“How wonderful, yet how simple!” exclaimed Cobb, lost in admiration. “But I am at a loss to understand why the people of my time did not discover and put into operation the same project.”
“Perhaps someone did discover the principle, but had not the means to test his theory,” Rawolle returned.
“How long has this system been in operation?”
“About thirty years,” he replied, after a moment’s thought.
“Tell me one other thing,” said Cobb; “has the pneumatic railroad superseded all other kinds?”
“Oh, no; by no means. There are railroads all over the United States, and very much the same style of your day, excepting the great improvements which have been made, and also the one other most important fact, that all engines are run by electricity. The pneumatic lines are through lines only, and are for rapid transit between very distant points, and only for passengers, mail, and express. All freight is sent by the other roads.”
“Then, the towns, excepting the great centers, are connected by electric railroads for inter-transportation?”
“Yes; the pneumatic is only an auxiliary to the rest of the roads—a means only of overcoming great distances quickly.”
“And what is considered good speed for the electric roads?”