Lewiston inter-state news. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1905-1906, 1905-05-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ENGINE PETE's STORY

Il see there Is new house going up
here; some newcomer settled among
you?" l asked the livery man who was
driving me through the hot July
weather from Munden to Prairie Gen.
ter. No new house had been built nor
old one repainted in the 10 years I had
made that territory.
There was no enterprise in the slug
gish veins Of the inhabitants Of that
world forgotten region to inspire new
buildings or works that would link to
the living present a people adrift like
the cottonwood seed in a sea of past
memories and dreams. thought some
newcomer must have penetrated into
Arcadia
NO, that's old Pete Hanson's en-
CINE house. Haven't you heard that
old Pete has sold his railroad at last ."
Didn't know he had railroad.
What do you mean?"
Gee! thought everybody had
heard about Pete Hanson and his
trackless railroad"
AN inventor eh?" My interest was
aroused.
Il see I'll have to tell you. Bout 30
years ago this country was on a boom.
Nothin sleepy about it then. 1t was
the liveliest section in the country.
They were going to run a spur right
through here to connect with the main
line of the Union Pacific: condemned
piece of Pete Hanson's land. Pete
was young then and had three little
towheads and lived in a shanty. With
the money he got for his land ne was
going to build a decent house. Well
the road never was built; scheme fell
through and they never paid Pete for
hisland. Pete was bound to have his
money. He went over to Prairie Cen
ter and got out writ Of attachment
Got the sheriff and some log chains
and swore he'd chain to the track and
serve the writ on the next freight train
that came along.
THE station agent wired down to
the division superintendent what was
up and they sent out the oldest and
most useless engine on the line. The
engine was run on a siding. the writ
was served and Pete chained her
down. The company telegraphed to
Pete that they guessed he had the right
of 1t and the only way they could see
1t was that the engine was his huckel-
berry. So they gave him "a hours to
get it off their tracks. Well that about
got Pete. but he was game. He hired
half the men and horses in the coun-
try and logged his engine home. 1t
broke him. and he never did seem to
| be able to get another start in life.
People nearly guyed him to death. Call
ed him Engine Pete and Railroad
Hanson forever afterward
$50 there that old engine set out in
his yard. The hens Matched their chick
ems in the boiler and the children play
ed summer house in the cab. AS years
went on the old engine rusted and sunk
deeper in the earth. The children grew
up and went away. but still old man
Hanson stoutly maintained that he had
done right and that some day he'd get
I
that new house which his wife and he
had wanted when the children We're
babies.
We'll. the funny part of 1t is that
| last year he got letter from the rail-
road company telling him that they had
| been tracing the whereabouts of the
| first engine that ever crossed the plains
on the Union Pacific. which was the
| first road to span the continent and
connect the two oceans with an iron
/ highway. They wanted this engine for
the Transportation building exhibit at
| the Worlds Fair. Old Pete Hanson
held out for $4,000, and got it, and now
he and his woman are getting the new
house he had been promising all his
life."-Kansas City Star.