The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-09-18

But 60 years ago when the nrSC
transcontinental train that ever traversed the
United States reached it's destination seven
days after it started, that hailed IAN
epochal event"
This first train to run from the east coast
to the west left Boston on May "a, 1870, and
arrived in San Francisco on May 81 1t was
operated under the auspices of the Boston
Board of Trade and on board were 124 pas
sengers, composed of the leaders in Bostons
social, financial and political life. Not only
was it the first transcontinental train ever run
but in the seven days it made the longest jour
ney that any railroad train had ever covered.
1t caused a sensation not only in this country
but in Europe as WELL Newspapers all over the
United States gave their readers news of the
progress of the tour just in recent years the
papers have kept the public informed of the
progress of 'rOund-the-world flyers. The train,
named 1.-THE TransContnental," composed
entirely of the new type of cars which were
Just beginning to be introduced by George NJ.
Pullman, who had organized the excursion, en-
listed the cooperation of the various railroad
lines over which it ran and induced the Boston
Board of Trade to sponsor the trip.
Another fact which made this train unique
was that for the first time in history a news
paper was published aboard a train and files
of the Trans Continental" which have been
preserved, not ~nly tell a day-by-day story of
the expedition but also furnish some interesting
sdelights the life of the times The first
ISSUE dated at Niagara Falls, N. Y, on May %,
contains the following description Of the train:
1.-THE train is made up of eight Of the most
elegant cars ever drawn over an American rail-
way. They were built by order of the Messrs.
Pullman, to be completed in time for the pres
ent excursion, and to be first used in
veying the members Of the Board Of Trade Of
the city of Boston, and their families, from
their homes on the Atlantic coast to the shores
of the Pacific.
"The train leads off with baggage car, the
front of which has five large ice closets, and a
refrigerator, for the storing of fruits meat and
vegetables. The balance Of the car is for bag
gage, with the exception of square in one
corner, where stands quarto-medium Cor
don press, upon which this paper is printed.
Next comes very handsome smoking car,
which is divided into four rooms. The first is
the printing office, which is supplied with black
walnut cabinets filled with the latest styles of
type for newspaper and job work. This depart
ment may say without egotism has been
thoroughly tested and has already turned out
some as fine work as can be done by those of
brothers who have local habitation. Adj
joining this is neatly fitted up lobby and wine
ROOM Next comes large smoking room, with
euchre tables, ETC. The rear end of the car has
a beautifully furnished hair-dressing and shaw
ing saloon.
Following tnlS come the TWO new nOtel cars,
the Arlington and the Revere both of which
are completely and elegantly furnished and
thoroughly adapted to the uses for which they
are destined. Two magnificent saloon cars the
Palmyra and Marquette come next. The train
is completed by the two elegant cOmmiSsary
cars, the st. Charles and st. Cloud each Of
which is finished in all Of it's appointments as
any of the other carriages noticed.
1.-The entire train is equipped with every de-
srable accessory that may tend in the least to
promote the ease of the passengers-elaborat
hangings costly upholstery, artistic gliding, and
beautifully finished wood work marking every
portion of their arrangements Among the new
features introduced into these cars are two
well-stocked libraries, replete with choice works
OF fiction history, poetry, ETC., and two Of the
improved Burdett organs These instruments
are complete in every detail of stops, pedals,
double banks of keys ETC.
1.-The cars of this train are lighted during the
night in new and novel manner, there being
under each an ingeniously constructed machine
which produces from liquid hydro-carbon, gas
equal in brilliancy to that made in the ordinary
way.
Despite this writer's emphasis upon the "ele-
gance" Of these cars, it is interesting to COM
pare those wooden cars, heated with wood burn
ing stoves, lighted by gas (the first ones were
lighted by tallow candles and oil lamps incl
dentally), with no springs and no vestbules so
that walking from one car to another was some
thing OF an adventure, with the vapor-heated
and electric-lighted steel cars Of today a train
of which is being shown at a number Of state
fairs this fall But in 1870 hese elegant cars"
represented the peak of luxury and from the ac-
sounts in the little four-page. seven by ten-inch