The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-14
RAIL AND CROSSTIE.

General Manager Gabbett of the Central
went up to Atlanta last night.
Train Master j. W. Craig of the Charles
ton and Savannah railroad, is in the city.
Central railroad fireman, named Wat
kins, running on train No. A. leaving
Savannah at 6:45 o'clock yesterday after
noon, stepped off of the engine at the canal
bridge last night, was precipitated to the
ground below, distance of over twenty
five feet. He was severely bruised and was
unable to go out on the engine.
A new electric engine for the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic railroad has been re-
ceived, and the applicability of electricity
for propelllng cars on the ordinary rail-
roads of the country will be thoroughly
tested on the line between Machen and
Eatonton. If it proves to be successful the
cars on that road will be run with cleo
trlcity instead Of steam. The builders Of
the engine claim they can store enough
electricity in one car to run whole passen-
ger train the entire length of the road, which
is to be 240 miles, in eight hours That is an
average of thirty miles per hour, including
stops. If it can do that, there need be no
longer any doubt about its success.
The New York Central has for some time
been running passenger conductors aud
brakemen through between New York and
Buffalo on three trains each way, daily
and through crews have now been put upon
four others. making fourteen trains which
now make the run of 439 miles daily, each
with single crew. These trains all run at
high speed, and most of the trips are COM
pleted in twelve or thirteen hours if no de
lays occur. Each crew makes about one
and three-quarter round trips per week ;
that ON the Chicago limited, for example
running from New York to Buffalo on
Monday, srom Buffalo to New York on
Tuesday, and then laying off forty-eight
hours. The average daily mileage for each
crew is about 220 miles. Conductors who
formerly earned 500 per month, making
trips of $50 miles, and laying off much
shorter periods than now, receive $125 per
month under the new arrangement.
1.-TWO or three years ago,n said a train
dispatcher who has worked over the coun-
try, 81 was sitting at my instrument one
morning shortly after midnight and Begin
ming to rowse, when l heard one operator
two or three stations away calling UP an
other in another direction some stations
away. l listened, sand received the in
formation that train Of cars had broken
loose at the top of steep incline and was
going down toward the operator to whom
the message was being sent. | realized the
situation Immediately. broke in on the
operators and found out from the sender Of
the message when the cars had broken loose.
could calcula then Just about where the
cars were. knew that the fast express
was due mt the foot of the incline in few
minutes, and knew that the flying cars
would reach there in a few minutes, too. I
telegraphed to have the express tagged, and
then sat down to wait news. Pretty soon
| was called up in jerky, nervous way by
the operator at the foot of the incline:
Runaway stopped, he said, eighty yards
from the station. Express is waiting
When / went home that morning l felt
pretty proud for train-dispatcher.
General Manager Gabbett of the Central
had a confere nee with about fifteen engi-
neers and con ductors, representing the diff
ferent divisions of the road, yesterday
morning The object of the meeting was
to adjust some small matters which have
existed for number of years. The in
creased traffic having grown to such i'm
mense proportions the old wayof operating.
the employees Il ink, is susceptible of inn
provement. I his is what they sought to
have remedied aud changed. They came
down to Savannah few days
ago but were unable to get a