Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-05
A Widow and a
Railroad
By M QUAD

The D. ana 8. railroad had decided
to eliminate q ten mile curve on its
line By cross cut Of half the dis
lance. The curve had been made to
reach boom town which had later
been 1re swept and then abandoned.
The Widow Carter, relict Of a farmer,
lived on the line Of the rejected cut
OF. II must run between two lakes
on her farm. and the isthmus was only
seventy feet wide.
There was not q donbt on the part
Of the railroad people that the widow
would sell tho right Of way for 500
or 20. One day q company lawyer
paid her q call. He was q man Of
6fty. about the widows age. and the
two had not talked ten minutes before
It developed that they used to 60 to
school together AZ children. When It
came to speaking Of the right Of way
the lawyer treated It a. trifing mat.
ter. All other landowners on the line
had granted 1t for nothing. but In Mrs.
Carriers case they would pay 500 II
she would bind herself to keep quiet
about 1t.
Il won't say either yes or no today"
she replied. There's something
want to remember about our school
days-some incident Of importance that
you were connected with. l guess
can think 1t up tonight. and you can
come back tomorrow"
The lawyer departed. thinking the
widow a bit odd in her ways. and he
was back In due time next day.
Look here. Sam Davis" said Mrs.
Carter as they were seated. Il was
purity sure there was some incident.
and It has come to me. You know
there was a hill back Of the school
house at Wharton
YES"
"And we used TO slide down on sleds
and boards at recess and after school?'
80 we did"
zone noon you asked me to ride on
your sled Halfway down the hill It
upset. and I lost q big cud Of gum l
was chewing"
The lawyer laughed and slapped his
leg. but the widow had very serious
face as she went on:
And SO your old railroad has got
to pay me a thousand dollars for the
right Of way. I'm going to get even
for that lost gum"
"a hundred dollars Is a big price.
widow. It's land that you make NO
use Of"
But / may decide to make use OF
II, No; the railroad can have It for q
thousand dollars. but not cent less"
ut can condemn the land under the
law, you understand. and In that case
1t would get It for $40"
"well, let 'em 60 ahead"
The railroad company didn't care to
60 ahead until It had exhausted other
means. 1t would raise its figures. and
It would send other lawyers to her.
Meanwhile the widow consulted law
yer In the village. He was a one horse
lawyer. but he was posted on the thing
she wanted most to know. In certain
states a railroad cannot secure the
right of way through a dwelling house
by condemnation proceedings. II the
owner asks an exorbitant figure the
value Is to be set by three adjacent
landowners. This law applied In the
widows case. or soon would She al
once ordered lumber to build a shanty
on that isthmus. and within a week
she was living In 1t.
The railroad sent on another lawyer,
who offered $500 for the right of way.
Mrs. Carter was firm. Then another
lawyer and $500 Mrs. Carter was
\ firmer.
Railroads often seize by force what
| they covet and then fight 1t out In
court. The idea was to do Il In this
case. Mrs. Carter borrowed every shot
| gun for a mile around and was ready
| for battle. She actually tired charge
| OF bird shot that entered the legs OF
three trespassers and sent them howl
| ing. Then the railroad people got a
minister from the village to go down
| and talk with the widow. He saved
his breath, even II be didn't earn his
money. The moment she understood
| his GRAND she said
"Now, parson. you don't want to butt
into this. Your business Is to preach
of goodness and heaven anc angels
Mine Is to beat the railroad. You go
right back home and leave me to run
things here"
Then the railroad offered $500.
'Just half my figure" was the wo-
mans reply.
Then they called for commission OF
three to view and value. They were
three farmers and were good friends
| Of Mrs. Carter. They put the value at
! $1,000 One Of their reasons was that
the passing Of trains would make the
fsh In the two lakes very nervous.
Another was that the whistles OF the
locomotives would prevent the widow
from hearing her clock strike and
might set her ROSTERS to Growing an