| From the Greensboro (N. C.) Patriot |
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| October 15, 1863 |
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| Piedmont Railroad |
| We were invited a few days ago to accompany
the "Gen. R. E. Lee" on its trial trip up this road. We left
town about 3 o'clock p. m., and proceeded cautiously up the road to
its present terminus, about thirteen miles. The road seems to be well
constructed, and we were particularly pleased with a piece of trestle
work, about 1000 feet long, over a ravine, on the line between
Virginia and North Carolina, which displays a degree of skill highly
creditable to Capt. Myers, the accomplished Chief Engineer of the
road. As the "Gen. Lee" is the largest engine, by about ten
tons weight, that has ever been seen in this region of country, on
reaching the trestle-work, the strength of which had never been
tested, it was deemed prudent for the passengers to alight; but it
proved to be an unnecessary precaution, as was seen on our return, as
we passed over it with scarcely a jar, notwithstanding our numbers had
been greatly increased by a large company of ladies and gentlemen who
had been attending a protracted meeting in the neighborhood, and who,
upon the conclusion of the services, joined our party, many of them
for the purpose of taking their first ride upon a railroad. By
the by, if we were not a little past the matrimonial line, we should
be tempted to say some flattering things about those ladies, but as
the little boy said upon a certain occasion, "'taint no use
now." |
| It will be remembered that the "Robert
E. Lee" is a Yankee engine which was captured by our troops on
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. It has undergone thorough repairs
at our machine shop, under the superintendence of Capt. W. Isetts, one
of the most skilful machinists in the country, and it has been
handsomely painted by Mr. John Synco, whose skill and taste in that
line cannot be surpassed. Upon the whole, this superior engine is now
as good as new, is capable of drawing about forty heavily laden cars,
and, we hope, it will soon make its appearance at Greensboro', to the
astonishment of the natives of that region. The work upon the road is
progressing rapidly, and it is supposed that a passenger train will be
able to connect with the stage line at Reidsville about the first of
November, and that the entire work will be completed in the beginning
of the next year. |
| Danville Monitor |
|