Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-09-15
The Engine and Engineer.

4 Long Branch dispatch SAYS: Engineer
Page was the man who brought the President
through safely. lie vas a most striking ig
ure ON the tram as 1t pushed up in front Of
the Elberon. His long beard ~as floating
in the wind which was blowing IN from the
sea. and his swarthy face Wa covered With
dirt and cinders lie stood erect and firm,
and with an air of con>ciou. pride IN ever,
feature that showed he Was conscious Of a
duty well performed.
Did she behave well to DAY on the trip -
he asked.
seemed 10 feel all tina, was required Of her
When on ordinary occasions take her over
the road She starts of with Jerk like. and
raising herself, goes gallop.ng down. putting
and snorting. but this morning she glided
away A. gently as lad,s mare. and even
hen put her to her hest and she went on
at the rate OF mile IN 50 seconds, she
seemed TO hold her breath" A. he said
TIN. he leaned out OF the cab and looked AT
his engine as kindl, a. a rider would a, his
favorIte horse.
Then YOU limited the speed 10 ~ mile.
an hour. which vas intended ?"
''Oh. no that, YOU see. would onl, have
been three -fourths Of mile TO a minute.
and good deal Of the way We made more
than 4 mile a minute"
Did the doctors and the Presdeu; Know
YOU ~ere gong at that speed ?"
They did not the first tine let her 20 and
III tell YOU, he SAID after a moment pause
..ho~ came to do H. We left Washington
al 6.37 this morning. We ran dow to Pat
Apsco, b miles out. at the limited raic
There Ne stopped three minutes. Thu, stop,
Ike all the other stops made on the Wa,, Vas
made Ia change crews. to water snd allow
the physicians to attend on the President
saw one Of the attendants, | guess II vas
Col. Rockwell. coming down the platform.
and ! called out 10 him, How Is the Prrs-
ideni," lOu see. though ! vas not sure
Who he wa,, felt Kind 81 safe III calling
him colonel. lie i. doing finely, Page,
came back the answer. Does he feel the
notion ?" asked. Not al all. why. sou
are going smoothly a. a carriage over an
asphalt pavement
Was II then YOU began 10 think Of run
ming h,tle faster
Well. YES But a. Bay View. our next
stopping place. Sas only eight miles further.
did not Try il until we started from la,
View to rerryNil.e. - mic. out from Wash
!ngton. They sent word that the President
had been doing better and better as the dis
lance from the White House IA, increased
50 thought ! would water the engine. and
If she went smoothly, tr, one mile little
faster. LAmokin, the next halt. Mas 10
miles further on. The engine behaved beau
tfully, and Was half nav between Bay View
and LamokiH. | went on with the trial and
IL. s,.I a Z - ia.
or q Jar she went tearing down the track.
but knew then that Il the President had
mind he might get the ga breeze sooner
We stopped st LSmokn. called out to
one Of the attendants, Did YOU notice any
extra motion when Ne were going faster p
why no" was the reply. Mere wc
travelling faster than IS miles al hour >
Yes, sir.' says |. we went one mile in SO
seconds Well said be, i did not notice
1t, and am sure the President did not
will 20 and ask Pretty soon saw him
coming down the platform. Whip her up
Page; whip her up" he called out. the
President did not feel any extra motion.
They we're all delighted to hear that We were
getting along faster, and the President said.
Tell him to go ahead, | want 10 get there
Does he continue 10 improve?" | asked.
Yes he said short time ago, Il feel as If
| were on the road 10 recovery"
"After these stops" was asked. YOU went
pretty much at the speed you thought ii
best according to your knowledge Of the
road ,"
Pretty much as | thought best. and the
engine behaved well right straight through
to Elbefon. Yes, right straight through
She ran more smoothly than she is running
now, and warrant you're not being much
shaken at this moment
81 suppose after this she will be the mos,
famous engine on the road ?"
Yes, sir. and she ought to be. ! guess
she earned a national reputation to-day"