Identifier: ourironroads00will (find matches)
Title: Our iron roads: their history, construction and administration
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Williams, Frederick Smeeton, 1829-1886
Subjects: Railroads -- History Railroads -- Great Britain
Publisher: London : Bemrose & sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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oming to dine at thenext refreshment station ; and there (such are the refinementsof civilization) the once easy-going Bengalees, who were wellcontent to travel at the rate of four miles an hour, now writeto the papers to complain of want of speed and punctualityon the railways. The wonders of American lines might well form a delightfulvolume. Railways have created new cities in the East, and havesurprised, if they have not always gladdened, the solitudes ofthe Far West. A border newspaper tells us—and we receivethe narrative according to the measure of faith—that on theUnion Pacific road, not long ago, a Kickapoo Indian saw alocomotive coming down the track at the rate of forty milesan hour. He thought it was an imported breed of buffalo, andwas anxious to secure one. So he fastened one end of his lassoto his waist-belt, and, when the engine got near enough, hethrew the noose nicely over the smoke-stack. The locomotivedid not stop ; but the engineer and fireman witnessed the most
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LEWISTOWN NARROWS. 492 OUR IRON ROADS. successful attempt to do the flying trapeze made by anyKickapoo Indian upon the plains. Subsequently, near a hamletfurther on the line, a small piece of copper-coloured meat tiedto .1 string was found, and was duly enclosed in a sardine box,and interred. The appearance of many American railways is very differentfrom that of our English lines. As he travels along, an English-man opens his eyes to find the greater part of the line entirelyopen, and unprotected on both sides. There is no embankmentor fence to prevent children or cows from wandering on to it. The train dashes fearlessly through villages and towns, cuttingthe streets at right angles, and if people get in its way, why,they must take the consequences, and do duty as an awfulexample for others. Mile after mile, said Charles Dickens inhis time, and in some districts the facts are the same to-day, we pass stunted trees, some hewn down by the axe, some blowndown by the wind, some half falle

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