The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-04-09

There was a very remarkable and
Interesting article in McClure's Maya
zine a short time since, which read
with that pleasure which accompanies
the perusal Of a good short story; in
fact, if | had any fault to find with
the article it was that it was too ORA
snatic, and too much; like q short story,
where q person wishes to keep the
climax to the end, as some of our writ
Rrs do and so it did not seem so much
Nike the record of fact it is reported to
he. The article was entitled 'The
fastest Railroad Run Ever, Made"
end was written by Harry Perry Rob
inson, who is editor of the Railway
Age, and was one Of the official time
Keepers on the train.
Mr.. Robinson explains that the Lon
don & Northwestern and CaledOnian
railroads, from London to Aberdeen,
"a distance of $40 miles, broke the rail
way record last summer by running
ON an average 63.93 miles an hour. He
adds that the English press 'hailed
with a jubilation that was almost
ciamorous the fact that the worlds
record in railway speed belonged once
more to Great Britain" AS a matter
of fact, the English press did nothing
Of the kind; but that as minor de-
tail. My remembrance of the news
paper articles written at that time in
london, is that most of them were
warning the companies that something
would break one Of these fine days
and an appalling disaster would be
the result. However, that is neither
here nor there; the fact remains that
the greatest speed attained on a rail
way up to last August, was made in
the race to the north, from London,
the object being, it seemed, to get
those who wished to engage in shoot
ing in Scotland into that country as
Quickly. as possible. 1t was not
thought in London that the efforts of
the railway companies were directed
toward American records, but that it
was rather rivalry between the two
competing railways, the London &
Northwestern on the one hand, and
the Great Northern on the other; each
record until the racing stopped, be-
cause there was so much said and
written about such reckless running.
Public opinion in England was de-
cidedly against railway racing, and I
think that that had something to do
with the cessation Of the struggle.
A .captious, fault-finding person
might perhaps point out to Mr.. Robin
son that when the English record was
broken it was broken openly; that is
to say, any man who had the money
could go upon the fast train and time
it with his own watch. I do not pro-
pose to cast 4 shadow of doubt upon
%the account Mr.. Robinson has given
I'm McClures Magazine, because if 1
: did Mr.. Robinson might not believe
the story now feel at liberty to tell.
The fact is that I was sworn to Sc
erecy, but now that Mr.. Robinson has
written of the tremendously fast run
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
made from Chicago to Buffalo, a dis
lance Of a fraction over $40 miles, I
consider myself released from my
promise to say nothing Of the other
English record-breaking in which
= took part, and Of which nothing has,
up to this time, been said either in
England or in America. l am rather
:" 10th to write this account, because it
seems to me that if railway records
are to be broken, they should be brok-
en- in plain view of the public, and
that train should not steal quietly
: out Of either London or Chicago in
' the early hours of the morning with
-a,it some impartial person on board,
representing, if possible, the other side
OF the question. Mr.. RObinSOn'S train
left Chicago at 3 o'clock in the morn
ing, and there was nobody represent
ing England or the English roads on
board. However, l cannot say any
Nhing about this, because the English