Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-16
HERD OF ANTELOPE
Has Wonderful Race with Fast Mail
Train and Wins IL With Ease.

Train ana w ms III with Ease.
San Francisco Cali.
The most exciting race / ever wit
messed was between a herd OF antelope
and the fast mail for California within
the walls of Echo Canyon" said E. j.
Tuttle, of the Union Pacific to Den
yer Post reporter the other day.
One clear cool morning we rounded
rocky curve In the Utah canyon and
a verdant gorge was disclosed stretch
ing away for several miles. The vista
was delightful. As a group of us were
gazing ahead our eyes fell upon a
bunch of antelope.
Not far from the track they stood.
with erect ears and tense muscles, their
bright eyes fixed upon the approaching
train. A green strip Of natural meadow
land extended on one side of the rails
for a long distance. Their light.
fawn-colored bodies were clearly out
lined on the emerald carpet. One in
slant they stood motionless-watching
The next they bounded into flight as
swift as flashes Of light. Shrilly the
engineer had blown his whistle. FIX
carnations Of amazement burst from us
all as we saw the speed Of the little
creatures. Surely. however, they could
endure but few moments and must
then fall behind, we thought.
con Numbered the overland flyer at
high speed The engineer noting the
animals just ahead, opened his throttle
a bit wider and pierced the air with
startling shrieks OF the whistle. The
echoes reverberated in an astonishing
manner. Away sped the s.ender-lezged
racers Of the canyon, and at each whls-
tie their speed increased. Eagerly we
counted them over and over to make
sure of their number There were
eleven, running like lightning and not
far apart If the first ones had STUN
bled 1t seemed as II all would have been
piled in heap. Rnt there was no
danger from such sure-footed animals.
Their jumps were tremendous, yet
the gait OF each was steady and almost
mechanical in its regularity. Only
now and then, as a gully or slender
stream interviewed, did their leaps vary
in length The news of the race quickly
spread through the train. Every one
aboard was soon watching the antelope.
Knowing fellows shrugged their Shout
ders said they had seen such races be-
fore. that they never lasted long, and
that the antelope would be left behind
in few moments. Yet time passed and
the flying animals kept their lead OF
about 200 yards. The engineer began
to wonder, and finally threw open his
throttle wide. The train increased its
speed, but the whistling Of the engine
spurred the runners to renewed efforts.
Excitement became general among the
passengers. Bets were made on all sides
and of all Kinds. One enthusiastic cat
tie man declared nothing on earth could
beat frightened antelope in race and
offered to bet 81 900 that the train could
not reach the end OF the canyon before
the antelope An old railroad man took
800 of the bet and the money was put
up in the hands of a stakeholder. The
windows on the left side of the train
were crowded with people watching the
antelope. Gradually they began to sep
arate under the terrific pace OF the
train. Some were better runners than
Others. The first one, evidently the
leader of the band, CALAMITY kept
ahead, but two others in the rear
worked up toward the front as the.r
companions gave way slightly. Tae
gait of each of them was noted by all
of us. Intense became our interest as
the end of the canyon drew near. Hell
a mile more-could they stand 1t? The
engineer began to play weird tunes on
his whistle Hair-sp,itting Screams
we're succeeded by hoarse roors.
Or sped the antslopA NV they
were running in single ile-thc last