Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-08
A TRIP WITH BRYAN.
JOURNEY FROM KANSAS
CITY TO ST. LOUIS.
A Newspaper Correspondents Descrip-
tiOn of Riding on u Locomotive Rum
ming at seVenty-six Miles an Hour
Over the wabash
pI.tsbure. Pa, TImes. Sept. IS.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 20. Ito ride on
the locomotive that Is dragging az
express train at the rate of 70 miles
an hour is an interesting and exciting
experience, made more interesting,
perhaps, from the fact that it is
hitched to the car in which Mr.. Bryan,
the Democratic candidate for presi-
dent is travelling from Kansas City to
st. Louis. Such was the experience
that fell to the lot Of the Times
correspondent last Saturday.
At Wellsville, through the courtesy
OF superintendent Garrett, of this di-
vision of the Wabash railroad, was
permitted to climb into the fireman's
seat on engine las, an S0,000.pound
monster, built in the Wabash shops at
Springfield, ILL.,, and fitted up with
the patent inventions of j. B. Barnes,
general master machinist OF motor
power. AS we pulled out OF Mont
gomery, the last stop for sixty-one
miles, the engineer, G. o. Smith, famil-
iarly known as "Chris," made ready
for run. The fireman, James Cain,
shoveled the coal into the white-hot|
bed of fire under the boiler, whence
came with every opening of the door
blast as hot as though it blew direct
from the Internal regions.
"This is no parlor car" shouted in
my ear General travelling Engineer
Braddick, who sat beside me.
1t certainly was not. AS we dashed
around the curves the engine lurched
and rose, seeming almost to leave tho
track in its mad fight.
"How does the engine
keep - the - track?"
don't you know" came back,
equally disjointedly, that the faster
the speed the less danger of the en-
CINE leaving the rails?"
didn't know it, but was glad to
hear it. By this time we were pound
ing along at fearful speed.
Look down at the ground, said
Mr.. Braddick
looked from the cab window, but
for twenty feet from the track every
thing was an indistinguishable blur.
On the train flew, the four screeches
of the whistle and the changing Of the
bell giving warning at road crossings.
Stations were Numbered past, each
with its l.stle group gathered to see
the Bryan train go by, and their shrill
cheers sounded for the fragment OF
second amid the din. But no stops
were made.
seventy-Six Miles an Hour.
A mile post cleaned ahead. The en-
glneer pointed to it and took out his
watch. Then, with one hand on the
throttle and the other holding his
timepiece, while the wind that came
in at the front window like wall
blew his hair all pompadour, he timed
his iron steed. The track was straight
as die, the grade slightly descending.
Our speed seemed appalling. l held
on for dear life and looked righu
ahead with feeting misgivings as to
the sacredness of the right of way Of
passenger trains on the Wabash. An
other mile-post came in sight, and as
1t flashed by "Chris" called out in
voice that sounded as though 1t came
through the roarings of gale at sea:
"Fifty seconds-72 miles an hour"
l tried to shout my congratulations,
but he held up his hand warningly,
nnd kept his eye on the track. AL
most 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 70
miles an hour"
Perhaps the passengers behind did
not regard the speed as anything un-
usual. Perhaps the presidential can
didate in the rear car thought 1t
nothing compared to the rate at which
he fancies he Is travelling to that
white pillared mansion on Pennsyl-
vania avenue 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 a Aston locomotive, one
side of YOU roasting from close prox-
unity to the boilerhead, the wind but
feting your face, while the glittering
rails seem to rush forward to meet
you, only TO be remorselessly tram
pied under the flying feet of your
snorting steed.
Near one farm house flock of tur-
keys scurried across the track. One
majestic gobbler, however, with
feathers on end and tail fan-shaped,
strutted across In stately dignity, evil
IDENTIFY believing that no express train
dare come "between the wind and his
rentility." He was sadly mistaken.
Before his proud feathers had time to
droop he was kicking the air fifty
feet away.
THAT gobbler will never see
Thanksgiving" said Chris grimly.
Now the hills of Illinois began to
loom up across the distant Mississippi.
We sighted again the Missouri, left
hundred miles or more behind, crossed
at st. Charles the three-million-dollar
bridge that spans it, and looked down,
from q height of 81 feet into its turbid
waters. Soon we see the smoke of st.
Louis and enter its suburbs. Then
come parks and street crossings anG
street railway tracks, and the whistle
sounds frequently, while proud
mortal!-am allowed to ring the bell.
Leaning from the cab win"
dow, with one hand on the
rope. / wave the other with
lordly air to residents OF suburban
cottages who send a CHEEKY greeting
as we rush past. The tracks become
a network of rails, white arms wave
from the signal posts, and the switch
lamps CLEAN thickly, red and white.
Reversing our direction the long train
| e booLed IA nidlv into the great Union