Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-04-02
CASES OF BAD LUCK.
THRILLING HlTcHEs WHICH HAVE
COST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.

THRILLING HlTCHES WHICH HAVE
COST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.
Little Accidents, Generally Unavoidable,
That Sometimes Provo Deciding Factors
In Transactions of Considerable Impor-
lance.
A good many, of the important events
of this life arc governed by little things.
Many fortunes have resulted from
trihes. On the other hand, thousands
have been lost.
Not many days ago furniture van
broke down on one Of the lines of an
important tramway system. Within
five minutes 35 trans were drawn up,
waiting till the line was cleared. Lift
ing jacks were procured, and in three
quarters of an hour the obstruction was
removed, yet that slight delay cost the
tramway company over e7O. 1t had
disorganized the whole system. The
trans failed to put in an appearance at
tho usual stopping places at tho appoint
ed times, and throughout tho length OF
the lines waiting passengers travelled to
their destinations by other conveyances
There is perhaps no such costly trifle
rs IN engineering hitch. Not long since
q we'll known firm delivered torpedo
destroyer to tho naval authorities. She
was in every respect perfect boat, the
result of mastery designing and splen-
did workmanship, yet at tho very outset
of her steam trials she met with mis-
hap which necessitated her return to
the contractors for repair. This hitch
cost the firm 5000 and was found to
have boon brought about by careless
workman thoughtlessly emitting to
screw steam cock tightly and fit it
with O washer.
Another curious instance resulted in
q clear loss of $3.50, 900 to the unhappy
victim. He was the holder of largo
quantity of South African stock, bought
at low price during slump. On sud
denly receiving tho tip that it was like
ly to boom Immediately, no settled a
limit at which to sell, and when the
price had reached this figure wired his
broker to sell out Immediately. He left
his office with jaunty step. He had net
ted fortune in one coup. a few hours
later the stock fell just rs suddenly as
it had risen, and to a figure consider
ably below that he had originally paid
for it. Judge, then, of his dismay when
his stockholders clerk drove to his
house and asked for confirmation of q
telegram they had just had, which ap-
peared to have been delayed i'll trans
mission. 1t was his message authorlz-
ing them to sell, and rs the stock was
ut such q low figure they were anxious
to consult him before moving III the
matter. Tho unfortunate investor was
dumfounded at the lost opportunity,
which on inquiry proved to have result
ed from an accident to the telegraph
boy. He had been knocked down and
stunned by a cab and conveyed toa hos
pital. His message had been sent out
again as soon as possible, but the de-
lay, slight as it was, had lost one man
huge fortune.
The man who suffers mostly by tri-
fling bitches is the inventor. 1nnumer-
able fortunes have been lost by five
minute delays in getting out projections
during which times others have stepped
in with similar ideas and annexed tho
reward of their promptness. A curious
and somewhat pathetic instance in con-
nection with an invention happened to
an engineer who had spent some years
in perfecting ahydraulic railway brake.
The idea was i'll every way perfect, and
in conjunction with his son he had con-
structed models and partially drawn up
patent specifications. To the latter,
however, he had not confided certain
small mechanical detail-the very ono
which had cost him so much labor to
work out successfully-his idea being
that his son should endeavor to over.
come the difficulty himself till the pat,
ent was entered, when he was to learn
the secret of the mechanism.
The very day before the specifications
were completed the father dropped dead
of heart disease through excitement.
and when, later, his son came to exam
inc the drawings he found the detail ne
wished to know had not been included,
In spite of endless labor and consulta'
ton with brother engineers the Difficult
ty, trifing as it seemed, was never over.
come, and by this little hitch in the ap-
paratus it is estimated that be lost very
nearly ESQ, 900.
Some years ago a popular fayorite
lost the Derby. to the great surprise of
its owner and all who had followed its
previous doinss. 1t was neck and neck
race till within so yards of the post,
when the favorito shot out and looked
like romping home. Suddenly it checked
its pace for the fraction of moment
and was beaten Y cry fow knew the
cause, curious though it was. puff OF
wind carsht tho Jockeys cap and in
stinctivcly DO rai@ed his hand to catch
it. In doin: so he struck his eye with
the end of his whip and jerked back
ward. The action threw tho horse out
of its stride, aud, although the whole
incident was mcmentary, it resulted in
o lost Derby and thousands OF pounds
besides.
A screw loose in all engine may re-
suit in great loss to railway or steam
ship company. Should lawyer neglect
little of evidence in an otherwise
carefully elaborated case, it may go
aguinst him. In fact, half the bad luck
in life is directly attributable to the eff
fects of bitches, trifling though they
may appear Pearson Weekly.
Tho Late Count Kalnoky.