The Portland daily press., 1881-09-09
The Engine and Engineer.

A Long Branch dispatch says: Engineer
Page was the man who brought the President
through safely He as most striking fig
ure on the train as it pushed up in front of the
Elberon. His long beard was floating in the
wind which was blowing in from the sea, and
his swarthy face was covered with dirt and
cinders. He stood erect and firm, and with an
air Of conscious pride in every feature that
showed he was conscious of duty well per-
formed.
"Did she behave well to-day on the trip?" he
was asked.
"Behave welli should say so. She seemed
to feel all that was required of her. When on
ordinary occasions L take her over the road
she starts off with jerk like, and raising her
self, goes galloping down, putting and snorting,
but this morning she glided away as gently as
a lady's mare, and even when put her to her
best and she went on at the rate of a mile in 80
seconds, she seemed to hold her breath. " As
be said this he leaned out of the cab and
looked at his engine as kindly as rider
would at his favorite horse.
"Then you limited the speed to 40 miles an
hour which was intended?'
'Oh, no; that you see, would only have
been three-fourthE of a mile to a minute, and
good deal of the way we made more than
mile minute"
"Did the doctors and the President know
you were going at that speed?'
"They did not the first time / let her go,and
III tell you" he said, after a moments pause
chow j came to do it. We left Washington mt
637 this morning. We ran down to Patapsco,
81 miles out, at the limited rate. There we
stopped three minutes. This stop, like all the
other stops made on the way, was made to
change crews, to water and allow the physicians
to attend ON the President. saw one OF the
attendants, guess it was Col. Rockwell, COM
ing down the platform and called out to him,
How is the President? You see. though
was not sure who he was, I felt kind of safe in
calling him colonel. He is doing finely,
Page came back the answer. Does he feel
the motion?' l asked Not at all; why, you
are going as smoothly as a carriage over an as
phalt pavement"
"Was it then you began to think of running
a little faster?"
"Well, yes. But as Bay View, our next
stopping place, was only eight miles further,
did not try it until we started from Bay View
to Perryville, 3S miles out from Washington.
They sent word that the President had been
doing better and better as the distance from
the White House was incre aSed, so l thought
1 would water the engine, and if she went
smoothly,try one mile little faster. Lamokln,
the next halt, was 46 miles further on. The
engine behaved beautifully, and was half way
between Bay View and Lamokin. went on
did not feel jolt or a jar as she went tearing
down the track, but 1 knew then that if the
President had a mind he might get the sea
breeze sooner. We stopped at Lamokin.
called out to one of the attendants, Did you
notice any extra motion when we were going
faster?' Why no. was the reply. Were we
travelling faster than 40 miles an hourY Yes,
SIR says 1, we went one mile in 81 seconds
We'll said he, Il did not notice it, and am
sure the President did not will go and ask.
Pretty soon i saw him coming down the plat
form. Whip her up, Page; whip her up, he
called out, the President did not feel any ex-
ira motion. They were all delighted to hear
that we were getting along faster, and the
President said, Tell him to go ahead, l want
to get there Does he continue to improve?'
1 asked. Yes he said short time ago, 4
feel as if / were on the road to recovery"
AFTER these stops,'' was asked, 'yeu went
pretty much at the speed you thought best ac-
cording to your knowledge of the roadP'
Pretty much as 1 thought best, and the
engine behaved we'll right straight through to
Elberon. Yes, right straight through. She
ran more smoothly than she is running now,
and warrant you're not being much shaken
at this momont.
81 suppose after this she will be the most
famous engine on the road?"
"Yes, sir, and she ought to be. 1 guess she
earned a national reputation today