The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-10-04
S, dney Mails Rushed
Through to England
on Time.

Through their unapproachable speed
American railroads have won a contract
from the British government to carry the
colonial mail across the continent as
part # a new mail route decided on be-
tween Australia and London.
The recent rccord-brcaking dash of the
Union Pacific, Burlington and Lake
Shore trains made it possible to reduce
the mail-carrying time between Sydney.
- 9 w. and :he metropolis Of the
world by seven days. Joseph Chamber
lain. the colonial secretary. was so
leased over the change in the schedule
which gave him an opportunity to read
about the latest hop at Melbourne that
he gave the order which shifted the itin-
erary Fl ON the Suez canal route to the
United States.
The announcement, made simultaneous
ly yesterday in the offices OF the three
railroads, explains the concern of the
different arrangements over the problem
of overtaking the regular Lake Shore
mail train Sept. I before 1t reached Cleve-
land. The British government had made
II plain that should the three lines make
it possible TO shorten the period by seven
days the change would be made. All
three declared that the task would not
be difficult. but an unexpected accident
on the Union Pacific almost lost the
American railroads this valuable con-
cession.
The contract seemed about to slip from
the hold of the three roads. when, by an
extraordinary effort, the Burlington made
up between Omaha and Chicago all but
thirty-eight minutes of a three hours
loss. A special train, consisting of an
engine and mail car. was in waiting
to overtake the regular train before 1t
reached Cleveland. 1t was admitted that
unless the pursuit Terminated between
Chicago and the Ohio city further
chase would be fruitless.
What feats of travel 1t was necessary
for the special train to perform can best
be appreciated when it is known that the
regular train was speeding across lndi-
ana at an average speed of fifty-one
miles an hour. The pursuing special
maintained an average rate of fifty-nine
and one-half miles an hour. overtaking
the regular at Toledo. In this way the
ingenious American railway men won for
themselves the valuable award that
means thousands of dollars annually to
their earnings
The mail from the British colonies In
the far-away Pacific and Indian oceans
Is transmitted every two months. The
traffic managers of the three systems do
not believe that 1t will be necessary again
to appeal to the extraordinary methods
made necessary on the probationary trip
to deliver the letters and packages at the
New York docks on time. The mail last
time consisted of III sacks, completely
filling a railway mail coach of the latest
pattern. Great Importance attaches to
the new departure in handling the Brit
ish mail, because 1t consists largely Of
documents intended for the British par
Lament and the colonial secretary.
I'VE have simply shown that We can
yet teach our English friends few
things about railroad speed and invent
iveness." said railroad man last night.
"A difference of seven days is a great
deal, and Mr. Chamberlain Is not the sort
of man to overlook the advantage in
transporting the mail across the Amer
lean continent. "-Chicago Chronicle.