The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-19
A NICE LITTLE RIDE.

was formerly great admirer CT steam
engines, and especially 81 locomotives but
have got bravery over it. | carried this
admiration 10 an excess. IL became almost
a monomania with me 10 be around railroad
de, OTIS and 10 watch the trains comb e and
going out. Not that | am OF mechanical
turn Of mind at ALTAR from it. i could
never make anything In my life-not even a
booijack, although | worked on one Tor
three days, broke two saws and gimlet,
cut my lffi hand bali of. and had 10 give IL
up after all.
The steam-engine was always mystery
TO mel would as soon try to comprehend
the principle OF the yroscope-and never
knew the namo of any OF ITS parts except
the piston.rod. cylinder, and governor; yet
i loved 10 sit and watch the thing at work,
wheezing and clanking with its slow, even,
steady mo.icr-sh, 1t was great fasclna-
ton TO me But the greatest pleasure
knew was 10 have good swift ride on
locomotive. From my almost constant
presence at tue deI6ls / knew oil the en-
gineeIs OF the line OF the Slngwheel and
Firepan railroad-an unbrOken track OF
two hundred and odd miles. over level
country, which had often travelled in the
ears, in the tender, or perched aiddlly upon
that trembling, sbortipg, shaky macbine,
the iron horse.
NV CAV season was the close OF presi-
dental C impalgn, when the ele' ton returns
had 10 be carried through by lightning tX-
press-usuaiiv an engineer and myself on
single locomotive. Other people were in
terested in lbe election and excited about
its results; was only interested in my
ride and excited about my rate of speed.
Once, remember, carried the dispatches
and made splendid time. left Slingwheei
at 8 O'Clock in the evening, and at 1918 ar
rived at Watcfbutt, q way-stalioD, just l35
miles from Slingwheel. A large party had
assembled 10 bear the news, but forgot it
all, and as the engineer Stacked up a little |
only screamed out, in answer to their ques-
tionS:
"a mile a minute. clear through! Go
ahead, jake"
And eff we went again, leaving the in
habitauts OF Waterbutt in total darkness as
to whether they were enjoying the reign OF
a Republican or a Democrat
But my great ride and my last was about
wear ago. Ii was pretty tall experience
Of its kind, and has, | am pleased TO say,
entirely cured me of my predictions Tor
"making big time" When compelled to
travel nowadays | always 20 in quiet
little wagon OF my OVID, with PAIR Of
steady naes, aud never emulate anything
ia, ter than eight or ten miles an hour.
There was young macbuist who lived at
Slingwheel, and who had quite an inventive
genius. He had for several years been en-
gagged on a model OF a great engine which
was TO supersede oil others and create a
perfect revolution 10 tho world OF loco
motion. II was steam-carriage, but on an
entirely new plan and principle. and be was
very sanguine OF Its success II he could
only get money TO complete IL. Having &C.
casi0n to get a small Job OF guBsmihiDg
done, called on this young man, and found
him al work on his engine. We fell into
conversation on the subject. and be repre-
scented his condition and his expectations so
yyidly to me that my heart was warmed to-
ward the enterprise. The idea OF taking a
trim on that curious-lo looking skeleton trunk
took possession OF NE at once, and learning
that be only wanted about $1,000, | agreed
TO furnish the money ii he would allow me
To accompany him on the trial tip. need
not say that he gladly promised, and that |
lived In q state OF extraordinary excitement
from that day forth until the machine was
completed.
II was a strange affair 10 look at, resem-
bling reaping- machine, trottiDg sulky,
and a patent coffee-miIl about equally. The
youDg machinist explained to me that this
model was merely a test OF the principle,
and that q large one, built more carefully,
would 60 much faster.
"I do not expect this one TO get more
than $4,000 revolutions per minute fer its
balsnce-wheel," he said, sand that would
only give speed oil l7S miles per hour on
good road"
had 40 idea that this would do for ordi.
nsry travelling, aud inwardly prayed for the
night VI the trial 10 come. Ii came---one
Wednesday night, when, for some reason or
another, there were 10 be no trains through
either way, and l hastened TO stop where
the model stood In perfect readiness for the
track. With little trouble We rolled IL down
toihe rails and placed Its wheels upon them,
for II weighed but few pounds more than
q common hackney coach. We then took
our places on sort OF buggy seat, with
strong handles In front to hold on by 1.-The
mscainIst pulled slriog aud OH we dashed,
beginning with Jump OF some twenty feet,
and slide OF ten more. before the wheels
got into revolving. The lights OF the village
gradually heightened out into long ribbons
Of flames n We fiew through the suburbs,
ana by the time could catch my breath
some similar ones appeared gliding swiftly
past.
/" What lights are those y asked.
" Tarbncket Station" replied my com.
!. Bns rsrbucket is I've miles from Sling
wheel.0
,sYes, and We have been nearly three
niautes On the read.