Race With a Train.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7973, 9 November 1905, Page 4

Race With a Train.

riiuu-: lIUUSKH ux mi: LIXL ■AN KXCITIXC IN'CIDKX I". IH'XKItIX, Xuv. -1. An racewiili a train i.s itP'>rtul lii,m Si ntljlan.l as 11ii» result, of tlu'i'O liorsi's stiaying' onto tlio railway liii". 'Thf train, mi smtdfuly rDundiny a sharp curve, starlitvl llu; iuiimals. ami as thi-iv \vas u deep rtilch on ourh side ot tho'rails at that | particular spot, the liorSes took the oiih course open tc> lliein ami pillop- ♦ d away at lull speed in front of tho train. All the lt<,r:-rs c»»\t»rr< on. Mil this encumbrance made, ver\ little <I i fi'd'eiice in t h.. 'i r pace. All v.vnt well for a titiii'. dxit ulun on turning a -urve the-horses met with an olistaclo in tlie shape of alu nlj;e il appt'ared r-rtain 1 hev could not possihtv <-scape de.siruc' ion. 'I he .•f appliid 'the \\ est iny house brake wiili -all -Ivasl-'. hy a ii^ii'Velloiis piece of frwtuive the horses man. {|oed to clverk Uveir speed, iind alim.-st, instantly the hailer. closely followul hy his companions, jumped to Iho centre of lite track, ami over ihr two planKs in the miridic of the bridge. Ti was a marvellous feat (says the Times convspondeiu j. and the passengers wondered in breathless suspense nnablo to rcaliso For the noim nt what had ha|»peiied. 'i'ho horse* disappeared from \ ie\\ in a flit t iiiii". aird the passengers thought, ihev had seen the last of them. Such however Wits not the rase, for when the train emerged from the cutting the animals were then a quarter of u mile ahead, and still galloping as lor Icar life. The race was continued, ami just as tlie train was again overhauling the horses a not her bridge appeared in sight, and once more the brakes were applied by the driver. 'lhe hordes were racing abreast, and this bridge was a shorl one. a sort of culvert. about 20fi wide With uuerring instinct and judgn-.i-nt. Ihebu - st s with one accord seemed toga'h.v themselves for the-spring, ami without slackening pace one ioia cleared the culvert at a bound, and mdloped round live next hend. Kwniuallv 'hey Were turned oIT the line by some vurfacetiit n As the train daslied past "hem ihe passengers saw the poor beasts panting terril,t\. as a result nf ' heir urn.'l. rful race. The gallop bad liisi.il tor six mules, and as vhe train "nil, d up at Waipahi six minutes late •ach and all that' the siglu \as one which they would not soon forget.