The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-01
ELEPHANT AND ENGINE.
Fate of the Beast Which Tried to Pusl
Locomotive Backward.

Fate of the Beast Which Tried to Push
a Locomotive Backward.
1T is not only in South Africa, and by
statesmen who ought to know batter
that the march of civilization is opposed
and obstinacy pitted against progress
The elephant has many human quail
ties, and, If the story that comes to us
from Perak, one of the Straits Settle
ments, be well founded, occasionally
shares with politicians hardly less in
telligent their prejudice against the
spirit of the age 1t appears that big
tusker, which had long been an object
of pursuit to the sportsmen of that re-
mote district, wandered on to the rail-
way line, and tried conclusions with the
engine Of goods train, charging 1t re-
peatedly, and keeping up the contest for
nearly an hour. The engine was revers-
ed in the hope that the beast would Quit
| the field and allow the train to proceed:
but as soon as there was any attempt
to renew the journey the elephant re-
turned 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
| Tue CollLtSl ifllBiFL IldNt 6bIlE vi llluSh
longer had not the elephant backed into
the engine and, setting It's fore feet
| firmly between the rails, endeavored to
shove the train backward with its hind
| quarters.
| The driver took advantage of the
opportunity and put on steam, gradual
ly forcing the beast off the line. In this
manoeuvre 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 following passenger
train. Just about five years ago, while
1t was drawing passenger train
through the heavy tropical forest,
sudden shock was felt, and the train
came to a standstill. The engine and
tender was thrown off the metals and
half way down the embankment, though
fortunately, they did not drag the car
riages after them. When the driver,
who had been pitched off, went back to
ascertain the cause of the accident, he
saw large bull elephant at the bottom
of the embankment on the other side of
the line. 1t died in few minutes after
the collision from the violent shock and
loss of blood, it's off fore leg having been
SIldtlGItd anu a plCSt VI NilC tlhiih WI II
off Beyond the fright and the shock
caused by the sudden stopping of the
train, which, luckily, was travelling at
only fifteen miles an hour, no injury re-
suited to any of the passengers. In the
same month Of the same year similar
accident occurred on the Bengal Nag
pur Railway, in India.
On a pitch-dark night mail train
was running at the rate Of twentysev-
en- miles an hour through very thick
jungle, which was known to hold wild
elephants The driver felt and obstruc-
ton, and attempted to reverse, but the
engine left the metals, dragging with
it a brake van, the carriagj Of the Loco
motive superintendent, and some other
carriages, but without causing injury to
any of the passengers or officials At ,
first 1t was thought that the accident
had been brought about by cattle stray
ing on the line, but the officials soon
found dead elephant. Apparently the
animal had been crossing the line Just |
as the train came up, and had haan
struck by the engine and hurled down
the bank. The agent of the company
sent home one of the tusks to be put up
in the board room as memorial of the |
occurrence. These instances of a train |
being thrown off the line throug col
lsion with an elephant show that, while |
such accidents are pretty sure to be !
bad for the elephant" they are also |
with considerable danger to
rolling stock, and even to human life.
The latter consideration completes the |
analogy we have drawn.-The London
Standard