The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-20
GREAT RACE
1I0N.S0UTH.
Three Special Trains in Nip and
Tick Contest for First
1Ionors.
RUN ON PARALLEL Y J y ! s: TRACKS.
Coast Line Beat seaboard Air
Line to Crossing and Held
the Small Advantage.
RUN ON PARALLEL TRACKS

/ b
rho fact that tho three fast Florida
trains Of the Beaboard Air Line Rail-
way, the Atlantic Coast Limo hallway
and the Southern Railway, all started
out the same day and the further fact
that there Ii a.warm, but friendly, COM
petition among tho local representa-
tivcs OF those lines for the Southern
through travel makes tho account given
by a reporter for the Wilmington IN. C)
dispatch Of special interest 1t seems
that in the competition for speed an ex-
citing race occurred between the Sea-
board and Coast Line trains OH the
southern portion OF tho route, with the
Southern just ahead Of the Coast Line.
Tho local Representatives Of the Sea-
toard and Southern smile at the claim
that the Coast Line won in the long
distance railway race, but here's the
story OF the nip-and-tuck race as told
5hy the 4 Whining ton reporter, who was
Probably aboard tho Coast Limo train,
and from his own story 1t would ap-
Epear that honors were easy:
| All three trains were behind time when
3they were delivered to their own roads
in9the South. The delays were due to
snow and sleet In the North. The Coast
/ Line flyer left Emporia. w., one hour
and thirty four minutes late. Every
person connected with the road who
had everything to do with the handling
OF the train, was under a great strain.
| II was their one aim and ambition to
| put the train at her destinations on time.
\ srct, q thing had meyer been done before
by one Of these fast Southern flyers on
the initial trip. With that hour and
thirty-four minutes handicap the entire
ne1, a + the throttle and on the fire box
we're the, best that the road could af-f.
ford I'd
From Southern Virginia to Florence
over the Short Cut aaflno run was made.
AT Florence engines were changed. Ear.
nv. Farmer was assigned to the task OF
ticking train to Charleston: re was
given the famous No. 2o9. Ahead OF
/ him he had the finest stretch Of track N
the South and Engineman Farmer made
| the record run of the trip. In the 1o2
miles from FLORENCE to . Charleston ne
made up 30 minutesA!of the lost time;
The train simply few and yet those on
+board. never realized what speed the spe--
l;cial was making. az. III [ * q ~, Il rs
I, B From Charleston. to Savannah O. llt-
4 jtle more time was made up, The South
ern, !: palm Limited. was Just pulling o 7,
1 az Savannah when We. rived, NY hl!e
4 snnder.tl1e shed the 5Seaboar 8 Florida
Special rolled Ing / The three trains hap
/ pening in therein at the same TIM e., sent
|tup the interest: Of all, 1t was kno Wnrt nat
! the run; to Jacksonville would De rlost
| exciting.ttard bets were made on Wnlcn
4 itralt, would arrive at a the destination
! firstatO ur train and the Sea board pulleao
Il mn of Savannah together. a558s8
N ss4y; THE RACE ON. ...e,5
\ psssenrers railroad. men and .neWspa-
! per representa- tives gathered IN me oo-
! scrvatory car and on the extended rear
platform, for they knew great race
4 vac on. To the crossing It was three
miles and each train was doing its best
to cross first. We won the honor and
| the Sea board crossed In our smoke Then
| for several miles the tracks are parallel
and the great race Of the trip was on.
Who would lead, was the question. Both
throttles were pulled open TO tne last
i notch. The engineers bent forward 70 N
their "a gerness, and the two firemen on
anch enpinc were shoveling coal as they
! la d never done before. The flyers were
shedding along at sixty miles an hour
,IinnG long trails Of black smoke were
/ left lnyerethe tracks to tell Of the Won
Ederful flight OF the great iron monsters
| Neither gained on the other. The Coast
| Line maintained Its lead y Ing e!lst. ~
1 the back OF our train there was vas !, q nut.
ter of handkerchlefs. and. the excltement
was intense. The people v on the sea-
board flyer were equally enthusias tic'
| and waved back in responsive enthusl-
.asm. When the tracks separated and
1 the woods conceded the view. all Of US
! sighed n deep relief, but tae. next tues
ton: was which would so into Jackson
/ VILE first The Sea board had the ad-
vantage 8of twelve miles shorter dis
j lance. The Southern Palm Limited,
which used the Atlantic Coast Line
track, kept ten minutes ahead OF Us
\ most of the time. but once or twice We
came In sight OF them We lett savan-
1 fnah 80 minutes late and went into jack
sonyille on time, thereby breaking the
record and carrying off the honors Tho
| victory was ours. While the Seapoard
4 and Southern got In first. they were an
| hour orr two late. Our fastest mile on
/ that stretch was made in So seconds, and
l thu average time was 60 miles an hour.
Both left New York ahead OF the Coast
Line, IN It was a proud hour for all. Rail-
i road men were enthusiastic, and the
i rivalry between the three systems was
/ great. The Coast Line carries OF the
i honors for this season.
LEAP. YEAR BAL POUDRE,