Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-11
THE NEW ENGINE.
Railroad Excursion to sardis, HI

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Railroad Excursion 10 sardis, Miss.
The machinists Of the Mississippi and
Tennessee railroad having built fine
engine, it was resolved by the road Off
Gals to take her out on trial trip yes
terday, and invitations were extended to
numbers Of our citizens including mem
bers Of the Fourth Estate. The engine
No. is q perfect piece Of machinery,
weighing nearly thirty tons, and Of great
motive and running power. 1t was Gem
menced under the supervision of the
late Henry league, master mechanic,
and on his death the company selected
Mr.. James Eblin to I'll the position Of
master mechanic. Mr.. Eblin completed
the enterprise began by Mr.. league.
He has an able corps Of assistants in
Mr.. Messenger, foreman Of the machine
shop, Mr.. G. B. Brownson, who does
the finishing and ornamented brass,
copper and iron work, and Mr.. Messen-
ger, who does the artistic painting. At
ten o'clock yesterday morning crowd
of ladies and gentlemen reached the
depot and took possessionsof the palace
car, which, with baggage car and en-
CINE, formed the excursion train.
President F. NJ. White, Superintendent
James Yonge, Freight AgentP. O.Wood,
Assistant Auditor F. M. White, jr., and
other officers Of the road, received the
invited guests, among whom we're ex-
Governor Harris, Captain Richardet,
Major Whitmore, Messrs. Cooke, Ward
low, Sledge and others.
on THE ENGINE.
The LEDGER representative took seat
on the engine as it moved out of the
depot. Master Mechanic Eblin acted as
engineer, and showed all the fine points
Of his handiwork. Turning screw here
or crank there, pulling out lever and
putting the engine up to its work, speed
of forty-fve miles an hour was obtained
without difficulty. Rushing over bridges
and through woods in wild fight, the
screaming of the whistle gave warning
that hogs and cattle should clear the
track, which they did with due sense
of propriety and acknowledgment of the
power of steam. The engine flew past
Whitehaven, Horn Lake, fernando, over
the Cold Water bridge, past Senatobia,
Como and into Sardis, the place
of destination. The denizens of
Sardis turned out in force to receive the
Memphis delegation and welcome them
TO their inland city. Our representative
paid a visit to the Office of the Pamela
Star, of which Mr.. Freeman Randolph is
proprietor, and was received by the
Star men with due courtesy. In Pamela
county, Mississippi, all the white people
and fair proportion Of the. colored men
are for Greeley and Brown and against
Grant. Politics were generally discussed
yesterday, and the action of the Demo
cratic Convention at Baltimore was
eagerly awaited. The crops of wheat,
corn and cotton throughout De Soto and
Pamela counties are good; hence the
planters are jubilant.
AT sARDIs AND HoMEwARD BOUND.
At three o'clock the excursion train
moved out of Sardis few miles to a
grove, where it was stopped and an ele-
CANT dinner was set in the baggage car
for the guests. The substantials and
liquids were thoroughly enjoyed, Mr..
F. NJ. White, jr., who was the active
man of the occasion, doing everything
in his power to entertain the ladies and
gentlemen assembled. Leaving the
shady grove the train started for Mem
phis and whirled onward beneath the
watchful care Of Superintendent Yonge
and Master Mechanic Eblin. A high
rate of speed was obtained on the long
stretches Of straight track between Sar-
dis and Memphis. The road bed and
track are in fine order; hence there was
no danger in humoring the engine to the
top of her bent. A number of the ladies
took seats on the engine and tender, and
enjoyed the exhilarating ride. In two
hours the distance, fifty miles, was made
and the train moved into the depot, car.
rying its load of delighted excursionists
to their homes. On its arrival at the
depot the workmen of the machine shop
were invited to partake of repast on
board the train. A dinner was spread
and the employees eat and drank in
honor of the new engine, the first ever
turned out of the Companys shops.
Altogether the trip to Sardis and back
was most pleasant, and the officers of
the road received what they were entitled
to, the congratulations of the guests on
their enterprise, and on the perfect con-
dition of the section of road between