The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-07

~ VI l
Live. Etc, Etc.
LIMA, Peru. |
A Toboggan slide down the Andes!
Casting on a gravity car from the
bighest mountains, over the steepest
railroad of the world to the level OF
the sea, 81
Dashing out of the o to lind
clouds below you.
Now in the blizzard, where the
hail and snow are so thick you can
not see a stones throw in front and
now under the blue sky with the air
clear all about you!
Hanging to precipices, Tying on
spiderweb bridges of steel over fright
full chasms, whirling o curves III
the midnight OF winding
tunnels and coming out into the light
Of day with a shudder as you look
at the depths far below you.
This, in a nutshell, is the story OF
my trip from the glacial SHOWS, three
miles straight above where l am writ
ing. 1t gives only a faint idea of the
Journey. The dangers were aWfully
real, and as L look back it seems a
miracle that l am here today to de-
scribe them. 1t is a miracle. The
ordinary ride Of this kind, taken with
a dry track and the sunlight, is so
dangerous that travellers who risk
it are made to sign a paper, swear
ing that their heirs will claim no dam
ages if they are killed on the way. ]
signed such a document before l got
on the car; and an hour later it
seemed to me that the railroad au-
thorities were Sensible to require such
protection.
We started amid the glaciers. The
sky was clear, and we could see the
great masses of ice as they were inn
perceptibly moving down the noun
ain Just above us was Mt. Meiggs,
over 1900 feet high, and all around
were mighty peaks kissing the clouds.
The sun shone brightly. The rails
were dry, and Mr.. Russell sale we
would have no trouble controlling the
car, as the only danger came from
the rain or the snow, which make
it difficult for the wheels to hold to
the track.
This was the case at the start. We
shot out of Ticlio, and flew at the rate
of twenty miles an hour down the
road. We had hardly started, how
ever, before the sky changed, and the
winds began to roll up the gorges
The air grew cold, and within five
minute we were in the midst of a
snowstorm. A moment later the snov
turned to hail. The stones were as
big as marrowfat peas, and they
bounced like rubber as they fell or
the track. With the hail came thun'
der. and flashes Of lightning. The
air was so rare that our ears fairly
cracked with the sound. and the light.
ming made more visible the danger!
about us.
We started at Ticlio. at the YER,
top of the pass. where the Andeal
waters divide, solne running down tn
- H. 90, 80.
others making their way across tn,
continent through the Amazon, int,
the Atlantic. We were almost at tn
level Of 10000 feet. We were full
three miles above the surface of tn
ocean,, and we were to slide dow
over the rails. through a winding dis
lance of 100 miles clear to the sea
The Central railway goes to the to-
of the Andes, without one inch O
down grade. The most of the wa
the ascent is about four feet in 10(
and o can start a car at the glacier
and it will fly straight to the water
of the tropical ocean
Dur tobOgGan was IT, privat
gravity car of Mr.. Feehan, the gen
erai manager of the Central railroad
1t was a low platform on wheels abOu
two feet in diameter. 1t had no me
tive power. and it was controlled Onl
by two brakes, one on each side c
the front. Upon the platform wer
seats wide enough for three person,
and as we took our places l sat i
the middle, with my st~enographer g
the left and Mr.. Russell of the opei
ating department of the railway q
my right We had also a Peruvia
cholo who understood the business t
act as a brakeman. We had to ru
upon schedule time. for the track
a single one and we had to pass trair
going up and down on the way. W
were to get our orders from the tel.