The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-17
ELEPHANT AND ENGINE.
Fate of the Beast Which Tried to
Push n Locomotive backward.

London Standard.
1t is not only in South Africa. and by states
men who ought to know better, that the march
of civilization is opposed and obstinacy pitted
qualities, and. if the story that comes to from
Perak, OF the Straits Settlements, be well
founded. occasionally shares with politicians
hardly less intelligent their prejudice against the
spirit of the age 1t appears that big tusker,
which had long been object of pursuit to the
sportsmen OF that remote district, wandered
to the railway line and tried conclusion with the
engine OF a goods train, charging IL repeatedly,
and keeping up the contest for nearly an hour.
beast would quit the field and allow the train to
proceed. but there was any attempt to
renew the journey the elephant returned to the
encounter and resumed its obstructive tactics.
The driver was afraid to charge the brute lest
the train should be thrown off the metals and
the contest might have gone on much longer had
not the elephant backed into the engine and, set
ting its fore feet firmly between the rails.
deavored to shove the train backward with it's
hind quarters.
The driver, took advantage of the opportunity
and put steam, gradually forcing the beast off
the line. In this maneuver one of the wheels of
the engine went over the hind legs of the animal,
which was put out of its misery by the guard of
a following passenger train. This is not the first
time that the engine in question has encountered
an elephant on the line. Just about five years
ago. while it was drawing passenger train
dark night through the heavy tropical forest.
sudden shock felt and the train came 10
standstiIl The engine and tender was thrown
off the metals and halfway down the embank-
ment, though, fortunately, they did not drag the
carriages after them. When the driver. who had
cause OF the accident he saw large bull ele
plant at the bottom of the embankment on the
other side Of the line. II died few minutes
after the collision from the violent shock loss
of blood, its off fore leg having been shattered
and a piece of the trunk torn off Beyond the
fright and the shock caused by the sudden stop
ping of the train, which. luckily, travelling
at only fifteen miles an hour, injury resulted
TO any OF the passengers In the same month of
the same year a similar accident occurred the
Bengal-Nagpur Railway. in India.
On pitch dark night mail train was running
at the rate of twenty-seven miles hour
through very thick jungle. which known to
hold wild elephants. The driver felt an obstruc-
tion and attempted to but the engine left
the metals. dragging with IL a brake van the car
rage OF the locomotive superintendent and some
other carriages, but without causing injury 10
any OF the passengers officials. At II was
thought that the accident had been brought about
by cattle strayipg on the line, but the officials
found dead elephant. Apparently the ami
NAL had been crossing the line just the train
came up, and had been struck by the engine and
hurled down the bank The agents OF the COM
pany sent home one of the tusks be put up in
the board room a memorial Of the occurrence
These instances OF a train being thrown off the
line through collision with elephant show that
while such accidents pretty sure to be had
for the elephant. they are also attended with
considerable danger 10 rolling stock, and even 10
human life. The latter consideration COMPLETES
the analogy we have already drawn.