Cape Breton's Magazine

The Haunted Railroad Car at St. Peters Told by Stephen Patrick Sampson The haunted car story. One summer the Cape Breton Railroad Company decided to fence their railroad property from St. Peters to Point Tupper. So they sent a man and his son, and an old man for company, from George's River with a work car to live in while they were getting the job done. The work car was put on a siding at Whiteside. The railroad foreman, Alfred Morrison, or? dered a flanger car to be put on the same siding the boss's car was on. From St. Peters to Sporting Mountain, we walked to our work. The section foreman got lumber and got the boys to build bunks and shelves to store our food and dishes. While the flanger car was in St. Peters, the boss who was doing the job got news from his home that some relative or friend died, so he went back to his home and took his son and the old man with him. After they were gone and the flanger car was moved to the same siding that the boss's car was put on, we started to work during the day. One night some of the boys went to a dance in Louisdale. They took a pump car that we had and travelled to the dance which was about twelve miles from where our car was. So one of our boys made a dish of fudge and we played cards until eleven o'clock, after which we went to bed. Everything was quiet until we heard the boys coming home from the dance, singing. I suppose they had a few drinks of liquor and felt happy. They took the pump car off the main line and put it on the siding. Then this big object appeared before them, so tall they couldn't see the head. The boys froze right where they were, too frightened to speak. They made a dash for the car we were in and when we opened the door they fell face first on the floor. The next day it was the talk of the place. The third night, one of the hired men, Dan Thibeau, said to all of us, "There is no such thing as ghosts. I'll prove that to you tonight." So we left it at that, and waited for our brave man to perform his magic. We all went to bed early because we were tired after our day's work on the fence. So just at twelve o'clock, we all were awakened from the noise on the roof of the car. 'H'-; It sounded ''S''""'* like a big fiv;'} stone was '; rolling from one end of the car to the other. One fellow got up out of bed and lighted all the kerosene ,, lamps. Our magic man picked up a switch broom that was near the bunk we were in. This kind of a broom has a sharp steel point on one end and a broom on the other, used on (railway track) switches to break ice and sweep it away. He held the broom in his hand and shouted, "Whoever in hell you are, I dare you to come in this car." With that, the bolt that was on the door and a button, started to turn and the door started to open. The two Morrison boys braced their feet on the door trying to keep it shut but their legs buckled. The door opened wide and this big creature all in white clothes floated down to the other door and disappeared. Our brave boy held the broom in his hand but never tried to use it on the ghost. He turned towards me and said, "You are going to sleep alone tomorrow night. I'm going to sleep with one of the other boys. I think he is after you." I felt the cold chills creeping over me. What if it should happen? What would I do? I had to face it. So sure enough that ghost came in the car the fourth night and threw pots, pans, dishes and food on the floor. Then it came towards me, put its ice cold hand on my neck and started to squeeze. I screamed STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 30 ' Oceon Jlentolsltd. Contractors Lawn & Garden Equipment Equipment Compressors Tillers Welders Sod Cutters Drills, Saws Air Eators Call: GLACE BAY 849-1616 South (Campbells Comer) - P. O. Box 265 General Engine Hoists Jacks Tow Bars & Much More... Stone's Superior Homes Ltd. Comer Highway #4 & Blackett's Lake Road (P. O. Box 1659) SYDNEY. N. S. BIP 6T7 • 564-9095 MOTOR HOMES Citation Sterling OPEN Monday-Friday 9 AM - 8 PM TRAVEL TRAILERS Prowler • Citation • Glendale • Bonair At STONE'S SUPERIOR HOMES Every Day Is Open House OPEN Saturday 10 AM-4 PM