into the flood of oil. The fire
box tgnited the oil and gas, and In an
instant the train was a blazing mass.
Four Of the fffty-eight passengers were
burned to death, and several were bad
ly injured. Engineer Patsy Sexton
the train through the lake of fire. His
eyes were burned out. He is now liv-
ing in New York. The passengers es-
capped into the snow by breaking out
the windows, the flames making it i'm
possible to open the doors. The cab
was burned off the engine, and there
was not a splinter left Of the cars. The
accident happened on the hill three
miles out of Bradford
Or the Ouaerest f1rood
In the oil regions, or anywhere else.
the Peg Leg, there is scarcely q track
left. Here and there where this once
famous road ran you will frd a solitary
spite that has not yet ro++ ID down. The
reg Leg was the dream of Col Roy
Stone, Of Bradford. He exhibited a
model Of the Peg Leg at the Centennial
in 1875. It ran over ravine on the
exposition grounds, and attracted much
attention. The Peg Leg was single
rail- road. Oak spiles were driven into
the ground ten feet apart. On top of
the spiles heavy timber was bolted.
and on this the rail was spiked and
hshplated. Guard rails were placed on
each side Of the Spite three feet from
the top. The average height of the
rail- from the ground was eight feet
Inc road was about five miles long.
and ran from Bradford to Derrick City,
through half dozen suburbs. The
cars rested on two wheels. one at ch
end, and hung low on each side of the
ran. One of the passenger cars cost
S3,O0O. The engine was a queer-looking
machine. and an Irishman said it re-
minded him of a pair Of boots thrown
across a clotheslire The road and
equipment cost $4,000. The road had
very few curves, running in almost a
bee line. In one place It ran directly
across the center of a miilpond, ard a
few Of the SDfles can still be seen stick
Ing out Of the water. The rood was
completed in January. 1873, and ran a
year almost to day No visitor TO the
oil regions was willing to go home until
he had ridden on the Peg Leg. ard its
fame Travelled all over the country. Eli
Perkins was one Of the first to take a
ride over the road. From the first there
was much trouble with the engines and
breakdowns were frequent. The Pee
Leg paralleled the Clean. Bradford e,
Warren narrow gauge. ard the en-
g1neers often raced. giving the passen-
gers some wild rides
The Peg Leg did considerable bust
ness. the conductors cash collections
often amounting to $50 day. The first
time green Irishmar saw a Peg Leg
train shooting toward him he ex-
claimed
Holy smoke. See the train a-coooin.
down the fercn"
Jan. 27, 1877. saw the finish Of the
Peg Leg. A trial trio was being mae
with new type of eneine. A ston was
made to mend a steaw pine, and the
boiler blew up. killing six men and mu-
tilating several more. Tho assistant
superintendent and the conductor wera
among the killed. The road was
marked as hoodoo. and sold at sher
ifs sale shortly after on a Judgment
for $4,000. The road was bid j. for
$3.50, and the rails were stripped off.