The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-11-10
PERRY couER WRITES.
Ex-GOOdIand Fireman Has Stories in
Norton news

Norton News.
Perry Colsr, now one OF the prop
rietors OF the Norton News, but for
merly a locomotive fireman running
out Of GOodland. IS furnishing that
paper with a series Of railroad stories,
number four appearing In the last Is
sue
Following are a few paragraphs
from his pen concerning speed:
IF Dr. Osler should stand at the
division ends OF great American rail-
roads and watch the men who man
the fast trains ne would confess hav-
ing made a very silly remark when he
placed the age OF effectiveness at a
4O-year limit and declared that a man
was entirely useless at so. Old estab-
lished railroads Of the east have their
oldest engineers on their fastest runs
A young engineer might do a burst OF
speed quicker, but a younger man
would take a chance" In railroad
ing you must take chances, but you
must be sure the danger OF the chance
has been eliminated Old age has
little to do with the effectiveness Cf a
man If that man has taken care Of
himself as a young man Take a
mechanic or lawyer or doctor or rail-
road superintedent, he is better at so
than at any previous period o. his life
IL he has not drank whisky, used
tobacco or been a glutton on eating.
1t depends on you then, Mr.. Young
Man, whether you will be a vigorous
and useful old man or a decrepit Old
dereliCt, with your life behind you and
an UnhOnOred grave your only refuge.
speed was once demonstrated on
the Colorado division OF the Rock
Island in a fashion TO curl the hair of
at least one old Quaker bishop. The
churchman considered it a phenOnIe-
non. and got OF the train as quickly
as he could He had bullwhacksd
across the plains in the early Kansas
days, and strange to say. had never
ridden on a railroad train until the
time when he entered upon this trip
from Smith Center to GOOdland. The
speed was therefore a revelation to
him He had never before seen any
thing 50 swift, and he was scared.
About twelve miles before reaching
Phillipsburg, he asked the conductor
for the time Of day, and was told that
it was 1885. He impressed this time
very forcibly on his mind
Now, for a wonder, the western
connection at Phillipsburg was quick
" made, and after the lapse Of but 4
few minutes the westward bound
travellers were on their way CalifOr-
niaward-
'Phillipsburg had been left behind
but a few miles and the train was
whOOping along at a behind-time rate
Of speed. when the old bishop, fright
ened and trembling, dared TO ask the
conductor what was the time Of day.
You know that Phillipsburg time
changes and mountain time, one hour
earlier, is adopted. The conductor
had mountain time, and he said:
1t is 7:IO-ten minutes after sew
en-
The old bishop previously haunted
by a dread Of impending destruction,
because Of The horrible rate Of speed
at which he was being whirled
through space, rose with a wild cry
and made for the door.
g 'Lemme orr he cried. 1t was 35
minutes after seven an hour ago, an
we're gOin' so fast we are gOin' faster
than time can count itself. Lemme
orr
Had they really been going as fast
as the old man believed. he would
surely have been beaten to bits as he
jumped from the train. AS it was.
he was only rolled something like
half mile and was carried back to
PhiIlipsburg on a hand car