The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-05
The 9Saitg Ar9us.
Centennial Exposition and How to
Reach it.

cago, terminate in Chicago, and the Cen
tennial visitors they carry must there find
new channel by which the pilgrimage to
the East is to sbe continued The intel-
igent American need scarcely be told that
the best, shortest, and only direct route
from Chicago to the Centennial CITY. is the
Fort WAYNE &PENNsYLvANIA LINE.
The management of this great route has.
from the origin of the International Ex-
hibition, been jealous in advocating it as
an event important to the people, and has
materially assisted in establishing it on
basis so comprehensive as to reflect credit
on the entire nation. Such assistance was
perhaps the more willingly rendered, be-
cause this management fully appreciated
the position their line of railway would
occupy toward the Exhibition, and were
determined that no omission on their part
should mar the perfect success of a com
memorative event Of unparalleled interest
From the great extent of their lines
which directly connect all important cen
tiers OF population n the west and north
west and the Centennial City, it was GER
tain from the first that large portion of
the travel to the Exhibition would desire
to reach its destination over it. To this
the Exhibition rendered it impossible for
any other route to directly reach the Build
ings and Grounds; and as SOON therefore,
as the location of the principal edifces was
fixed, contig nous and accessible plot was
designated by the authorities as the site
tor Centennial Depot OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. Blended with these
prellminaries was the fact. also. that this
combination desired to illustrate the degree
Of excellence attained by the railway tran
sportatlon system of America. Great as
the nation achievements 10 other respects
are, it is yet certain that none has reached
a higher standard of perfection than its
railroads, and as these can only be illus
trated by practical workings, the necessity
of making the principal Centennial route
as perfect as possible was plainly apparent,
The Fort Wayne & Pennsylvania route
had good basis for the commencement
of it's Centennial work lis location. be-
tween Philadelphia and Chicago, was con
ceded to be upon the best line uniting the
Atlantic Seaboard with the West and
Northwest, while its connecting lines were
well known to be as direct as proper con
sideration for the travel and traffic of the
many important centers of population they
reach would permit.
East Of Philadelphia this great route
maintains its dircctness, and, in conse-
quence, New York is reached by it in
distance very considerably less than by any
other roue--a saving SO important that
the Fort Wayne 4 Pennsylvania route can
carry passengers between the metropolis
Ut the Lakes and that of the Atlantic coast
quicker than any other, aud yet not run its
trains at more than ordinary speed.
This route not only exces in directness
as well as IN the number # inportap,
cities and towns 1t connects together but
Is ccntessedly superior in construction and
equipment. Between Chicago and Pitts
burg. 46S miles, the entire track has been
relald with heavy ties and steel rails, and
large portion re-ballasted with cinders
and broken stones Between Pitrsburg
aud New York, distance Of 444 miles,
the entire line is double track, laid with
steel rails weighing sixty pounds to
the yard, secured TO heavy oak ties aver
aging 1900 to the mile Of single track,
with joints connected between ties bv a
process that gives the cffect Of a continu-
Gus rail, on which there can be no Earring.
All bridges on the line are Of iron or stone.
A large portion Of this distance is provi-
ded with a third track, which enables
freight trains to keep entirely out of the
way OF passenger travel, and permits the
express trains to run their allotted dIstan-
ces without interruption. This tnird track
has hem literally increased within the
last year to provide additional facilities for
Centennial travel, and near Philadelphia,
and other important terminal points, four
tracks have, for considerable distances.
been completed.
With a roadway thus constructed and
arranged, the only desideratum left to be
met by the management, to provide for
the largest estimate Of Centennial travel,
Was one o locomotive engines ah1 passep-
ger cars. These the facilities possessed
readily supplied, and two bundled elegant
cars haye been built, ready for use when
needed, while engines OF the highest class
have been provided, ample to move all the
trains that can, by any possibility, be re
qulred. - great are the construction ia
cihties of the Fort Wayne and Pennsyl
vania Route that both cars and engines
can, in the tri4fest possible time. be muI-
tiphed almost Indefinitely.
As much OF the travel to til. T1nteunial
must necessarily be from remote points.
the Fort Wayne & PENNSYLVANIA manage
ment have arranged to increase the mum
ber OF through express trains, and to run
these on such schedules as will make the
hours OF departure and Of arrival most
convenient Tor the public These trains
will las far as possible) pass over the most
interesting portions Of the route in day
light, thus atfording passengers a view of
the splendid scenery fDr which II Is so
widely and justly celebrated. The hotel
and reireshment facilities provided along
the route will be equal to the largest de-
mands, AID the excellence OF these will, in
all respects, be up to the high standard
established aud long maintained upon it.
The holders of Centennial Excursion
Tickets sold over this route will have the
privilege of stopping off at any station go
ing or returning, can remain as long as
they please within the limit for which the
tickets are good, and continue their jour
ney by any train. These tickets will also
carry excursionists by the best aud most
available routes, enabling them to visit the
following points famous for their attract
iveness aud interest, VIZ: Pittsburg, Ores
son Springs, Altoona. Bedford Springs,
Harrisburg, Battlefield of Gettysburg,
Baltimore, Washington City, Arlington
Cemetery. Philadelphia, Great Centennial
Exposition, Delaware Water Gap, the pop
ular seaside resorts. Atlantic City, Cape
May and Long Branch, New York, day
light ride up the Hudson River. Saratoga
Springs. Lake George, Lake Champlain.
Montreal and Niagara Falls For detail
OF route see appendix. An additional