Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-04-10
A NICE LITTLE RIDE.

L was formerly great aumlrer OF
steam engines, and especially of loco
motives, but have got bravely over it.
] carried this admiration to excess-it
became almost monomania with me to
be sround the depot and to watch the
trains coming in and going out. Not
that / am of a mechanical turn of mind
At ALTAR from it. could never make
any thing in my life, not even a boot
jack, although l worked on one for three
days, broke two saws and 4 ginlet, cut
my left hand halt off, and had to give
it up after all, .lss.-l55
The steam engine was always a mys-
terry to me- would as soon try to COM
prehend the principle of the gyroscope-
and never knew the name of any of
its parts, except the piston rod, cyl
inder, and governor; yet loved to sit
and watch the thing at WORT, wheeling,
and clanking with IFS slow, even, steady
motion-ah, il was great fascination to
me. Bat the greatest pleasure that |
knew was TO have a good swift ride on a
locomotive. From my almost constant
presence at the depots, knew all the
engineers of the line Of the Sling-wheel
Firepan Railroad-an unbroken track
Of 300 odG miles, over level country,
which had often travelled in the cars,
in the tender, or pcrched giddily upon
that trembling, snorting, shaky ma
chine, the iron horse.
My gay season was the close of the
Presidential campaign, when the cleo
ton returns had to be carried through
by lightning express-usualiy an engin-
Ger and myself ON locomotive. Other
people were interested in the election
and excited about its results-I WIS only
interested in my ride, and excited about
my rate of speed. Once, remember,
carried the dispatches and made splen-
did time left Slingwheel at s O'Clock
in the evening, and at l0:l5 arrived at
Waterbutt. a way-station, just 1856
miles from Slingwheel. A large party
had assembled 10 hear the news; but l
forgot it all, and as the engineer Stacked
up a little, only screamed ont, in an
swer TO their questions:
"a mile a minute, clear through, Go
ahead, Jake!" .-.....--.....-
And off we went again, leaving the
inhabitants of Waterbutt in total dark
ness as to whether they were enjoying
the reign Of . Republican or Demo-
crat. ..,, .,,,,e,t '7s
Bat my great ride and my last was
about a year ago. Ii was a pretty tall
experience of its kind, and has, l am
pleased to say, entirely cured me of my
predictions for /" making big time "
When compelled to travel nowadays
always go in a quiet little wagon of my
own, with a pair of steady nags, and
never emulate any thing faster than
eight or ten miles an hour. There was
Young machinist who lived at Sling
wheel, and who had quite an inventive
genius. He had for several wears been
engaged OIL a model of a great engine
which was to supersede all others and
and create a perfect revolution in the
world Of locomotion. Ii was steam
carriage. but on an entirely new plan
and principle, and he was very sanguine
of lis success if he eould only get money
TO complete it. Having occasion to get
4 small job of gunsmithing done,
called on this young man and found him
at work. on his engine. We fell into
conversation on the subject, and he rep
resented his condition and his expecfa-
tons so wildly to me that my heart was
warmed toward the enterprise. The
idea of taking trip on that curious
looking skeleton trunk took possession
of me at once, and learning that he
wanted about $1,000, agreed to furnish