Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
RACE wan LOCOMOTIVES.
Many Wild Animals Make n Trial of
Speed ut Night.

Rur@inc through the forest and swamp
lands Of Ohio and Indiana, tho engineers
and iircmcn who watch ahead of tho great
engines that haul the flying express trains
see many wild animals dsshing along the
track. and frequently donizcns OF the for
ests are run down, and tho trarkmcn find
their mangled remains in the morning.
Coons, wildcats, rabbits and sometimes
wolves are caught by the fast flying limit
cd trains, ard even sly rcynart, with all
his cunning, is often ground up under the
wheels.
For many miles tho Baltimore and
Ohio, Fort Wayne and Lake Shore roads
run through wild, swampy woodland
country in western Ohio and Indiana.
These densely wooded swamps are almost
imrenetrablc, and they harbor nearly all
kinds OF indigenous wild animals and
birds. In the moonlight or by tho aid of
the headlight the animals can ba seen
scampering across the tracks, and often
the foolish rabbit takes to tho middle of
the track between tho rails and races tho
locomotive Tor miles until he plungcs into
culvert or n bridge.
1T has occurred to me several times in
my railroad experience said the old en-
Rinecr, THAT the American skunk can
make himself conspicuous longer and
louder than any other living thing. Ere
quently as we ily along 90 miles an hour
through the ginam OF night little wab-
bling body, dark and gray, is seen by tho
glare of the headlight running diagonally
across the track. The animal may posi-
bly, by quick action and sSillful mancu-
YER escape the wheels, and distantly our
noStrils are Saluted with an ovcrpow ering
nj nal f,in In
are 200 yards away from the cause Of the
smell in an instant, but it clines to us for
miles, and the passengers in the cars who
are awake wonder what kind of oil is
burning In the supposed hothoxeS. ii we
happen TO kin tho little animal, his mem
DRY clings To US still for AT least five miles :"
One night few weeks ago, as the dying
fast mail ON tho Lake Shore was making
up lost time across tho Indiana swamps, a
big red fox dashed out ahead of the loco
motive and took the straight, level track
right ahead of the train. In another in
slant "a great black and tan hound, with
his tongue protruding and his long, lank
body stretched out at fun speed, took the
roadbed just so feet behind the fox. Moro
steam WAS turned on, and with their heads
out the engineer and fireman Watched tho
| contest of speed. 1t was "a grand race be-
tween the two animals, with the mighty
engine coming close after them cS miles
an hour and tho headlight showing tho
feet fox straining every limb and muscle,
aud his enemy slowly falling behind. Tho
| old hound appeared to know that there
was danger in his rear and took to the
west bound track, and in another minute
the rushing train went past him, but the
| fox, taking advantage of the complication,
| disappeared in the woods again.
On the Pennsylvania railroad east OF AL
toona few weeks ago the track inspector
found the remains Of wildcat on the
track, and on the Philadelphia and Eric
away up Beyond Lock Haven last winter
large black boar ran out in front of a
| freight train and was killed. Deer are
often seen crossing the Philadelphia and
Erie tracks in tho Pennsylvania noun
tains, and in tho wild, lonesome places
/ where the trains stop to water, if the at.
/ tentiyo passenger who is awake will put
/ his head out of the window and listen, hc
/ will hear the scream OF the panther and
the hooting of the owl.-Pittsburg Pest.
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