Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-13

@ 1917 o10aN 9A@ Nhe 49, 49,
Of strange form. Two smoke.stacks
stood up at the head Of the machine, and
these occasionally assumed a horizontal
position, being swung on pivots. The
passengers on the first trial trip we're
our reporter, q stranger who did not say
a word during the run, and a darkey and
his sweetheart. The entire party settled
their fare by putting in the box a six and
a quarter cent check. At q given sig
nal made by the driver, who just emerged
from a n~eighboring beer saloon, the en-
CINE moved off in good style around the
curve into Vance street; and down the
grade between that and Lauderdale
some very good time was made. Our
reporter timed the thing and found it to
be ten minutes-distance four squares.
At the corner of Lauderdale the donkey
engine tried to jump the track snG go
down Vance, but the driver held it level
aud pulled it around the curve, which
Strengthened out up Lauderdsle street
and on to Beal. Owing to the boxes
being hot the packing was on fire, and
the driver had to switch his train in order
to cool off. Had there been a beer
saloon on this corner he would have
fred up instead Of cooled off. The
stop was fortunate, however, for in a few
seconds a green light, a danger signal,
came bobbing down the track, and in
about ten minutes q passenger accom-
mediation train pulled up side by side
with the lightning express, thereby pre-
venting a collision, which would have
ensued had both trains %endeavored to
pass each other on the single track.
Our lightning express driver finding out
that be was q few seconds ahead Of time
engaged in an earnest literary discus
sion with the driver of the accommoda
ton about tickets. After lighting cigars
and swapping n few lies, the drivers
parted and both trains moved on in op
posite directions. Up Lauderdale pas
Linden our engine worked badly ant
the train was delayed several minute
ere it reached the curve on the corne
of Beal. The engine had some afeC
ton for the sidewalk and made franti
? efforts to leave the track and establish
new route not as yet surveyed by th.
railroad engineer, but the driver fred NJ
with hickory wood that cracked aroun,
the engine in quite an audible manner
consequently we reached Beal in an
other ten inmates.
/. Having an engagement up town in twt
hours from that time, our Representative,
gravely considered the propriety of gel
ting out and walking, but recollectini
that if he did so he would lose three an
an eighth cents and the compound inter
est on the same, as be had already mad
half the distance, he concluded to rid
the trip out, ever if the railroad CON
pany had to go into bankruptcy, or wa
compelled to pay dividends to the stool
holders who do not belong to the triun
virate ring that holds a majority Of III
stock and who elect each other to th
three big Offices.
The train started off again down Bet
e and down grade in good style and spec
I until it reached fernando street, wher
the upgrade to Main commences. On
man looked out Of window and althoug
the train seemed to be going, he was a
; tonished to see men, women and childre
pass it almost with the rapidity Of ligh
Aing, Notwithstanding the fact that the
were walking and the train was suppose
, to be running.
Main street wss reached in ten mol
minutes, making thirty minutes out fror
the union depot at the head of VanC
street. AS the donkey engine, called Il
mule, turned up Main it made a frant
effort to walk around the train, and b
come a passenger by getting in at Il
rear door, but this ruse or piece Of 'stra
.egy was circumvented by the section DO
or hagman, who usually stands on tn
corner. He borrowed a chunk Of hickol
: from a friend and let into the engine
a very persuasive manner; 80 the engiu
seeing the track clear in front, made
lunge or two and went forward, amid t
y eloquent profanity of the driver.
g past Gayoso, Union, Monroe, Maids,
s, to Court Square the train sped at a sni
rs pace, and at this central junction o
e representative jumped from the train
the risk of his ife%-iorgetting to
round and get the other three passe
le gers to sign a set Of compliments
al resolutions to be presented to Il
Ii officers Of the road and Il
driver, and praiping the engine, pala'
car, road-bed and the schedule time. II
exact time made by the lightning EXPIRE
20 train from the head of Vance street
Court Square, a distance of about a m
"a. and a half, was thirty-eight minutes,
I'd cording to the twenty.dollar Jules JurI
sen chronometer watch belonging to o
representative. From rapid Observable
re- made by our man during the trip a
oe noted down at the moment, he discover
that the track all along the route is