The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-01-25
ANOTHER MAIL RACE

ANOTHER MAIL RACE.
With the recent order of Postmaster
Geieral Cortelyou to the railroads,
which said that the time consumed in
taking the mails from the Atlantic to
the Pacific should be reduced day,
the railroads of this country are be-
ginning to concentrate their efforts to
reduce time and thus take away the
coveted mail contract from the roads
which now hold it.
The New York Central and the
Lake Shore handle the mail between
New York City and Chicago, and it
, il understood that they will reduce the
running time between these places to
sixteen hours, in order to continue
handling the fast mail.
Between Chicago and Omaha the
Burlington now hauls the mail, but
the Northwestern has made a strong
bid for it each time, and will make
an even stronger one this time. These
two roads have raced repeatedly, the
Northwestern losing the last race by
ten minutes, having made the five
hundred mile trip in exactly eight
hours.
The methods of the two roads in
bidding for this business are exactly
opposite. The Burlington issues
orders to it's engineers to break all
records, and then puts every train on
the siding while the trial is being
made. The switches everywhere are
spiked. Engineers are changed in
few moments and no time is even
taken to see as to whether the equip
ment of the train is in condition.
: Thus the engineer opens up the
throttle and drives the locomotive,
.blindly trusting to his superiors to
keep everything out of his way and
trusting to Providence shat everything
on the train is in shape to stand the
strain. Even the trips through the
big terminal yards are made at mile
a minute clip, and the trip is as nerve
racking an affair as an engineer is
ever called upon to take part in.
The Northwestern orders are just
the opposite. The engines are in
structed to clip off the miles at as fast
gait as possible, but every precau
tion must be taken to see that there
are no accidents The engines and the
trains must be inspected at every
terminal point to avoid every posi-
bility of horrible catastrophe.
The engineers will make just as
fast trip on the long stretches of
smooth track, but when the train is
going through division yards the en-
gineer must feel his way and not take
any chances. Thus, valuable time is
lost, and the contract as we'll.
The Northwestern is a double track
road from Chicago to Omaha, and has
big advantage there. The line is
also somewhat shorter than the Bur-
linz aifisy .-swvfhsi He the equipment is equal
to that of the other road. The en-
ployees are just as good men but this
spirit of care prevails throughout.
1t is understood that the North
western this year will take fewer
precautions than in previous years and
will make an even more strenuous
effort to win the coveted prize. If
they win, it will be the finest race
that has ever taken place, for the Bur-
lington officials have no idea of let
ting the contract get away from them
and will consequently make better
race than ever before.
Rumors have been circulated over
the Illinois Central western lines, that
this road would also make bid for
the contract but its proof has yet to
be shown. Officials deny the stories,
but among the employees there are
many who look forward to the race
thinking that the Central will make a
strong effort to get the mail business.
West of Omaha there will be an
other spirited contest to reduce time.
The Union Pacific now holds the con-
tract and will have to cut off several
hours in the running time. AS tc
whether the San Pedro route or the
Southern Pacific will get the contract
west of Salt Lake City will be de-
termined by speed trials. From coast
to coast the awarding of this contract
will be attended by some of the most
interesting speed trials that have evel
taken place on American or in fact
on any railroads.
THE PRESIDENT.
m,