Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-02
RACING FOR A BIG PRIZE
Railroads Are Ready to Start with the
Fast Mail.
UNION PACIFIC MAKES THE INITIAL RUN
Overland shortens IT'S Time One HouI
and . Half Between Omaha ana
the Pacific Coast and Could
Still DO Better.

Though the initial dash between the COM
petlng fast mail lines for the $3.50, 900 govern
ment prize did not occur until tonight, the
Burlington yesterday afternoon sent its frst
fast train east from Omaha under the new
arrangement by which the mail from the
Orient will be sent across the continent in
thirteen hours less time than previously.
The Chicago end Of the lines will attract
the bulk Of attention tonight because the
trains Of the Burlington and Northwestern
begin the race for the mail contract from
that point, but the initial train for the east
out Of Omaha yesterday afternoon moved
out Of the Council Bluffs transfer amid the
shouts Of quite . large number Of local rail-
road men.
The train left the station at 3:45 o'clock
and It's time to Chicago is thirty minutes
faster than the schedule Of either OF the
westbound trains This is the mail train that
formerly connected with the Overland Linz
tied, whicn arrives at 4:45 o'clock p. m.
and brings the mail from the Orient. Yes
terday the now schedule Of the Union Pacific
went into effect, by which that company
shortens the time Of the arrival Of the mail
in Omaha from the west by one hour and a
half. To accomplish this saving is a matter
OF considerable dificulty, in view Of the fact
that the Limited's time has been very fast
In the past Beginning today the Overland
Limited's mall cars are detached at Green
River. Wyo., and hurried across to Omaha
ahead OF the section carrying passengers in
order to connect with the new Burlington
train. The time of the Overland Limited
proper remains as before, arriving at Omaha
at 4:45 .. m.
Can Best the Schedule.
Yesterday afternoon the initial Union Pa
cifc mail train came into Omaha exactly on
time, having covered the distance from
Green River on the improved time without
. hitch. Engineer Ed Mathis was in the
locomotive when the train pulled into the
local depot and Conductor Edwards had
charge Of the train. Engineer Mathis was
Inclined to make light OF his trip and seemed
to think that with the Union Pacific's supe-
rior equipment the fast mail trains can be
taken over the road at much faster speed
than the schedule now calls for without Diff
Rculty.
"Of course the weather was very favor
able for making time today" remarked
Mathis in discussing his initial trip with the
new train. "for you see there was little
wind out on the Nebraska prairie and the
track rails were in the finest possible shape
time from North Platte half hour"
The train that the Union Pacific brought
In consisted Of one baggage car and two
mail cars, hned with pouches. The bulk Of
mail matter between Oriental points, via
San Francisco and New York, has In :.eased
nearly one-third since the Hawaiian islands
and the Philippines have passed under the
control OF this country Speaking on that
subject yesterday, a pioneer railroader who
witnessed the new train start on Its flying
trip to the east, remarked: II can remem-
ber the time when there was not enough mail
from the Orient. passing through Omaha
to NIL dozen Of those big sacks the govern
ment uses for its foreign mail. 1t was not
very much up to within year ago, but with
the last six months the Oriental mail has
increased enormously. Now the usual guam
tity is three big mair cars full. Seldom is
there room to spare In the cars occupied by
the foreign mail passing through Omaha.
WIN Help Omaha.
"Within the next few months the increase
Of this business will be out Of all proper
tions to the facilities for handling it and
modern mail cars by the hundreds will have
to be rushed into the service OF the trans
continental trafic. Especially will this be
true when the Philippines begin to develop.
OF course all this must inevitably help
Omaha"
A large crowd will greet the mail trains
on their arrival here from Chicago Tuesday
morning. This will formally inaugurate the
competitive service between the Burlington
and Northwestern roads which is to decide
the question Of the government contract in
volving $75o.o annually. The time Of the
two trains for their 500-mile dash will be
the fastest in the United States. and the ex-
Nd ets slx nS a.
For the present the Burlington will carry
the through mail. turning 1t over to the
Union Pacific for transmission west and the
Northwestern will have little but local busi-
ness at first. but on the efficiency and best
results from the two roads the government
will base its Anal award of the fast mail
contract. Aside from the substantial reve-
nue. from the contract the advertising fea-
ture Is worth considering by any transcon-