Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-09-27
FLEEING FROM TRAINS.
Why Frightened Animals Ordinarily
Keep Between Rails,


Keep Between Rails.
Railroad men are still talking about
the race for life on a recent Sunday
morning between horse and freight
train across the long bridge which
spans the Genesee river at Charlotte.
says Rochester dispatch of the New
York Tribune. The bridge is nearly
half mile long, and the ties are open,
leaving six-inch spaces, beneath which
CLEANS the slowmoving river, but the
horse galloped straight across the
nerve racking path few yards in
front of the locomotive and only sank
down when exhausted by fright and it's
efforts for safety. The train was halt
ed within 10 yards of the poor crea-
ture. The horse was found uninjured,
but every shoe was torn from his feet.
horse which had started with it fell
and was cut to pieces.
What interests the railroad men in
the case, besides the battle against
such odds, is that it furnishes another
proof of a pet theory of theirs con-
corning the action of animals caught
on the tracks by fast-speeding trains.
Engineers and mOtormen have formu-
lated a theory which, they declare. has
been SO often proved that it might be
called a law. It is this: They declare
that any four-footed animal, be it cat
fox, dog, squirrel, cow or horse, which
is surprised by a rapidly approaching
locomotive, will seek safety in straight
flight between the rails, when it could
save it's life by simple leap to one
side.
Il have started up rabbits said
veteran engineer, 'and they invariably
keep to the centre of the track until
run down. Sometimes at the very last
moment they will leap to one side, but
not often. Cats, which are pretty
shrewd, in spite of assertions to the
contrary, will flee between the rails
in just the same way. Once when |
was in the cab of an engine pulling
way freight between fast trains,
started red COW which had strayed
on the track through somebody's care
lessness in letting down the bars of
her pasture. She had a fair start and
careered down the track about so feet
ahead of my pilot with head down and
tail out straight behind. We had lit
tie time to spare, so | eased the engine
off a bit, and finally the old fool cut
to one side and landed in the ditch.
We must have chased her for mile.
81 have heard of western engineers
pursuing antelope for miles between
the rails. 1t is mighty dangerous
business, l can tell, especially in case
of big animals, for killing may mean
a ditch for the engine and the cars on
top of yourself It's bad enough with
small things like cats and pigs.
never yet ran down an animal but
that I fancied l could hear rs death
cry under the wheels, and somehow
it would break me all up for the rest
of the run"
Other old-timers have tales like this
to tell One of them gave this as his
explanation of the peculiar persistence
which keeps the frightened animals be-
tween the rails: Il think it is sort
of hypnotism caused by the comblna-
ton of fright, the straight level of the
track and the cleaning lines Of the
rails marking out the course. To get
away is the animals first impulse. 1t
sees a level path in front Of it, bound
ed on each side by straight bars. Be
hind is the smoking whistling mon
ster which it must escape. CoEse-
uuently, it goes straight ahead. Per
haps a moment later, if it lives, the
idea flashes through it's terror-stricken
brain to jump to one side, and it is
saved. Too often, however, the straight
line of it's fight ends in a miserable
death"