The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-28
OLD 1875 RECORD RUN,
\ Race Against Time for a railroad
Contract aud a Surprise.

Contract aud a Surprise.
"When I first started in on this pike
back I'm the eighties, said the gray-hair-
ed chairman Of the Engineers Stove Com
mi,tee. 'it was only a pin-feather, and
didn't have hardly any freight traffic TO
speak OF. It was only O. little branch con
nection between the b. g. II. and X. x J.
roads. / was PUT on firing Tor 1911 Ken
nedy. On old No. -. ] hadn't been nrlng
here very long when the r. ~ 81. and X
g. l.. people lift upon q scheme TO Try
ard use our line for a short cut Tor per
ishable stun from one line Co the oiher
instead Of takingit down To- Burlington.
a. few miles further South. where these
roads had a junction. and sending it back
again. Accordingly. they decided to give
us one train for a trial trip. We were TO
see how fast time we could make win
this freight. and If Do very materially les-
sened the time Of the old route orr people
were 10 get a permanent contract which
would mean q iusiderable money in their
pockets. There was quite q little excite
mem among the engineers as 90 VINO
would 30 the lucky man 90 make the trial
trip. as it would be quite a feather in the
successful ones cap. 10 fell 90 Bin KEN
uedy. with No. 10. 20 make the trip, and
De and were considerably elated and
determined to do our best.
"Thc night for the fy run was very
dark. but there was a good rail. and con-
diti0ns were an favorable for quick time.
Bnl wasn't used TO night rJr ning. in fact
no one was. as 90 was very seldom necse-
sary for "A night crew. TO De- out on our
road. For that reason there were 40
MHnAH H.nm.. HHL- ono o. Lean H.I
on the train. but The train dispatcher at
this end had been ordered 10 stay ON duty
till we arrived az Rutland Junction. which
was the other end Of our line then. When
Pin and 7 got around we found that We
were t0 have company on the engine. as
Mr.. West. Tie superintendent. wanted 90
go al0ng TO see how We Jared. This put
Us more on our mottle, and / tell You
we were the real thing when we backed
over 20 the II. d J. siding TO wait for the
special
About 0 o'clock she rumblod in. and
you bet n didn't take BIZ long to- get 40.
10 around and rocked ont her. Every
thing was ready. and we were soon hum
ming along toward the r. and II. junction
point az record breaking speed. BiI was
Just aching 90 make a star run. n going
up Cheechunk Fiji. about fifteen miles
out, he gave her "a couple Of more notchcs
on the throttle, and we fairly seemed tO
jump forward.
d" You're doing excellently. Kennedy
said West. looking AT his watch. we've
made the first fifteen miles in about forty
five minutes. which is excellent with thir-
IS cars
"Bm never eased or on her at am. and
at 1915 We were Whisting for the juno
ton. having made the run of %forty-fve
miles in an hoJr and forty-ive minutes,
which was about the ton notch with "a
train Of thirty cars for those days, and
Bills head was nearly busted with pride
when West said 60 him.
d" Mr.. Kennedy, you made an excellent
run
"As we stopped at the tank. the -. and
III. operator came running up breathlessly
and said 20 Bin. Here's "a message from
Smith. your conductor. You left him be-
hind at Cheechuuk'
"Bin looked dazed and read the message
slowly while Mr.. West held a lantern. 10
" Bill Kennedy and superintendent West:
"a good soldier meyer looks behind.
YOu lcff the cahO0se. seven cars. myself
and the crew behind at foot of Cheechuuk
Hll. ] had TO walk four miles 90 get the
agent 90 send this message. Please come
back after u.s.
..The message was dated from Chez
chunk. In pulling her ont going mp the
hnl Bill had broken a coupling Din and
left the tail end there. You never saw
any one fall hatter than Kennedy and the
super did Bill never said "a darn word.
but give tho twcnty-three cars we had 20
"a ward crew Of the II. and n. and liz ont
backward for Cheechunk. thirty miles
60 the rear. 10 was Z O'Clock when we
got the tail end 10 the junction. and our
road didn't get the contract that year.
IF You want TO cause "A small riot YOU
lust ask RHl Kennedy the next time you
meet him about the record run ne made
~ .n ....t.r ~r~furuLHn goods train
hut don't tell him told y0u."-NeW York
Sun