The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-09
MILE IN s. SECONDS
MADE BY GEORGE GOULD IN RACE
TO A DINNER PARTY.
HIRED SPECIAL FOR $1,000.
RAN 172 MILES FROM JACKSON
WILLIE TO SAVANNAH IN 152
MINUTES.

Besides George Gould, Mrs. Gould
and Children and Jas. b. Hyde
Were in Party-Stnrted from Palm
Beach Intending to Catch A. c.
L. No. 32-Missed 1t and Hired
Special at Jacksonville.
Given the Best Engine and "A
Clear Track, the New York and
Florida Special and SOuthern's
Palm Limited Being Put In Sid
ings-Run from WalthourviIIe to
Mcintosh, z Miles, Made In Min
utes.
Hurrying to New York to keep a
dinner engagement, George Gould,
James H. Hyde and a party of friends
on a special train that cost $1,5OO,
broke all railroads records for the
South and probably the country in a
run over the Atlantic Coast Line from
Jacksonville to Savannah yesterday
afternoon.
Everything was sidetracked, even
the Atlantic Coast Lines New York
and Florida Special and the Southern's
Palm Limited, and a straight run, with
only necessary stops. and mighty few
of these, was made. The distance is
172 miles, and it was made in 1852 min
utes. The average running time for
the entire distance was a mile in So
seconds. At one stretch of road, that
between WaIthourville and Mcintosh,
seven miles were made in four min
utes.
The train consisted of George
GouId's two private cars of the Mis-
souri, Pacific Railway, the bay Shore"
and the "Strannear," on which, in all,
there was a party of some twenty-five
persons, among them being Mrs. Gould
and her children. and an Atlantic
Coast Line combination car. The train
was drawn by Engine No. 2T, in
charge of Conductor Ed Leake and
was in care of Conductor McCroan.
Missed Train No. 81.
The Gould party which was at Palm
Beach had intended going North, it is
stated, on the Atlantic Coast Line
train No. 80, which left Jacksonville at
S:S5 o'clock. but finding that they had
missed that train Immediately re-
Quested a special, with the intention,
1t is understood of trying to overtake
No. 80, an effort that they purposed
making, despite the fact that No. 80
had some six hours start of the spe-
cial.
Money was no object with the party,
and so arrangements were quickly
made with the railroad to give them
a special train, a clear track, one of
their best engines and an engineer
that wasn't afraid to "let her out"
They got what they wanted from
Jacksonville to Savannah, and If they
get anything like it the remainder of
the way it is expected that they have
overtaken No. 32 about Weldon. N. C.
It's a good thing the travellers weren't
looking for scenery along the route;
they wouldn't have seen it for the
landscape as the train flew along
making new records for every mile,
appeared nothing but a blur of green
and brown.
DtNWCGh
The special left Jacksonville at 1882
O'Clock and reached Savannah at 5:25.
The run from Jacksonville to Way
cross, 76 miles, was made in 70 minutes.
and the run. from Waycross to Jesup.
40 miles, was made in IS minutes. There
was no lessening of speed between
Jesup and Savannah except for one
a RllrrO1IQrhG and the train
into the city with a record run that
is away ahead of everything in this
part of the country and one that will
not be equalled, if ever equalled at
all, for long time.
The former record for the Atlantic
Coast Line between Savannah and
Jacksonville was 172 miles in 164 min
utes, a record that was made some
two years ago with a mail train. 1t
was thought, to use the vernacular
that this was about "the limit" but
the run yesterday demonstrates to the
contrary and shows what good equip
ment and favorable circumstances can
accomplish in railroading.
There can be no doubt about the time
made, either for the timepieces of the
agents along the route were synchron-
lied with the clock of the Savannah
office That it was a most remarkable
performance may be gathered from the
expressions of old and widely expert
enced trainmen, who, when they learn
ed of the time made on the trip, said
but for the fact that 1t had been made
they would never have believed it
possible.
Lost No Time Here.
When the train arrived at Savan-
nah ii was backed into Union Station.
another engine coupled on and in a
few minutes was again headed north
ward, Because Savannah is the north
ern terminal of the division between
IT and Jacksonville, and affairs to the
North are handled from above. what
preparations had been made to fur
Their hurry the train forward are not
known. but as Mr.. Gould is reported
10 have said he had everything but
time, and as il had been shown that
he was willing to pay for that, it is
probable that the Atlantic Coast Line
was equally as accommodating to the
North and that he continued at his
breakneclS pace towards that dinner
party. Train No. 80 is due to arrive
in New York this afternoon at lis.