The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
WITH THE WIND-FROM NEW YORK
TO NEW ORLEANS.


The Enterprise of tie Postal Service, by
which the Knickerbocker and the Creole
are Brought Closer Together-Letters
Delivered Before the Stamps are Dry.
From the atlanta Constitution.
Through to New York by the fast
mail
And I find the utmost interest felt in
New York over the results OF this last
experiment. The Herald of Yesterday
has an editorial claiming that the toast
for the South should be, east mails
slow politics ;" and on the day before
had bulletins from every point along the
line, noting the arrival ofthe south bound
train and the more or less excitement
thatit created.
It is really miracle of fast travel and
expeditions service. From New York to
Atlanta in 80 hours; or accounting the
difference of time between the two
points, in s2S1 hours. A history of the
manner in which this is done will be In
teresting to the readers of the Herald.
And here it is: -,
The fast mail train for the south is
mace up in New York at 400 in the
morning, and at 495 is at the depot IN
Jersey City waiting for its precious
freight. From halfa dozen conyerging
streets to Courtland and DeBosses ferries,
came huge mail-wagon,s loaded down
with letters and newspaper, hnrrylng
through the dark to catch the 4.l5 boats:
Once across the ferry they are bundled
into the mail cars, and exactly at the mo-
ment, the fast mail whisks out of the de-
pot.
THE MAKE UP OF THE MAIL.
The mail that is loaded on this train is
made up of the morning newspaper that
before this train was put on left on the
1890 train. It is made up of all letters
intended for the South written in New
York the night before, and posted at
any time before midnight. This mail, it
will be remembered, formerly left New
York at 10. 80 a. m, and reached Attain
Ia two days afterward. The mail IS
heavy one, holding nearly all the buiness
letters written in:the city for the south.
It is fed also by close connection with
the Boston aud eastern mail, which has
heretofore had to lie over in New York
for several hours.
THE MAKE Up OF THE TRAIN.
The train is at present made up as a
"Ayer.n The engine is one of the largest
and swiftest of the Pennsylvania road,
and is coupled to the mail car, there be-
ing no baggage or express. There are
two mail cars on the train as 1t. starts
from New York, but one is left at Wash.
ington. Back Of the two mail cars is one
passenger coach rather simly filled, as
the public is not yet accustomed to the
fast mail service. The mail cars are of
the latest style, and fitted up with every
convenience for the prompt assortnent
commence their work the moment tue
of letters and papers. The mail clerks
mail is handed into them, and keep at
it as the train is whirling along until the
last package is fixed in its place and ev-
cry letter is properly assorted.
It is intended, in o few weeks, to put
sleeper OH the line, omitting possibly the
pas .enger coach, in which case the fast
mail will prove the most popular line On
the road. At present the train is a
trim and Jointly skeleton aud rushes
ont of the depot into the night at ter
rible speed.
HOW THE JOURNEY Is MADE.
And vet the speed is not at all danger
Gus, and is hardly unusual. The secret
of the short time is in the nice adjustment
of connections, the shortness of the route
selected, and the avoidance of frequent
ssoppages for local mail or traffic.
Let us take the schedule and run it
through. ,,o
From New York to Washington is 226
miles. This pace is covered by the
double. e.tracks, steel rails on the Pennsyl-
vania road, the P. w. and B., and b. q
p. on which accidents are almost literal
IL unknown. The 226 miles are made
ina triAe over six hours or about 81
miles an hour-yery moderate running
when the engines used on these roads eau
pull train so miles an hour without a
strain. The regular schedule of the dali
ly limited express is about the same rs
the fast mail schedule, between New
York and Washington, and there is no
more delightful or popular riding than
on this same limited express.
From Washington to Richmond, the
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad is
put in use. The distance between these
points is 116 miles. The two cars ofthe fast
mail are swung to fresh engine, and
are bowled over smooth and we'll ballas-
ted tracks in short order, making the 116
miles in four hours-thus giving the fast
mail rate of speed equal to twenty.
eight miles an hour, on the first southern
stage of its journey. This is surely not
break.neck speed. There is hardly a
road in the South on which it is not
often beaten, by trains that are behind,
"spirting" to make connection. There
is little danger of trouble on the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac road,
and less danger of missing connections:
When the fast mail reaches Richmond
it has the longest stage Of its Journey
ahead oft. From Richmond to Danville
is 2S2 miles, and order to bring the mail
in on time, this distance has to be made
in 1850 minutes. This is triae less than
% miles an hour, but IL is long and
laborious ruu. The engines devoted
to the mail train are, however, all that
could be. desired, and they whirl away
with the handful of cars, licking up q
mile every two minutes as regularly as
the clock tells offth seconds of time. The
track is ballasted all right-the cars are
strong and reliabie-the way is clear, and
everything moves as if fed from steel
springs. The attention of some of the
best railroad men in the country is con.
centrated on this "Flying Dutchman"
of q train as it dashes down the slopes of
Virginia, flashes over the plains of
North Carolina-and the reputation of
an unsurpassed corps of managers is
pledped TO the promise that it shall bring