Connecticut western news., 1877-08-03
Conductor EgglestOn.

Western road, very pleasant letter, from which we extract his description of the railway on which he is now employed, as one of the first passenger conductors of the road. We do this entirely without the per mission or knowledge of MT. Eggeston, and thereby incur risk of it's meeting with his disapprobation 7; but as he hes ma ny friends hereabout, all of whom will be glad to know something of the large road where he is now engaged, we venture to give them part of our letter from him. Here it is:
 It is possible you may be interested to hear something of this line, and l will attempt to give you limited description.
 The road is divided into divisions. The Western Division extends from St. Louis to Evansville, Ind, a distance of 161 miles, and the Southern Divisions to Nashville, Tenn, 155 miles. We also have a branch Al miles long. from McLeansboro, H., to Shawneetown, on the Ohio River. The road has been in the hands of sharpers, who have made fortunes, but allowed all to go to ruin, and when Gen. Wilson, (our present manager took hold of the enterprise last Fall, matters were in fearful shape. When I came here in February, found the track in very bad condition on the whole line, except from Guthrie to Nash vile, distance of 50 miles, which was built before the war. On the St. Louis Division this Summer the Company have over 500 laborers on track, and are laying miles of steel rail and putting in thousands of new ties. and by August it will be in good condition. On Southern Divrsion the same force is being employed, and in ad- d;tlon to new rails and ties the Company will get in number of miles of stone bal last. We have "A engines:on the line, all ln constant service. They are named after the following style: -"Vanderburg;" "Washlngton," ''St. Clair," Tempest" 'sFlrefy," "Quickstep," "Wild Irish Girl. :" etc. They are good machines and mostly Rogers make. The freight engines, (most of them,) have six driving wheels. The rolling stock is fair. Passenger equipment is first class; our coaches are very large, ,and some have six wheeled trucks. We run our trains from St. Louis to Nashville without change, although the train men change, and do not go through.
 We have some of the finest Pullman cars in the country. They are named, Henderson" ''St. Clair, |" ''Rover," ""Alpine," Orleans, ' and Evansville" The ''Orleans" Is the finest car was ever in, and cost SIG. .0Oo.
 This is sure to be very important line some day, for the Company hold a charter to build bridge across the Ono at this place, and when it is done, the business will. presume, exceed the expectations of the most sanguine. As it is now arranged
 we have to run our trains on board transfer
 steamers at Evansville and Henderson, ant
 this consumes much time, besides being
 very expensive; and the Southern Division , being broad gauge, all through trains have to go on the steam hoists at Henderson ant
 have their trucks changed, but this doe'
 not take long, and before great while the entire line will be uniform gauge. ,.,at tl b., Now abent the tewna on 4ha }iuesu St Louis isa city about the size of Boston
 however, much better laid out, as th
 streets cross at right angles, and are wide
 Most of them are laid with Nicholson pave , ment. In this respect it is far ahead o New York, for in the latter city the thou
 sands of teams passing over the stone-pave'
 streets fairly cause the buildings to tremble In St. Louis the carriages make no noise a
 they roll along, and think it quite an i'm
 provement. The buildings in the bushes
 portion ot the city are good. and Ffftl street very much resembling Broadway
 The Union Depot is quite extensive, bu
 nothing compared with Grand Central. Al
 ter leaving the depot, all trains going eas
 pass through tunnel under the city, unt
 we arrive at the bridge which crosses tn
 Mississippi river. This is massive struc ture, and placed SO high above the water a
 to allow steamers and all sailing craft t
 pass under. The principal spans or arche
 are three in number. and 800 feet long each and built entirely of steel. It is doubl track, and over the railway are two stree T car tracks, besides roadway, foot walks
 etc. After our train crosses the bridge, W stop at Relay Depot, East St. Louis, an
 take our own engine. The Bridge compan use their own engines of peculiar build. Our first station is Belleville, 15,0O0 in , habitants. It is lively business town. an . the home of many men who do business St. Louis, and return at night. It is onl fifteen miles out, and we have many con muters from here. There are very extensiy u coal mines belonging to the R. R, Co, u this point, and we generally have 100 cal '' loaded for St Louis every day.
 The next station of importance is Ma u coutah, 25 miles from St. L., 8 place ( s district. There are extensive flour mil here, and they average two or three ca II daily.
 Eight miles further on we stop at Queen s Lake, where we leave good many excu
 sion parties; but when compare it wit
 our beautiful Twin Lakes in Gods countr. am home-sick. Then come Venedy. A T, , dieville and Nashville-all thriving town . 7. and situated on mos. beautiful prairie, au
 considered the finest wheat section in Ill . nois.
 0 Next is Ashley, 60 miles from St. Loui
 and the point where we cross the lllino T. Central railroad. It is ubry town jul Id now, for immense peach orchards in u n r;o,r;tv ora i,St nou in fheir nrirne and
 train loaded with peaches goes to Chicag
 every night.
 r. After leaving here the trains run throug