, 1897-11-30

Iour-ReorganiZation Committee
Will Take the Kansas Paciic-A
Franchise Upon the Denver Pacific.
The officials of the great Overland
route are happy over a new long-dis-
lance record. made Monday between
Cheyenne and Omaha with the fast
mail. Uncle Sam is very particular
that his mail cars shall be at terminal
points on schedule time and he re-
quires railroads to pay a heavy forfeit
congratulation to the Union Pacific and
its friends that it has the equipment
and the men to accomplish what to 9TH
er roads would be Representatives,
Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock the
news was flashed over the wires that
the Medicine Bow bridge vas burning.
Superintendent Culross at once gave
orders for the loading Of the necessary
materials, it requiring three carloads
Of ties. stringers, etc, to make the re-
pairs. Two gangs of men from the
hill and one gang from the Sixth dis
trict were ordered to get in readiness.
and the start from this place was made
at five minutes to 6 o'clock. The burn
ing bridge was reached at five minutes
way to pick up men and material. 1t
was found that 12S feet of the bridge
was damaged. and many remarks were
made by the workmen that daylight
would not see a train over In the past
culvetts have frequently been burned
out, but ii iro of this magnitude has
not presented itself for many years.
The superintendent said that by 2 a. m.
trains could pass and everyone went to
work with Il will to make his word
good.
The Wells light was brought into
use and proved a great success 1t
burns kerosene forced by air pressure
into a spray, and the burner used was
of 2.0O0-candle power. Thirty string.
ers had to be laid and 100 ties spiked to
them. A gang Of men worked on eithe.
side. and in the glare of this great light
they could proceed as rapidly as under
the midday sun. AS one tie after an
other was placed and spiked the light
followed. 1t is estimated by the Of
ficials in charge that the Wells light
saved fully four hours in making the
repairs.
At las the last tie was spiked and
No. 2. the fast mail, was permitted to
pass over. 1t was this train which was
destined to make a record breaking run
to Omaha, the details Of which are re-
lated in an Associated Press dispatch
from that city, as follows:
The Union Pacific has made another
record for fast running. It's mail train
has been shot across the country from
Cheyenne to Council Bluffs, $40 miles
in 500 minutes. This is actual elapsed
time and includes all stops. The en-
gines changed twice and one engineer
was relieved. All regular stops were
made and one extra when an air brake
hose burst and had to be repaired at
the expense of over five minutes of
time.
a burned out bridge neal Medicine
Bow. Wyo., delayed the mail five hours
and thirty minutes. and the train
reached Cheyenne five hours late. 1t
was necessary to reach Council Bluffs
On time or pay a heavy fine to the
government. Cheyenne to Sidney, 102
miles, was made in 107 minutes, en-
zines were changed and the run from
Sidney to North Platte, 1913 miles, vas
made in 1lS minutes. On this run a
stop was made at Julesburg to get the
Colorado mail. From North Platte to
Grand Island, 13S miles, the time was
l54 minutes Engineers being changed
ut LeXingtona and other stops being nee
sssary. From Grand Island to Council
Bluffs, 156 miles. the time was 1865 min.
ties. including a stop of over five min
ties to fix a bursted tank hose, regular
station stops. delay by Missouri Pa,
cifc freight entering Omaha yards, and
other annoyances.
The mail was landed in Council
Bluffs with 10 minutes to spare, the
actual average running from Cheyenne
being a little more than 621a miles an
hour.
The most wonderful burst Of speed
shown was on the 100 miles stretch be-
tween Grand Island and Ames, Neb.
This was covered in SO minutes actual
time. From this must be deducted five
minutes for the delay with the broken
hose at Colombus. making the time So
minutes for the 100 miles, including all
regular stops, or more than 6S miles
an hour.
TYJC II n