BEES HOLD UP A TRAIN.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 38, 26 October 1909, Page 2

BEES HOLD UP A TRAIN.

BOYS TO THE RESCUE.

Whilo swarming bees aru credited with doing all sorts of unusual wuigs probably Hi is is tlie tirst turn- Uut j queen and its retinue and subjects com. plotely tied up a train, it Happened on the Marriman system at Twin i< Idaho, recently. 1 Tin cans, tom-toms, whistles, and other standard lures iailod to clislodga a swarm, which had settled in the spout of the standpipe at the water tank whore a long train of freight cars stood on the main line without sufficient water in the boiler of the big Mogul to pull out. The driver and coal-heaver did excellent steam work in trying to roach the pipe, but the bees gave them short shrift and the men refused to make the second attempt. H. A. Swab, a local expert in apiaries, arrievd upon the scene to cap. ture the swarm. He brought with him a nail keg and two long sticks. Ha sent his helper to ooax the honey, gatherers into the keg, but in less than six seconds the assistant had a score of active bees upon his sleeve, imd he lied. Swab also remembered he had an important business engagement elsewhere.

Ten foremen and members of the s<xtion crew were next routed, and when the engineer appealed to Agent Sullivan, that worthy declared that ho mj hired to handle freight and not stingers. The conductor, the engineer, and stoker all had schemes, but they were for others to execute. The brakeman offered no solution, for ho was already nursing a dozen or more knobs on his face, hands and neck.

Finally, a bystander prescribed the water cure. A well directed stream from a garden hose seomed to have a quieting effect, and the tank was lowered to the intake on the tender and the tank was filled with bees and water. While replacing the pipe the fireman was attacked by a few stragglers, and to protect himself from further on* slaught he tied a bandanna handker. chiof round his head. After raising the spout he tucked the handkerchief into his pocket and accepted the congratu* lations of the onlookers upon his escape, but while mopping his face i vagrant bee winged its way out of the folds of the bandanna and stung him on tho lip. After all tho excitement wilh the bees, two small boys climbed to the roof of tho water tank and with bare hands captured the queen, placing her in the bottom of the keg, into which the bees quickly swarmed. Swab bought the swarm, giving the boys 1.3(5 dollars to swell tho candy and lemonade fund, and the incident closed.