The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: May 3, 1915

Eight Pound Pike Captured by Hand

Brakeman Captures Fish Which Attempts Foolish Stunt in View of Passing Train.

A Fort Dodge traveling man, who returned yesterday from Minnesota, tells a true fish story which would have given Isaac Walton pointers on entirely (word missing here – new?) methods of fishing.

The train had just pulled out of Welch, Minnesota, and was traveling along the banks of the Cannon river, when the conductor, who was watching the stream, signaled the engineer to make a quick stop. Passengers looked out of the window expecting to see a Ford car on the cow catcher. Instead they saw the brakeman make a dash for the river and pick up a big fish which had fallen on the sand in an effort to work its way upstream by jumping the dam. With his prize wiggling and gasping in his hand he rushed back to the train. The fish was a pike, weighing eight pounds.

L. Williams, the brakeman, and the conductor, J. Peterson, took the pike back to the baggage room and the man from Fort Dodge overhearing them express a wish to keep the fish alive until they reached Northfield, secured a Turkish towel which he wrapped around it. Buckets of water were poured over it from time to time and the pike reached Northfield, the home of the brakeman, alive and in fine condition.

Anyone doubting the veracity of this story can write to L. Williams, Northfield, Minnesota, and have it verified.

Tags: 1915, Peterson, Williams