The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-09-25
LIGHTNING SPEED.


Railroad-One Mile in so IA Seconds
Three Miles in 2 Minutes SO Seconds.
From the New York SUM-
lnasmuch as the controversy over the
question as to whether any railroad train
IN this country has attained speed of a
mile a minute is continued by number
OF your correspondents, and inasmuch
as | am one of those who maintain that
such rate is very ordinary one,1 con-
cluded upon the best means of settling
the question beyond all doubt. l applied
to Superintendent James McCrea of the
Pennsylvania Railroad for permission to
ride on the engine from West Philadel-.
phia to Jersey City, with view of max
ing an absolutely correct test of the We
locity attained, and to-day Thursday,
Sept. ~ | boarded Engine No. 724 at
the West Philadelphia depot and seated
myself in the cab Passing cigar over
to Edward Osmond, the engineer, /
stated my business, which was really a
repetition of that of a year ago, when !
took a like ride with him. Osmond
laughed as he remarked that he suppos-
ed this was caused by the Sun contro-
versy.
While we were talking the bell over
the head of the engineer clinked, and
the engine started at precisely % min
utes to s. Philadelphia time. In order
that there could be no room for mistake,
| had provided myself with a Saltzman
stop-watch, which records the seconds,
being the time-piece which has officially
recorded the speed of Goldsmith Maid
and over score of other well known
trotters at the State Fairs held in New
Jersey for a dozen years past. The Sec
| ond and quarter-second hands were set
together at II, ready to be started on the
instant.
The train was no more than fairly go
ing when the fireman kindly handed me
a close-fitting skull cap, suggesting that
it would be more likely to stay on my
head than my hat. Then, as the wind,
rushing in the open door in front, began
to assume the nature of a tOrrado, it
was partly closed and secured, and we
all settled down to business. You will
remember that one of your correspond
ents said that an engineer could not
breathe with his engine going mile a
minute. The facilities for respiration
on the locomotive can be made precisely
the same as in the passenger cars, as the
engineer can close every thing in front
and at the sides if he SO elects. During
warm weather the glass door is gener-
ally shut about half way, thus admitting
Il cool and delightful breeze. raj s.{og
| | asked Osmond whether he had ever
experienced any difficulty in breathing
whenr,ming at a very rapid rate. Not
that / am ;lware.aof, - he answered, as
he gave another twitch at the throttle,
and we began climbing around the
/ switches at Mantua, a few miles this side
of West Philadelphia We We're spin
ming along at comfortable rate,
when the speed began slacken'
ing for Germantown junction., five
miles out. Here brief halt was made
and when we started again therewas nc
stop until we reached Jersey City, oyel
so miles away.
We had four cars and 165 passengers
as 1 was assured by Conductor Lewis
Silance, and the driving-wheels OF thu
engine were five feet eight inches in di
ameter. 1t was my intention to time
the train for five-mile, three-mile, ant
one-nile stretch, and l asked Osmond
the engineer, to Indicate the point Wher'
I should begin. A short distance eas
of Deans Station he turned and noddet
his head, just as nnle-post came u
sight. | took out my watch, and, at tn
very instant the post was reached, start
ed the timepieee. The engine was run run
ming smoothly, but there could be N
doubt of our prodigious speed lsav
as we shot by the next post that we ha'
made the distance in about a minute, a
was the case with the succeeding mile
but the speed rapidly increased, and, a
the precise instant the fifth mile-pos
whisked past my elbow, stopped tn
watch. The Ave miles had been passe'
: in exactly four minutes and fifty-fve an
quarter. seconds. During those sam sam
five miles Conductor Silance stood in tn
baggage-car jotting down the time fo
each mile. When we compared note.
we differed only a quarter of secone
his time being that much less than mint
i Silance now climbed over, upon th
engine and took his seat behind me, q
II the left side Of the cab, next the mil,
! posts. ! set my watch, with the secon
, and quarter-seconds pointing to the fig
! ls'u1rc II, and held it thus ready for bus
Il ness, 81 will keep it for three miles,
said Silance, Z. and you may take ti
J last Of the three 1t win be understoo
thatI could record only one stretch,
road at time, as Engineer Osnon
i. didn't manifest any disposition tos;sto
: the engine, after each mile,s to wa
/ while / got the hands of the watch j
position again. Stance sat, stop-watc
! | In hand, and wrote the figures with
snap, and then, nudged me to take in Il
, next mile post. As before, started Il
) second and quarter-second hands at Il
! precise moment the engine bounded pa
/ the mile post. Looking over note
/ that the driving-wheeis seemed to be q
/ sDlutely stationary, but the lpondero'
. connecting rods were quivering bae
r and forth at the rate of more than thr'
: hundred and fifty times minnie.
: year ago, .Osmond was .sgrabbir
! ground y in this fashion, when sudden
2 i. l.. L, h