Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1892 — A Railroad on Stilts. [ARTICLE]

A Railroad on Stilts.

Probably the moat unique railroad over built In this or any other was the Bradford and Postor Brook Luie. It connected Bradford and Derrick City, Pennsylvania, and was only four miles long, but did an immense business during the boom days in the oil regions. It was built in 1877, andftwo yearfe later went down in a smash that killed a number of people. The road was appropriately nick-named the “Peg-leg" from its peculiar construction, for it was built on stilts, and the passengers entered the cars from the second stories of the Btations. There was but one main rail, which was of iron, but there were two auxiliary wooden rails. The main rail rested on strong wooden beams, supported by massive stanchions, strongly braced. Two feet below the top beam were two wooden rails eight inches in width, which were securely nailed to the supporting stanchions. The wooden ‘'rails were mainly for balflncing purposes. The height of the odd little road varied from twelve to twenty-flve feet, accord- 1 ing to the lay of the land in the valley through which it was built. Without this elevation the scheme of the inventor would have been impossible. The cars fitted on the rail like saddlebags, hanging down oq each side, and were really two-story cars, the upper portion being used for passengers and the lower story for freight. The grotesque looking train was beaded by two engines connected with each other, one on each side of the main rail, the two balancing like the cars. When -the fireman put on more coal he was obliged to descend to the furnace by a ladder. The engines and cars ran on a set of Central wheels which protruded through the floors into wooden hoods put on to prevent their damaging passengers. The care Were narrow, and the main rails were broad. Whenever the car, tilted, side wholes caught the wooden rails and aided to preserve the equilibrium of the train. The ex-Confederates in South America are reminded of old times when they are asked SSO for a $5 boots, and when the clerk of the hotel presents them a bill of $25 for supper, breakfast and lodgings. The only thing which has not advanced is small-pox. ■ Charles who built the famous Sew York Tombs prison, is still living in that city at the age of ninety-five. He has seen the metropolis grow from a town of less than one hundred thousand inhabitants. The real estate agent may tell how the land lies, but not himself.