Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1888 — IN WESTERN QUICKSANDS. [ARTICLE]

IN WESTERN QUICKSANDS.

A Lost Locomotive Proves the Difficulties of Railroad Construction Over Them. “In the construction of the Kansas Pacific and Atchison, Topek,a and Santa Fe Raikoads,” said H, L. Carter, a railroad contractor of St Joseph, the other day, “one difficulty of frequent experience was met with which, as far as my experience goes, is unique in railroad history. I refer to the trouble arising from quicksands. From Western Kansas to the mountains quicksands are to be found in nearly every stream, no matter how small, and to successfully bridge them required an expenditure out of all proportion to the si ze of the stream to be crossed. “We tried pile driving, but the longest piles disappeared without finding the bottom. Then filling with earth and stone was attempted, and met with equally poor success, as the quicksand was apparently capable of swallowing

the entire Rocky Mountains. The only means of crossing was found to be to build short truss bridges across them. This was very expensive, but was the only thing to be d6ne. As an instance of the practically bottomless nature of the quicksands, I may cite that an engine ran off the track at River. Bend, about ninety miles from Denver, on the Kansas Pacific. The engine, a targe freight, fell into the quicksand, and in twenty minutes had entirely disappeared. Within two days the company sent out a gang of men and a wrecking train to raise the engine. *To their surprise they could not find a trace of it. Careful search was made, magnetized rods were sunk to a depth of sixty-five feet, but no trace of the engine could he found. It had sunk beyond human ken, and from that day to this has never been discovered.

“Cattle and horses are frequently lost, the only animal that is safe being the mule—the only animal that never gets caught. No greater instance of the intelligence of the same malignant quadruped can be cited than the skill with which it avoids all unsound bottom. As its hoofs are much smaller and narrower than those of a horse it would mire down in places where a horse would be perfectly safe. Recognizing this fact, when a mule feels the ground giving way under his feet he instantly draws back and cannot be induced to advance a step, although a whole drove of horses may have immediately pre’ceded. Those who think a mule stupid are much mistaken.”