The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-15
ELECTRIC HEADLIGHT.
Midnight Experience at Seventy Miles
an Hour.
Front the Irdiqnapolis Nelrs.


From the indianapolis Ners.
Fast trains run on all railroads, but one
of the fastest trains that run into Indian
apolis is the Cincinnati, Hamilton and In.
dianapolis express, arriving here at 1875 at
night. The train is pulled by the electric
engine" equipped with an electric head
light. The electric is the coming head
light for engines since 1t has been changed
so that the reflection does not blind the
engineer. Still, an engineer who is used to
the electric head ight can hardly see when
he is put behind enc of the ordinary lights
Last evening an Indianapolis Ne,Cs re-
porter and an artist were at Connersville.
At the depot they found Superintendent
Hustled aud obtained permission to take a
ride on the engine. 1t was dark, stormy,
foggy night-in fact there seemed TO bs
about fifteen Xxi DIS of weather between this
city and the ca jital of Fayette county.
Engineer Ed Kahn was in charge of ''l2yn
ponderous engine that keeps fireman
mighty busy. Kahn is to the Cincinnati
| Hamilton aud Indianapolis what Charley
| Stokes IS TO the Louisville division of the
| Panhendle--a runner from away back"
| The Indianapolis NelUS man and Supt.
| tendent Hustled climbed to the ireman's
seat aud Kahn ''let 'er CO." The track was
| slippery, tho engine was not steaming well
in fact. things seemed 10 be out of gear
generally, but it didn't seem to make any
| differ nce in the matter of spae1.
| Eight miles in seven minutes.l Around
| curves and up hills down into valleys aud
| along level plains. When Rushville was
| pas ed there were no more st ps until the
| Bel was reached, a splendid piece of ack,
ard straight. Nr. Hustled nodded to Mr.
Kahn, aud Mr. Kahn smiled as he opened
| Il o throttle couple OF notches. A spasm,
few snorts from the monster engine,
1 4 l. Ia /
| straight track everything was made
| ty the electric light as plain as day
| for nearly a mile in spite of the
| rain and fog that ss7m2d to bank into
| tie cuts through the hills. So bright was
the light that the reporter could dis inguish
| the head OF a track-walker half mile dis
tant. The engine seemed to be running
| into the small end Of great wnite funnel
all the time, but could never get any deeper
| into the cone of mis-. The telegraph poles
| appeared to be dancing jig, and fences
were like flying machines. Far, far ahead
| the light rested on the white fence of a
| cattle-guard, and q second or two more and
that white fence appeared under the
wheels. A Shrek aud a roar was the only
II cosnition that the train gave to the nu-
merous villages through waca it. Vassed.
A glance at a watcn showed that the
train was Jogging along rising sixty miles
an pour. and wien the 5ime-piece showed
that two miles hsd been made at the rate of
sevel ty miles an hour, the reporter Turned
rOu I'd to see il the su permit 11dent was still
there. He vas. and seemed to be- enjoying
the ride, or NAV he it was a mighty tou III
smclimg ci Jar clinched between his teeth.
linen the engine das led through a village
where freight train stood on a slue'trdc&.
"Sapp1sc we had hit that train" suggested
the reporter. "Wel, there would be a
vacancy on the local staff of the lndisn-
apoiS AetUS," grlmly answered the superiu-
tendent.
The run from Co1nersville to the Belt
was MADE at the rate of six ythree mie'
an hour. some miles les and s )me miles
more, which is pretty good running, con-
sluerlng the condition of the rails ami the
fact that it was hard to get over 1l5
pounds of steam. AS the reporter.
looking out OF the window, saw tho
great driving-rod moving SO rapidly
that it appeared to' s and still, ne could not
help thinking that it broke. Well, one
tul would come up into the cab and q
bright young man would be cut OFF IN his
youth. llanX brave engineer has lost his
life just that way,
This is Al exoression from the artist con-
corning the trip:
"Insye. realized what it was to be art
Isl to a rail-oad reporter until now, AMI oh,
I am so glad am alivei In the first place,
how Could you eXUect IN III to draw when
Q he holds his hair down with ono hand and
! his heart in his mouth with the other, The
superintendent ki dly Informed me that
' the scenery through the hills WAS fine.
Maybe it was NV impression is ons long
horror BOUNDED by a hedge OF teIe-
graph poles. Furthermore, had to watch
, The eneiaeer-he might become confused
l. and fo get which oay to pull that lever,
and thei | could tell him. Q, conlda'5 /.
J lnouga! ain also satisfied that ii emen
! earn their salaries. Tney do have to do
{ something besides ring the bell aud
=. look grea V. OF course there were
,, curves when | shut my eye tight and
l prayed for the Belt road, bu5 save tos
: saw Us much Of the ,uatcy as could 20 ex-
l pected from a view through the small e1'i
. of an Immense funnel of flying white Iignt.
4 The Alabama street cars will never, never
+ be too Slo~ 70: me, aud When | plunk int
the Washin-t oa street asphalt flicasseo
will SW ear not at ALL