Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-09-17
THE FAST MAIL TRAINS.
Colonel Scett Starting his Train with
Twenty-Five Thousand New York
Newspapers. but no Mails
Through 10 Chicago in
TNeniy-SiN Hours.
From The New York sun. nm

/ gOOu turn iOf small party OF exclusion
lists who crossed from New York to JeT-
sey City between four aud five O'Clock
yesterday morning: The mail trains
that were to start from New York 10y
the two i.val roads to meet again in
Chicago, owing to unavoidable ciTcum-
stances started on one line only, and the
| one that went carried no mail. The
original plan gave TO the Central road
! the monopoly from the postOtfics de-
! partment Of carrying the west rn mails
and the morning newspapers by limited
express from New York to the west.
For eighteen months the Pennsylvania
road had been running an engine with q
single car which took the New York
newspapers, damp from the press. to
| land them by seven o'clock st the Phil
| adelphia kfast-tables. 1t had been
bit of enterprise in its way, but was
overshadewed by the great movement
which was to take the same newspapers
| by rival route and carry them, not to
Philadelphia in two hours, but to Chi
| csgo in twenty.siX.
On application to the postoffice de-
partment the Pennsylvania company
obtained permission to carry mails to
the south and southwest, to such points
as could not be 50 quickly covered by
the New York route. Yesterday morn
ing was appointed for the initial trip,
but arrangements were not complete on
the New York road, and therefore no
mails will be sent by either route until
Thursday morning. Adhering to its
original schedule, the Pennsylvania
train stood ready in the Jersey City de-
pot at half-past four O'Clock. On the
ferry which transferred the few guests
from the New York shore were the
heavy drays laden with newspapers
wrapped in large bundles, and as they
left the ferry, other drays, heavy with
peaches, and milk and garden produce,
took their places on the boat to GO for
the Teplen shment Of the New York
market. Some drays, piled high with
tue carcasses Of beef from the d6dttOjr,
brstled With the fat shanBs that looked
palid in the dim iight.
TIE last rain awaited the epaTty at the
depot. There was only locomotive, 8
newlpapar car, pure white mail car,
aud ln9 private car tf the railroad Cffi-
ciais. In the newspaper car there were
over twenty. five thousand copies Of the
morning newspapers to be delivered at
Philadelphia, or 10 be fiaEg out at the
stations along the way. Besides these
there were three Thousand i've hundred
copies 10 be distributed IN Cincinrati,
Louisville, Chicago and st. Louis This
represented development Of business
which, eighteen months ago, was &C.
cOmmOdsted by train which carried
three thou and copies to PhiIadelphis.
There are no compartments in the news
paper car, and at starting the floor was
stTeWn knee deep with akwArd p2cka-
ges, which the deXterCu5 distributor
piled into regular heaps representing the
cities and villages the train would pass.
The postal car was ready for its first trip, |
but was to go empty. 1t was built for |
special purpose, and all the devices |
which invention have designed are ad- |
ded to it. From The cutter door hangs a |
long iron bar and hook which can be-, |
when occasion requires, thT0Wn out to |
catch mail bags while the train is at |
full speed. Within are compartments |
for the asserting Of mail matter, 50 that |
it can be divided first acci ing to grand |
routes and thrown into large chutes, |
then subdivided into large boxes for
cities and counties, and again into /
smaller divisions for minor places. A
compartment at one end of the car af-
fords room for the boOk-keeper, who
casts his accounts of mails received and
mails delivered, and strikes an exact
balance when his journey is at an end.
The pOstal-car was carried merely as a
trophy, for no mails are to be dispatched
by it until Thursday morning. It
marked, though, the officer : aid, the inn
patience OF the company to adopt the
new postal schemes. In the third csr
were beGs, which at half-past four
o'clock in the morning had a seductive
look, stove on which pot OF coffee
was boiling, and Il handsOmely-fitted
drawing-rOOm.
At ten minutes before five o'clock the
train left the Jersey CitS depot, and ten
minutes later two thousand newspapers
were thrown out upon the platform of
the Newark station. Thence to Phils-
delphia the train rolled on without a
stop, at steady rate Of fOrty-five miles
an hour. The headlight OF q freight
train that followed the express from Jer-
5ey City was reflected upon the wet sur
face Of the rails, and tied the two trains
together by a double band of fire, but
the connection was drawn out longer
and longer, and when it seemed about
to snap, the express-train dashed around
q sharp curve and rolled on alone, try
ing to Overtake the glare of its own head.
light.
A half hour out from Jersey City
there was shrill whistle OF alarm and
a hasty turning of brakes, but, without
stopping, the train in a moment re-
gained Its speed. A watchman had
swung out his lantern without light,
and at distance its color could not be 7
seen. One hour out the locomotive, at1
Junction, took up water
while at full speed from trough be-
tha to- 81,
out cloud Of spray on either sides \
' That's what raises the devil with the
tramps,n said q brakeman. You see,
the poor fellows climb up TO ride on the
bumpers of freight cars, and az they are
enjoying q snoOze the engine ploughs
through one Of those trOughs, and gem
orally brings down a ducking on their
heads"
In an hour and half the train crossed
The Delaware by the new bridge, which
has been open only week, ana in less
than two hours from the start the out
lines Of the centennial buildings in Fair.
mount park could be seen frOm the
train. AS the cars rushed over the new
bridge Manager Carpenter told story
Of an old lady who, a fortnight ago,
while crossing on the old bridge, asked
the conductor what river they were Oh.
"It's the Delaware, madam" said he.
ooh, indeed, 1 am SO glad" ex-
claimed she, "fOr it is the same one that
crossed with his troops, is
t nOt?"
''The very same, believe, madam"
"And it is altogether probable" sug-
sested the old lady, "that ne used this
IDENTICAL bridge, and it's piece of van
1alism, think, for MIR. Scott to tear it
Down to build new oneu
II agree with yOu,n said the conduct
n, land think that if you would write
% him he might perhaps leave it stand
ng just for a relic"
AS far as Philadelphia the excursion
SITS were Samuel Carpenter, eastern
passenger agent; George w. Barker,
superintendent; Joseph Hyer, general
ticket agent; and representatives of five
New York newspapers. In Philadel-
'his, D. Nj. Boyd general passenger
agent; W. M. WsllingtOn, general
outhern agent; General w. B Siper,
Frank E. May, L. Mango, and some
men joined the train, two
Darlor cars were added, and fresh To-
,omOtive was attached
The distribution of New York news !