Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-22

united states.
Before this trip of Prince Henry's,
which begins on Washingtons birth
day, Feb. % Mr.. Boyd has his hands
full. The state department consulted
with him as the representative of the
Pennsylvania railroad as soon as it was
decided that the royal visitor would
come. Everything was then put in Mr.
HOyd's hands.
His task involved the choosing of
cities to visit, routes to take. hotels to
stop at, the time to be made, and the
locomotives and their crews that are to
bear the special train of seven cars
The making of the time schedule is
hard bit of work in itself. Every road
over which the train passes has to be
consulted with. COaling. fresh food
switching, are few of the Incidental
things that Mr.. Boyd must arrange for
III short. he must carry a train of
seven cars. filled with people of great
Importance over thousands of miles so
that they may live in absolutely luxury
and not miss anything of interest or
Importance. and never receive a mo-
mentS annoyance.
NO other country has these tours for
the pleasure and observation of the
great. 1t is not possible in any coun-
try except America. In no other spot
in the world can one travel 5000 to 5000
miles without changing cars.
This feat astounded President Harri-
son and President Mckinley. American
citizens used to the marvels of this
land. 1t is almost impossible for a for
eigner to grasp it at first. Prince Henry
will probably hand down the story of
this feat to the third generation of
Hohenzollern royalty, just as the In
fanta of Spain is yet doing, though she
didn't make quarter of this trip: and
as Earl Ii Hung Chang did to his last
day in China.
The Americans are so used to this
swing around the circle that they can't
fully grasp what it must mean to a
person of any other nation to take a
seat in magnificent drawing room on
the very surf of the Atlantic ocean and
stay in it while it touches the gulf of
Mexico, where the gray moss hangs to
the ground and the summer stays for
ever, then out where the peals from
the bells of the Golden Gate welcome
him as the car glides along the coast
of the Pacific ocean, and then on to the
snow squalls and the winds of the
great lakes, then the dash to Niagara
Falls. and take out his hat box and
dress suit case once more on the At
lantic ocean.
This tremendous piece of railroading
to impress visitors was thought out
first by James G. Blaine, when he was
secretary of state for President Har-
rison.
The first great Pan American con-
gress was to be held here. This politi-
cal move that should bring together
the nations of America was Mr..
Blaine's, and when it met with such
approval and a great number of dele
gates began their trip, the secretary of
state was eager to show them Just
how great were the nations of North
America. Mr.. Boyd was sent to talk
it over with Mr.. Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine's idea was that the
South Americans should be taken in
one train over the continent as the
guests of the government at Wash
ington. The Pennsylvania Railroad
company thought the plan was feast
BILE, but did not think at first that it
was possible to use one locomotive,
and at that time the use of different
locomotives would mean the greatest
amount of Inconvenience.
The one that drew this train must
be fitted up with heating and lighting
apparatus. Locomotives on other
roads We're not 80 fitted. Trouble came
there. Finally they decided to make
the trial of using one locomotive They
did it with great success, and No. 1858
is today the most distinguished loco
motive in the world. 1t is the only To-
connective that ever accomplished such
a journey. 1t did it on schedule time,
and came very near getting into the
last station ahead of time. The fire.
man and the engineer have gone into
history with No. 1853.
Mr.. Theodore N. Ely designed the
engine. 1t weighed $1,000 pounds. 1t
went 5S25 miles 1t stopped at the
station after this trip as full of vitali-