American citizen., 1879-03-29
WHITEAKER'S RIDE.
by Special Train Across the Continent
The Fastest Time Ever Made Between
the West and East.

The Fastest Time Ever Made Between
the West and East.
From the Pittsburg Post, March III
Gov. Whiteaker started from his home
in Maine County, Oregon, on Friday,
the Democratic Managers, asking him
come to Washington Immediately. He
took special train and reached Port
land, distant $50 miles from his home,
in good time for the steamer. On Sat
urday, the 8th, the steamer started down
the Columbia River to Astoria. The
first vexatious delay was had at the bar.
After a weary wait, the boat started
across at O'Clock Sunday morning.
The weather was ugly, the water was
rough, and travel was tedious. The
boat should have reached San Francis
co by O'Clock on Tuesday morning
last, but, tossed about by the waves, she
was detained over "a hours. She arriv-
ed at San Francisco, distant 657 miles
from Portland, at $3.50 Wednesday
morning. This train would have taken
him through to Washington by 8 O'Clock
Tuesday morning, March IS, early
enough to be present at the organiza-
ton of Congress.
News of his delay was telegraphed to
Washington, and back went the mes
sage, "Take special train and come on
at all hazards" The instructions to
the traveller were followed up with ar
rangements for his journey. The spe-
cial train was provided. A man with a
light craft was instructed to pull up to
the steamer as she approached the San
Francisco wharf. He obeyed the in
structions, and while other passengers
were eagerly awaiting the tedious pro-
cess of tying up the steamer, Congress-
man Whitaker was in the little boat,
cutting through the water to Oakland.
At 10 :35, or less than an hour from the
time of leaving the steamer, he had
reached Oakland, had taken the special
train, and was soon afterward whoop-
ing across the country over the Central
Pacific at the rate of forty-five miles an
hour. The intention was to overtake
the train which he had missed. The
special consisted of locomotive and
sleeper.
A clear track was given the special,
and on she sped at terrific rate of
speed until Ogden was reached.
Twenty-one hours had now been
gained, but the regular train was
still far ahead. There was no delay
at Ogden, but the special continued
her way, now on the Union Pacific,
flying at an enormous speed across
the plains. The traveller was determined
to reach Washington in time for organ
ization, in spite of wind, and tide, and
railroad schedules, and, to be sure of
doing it, had given up the idea of tax
ing the train which he had missed at
San Francisco. He determined to stick
to the special, and allowed no diminu-
ton in the speed of his own train. He
swept on through Wyoming and then
through Nebraska, sometimes travelling
at the rate of forty-fve miles an hour,
sometimes less than twenty five, but al
ways maintaining the average of over
thirty miles an hour.
At 2:3O last Saturday morning his
special pulled into the depot at Omaha,
having made the run from San Francis
CO, distance of 1928 miles, in sixty
four hours. The usual time for the
fastest train is 1O1 hours. The usual
rate of speed is an average of not quite
nineteen miles an hour. The average
rate of Congressman Whiteaker' special
was something over thirty miles an
hour. There was no detention at Oma-
ha. The special continued her way now
over still another road. She left Oma-
ha on Saturday last at :05 a. m She
pulled up in Chicago at 5:15 p. m. She
delivered her distinguished passenger
at Chicago in time to take the Atlantic
Express over the Fort Wayne Road.
The Congressman hustled himself into
the Atlantic, and at half-past O'Clock
was still shooting over terra firma, and
was now on the first schedule train since
he left his home, 5000 miles away. He
arrived in Pittsburg at 1927 yesterday
afternoon.
On the Fort Wayne Road he met the
Hon. Henry Poehler and Mr.. Smith.
The party left here last night at s:O6 on
the Fast Line over the Pennsylvania
Railroad, and will arrive in Washing
ton, d. c., at 9:O2 o'clock this morn
ing. With wind, tide, and railroad
schedules all against him Gov. White
aker will still reach his destination "a
hours ahead of the time expected when
he left home. His trip from San Fran
cisco to Washington will have been
made in one hour and % minutes less
than five days, the fastest time on rec
ord from West to East. The trip of
Lawrence Barrett and other theatrical
people from New York to San Francis
co some time ago was made in some
thing less than six days. These gentle
men travelled from east to west with the
sun, but Gov. Whitaker travelled in a
contrary direction. They gained three
hours, because San Francisco time is
three hours slower than Washington
time. Congressman Whiteaker lost
three hours for the same reason. He
also lost nearly eight hours in this city
because there was no through train to
Washington before 8:O6 p. m. The
people had the advantage also
of previous arrangements on all the rail
roads. Gov. Whiteaker's special train
was put on the road at the shortest no.
tice.