The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-16
CRGSUS ON HIS TRAVELS.
DIR. Seward Webb's Pleasure Trip Over co.
600 Miles of Iron Roads.

DR.. Seward Webb's Pleasure Trip Over TO-
600 Miles of Iron Roads.
New York Herald.
The most remarkable railroad trip on
record came to an end last evening with
the arrival at Shelburne. VT, of DIR. w.
Seward Webb and his party over the
Northern Pacific railroad from Vancouver.
The party had lived and travelled for six
weeks IN the most complete and gorgeous
railroad train ever put together. it was a
special train and a special trip. 1t made
the fastest time ever known IN the history
of r~ailroading, and the party visited more
places of interest and got over more ground
than any similar company OF excursionlsts
ever did.
They have crossed the continent, visited
Canada and gone as far north as Alaska.
of the little jaunt to DR.. Webb, its project
or, is said to nave been 500, 600. But he
can afford it, for DR.. Webb. who is presi-
dent of the Wagner Palace-car Company,
lam H. Vanderbilt. Four magnificent
palace cars made up the finest railroad
train ever known, and IN these DR.. Webb
the 9th of April. for a journey of 10000
miles. The company consisted of DIR. Webb,
his wife and three children; his brother.
Frank Webb, Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Purdy,
James w. McLane, and maids, Wallets and
other servants.
There never has been such luxury on
wheels as in this train. AS soon as he de-
cided on his trip DR.. Webb gave orders for
extensive alterations i'll his private car.
Mariquita. one of the handsomest cars
owned by the Wagner company, in order
to adapt it especially for the use of the
children and their nurses. A nursery con-
sistlng OF two rooms was constructed,
stocked with every necessity and comfort
for children's use and provided with wide,
downy births for the little Webbs; Adj
joining the nursery was Mrs. Webb's
private boudoir, and next to that the
cosiest little bathroom in the world, sup
piled with hot and cold water and every
luxurious appointment.
In the special dining-car the partitions
were removed so that the dining-room ex-
tends the entire length of the car. On the
floor is the softest of tapestries of a delicate
blue, matching the prevailing shade of the
upholstery in Mrs. Webb's car, and mahog-
any woodwork, which is strikingly rich.
is set off by the subdued light from the
stained Gothic window. Partitions at
either end of the car provides space for the
kitchen and the attendants.
The most beautiful car in the train was
President Webb's special car, the ElsInere,
recently built to his order. At the rear of
the Elsmere, which was the last Car in the
train, is an observation-room, a small
apartment, furnished sumptuously and con-
tanning a case of immense maps. which
move on rollers, and were especially made
for DR.. Webb; a cyclometer. which con-
stantly shows the speed at which the train
is moving, and various other devices.
In this more than regal style the Webb
party have rolled across the continent since
the 9th of April, when they left the Grand
Central depot for Niagara Falls. the first
point of interest on their route. By living
on the train, stopping but a short time at
resting places and in visiting rapidly only
the most famous attractions they have
seen the most noted places In the. United
States, British America and Alaska. and
have traversed more thad 1000 miles in al
most incredibly short time.
DIR. Webb has been in constant communi-
cation with his secretary here In New York
by using a phonograph which be took with
to his friends by the same method, speak
ing into the instrument and sending cylin-
ders by mail to be replaced IN other instru-
ments here to repeat the messages
producing the very tone of the Doctors
voice. In one of the cylinders his words
are mingled with the subdued voices
OF his children, who We're singing at the
other end of the car to the soft accom-
paniment of the piano. This cylinder
was commenced just after the party had
visited Niagara Falls. He added 10 it in
Chicago, finished it in Omaha and mailed
their running between New York and Buff
falo at fifty and fifty-two miles an hour; in
Canada, from st. Thomas to Detroit. liz
miles, in 115 minutes. and somewhere be-
tween Detroit and Chicago the Doctor
made himself heard above the roar of the
train. The cyclometer shows that we are
running sixty-nine miles aud hour" The
cylinder was spoken to while the train was
running. and when one listens 10 its story he
hears the roar and rumble of the train, and
! can distinguish the different sounds as the
car passes over a calvert, or the rattle of n
passing train, or the shrek of the engine as
1t approaches a crossing.
AT first the fast time made the ladies and
children nervous. but by the second day
they had become accustomed to the motion
and enjoyed it. The run from Chicago over
the Chicago * North western to Omaha was
made in thirteen hours. The time of the
fast limited is sixteen hours. This is said
to be the fastest time ever made between
those points-B miles-and the longest
continuous run ever made by one engine.
All trains were kept ont of the way aud
every switch spiked over the whole route.