Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-09-04
The Qsiekest Time with Locomotive ON Re-
cord In the Csised stases

During the recent severe CONFEDERATION
at Marlborough. Mass. 1t became necessa-
~ To despatch aid from the Worcester fire
department. We copy from Worcester
paper the following account of the wonder
fully quick time in which fire engine was
conveyed to the scene of action
The locomotive Wellesley" was coupled
10 the two flats aud caboo>e. aud Engi-
necr French opened the valves at ten min
uic> past three o'clock. A. the train gath
cred hcadway every one on board knew
that the engineer was planning for time
run. III" fireman and press representa-
tlyes chung 10 the spokes of the machine
wheels and let the big cinders paitcr on
their clothes with occasional starts as hot
ones lodged under their collars or up
their coat sleeves. The lanterns on the
steamer aud carriages showed bv their
ilickering that the train was rolling with
sweeping speed, but everything rode
smoothly except at switches and on sharp
curves.
The break at Brookfic ID len he train a
clear track from start To stop, aud the
whistle was only blown twice: a. the cars
shot past Grafton, and just before the sig
nal tor down brakes was given hen West
borough was In sight. As the train slack
ed speed for the stop the watches showed
less than eleven minutes from the starting
time and hardly more than dozen min
utes Is 10 he given a the time in which the
twelvc-mile run was made. While Eugl-
necT French ran more cautiously on curves
at some Of the stretches OF straight track
the lever was forced TO the utmos, and
every available ounce OF steam power
given chance In the cylinders. From
mile stone To mile stone must have been
passed once or twice in les. than sixty sec
onds.
An account extracted from another pa
per i a. follows:
The engine and hose carts were spiked
on two Hat cars. q caboosc car added for
the men. aud tie train drawn by the Gu
CINE Ncllesly was started at 10 II the
watches of those on board may be relied
upon the run 10 Westboro was the fastest
ever made in the country. The distance Is
twelve miles. and the time given bv those
who held their watches from the moment
the engine struck the main track was ten
minutes. The engineer himself. Mr.
French. made IL thirteen minutes. but this
IL ludcd switching the engine NJ the de-
pot. Whatever the time NAV have been.
the speed was such, that those on the train
'Nf%44AtN AAttG pA-t lives aNl Inlgf .pOl
resolutions for the future 10 al unlimited
extent
The engineer mentioned la the foregoing
i Warren French. son of Benz ". French.
of This city. Many OF our readers will re-
member him a. the boy who In former
years run the little steamer Gipsy on the
lakes lie was afterwards engaged in the
employ Of the ~. Croix aud Penobscot
Railroad Company. While running the
GipSy. Hon. Harvey Jewell of Mass. ac-
quired liking for the lad on account of
his energy aud push, and made a request
that he should be kept at school for two
years. which was done, Mr.. Jewell paving
the amount required TO meet the expenses
of clothes and schooling during tina, term.
French is now about twenty-four years of
age.-lCalais Times.