Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-10-15
SPED ON THE WABASH.

How It Feels 60 Ride Seventy-siz
Miles an Hour,
Sr. Lotus. Mo.-To ride on locomo-
tive that is pulling an express train ~
the rate of 90 miles an hour is an i'm
teresting and exciting experiences.
made more interesting. perhaps, when
in the last of these nine cars hitched
to this monster of the rails there rides
w. J. Bryan, the democratic candidate
for president of the United States, with
divers and sundry minor candidates
and dignitaries of the democratic
party. Such an experience rs this fell
to the lot of the Times correspondent
between Kansas City and st. Louis last
Saturday.
RIDING ON THE ENGINE.
Through the courtesy of Superinten1
dent Garrett, of this division of the
Wabash road, was permitted 20 climb
into the fireman's seat on engine 145s
an 50, 00o-pound monster, built in the
Wabash shops at Springfield H., and
fitted up with the patent inventions of
j. b. Barnes, superintendent OF motive
power and machinery. As we pulled.
out of Montgomery, the last stop for:
81 miles, Engineer c. o. Smith, familii
arily known as Chris, made ready.
for run. The fireman, James Cain,
shoveled the coal into the whitehot
bed of fire under the boiler, whence
came with every opening of the door
blast as though it blew direct from
the Internal regions. There was q
deep rumble, and a motion that seemed
a blending of tremble and a throb,
and gradually we gathered speed until
the great driving rods flew around
with almost lightning motion.
The road was nearly level, running
through slightly rolling country, for
we had left the broad Missouri valley,
and were travelling a succession of cuts
and films, with an occasional bridge
or culvert from which rose dull roam
as we passed. The motion was somei
thing simply tremendous.
As we dashed around the curves the
engine lurched and rose, seeming al
most to leave the track in its mad
flight. At that moment it was not es.
pecially inspiring to know that there
was just an inch of iron fiange be.
tween us and eternity. Clinging des.
perately to whatever projections the
inside of the cab afforded, I shouted
back, disjointedly:
'.How-does-the- engine-keep the
track?''-
''Don't you know" came back quite
as disjointedly, ''the faster the speed
the less danger of the engine leaving
the rails2'
didn't know it. but was glad to
hear it. By this time we were running
along at fearful speed.
Look down at the ground" said
Mr.. Braddick, the general travelling
engineer who was on the engine.
J. looked from the cab window. but
for 20 feet from the track everything
was an 1ndistinguishable blur. Further
away where the eyes could focus,
objects were, of course, plainly
discernible, and the cattle, of which
there were plenty, peacefully cropped
the grass so yards away, undismayed.
On the train few, the four screeches
of the whistle and the changing of the
bell giving warning at road crossings.
Stations were Numbered past, each
with it's little group gathered to see
the Bryan train 90 by, and their shriil
cheers sounded for the fragment of a
second amid the DIM But no stops
were made. The white arms were
up on the signal post, and the engi-
neer from his side shouted "All Clear
to the fireman on the other, who made
q like response, the iron clutch on the
mail car caught the mail bag, and on
the ponderous train whirled.
sEvENTY-sIx MILES An HOUR
A milepost gleamedsahead. The en-
rineer pointed to it and took out his
watch. Then, after holding his time
piece, while the wind that came in at
the front window like a wall blew his
hair all pompadour, he timed his iron
steed. The track was straight as a die,
the grade slightly descending. Our
speed seemed appalling. Iheld on for
dear life, and looked right ahead with
feeting misgivings as to the sacredness
of the right of way of passenger trains
on the Wabash. Another mile-post
came in sight, and as it dashed by
s.Chris" called ont in a voice that
sounded as though it came through
the roaring of gale at sea.
"Fifty-seconds--72 miles an hour"
tried to shout my congratulations,
but he held up his hand warning:y,
and kept his eye on the track. Almost
before you could count another mile
post glittered past, and he came over
and shouted in my ear:
''Forty-seven seconds. Now you can
tell your friends that you rode on an
engine that was making over seventy.
six miles an hour"
Perhaps the presidential candidate
In the rear coach thought IL moth
ing compared to the rate at which he
fancies he is travelling to that white
pillared mansion on Pennsylvania ave
nue. in the city OF magnificent distances,
which is the highest goal OF American
ambition. But to actually realize the
speed at which one travels one must
be clinging to the seat of Aston loco
motive, one side of you roasting from
close proximity to the boilerhead, the
wind buffetiDg your face, while the
glittering rails seem to rush forward
to meet you, only to be remorselessly
trodden under the flying feet OF your
snorting steed.
And thus we brought Bryan to St
LSouis. HENRY Hall
CorresDoudent PittsburRh( Pa Times