The copper country evening news., 1898-06-29
A QUEER SHORT LINE.

The city Of Anderson, Ind, claims
the honor of having the champion lili-
putian railroad of the country within
her corporate limits and also the youn-
gest railroad magnate in the United
States. The name of the road is the Dill
lion Trunk line 1t has a stretch of right
OF way extending through several back
yards and it runs froIil nowhere to no.
where. The rolling stock as yet is some
what incomplete, but the shops have
equipment under construction. The mo-
tive power consists of two drive wheel
engine, No. s. The roadbed is well bal
lasted and the heavy by 3 inch hick-
ory track is securely held ON good cross
ties Following the first methods of
railroad building, strips of steel are
laid on top of the hickory rails, and the
800 pound engine "scoots'' over them
with the grace of swan in duck pond.
Engine No. 8 is model of perfection
and is undoubtedly one of the smallest
practical engines in the world. She goes
at good gait over her 20 inch gauge
track and can be easily started and stop
ped by her S-year-old engineer. She is
now undergoing some changes which
when completed will put her ahead of
big locomotives She will burn crude
oil, which will be a great convenience.
From the ground to the top of her
smokestack - her highest point-she
measures but 3S inches, and from the
point OF her cowcatcher to the end of
the running board back of the tender
she is less than 6 feet in length. Her
four drive wheels are but 1S inches
high, and her boiler is about feet long.
She has headlight, which lights up
80 feet of track, and her cabin, with it's
levers and valves, is just large enough
for James William Edward Dillon, her
S-year-old engineer, who is also presi-
dent, manager, conductor, fireman,
brakeman and grand bouncer of the
train, and foreman and section man of
the entire stretch of track. He is a
practical man" in every department
and displays most remarkable executive
and mechanical ability.
His engine is little beauty. She is
we'll made and complete in every part.
In a few weeks new passenger and
freight coaches will be turned out of
the shops by ]. A. Dillon, who, be-
sides filling the position Of financial
hacker, bond fioater, treasurer, secre-
tary, master mechanic and foreman of
the shops, is also the parental guardian
of the president.
billions Trunk line does monster
business after school hours All of the
children in the western part of the city
gather along the right of way. The
conductor has run corner ON all of the
pins in Hazelwood addition. He charged
ten pins ride for some time, until he
had every pincushion in his part of the
city bankrupt, and then he condescend-
ed to remove the tariff and let his GUS
toners ride for their good fellowship.
He stands well with all of the young
women for miles around and he is the
genuine heart smasher Of the 'bloody
Third ward" because he has q railroad
behind him.
j. A. Dillon, the power behind the
throne, is wire drawer at the Ameri-
can Wire Nail mills and formerly lived
In Covington KY. He is in no sense a
mechanic or an engineer. About year
ago he began building locomotive just
for fun. The Dillon home is located
near the tracks of the Indiana Midland
and he took the passing engines as his
models He worked over two months,