Ninety Miles an Hour.

Manawatu Herald, 23 May 1899, Page 2

Ninety Miles an Hour.

By the new fast-time schedule, issued on the Ist day of January, the mail train between Chicago and Omaka holds the world's record. Mr "Cleveland Moffett, who travelled in the mail cars and the engine's " cab " on the second trip, describes in the April MoOlare the huge locomotives tearing through tho night so fast that in a storm the snow seemed driving at the train horizontally and with each a roar that the engine bell was inaudible to him; the rival " engineers " keyed up almost beyond what human nerves can bear, but bound "to get there or smash something." A business day is now saved in crossing the Continent and in the steamer connections from China and the Orient ; a business Ai day worth millions of dollars. The The maddest part of the rush is on the level country across Illinpis and lowa, and offers "such, a spectacle of flying mail service as" has not been seen before since letters and engines came upon the earth," Mr Moffett v travelled both on the North- WetUra line and on the Burlington. " Thera were only the three maitaan and the engine, not a stick Wide ; no *"* Pullman, no sleeping bunk ; no man aboard who had the right to sleep," In the mail cars and the engiqe all was hustle and business. The first half hoursV sensations he found absolutely terrifying* If anything break?, it may mean instant death. Once something did go wrong, but it was immediately noticed ; otherwise, as the fireman observed, they would " all have been sailing over the — in pieces." In 206 miles there was only nine minutes' stop, and that had to be made up. The engine* drivers and firemen seem to develops into a new type of humanity, with a quickness, an unerring certainly, ft constitution, and an indifference to danger akin to that of the iron monster that hat become a living thing to them. At every warning shriek or whistle, or signal light, engineers" and firemen put their heads out to hear sounds, or to smell "hoi box" or burning oil ; they become to accustomed lo the roar that it makes little impression on them, and does not prevent their hearing the least sound of anything working wrong. In this way, three years ago, one met his death. Hie head was knocked clean off in an in* stant, bis partner, the fireman, un- _ oonsoious of •what had happened, still * stoking for all he was worth; the engine still tearing, along, the dead engineer hanging out of the window. Sometimts a driver loses his nerve, and then his occupation is gone. Each work 3 only on alternate days, and the most hardened is so exhausted after the " ran " that be has to rest 24 hours. For the round trip ■•>•• of 1000 miles there are twelve en. gineers, the pick of the road, and twelve firemen, serving in relays. The crew of clerks in the mail-cars have almost as hard a time, working on alternate days for 17 hours. They must have at their fingers' endi the precise location of 18,000 separate post-officers in the different States, and know the shortest route to each -» address in the whole labyrinth.