Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1917 — STOPPING A RAILWAY TRAIN [ARTICLE]

STOPPING A RAILWAY TRAIN

Cars and Steamboats Have Been Held Up by insects and Animals— Earwig Stopped Service. The earwig which some time ago held up the District railroad service in London by short-circuiting the electric signaling apparatus was unwittingly emulating the spider which, In 190?, dislocated the traffic of the Irish Great Northern railroad for nearly two hours, says London Tit-Bits. The electric staff instrument failed, the cause being traced to a spider between the lever and contact points. It Is only three or four years ago that a train w r as derailed on the London & Northwestern railroad owing to a hedge-hog having been caught between the point and side rails and preventing them from closing properly. A Mississippi steamer was not long ago stopped by an invasion of willow bugs, which made for the engine room and clogged the engines; while about five years ago a swarm of bees took possession of a South African railroad station, drove off the passengers and officials and prevented any trains from entering until they took their leave In the evening.