Connecticut western news., 1881-09-14
The Story of the Ride.

Mir. J. F. Edler, Chief Inspector of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who went through with the Presidential party from Washington to Long Branch, gives the following interesting account of the trip:
 ''We left Washington at about 6:3O o'clock, Tuesday morning. The train was ready by o'clock, and o'clock was the hour announced for starting, but the slight delay was caused in bringing the President down stairs The trip may be said to have been without accident-and everything went exactly as we wanted. l never saw such demonstration as there was from the beginning to the end. I might al- most say that even dog did not bark there was not loud word spoken, al- though the streets were crowded in all the cities and large towns. Pennsyl- vania avenue was lined all the way to the White House and the people fol- lowed us as far as they could till the train was running too fast for them. In the country towns the negroes, farmers and country people from miles around came to the small stations to see us go by. Everybody was on his good be- havior-everyone seemed to thoroughly appreciate the situation and to know exactly what to do.
 '"There was one amusing incident when we came through Frankfort, where one man in the crowd had a horseshoe nailed to pole, which he hoisted over their heads and waved after us as we passed. The people everywhere stood with uncovered heads every heart seemed touched with one common sympathy. It was the first time ever saw 8 succession of motley crowds in which some one did not do something ridiculous.
 "The speed of the train was wholly regulated by the surgeons. At first it was moderate, but from Bay View to Gray's Ferry we ran at an average rate of fifty miles an hour. I timed several miles which we made in from sixty-four to sixty-seven seconds each. We changed engines on each division, but our only stops were for water. During these stops the surgeons utilized the time in making such examinations of the Presi- dents condition as could not be so satls- factorily made when the train was in motion. The train was run so that when we got to Long Branch the locomo. tive had l20 pounds of steam.
 "When we left Washington the Pres. ident's pulse was IA; it went down tc 102 between Washington and Baltimore after that it ran up to 106, but when about an hour from our destination his pulse had gone back to 104.
 "While coming down Pennsylvania avenue the President said : This is jolly! He knew every place we came to, and when we stopped at Tullytown for water he asked if it was that station.
 "Was he conscious all the way? Why of course he was. There was no truth whatever in the story that the surgeons proposed to keep him asleep during his removal from the White House or or part of the time he lay so that he could look out of the car and he suited his own comfort entirely as to which way he kept his head turned. For a consid erable distance he lay with his knees drawn up and once or twice he kicked at his covering. He was fed severa times during the trip with two or thre, ounces of liquid food at time. He wa perfectly comfortable all the time. H' frequently wanted drink of water, ant once he took the tumbler himself. H, could hold it just as steadily as yol can. Mrs. Garfield did not remain il the car with him all the time, but cam in frequently for short time. Tn curtains at the head and foot of his bec were kept open all the time, and ther was no dust or smoke. From the tim we started till we got here not whistl was blown nor bell rung on this train nor on any train which we passed. Wa he glad to get here /? Well, he locke, as though Ee was glad.