Custer Weekly Chronicle

The failure of a B. & M. engineer to blow his engine whistle when approaching the crossing at the east end of Custer Avenue, came near costing H. F. Lake his life a few evenings ago. Mr. Lake was on his way home from a trip down to the race course and drove up the approach to the railroad track without thinking that it was about train time. The horse's nose was within six feet of the rails when the afternoon passenger train whirled by, having glided down the grade so noiselessly that neither man nor horse was aware of its presence until it was almost upon them. The mettlesome little pacer was frightened into a frenzy, and just as he started to jump away from the passing train, his driver jumped to the ground and grasped the reins close to the horse's head. The cart was turned over, torn loose from the horse, and rolled down the embankment. Mr. Lake was somewhat bruised by being dragged over the rocks in his efforts to quiet the horse, the harness was torn to shreds, and the cart slightly damaged. The engineer probably blew the whistle when his train entered the town, but he certainly did not at the crossing, and it is almost a miracle that a terrible accident did not result. The crossing is a dangerous one at best, as trains may come very close from either direction without being seen by any one on the east side approach. In coming down the grade, especially, little or no noise is made by the passenger train, and the safety of passers by requires that the whistle should be blown long and loudly just before the crossing is reached.