Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-20
RafIroading in the OIden Tim es.-Ex'
nerfence of n Veteran Conductor.

William Hambright, an old conductor
on the Pennsylvania Central road, who,
we are told, is Familiarity known through
out the State as Cap" Cappie,
Pap" or Conductor Hambright," has
given to the Columbia pa Courant
some account of his experience:
Mr.. Hambright commenced his career
as conductor by taking the first train
thorse cars) out of Lancaster, in 1888,
after which time he run regularly, and
has been employed all the time since as
a passenger conductor of the Pennsylva-
MIA Central 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 Lancaster at five o'clock
D. M, and arrive in Philadelphia at five
o'clock the next morning, making twelve
hours for the journey; and the fare
charged was 50 so. Stoppages were fire.
luent, fresh horses being employed every
fifteen or twenty miles. At times they
would be greatly detained by the severity
of the weather, the winters in those times
being much colder than at the present
day.
There was no fire in the cars, and
when q stop was made to change horses
the conductor would make for the nearest
haystack or barn for the purpose of pro-
curing straw or hay to strew upon the
floors of the cars in order to make his
passengers more comfortable, himself
r. L. he hair
packed so 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 purchased
for $l00 In the year 1885 locomo-
tive, built by Norris, was brought from
Philadelphia to Lancaster in wagons
(why it was not brought by rail we did
not learn; however, the wonderful ma
chine was put upon the track and fired
up in presence of an immense assem-
blage of spectators. 1t appears the en-
terprise was not very successful, as it
would run short distance and then halt;
then a number of muscular men would
lend their assistance by pushing. Every
device was resorted to to make the crit
ter go, but to no purpose. Sometime
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 and Portsmouth rail
road, as it was then called, being laid
upon strong pieces of wood, using fat
bar iron fastened 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 bar,
causing the end of the same to stick up,
which were termed snake 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 inyenting
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 a rope
and a common door bell, he attached the
latter near the engineer, no house being
over the locomotive 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 a more approved style
than the one just described.
Conductors we're not required to make
reports at the end of each trip, as is now
practiced they would hand over the
geld and silver-perhaps two or three
hundred dollars OF more-to the clerk,
who would enter it in a book provided
for the purpose somewhat in this wise:
Conductor Hambright, SO many dol
lars" and that was all the formality
about it. Checks for baggage were not
used, but when the cars arrived in Co
lumbia or Philadelphia, the conductor
would open the car door for the delivery
Of baggage, ETC., to passengers who
crowded around and secured their par
cells by answering Mine" to the con
ductors interrogatory, Whose trunk is
this? which was kept up until all disap-
peared. il trunk was marked " B, it
was to go by boat; if rs" it was to go
by stage line. Strange to say, there
was not as much baggage lost then as
now.