The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-06
BEAT THE TINE IL YOU CAN.
Fifty-three Miles In Fifty-scvcn
Minutes Made ny SANTA Fee.

Fifty-three Miles In Fifty-srvcn
Minutes Made by Santa Fee.
Last Friday fast run was made on the
Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe which sur
passes any time yet reached in the State.
4 Colonel Polk was in the city last night and
gave the following report of the run:
1t is not often that a train runs ten
miles in seven minutes on anybody's rail-
road. That is considered pretty good
| clip in any part of the country. nut 1t has
| been made on the Santa Fe. and that. too,
without any special preparations for the
purpose
General Manager Polk was at Cleburnc
and wanted to make connection with the
Katy to get into Austin 1t was impera
tive that he should make the connection,
and he started out in IL special train COM
posed OF his car. General Superintendent
Resseguie's ear and an engine. The train
was run special, but was unavoiddbly laid
out thirty five minutes at Clifton.
As the minutes wore away the chances of
making the Katy connection grew CORE
spcndinEly less. The party as result was
nos in very good humor. But the eugi-
nocr. a. II. Parsons said that they had
as fine piece Of road as one wanted to
ride over ahead of them and If he ever got
away from clifton he would make that
connection or know the reason why He
was told 10 let her go, and he did. From
Clifton to Temple is just fifty three miles
and II took Engineer Parsons exactly six
tv-iive minutes to start his machine out of
Clifton and stop her at the depot at Tenn
pie. on the way one stop was made for
railroad crossing and for water and five
minutes were lost. one of the stops was
made at Pendleton for orders and three
minutes more were lost. making total Of
eight minutes dead time, which brings the
actual running time for the fifty three
miles down to fifty seven minutes, which
in Itself Is not at all bad. But there were
some sDurts in this remarkable run which
nut such n measly thing as flfty-,h
miles in fifty seven minutes to blush From
McGrcgor to Temple is twenty-six miles,
ana this distance was covered In exactly
twoutv- four minutes. The ten miles be-
tween McGrcgor and Moody was made in
seven minutes. and this is the fastest time
ever made In this State and Mr.. Resseguie
saws that II is the fastest he ever rode on
a raiirold except once The train made
long stretches at over seventy miles an
hour and there was not the least extra
icrk TO the cars They rode as smooth IA
though they had been merely loafng along
at fifty miles an hour or some such snairs
race as that.
The engine which pulled the train on the
run Is an old Manchester machine which
has been many times rebuilt I'm the Atchi- |
son shops. 1t has 1S-nch cylinders and
driving wheels g. inches In damcter The |
engine Is In regular use ON the northern |
division, IT was run by Engineer A. II.
Parsons. veteran at the throttle. and the |
train was IN charge Of Conductor puean. |
Colonel Polk made the connection he want |
ed. but he had 10 do the fastest running |
ever done In this state to 40 II, and IT |
is doubtful II the s1irp time was ever ex- |
celled on Western or Southern road.