Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1879 — A Trip Over the Narrow Gauge. [ARTICLE]

A Trip Over the Narrow Gauge.

On Sunday before last a number of people from Delphi, Monticello and Bradford visited Rensselaer, at the invitation oftlio manager of the Indianapolis, Delphi & Chicago railroad dompanji. Among the number was A.Si. 8011, Esq., editor of the Delphi Times , who contribut*. ed a column article in description of the trip in the Hast number of his paper, from which the following passages are quoted: In response to an invitation from the management of the narrow gattgC ratlfciad, a number of the jh lphi amU-t'dy rm SU7P" dirtTlast, in tin excursion over the road from Monticello to Rensselaer. Carriages provided the means of reaching the present terminus of the road, a short distance this side of the Tippecanoe, where was found the train, consisting of one coach, the baggage car and two open cars. Soon after nine o’clock the train jTulled out, and passed over the Tippecanoe bridge, as substantial a structure a* can be found in the West. The bridtrf is about forty feet high and x jwith the approaches, nearly four hundred yards in length. Its appearance and feeling of solidify gave renewed evidence of the tact that file builders of the narrow gauge railroad liavo sacrificed everything to efficiency and permanence. The bridge crosses the stream about two hundred yards below the original crossing of the old Chicago & South Atlantic line. The mistake of the surveyors of the old line is evident to all. Engineer Garris, in selecting the present crossing, took advantage of a provision of nature that it seems scarcely possible a school boy con Id h ave overlook ecL—The pre sent bridge is forty feet lower than the one projected by the builders of the old road. The fids of theold line remain intact, but the change of route, even after they are considered, saved to the new company not less than $6,000.

From Monlioello to Bradford the representative of the Times occupied a seat in the coach, and ho could not avoid noting the entire absence of every inconvenience of which the opponents of the narrow gauge system speak. The only difference we could note between the coach and those of the standard gauge is the reduced length of the stats, but still there is ample room for two in each. The coach provided by the management on this occasion is nowhere to be excelled for elegance apt! ease; of running. At Bradford, by invitation of the engineer, we shared bis seat at the throttle, and were given every ad vantage in noting the construction of the roadway and the appearance of the country. For a new and almost wholly unballasted track the road is almost unapproachable, and gives promise of great excellence in the future. The speed at times reached the rate of twenty-seven miles per hour, and at all times was such as to give passengers a satisfactory sense of safety and expedition. The road is as yet unfenced, and -the passage through the extensive stock farms of Jasper couuly was often delayed by the care of the engineer in his determination,, to avoid an accident. Such an array of cattle, extending at times for miles over the the prairies, it has not often been our fortune to see. Arrived at. -ft*<mr,iUO»uiia separated, each individual whiling away the hours as best suited him. The eomnnssairat of the town was tested to its utmost capacity, but finally all were abundantly provided for, and at three o’clock left on the return trip highly pleased with their experience in the Jasper county capital. The journey in return to Monticellp was .made in good time, and every individual seemed to enter fully into the spirit of enjoys nient. At Bradford the writer accepted the invitation of Major Ilannuin to a seat on the pilot , (cowca'cher), the many advantages of which he fully enjoyed. Reader, did you ever have such experience? Fancy yourself seated in the extreme lront of alocomotivespinniug over the track at thirty miles per hour! At first the novelty of the position overcomes all diffidence; this is followed by a natural timidity, and as the mites' whirl rapidly by you can nut but gain confidence in the carj; and judgment of the engineer and feel that, after all, should au accident occur your place is really the safest. The opportunity thus presented for noting the construction ot the road is invaluable, and the representative ot the Times ifreely adds his testimony to that of others to the smoothness and general completeness of the line.

In this connection we desire to add our testimony to that_of every participant in to the and to its efficiency in the poin s of speed, safety and comfort. All will unite jn complimenting the management of the road. Nothing which qould add to the'.comfort and enjoyment ofdhe excursionists

was omitted. Mr. Millikcn, thw efficient superintendent, banditti the throttle on the relnm trip, while Col. Yeoman, ably assisted by Major lfannnm and other efficials, looked to the comfort of tb« passengers.