Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-10-13
A Ride With George Stephenson.

i
In the October AtIantic Fanny Kem-
BILE gives the following account of trip
on Stephenson's railroad:
| We had now come fifteen miles, and
stopped where the road traversed a wide
and deep valleyTi Stephenson made me
alight and led me down to the bottom of
this ravine, over which, in order to keep
his road level, he has thrown magnifi-
cent viaduct of nine arches, the middle
one of which is seventy feet high, through
which we saw the whole of this beauti-
full little valley. 1t was lovely and won
derful beyond all words. He here told
me many curious things respecting this
ravine; how he believed the Mersey had
once rolled through it; how the soil had
proved so unfavorable for the foundation
of his bridge that it was built upon piles,
which had been driven into the earth to
an enormous depth; how while digging
for foundation he had come to a tree
bedded in the earth fourteen feet below
the surface of the ground; how tides
are caused, and how another food might
be caused; all of which | have remem-
bered and Noted down at much greater
length than | can enter upon ithere. He
explained to me the whole construction
of the steam-engine, and said he could
soon make famous engineer of me,
which, considering the wonderful things
he has achieved, Ldare not say is impos-
sible. His way of explaining himself is
peculiar, but very striking, and under
stood without difficulty all that he said
to me. We then rejoined the rest of the
party, and, the engine having received its
Of hn ~ IL
behind it, for it cannot turn, and was set
off at its utmost speed, thirty-fye miles
an hour, swiftcr than a bird flies (for they
tried the experiment with snipe). You
cannot conceive what that sensation of
cutting the air was; the motion is as
smooth as possible, toosoI could either
have read or written; and as it was, ]
stood up, and, my bonnet off, " drank the
air before me."i The wind, which was
strong, or perhaps the force of our own
thrusting against it., absolutely weighed
my eyelids down. Qremember similar
experience to this, the first time / at
tempted to 90 behind the sheet of the
Cataract of Niagara; the wind coming
from beneath the waterfall met with
such direct force that 1t literally bore
down my eyelids, and / had to put off
the attempt of penetrating behind the
curtain of foam till another day, when
that peculiar accident was less directly
hostile to me in It's conditiops,) When
l closed my eyes this sensation of fy-
ing was quite delightful, and strange
beyond description; yet, strange as it
was, had q perfect sense of security,
and not the slightest fear. At one time,
to exhibit the power of the engine, ,haY',
ing met another. steam-carriage which
was unsupplied with water Mr.. Stephen,
son caused il to be fastened in front of
ours; moreover, a wagon laden with tim
Der was also chained 10 us, and thus, pro-
pelling the idle steam. engine, and drag
ging the loaded wagon which was beside
it, and our own carriage fun OF people
behind, this brave little she.dragon of
ours few on. Farther on she met three
carts, which, being fastened in front of
her, she pushed on before her without
the Slightest delay or difficulty; when
add that this pretty little creature can
run with equal facility either backward
or forward, ! believe 1 have given you
an account of all her capacities. Ir.
Now for word or two about the mas.
ter of all these marvels, with whom am
most horribly In love. He is man of
from fifty 10 'fifty-five years Of age; his
face Is fine, though careworn, and bears
an expression of deep thonghtfulness;
his mode of explaining his ideas is pecul-
lar and very original, striking and forci-
BILE; and, although his accent indicates
strongly his north-country birth, his Ian
guage has not the slightest touch of vul.
garity or coarseness. He has certainly
turned my head,