Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-16
From the Literary Emporium
SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR.

From the Literary Emporium
SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR.
l had spent q night in a stage, a day in
the saddle, night In a sleeping-car, half
day doing business, half day in bed, and
was, after supper, enjoying a cigar and q
newspaper in the reading room of the R
House, in F., Indiana The newspaper
was uninteresting, or else l was rather
sleepy-and guess it was o little of both;
so that l soon neglected it to watch the fan
tastic curling Of the smoke from my fine
favored Principe. 1 didn't feel much like
talking, and felt still less like reading; but
| did feel as if I would like exceedingly
well to hear q good story.
had barely come to this conclusion, and
commenced wishing for some one of my ac-
ouaintances to amuse me until the time was
ND for the train which was to take me to
c., when 1 recognized, in the person
who sat next to me, fellow-traveler in the
sleeping-car of the night before.
He was very agreeable-looking little
man, with clear gray eye, light hair,
sandy whiskers and smiling mouth. Indeed,
he had so much the appearance Of the man
that 1 would like to hear tell a story, that l
thought Dame Fortune had smiled upon me,
when he recognized me with genial,
"How dye do, stranger?"
returned his salutation, and asked him
some commonplace question about how he
had enjoyed the ride we took together.
He said something in 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, At
last 1 remarked that sixty miles an hour
was the most speedy travelling that had
ever done. Whereupon my friend informed
me- with a pleasant but knowing smile;
that he had travelled considerably faster
han 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
The modest assurance that he feared his tale
would lot be interesting, my friend re-
lieyed my anxiety by relating the following
story;
II am railroad engineer. In 81, dur
ing the great panic, was running on the
F. and c. R. r. The railroad companies
were growing tender, in all directions
Every day we heard Of new failures; and
quite often in a quarter where we least ex-
pected it. 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 l did not fully share in the
general confidence. Wages were cut down;
arrearages collected; and great many
other little matters seemed to indicate to
me that the road had got into rather deeper
water than was agreeable all around
Among other things, the master mechanic
had told me, in the Spring, that the com
pany had ordered four first quality Taunton
g., tho To-
The road was put in the very best condi
tion, and other preparations were made t.
cut down the time, and put the trains
through quicker than was ever known be
fore, when the new engines should come
Well, there was but one Of the new engines
came.
~ said there was but one engine came
and she was, in my opinion, altogether tn
best ever turned out at the Taunton Works
And this is as much as could be said il
praise of any engine. She was put in ny
charge Immediately, with the understand
ing that she was mine.
at was Saturday when she came out ot
the shop, and was to take a special train
up to Y. The train was to carry up the
president and several of the other officers
Of the road, TO meet some officers of another
road, which crossed ours there, and arrange
some important business with them. I had
no trouble at all making forty miles an
hour going out. The engine handled her.
self most beautifully. We were just hold
ing up at y, when Aldrich, the treas
urer, who had come out on the platform Il
Put the brake on, slipped and fell. As vi
were yet under good headway, he was yer!
much injured, and was carried to the hote
insensible.
According to the presidents directions
] switched of my train, turned my engine
and stood ready to start back to C at
moments notice.
"Aldrich's presence was Of so much in
portanee, that the business could not
transacted without him. So all those / ha
brought out, except the president and ALI
rich, went back to c. on the thrC
o'clock express train. This was the la
regular train which was TO pass over Ii
road until the following Monday.
"Early in the evening, left the machin
in charge of my fireman, and went over
an eating-house to see if l could not spen
the time more pleasantly than on my en-
gine. The hours dragged themselves ava
slowly. was taking game Of domino
with the station agent, when in came Rot
erts, the president, in state Of great e.
citement.
"Harry,' said he to me, want you
put me down in C at twelve o'clock
"As it was near eleven o'clock, and Il
distance was seventy-fye miles, thougI
he was joking at first but when we got ou
side the door, he caught me by the arm, an
hurried me along so fast, saw he was
earnest.
"TIary,' said he, If you don't set n