The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-08-10
sEvENrY-FIvE MILES An HOUR.

bed spent night in stage. day in
the saddle, night in sleeping car, half
day doing business. half day in bed, and
was. after supper, enjoying cigar and a
newspaper, in the reading-rcom of the
r. House. in r. Ind. The news
paper was uninteresring, or else was ralh-
er sIeepy-and guess it was little of
both; SO that soon neglected it. to watch
the fantastic curling of the smoke from my
fine-favored Principe. didn't feel much
like talking, snd felt still less like reading:
but I did feel as if would like exceedingly
well to hear good story.
I had barely come to this conclusion,
and commenced wishing for some one of my
acquaintance to amuse me until the time
was up for the train. which was TO take me
to c., when recognized Ia the person
who sat next to me, fellow traveller in the
sleeping-car of the night before.
He was very agreeable looking little
man, with clear grey eye, light hair. san
dy whiskers and smiling mouth. Indeed
he had so much the appearance of the man
that would like to hear tell a story, that
thought Dame Fortune had smiled upon me,
when he recognized me with genial:
'How dye do, stranger 20
l returned his salutation, and asked him
some common place question about how he
had enjoyed the ride we took together.
He said something iu reply about the run
ming being too fast for the poor track; and
from this the conversation ran upon fast
travelling in general, for some time. AL
last remarked that sixty miles an hour
was the most speedy travelling that I had
ever done. Wherein pom my friend informed
me, with a pleasant but knowing smile,
that he had travelled considerable faster than
that, and in fact, faster than he had ever
heard of, beside.
OF course was anxious to know where,
when and how he had done it; and after II 2
modest assurance that he feared his tale
would not be interesting, my friend relieved
my anxiety by relating the following story:
II am rail road engineer. In fftysev-
en-, during the great panic, I was running
on the F. & G. R. r. The rail road COM
panies were growing tender, in all directions.
Every day we heard of new failures; and
quite often in a quarter where we least ex-
pected 1t. Our road was looked upon as
one of the most substantial in the nation;
nobody seemed to have any great fear that
it would fail to survive the general smash
up. But yet I did not fully share in the
general confidence. Wages were cut dow n
arrearages collected; and great many 9TH
er little matters seemed to indicate to me
that the road had got into rather deeper wa
ter than was agreeable, all around. Among
other things the master mechanic had told
Inc in the Spring, that the company had
ordered four first quality Taunton engines
for the Fall passenger business. Tie road
was put in the very best condition, and 9TH
er preparations were made, to cut down the
time, and put the trains through quicker
than was ever known before, when the new
engines should come. Well, there was but
one OF the new engines came.
81 said there was but one engine came,
and she was, in my opinion, altogether the
best ever turned out at the Taunton Works.
And this is as much as could be said in
praise of any engine. She was put in my
charge Immediately, with the understanding
that she was mine.
''It was Saturday when she came out of
the shop, and I was to take special train
up to y. The train was to carry up
the president, and several of the other Off
GERS of the road. to meet some officers of
another road, which crossed ours there, and
arrange some important business with them.
I bad no trouble at all, making forty miles
an hour going out. The engine handled
herself most beautifully. We were just
holding up at y, when Aldrch. the
treasurer, who had come out on the plat
form to put the brake on, slipped and fell.
AS we were yet under good Roadway, he
was very much injured, and was carried to
the hotel Insensible.
according to the presidents directions.
switched off my train. turned my engine,
and stood ready to start back to c. at
moments notice.
"Aldrich's presence was of SO much
importance, that the business could not be
transacted without him. So all those had
brought out. except the president and AL
drich, went back to c. on the three
O'Clock express train This was the last
regular train which was to pass over the
road until the following Monday.
early in the evening, left the machine
IN charge of my fireman, and went over to
an eating house, to see if could not spend
the time more pleasantly than on my engine
The hours dragged themselves away slow
ly l was taking game of dominoes with
the station agent, when in came Roberts,
the president. in state of great excitement
"'Harry,' said he to me. I want YOU to
put me down in c. at IL O'clock
cas- it was near IL O'Clock, and the dis.
lance was seventy-five miles. thought he
was joking at first; bu. when we got out
side the door, he caught me By the arm,
and hurried me along SO fast, that I saw he
was in earnest.
"'Harry. said he, 'if you don't SET me
down in c. by twelve O'Clock, am
ruined man, and this road is ruined road.
Aldrich is dead; but he told me before he
died, that he had embezzled from time to
time, fifty thousand dollars of our money;
and his clerk is to start on the twelve O'Clock
boat, from c. TO Canada. If we don't
have that money on Monday morning, to
make some payments with, the road goes
into other hands; and if you put me down
in C at the right time. so that I save
the money. you shall have five thousand
dollars. Understand it, harry? Five thou
sand dollars i
"Of course, understand it. saw now
the reason why the wages had been cut
down; I understood it all. and my blood
boiled. felt that would save the road if
/ lived, and told Roberts so.
L