Elisha K. Kane, president of the
Kushequa Railroad Company, accom-
plished one of his pet desires last Mon-
day morning-the crossing of the B., B. &
K. Railroad., at grade, thus giving his
road the opportunity of handling part of
the freight from the Smethport Window
Glass Factory.
Early Monday morning he brought a
large crew of men to Smethport and got
everything in readiness to surprise the
B., B. & K. officials. As soon as the
morning train left for Ormsby he started
tearing up the B., B. & K tracks and by
the time he got back from Ormsby
the Kushequa crew had the situation
pretty well in their own hands, the
track being torn up for some distance
and the frog being partially in position.
The B., B. & K. train was stopped by
the flag and after the passengers got off
the crew pulled two box cars out of the
glass factory switch and attempted to
"cork" the Kushequa movement by
throwing these cars onto the spot where
the crossing was to be made, but this
piece of strategy was blocked by Mr.
Kane and his men. The rails which
had been loosened were carried to one
side and spiked by the Kushequa crew
and when the cars were cut loose they
went into the ditch about two rods short
of the desired spot, thereby bottling the
B., B. & K. instead of the Kushequa.
The B., B. & K. then retreated to
the switch where they hoped to make
another stand, but a dilapidated bridge
across Blacksmith brook prevent a
quick charge and before the vanquished
ones could gather their forces Mr. Kane
had captured the switch, giving him
complete command of the situation.
A large crew of the dusty sons of
Italy, two trains and teams, under the
personal supervision of Mr. Kane and
his lieutenants, kept busy at about
2 p.m. had their track completed to
such an extent as to assemble them to run
a small dinky engine upon the new track
across the B., B. & K. and the battle.