The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-12
THE BAG OF ls42--THE GREEN CAR OF
TODAY.

Who Superintends the Express.
In December, 1S41, writes correspon-
dent to the Troy Press, Mr.. Jacobs CON-
menced with small carpetbag what was
termed the Harndens express between Troy
and Montreal, but the business was not as
remunerative as 1t was with Harnden be-
tween Boston and New York, and after
tNo or three trips he discontinued the bust
ness In the spring of 1912 Capt. E. II.
Virgil of Troy took hold of the express
business and went by packet TO Whitehall.
by steamboat to st. Johns, and by rail from
there to Montreal
IN TIE WINTER OF 1S42
he went by stage, leaving Troy at 1890 a.
m. Monday, spending the first night at
Castleton, VI, the second at Burlington,
and arriving in Montreal Wednesday even
ing, when the roads were good, but when
full of drifted snow he would be from one
to three days late. He would leave Mon
treal Monday morning, spend the first night
at Burlington, ride all Tuesday night, and
arrive at Troy about 2 p. m. The stages
at that time were owned and run from Troy
to Salem by L. V. & l. b. Reed of Pitts
town, from Salem to Burlington by A. w.
Hyde of Castleton, VT, from Burlington
to Higbgate by William Loomis of St. AL
bans, and from Highgate to st. Johns the
route was run by different persons. The
fire min NJ N;ru;l H.
alone and with bag, trunk and wolf skin
overcoat, with Canadian leggins, he would
bundle for his trip. The second year he
was assisted by Mr.. G. p. Gser, now of
Ogdensburgh, then steward of the steamer
Burlington, Capt. Richard Sherman, on
Lake Champlain. Afterward he was as
sisted in the winter by Mr.. O'Grady and
Mr.. Rice, who afterward became one of
the partners of Fiske & Rice, Boston. To
Burlington the business continued to grow
so fast that in the winter,,of 1S4s it became
necessary for
VIRGIL co.. EXPRESS
to put on an extra, running wagon from
Troy to st. Johns, independent of the
stage. About 1881 the firm of Pulen,
Virgil & Co., was formed, consisting of
Pulen, Virgil, Darling and Stone, and the
route extended to New York, Major Pull
len and Mr.. Stone having charge of the
New York Office, and Mr.. Darling at
Troy, Captain Virgil having general su-
,oryic;np Of tho uholo1;ya NJ Gao Darr,,
was their bookkeeper at Troy, Hank Smith
way bill clerk, and S. A. Chaplin of Troy,
kept all things straight. Two horses did
all the delivering and collecting at Troy.
The Troy and Boston road was now open
ed, which made it necessary for them to
get another team. Upon the opening of
the Troy & Boston road, Mr.. s. +. John
son the engineer and first superintendent
of that road, was very anxious to get the
road for Pike & Rice. but Horace Clark,
superintendent of the Rutland & Washing
ton railroad, being friendly to Capt. Virgil,
lent his influence for him, so when the
road opened Capt. Virgil put man on as
messenger who daily paid his fare to Frank
White, conductor. between Troy and Eagle
bridge The two railroad companies had
a meeting to decide which express COM
pany should have the road. Horace Clark
| said, Possession is nine points in law.
Virgil 81 Co. have possession of the road !;
| think we better let them remain" Short
| ly after this, Virgils company was merged
into the National express company. Capt.
Virgil was called to manage this business
IN SELECTING HIS MESSENGERS
and other employees his frst question was,
SIS he honest ? Is he competent ?" Not,
how cheap will you work ? The next old
est expressman on this line to Capt Virgil
is Sammy" suppose every Trojan
knows who "Sammy"is. He was one Of
those men who made himself valuable to
his employers. When a team was to be
driven he was on tho wagon, car to be
loaded or unloaded, off went his coat. He
made himself so valuable that the company
must have him and nobly have they hon
ored his faithfulness. From about lS43
large amounts of specie had to be
transported from Montreal to New
York. have seen two six-horse
loads of gold, with no one with it but the
messenger and two drivers. They would
60 night and day, and at night leave 1t in
the street while change of horses Was
made, with no one to watch it, and never
had dollar stolen. But this was before
the days of the republican party, or cut
throat corporations. 80 r..
CAPT. vIRGIts SUCCESS.
There are but few men in this country
that have made their business more of a
success than has Capt. Virgil. He would
say ''let it be right" If man was over
charged, he would cheerfully refund he
sought to be just, and prospered. The
captain often had a lot of jolly men with
him when on the stage, and as Vermont
was n temperance state, on cold days hi
could always get hot water, sugar and {
lemon. Some people find fault with Capt
Virgil so they will with the best men thai
live. l wish -. afsIt.,t
THE YOUNG MEN
of our land would pattern after Capt. Il.
II. Virgil in his business dealings, and VIC
would have fewer poor men in the country
There are some messengers now on thu
road who have been on it sixteen years
Warren-Old Tick, s. p. Whitney of Rut
land, s. M. Pope of Burlington, II. G. Hal
of Whitehall, an old book-keeper The
green car of to-day is an improvement or
the bag of 1912 the cars are animprove
ment on the stages, but Capt. 4. II. Virgil
of 1875 is no improvement on Capt. Il. II
Virgil of 1842. ailg,y
Lecture Platform.
Carl Schurz commences his New Eng