Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-24

but the Santa Fe manager knew. The
man on the velecipede hed orders to
scoot down the line flag the regular,
and hold it indefinitely. Iisten-and
YOU shall learn that a railroad man
can see farther than a homing pigeon
can fly. When the special was ready
10 pull out, the low salaFied people,
" no didn't want to wait for the belated
regular, asked the agent if they could
board the special and pay on the train
from Purcell to oklahoma City. The
agent was or his job. and replied that
they certainly could. So they scrambled
aboard the special. Their scheme was
to pay to oklahoma and take the COM
petng line at that place,
Just before the special left, the San
ia Fa manager, who had sworn in his
heart to beat any competing line. walk
ed W to the engineer and asked him
how long he had been on the road, the
capacity of his old girl, and SO on. AS
was up front-maybe l was in the
scheme, | am not saving as to that-I
overheard a conversation between the
manager and the engineer that ran
about as follows. as near as | can re-
call it: How many miles an hour can
SIZE SO. HSkEI the nidHdStI- Tn Il
good track sixty-five miles. If she is
properly oiled replied the engineer. Is
it a good road-bed through Oklahoma
City?
Fairly. know It quite well.
".All right. You have no orders to
stop there or even slow up?' asked the
manager
e Not up to the present minute said
the hogger
Well, Eli. when You get To the edge
of Oklahoma City. open her1as wide as
YOU can and let nor go. Don't stop for
anything, not even for a flag Don't
slow up until you strike that strip of
desolation about eleven miles beyond.
When | see you in Chicago you smoke
the finest torches that Havana can fill
and wrap. Is it go?'
II | don't get orders before ] start
well. you are five minutes late
now
I'm less than minute that special
was under way Ever see a catapult
working? Well. sir, that special went
around curves like a scared RATHER. 1t
shot along straight lines like a fright
ened sazelle. 1t whirled dust against
the blue sky. After while town
showed up on the horizon Before you
could n.utter Jack Robinson the spe-
cal shot through the town like rock
ct. The head of the diekerers was smil-
ing like "A canary. to think that the con
had not yet come round for the money
He asked a brakeman the name Of the
town through which the special had
just flew.
THE brake replied, mechanically.
'OkIahoma City
Il never saw smile fade as did
that on the face of the man who had
asked the question. The wrinkles grew
on him until they booked like gulleys
after a washout
Stop heri' he shrieked. Here's
where we get off. Pull the string.
The brake told him that she don't
even hesitate at this place. About
eleven miles beyond. in strip where a
crow would starve to death and where
an Ind ia n wouldn't be found
dead, the old girl began to slow down.
Just then the conductor throws open
the front door of the car where the
diclSerers were gathered and calls out
tickets The dickerers fell off their
seats. 1t was like cannon-ball among
a lot of tenpins. The chorus went up
HAT they had expected to get off at
Oklahoma City. The conductor gave
them the polar stare as he replied that
he had no orders to stop at oklahoma
City and that he had no immediate in
teution 10 return. The leader Of the
bunch had had been figuring on getting
through at a reduced price wanted to