Telegram-herald., 1891-09-11
lO2 NILES 4 NINUIIl.
Phenomenal Speed Attained by .
Special Trial.
COULD'S HURRICANE CLIPOs WHEELS
The LosG Distance Railway Bass Time
Record Snsashed-Detaiise Of Prier
Lishtsing Journeys on the HAIL.
a. Asw the Record was Mads.

theme of conversation in railroad cir
cles. An engineer OF one OF
the local roads WAS in . talk
alive mood at Sweets last evening, and
referring TO Al article recently sp-
pearing in Chicago paper proceeded
as follows: "Many splendid runs have
been made on American roads, but
never before WAS the terrific speed OF
l02 miles an hour attained with steam
as q motive power. In 1884 j. d. Laying
eneral manager of tha West Shore,
thea acknow lodged to have the flnest
roadway in the world, took u Rogers
locomotive on the most favorable part
of the track and succeeded in making
cighty-two miles an hour. II 10 said
that on the United Railroads OF New
Jersey, part of the Pennsylvania.
a speed of ninety-two miles an hour
was once attained, and that about the
same time was made on the Central
Railroad Of New Jersey. For long dis
tance running the Gould special has
earned the palm. Yesterday Superin-
| tendent Miller, of the Gaiena Division
of the Chicago and Northwestern, sub
mitted . report of the wonderful run
to the general managers office. The
time given on this report WAS taken by
watches on the tram. 1t shows that
the train left the Broadway depot in
Council Bluffs promptly at 6 a. IN. and
made the run over the Iowa Division
to Clinton in seven hours and five min-
utes. This was for n distnnce of ex-
| actly $50 miles. The amount of time
lost In taking water and changing en-
gines 10 not yet reported, but can be-
eafely estimated at twenty-five minutes
leaving 400 minutes for u $50 mile run
on q single track which carries the
heaviest traffic of any road crossing the
state of Iowa. Deduc;ing the time lost
in getting under way from Counci
Bluffs. time lost in slowing down AMI
starting At water and engine stops, the
speed across Iowa was about sixty miles
an hour, and at times reached sixty
five or more miles All hour. The last
four and one.h half miles on the Iowa
Division, from Comanche to Clinton.
was run In four minutes, Or at the rate
Of sixty seven and Onc-half miles an
hour, including slowing down for the
dead stop at Clinton.
With Bleteoric Speed.
From Clinton eastward four minutes
were lost in changing engines, and at
l:09 p. IN. the three-car special pulled
slowly across the great bridge over two
wide channels of the Mississippi. Full
ton, on the east bank OF the Mississippi.
90 miles, was reached in min.
utes, or at 33 miles an hour, which Is
fast time under ordinary circumstances.
The next 10 miles Union Grove was
reached in minutes. From Round
Grove to Rock Island Junction speed
OF rs miles an hour was attained. All
the way tn De Kalb speed varying
from forty-five to seventy-six miles an
hour was maintained. The distance
from Clinton to De Kslb is eighty miles
and Superintendent Miller's report
shows that it was covered in eighty
nine minutes. This would have beei
lowered to about seventy-five or seven
ty-sx minutes but for hot box on the
engine, which broke loose a few miles
west of De Kalb. superintendent Mil
Ter had thoughtfuliy provided two re-
lay engines to follow the special at in
tervals of seven minutes. One of these
was taken on at De Kalb in place OF
the one with hot box, and then CON-
menced what was undoubtedly the
fastest run ever made in the world. AZ
the e'train passed through each station
the operator sounded his call along the
line and the call was instantly regis
tered at all division and registry sta
tons. Gould's fast flying special, as
sounded, started from De kalb at 2:49.
or two minutes later than the time
shown on Superintendent Miller's re-
port. The report of the superintendent
who was on the train taking time by his
watch shows that tho special left De
Kslb at 2:47 and made the run to FL
burn, fourteen ald three.tenth miles.
including the time lost in getting under
headway, IN sixteen minutes. The
superintendent report shows that the
distance from Elburn to La Fox, three
and fourteenth miles, was run in three
minutes. or at sixty-eight miles AN
hour. while the five and one-tenth
miles from La Fox to Geneva occupi ed
four minutes, the hurricane rate of
| seventy-six and one-half miles an hour
being attained.
Fastest Run in the World.
Here is where 102 miles an hour was
really made. if the sending operators at
Elburn, La Fox and Geneva and the
receiving operator at the Turner regis
try station are correct. Superintendent
Miller was astonshad when informed OF
the figures and still thinks that the re-
ports must have been sounded on frac-
tions of minutes and that the receiving
operator did not take this into account.
AZ any rate everybody agrees that the
fastest time on the run was '.ade from
La Fox TO Geneva. Some railroad off,
cials say that l02 miles All hour or even
seventy miles an hour is impossible on
account of back pressure, while others
admit that eighty or ninety miles an
hour can be made under favorable CIR
cumstances. When Mr.. Laying broke
the record with a speed of eighty two
miles an hour IN 1884 many people said
there must he a mistake and refused 10
believe il until few years later when
that record Was broken.
Gould's tram left Turner ~ $40 after
q stop of three minutes. About a mile
a minute WAS averaged until Elmhurst
Was reached, when another terrific
burst of speed vas attained. The seven
and two-tenths miles 20 Oak Park we're
covered IN six minutes, which means
ssventy-two milee an hour. THIS was
the prettiest fast speed run on the trip.
Going through Oak Park there was no
dust and little smoke. Mr.. Gould
looked out OF the window and sale .
This appears 20 be beautiful suburb.
What place - it, Where 10 it7' When
he had finished speaking il was q dim
remlniscence lying against the blue sky
| 20 the west. AZ exactly S.45 the specfss
| pulled out into the West Fortieft-st