Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-09-19

tue pest qualty OF Deecn Woo
and water trickled from the over
flowing tank. There was only on
stop in the hundred and clever
miles that separates st. Thoma
from Amherstburg. The engineer
Macomber, was surrounded b,
an admiring throng, and passen
gers and railroaders commented or
the handsome appearance of hi
iron stced. He attended TO the
oiling of the engine and tn,
doping" of the journals anC
boxes, and his whole demeanor
affirmed his determination to make
"the run through by the card.
The steam gauge just before start.
ing showed a pressure of eighty
five pounds, n moderate figure for
a locomotive. The air-brake cylin-
ders clucked in an impatient man
ner and the light smoke assembled
perpendicularly in the still air of
the delightful September after
noon.
The fireman was pointed out by
an acquaintance. "He's a stout
young fellow" he said. "as you see,
but there'll be nothing but a
grease spot left of him by the time
the train reaches Amherstburg /;
that is, if Macomber tries to beat
Vanderbilt's time, for this train is
one car heavier than Vanderbilt's.
ooh, don't you talk" said
another railroad man: "the run
there ard back on that engine
won't warm him ny. What's two
hours of firing!"
This conversation and these
preparations excited a number of
the more timorous passengers. A
half dozen of them made straight
for the ticket Office and purchased
accident insurance tickets.
General Muir heard of it. "Why,"
'aid he, "that's preposterous.-
There is but one curve in our track
between here and the Detroit
liver, and that's at Charing Cross,
where we stop for water. The
Dad bed is in perfect condition,
here are no bridges once we leave
he town, and the rails are of the
heaviest on any railroad in Amer
ca, and English Bessember steel.
)ur rolling stock is first-class. I'm
.oing to Detroit in that train and
o is Division Superintendent Web
ter and Train Dispatcher Noble"
The Pacific Express came up;
he transfer of Bishop Borgess.
o the special train was made with
ut any particular ceremony; con-
uctor A. B. Crawford sang out
'om st. Thomas at 5:27 p. m. A
rand hurrah from the platform
gnaled the departure.
Once the bridge was cleared Ma
omber "let her out" Bishop
'orgess in the palace car, after re-
Giving the situations of the gen.
emen of the party, sat down, and
inner was served to him and his
'aveling companions upon a small
lble. No one noticed any partic-
lar motion in the car. There was
o disarrangement of the dishes,
'owded and small as was the ia
Ie. The hum of the train was
sharper than usual, and
le rushing air against the windows
like the sweeping of {
lin storm. Otherwise there was
} indication of unusual speed IN
person in the car. |;
Presently watches were taken 7
1t and observations made. The :,
verend clergy as we'll as the more :
orldly minded laity became inter- :,
ted. :
IA mile in sixty seconds" ejac- a
ated one. !.
Shortly after ga mile in fifty ;,
yht secondsw =.
Again-"A mile in fifty-seven r.
conds 7" and the enthusiastic .
'ank Moran, with a cheer that >;
tensified the excitement, an n
unced that his stop watch mark NJ
but fiftv-fve seconds to the :,
lie.
AT the rear end of the last coach :,
General Manager Muir, his eyes NJ
ed on the ever appearing ever h,
track, with q demeanor
ilosopbic as if such speed was Of
every day affair on the Canada W.
nthern. On the opposite side 90
Superintendent Taylor and near a
hand Train Dispatcher Noble r,
Ink p. Taylor counted the miles.
Before one could point ont nm A..