The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
OLD 1873 RECORD RUN.
A Race Against Time for q Railroad Con-
tract and q Surprise.

tract and surprise.
when first started in on this pike back in tho
eighties" said the gray haired chairman Of the
Engineers Stove Committee it was only PIN
feather and didn't have hardly any freig hit traffic
TO speak of. II was only little branch connec-
ton between the b. & IL and II. q l. roads
put on firing for Bill Kennedy, on old No. TO-
l hadn't been firing here very long when the b. d
H. and r, g. l. people hit upon a scheme 10 try
and use our Line for short cut for pershable stuff
from line to the other instead OF taking it down
to Burlington. a few miles further south, where
these roads had junction. and sending it back
again Accordingly, they decided to give us one
train for trial trip We were 10 see how fast
time could make with this freight and II il
very materially lessened the time Of the old route
our people were 20 get permanent contract which
would mean considerable money in their pockets
There was quite a little excitement among tho
engineers to who would be the lucky man to
make the trial trip, as 1t would be quite feather
in the successful ones cap. II fell to Bill Ken
nedy, with No 10. to make the trip. and he and
were considerably elated and determined to do
best
The night for the fly run was very dark. but
there was a good rail, and conditions were all
night running; in fact, no one was as il was very
seldom necessary for a night crew to be out on
our road For that reason there were no night
telegraph Offices open to keep tab on the train;
but the train dispatcher at this end had been or
dered TO stay on duty till We arrived at Rutland
Junction which was the other end of our line
then When Bill and got around we found that
were TO have company on the engine as Mr.
West, the super. wanted to go along to see how
we Jared. This put more on our mette and
tell you We were the real thing when we backed
over to the r. l.. siding TO wait for the special.
About o'clock she rumbled in and you bet II
didn't take Bill long to get No. 10 around and
hooked onto her Everything was ready and
we were soon humming along toward the b. & II.
junction point at record breaking speed Bill
was Just aching to make a star run, and going up
Cheechunk Hill about fifteen miles out he gave
her couple OF moro notohes on the throttle and
we fairly seemed To Jump forward.
You're doing excelenuy. kennedy said
West, looking at his watch; we've made the first
fifteen miles in about forty Ave minutes which 10
excellent with thirty cars
bill never eased of on her at all and at 10.46
We were whistling for the junction. having made
the run Of forty-nve miles in an hour and forty
five minutes which was about the top notch with
a train OF thirty cars for those days, and Bills
head was nearly busted with pride when West
said 10 him:
MI hcnnedy, you MADE an excellent run
"As we stopped at the tank, the d. & H. operator
came running up breathlessly and said to Bill:
Here's a message from Smith, your conductor.
You left him behind at Cheechunk.'
bill looked dazed and read the message slowly
while Mr.. West held lantern. II ran:
"'BM Kennedy and Superintendent West;
"A good soldier never looks behind, You
left tho caboose. seven cars myself and the crew
behind at foot OF Cheechunk Hill had to walk
four miles to get the agent to send this message.
Please como back after us
1.-THE message was dated from Chcechunk. In
pulling her out going up the hill Bill had broken
a coupling pin and left the tail end there You
never saw any ono fall hatter than Kennedy
and the super did Bill never said a darn
word but give the twenty-three cars We had
to a yard crow OF the B. g H., and lii out back
ward for Cheochunk. thirty miles to the rear II
was o'clock when we got the tail end to the
junction and road didn't get the contract that
year.
"If you want TO cause a small riot you Just ask
Bill Kennedy the next time you meet him about
the record he made with the special perishable
goods train. but don't tell him told you"