The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-24
FLEEING FROM TRAINS.
Why Frightened Animals Almost In
variably Keep Between the Rails.

New York Tribune.
Railroad men here are still talking
about the race for life on a recent Sum
day morning between a horse and a
freight train across the long bridge which
spans the Genesee River at Charlotte.
The bridge is nearly half a mile long.
spaces beneath which CLEANS the slow
moving river. but the horse galloped
straight across this nerve-racking path
few yards in front Of the locomotive.
and only sank down when exhausted by
fright and its efforts for safety. The
train was halted within ten yards Of the
poor creature. The horse was found to
be uninjured, but every shoe was torn
from its feet. Another 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 concerning the &C.
lions of animals caught on the tracks by
fast speeding trains. Engineers and mo-
tormen have formulated a theory which,
they declare, has been so often proved
that it might be called law. 1t is this
They declare that any four-footed ami
NAL, be 1t cat, fox. dog. squirrel, COW
or horse. which Is surprised by rap
idly approaching locomotive, will seek
safety in straight flight between the rails.
when II could save its life by a simple
leap to- one side.
Il have started up rabbits" said vet
eran engineer. land they invariably keep
to the center of the track until run down.
Sometimes. al the very last moment, they
will leap to one side but not often. Cats.
which are pretty shrewd In spite Of as
sertions to the contrary. will flee between
the rails in just the same way. Once,
when was i'll the cab of an engine pull
ing a way freight between fast trains, I
started a red COW which had strayed on
the track through somebody's careless
ness in letting down the bars of her pas
ture. She had fair start and careered
down the track about fifty feet ahead
of my pilot. with head down and tall
straight out behind We had a little time
to spare, so l 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 a mile.
II have heard of Western engineers pur-
suing antelope for miles between the
rails. 1t is mighty dangerous business
can tell you, especially in case of big
animals. for a killing may mean. a ditch
yourself. It's bad enough with small
things like cats and pigs. never yet
ran down an animal but that | fanced
[ could hear its 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 ex-
PLANTATION Of the peculiar persistency
which keeps the frightened animals be-
tween the rails: II think it's a sort OF
hypnotism caused by the combination of
fright. the straight level of the track,
and the cleaning lines Of the rails mark
ing out the course To get away is the
first impulse 1t sees a level
path before it, bounded on each side by
straight bars. Behind is the smoking,
monster which 1t must escape,
it goes straight ahead.
Perhaps a moment after. If it lives, the
idea flashes through its terror stricken
brain to jump to one side and it is saved
Too often. however. the straight line of
it's flight ends in a miserable death"