Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-11-13

Some years ago an eminent railroad
man said: "They will build engines
that will beat mile minute dash
with heavy train, but to operate
them successfully you'll have to in
vent something besides flesh and
blood"
And the tenderfoot who has clung
to fireman's "seatbox" while the
machine under him was spinning out
the miles at that rate will vigorously
second the statement.
But that assertion was made back
yonder in the 18th century. This is
the goth.
The Burlington had completed its
eastern cut off to the Mississippi riv-
CT, and one locomotive was covering
the division between Brookfield and st.
Louis, ITS miles.
The Northern Pacific express
reached the Missouri division so
minutes late. The engine hauling it
was sending aloft a geyser of steam
from the safety valve and Quivering
all over as if enraged that in spite
OF its best eXertions this dishonor had
attached to it. And the engine driver
was mean enough to SANDER i. by say
ing, "She just wouldn't make steam"
If the machine could have talked it
would have said something about
nerve"
A helper leaped into the cab as the
engineer stepped off, and ran the en-
gine down to the tracks leading to the
round house. Then there was slowly
backed up to the long line of vesti-
buled coaches that had come in from
the Coast, double compound, type
recently adopted by the road. The
coupling was made so gently that the
most sensitive passenger could not
have told when the tender struck the
front express car. The engineer, "Aus-
tralian jack" as the boys called him,
walked over to the fireman's side and
looked down the depot platform,
where trucks of baggage and express
were being noisily wheeled about. A
tall man with an iron gray mustache
emerged from the crowd and walked
up to No. S50-Jack's engine. He was
superintendent of the lines In Mis-
souri,
"Jack," he said, "we're nearly all
hour late. The president and two Of
the directors are along, and they want
10 catch the Iron Mountain at Union
station in the morning. There's big
consolidation meeting of the Southern
at Memphis tomorrow, and they have
to be there. They won't wait for them
II they're late Blossom lost time out
Of the junction because he was afraa
of the new track work, and the 'i
uns' are most wild. You unders; aed
What this MEANS -ta- ma, ----l--..-.-
Australian Iaclh-tnnchaG. MIR hnt
inclined his head a little, but a:.i.i
nothing. AS the superintendent t.1sn@t;
away messenger boy rushed up
ard $50. The official stopped hin q.
took the message from his hand. 1
said: Never mind; Jack don't .,5i
that now. I'll give it to him at the
station"
When $50 started there was no Slip
ping of the drivers, no sudden jerk
and shutting off of the steam. Th"
engineer clasped the lever with vel
vet touch and the wheels began to
move. The start was so gradual that
the great men, who were smoking their
cigars in the rear compartment of the
presidents ear frowned and wondered
if the man at the throttle was of the
sort that could gather up that so min
utes out of a schedule that called for
nearly 60 miles an hour.
81 think Jack will make It all right
said the superintendent; "but I'm
afraid 1 played him scurvy trick to-
night, and one for which he will nev-
er forgive me when he learns the
truth"
what was that?" said the presi-
dent
well, his mother. who lived down
the road piece, had been unwell for
several days, and just before starting
the telegraph boy went toward the en-
gine with telegram. knew 1t
wasn't train order because they were
all in. It struck me that Jack had
better not get the message just then,
and 1 took it. 1t was from his sister
and simply said, Mother Is dead. "
concluded tte superintendent, with
sigh. 1T was too late to get another
man, and didn't tell him"
"And he is ignorant of his misfor-
tune?" said one Of the directors.
"Of course" answered the superin-
tendent. "It might be dangerous to.
let him know while making the sort
of run he has to make tonight" The
speaker judged from sharp experience.
The men smoked their cigars in 81
lence. The smooth rolling cars be-
gan to gather momentum, but there
was no jerking, no swinging of the
solid tra1n-JuSt an easy SllpplnS alouG
as pneumatic tired buggy might run
over velvet carpet
The superintendent explained the
distances between the stations and
the men who had thousands at stake
on the success Of the run got out pa
per and figured the rate at which the
miles were being thrown behind. The
"a miles to Macon were made in 80
minutes-the numerous coal switches
in Macon county being responsible for
the loss of five minutes. This made 55
minutes behind, and the railway mag
mates gloomily shook their heads.
Boys" said the president, "Tm
afraid the jig is up. He'll never make
1t. It's queer they refused to Eostpone