Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-02
IN THREE DAYS.
The Race Against Time of . Mail Train
Across the Continent.

The Race Against Time of . Mall Train
Across the Continent.
NEW YORK. Sept. 2.-The mail from China
and Japan which left Yokohama August 10 was
safely delivered on the steamship City OF New
York at 5 O'Clock this morning, and is now on
its way to England. How this marvellous feat
was accomplished is told as follows. The de-
tails are interesting as those of Sheridan's
ride:
August 20 the Empress of India arrived at
Victoria, b. C. There q special train, fur
nished by the Canadian Pacific, took the mail
bags. eighteen in number Qwelve for Eng
land and six for New York city, and started
on a record breaking ride across the continent.
Assistant Superintendent Bradley yesterday
went up to Brockville, just across the ST. Law
renee on the Canadian side. Morristown, y. Y,
is just across the river on this side, and Super
intendent Voorhees, of the New York Central
railroad had arranged to have q special train
| composed OF one baggage car and engine ready
| at Morristown to bring the mails to this city.
Superintendent jackson of the railway mail
service here had arranged for two trucks to be
at the Grand Central depot to meet the special
and transfer the mail bags to the steamer at
her dock on the North river. She was TO sail
at 5 O'Clock this morning. Could connection
be made? At noon yesterday Mr.. Bradley tele-
graphed from Brockvilie to his chief that the
Canadian Pacific was 400 miles away and two
hours late.
At 2:l6 p. m. another telegram was received
saying that the train was but 800 miles away.
Every second was valuable. At 6:l0 the
special passed Chalk river, 1i3 miles from
Brockyille at fifty-five miles an hour.
At o'clock last evening the special made
her last stop before reaching Brockville. Ii
made the previous seventy-four miles in
ninety-three minutes, including twelve min
utes for stops. The last thirteen miles had
heen covered in eleven minutes. Down she
came at a dash the remaining sixty-one miles to
Brockville and arrived at the depot
painting and putting. having crossed the con-
tinent in three DAYS. She arrived at Brock
vile at 9:20. The mail bags were at once hauled
out, taken across the ferry and put on a special
furnished by tine Grand Central people at Nor
ristown. At 9:45 the train started and came
through with a bang to New York, arriving
here at 4:43. From Utica 10 Albany,
ninety-five miles, was made in ninety
minutes from Utica to Hohman's
Ferry, sixty-eight and one-haN miles, in
sixty-one minutes; from Poughkeepsie to Cold
Spring, twenty-one miles, in twenty minutes;
from Croton to Yonkers, nineteen miles, in six
teen minutes. The City of New York was to
sail at S o'clock. Could the mails be trans
ferred from the Grand Central depot in seven
teen minutes? The Canadian Pacific people in
this city and Superintendent jackson Of the
railway mail service had seen the Inman peo-
pie and arranged for the holding Of the vessel
a few minutes Quick lightning Assistant
Superintendent Bradley, who had come down
on the special, had the twelve foreign mail
bags dumped onto the truck and jumping in
had the driver whip his horses into q terrific
speed through the streets.
Away they went. The horses were equal to
the emergency and shortly after o'clock this
morning the dock was reached. The ship set
sail at $40 am. The trial was q grand sue
cess. If the good vessel makes her voyage in
the Usual time Liverpool will be reached Sep
tember Z, twenty days from Yokohama