The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-10-20

MEN or THE RAIL RELATE ExPE-
RIENcEs.
Rather Startling Yarns Are Told When
the Crowd "sIts ln"-why the
Special Had 70 Wait on
the Dragon.

eIll bet four dollars said the sec
ond trick dispatcher as he sat IN
at -four o'clock, you'll never see that
combination again in hundred
years
What combination are you talkin.
about now?" inquired the operator
lazily.
Why. look a-herel persisted the
guardian OF the second trick. Engine
iii arrived at Kansas City at Iii
b. engine 222 Doked her nose into
the yard at 2.22 p M, and I'm nutty
II engine 1888 didn't pull over the main
line switch at 1888 this afternoon.
What dye think O that?2
That's nothin'" exclaimed the man
ager, disdainfully. When | was dis
patchin' back yonder in the SOS on
the Lawrence e Lowell road the en-
gines used to wear names. Some bore
the name Of stars and NEUROLOGICAL
beings. Others were named for men.
One day | had a couple Of trains on
the road during. my hours the coin
cident features of which gives your
combination commonplace appear
ance One train was running from
Lowell to Lawrence. The engine bore
the name of the former city, Lowell,
and was handled by Engineer Frank
Lowell Frank Lawrence was the
conductor At Lawrence Junction a
train was met with which was going
from Lawrence to Lowell, hauled by
engine Lawrence with Engineer Fred
Lawrence at the throttle, while Con-
ductor Fred towel was in charge Of
the train
Every man in the office simply
stared and sighed heavily.
"What!' continued the manager, in
disgust Don't believe it? Well,
it's the truth as sure as my name is
Larryl"
Say, Lowell said man present,
"what does Larry stand for, any
way?"
MY name is Lawrence replied the
manager Lawrence Lowell"
say, fellows said the detective.
who dropped in 10 inquire about The
mail train, did ! ever tell you about
the time ran an engine on the Long
and short railway?T ana without wait
ing for reply, he proceeded With
the narrative, One day | went down
to the depot to take out NY run. My
sweetheart, picture Of anxiety, was
there to meet me.
Bill said she, tremulously, don't
60 out to-day
-Tut-tut, girl, | couldn't do a
trick like that, It's near leaving time
now
20, Billn she pleaded, don't 60
You must not 60! | had dreadful
dream last night dreamed your
train got in-on time!'
"Well, gentlemen, | went out on the
run al right but III never forget it
On November II, the eleventh day Of
the eleventh month-at 11:11 a. m
train No. / with engine II, baggage
car II, containing II trucks, mail car
20, chair car 33 dining car 44, went
in the ditch at mile post 55. The
wreck was cleared at IL p. m. There
were IL persons injured and the dam
age suits filed were for an aggregate
Of 1000 All of this happened II
years ago, and have told the story
about eleven hundred times"
And every time, ventured the Of
flee boy, you added II new gags!'
Il used to run a train, said the
yardmaster, who happened along just
in time to gather from the converse
tion that engine names were being
considered. The day OF the bic
money panic three or four dozen
years ago, | had the president Of the
road out on an inspection trip All
OF a sudden he got some bad news,
and told his clerk to wire the super
intcndent to give US a clear track
and fast run to Chicago. Golly boys,
but we burned up the track After
spinning along for so miles SO fast
that the telegraph poles resembled a
barricade we came to a sudden and
apparently unnecessary stop. The
company had. short time previous
~ put in service a locomotive which
was, for those days, a mechanical mar
vel She was named The Dragon
Her rating was 95 cars There wasn't
a passing track on the road that would
clear such a train l hustled around
and discovered that we had been
tagged by the crew of The Dragon
She was there with her rating
Conductor, demanded the presi-
dent when / gave proceed signal,
after several minutes delay, why are
we being detained hereg
We, ! answered respectfully, win
have to saw by The Dragon. Sne is
here with a dragon. Kansas City