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tire was one-twentieth of an inch on a §8 inch centre. By this means ten engines were nar rowed in 24 hours, three of which en gines were “ten wheelers.” This does not mean merely to slip the tire ; but the engines were brought to a track with a third rail, one at a time, bank ing the fire of the engine, raising them up sufficiently high for the driving wheels to clear the track about two inches, after taking off the pilot and removing the front trucks as well, and while the tires were being slipped with this device the wheels weie taken from the engine, tender and trucks, carried into the machine shop, a distance of some 50 yards and put into a very pow erful wheel press and each wheel pushed up inches, the axle being previous ly turned back that distance. The engine trucks had been prepared for the change prior to this by turning the axles inches from the hub of the wheels and then putting a collar on each wheel-hub It, inches thick. On coming to the change, they broke this collar off by driving a punch into a hole in each collar, which had been drilled there when the collar was put on. The wheel was then pushed in the required distance. This work be in£ done, the truck wheels for both engine and tender were brought back to the engine and put into their places again, the tires having been slipped in during the meantime. It is proper here to state that the superintendent, Mr. R. A. Anderson, has for a number of months past been giving the closest possible attention to having this work done as efficiently and economically as was practicable. In this he has been zealously assisted by the assistant superintendent, Mr. A. B. Bostick, and the two have watched every detail of the business with the greatest interest. As an evidence of the efficient and satisfactory manner in which this great work was performed in all of its details on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, we will state that the last train which ran on the 5 feet gauge left Atlanta at 7:50 on the morning of May 31st, with Charlie Barrett as engineer, and “Dick” Hargis as conductor. This train ar rived at Chattanooga at 1 o’clock P. M., and turned around, and at 1:30 P. M. left again for Atlanta. At 1:50 o’clock the next afternoon, June Ist, passenger train No. 1, with engine “John P. King,” Engineer Robert Mc- Nab and Conductor J. P. Mays, left the Union depot at Atlanta on her schedule time. She arrived at almost every station exactly on time, and at 7:07 P. M., the very minute she was due in Chattanooga on regular schedule time, she ran into the Union depot in that city, amid the cheers and good-humor ed applause of quite a number of the citizens who had gathered there at that time. This was a remarkable record. No other railroad at Chattanooga ran its trains into that city under three hours after their regular schedule time, and in one instance this ran up to as high as 11 hours after schedule time. THE GREAT KENNESAW ROUTE GAZETTE. At 2 o’clock that night the same train and crew left Chattanooga on schedule time of train No 12, and at exactly 7:25 A. M., June 2d, entered the Union depot at Atlanta, promptly on htr schedule time. “Bob.” McNab, and “Uncle John” Mays, as the boys all love to call him, were worthy of this honor of running the first train over the new gauge. It was a fitting compliment especially to Conductor Mays, who has been nearly 30 years in the continuous service of the company, that he should have been complimented with the first run. We will only add that the second train which left Atlanta on the new gauge was the Rome express at 3:40 P. M., June Ist. She arrived at Rome promptly on schedule time, the Rome railroad having also successfully chang ed its gauge. Then, the Marietta ex press went out at 5:15 for Marietta, and at 5:55 passenger train No. 1 ) left Atlanta forChattanooga, arriving there at 11:39, only four minutes late. At 11 P. M. that night, passenger train No. 11 left Atlanta and reached Chat tanooga the next morning at 4:30, ex actly on time. At 6:25 P. M., June Ist., freight schedule, No. 7, alsp left Atlanta in five sections for Chattanooga and reach ed that city “ on time.” Is there a railroad in America which can equal this record ? It goes with out saying that none of them can beat it The Blue and the Gray. At this time when all hearts are warm with the remembrances of “ Me morial Day,” April 26, in the south, i and “ Decoration Day,” May 31, in the north, it is very appropriate that we reproduce the beautiful poem, “The Blue and the Gray.” No words of eulogy of ours could add anything to the appreciation which our readers will feel for it: THE BLUE AND THE GRAY. (This poem, which appeared originally in the New York Tribune is founded upon an incident that occurred at Columbia, Miss., on Decoration-Day, 18G7, when flowers were i strewn upon the graves of Confederate and Federal soldiers alike.) By the flow of the inland river, Whence the fleets of iron have fled, Where the blades of the grave-grass quiver, Asleep are the ranks of the dead ; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Under the one, the Blue; Under the other, the Grey. These in the robings of glory, Those in the gloom of defeat; All with the battle-blood gory, In the dusk of eternity meet; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Under the laurel, the Blue, Under the willow, the Grey. From the silence of sorrowful hours The desolate mourners go, Lovingly laden with flowers Alike for the friend and the foe; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Under the roses, the Blue; Under the lilies, the Grey. So with an equal splendor, I The morning sun-rays fall, With a touch impartially tender, On the blossoms blooming for all; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Bordered with gold, the Blue, Mellowed with gold, the Grey. So when the summer calleth On forest and field of grain, With an