River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-09-24
Description of the Cars Used ON ihe
New York Central Line. ARRANGE


The line complete will. therefore, con.
sist of twenty cars, or four for each train.
The letter distributing cars are fifty feet
in length, while those designed for news.
paper mails are ten feet longer. All arc
uniform in width, nine feet and eight
inches, and six feet and nine inches high
in the clear The finish of the exterior
does not differ, all of them being painted
white, with cream-colored borderings and
gilt ornamentation, highly vanished
within and without. Midway on the out
side and below the windows Of
each car IS large oval,
gilt-finished frame, within which is
painted the name of the car with the
words limited States Postoffice" above
and below. Along the upper edge and
centre are painted the words in large gilt
letters THE fast mai while on line
with these words at either end in square
are the words in like lettering "New York
Central and Lake Shore" The frieze and
trimmings around the windows are also
of gilt finish. At the lower side and ends
of the cars are ovals corresponding to
those in which the names are painted and
enclosing at one end painted landscape
scene in the background and in relief an
all'seeing eye. AT the opposite end, in
the same colors, on blue background, is
the United States coat Of arms.
In the runningappointments, as well as
all others, the most important
patents have been selected. The
platforms are enclosed on either
side by swinging doors, which
can be fastened open at will to prevent
Insurance by wind when the mail matter
is being trucked from the tenders to the
distributing cars and also as a guard
against any danger of its falling off. The
cars are supplied with patent air
brakes and patent spring brakes, and the
end doors ofthe cars are protected by an
enclosed platform. On either side of each
car are two doors supplied with patent
mailbag catchers for securing mail along
the route. The 60-leet cars are mounted
on six-wheel trucks, giving in all IL
wheels to each car. while the fifty-feet
cars are on four-wheel trucks Midway
beneath the car is assigned a small box
containing spare brake. beams, brake.
lever, rods, set of patent car-replacers
for use in case the car should get off the
track. and other material TO be used in
case of An ordinary accident.
The interior of the letter distributing
car is arranged with view for the utmost
convenience and dispatch. This is sup.
piled with bunk and bedding of i'm
proved sleeping-car model and closed
when not required for use. A lounge,
desk, and shelves for books, rack or
paper, clothes hooks, closets, and student
lamps complete the fixtures. On the OPP
posite side are arranged in surprisingly
small space water heaters, wash.stands,
lookin2-g lasses, water cooler. and numer-
Gus small closets for general use. The
next apartment is the letter distributing
office, around which counters are ar
ranged, boxes lettered with the names of
localities, 968 in number, filling the space
above the counter and along the sides.
Iron safes are always provided for the re-
ception of valuable packages. This
compartment is lighted by windows
from the coping, and for night
work six student lamps, arranged in con-
venient order, have been furnished. Be-
tween this room and the opposite end,
numerous hooks are placed along the
sides for the reception of mail bags, and
the space intervening is to be used for
the distribution of such miscellaneous
newspapers as may be received in tie let
ter bags. For this puspose ninety-two
large boxes are placed in one end of the
letter distributing box, with outward
shoots, supplied on the opposite side with
hooks, from which mail bags are suspend
ed. The side ventilation is furnished
with drop sash in the elevated roof,
covered on the outside with wire gauze;
to prevent disturbance from a two free
rush Of air and from dirt. Each car has
seven double windows, 2lx32 inches, the
top sash being made to drop.
The paper distributing cars are 60 feet
in length. and of the same width and
height as the others, and the same out
ward finish, with the exceptions named,
and the arrangement of the doors and
windows This class of postal car is in.
tended exclusively for newspapers. Boxes,
VA in number, are arranged along the left
side Of the car for little more than half
its length. These boxes are calculated to
hold Just one canvass of newspapers, and
are built with shoots and catches for bags
on the inside or outer edge, where the
bags are suspended during the process of
distribution. The remaining portion of
the car Is Tor general use, and Is supplied
with trucks and other facilities for NOV
ing, if necessary, heavy loads lof mail
matter from one end of the train to the
other without any extra labor or danger
of mishap.
The running time between this city
and Chicago, a distance Of over 1000
miles, will be at first 20 hours, including
stops, but it IL in contemplation, if every
thing works satisfactorily, TO reduce this
time somewhat.
Six crews will be employed on each
train. changing at points along the route,
as it is now arranged that no one crew
will be compelled to labor on any trip
more than five hours.
The Ward VIII Case.
The Z. b. Ward contested will case at