Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1916 — BIRDS CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS [ARTICLE]

BIRDS CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS

Many Mishaps on Railroads Have Been Traced to the Actions of the Feathered Tribe. Some peculiar difficulties on railroads rfr’e caused by birds, says London Tit-Bits. A fireman on the engine of a passenger train from Cardiff to Fishguard, after passing Peterstone station, while looking out through the engine spectacle glass for signals, was injured by an owl which flew against the glass and broke it, causing a piece of glass to enter the fireman’s eye. The train was quickly stopped, medical attendance secured and later the man was removed to the hospital. The injury, however, was so serious that the unfortunate victim of this singular -occurrence iae lost the sight of one eye and the sight of the other is jeopardized. A short delay from a most exceptional cause occurred on one occasion to the 10:20 a. m. passenger train from Paddington to Worcester. When the train was near Pangbourne a rook flew against the front of the engine, striking the pipe of the vacuum brake and causibg the pipe to become detached from the plug. This admitted air to the brake pipes, causing the brakes to be applied, thus stopping the train. At Cardiff station the 4:45 a. m. express, Paddington to Carmarthen, was one day delayed owing to a swarm of bees on the platform hampering the railwaymen’s operations.