equal mariner falleth The cooling drip of the rain ; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Wet with the rain, the Blue, Wet with the rain, the Grey. Sadly, but not with upbraiding The generous deed was done; In the storm of the years that are fading, No braver battle was won; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Under the blossoms, the Blue; Under the garlands, the Grey. No more shall the war-cry sever, Or the winding rivers be red ; They banish our anger forever, When they laurel the graves of our dead ; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgement day ; Love and tears for the Blue, Tears and love for the Grey. View from Allatoona Mountain. There is no grander scene anywhere in Northwest Georgia than that from the summit of Allatoona Mountain. The writer hereof, a few days ago, in company with a couple of friends, one of whom resides at Allatoona, on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, went up on the summit of Allatoona mountain, which is about a mile north westward from the station of the same name. The day was very fair, and the temperature in the valleys was somewhat warm, but on the summit of the mountain, after climbing the steep sides leisurely, we were refreshed by a most delicious breeze. The first thing we sought for was the famous old “signal tree,” whose history was told in the May number of The Great Kennesaw Route Ga zette. This tree has been dead for several years. A portion of the trunk, about twenty five feet high, is still stand ing. The bal ance of it lies on the ground near by. It was a pine tree, and much of the heart of it is sdll sound. While it was alive and stand ing it could be very plainly seen from the Western and Atlantic trains as they ran northward from Allatoona station. Leaving this historic old relic, we walked to another pine tree, not very far distant, and this we climbed so as to obtain a view of the surrounding country, without being interfered with by the undergrowth. The view from the summit is very varied and of intense interest. North ward and westward the Etowah river can be seen winding* through the hills for several miles. On the east are the I rugged hills and mountains which stretch over towards and into Gilmer county. Near the foot of the moun tain on the east Allatoona Creek could be seen winding among the steep and wood-covered hills. Southward and i westward the Western and Atlantic could be seen, now with its red em i bankments crossing the valleys, now »■- ffi with deep cuts through the hill-sides, prominent among which was the fa rnous “Allatoona Pass,” one of the deepest artificial railroad cuts in the Southern States. The famous battle at that point was described in our last issue. Westward could be seen the rugged hills which line the Western and Atlantic Railroad, and beyond them the valley of Pumpkin Vine creek. Far to the west, lining the horizon, was the“Allatoonaßidge’of hills.which run northward from the vicinity of New Hope church to the Etowah riv er. Cartersville could be seen to the northwest; Stegall’s in the same di rection but several miles nearer, and Acworth some seven or eight miles distant, were plainly visible; and, rearing their summits very prominent ly above the horizon on the south and southeast, were Kennesaw, Pine and Lost Mountains, where was the famous triangular position which Johnston held against Sherman in June, 1864, after falling back from Allatoona, and where he was compelled by Sherman’s flank movements to successively aban don Lost and Pine Mountains before the great battle of Kennesaw Moun tain, on June 27, 1864. The rough, wooded country, south west, in the direction of New Hope church, was under the full sweep of the eye. It is questionable whether the summit of any mountain in North west Georgia brings directly under one’s glance the scenes of more hardly contested and famous fights and other military operations than those visible from the summit ot Allatoona Mountain. It is well worth a trip to that point to enjoy these beautiful and historic scenes. The Western and Atlantic railroad runs more passenger trains over the same rails than any other railroad in the South. UM— I I I < ■>T*’-'rv:T--»rww ■H'y. L-B IM— III I THE FISHING LINE. TAKE THE Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, The Direct Route to Traverse City, Petoskey, Mackinac, Marquette, and other Delightful Health and Summer Resorts of NORTHERN MICHIGAN. And the Celebrated Trout and Grayling Streams, Beautiful Lakes and Grand Forests of this Fa mous Country. The Waters of Northern Michigan are unsur passed, if equalled, in the abundance and great variety of fish contained. Brook Trout abound in the streams, and the fa mous American Grayling is found only in these waters: The Trout season begins May Ist and ends Sep tember Ist. The Grayling season opens June Ist and ends November Ist. Black Bass, Pike, Pickerel and Muskalongue also abound in large numbers in the many Jakes and lakelets of this terrritory. Take your family with you. The scenery of the North Woods and Lakes is very beautiful Th air is pure, dry and bracing. The climate* is peculiarly beneficial to those suffering with Hav Fever and Asthmatic Affec tions. New hotels with all modern improvementshave been erected, as well as many extensive additions to the older one, which will’guarantee ample ac commodations for all. The completion of this line to Mackinaw City, forms the most direct route to Mackinac, St. Ig nace, and in connection with the Detroit, Mack inac & Marquette R. R., to Houghton, Hancock, Marquette, Negaunee, L’Anse, and all points in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. During the season Round Trip Excursion Tick ets will be Sold at Low Rates, and attractive train facilities offered to Tourists and Sportsmen. For Tourist’s Guide, Time Cards and Folders, giving full information, address C L. LOCKWOOD. Gen'l Pass'r Ag't, Grand Rapids, Mich. 3