The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-11-04


familiarly called the iron horse?
Ididst.
Z was night ride, too, between
Atlanta and Montgomery, and there
was something doing every moment.
jack Wilson says its like going into
q new world when man rides ON a
locomotive the first time. That's no
mistake. Ny impression was quite
vivid that we would be in new world
before Teaching Newman. but, TO my
surprise, We did not. It wss shis
way. Ny friend John MoWasers was
ct the throttle. His engine: No. 16,
ia the monster machine which pulls
the fast train on the Atlanta and
West Point railroad. This is said 60
be one Of the latest trains in the world.
She leaves Atlanta at 1::15 in the
evening and 500 a. m. she rolls into
Montgomery. The distance is 175
miles. She makes only five stops Of
one minute each. The points are
Newman, Moreland, where she takes
water, LaGrange, West Point and
Opeiika.
I had taken water long before We
reached Moreland, and am ready to
swear that this is the fastest train on
earth,
My original idea uas to ride all the
way on the engine, but John disoour-
aged me. "No," said he, "you will,
probably, be little tired when We
make the fret atop, Newman. You
can 60 back in the car and rest when
we get there, and return to the engine
at Opelika. From that point we run
66 miles without q stop, into Mont
gomery. This is smooth run through
q level country, AS John has been
with the old Atlanta and West Point
35 years and is one Of the best engi-
neers who ever pulled throttle, l
was guided by him-that is, to some
extent. The start was splendid.
We orawled along under the viaduct
with great volumes Of black smoke
scurrying over the tender, the fireman
feeding the red mouth shovels of coal.
The bells were ringing, the steam
kissing, the lights dancing on trains
all around US. It was glorious.
John was seated on the box; I right
behind him, hugging friendly part,
and enjoying the sparkling, shadowy
scene. Suddenly the monster groan-
ed heavily and stopped. This gave
me queer feeling, and, Of cotrse, I
thought something had occurred. It
had--but it was only train crossing
our track ahead. Three minutes later
we crawled on down to .he Mitchell
street viaduot, theE VS. walked. At
Peters street we struck an easy jog
trot. The smoke was passing into the
second and third volumes, the breeze
blew stiff, and, pretty soon, John pull
ed cord and 9 blast was blown that
rather startled me. We then struck
e ecanter, the monster snorted, and
the; flashing headlight showed the
open country ahead with the track
looking as If the rails were about a
foot apart. 5.. & !
ItWas. exhilaratipg, but not quite
eco glorious.
John looked back over the rumbling
train, now enveloped il dense smoke;
4 the fireman shoyeled coal into the in
] ferno, faster, the sparks spangled the
smoke, the lever was pulled back sew
eral notches and ne were running.
Itried to think I was having q good
time, but did not entirely suooeed.
Lnja few minutesit seemed to me
q quarter Of an hour I timidly glanc-
3ed ahead and saw q light seemingly
ON the track s
!. 3. What if it was. the headlight of an
approaching train2 That thought
popped into my mind We slowed
up a little. It must bel o-we
{ sHeps past was q switch light q
East Point. y S % 55Ss
~ What 9 relief | and yet Iswas no,
altogether happy lAs Z We passed
through the town q yenturad to ask
( the fireman: lsSs 81
). HoR far is tito Newman 8;
He smiled grimly e bout So
miles. on know IL ss$ 80 miles from
) Atlanta so tevnsn sn,' Right there;l
developed Oh ntirely new SCI of emo.
stions when John carefully looked d
3 his wetoh and 3 III ramarke sSi S
RE s. g lost three minutes waiting fol