The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-10
AN AUTO RACE
AGAINST TRAIN
Q. {. WILLARD, FORMERLY WITH
A. G, NOW WITH N. p TELLS OF
EXCITING AUTO RIDE TO CATCH
TRAIN-HAs OCCASION TO BE
GRATEFUL TO JOE. Z. FIELDS.

st Paul, Mimi, May $50 The Fo.
rum; Will you please permit me Il
express through your columns a wore
of appreciation for the kindness Elk.
tended to me last evening by a repre-.
sentative Of the Gate city Automobile
Co, Joe z. Fields.
suppose every one is likely to do
some foolish thing some time or other;
last night / did one. About to en-
bark on train 16 for st. Paul, Mrs. viii
lard and the little boy were snugly en-
sconsed in the sleeper and having. as
4 supposed, abundant time before the
departure or the train, stepped across
the street to get some fruit for the
boy IN case he should wake up in the
night and feel the need of something to
take the place of the supper which he
could not eat at the regular time be :
| cause OF his excitement over his an
tlcipated journey TO st. Paul. / must
nave looked at my watch with my eyes
crossed, for after leisurely crossing
the street and making the small pur-
chase, and starting to return to the
train, TO my utter dismay / saw the
rear end of the train disappearing from
the Fargo yards. I did a lively lob Of
sprtnttng, but failed to oyertake the
train Wife and boy were on board
and all innocent of NV vpredicament
Inc train was gone! rushed into the
depot and looked for a carriage that
should rush me over to Moorhead in
time to overtake the train. There was
no carriage. / was certainly in des-
perate straits. Agent Jackman kindly
offered to try to hold the train at
Moorhead If could get carriage at
once, but there was no carriage. Run
ming somewhat desperately up and
down the depot platform saw an au-
tomobile standing in front of the Wal
dorf, gentleman sitting at the wheel.
talking TO some one l rushed over and
precipitately asked him if he could be
induced for any price to take me to
Moorhead to catch up with the de-
parted train. He said, stump in" Z
Jumped, and before had landed on the
cushion seat we were dashing down
Front street toward Moorhead at a
rate' that far exceeded the limits pre-
scrfbed by the city ordinances! We
scaled the rough crossings at Moor
head and pulled up to the depot, only
to find that the rear end of the train
was retiring from view I said: How
far is Dilworth? Would you dare try
to make it?" He answered by turning
the throttle and said, I'VE will try" Il
have ridden fast before; had even
ridden fast in automobiles BUT I never
was conducted through air at such a
speed. Those who travel the road be-
tween Moorhead and DiIworth know
that at this season of the year II is
rough. Down a street and around the
corners we tore at speed that would
have alarmed me at any ordinary time.
Passing the corners and reaching a
straight stretch of road, such a pace
was struck by the noble chauffeur
(whose name found out afterward
from the card which he had the pres
ence Of mind to hand me, was Mr. Joe
e. Fields) as never before expert |
enced, and am not at present antici-
pating striking again soon! 1t may be |
modestly stated that we struck some |
of the high places. We met vehicles |
and automobiles, and passed vehicles |
and automobiles, footing and tearing |
up the dirt, injuring nobody, and tear
ing over the road in a manner which
my hair to stand up under my
hat
forgot to tell the driver nv name
Or where came from I do remember
to have said to him that If I lived /
would be in Fargo in a week and /
would remember him and make this
natter right. l did not have the pres
ence of mind to even hand him INV
ard. ! did not mean to be impoIite
'r to impose upon his good nature. but
was thinking Of my wife and baby,
Ind the predicament they would be in
when they reached st. Paul.
/ cannot describe the sensations of
hat ride. They do not need to be de-
cribed. do not know what kind Of
! machine rode in, but know it was
! good one. 1t was more than a good
'ne-it was a hummer (if / NAV be
excused for the term). It did more
han hunt few. We pulled up at
he crossing at Dilworth just as the
lighball was being given TO the train.
jumped twenty feet and landed in
he railroad yard Ct did not measure
he Jump and ran shouting down the
ength of the train to let me on. and
eeAAA~d J0oI 0ItSL ItIG brakeman mad
topped onto the rapidly moving train.
Great Heavens! / was on the train.
sat down exhausted. People stared
t me, and / painted and pulled, and
at down to cool off. / have not yeti
old Mrs Willard what happened. She
VII not know till she reads this iteml
2 the paper, but I wish to express my
hanks In this humble but public fash
On to Mr.. Fields and the Gate city,
automobile Co.
Yours very truly,
Danield e. Willard.