The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-01-25
BIG RACE AGAINST TIME
Thrilling Railroad Run For the
Government Mail Contract.
ALL TRAIN RECORDS BROKEN.

of &T50,0OO Between Chicago and
Omaha-Last Stage of Great Run.
The New York-San Francisco fast
mail train arrived at San Francisco on
the night of Jan. 5 at s AS, on time to
the second, having accomplished the
distance from ocean to ocean in 50
hours, strictly according to schedule,
and having clipped off 13 hours from
the previous mail train schedule.
The postoffice department at Wash
ington has made q New Year S present
to the American people Of a daily mail
service between New York and San
Francisco, with a running schedule of
95 hours The first train left New York
on the night of Jan / at 9:15 p IN
over the New York Central railroad
The running time is one hour less than
four days. 1t beats the previous mail
train record by 10 hours The letters of
sWeethearts and mothers to the soldiers
in Hawaii and the Philippines can
reach them 10 hours earlier The east
and the west have been brought nearer
together by more than half day The
feat is the most brilliant in railroad
history.
The interest of the country has been
riveted to the daily train races between
three railroads running from Chicago to
Omaha - the Burlington road, the
Northwestern road and the Chicago,
Milwaukee and ST. Paul The success of
the attempt to reduce the schedule large
ly depended upon the time made by these
roads. Furthermore, these companies
struggled for a prize of $3.50, 600 year
ly, which is the value Of the govern
ment mail contract Upon the request
Of the postal department the connecting
roads between New York and San Fran
cisco made up the new schedule which
went into effect Jan. l, when the first
train was started
At 9:15 o clock on Sunday night, the
first day of the year 1899, a great en-
CINE Of the New York Central pulled
hoaTsely, steam Kissed shrilly from the
cylinders, the glistening pistons moved
slowly in their grooves, the giant driv-
ing wheels turned lazily, and as if loath
to leave such snug resting place as
the Grand Central depot a mail train
Tumbled from under the shed and was
quickly lost in the darkness of the tun-
mel Two mail cars We're loaded with
messages and postal miscellany, some
Sf which was TO be in San Francisco,
5000 miles away, within 80 hours.
The New York Central had the honor
of beginning the phenomenal mail car
rying trip across the continent The
train was due in Buffalo, 416 miles
away, at $40 the next morning Usual
ly this is as nothing to the New York
Central But snow had fallen and the
train was delayed by blocked traffic. 1t
was half an hour late at Albany. Time
was steadily gained all the way from
there to Buffalo, which was reached,
however, ten minutes late.
The new schedule put on by the New
York Central reduced the running time
by an hour and ID minutes, which is
its contribution to the sea to sea mail
record
''Our mail train, - said Superintend-
ent Edgar Van Etten Of the New York
Central the other day, will leave every
night at 8 rs and will make Buffalo at
$40 the next morning This is easy
for us. You know our Empire State
express every day makes SO miles an
hour, including stops, and we think
nothing Of it. The new schedule is not
the slightest strain upon us.
A crowd Of railroad officials cheered
n fho YonfcTy Puff IL 1nrn+ 80
8:24 a. m, the fast mail train swung
out on the tracks of the Lake Shore and
Michigan railroad Two more mail cars
had been attached to the train, which
now comprised four cars Engine No
116, magnificent modern piece of ma
chinery, was quickly in motion Five
hundred and thirty-nine miles to the
westward was the city of Chicago, and
there three other great engines stood
with banked fires and shining sides,
awaiting the arrival Of their fleet col
league
From Buffalo to Cleveland the time
made was the fastest on record. The
213 miles was made in hours and 13
minutes 1t is 81 miles from Cleveland
to Erie The distance was covered in 90
minutes Through western Ohio the
fast mail sped, and when the plains of
Indiana were reached the engineer said
ne was on Easy street. AS he neared
Chicago he was on strict schedule and
leaning back lazily as he watched the
fireman at his back breaking labor He
was clipping off the schedule rate of AZ
miles an hour and was happy At :28
p. m, central time, two minutes ahead
OF time, t0e mail train rolled into the
Van Buren street station