The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-18
Neal Wright Defends His Prop.
erty at Point of a
Shot Gun.
PREVENTS ENFORCEMENT
IT is ALLEGED HE SOLD STRIP
OF LAND TO RAILROAD, BUT
CONSTRUCTION GANG TRIED
TO TAKE MORE.

Haserstown. Ind, Aug. 1S.-Althougn
known as man Of quiet demeanor
possessing dignity in full keeping with
his occupation as an undertaken, Neal
Wright of Cambridge City has ju. t
demonstrated that it sometimes pays
TO adopt shotgun tactics. BY such
methods he has stopped the encroach-
ments of the Panhandle railroad on
his farm land. which were being made
at rapid rate by a steam shovel
gang
The story Of how he routed the
roads construction crew is interest,"
ing especially in the light Of the fact
that the only other method suggested
ton. His shotgun method proved I'M
mediately effective and the red tape OF
court proceedings is eliminated from
the situation.
Wright has fine farm adjoining the
eastern boundary of Cambridge City
and when the Panhandle railroad exc
cuted its long deferred plan of double
tracking the system from Richmond 70
Indianapolis certain officials waited
upon MIR. Wright with a proposition TO
purchase seventy-two feet of the farm
which was contiguous to the right-of-
way.
He Sells 72 Feet.
Wright sold the seventy-two feet
and when the steam shovels and hun
dreds OF workmen came along to build
the road through his farm he thought
hn
carried it on.
The track stretches through his
farm for a half mile. and when he
looked about he wished he had no.
sold, for there was truly q big hole be-
ing bored through his fine land.
Then he thought the strip looked
wider than 1t was at first. and he mea-
sured. just to SATISFY himself. He
found that the strip appropriated by
the workmen was ninety feet wide in
stead Of seventy-two, the amount he
had sold.
Wright hurriedly waited upon the
foreman in charge of the work. but
that naughty son of Erin told him to
60 chase himself and get out of the
way.
Then Wright telephoned the railway
oficials at Richmond and they advised
him to procure writ Of injunction.
which he could have served on the
company ofYicials at Pittsburg. and the
local officers could step in and forcibly
prevent the trespass on his land.
Wright Was Keen.
Wright was keen enough to know
that long before he could get all this
done the permanent trespass would
have been accomplished and the COM
pany would have completed the work
all the way through his farm He
asked a lawyer what he could do To
stop the work Immediately. and was
told to apply for an Injunction and
have 1t served on the ofiicials of the
company.
Then the injured man became an
cry and was Immediately transformed
from the silent, gentle-mannered un-
dertaker into a very engine OF self
assertiveness.
He ran home, got his shot gun and
returned to the place where they were
tearing up his fine farm.
Wright compelled the engineer OF
the steam shovel to forsake his proud
perch and come down. The engine
also stopped work and the big shovel
paused in midair.
Then Wright sought out the 'fors-
man and ordered him to call his work
men from his land. And the big fore
man did as he was ordered and did ii
Immediately.
Then a parley ensued, in which
Wright occupied the speakers stand.
mainly. The big foreman finally
begged to be permitted to resume work
on the company's real right OF way
and the permission was granted.
There was no further attempt TO
trespass on Wright's private property
and he has been assured that what
ever damage has been done him will be
paid for and the torn up land replaced
in its former condition
Wright has been informed that a let
ter of apology from the president of
the road, and possibly visit in per-
son from that high official will follow
in a few days.