Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-01-14
BRIEF AUTHORITY.
A Railroad Sketch.
BY sYLyANUS COBB. JR.

The Bowersville and Pennissiwas
sic Railroad had become an institu
ton; and it had furthermore become
a success. Branching off from the
Grand Trunk into an agricultural
district, it was great thing for the
farmers where farmers had never ex
pected such thing. At first it had
been as wet blanket thrown upon
that same Agricultural District In
the beginning it extended from Bow
ersville to Burton and was "The B.
and B. R. R." The farmers took
stock with the understanding that
each share might be assessed to an
amount equal to the original of the
sum paid therefor. And it was not
a great while before these innocent
stockholders were required to doub-
lie up, though they had been assured
that such thing would probably
never happen. Fifty dollars would
pay for share the par value Of
which was one hundred. Until now
these farmers felt ri ch in the invest
ment. The assessment came, and q
panic followed. Shares went down
to forty-to thirty-to twenty five.
then down, down, down, to ten
| per cent; and then finally there were
men who offered other men pei
centage to take the stock OIL theil
hands. The road put through; the
the directors took free ride; and
then the rolling stock was housed
And that seemed to be the end o1
the B. and B. R. R. But at length
a bright genius suggested the ides
of running the road through to The
great Penissiwassie River, there tc
connect with the steamers. The
thing was done; and presto! Sue
cess! @
| The Bowersville and Penissiwas
sic Railroad had been in opperatIor
for ten years, and was pronounced
one of the best managed roads il
the country. At the end of that pc
riod Mr.. Stringham, the ef1cien
Superintendent, received an offe
from New York party to go ou
and take charge of a railroad in Gu
ba. 1t was new road, and the,
wanted him to bring with HIM Ger
tain number of good engineers and
conductors. to each of whom on
hundred and thirty dollars per montl
in gold, would be paid
And that is the way, all of a sud
| den, we came to have so many chan
| ges made on the B. and P. R. R. /
new superintendent; new engineers
and new conductors. The next tim
I went over the road I felt like
stranger in strange place. / too
the cars at Pennissiwassie, on m,
way to Boston, to attend medica
convention. was not fit to be Out
had been sick with the fever, an
had not been able to visit a patier
for three weeks; but the weathe
was favorable, and / could not re
sist the temptation Of the CONVEX
ton. I had told myself that tn
trip would do me good.
This was the noon train through
Sol. Lapham ought to run it.
'Was Lapham gone p l asked c
q brakeman.
"Yaas!" came back, in a gruff, ST.
ly manner, as though the dirty lool
ing fellow bad enough to do withor
answering questions.
I took my seat, and pretty 500
q we were off. In little while th
door opened, and in came a shor
thick-set, bull headed looking mai
whom l recognized as Jason Nortl
er. He had once been bagga:
masters assistant; and while be o,
|cupied that position / had found
necessary to report him to the 81
perintendent tor his grossly earle
manner of handling baggag. II
threw my trunk down, and broke
las he did others,-and when I +
monstrated, he was independent ar
impudent. He was removed fro
: the cosy quarters Of a baggage c.
to the platform, where he was r
lquired to attend the brakes. Ar
,e this fellow now had a conductor
badge on his hat. I caught his ey
/ smelt mischief He came alor
and took my ticket, and gave me
check and / knew that he was loo
ing to see if there was not som
thing that he could chide me for.
"Say Look here Did W
spit over here?" And I felt sha
poke in my back.
1 looked around, and found Nc
ther pointing to the floor of the Sc
behind me. The blood mounted
my face, and I was angry: but
would not belittle myself by sho
ing it.