The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-19
MORE THAN A MILE A MINUTE
THE EXCURSION TRAIN THAT left A
UHTRLWIND IN ITS WAKE.
A Mile In r1Uy-seven Seconds One Hundred
and Eicvcn Miles In One Hundred and Nine
Minutes - step Down, Mr. Vanderbilt

From ne fcioh RE, RE"
There was only one stop in the Ill miles
that separates ST. Thomas from Amhcrstburg
on the Canada Southern Railroad. The cngi-
necr. Macombcr. was surrounded by IN admir-
ing throng. and passengers and railroadcrs
commented on the handsome appearance OF his
iron stccd Tho steam gauge just before start
Ing showed pressure Of cghty-ivo pounds. a
moderate figure for locomotive. Conductor
Crawford sang out " All nbourdl" and tho spc-
cial train with Bishop Borgess. on board pulled
out from st. Thomas at 5:27 T. NJ. A grand
hurruh from the platform signalcd the depart
urc.
Once tho bridge was cleared. Macombcr let
her out" Bishop Borgess., in the palace car.
after receiving the salutatlons OF the gentlemen
of the party, sat down, and dinner was served
to him and his travelling companions upon n
small table No one noticed any particular mo-
ton in the ear. There was no disnrrangcmcnt
In the di-h,s crowded and small ~ was the ta-
BILE. Tho hum Of the train was somewhat
sharper than usual. and the rushing air against
mo windows sounded Ike the sweeping Of "A
rain storm. Otherwise there WIS no indication
OF unusual speed to n person In the ear.
Presently watches were taken out aud olscr-
yniious made. The reverend clergy. M well as
The more worldly laity. bccamn interested.
A mile In sixty scrond-l' CALCULATED one.
shortly after A mile in fifty-eight see
Again" milo in nfiy-scven seconds!" and
the enthusiastic Frank Moran. with "A cheer that
intensified the excitement, announced TINT his
stop-wutch marked ility-iivc seconds TO the
mile.
vanished. Before n question could be asked
and answered mile had sped five miles wcrc
traverscd in tho interval while cigars were
handed around aud lighted by rs many men. \
flock Of blackbrds lying toward the west with
nll their ii.cinys- in cleaNing the air were soon
Tho wircs on the telegraph poles swung IN
and down from the movement 9itheirain The
bushes on the side Of the bitches shook rs II
swept 10y hurricnn", ana the TAI anu gaudy
yellow coXcOmls that grow hesidc the fences
bcnt to the ground in q seemingly ovcrp9w,"r-
ing d Sirc To- get loose from ia" cafth and Tot
low the rushing train. The dust from newly
ballast"d portions Of the track and the chips
and leaves rose up ilcrcey against the force oi
graduation and whirlci aud eyrated like va
pory clouds in Il tcmpe-t. \ thin lin" OF snake
stretched intcrminnhy In the distance. The
impetus uf the train increased: the Nchemenrc
with which IT rushed forward created vacuum
TINT apparently took nature some seconds 10
overcome. AMI tho spirits Of the passengers
were rThi aratrd 10y IN unprecedented speed
u which they moved through space.
A sidc-trqci passenger train salntcd us with
cheers AMI locomotive Whistles. Neither was
heard; hrfor, the sound could reach the. cars OF
the passengers III TIA" SprriHl II was beyond
The waving handk,i hiris. Train pcspat hcl
Noble reported that six miles between High
,Toodd and hilsgl2Ip VIZ. mad" 5n H. minute
Chnring Cross were mndc I'm nfty-siN and a hall
minutes, halt at CLEARING Cross for i.pI
same ovcrpowrr.ng velocity. Bur 20 as fast us
II mighA rs Canada Southern train could mi
ovoit. y the sun: 1t suuk, AMI nightfal came
on. Then could b" seen the work OF the fire.
man. Every time lie opened the furnace a vol
Juno Of sparks shot out and thotrailnE ilre ramC
down uron the track like the lyrotrchnirs OF IN
aerial mine.
FINALLY sharp twist flat sent the standing
pnSsongoiS oyer To- thr right. and then another
that sent hcm IN the other direction. and the
yard of AWhorSihurE station w's rcnchei
Wurrahi ono hundred AMI eleven miles In
N 4
time il Misunderstanding hy three minutes Tia,
run Of Wand rbilts special train.