The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-10-17
ABSOLUTELY SAFE.

PITTSBURG, PA. Oct. 18th, 1899.
Editor Bellefontane Republican,
In the issue of your No. 81 of the
head of absolutely Safe" The article
says: ''The splendid possibilities of the
road ID. L. & n.y. will be brought out
by running train each way every day,
with the same locomotive" '"This
will prevent the locomotive from ever
running into itself and will make
travel on the road absolutely safe"
Some queer things happen on a rail
road and to show the fallacy of the
statement as to the absolutely Safe"
part of your article on account of but
one locomotive being on the road | will
make the following statement:
Mt. Gilead the county seat of Nor
row County is located about two miles
from Gilead station, now changed to
Edison, on the line of the C. C. C. & ST.
L. r. r. The country road leading
from Gilead station to Mt. Gilead, in
the winter and spring was SO hor-
rible and said at times to have been with
out bottom whatever that means) that
the citizens in order to insure connec-
tion with the railroad trains at Gilead
station, sometime, and that the courts
would not have to adjourn too often
and so their member of the Legislature
Mr.. ''L." would not miss connection at
Columbus when his ''bills" came up tC
! to be voted upon, or the country swain
have to postpone his wedding nuptials
on account of the botheration in max
ing the trip to secure his license, an6
various other annoyances, the citizens
built branch road from Mt
Gilead to Gilead station connecting
with the same road at that time known
as the G. c. C. & L.. or more familiary
known as the ''Bee Line" road at thai
time (about the year 1879. Mr.. 81" the
batchelor member of the Legislature
being of mature years and man o
integrity and having the good of hi
CONSTITUENCY before him as all politicians
do, was authorized by the citizens o
his bailiwick to procure a charter fol
the branch road, afterwards known a.
the Mt. Gilead Short Line, Mr.. 'sL.'
was successful and the branch road wa
built and in due time arrangement
were made with the s'Bee Line'' tt
Operate it, and accordingly one locomo
tive with engineer, fireman and trai,
hand acting in the dual capacity o
conductor and brakeman constituatet
the crew. After the branch had beel
operated some time, warehouse wa
erected on the branch about one-fourtl
of mile from Mt. Gilead and before
side track was laid for the accommoda
ton of the business of the warehouse
the house was put in commission an
all the way the train crew had of hand
ling the freight, when they were press
ed for time was to cut off a car an
: leave it standing on the main track fo
the ware house men to load or unloa
the freight and on their return tn
trainmen would ''pick up'' the car an
take it away. Now it SO happened tina
: on one occasion when a car had bee
left in this way, a serious delay a
J the junction kept the crew out unit
after dark and upon their return th
darkness obscured their view of tn
car and the placing and leaving the ca
on the main track passed out of thei
minds until they smashed into i
knocking it into 'smitherenes, an
slightly injuring all of the crew an
causing them no small amount of troubl
in explaining to the Superintender
when called upon the carpet to accour
for the collision and how it all cam
about.
Now this train crew knew tha
travel on the Mt Gilead Short Lin
was not absolutely Safe" on a roa
where there was only one engine an
one crew.
J just where the line of "Absolutel
Safe" in the operation of railroa
: should be drawn, | never knew.
q M