The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-10-13
TRAINS HELD UP.
Editor Neff Stops Business on
the Omaha.
Has an Engineer Arrested for Blocking
the Street Crossings at Lake
Crystal too Long.

uGTS was ulku UlU blIuG dU LAKE
Crystal, Thursday with Editor Neff
as the central figure in the dramatis
personae. 1t all came about through
the blocking of the main street by a
long freight train for period claimed
to be longer than the law allows.
A special freight train came in from
the west at about 500 o'clock in the
afternoon. containing seventy-two
cars. 1t was in charge of Conductor
Dodd, and Engineer Mitchell was at
the throttle. The train was cut up
into sections at the street crossings,
beginning at the rear, and it took
such a long time to reach the main
street'by the depot that Mr.. Neff and
other citizens became impatient. Mr..
Neff held his Waterbury on the train
crew, and when he had counted
twelve minutes that the street had
been blocked he procured warrant
for the arrest Of Engineer Mitchell.
1t had been the intention to register,
get orders, and pull right out for Man
kato. and the push engine was in
readiness to lend it's assistance up the
grade. The taking Of the engineer
into custody brought about delay OF
three hours, as there was no one else
who could handle the engine. Ii the
conductor had been arrested, as the
real responsible party, the long delay
would not have been necessary.
The engineer was taken before the
justice ana his trial on the charge OF
violating the state law that limits
the blocking of a street to five min
utes was set for Monday morning at
nine o'clock. The amount Of the bail
was fixed at 800. The engineer did
not carry this sum around with him,
and unless he furnished it and was re.
leased his train could not start. TIC
make matters worse, freight trains
kept coming in every little while, and
as they could not get by the special
they blocked ny the track still more.
Four freight trains and the Gilmore
passenger accumulated in the vii
lage during the three hours wait.
In this emergency the wires were
kept hot between Lake Crystal and
st. James. In the meanwhile a big
crown gathered, about the entire
population of the village assembling
in the square and surging around the
depot. Even the operator had scarcely
elbow room.
Supt. Spencer finally telegraphed to
the station agent at Lake Crystal TIC
fur nish the necessary bail, and when
this was done, the congestion of traffic
was gradually overcome by the re-
moyal of the obstruction.
Railroad men who were present at
the blockade say that the street was
was not blocked twelve minutes. They
say that three reputable citizens OF
Lake Crystal stand ready to swear
that the time was not more than four
minutes. The agent is said to have
received instructions from Supt
Spencer to ask Mr.. Neff what reason
he had for holding up the business OF
the Omaha railroad for three hours.
The trial of the case is likely to prove
an interesting one.
Besides the liability of breaking
in two. the long trains that have been
run lately by the Omaha road have
the disadvantage Of blocking street
crossings longer than the shorter
trains, where stops have TO be made.