Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-11
Early Railroading.

WILLIAM HAMBRIGHT, an OLD CONJUNCTION
on the PENNSYLVANIA Central road, ha:
given to the Columbia (Pa) Courant some
account OF his experience.
Mr. Hambright commenced his career 81
conductor by taking the first train lhorst
cars) out of Lancaster in 1888, after which
time he ran regularly, and has been EN-
ployed nearly all the time since as passen
ger conductor On the Pennsylvania Cen
trail Railroad He then acted as conductor
brakeman and greaser, his compensation
being eighteen dollars per month, which
was considered good wages at that time
| His train Of horse cars would leave Ian
caster at five o'clock p. M, and arrive in
Philadelphia at five o'clock the next morn.
ing, making twelve hours for the journey,
and the fare charged was $3.50. Stoppages
were frequent, fresh horses being employed
every fifteen or twenty miles. At times
they would be greatly detained by the Sc
verify Of the weather, the winters in those
times being much colder than at the pres
ent day.
There was no fire in the cars and when
a stop was made to charge horses the con-
ductOr would make for the nearest hay
stack or barn for the purpose OF procur-
ing straw or hay to strew upon the floor
Of the cars in order to make his passen-
gers more comfortable, himself riding out
side, the cars generally being packs d so full
that he could scarcely gain admission
Down grade the horses were usually kept
81 al fali run Horsefiesh was very cheap
then-s5metimes five good animals could
be PURCHASED for hundred dollars. In
the year 1885, a locomotive built by Norris,
was brought from Philadelphia to Lam
caster, ia wagons (why it was not brought
by rail we did not learn; however, the
wonderful machine was put upon the
track, and fired up in the presence of an
immense assemblage Of spectators 1t ap-
pears that the enterprise was not very sue
cessful, as it would run short distance
and then halt then number Of muscu
lar men would lend their assistance by
pushing Every device was resorted to to
make the critter go, but to no purpose
Some time after this three small engines
were purchased in England and sent over,
which answered all the purposes for which
they were intended, one of which is in use
at the present time in York, Pa, saving
wood.
The Harrisburg & Portsmouth Railroad,
as it was then called being laid upon
fastened down with spikes, 1t was neces-
sary to carry hammer and spikes on the
engine. Very often spikes would come
out of the end Of the bar, causing the end
of the same to stick up, which were termed
ake.heads," and the engineer would
be obliged to stop and spike down before
attempting to pass over. Information had
to be given the engineer before starting
where stops were to be made.
Here we may state that to Mr.. Ham
bright belongs the credit of inventing the
bell and rope system for signaling engi-
neers He got permission from his boss"
to put his idea Of the thing into practical
shape. Procuring rope and common
door bell, he attached the latter near the
engineer, no house being over the locomo
tive at that time, then stretched the rope
over the top of the cars. Ever after that
and up to the present time bell-ropes have
been in vogue. though in more Improved
style than in the one just describal.
Conductors were not required to make re-
ports at the end of each trip as is now
practiced; they would hand over the gold
and silver--perhaps two or three hundred
dollars or more-to the clerk, who would
enter it in book provided for the pur-
pose somewhat in this wise: Conductor
Hambright, SO many dollars, and that was
all the formality about 1t.
Checks for baggage were not used, but
when the cars arrived in Columbia or
Philadelphia the conductor would open
the Car door for the delivery Of baggage,
etc, to the passengers, who crowded
around and secured their parcels by
answering Mine to the conductors in
terrogatory, "Who's trunk Is this ?" which
was kept up until all disappeared. If q
trunk was marked "B it was to 60 by
boat, if 49," it was to 60 by stage line.
Strange to say, there was not as much bag
gage lost then as now.
Very often the conductors would help
the proprietors of the lines during harvest
and assist at other labor when off duty.