The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-18
slxtY.nxe mlIe. an Hour.
FAST TRIAL TRIP OF PHILADELPHIA LOG
NoEvE IN THE WEST.

FAST TRIAL TRIP OF A PHILADELPHIA Loco
MoEvE IN THE WEST.
ICoicago Heraid.J
The Shaw pulled our with one hundred
and thirty pounds Of steam, and sneaked
out over the drawbridges and through the
outskirts OF Milwaukee with Kind OF
"oh-just-look-at-m motion that sug-
gested school-boy's innocent run for a
melon-patch. Word had been passed 10
Mr. Lockwoods engineer and TO Mr.. Hill,
of the Northwestern. that the first
test might be made on the ten-mile
run between st. Francis and the county
line. AT st. Francis the Shaw sud-
denly gathered herself up, and with
low, deep snort, shot by the little
station-house like q flash. Her every
movement was watched with the keenest
interest by the railway officials. There
was nothing OF that jerking, humping,
vibratory motion other engines have, but
the machinery worked smooth and regular.
But for the roar OF the wheels on the rails
her movement would have been as noiseless
as that OF the finest stationary engine. a
moment or two and Professor Dudley
looked at his dynograph. "She Is run
ming pretty sharp now" he sala,
in his quiet way. CHOW much! d"
asked Mr.. Laying. "Sixty-one miles an
hour said the Professor. Mr.. Laying
looked satisfied, but Mr.. Dudley motioned
TO the engineer 10 let her out. A Herald
man, who was OF the party, sat in the
front-window and watched the furious
steed as II shook itself and seemed like
living thing to reach out for rein and bit.
Down at the side the cranks on the drivers
were going In q perfect whirl-so fast the
eve could not begin TO follow them-and
the great driving-wheels spun like buzz
saws.
elbow fast ?v said Mr.. Lockwood.
"The last mile IN fifty-four seconds. We
are running now at siXty-four miles an
hour" said the Professor. The next mile
was made in fifty-6ve seconds, and the five
miles out from st. Francis was covered in
four minutes and forty-fve seconds. An
other very fast run was made from Lake
Forest to Highland Park, and that distance
was covered at the rate Of slXty-tive miles
an hour, one mile OF it being covered in
exactly fifty-one seconds, or siytY-eight
miles an hour.
During that run the Herald man sat
perched up in the cab Of the engine, and
the sensation of being hurled over the
ground at that speed was terrific. Fences
along the road seemed devoid of posts and
the rails looked like a continuous BLUR.
A gang OF track-repairers were close to the
track as the train shot by. The reporter
had lust time to see one knocked over by
the atmospheric force created by the rush
ing engine and the Others bracing them
selves against it. AT little station called
Highwood some ladies stood on the plat
form-a mere glance, in which not even
the color of their dresses could be distin-
guished-and they were gone. a few rods
farther on dog came bounding out. He
gave one faint bark, barely heard, when he
got caught in the atmospheric swirl and
went rolling over and over, heels over head.
The grass along the road was LAID flat by the
rush, and even trees swayed as the mon
strous force hurled by. At Evanston the
special overlook a regular train and from
that point on there was no unusual speed.