Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1875 — A Boy’s Thrilling Ride. [ARTICLE]

A Boy’s Thrilling Ride.

Yesterday afternoon when the westbound freight train halted at Centralia several little boys, as is usual at that place, began to amuse themselves by playing “ hide and go seek’’ under the cars. One little fellow, Alvin Miller by name, and only four and a half years of age, thinking to hide more securely than the others, climbed upon the brake-bar of’one of the cars, and while in fois position the train unexpectedly pulled out. The frantic screams of the little fellow as he realized his perilous situation attracted the attention of all who happened to be near at hand, but, unfortunately, the train had started out under a full head of steam, with orders to reach Mgberly without stopping, and nothing could be done. Some one immediately telegraphed to the nearest telegraph station, Sturgeon, but the operator being out, a telegram was sent to Renick to have the train stopped. Arriving there, the officers of the train made search, but the boy was missing. The anxious crowd at Centralia, receiving this information, at once dispatched a hand-car to search for the mangled remains of the boy, for it was a natural inference that he had been crushed in the fall from the swiftly-moving train. The party traversed twelve long and weary miles of road, carefully scrutinizing every inch, in momentary expectation of finding the boy’s bleeding body. But, strange to relate, they found him at a house near the railroad, four miles west of Sturgeon, badly bruised, his head cut and back scratched, but still alive. The brave little fellow had ridden that distance astride the brake-bar, clinging to it with tlie grip of death, until, his hat falling off, he made a grab to catch it, which loosened his hold, and he fell off and eight cars passed over him. He got up and walked back a mile and a half to a house, where he was kindly cared for and a physician called in. He was taken back to Centralia and is doing well, and will in a day or two probably be out again. He, it seems, is an adopted son of Mr. James Felps, of Centralia, and undoubtedly is a little fellow of remarkable nerve. Few men who have liyed three-score and ten can claim such a dangerous experience —Columbia (III.) Herald.