Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-05-06
One week
Two weak
Rnilronding in the OIdcn times.

William IIambright. an old conductor
on the Pennsylvania Central road, who,
We are told, is familiarly known through
out the State as"Cap,n "Cappie,n n't orr
Conductor Hambright,n has given to tho
Columbia (Pa.) Courant some account of
his experience.
| M. Hambright commented his career
as conductor by taking the first train (horsa
cars) out of Lancaster,in 1888, after which
time he run regularly, and has been em-
ployed nearly all the time since as q pass
enger conductor on the Pennsylvania Cen
tral Railroad. He then acted As couduc-
tor, brakeman and greascr; his compensa-
| tion being Sl8 per month, which was con-
sidered good wages at that time. His tiain
of horse cars would leave Lancaster at five
O'Clock p. M, and arrive in Pphiiadelphia
at five O'Clock the next morning, making
twelve hours for the journey; and the fare
charge was $3.50, Stoppages were frequent.
fresh horses being employed every fifteen
or twenty miles. At times they would be
greatly deta ined by the severity of tho
weather, the Winters in those times being
much colder then at the present day.
There was no fire in the cars, and when
stop was made to change horses thee
ductor would make for the nearest hay
stack or barn for the purpose of procuring
the cars, in order to moke his passengers
more comfortable, himself riding outside,
the cars generally being packed 80 full that
he could scarcely gain admission. Down
grade the horses were always kept at full
run. Horse flesh was very cheap then
sometimes five good animals could be pur-
chased far 800. In the year 1885 locomo-
tive, build by Norris, was brought from
Philadelphia to Lancaster, in 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 presence of
an immense assemblage of spectators. II
appears the enterprise was not very success
full, as it would run short distance and
then halt then number of muscular 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 pur-
chased 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 culled being laid upon strong
pieces of wood nsing fiat iron bar fasten.
ed down with spikes, it was necessary to
carry hammer and spikes on the engine.
Very often spikes would come out from
the end Of the oar, causing the end of the
same to stick up, which were termed 'snake-
heads" )" and the engineer would be obliged
to stop and spike them down before attemp-
ting to pass over. Information had to bo
given to the engineer, before starting,
where stops were to be made.
Here we may state that to Mr.. Ham
bright belongs the credit of nventing the
bell and rope system for signaling engineers.
He got permission from his ''boss' to put
his idea of the thing into practicable shape
Procuring rope and common door bell,
he attached the latter near the ergineer,n nc
house being over the locomotive Mt that
time, then stretching the rope over the tops
Of the cars. Ever after that and up to the
present time, bell-ropes have been in vogue,
though in more approved style then the
one just described.
Conductors were not required to make re.
ports at the end of each trip, as now prac.
ticed; they would hand over the gold and
silver perhaps two or three hundred dol
lars or more--to clerk, who would enter IL
in n book provided for the purpose some
what i'm this wise: Conductor IIambrieht,
so many dollars" and that was all tho for
mality there was about it. 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 con-
ductor's interogatory, "Whose trunk is
this?n which was kept up until all disap-
pcared. If n trunk was marked "B,"it
was to go b. boat; if''S," it was to 60 by
stage line. Strange TO say, there was not
as much bagtage lost then as now. Very
often the conductor would help the propric-
tors Of the lines during harvest. and assist
al other labor when of duty.