The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-04-22
4 NICE LITTLE RIDE.

n NICE LITTLE RIDE.
5Iwss formerly a great admirer o
an engines, and especially of loco
Eares, but / have got bravely over it
rned this admiration to excess-i
zane almost a monomania with me tx
Iround the depot and to watch tn,
Eas coming in and going out. No
sI am Of a mec hanical turn of mint
al-far 'fromit. l could never max,
fhing in my life, not even a boot
/, although worked on one for three
A broke two saws and a gimlet, GU
Edt hand half off, and had to give
b after all!
5 is steam engine was always a mys
Ep mel would as soon try to com
bend the principle of the gyroscopt
md Ineyer knew the name Of auy O,
parts, except the piston rod, CYL
III, and governor; yet / loved to 81,
Estch the thing at work, wheeling
iclanking with its slow, even, steady
don-sh, it wasa great fascination te
But the greatest pleasure that
F#Was to have good swift ride on 3
nnOtiye. From my almost constant
nsnce at the depots, | knew all the
nneers OF the line of the Sling-whee1
hpsn RailEoad-an unbroken track
ac odd miles, over level country,
rh ! hid often travelled in the cars,
as gnder, or perched giddily upon
trembling, snorting, shaky ma
@, the iron horse.
Ny gay season was the close of the
sldential campaign, when the elec.
returns had to- be carried through
gntnlng express-usually an engin-
and myself on locomotive. Other
pe we're interested in the election
excited about its results-I was only
zssted in my ride, and excited about
!nte Of speed. Once, 1 remember,
zned the dispatches and made splen.
ame. left Slingwheel at 8 O'Clock
R evening, and at 10:15 arrived at
asroutt, a way-station, just 1856
nom Slingwheel. A large party
assembled to hear the news; but /
Ytitall and as the heengineer Stacked
alttle, only screamed out, in an
70 their questions:
mile minute. clear throuohi 20
"a, Jake!"
lld off we went again, leaving the
sOIsants of Waterbutt in total dark
~ y 70 whether they were enjoying
slgn Of Republican or Demo-
@ny great ride and my last was
We year ago. 1t was a pretty tall
1snce Of its kind, and has, I am
,ssd to say, entirely cured me of nv
saeeaons for "making big time. j.
. compelled to travel now-a-days I
e 90 in a quiet little wagon of nv
wIa q pair of steady nags, and
y emulate any thing faster than
4W Ten miles an hour. There was
vSng machinist who lived at Sling
y and who had quite an inventive
~ lie had for several wears been
fsu on q model of a great engine
- was to supersede all others and
s'eate a perfect revolution in the
aW iocomotion.s It was a steam
nge, but on an entirely new plan
mnclple, and he was very sanguine
success if he could only get money
snpiete it. Having occasion to get
Iaa JOB of gunsmithing done, l
~ un tnis young man and found him
A On his engine. We fell into
N. sIslion on the subject, and he rep
veg nls condition and his expecta-
~, ~ nvldly to me that my heart was
~ toward the enterprise. The
". - s,g s,aklng a trip on that curious
~ skeleton trunk took possession
49, y " once, and learning that he
- about 81, 900, l agreed to furnish
ney II he would allow me to ac-
WY 81 & him on the trial trip. Ineed
tIh I mat he gladly promised, and
lived m a state Of extraordinary
snent from that day forth until the
a'as was completed. '
- - strange affair to look at, re-
reaping machine, a trottine
Nm my patent coffee mill about
= ~ 4 me young machinist explained
h. mat his model was merely a test
principle, and that d large one,
'0fe carefully, would 60 much
y . - aoo not expect this one to get more
nsa 'eVv revolutions a minute for its
elS' AZ Wheel" he said, "and that
= u give q speed of 17S miles per
4 4 s g = good road
"a idea that this would do for
kss kss s;.a travelling, and inwardly prayed
= n. OF the trial to come. 1t
y ,a. vne wednesday night, when, for
e,;ss ;en OF another, there would be
xssaas ,as through either way, and I
49, y stop where the model stood
L MI, h,,eadiness for the track. With
8 ~ up,e we rolled it down to the
paced its wheels upon them,
e.gned but a few pounds more
Anoss ssommon hackney coach. We
n Nj IA cur places on a sort of buggy
~ q strong handles in front to hold
koif ae ~ maehinist pulled a string,
's dashed, beginning with a