Smart Travelling.

Manawatu Herald, 28 February 1899, Page 2

Smart Travelling.

A Chicago despatch of January 4th says : The seven days' railway race between the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway and the Chicago and North- Western line, which 13 now in progress, ip attracting the grpatesfc interest. The companies are fighting for the contract for carryinfl the mails between Ohicago and Omaha, a distance of 502 mileAand the ooofcraot, wbiob is worth Jjoo,-

(KattilUMiSß^" 1

000, will be given to the company Which makes the best speed for seven days between the two cities. The Burlington Mail train yesterday made the run in 568 minutes, including stops. The fastest time was twenty miles in sixteen minutes, beating all previous American records. The North Western made a similar record, the best time being five miles at the rate of 85 seconds per mile. The train men declare that at times the cars swayed and jumped to such an extent under the terrific speed that they feared they would leave the track any moment. Near Aurora Illinois, the trains covered ninety miles an hour, and the speed on the whole 502 miles, including stops, was about forty-six miles an hour. Although the newspapers denounce the race as dangerous and foolhardy, and likely to result in a serious accident, the thirst for sensation is so keen that railway officials in all parts of the country are receiving hourly bulletins about the contest.'