The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-29

or persons crossing the tracks that
/ danger is approaching.
/ Ii is the headlight. also, that forms
/ the fascination 10 the novice IN the
cab, for the view ahead. a fascination
which is shared and which is never
/ lost by the car driver. Ahead glsams
the bolt of brilliancy. transforming
! the gloom Immediately at hand into
brightest day and rendering the night
beyond and TO the sides the darker
because of the contrast.
At terrific speed the revolving
! wheels eat up the space. as it were
even pushing the night backward and
! gathering up the stretches within the
confines OF the light rays. \ painted
| arm or pole flashes into view for a
! second and the mOtorman sounds
| shrill blasts with his whistle. The
| arm disappears and ahead a green
| light CLEANS low be side the track.
objects pop into view ahead between
the rails which the uminitiated one
would take oath were human forms.
Shivers creep up ones spine as one
| thinks of the horror should the OBJ
! ject prove to be a human. but one
hates TO feel creepy with the motor
man sitting grim and silent in the
| dim light of the compartment, and one
| feels greatly relieved when the object
is dispeled under the glare of the
headlight, proving to have been only
a shadow cast by a Tree.
Succession Of Thrllers.
Suddenly the form of a man does
| loom up. He trudges along on the
! ties, ignorant of the approach of
! flying demon behind him. Then one
does quake, The motorman merely
places his foot on the air valve and
the whistle sounds quick and sharp
! Distance and speed are hard for
green one to judge in the cab of a
car or locomotive. The man
doesn't move He doesn't look around
He apparently does not hear. 1t is
maddening. will he not move?" one
asks himself The situation become
| tense. Finally, however, when it al
pears that the car is about to lean up
| on him, the pedestrian steps to one
side, walks down the slope and coolly
awaits the coming of the car, which,
| in reality, is still some distance away
Then curve hobs up. 1t is right
| ahead. one thinks. The speed doesn't
| slacken. Surely no car can run that
| bend at such a speed and keep the
rails, one imagines. Again one I'M
consciously turns TO the motorman
He knows his track and he knows
when to check his speed so as to lose
| no more time than necessary. When,
! to the tenderfoOt, so to speak, it APP
| pears that derailment on the curve
and subsequent death are inevitable,
the car driver suddenly shuts off the
current and a moment later the coach
| rides the rails as smoothly as a yacht
cuts the water under a stiff breeze.
Real Tragedies Nightly.
A night ride in the front of a troll
ley car is nothing if not exciting ev-
cry minute of the time. One thumps
at the thought of the consequences
We're the swaying coach to leave the
rails and one thumps when next a
bright light-apparently the headlight
of a car-appearS ahead, seemingly
in the center of the track The motor
man sits unmoved at his levers and
still the light approaches at sicken-
ing speed. 1t must be upon us in a
moment. it appears, but just as one
makes ready to leap, if necessary. the
light jumps to the side of the track
1t was merely a lamp cleaning at
the windows of a farm house along
the road.
Real tragedies, however are nightly
experiences of the motorman. A NOV
ing object comes into view in the
track. It moves, then stops as if in
fear. The car is upon it and one rec
ognizes it as rabbit Then the COW
catcher in plain view in front passes
over the hapless bunny and he dis
appears from sight.
Get him." the motorman is asked
Just depends on whether he jump
ed up so the cow-catcher could get
him back of the neck or whether he
tried to run out under the wheels at
the side. If he stood still he is all