| OCR Text |
Show A VERITABLE "COWCATCHER". That queer looking projection shoved along ahead of a locomotive is usually called a "cowcatcher," though it more frequently catches some other object than a cow. But on the New Jersey Midland, near Johnson's on Thanksgiving Day, the cowcatcher to a passenger train proved to be no misnomer. The engineer noticed a cow upon the track, and knowing that he could not stop the train before it reached her, he opened the throttle of his engine, and "went for" the animal at full speed so as to throw her from the track. As soon as the locomotive struck the cow the engineer, noticing that she was caught somewhere on the front part of the engine, whistled for brakes, and the train was stopped after it had run about half a mile. When the train men went forward they found the cow on the level space between the boiler and the cowcatcher, apparently not much hurt, and lifting her down were surprised to see her walk off as coolly as if it was an everyday occurrence to be struck by an engine running at full speed, and as if she had rather enjoyed the ride. Old railroad men say they never heard of a similar accident. |
