The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-17
From the Globe-Democrat.

From the Globe Democrat.
Some weeks since a group Of about
fifteen railroad officials, comprising
presidents, general managers, super
intendents. and passenger agents. AS
sembled i'm Washington to arrange the
winter schedules. They represented the
railroads of the East, and are undoubt-
edly the brightest men in the busi-
ness.
After a particularly hard days work
IN the matter of arranging a schedule
to suit all parties concerned. about a
dozen of these gentlemen gathered
around window at one of the big up
town hotels and of course, talked
shop" After going over the days
work and several minor subjects, the
group fell to discussing fast runs on
the different roads, and then took up
the subject of special trains. This sub
ject is favOrite one with the heads
of the different roads, as they gener-
ally figure as the most important per-
sonages connected with the runs. The
special train that carried the Wander
bilt party from Cleveland to Buffalo
recently in record-breaking time came
under discussion, and considerable OF
the glory connected Herewith melted
away as the circumstances were dis
sected in the nature of an ideal coun-
try and an almost perfect rOadbed. If
the same locomotive and cars We're
placed on the roads that cross the Blue
Ridge or Alleghanes, II Is Il safe as
sertiOn to make that the time per mile
would be- increased by at least a dozen
or more seconds.
"Of course, | don't mean to detract
from the merits Of that run" said a
prominent official from Philadelphia,
but we frequently make time equally
as fast as that when we strike good
sections of the road and tn engineer
can let his locomotive spread itself. |
have been out on special trains that
have made time that would make your
eyes open wide with astonishm4 but
it has frequently happened that our
advertising agent was not along and
the world at large heard nothing of
the performance.
ONE DISMAL FAILURE.
About the most dismal failure that
! can recall i'm the way OF a special
train continued the official from the
quiet city, was started from Jersey
-
there was considerable speculation as
to how far a train could be run with
out stopping for coal or water The
government was desirous of making
contracts for the transportation of
mall and we inaugurated the limited
express trains for its benefit To de-
Nelop still better service the idea of
continuous runs was discussed at great
length in railroad circles
The tanks holding water in the mid
die of the tracks had proved a great
success, and the matter of stoppine
tor water had been done away with
This permitted a run of a hundred
miles continuously. but then came the
change of engines and crews Several
OF the bright young men of our road
ana we had few, put their heads to-
Sether at that time and determined tI
try and make a continuous run IRON
Jersey City to Pittsburg. An extra
large tender was provided, and the caI
next to it was loaded with coal. Rub.
Der tubing was run from the floor OF
the cars to the axle boxes carrying oil
and other little contrivances provided
to lessen the chances of a stop as
much as possible
Everything looked lovely for the
run on the morning that the train
started out Of Jersey City, and as
saw the engineer oiling up the finest
engine our company owned, | knew he
would do his part to make the eXperi-
ment success. The plan was to have
the engineer go to the end of the divis-
ION he was familiar with. drop off. and
an engineer that knew the division
they We're entering thoroughly take
charge. Everything passed off smooth
ly on the New York division, and the
time made was something remarkable
As we passed through Philadelphia the
Weather-beaten engineer left us and
the new man grasped the throttle fol
his race against time to Harrisburg
the other terminus of the division.
"Out near Bryn Mawr. pretty su.
burb of Philadelphia. our special was
simply shattering space and everybody
was Offering congratulations and pre-.
dieting that records would be made
that would stand for years. A little
defect then developed in the oil tube
running to the axle box on one of the
cars and Charley Douglass, one ~ the
brightest young men in the employ OF
our company, grasped the handle
alongside the steps and, leaning fan
over, endeaVored to repair the break
Al the moment Douglass was deeply
engrossed in his work the special dash.
ed around short curve, and the neXt
instant poor Charlcy's head came in
contact with milk stand alongside
the track. He never knew what struck
him, as his death was instantaneous
As the body was dashed from the steps
] pulled the bell cord, and after run,
ming a quarter of a mile the train
stopped and backed up to where tho
remains, lay.
Everybody knewsDOuGlass well, and
IT took the beart out of every one on
that train. The object of the specia
was lost as q stop had been made but
for the rest Of the run to Pittsburg the
different engineers made records thai