Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-09-06
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| You have read OF adventures and
mysteries connected with locomotives,
] but on the Il. and G.. road We had a
plain, ordinary freight car which came
to be talked about more than all the
rest of the rolling stock put together.
1t was stOutly built box car, painted
dark brown, and the number on sides
and ends was 1414. The first trip CT
the car was down TO Petersburg, TO he
loaded with wheat There We're six
empty cars in all on the train, all
wheat cars, and they We're in the mid
die of a string of 80 cars. Fifteen miles
Of the NJ. L. road. At the crossing ali
trains had to slacken speed and when
this particular train drew near steam
was shut off, and the speed of 20 miles
an hour was reduced TO ten. No car
had ever jumped the track at the cross
ing, but on this occasion No. 1414
broke away from the car ahead and be-
hind, jumped the tracks and ran u dis
lance of 30 feet over the hard baked
earth, TO bring up against switch
mans shanty and demolsb it. No 9th
er car left the tracks. The III ,ision SUI
perintendent and master mechanic
swore that II was utter nonsense TO
talk Of single car cutting itself out
of a train in that fashion, but they had
TO swallow their words. The only dam
age TO No. 1414 was the broken coup
lings and when pulled back on the
tracks she was ready to move right
off No reason could be given why she
had cut loose and there was consider
able gossip over the incident
The next affair in the history of the
box car occurred about a month later
and gave her a ghostly standing the
whole length Of the line. She had been
unloaded at Beamer's Station and left
on the siding 10 be picked up. 1t hap
pened that she was the only car there.
and when the station agent closed for
the night he saw that her wheels were
securely blocked against the rising
wind. At midnight, under the driving
influence of gale, that car climbed
over a tie with all her wheels. ran up
10 the switch, jumped the track at the
frog, and after blowing along for so
feet she took the rails of the main
track and went scooting 10 the east.
She had a clear road to Elmer. 80 miles
away. but she didn't travel the whole
distance. If she had. she would have
smashed into the express. Five miles
from Elmer No. 1414 left the rails at
what was called the Big Culvert. took
header off the stone bridge into the
creek and next day was found a quar-
re. of mile down stream. Charges
were made against the station agent
for carolessnesS. but he had had help
10 block the wheels. The big cedar tie
was at hand with the marks of the
wheels as they had ground over it. 1t
was easy 10 trace the ear from the frog
10 where she had gradually climbed up
on the main track. There had been no
carelessness, but there was mystery.
There was nothing wrong with the
rails where the car had left the main
track. and when the ear itself was
found and ovcrhauled she hadn't been
damaged TO the amount of cents.
Railroad men Ike a mystery regard
ing car or locomotive. but railroad Off
Gals detest one. When No. 1914 was
hauled back on the track. the men We're
for branding her with the title of
Ghost but an order went up and
down the line TO keep hands off. Give
u ear or an engine a bad name. and
you pave the way TO somebody being
killed. While 40 one dared chalk mark
- - t.:..
known over every mile of the road. and
employees We're goSsiping as TO what
she would do next. The next thing
after jumping the culvert was a TRACE
dy. She had been loaded with sheiled
corn in bulk At Romersville for ChiCa-
/ 90. and before the doors were closed
| four hoboes enSconced themselves
among the corn. 1t was "a hours ride.
and they had a soft bed of ii. No. 14l4
was attached to freight train about
| : o'clock i'll the evening and was the
last car. or next To the caboose. No
one was really afraid of her. but there
was bit of uneaSineSs as she was
| picked up. and special care was taken
10 see II her brakes wer. III good order
and her journal boxes we'll packed.
Away She went with the Others. and
nothing happened until the train reach
ell Iron Hill II had 10 side track
there for a passenger train and 10 pick
up three or four cars. In backing down
/ the long siding No. lili suddenly left
the track, breaking loose from the car
ahead and the Caboose behind and run
ming of at right angles. Fortunately.
She did not run over the main track
1 but took the other direction and
brought up against the coal dump and
reared up on end. She stood up there
/ Ike ladder planted against house
and had 10 be reported As job for the
wreckius crew. Next day. when she
was hauled back on The track and in
Spected the dead bodies Of the hobOes
We're discovered They had been Smoth-