Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-01
RABBITS CLOG SNOWpLOW.
Desperate Long Ears Have Hard
Time Keeping Warm in Kansas.

Jack rabbits So numerous that a
powerful rotary snoWploW was claggcd
vith their bodies That is the story
told by officials of the Rock Island
Railroad who recently returned To
Topeka. after two weeks siege down
in the southwestern par; of the state.
where the snoWdriftS We're 20 feet deep.
J.. l.. Johnson. Transportation In
srector of the Rock Island. with head
quarters in Topeka. has returned to
his office in this city with his head
full al jack rabbit aad Western Kan
sas "reminiscences that would make
any lover OF romance open his eyes
in wonder.
Johnson tells of one night, after
hard day of fighting their WAY through
the drifts When darkness fen the
train and engine crews planned t.
have Il supper together. Toward the
end of their work that evening they
had noticed an old deserted house
near TIE right of way.
Part of the crew carried fuel from
the engines. while the rest started
for the house 10 clear away the debris
for the meal. The first man that
opened the door jumped back several
feet and landed on his head.
For Gods sake, men, what's that
lie yelled.
Re-enforcements arrived at the door
and pushed it in. With a whirl Of
snow and a bedlam of yelps hun
dred jack rabbits jumped through the
door and knocked down two of the
mon. Struggling to get away. they
tramped and scratched the crews and
scampcred off over the prairie ac-
cordine to Johnson. Here is the rest
of the story, in his own words:
by this time the door of the old
shanty had been closed. Aiming
themselves with clubs, shovels and
chunks of coal the crews gathered
in front Of the door and waited for
the jack rabbits The door was thrown
open. ont they came.
After a half hour of Strengthening
both inside and outside the deserted
house we ounted 7st dead rabbits
We picked out the latest of the dead
and cooked a meal that tasted better
than any dinner ever served inside Il
private car"
The next ncrnip~ the crews pre-
rared for 2 DAVIS feht through the
snow. and had everything in readiness
when the engineer of the rotary ploW
started the machinery. A screen tha1
could be heard for miles rent the ar
Groaning, the huge rotary gave a
lurch and the immense wheels spun
in their cage.
Instead of a stream of snow flying
through the air the astonished tram
crews saw rabbit ears, heads, bodies
and legs shooting from the rotary
wheel Hundreds Of rabbits nor
caught nv tie machinery scattered
and scampered out from under the
machinery aoa o',ar the snow. Blood
oozca from beneath the cars and nett
ed little red hoies in the snow
The lack rabbits had taken shelter
under the warm machinery in tue
night. -
This was Mr. Johnsons story. II
there Is any doubt about the facts
consult him.
The officials are telling good Joke
on n certain Topeka officer who was
| out with the snowplows. one morn
ing they scared up a herd OF lack
rabbits and as they jumped ana
leaned over the snow drifts TINS OF
fetal ran in his car for his gun
! "What do YOU want To shoot those
things for" another officer asked
i him.
| eThines," stormed the Topeka man.
| 81 wouldn't call big herd OF ante
lopes things | would call them gooo
| game" ~
! No enc has had the nerve TO tei.
him they We're nothing but big WIG
hopning Kansas jack rabbits
| All alorg their snow-bonnd ron'e
throueh The conntr~ near p'alns ana
Necafn tho roeif 1alord olhelals saw
THOUSANDS ard thousands Of jark rae y
bits every day They We're haddied