The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-11-24
THE ELKO INDEPENDENT.
WEDNESDAY,. SovEABER ~. 1853.
u. Loeomotiy, ma r.i,1r,nh.

OF the many wonderful inventions and dis
cOveries Of the nineteenth century the locomo-
tive and telegraph stand forth prominently as
types and representatives of the progress of
the age To person possessed of an emo
tional nature, the sight Of the Lightning Ex-
pres under full motion Is calculated TO excite
feelings Of the keenest and most unalioyed
pleasure; something akin to those experienced
by soldier when passing through the excite
ment Of q success full charge. or listener
held spell-bound by the fervid elo9uence of a
public speaker or entraneed by the perform
anoe of a gifted cantatrice. The noisy Demon
STATIONS Of small boys. bowling Ike a lot of
coyotes whenever the Lightning train passes
through our town, must not be construed as
evidences Unpopular disspPrcbation, but rather
as indications Of suppressed emotion which
must find vent in some unusual manner
II from some central point in the United
States-say the plains of Kansas person
could be elevated far enough so that, for opti-
cal purposes, the curvature of the earth might
be overcome, and then suppose our sronaut
endowed with supernatural vision, what sights
would greet his enraptured gaze! All over the
thickly settled portions OF our country he
would see a network of railroads correspond
ing to the veins and arteries on the surface of
the human body, and along them, night and
day. he would behold trains rushing at light
ming speed II he should confine his atten-
ton to that great artery of travel, the Pacific
Railway. from the States and Territories on
either side, he would see mail coaches, private
e..
bag in hand, all hurrying TO catch the train.
Crowds Of people, on the arrival of the train,
would be seen pouring into the cars without
allowing an opportunity to those who desired
to disembark. Possibly he might hear shouts
Of laughter from the spectators as some belated
pedestrian, at "double-quick'' pace, vainly
essayed 10 oyertAke the departing tnlin. In
the early days of railroads, people living at a
distance from the line OF the road had very
vague and generally exaggerated ideas Of the
speed OF railway trains. 4 lad from the rural
districts, having learned from some of his
mates Of the wonderful speed Of the locomo-
tive, formed resolution of journeying to a
neighboring town by rail. Determined upon
not being left, he took his station on the rail-
way platform and, as soon as the train came
up, in his anxiety not TO be left behind, he
boarded the tender, from which. however, he
was promptly assisted by the toe Of the fire
mans boot. 4 man and his son, likewise
from the rural districts, came down to a rail
way station at night for the purpose Of taking
IN early train on the following morning, stop
ping at q clergyman's house over night for the
sake of avoing expense. In the night he was
startled from his slumbers by the unearthly
scream Of the locomotive, when, springing
from his bed and donning portion Of his
wearing apparel, calling on his boy to follow
him, in a state OF bewilderment rushed on
board the train, which, unfortunately, was 60
ing in an opposite direction from the course
he wished TO pursue. ta -..e
If, with all our knowledge OF the employ
ment Of steam as a motive power, we cannot
witness the marvel Of the age without emotion,
what must be the sensations of the untutored
savages at first sight of the ''smoke-wagon'
dragging its lengthy train of cars after it. -Four
horses, only, have gained an historical repu-
tation; Pegasus, BucephAlus, Flora Temple
and Dexter. But the performance Of the feet
est of them pale before that of the iron steed
All hail to the "horse that never tires" en-
blem of progress, agent OF civilization! Pol.
ish his ribs Of steel; groom him well; feed him
with carbon; anoint his limbs with oil, and
when once he begins his fleet career, woe to
him vho crosses his pathway. ra
BY natural transition, we are led to speak
Of the twin brother of the locomotive, thc
electric telegraph, since, without the assistanc,
Of the latter, rsilrond travelling could not b,
prosecuted with safety. Though of recen
discovery, ia uss e. so intimately associate
with all the relations OF life that it has aIread,
become q necessity to The race. Men tear tho
envelop containing telegram with trembling
hands, in anticipation Of tidings of death OF
disaster. BY telegraph. large sums OF none,
are transmitted from place TO place. 1t sum
mons the skilled physician to the bedside o
the sufferer. II tells the hotsl.keeper how
many plates 10 set for his guests hundret
miles away. It would be impossible to emu
merate all the advantages OF this wonderful
invention. The operator, in his room o
acsnty dimensions, hears not the click of th,
instrument alone--it is the heartbeat of III,
nation, the pulse-throb of the universe. Div
ing under ocean, leaping across continent
rival Of thought, conservator Of justice. terro
Of criminals. thunderbolt of Jove, how shall
we fifty characterize thee? Appropriately
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