Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-07-29
RAILWAYS OF THE WORLD.
SIxTY.SEvEN YEARS PROGRESS
IN STEAM TRAVEL.
The First Roads-Fast Runs-Trav-
cling Palaces of Royal Princes
Interesting Statistics.

interesting statistics.
HHE operation of steam railway
began in England by the open
ing of the Stockton and Oar
lington line, September ~
1925. The world then saw the com
mencement of a most gigantic enterprise
one that has extended to every civilized
and to almost every uncivilized country
on the globe, and which has become the
greatest of all enterprises and industries,
and whose magnitude is greater than
any other single interest in the world.
This Stockton and Darlington Road
was "a single track affair, thirty eight
miles in length, and the greatest speed
attained was twenty miles an hour.
Four years after opening of this road
the first line was opened for general
traffic in the United States, August 8,
1929, on the Mohawk and Hudson Rail.
road. The first locomotive used on this
line, and consequently the first that ever
turned wheel in the Western Hemi-
sphere, was the sStourbridge Lion, i'm
ported from Stourbridge, England ,Iby the
Delaware and Hudson Canal Company in
May, 1929.
The second railroad in America upon
which a locomotive was ever run was
the Charleston and Hamburg of South
Carolina, which also had the honor Of
being the first regularly operated pas
senger road in this country, and the
first to adopt the locomotive as definite
motive power. The engine used on this
road was the "Best FrIend," the first
machine of the kind constructed in this
| country, and was built in West Point
Foundry. 1t made its trial trip in No
vember, 1880.
At the beginning of the present year
( 166, SIT miles of railway were In oper-
| alton in the United States.
1t would be difficult, no doubt, to
imagine perfectly straight line of rail
for the entire distance from New York to
Boston, but such railway with such a
straight stretch does, however, actually
exist in the New Argentine Pacific Rail
way from Buenos Ayres to the foot Of
the Andes. For a distance of 211 miles
the line is laid without curve. The
level nature of the country will be evil
dent from the fact that there is neither
cutting nor an embankment deeper or
higher than three feet. This is the
longest straight stretch of railway in tho
world.
Another wonderful piece of railway IN
South America is on the Calao, Lima
and Croya line, running from Arequipa,
Peru, to La Paz, Bolivia. This is rail
way in the clouds, for it reaches a point
IA IN
the level of the sea. The whistle of
locomotive is heard at no higher point
on the globe. Near the highest elevation
of this railway tunnel 3S4S feet long is
being bored through the peak of the
mountain, 600 feet above the perpetual
snow line. The railways of the Andes
exhibit some of the most remarkable re.
suits of engineering skill which the world
contains.
The new railway-the Brienzer Roth
hornbahn-which was begun October /,
1890, and has just been completed and
opened, is the highest railway in the
Alps, and also in all Europe. 1t is 1886
feet high at the summit level, where it
commands magnificent views.
The highest point of railway in the
United States is ON the Denver and Rio
Grande Railway. At Marshall Pass this
road attains an elevation of 10, $50 feet.
The longest railway system in the
world operated by one single company is
that of the Atchison, Topeka and Sante
Fc Railway, which covers 7110 miles.
The longest journey taken by any
European train is from Paris to Con-
stantinople, 1857 miles.
The two countries having the smallest
number of miles of railway are Persia
and Porto Rico-each have but eighteen
miles. Ia the former country there are
only two locomotives and four cars.
The smallest railway in the world is
that from Ravenglass to Boot, in Cum
berland, England. The guage is three
feet, aud the engines and carriages are
miniatures. The stations resemble double
bathing houses more than anything else.
The entire staff of employees is composed
OF an engineer and stoker combined,
guard, ticket collector, ticket distribu-
tor and two porters,
The shortest steam railway in the
world is Mt Buffalo, N. Y, and is known
as the Island Railroad, and is but one.
eighth of a mile in length.
Owners private cars seem to vie with
each other in the magnilicence of their
coaches. The Imperial train which has
just been completed for the German Em.
peror consists OF eleven carriages, and
has occupied three years in construction
and cost nearly $685., 900. There is
nothing like it in the world. Many OF
the details were planned by the En-
peror himself. The carriages include a
study hung with red Gobelin tapestry
from Charlottenberg, saloon up
holstered In white satin, nursery, re.
ception room adorned with marble stat
uary, an oak dining room aud large
separate sleeping rooms,
Queen Vietoria's travelling carriage Is
one OF the handsomest Pullman cars that
have ever been built, The walls are OF
salinwood, highly polished. The cushions
are of white silk embroidered ia gold
thread. The apartment contains four
easy chairs, besides satinwood table
about six feet long aud three feet wide.
The carpet is OF velvet pile, covered here
and there with luxurious India rugs.
The curtains at the windows aud the
magnificent portlerres are hung on silver
polss. The door handles are solid sil,
yer, The whole saloon with ia attinas