The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-15
STRANDED
48 HOURS IN
TExASTOWN
Harding Special Disabled
Adventures on Rio
Grande Railroad.

-AUVSULuU0S Oh uAO
Grande Railroad.
Point Isabel, Texas, Nov. 15.-
Omitted Press, Another effort to
escape from this storm-swept little
fishing village was to be made to-
day by President-elect Harding and
his party. They plan to try the
train again today. the road being
almost impossible from the rain.
All day Sunday was spent trying
vainly to get the president-elect
into Brownsville from Point Isabel,
where he has been marooned 4S
hours in one Of the severest storms
that has ever beat over lower
Texas.
But the little narrow guage road
that offered the only chance of get
ting the senator out Of here failed
to make good after taking four
hours to run a mile beyond the vii
lage and back again. So Senators.
millionaires, baggage and all un-
loaded in the dark and the party
tugged across the patio by lantern
light to the inn to spend the night,
hoping for better lyck today.
! Through it all Senator and Mrs,
Harding joined in the general good
humor with which the party took
its predicatment.
slope" Diamond Sparkles.
Mrs. Edward B. McLean's fam
Gus Hope" diamond. probably the
most costly and famous gem in all
the world, sparkled from her neck
in the center of the most distin-
guished party that ever rode in
either Of the Rio Grande railroads Z
two passenger cars. -
"It's great lark" Senator Hard
ling laughed.
With high hopes at the prospect
of being snugly quartered in
Brownsville out Of the storm the
Harding party packed trunks and
luggage early Sunday morning.
The Rio Grande railroad equip
ment was brought from Belgium 81
years ago. 1t consisted of q small
box car for the trunks and a tiny
roach mounted without springs
several windows missing, a little
tin stove in the center of the floor
low bare benches running length.
wise on either side, rattly doors
which refused to stay shut most OIL
the time and a locomotive" bull,
of an automobile engine, mounted
on four whels.
! The Harding baggage was loaded
in and as many of the party al
could, bundled in sweaters OF
blankets, squeezed into the coach
the others slowing away on top O.
trunks in the baggage car. Sena
tor and Mrs. Harding, wrapped VI
to their necks, climbed aboard.
i Engineer '~Cnnks Up"
The Mexican engineer got ou
and cranked up and after a few
false starts, the presidential spe
cial" crawled away. 1t finall.
reached a speed of 10 miles an hou
and the spirits of the party wen
up accordingly-with reservations
Four queer sounds began to emf
from the engine ahead. Then
came to a dead stop and all climbe'
out. Already the Mexican majo
domo was lying face up under th
engine clawing among a networl
of chains and gearing, talking Mex
ican meanwhile. Somebody trans
lated it as a broken Transmission
shaft Then the other train. com
ing from Brownsville. appeare
J around the bend ahead. It ha
| been derailed and was several hour
, late. Its crew pitched in to heL
: the disabled train. Parts wer
!. scattered about and after thre
hours they were all back in plac
again. Meanwhile. Senator Ere
Hale had walked back to Point Is
abel for sandwiches and coffee.
!, Mrs. Harding Serves.
Mrs. Harding, sitting on an Ut
: turned suitcase, served the food a
5 senators, the president-elect, thei
; wives, md1ds. secret service me
: and newspaper men lined up fo
handouts.
= The Harding special, again
running order, had to hack int
Point Isabel to permit the secon
|. train to get into switch and tur
the engine around. The two train
arrived at the point about Z o'clocl
, All was set for . fresh start. b,
. the Harding special balked agai
. and after running q few feet, r,
fused to bulge farther. At best th
|. trip to Brownsville takes two hour
: or more by the railroad and becaus
= of the high probability Of furthe
engine trouble. 1t was decided /
remain overnight at the point an
try 1t again today rather than ru
I the chance OF strandinE the pres
dent-elect out on the lonely prairi
e during the night.
I MRS. FIELDS DIES.
$! Harrisburg. III. Nov. 15.-Mr
frA~yyA~ EN~lA~