The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-01-12
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Hobby of Ex-PreSident of the
United States.
General Grant Found Great Delight in
Watching the New York Elevated
Road Locomotives and the
Expert Engineers.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

One mid-forenoon in October, 1888,
friend and l entered the forward
car Of a Sixth avenue elevated train
at Forty-second street in New York
city. AS we took seats we observed
a man of stout build sitting in the
first forward seat on the right-hand
side of the car, apparently intently oc-
cupied in watching the engineer of the
little locomotive that was noisily haul.
ing the train to its destination. (Not
until the present century was born
were the New York elevated lines
electrified.) This passenger did not
move except to bend his head for
ward, seemingly that he might the
more readily watch the motions of
the engineer. Indeed, so glued were
his eyes on the man in the diminutive
cab that he attracted the attention of
practically every other passenger in
the car, and | caught several smiling
slyly at each other at the stout mans
childlike enjoyment in watching "the
man who made the engine CO."
Just before we reached Twenty
third street, then the pre-eminent
shopping center of the metropolis, the
man at the forward window turned
slightly and glanced up that thorough
fare-and then my friend and | saw
that he was none other than General
Ulysses S. Grant
AS the train left the Twenty-third
CT CT h.
fastened his gaze on the engineer.
Soon thereafter my friend, William
Copeland, who, as an officer during the
Civil war, had come to know General
Grant fairly well at that time stepped
up and greeted his old commander,
who welcomed him cordially and mo-
toned him to an adjacent vacant
seat.
Mr.. Copeland ventured to remark
that he could not help noticing the in
terest General Grant took in watching
the manner in which the engineer of
the train did his work. The general
smiled.
1T is hobby of mine that when
| ride upon the elevated try to get
the first seat in the car next to the
engine" he explained. 81 have always
been interested in locomotives and the
men who run them, and these little
engines that pull the elevated trains
have completely captivated me. So
100, have the men who run them. l
Go believe that they become so
familiar with the tracks and their en-
gines that blindfolded they could run
them from station to station without
mishap. 1t is a great treat to me to
observe their expertness, and | feel
disappointed whenever 1 am not able
to obtain this seat in a train where
| can have full view of engine and
driver.
Il like, too," contained the general,
to ride on the elevated for the views
it affords from the car windows, | am
thus able to keep up from day to day
with the march of improvement along
the route of the road and in the side
streets as far as the eye can carry.
And these vistas of city life are
continual oOulSC VI uCllSAl III LnSLl-
selves. Whenever l travel on a rail
road train | like to get the last seat
in the rear car so that l can turn
around and look at the vista of the
track over which the train has sped
and when l am not doing that l want
to be looking out of the window con-
tinually, But, after all, the greatest
pleasure l have ever received while
travelling has come through watching
these little engines puff up and down
above the streets of New York city"
And while the great general of the
Civil war the man who had twice
been president of the United States,
was confessing to an interest in ele-
waited railroad travel similar to that
which children always display, his
gaze would turn every little while
from Mr.. Copeland to the engine
ahead, as though he were afraid of
missing some motion of the man who
was driving it down to the city's finan-
cial center.
Copyright, 1911, by E. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved.)