Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1896 — Mystery of a Railroad Track. [ARTICLE]

Mystery of a Railroad Track.

On the Carolina Central Itallrona there is a piece of track about six miles In length that haa been a puzzle to tluofficers and workmen, and the locality is regarded by many wttn a good deal of superetttlon. All trains going and coming go to grinding and start a terrible squeaking when they get on this six miles of track. The noise comes not from one car, but every locomotive, every coach, and every ear of whatever kinds sets up a grinding as If turning a curve. The noise Is something like the screeching of ox cart that has no grease on It, nnd It is made by every truck In a train. The track Is perfectly straight, and as there Is no curve at all the cause of the grinding and squeaking has mystified the railroad people. Every effort haa been mode to ascertain the cause of Cite difficulty. The locomotives have lieen examined, the coaches and cars have lieen scrutinized, Avery cross tie ami every rail has lieen Inspected, every Joint has Imii looked at, every foot of the track has Ihmti regauged, but no explanation could lx* found. The section master has almost crawled over the six miles on his knees in search of the cause; the rondniaster hits tried his best to ferret out the matter; mid the superintendent has lieen over the track and insiiected It—all of them making repeated efforts time and again to find out what Is the matter — but they have given It up as a bad Job. They have not only been unable to discover the cause of the noise, but have not been able to discover any theory to explain the mystery.