The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-07-31
sEvENrY-F,vE MILES AN HOUR.

| had spent night in stage, DAY in the
saddle, a night in sleeping ear, half a day do
ING business, bali day in bed, and was, after
supper, ei,jnynr cigar and a newspaper, in the
feadiug-room OF the R House, in -, Ind
The newspaper was unntercstng, or else | was
rather sleepy-a and guess it was little of both
that soon neglected il, 10 watch the fastastic
curling of the smoke from nv fine-tiavored Prin-
cipe. | didn't feel much Ike talking. and felt
still less like reading but did feel as if would
like exceedingly well to hear a good story.
had barely come to this conclusion, and COM
menced wishing for some one Of my acquaintan-
ces to amuse me until the tine was up for the
train. which was 10 take nie TO -, when re.
cognIzed'i in the person who sat next to me,
felow-traveler in the sleeping-car Of the nigh;
before.
He was very agreeable looking little man.
with clear gray eve, light hair, sandy whsker
and smiling mouth. Indeed he had so much the
appearance of the man that would ike to hear
tell story, that thought Dame Fortune had
smiled upon me, when he recognized me with a
genial
/" How dye do, Stranger
| returned his salutation, and asked him some
common place question about how he had enjoy
ed the ride we took together.
He said something in reply about the running
being too fast for the poor track; and from this
the conversation ran upon fast travelling in gen.
eral, for some time. At last | remarked that
sixty miles an hour was the most speedy travel
ling that l had ever done. Whereupon nv
friend informed me, with 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 TIE modest
assurance that he feared his tale would not be
interesting, NY friend relieved my anxiety by
relating the following story
81 am rail road engineer. In ftty-seven,
during the great panic, | was running on the T.
l. c. X. r. The rail road companies were grow
| ing tender, in all directions. Every day we
heard OF new failures; and quite often in quar-
ter where We least expected il. Our road was
looked upon "a one OF the most substantial in
the nation: nobody seemed to have any great
fear that i, would fail to survive the general
smash up. But vet did not fully share in the
general confidence. Wages were cut down ar
resrages collected; and great many other little
matters seemed 10 indicate TO me that the road
had got into rather deeper water than was agree
able, all round. Among other things the master
mechanic had told me in the Spring, that III,
company had ordered four quality Taunton en-
!, gneS Tor lne Z Az passenger business. Inc rOdS
was put in the very best condition. and othe
preparations were made, to cut down the time
and put the trains through quicker than was eve
known before, when the new engines shoul'
come. Well there was but one of the new en-
sines came.
: Il said there vas bu; one engine came, an
was, in my opinion. altogether the best eve
. turned out at the Taunton Works. And this
as much as could be said in praise of any engine
She was pu, in my charge Immediately with til
understanding that she was mine.
81, was Saturday when she came out of III
shop, and Twas to take special train up to T
The train was to carry up the president, and Sc,
: era of the other officers of the road, to me.
5 some officers of another road, which crosse
5 ours there, and arrange some important bushes
: with them. had no trouble at all, making fort
: miles hour going out, The engine handle
l. herself most beautifully. We we're just holdir
d up at y, when Adrich, the treasurer, wi
had come ou; on the platform to put the bral