The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-12-03
FIRST MlLE.A-MlNu II rRLIN.
II Was Run Between Boston aud Lawrence
ns Early as 1Sd8.


ns Early AS 1Sd8.
81 say, boys, how many of you can
tell where and when the first mile-a-
minute train was run?'
They were trainmen, They had as
sembled at popular downtown resort
in honor OF the birthday of one of their
particular "chums," and so as they en-
joyed the fragrant "domestics' they
had, in their free, jolly way, begun to
spin yarns and tell "reminiscences of the
rail aud iron horses which have aided
so materially in the upbuilding of Chi
cago. The 'boys," all old men by the
way, were not going to spoil story if
they could help It, so each professed ig-
norance when thus questioned, and in
sisted upon hearing all about it The
story as told was as follows:
you would scarcely believe that
trains had performed the feat of going
n mile a minute long before the tele-
graph was discovered, but it is fact.
The first event of the kind recorded
took place on the Boston and Maine
railroad away back in 1S4S. Mr.. Minot,
the superintendent at that time, was IL
progressive man, always on the alert
for improvements that should make his
line stand among the first in the coun-
try. One day, in 1S4S, he conceived the
idea of running II mile a minute and
when once the thought entered his mind
he bent every energy towards realizing
1t.
"He had a ten-ton engine built to
order at the Boston works of IIinlSley (&
Drury, and named it the Antelope 1t
had single drivers, six feet in diameter.
Mr.. Minot declared the engine should
run a mile minute or go back to the
shops.
Lawrence, a station twenty-six
miles from Boston, was chosen as the
terminus of the trial trip. Choosing a
day for the trip, men were sent over
the road to spike down all the switches
and see that everything was in perfect
order. 1t was before the introduction
of the Morse telegraph, and to run
mile minute, speed until then un-
heard of, required the utmost fore
thought. All trains were either side
tracked or taken off the road for the
trip. Representatives of the Boston
papers were invited to accompany the
uperintendent, and when the day ar
rived they, with q few other guests,
were given possession of the only car
that was to make the run.
"a large crowd gathered at the sta
ton and, amid cheers and waving of
hats, the engineer pulled open the
throttle, while Mr. Minot stood by his
side Boston was soon left behind, and
the Antelope plunged into the open
country with the heetness Of the wind.
Everything worked to charm. On
they sped, dashing by stations filled
with wondering crowd, whose cheers
could be heard but a second by the pas
sengers Half way to Lawrence Mr..
Minot looked at his watch.
Fourteen minutes, he said. That
won't do, Pemberton; we are a minute
behind The engineer threw tho
throttle wide open and the Antelope
increased the speed.
LAS the train neared Lawrence Mr.
Minot stood with his watch in his hand,
and just as the engineer brought the
train to a standstill the timepiece
marked twenty-six minutes.
"a great crowd awaited the Ante
lope's arriYal eager to know whether
the much-tallSed-o deed had been ac-
complished.
" Did you make it?" cried an excited
on-looker.
"'Yes, shouted Mr.. Minot in return,
and then cheer after cheer arose for
the men who had first driven an engine
a mile minute. Everybody congratu-
lated the superintendent and engineer,
and for a long time crowds 1ocled from
far and near to look at the engine that
had accomplished SO wonderful run"
-Chicaro Tribune