The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-17
Rabbits Hamper Rock Island
Snow PlOw, Says Official.
Kept Warm Under Warm Ma
chinery at Night.
IN A DESERTED HOUSE
'sNearIy One Thousand Killed
With CIubs,' Say Trainmen.
Topeka Official Thought They
We're AntelOpes.

Jackrabbits so thick that a powerful
rotary snow pIow was clogged with
their bodies. That is the story told
by officials of the Rock Island who
have returned to Topeka after a two
weeks siege down in the southwestern
part of the state where the snow drifts
were twenty feet deep
L. L. johnson, transportation in
spector of the Rock Island, with head
quarters in Topeka. has returned to his
office in this city with his head full of
jackrabbit and western Kansas remin-
fscences that would make any lover of
romance open his eyes in wonder.
Johnson tells of one night after a
hard day of fighting their way through
the drifts When darkness fell the train
and engine crews planned to have
supper together. Toward TIE end of
their work that evening they had
noticed an old deserted house near the
right Of way.
Jumped From House.
Part of the crew carried fuel from
the engines while the rest started for
the house to 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?"
he yelled.
Reinforcements arrived at the door
and pushed it in With whirl of snow
and a bedlam of yelps a hundred jack
rabbits jumped through the door and
knocked down two of the men. Strug-
Cling to get away they trampled and
scratched the crews and scampereu
off over the prairie, according to jack
son. Here is the rest of the story in
his own words;
by this time the door of the old
shanty had been closed. Aiming them
selves with clubs, shovels and chunks
of coal, the crews gathered in front of
4 ifeI for Hc ~lr h.
bits The door was thrown open. Out
'sAfter a half hour of slaughtering
both inside and outside the deserted
house we counted 794 dead rabbits.
We picked out the latest of the dead
and cooked a meal that tasted better
than any dinner ever served inside a
private car
Stuck in the Rotary.
The next morning the crews pre-
pared for q days fight through the
snow and had everything in readiness
when the engineer of the rotary pillow
started his machinery. A screech that
could be heard for miles rent the air.
Grooming, 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 train
crews saw rabbit ears. heads, bodies
and legs shooting from the rotary
wheel Hundreds of rabbits not caught
by the machinery scattered and scam
pered out from under the machinery
and over the snow Blood oozed from
beneath the cars and melted little red
holes in the snow.
The jackrabbits had taken shelter
under the warm machinery in the
night.
This is Mr.. Jackson's story. If
there is any doubt about the facts
consult him
Thought They Were Antelopes.
The officials are telling a good joke
on a certain Topeka officer who was
out with the snow plows. One morn
ing they scared up a herd of jack
rabbits and as they jumped and leaped
over the snow drifts this official ran
In his car for his gun.
What do you want to shoot those
things for?" another officer asked
him.
Things" stormed the Topeka man.
at wouldn't call a big herd of ante
lopes things I would call them good
game
No one has had the nerve to tell
him they were nothing but big wild
hopping Kansas jack rabbits
All along their snow bound route
through the country near Plains and
Meade the Rock Island officials saw
thousands and thousands of jack rab-
bits every day. They We're huddled
together in every sheltering gulley.
They found especially good aecommo-
dations along the railway cuts
The railroad men report the jack
rabbit experience the only entertain
ment of the hard fought battle against
the snow drifts.