Geo. Francis Train’s Paper!

New York: George Francis Train, 1884. Newspaper, 15” x 11”. 7 pp.

A curious periodical, which, according to the publisher, “circulates through the cosmos,” issued by the eccentric financier George Francis Train (1829–1904), who secured financing for westernmost half of the Transcontinental Railroad and whose globe-trekking inspired Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.

Train was born in Boston and orphaned in 1833. It was the sincere hope of his pious grandparents that he would enter the ministry, but Train craved adventure and sought it in business. After establishing himself as a merchant in Boston, he crossed the pond in 1860 and began operating a horse tramway in London which failed after a few years. In 1864 he secured French financing, Crédit Mobilier of America, which underwrote the construction of the western end of the Transcontinental Railroad. From this point on,Train grew increasingly eccentric; speaking only to children for a year, swearing for a period of time to a diet composed only of fruit and chocolate, etc. He also thrice circumnavigated the globe, besting Phineas Fogg’s time in 1890 on a trip that began and ended in Tacoma, Washington (a city Train had adopted as his own and tirelessly promoted after only one visit). In 1872 he made an independent run for the presidency as a staunch supporter of the temperance movement.

Here we find Train’s eccentricities in full bloom. His engraved portrait graces the front cover and beneath it is another, far more curious, engraving portraying the members of a grand jury as a trio of dapper owls. All of the paper’s articles are signed, many by Train himself, others only with initials and one with a full name followed by a question mark. They are united by inscrutable content and a bombastic style which is heavily reliant on exclamation points, all of which is apparently the work of Train alone.

Sample excerpt:

“Who is this “Psycho!” George Francis Train has made public announcement of his intention to emerge from “Psycho seclusion” and start a newspaper! We shall be happy to welcome Mr. Train”s new journal! It is sure to be original in matter and to bristle with exclamation points! Great changes have come to pass since the time – just about a quarter of a century ago – when George Francis Train’s brain and energy were making the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad a Tangible Thing, and when he was mentally working out a scheme of Union Pacific Railroad [Sunday Times]. Comments – Hello! Here is man who knows about it! That’s so! I am same party who commenced in Salamanca in 1858 (in wagon) and surveyed first forty miles to Jamestown, where Governor Fenton (then M.C.) met me with Civic Delegation!) McHenry (my copartner) is at Victoria with Lord Bury, and as “Times” opens door I will tell story No. 2 of my first Hundred Million Scheme towards Pacific! Who wrote that romance? Who are you anyway? What you say is pure “Psychoism” G.F.T.

CONDITION: Good, old folds, a few small brown stains including one affecting the portrait engraving of Train.