The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
THE ENDEAvoR TRAINS.
How $4,000 Passengers Were Taken
from Ogden to San FrapciscO.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 10.-With the ar
rival of the Christian Endeavor trains at
Oakland this afternoon there was COM
pleted one of the most remarkable move
ments perhaps ever accomplished on sim
gle track railroad as difficult to operate as
that of the Central Pacific. Nearly 5000
people were transferred from Ogden TO San
Francisco, a distance of 800 miles, with but
comparatively slight delays, without soli-
tary accident to mar the progress of the
Christian host. General Manager KruUS
schnitt, of the Southern Pacific, has fun
nshed the following details of how the
Christian Endeavor traffic was handled.
The movement of exeursionsts was first
felt July /, when the regular overland trains
delivered by the Union Pacific and Rio
Grande Western at Ogden were run in sew
eral sections. They carried the advance
guard of the movement the main army OF
which reached the Central Pacific lines
the evening of July 4, pouring through in
an almost uninterrupted stream until the
evening of July s. Including regular trains,
there were moved out of Ogden from the
1st to the Sth seventy-four trains, of which
fifty-nine were specials or sections of the
regular trains the total number of cars
moved was S9S, or an average of nearly
twelve cars per train; the total number OF
passengers was %, ,S00 80 per train. The
distance from Ogden to San Francisco is
S33 miles. over the first part of the railroad
the trains had to be lifted total height of
9339 feet or equal to nearly two miles verti-
cally, and within d distance of III miles
having to be dropped down a mountain
grade equal to a vertical fall of 1905 feet,
or nearly mile and a half The question
of obtaining sufficient water for the loco
motives gave the officials more concern
than any other question connected with the
movement, but wnen it is considered that
for almost the entire distance across Utah
and Nevada the country Is practically
desert the difficulty will be better UNDER
stood. Many OF the water stations are sup
piled by gravity lines from springs in the
mountains. Extra watchmen We're detailed
to go to the heads of these lines TO pre-
vent leaves, chips or distractions OF any
character from getting into the pipes. At
all stations where the water procured
from streams, springs or wells extra pump
ers were put on with instructions TO keep
the pumps going light and day AT some
stations where the supply Obtained from
springs and wells was short, water cars
moved from other parts of the line were
stationed to increase the supply, the water
being hauled from such stations up and
down the lines where the supply ample.
Inc most serious problem after that OF
watering the locomotives was that or feed
ing the people, but the railroad officials ar
ranged with citizens at Terrace, Elko, Car
lin, Hum boldt, Battle Mountain, Wads-
worth Truckee, Summit, Blue Canon and
Auburn to furnish lunches outside of the
regular eating houses; The companys car
penter forces were detailed to erect long
counters tables in the open air, at which
the meals could be dispensed. Up TO time
within ten days of the Fourth OF July II was
thought that the regular operatives on the
Central Pacific would be able to handle all
of the trains offered, but as the Fourth ap-
preached ana reports were received from
the East OF the magnitude of the movement
ii was determined 10 prepare for q move
ment larger than the company was war
CeiVed Ten locomotives were leased and
sufficient number were taken from other di-
visions of the system to concentrate fifty
six locomotives ana crews at Ogden on the
morning of July 4. Six locomotives and
crews were concentrated at each terminal
west of Ogden at the same time, so that
as the procession OF trains reached the
first terminal the locomotives were cut off
and locomotives ana crews Kept IN readl-
ness were attached while the crews of the
relieved locomotives took the necessary
rest ana nOuflShinent. As soon as Ihey nad
done this the relieved locomotives were
started eastward light to take their places
again among those awaiting incoming
trains at ogden. The arrangements were
so perfectly made that there would have
been no difficulty in handling 30 per cent.
more trains than the company received.
The first train came through without
petroniZing the eating stations to any ex-
tent. but the last ones aVailed themselves
OF the facilities offered, and their slower
movement can be attributed almost wholly
to the delay in feeding the large crowds.
1t was at nrst intended 10 Keep the trains
thirty minutes in time apart, but in review-
ing the plans offered by the officers TO move
these trains the time limit was overruled
and a space limit substituted. An order Was
issued blocking the Central Pacific road alb
soutely at 1901 a. m of July 4 and forbid
ding any operator clearing his semaphore
signal to allow train 10 pass his office
until ne had received word from the next
telegraph station west of him that the last
train in advance had passed him and left
the track clear. The entire traffic was
handled without the slightest accident, al
though some of the last trains We're de-
layed about five hours at Truckee through
a fire that was discovered at about $3.50 p
m. of the Sth In the first snowshed west %
Truckee in Coldstream canyon,
The officers Immediately In charge OF the
movement We're Mr., Fillmore, head of the
transportation department OF the Pacific
Railway system: MIR. Richardson. his as
sistant. and Superintendents Alger of the