Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-03

The marvellous perfection of railway facil
tiles and management in this country is il
lustrated by the celebrity and safety with
which Drs. Hamilton and Agnew, the con.
sulting physicians, were whired on to Wash.
ington, Saturday, July 23d, when summoned
by telegraph to advise with regard to
the sudden and alarming change in the
presidents condition. DR.. Hamilton re-
ceived the dispatch in New York at half
past one in the afternoon. 10 took him only
ten minutes to prepare for the journey The
dispatches thus describe the journey " lie
fastened in a carriage to the Desbrosses-
street ferry, where he learned that the first
train for Washington was over the Pennsyl-
vania railroad at three o'clock. II would
arrive in Washington at twenty minutes
past ten o'clock p. NJ. Some time was spent
in inquiries as to the departure of trains on
other roads. Then he crossed the ferry and
entered the Jersey City passenger room,
where he was recognized. While he was
making inquiries at the palace-car window,
Superintendent jackson, who was in his of
fee in another part of the depot was sent
for. A very brief time suficed to make him
aware of the situation. lie hurried away
from Dr. Hamilton, and seven minutes later
the latter was rushing out of the depot on a
special train. 1t was twenty-seven minutes
past two o'clock p NJ. when the depot mas
ter and the train dispatchers received notice
to be spry. Unfortunately none of the seven
new monster engines were at hand but en-
| CINE No. 0l5, one of the best of the ordinary
engines, with a fve-feet driving wheel, was
hitched to a new Eastlake coach, and at
| fifx-four minutes past two it was run out Of
the depot. The special train would have
had no preference on the road except for
telegraphic orders. There would have been
ordinarily on the south.bound track, be-
tween the time the dispatchers received no.
tice that the special was to start and the
time of the expected arrival in Philadelphia,
seventeen freight trains and two passenger
trains The freight trains were all got out
of the way, one after another, on side tracks,
| in time to allow the special to roar past
them without Stacking speed, but the two
passenger trains delayed the doctor fifteen
minutes. Nevertheless he arrived at Phil
adelphia at forty-five minutes past four PM.
| The actual running time to Philadelphia
| from Jersey City was one hour and thirty
six minutes. At Philadelphia stop of
only three minutes was made to change en-
gines. During that three minutes, DR.. Ag-
new, the other consulting physician, who
had been made acquainted by telegraph of
DIR. Hamiton's movements, and who had
not been able to get an earlier train to
Washington, got into the COACH The two
arrived in Washington at fifty minutes past
seven p. NJ. A carriage was awaiting them.
Five minutes afterward they were at the
White House." In four hours and fifty-six
minutes, or four hours aud thirty-eight min
utes exclusive of stoppages, this train had
traversed in its wild flight the space between
New York and Washington, a distance of
two hundred thirty-four miles, an average
rate of fifty and one-half miles an hour. To
have made this high average speed, and COM
pensate for time lost while passing through
the large towns and cities at lower rate,
the train must have rushed along ON the
clear track at speed largely xceeding
mile minute. Thus have the marvellous
forces of this age of wonders been tasked
in the efforts to save the presidents life.