The San Francisco call., 1908-07-07
BELL ON HANDCAR Z
STARTS FOR DENVER
Held Up by Floods at Bryan's
Home, Temporary Chairman
Works Way Out
Leaves Lincoln Amid Cheers as
He Bobs Up and Down
Like Section Hand

ROKEBY, Neb., July 6.-Temporary
Chairman Theodore A. Bell arrived here
at APO this afternoon on handcar.
Bell assisted in pumping the car three
miles out of Lincoln Superintendent
Browns private car arrived at 5:15
o'clock and with Bell aboard left at 5:1S
for Bellevue, Kans. At the latter place
train will take Bell to Denver
LINCOLN, July 6.--A message re-
ceived at 1880 o'clock tonight by w. J.
Bryan states that Bell is safely on his
way to the convention city after many
trying adventures and will arrive in
time to let the gavel fall at noon to-
morrow. This message was received
from point we'll to the north of the
extreme limit of washouts outside of
Lincoln.
Shortly before II o'clock tonight an
other message was received that Bells
train had left Bellevue, Kans., and
would be in Denver between and s
o'clock tomorrow morning. A later re-
port recorded that the train had passed
Phillipsburg, Kans., with a clear track
ahead all the way to the Colorado cap
ital
VIII Theodore A. Bell, temporary
chairman of the democratic national
convention at Denver, reach the Colo
rado capital in time to open the con-
Vention tomorrow was the question
which, more than platform or vice
presidential candidacy, affected Will
liam j. Bryan and local democrats to-
day. Bell, passenger on a train
bound from California to the conven-
tion at Denver, was appointed by Cali
fornia delegates to notify Bryan that
Nathan Cole had been selected as ma.
f10nQl fea oF 20 t. i
that Cole and Bell, after a heated argu-
ment much exaggerated in newspaper
reports. had finished by agreeing to
work shoulder to shoulder in support of
the ticket to be chosen at the capital of
Colorado.
In pursuit of this mission Bell jour-
neyed without incident from Ogden.
Utah, to Omaha, Neb and from Omaha
with many difficulties to Lincoln.
Ten hours were consumed by Bell
in making the SO miles between Omaha
and Lincoln. His train was sidetracked
at half dozen points for other trains
and was held at a spot five miles from
Lincoln for several hours because, of a
food which had all but put the Rock
Island road out of business.
The train was halted by a washout
and Bell, grips in hand, started to walk
to the city. He encountered half a
mile of track under water and bravely
waded through the lake, part of the
time up to his knees in water. He
walked to. the Lincoln hotel, two miles
away, and after securing breakfast
started for Fairview in a carriage,
reaching that place exactly at noon.
The deluge of rain which had fallen
for nine hours made the Journey an
uncomfortable one, and when the
driver of the cab in which Bell was
seated finally reached the suburban
farm of Bryan his team was all but
exhausted.
The democratic leader had antici-
pated the visit of Bell, having been
in anxious consultation with railroad
officials all the forenoon. Consider
able apprehension had been felt by
Bryan regarding the arrival of the
temporary chairman because of the
foods.
Despite that he had less than half an
hour in which to confer with the demo-
cratic leader. Bell covered the ques-
tions of his speech and other matters
he had in mind when he left ogden.
Principal of these was his address as
temporary chairman, and particular at
tention was given to the portion of
it which referred to the campaign pub
Iicity plank. Bell took occasion also
during his stay at Fairview to ac-
quaint Bryan fully with conditions in
California and of the features of what
occurred during the trip eastward.
1t was half-past 3 o'clock this aft
ernoon when Bell reached the railway
station. where he found the handcar
waiting for him. An elaborate sup
ply of edibles from a diner laying on
an adjoining track held up by the flood
had been piled on the car. The scene
of the departure was full of comedy
and drama. Standing on the front
of the handcar Chairman Bell dis
played his six feet of height, prepara-
tory to starting, while a dozen pho
tographers tried to snap the scene
during a downpour of rain.
The temporary committeeman in the
act of propelling a handcar out of town
in order to reach the scene of real
activity proved of sufficient interest to
bring a crowd of people to the little
station despite the weather, and as he
rested his hand on the handle of the
car a parting cheer was given by the
members of the reception committee
who had cared for his wants during
the few hours of his stay in the city.
He quickly adjusted himself to the
condition, and with a farewell to the
onlookers Bell gave an exhibition of
athletics by his strenuous pumping of
the handcar lever as he sped swiftly