The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-13

occupy but 2 hours and IA minutes in
accomplishing the 1000 miles between
Boston and Liverpool"
THAT is over /. 800 miles an hour,
| exclaimed.
There is no doubt of it. And there
Is a peculiar feature about it. The
time in Liverpool is 4 hours and 40
minutes faster than ours. therefore q
traveller who leaves Boston at 0 O'Clock
in the morning will arrive at England
at 54 minutes past 8 o'clock in the af-
ternoon. Is NOT that "A rapid journey?
On the other hand. for example, as our
trains start from Liverpool at noon, the
voyager can disembark in tssis station at
9:34 in the forenoon-that is TO say, al
most three hours before he started from
the English side"
l knew not what to think. Was |
talking with an insane person? Should
l have faith in these fabulous theories?
We'll" said |, lit may be SO. |
will assume it to be true that your in
vention can attain incredible speed, but
when you come to stop, to suddenly ar
rest this rapid motion, will not every
thing DE shattered!
by no means, F" responded the colo
mel, struggling his shoulders. Between
our tubes, one of which serves to go
and the other to return, and running
in opposite currents of air, a communi-
cation exists upon each side. When a
train approaches, we are made aware
of the fact by electric sparks, and by
- 11ra%rso;t, <ln f1,,Da hot rv,phoa
the train is paralyzed. Left to itself,
the train continues on its way from the
momentum already acquired, and by
means of a valve which connects with a
current the speed becomes gradually
slower, until the train is finally check
ed by coming i'll contact with a huge
bumper, the shock being scarcely felt.
But what good are all these explana-
tions? The only way to know the ac-
tual working is by experience"
And without waiting for me to re-
spond Colonel Pierce drew out sudden
ly a handle of polished copper from the
side of one of the tubes. A panel run
ming upon grooves was thrown open,
and through the aperture l saw a sue
cession of narrow benches upon each OF
which two persons were seated side by
side.
The pneumatic carriage" explain
cd the colonel. Let us depart. Come. "
l followed him obediel.tly, and the
panel was Immediately closed. BY
means of an Edison lamp which hung
from the center of the carriage | exam
ined ~curiously the place in which
found myself. Nothing could be more
simple. A long cylinder, comfortably
padded, across which were so armchaIrs
bound together in pairs, arranged in
parallel rows. At each end a valve
regulated the condition of the atmos.
phere, that in the rear permitting the
air to penetrate the cylinder, while thai
in front gave egress to that which hat
become impure.
Some little time passed while l wal
making my examination, and becom
ing somewhat impatient ! said:
well, colonel, why do we not start!'
start? We started some time ago.
replied my guide.
Was it possible? Could we be Ell
route? Was it really true? | listenet
) attentively, trying to hear some nois,
which would give evidence of motion
LIZ we had really started, if the colone
5 had not deceived me in talking abou
1900 miles an hour, we ought to be ia
from land under the pillows of tn
5 ocean. Above our heads the crestet
waves may be beating against eacl
other with fury, are perhaps even a
$ this moment taking us for a monstrou
1 serpent of an unknown species. TIL
I whales are striking their powerful tail
against our long iron prison house.
: But | heard nothing, only a sort Q
: dull, scarcely p~erceptible buzzing. an
: plunged in a state of unbounded aston
h ish-a snt and not able to believe in tn
reality Of what was happening ! be
I came silent as the time went by.
Nearly an hour passed thus. when
+ suddenly felt a dampness upon m.
forehead, which awoke me from til
torpor into which l was fast falling
d l carried my hand to my face. 1t ws
wet. Wet! What had happened? Ha
the tube burst under the immense pre-
sure of the water, a pressure which mni
le be formidable since we were at sue
an immense depth. Should we |
l. swallowed up by the ocean,
II A great fear took possession OF M
te B~ewildered and almost desperate. | Ell
IN deavored to cry out in my agony.
g And found myself in my w ga
n den generously sprinkled by a peltir
rain, of which the large drops had il
r terupted my sleep.
e l had gone to sleep upon a rust
th bench while perusing an article WRITE
by a Boston reporter. setting forth Il
of fantastic projects of Colonel Pierc
be who / fear will never meet with t
r. realization of his absurd hopes.-Jul
II Verne.
ls-
Electric Light and ColOrs.