The Washington times., 1906-12-28
RAILROAD DOGS
THAT ARE MASCOTS
Ride Back and Forth Like
DeadheadS Di-
rectOrS.
NEVER MISS THEIR TRAINS
Death Occasionally oveItakes Them
While in the Line Of
Duty.

BANGOR, Me. Dee. Among pets
and mascots which men love there are
no more interesting ones than the dogs
which cast their lots with the snen who
handle the railroad trains. accompany
ing them. on runs. and, with an intel
ligence almost human. learning the
train movements and stepping places.
Sailors have dogs and goats. and every
kind of animal mascot Practically
every regiment. company. or troop at a
frontier post has "a mascot and be II
dog. goat, or even the de iPis ed hog.
the men look upon it with affection. So
the mascot lives on the 'a' Of the
land
The railroad dog IS the railroad man s
friend through thick and thin. Jsudily
IL takes to the life through following
it's master or some other man To Whoih
il is attached into station and stick
ing 30 him until the train pulls out ana
takes il on its first run. IheTe Is no
recall The 'Wander-lust whlch makes
globe trotters Is now I'm its veins. Once
a dog has started on its railroad career
IL sticks In spite of kicks. cufTs, and re-
buffs until il is established in the at-
fections OF the train operatives,
Travelled the World.
There have been railroad dogs on
Maine railroads in times past. Perhaps
the most famous was ''Owney," which
trav led around the world. Owney was
the friend of every railroad man. IL
always got on the right train' could
leave anywhere a stop was made, and
still make connections with the next
train to resume its journey. Owney was
presented with many handsome collars
by railroad friends and wore them with
dignity
in an Ohio town through no ut or It's
own A camera ''nend' wan. "A pic
ture of the famous dog, and q cOmpan-
ion attempted TO hold OWney while the
picture was being taken OWney did
not object to being photographed, nut
did object 10 being held. so II DIT the
man who held IL. For this OWney was
condemned TO death and dropped before
a polieenan's revolver.
"Bill." handsome bun terrier owned
bv William L Thompson, conductor on
the RanEOr and ArOOstOOk railroad. was
known TO every railroad man and many
OF the regular passengers up ana down
the line. Bill was a bright dog, LOOK
to railToading, loved the life. Travelled
up and down. and was "deadheaded
everywhere. IT knew 10 the minute the
time the trains left Ordinarily Blll
stayed at Caribou, Houlton; or Van
Buren, and always chose the best hotel
The Iuneh-bOX of the brakeman was
not good enough unless the train was
late and Bill was hungry
Dog as a "Caller."
once BiU's knowledge saved Thomp-
son from missing his train, The family
was away and he and the dog We're
alone in the house. The conductor was
10 take out the train leaving Bangor
at 3:25 a. m. \ few minutes before
. O'Clock he was awakened by the dog
pulling al the bed clothing Thompson
lust caught the train
Another time Bill saved "a passenger
train from being ''side-swiped' by a
freight on a siding at Ashland. The
freight was late and uad pulled in on
the siding a Few minutes before the pas
senger train was due. The train stopped
with the cabOOse half out on the main
line and the rear brakeman midway Of
the 1rain. There was only moment
hefore the passenger train was due. and
old Bill knew that there would be some
thing doing if The CabOOsc stayed out on
The main line Bill started on up the
track and attracted the attention OF
the engineer so that he looked back and
saw where the Caboose had stopped
and pulled ahead just as the passenger
came along al thirty miles an hour and
a