The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-02-07
Seventy-Five Miles An Hour,

had spent night in stage, day in
saddle, night in a sleeping car, half day
doing business, half day in bed, and was,
after supper, enjoying cigar and news
paper, in the reading room of the Redwood
House, Fayette, Ind. The newspaper was
uninteresting or else I was rather sleepy
and guess it was little of both-so that
soon neglected it, to watch the fantastic
curling of the smoke from my fine-favored
cigar. didn't feel much like talking, and
felt still less like reading; but did feel as
if would Like exceedingly well to hear
good story.
had barely come to this conclusion, and
commenced wishing for some one of my
acquaintances to anuse me till the time was
up for the train which was to take me to
Indianapolis, when I recognized, in the
person who sat next to me, fellow
traveller in the sleeping-car of the night
before.
He, too, had lad aside his paper and was
apparently, like me, watching the smoke
of his cigar, and wishing for absent friends
TO keep him company.
He vas very agreeable-looking little
man, with clear, gray eye, light hair,
sandy whiskers, and smiling mouth. In
deed, he had so much the appearance of
the man that / would like to hear tell
story, that thought Dame Fortune had
smiled upon me, when he recognized me
with genial, 'How dye do, stranger?"
returned his salutation, and asked him
some common place questions about how
he had enjoyed the ride We had to-
gether.
He said something in reply about the
running being too fast for the poor track;
and from this the conversation ran upon
fast travelling in general, for some time.
At last remarked, that sixty miles an hour
Was the most speedy travelling that l had
ever done. Whereupon my friend informed
me, with a pleasant but knowing smile,
that he had travelled considerably faster
than that and, in fact, faster than he had
ever heard of, besides. Of course l was
anxious to know where, how, and when he
had done it; and, after the modest assur-
ance that he feared his tale would not be
interesting, my friend relieved my anxiety
by relating the following story:
81 am railroad engineer. Away along
in ty-seven, during the great panic, was
f running on the F. & C. 3. 3. The railroad
companies were going under, in all direc-
! tons Every day we heard of new failures;
=, and quite often in quarter where We least
t expected it. Our road was generally looked
upon as one of the most substantial in the
nation; nobody seemed to have any fears
that it wonld fail to survive the general
mash-up. But yet did not fully share in
e the general confidence. Wages were cut
! down; arrearages collected; and a great
. many other little matters seemed to indicate
to me that the road had got into rather
: deeper water than was agreeable all around
: Among other things, the master mechanic
f had told me in the spring that the company
b had ordered four first quality Taunton en-
/. gines for the fall passenger business. The
e road WAS put in the very best condition
n and other preparations was made to GU
. down the time, and put the trains through
quicker than was ever known before whel
the new engines should come. Well, ther
was but one of the engines came.
. 81 said there was but one engine came
\ but she was, in my opinion, altogether th
best ever turned out of the Taunton Works
/ and that is saying as much as can be said il
y praise of any engine. She was put in m
e charge Immediately, with the understand
r. ing that she was mine.
e "It was Saturday when she came out c
= the shop, and was to take special trai
v up to Y. The train was to carry u
1t the president, and several of the officers c
j. the road, to meet some officers of anotht
70 road, which crossed ours there, and arrane
h some important business with them.
If had no trouble at all making my fort
t. miles an hour going out. The engine hal
" died herself most beautifully. We we,
r. just holding up at y, when Aldrich, Il
to treasurer, who had come out on the pla
o. o. form to put the brake on, slipped and fel
AS we were yet under good headway,
was very much injured, and was carried c
a a to the hotel insensible.
ne According to the presidents direction
to / switched off my train, turned my engin
ID and stood ready to satrt back to c. at
moments notice.
!" "Aldrich's presence was of SO much il
~ portance, that tina business could not
transacted without him; so al those y
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