Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-18

with every description of rapid loco
motion. For ourselves. we met with
no accident Of any sort; nor had any
Just reason to apprehend any. during
our jaunt. One Of the COWS, indeed,
which we overlook strolling or grazing
along the edge of the road, cast a
suspicious glance with momentary
alarm, lest she should attempt to cross
our path; but, luckily, she forthwith
took q direction from the road instead
Of crossing 1t, and we were let Of for
the fright.
WE TRAVELLED in q large car,
drawn by one horse, carrying
8 or 10 persons, and capable, we sup
pose, Of carrying 80 or 20. Indeed the
car was drawn with so much ease that
we do not believe that. had it been
loaded, Its progress would have been
at all retarded by the additional
weight of the load. In the distance
between Baltimore and Ellicotts Mills
the horse was changed once, going
and coming. In going. we did not
accurately reckon the time. But, in
returning, the whole distance of Is
miles was performed In 50 minutes,
the limit to the speed being the capac-
ity of the horse in trotting, rather
than the labor he was tasked to per-
form. The locomotive steam-m machine,
in the train Of which cars loaded with
persons are occasionally drawn as we'll
as those loaded with the materials Of
commerce, Is propelled at about the
same rate, and might be propelled
much more rapidly If it were desirable.
But, for our part, we have no desire
to be carried by any mode Of convey
ance more rapidly than at the rate
Of Is miles an hour ."
Mr.. Gales became mayor of Wash
ington in 1927 and died in 1860. Just
what he would think Of the speed
demons Of today, were he alive and
one of our city fathers, it is hard
to say. 1t is, however, more than
probable that he would not hold fast
to IS miles an hour or less.
Naturally, from the first there was
much rivalry between the owners and
drivers of the stage coaches and the
promoters of the new railroad, and
one event in particular, as related by
B. H. Latrobe and printed in The Star
of April 6, 1889, is worth repeating
here. The tom Thumb" 1t seems,
was being given its experimental trial
and was on its return trip to Balti-
more when, at the Relay House, the
passengers found awaiting them, on
the opposite track, car to which was
hitched fine gray horse furnished by
Stockton & Stokes. well-known stage
line proprietors of that day, whose
object was to demonstrate the superb
ority of the horse over the locomotive
engine. And the race was O spirited
one.
AT first" It Is said, "the gray horse
had the best Of it, for his steam could
be applied to the greatest advantage
on the instant. while the engine had to
wait until the rotation of the wheels
set the blower to work. The horse was
perhaps q quarter Of q mile ahead
when the safety waive OF the engine
lifted and the thin blue vapor issuing
from IL showed an excess OF steam.
1.-The blower whistled, the steam
blew on in vapory clouds, the pace
increased, the passengers shouted, the
engine gained on the horse, soon it
Tapped him, the silk was applied,
the race was neck and neck, nose
and nose, then the engine passed
the horse and a great hurrah hailed
the victory. But it was not repeated,
for just at this time. when the
gray's master was about giving up,
the band which drove the. pulley
which moved the blower slipped from
the drum, the safety valve ceased to
scream and the engine, for want Of
breath. began to wheeze and pant. In
vain Mr.. Cooper, who was his own
engineer and fireman, lacerated his
hands in attempting to replace the
band upon the wheel; in vain he tried
to urge the FIRE with light wood;
the horse gained on the machine and
passed 1t, and, although the band was
presently replaced. the steam again