The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-27
THE DAILY STAR
A NICE LITTLE RIDE

came almost monomania with me. tC
be around railroad depots, and to watch
the trains coming in and going out. Not
that / am of a mechanical turn of mind,
at ALTAR from it-I could never make
anything in my life-not even a boot
jack, although once worked on one for
three days, broke two saws and gimlet,
cut my left hand half off and had to give
1t up, after all.
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 pistonrod, cylinder and
governor; yet l loved to sit and watch tine
thing at work, wheeling and clanking
with its slow, even, steady motion-ah, it
was a great fascination to me! But the
greatest pleasure | knew was to have a
good swift ride on locomotive. From
my almost constant presence at the de-
pots, knew all the engineers on the line
OF the Slingwheel and Firepan Railroad
an unbroken track of 200 odd miles,
sover level country, which l had often
Travelled, in the cars, on the tender, or
perched giddily upon that trembling,
snorting, shaky machine, the Iron Horse.
My gay season was the close of a Pres
dental campaign, when the election re-
turns had to be carried through by light
ming express-usually an engineer and
myself, on single locomotive. Other
people were interested in the election,
and excited about the results--I was
only interested in my ride, and excited
about the rate of speed. Once, remem-
Der kcarried the dispatches and made
splendid time. l left Slingwheel
at eight o'clock in the evening, and at
1915 arrived at Waterbutt-a way
station, just 135 miles from, Slingwheel
A large party had assembled to hear the
news; but forgot it all, and as the en-
gineer Stacked up little, l only
screamed out, in answer to their ques-
tions:
"A mile minute, clear tLrongh Go
ahead, Jake!"
And off we went again, leaving the in
habitants of Waterbutt in total dark
ness as to whether they were enjoying
the reign of Republican or Democrat
But my great ride and my last was about
year ago. 1t was pretty tall exper-
ience of its kind, and has, am pleased
to say entirely cured me of my predi-
]ections for making big time"
When compelled to travel, now days,
always go in quiet little wagon of my
own, with pair of steady nags, and
never emulate anything faster than eight
or ten miles an hour. There was young
machinist who lived at Slingwheel, and
who had quite an inventive genius. He
had, for several years, been engaged on
model of great engine which was to su-
persede all Others and create a perfect
revolution in the world of locomotion.
It was a steam-carrlage, but on an en-
tirely new plan and principle, and he
was very sanguine Of its success if he
could only get money to complete it.
Having occasion to get small job OF
gunsmithing done, l called on this young
man and found him at work on his en-
gine. We fell into conversation Oh the
subject, and he represented his condition
and his expectations so wildly that my
heart was warmed toward the enter
prise. The idea of taking a trip on that
curious looking skeleton trunk took pos
session of me, and learning that he only
wanted about 81 900, agreed to furnish |
the money if he would allow me to ac-
company him on the trial trip. | need
not say that he gladly promised and that
II I,vad in n CT To nF vfran nd ,
ment, from that day forth, until the ma
cline was completed.
1t was a strange affair to look at re-
sembling reaping-machine, trotting
sulky, and a patent ooffee-mill, about
equally. The young machinist explained
to me that this model was merely a. test
ofehe principle, and that a large one,
built more carefully, would 60 much
faster.
"I do not expect this one to get more
than l2,0o0 revolutions per minute for
its balance Wheel" said he, "gnd that
would give only speed Of 17S per hour
o. 3 good road"
had an idea that THIS would do for
ordinary travelling, and inwardly prayed
for the night of the trial to come. 1t
came-one Wednesday night, when fsr
some reason or another, there were to Oe
no trains through, either way, and l
hastened to the shop where the mode!
stood, in perfect readiness for the track.
With little trouble we rolled it down to
the rails and placed tswheels upofi them.
for it weighed but a few pounds more
than common hackney coach. We
then took our places ON a sort of buggy
seat, with strong handles in front to
hold on blythe maehinist pulled
string, and off we dashed, beginning with
a jump Of some twenty feet, and a slide
Of ten more, before the wheels got to re-
volvihg. The lights Of the village gran
uaIly lei1ghtened out into long ribbons of
tame, as we flew through the suburbs
and by the time / could catch my
breath, some similar ones appeated gid
Ing swiftly past
"What lights are thosep' | asked.
"Tarbueket station" replied my COM
panion.
"But Tarbucket Is five miles from