The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-05-10

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and a number Of other cities along the
route. all Of those from distance hav-
ing come to Chicago especially to ac-
company the party.
Threw a Drive wheer.
At exactly 2:30 in the afternoon on I
May 5, 1898. the train pulled out OF the
Rock Island station on Its way to Den
yer. In a few seconds the train was
well under way and making great time
through the city. When once beyond
the suburbs full steam was turned on
and che train was soon going at the
rate of a mile minute. Everything
indicated that Rock Island would be
reached in record-breaking time. The
passengers began to wonder what was
the matter after the train had been
stopping for several minutes near the
little station Of Green River. Shortly
the train backed up the tracks and
several Of the party became aware OF
the nature Of the trouble for the first
time when they looked out Of the win
dow and saw a great three ton and a
half driving wheel lying on its side
In a wheat field The journal Of the
rear drive wheel on the left side had
broken squarely off, having been over
heated in a hot box. and the mOmen-
| tum of the train had hurled the wheel
down the track as If it were a buggy
wheel. For some time the wheel had
remained on edge like a boys hoop.
1t hoped over to a side track and
then gradually veered to the outer
| edge, where 1t crossed the outside rail
and ran off into a field. where it soon
went down in the soft earth. This
accident Of course. caused a most seri-
GUS delay. The railroad officials tele-
graphed to Rock Island for another
engine, but It did not arrive for over
an hour. Finally, however. the relief
locomotive came and the train was a
few seconds afterward speeding on its
way Nearly all Of the rest of the way
to Denver the train was pushed to rec
ord-breaklng time. 1t arrived at the
Denver station the next afternoon. af-
ter starting at 1872, exactly twenty
four hours and two minutes after it
left Chicago, breaking the record for a
full train going from this city to the
Rocky Mountain city.
Dash for Mail Connection.
In November. 1897. a very remarka-
BILE run was made between Cheyenne
and Omaah. over the Union Pacific
railroad. 1t is still maintained by many
that this was the fastest long-distance
run ever made. for the running time
was not properly reduced to the correct
figure by deducting time for stops. The
distance between the two cities is 51G
miles and the mail train on Nov. .
made the distance in 500 minutes in
Guiding stops as was stated. This run
was not made in any vainglorious de
sire to smash records. but for the pur
pose of avoiding a heavy government
fine which would have been imposed ii
the train had missed connections fOi
the East al Omaha. When the discOv
cry was made at Cheyenne that unless
an extraordinary run was made the
mail connection would be missed the
two mail cars were cut loose from tn,
rest Of the train and started with the
engine and tender alone on the fas
trip. Six stops of from three to fiv'
minutes were made for coal and wat
er. and the train had to be slowe,
down for ten minutes in passin:
through South Omaha and the yards o
Omaha. SO there can be no doubt tina
this was one of the swiftest runs eve
? made on rails. In April. 1899. re
e markable run was made by a train OF
o the Burlington road between Creston
t Iowa, and Omaha. When the train ar
o rived at the former town it was al
= hour and six minutes late. When tn
5 flyer arrived at Omaha it was Onl.
e % minutes late. having coyere
the intervening distance of lO4 mile
in 113 minutes or. deducting stops, il
p the actual running time of lob minutes
n The Burlington considers this sectioi
% between these two cities its poorest al
+ vision for making fast time. on accoun
h of hills and curves. so all things cor
g sidered. the burst of speed made o
9 Anril = 1900 was most remarEab bic