Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-06
How the Railroad Bell-Rope Came to be
Adopted.

In the early days of the railroad in
this country, the locomotive engineer
was the master of the train. He ran it
according to his judgment, and the
conductor had very little voice in the
matter Collecting fares, superintend-
ing the loading and unloading of freight,
and shouting "All aboard?" were all
that the conductor was expected to do.
The Erie railway was then the New
York & Erie railroad. There was no
rail connection with Jersey City in
1912. Boats carried passengers from
New York to Piermont-on-the-H Hudson,
which was then the eastern terminus of
the road. Turner's, II miles from New
York, was as far west as the railroad
was in operation. One of the pioneer
conductors of this line was Captain
Ayres. He ran the only train then
called for between the two terminal
points. IT was made up of freight and
passenger cars The idea of the engi-
neer, without any knowledge Of what
was going on back Of the locomotive,
having his way as to how the train was
to be run, did not strike the captain as
being according to the Lropriety of
things. He frequently encountered
fractions passenger who insisted on
riding without paying his fare. As
there was no way of signaling the en-
neer, and the passenger could not be
thrown from the train while it was in
motion, the conductor in such cases
had no choice but to let him ride until
a regular stop was mGdC Capt. Ayres
finally determined to institute new
system in the running OF trains. lie
procured a stout twine, sufficiently
long to reach from the locomotive to
the rear car.
To the end of this string next the
engineer he fastened stick of wood.
He ran this cord back over the cars
to the last one, He informed the engi-
neer, who was German, named Abe
Hammi, that if he desired to have the
train stopped he would pull the string
and raise the stick, and he would ex
pect the signal to be obeyed. Hammil
looked upon this innovation as II direct
blow at his authority, and when the
train left Piermont he cut the stick
loose At Turner'S he told Capt
Ayres that he proposed to run the
train himself, with interference from
any conductor. The next day the
captain rugged up his string and stick
of wood again.
"Abe," said he, ''this things got to
be settled one way or the other to-day.
If that stick Of wood is not on the end
of this cord when we get to Turner'S,
you've got to lick me or I'll lick you.
The stick was not on the string when
the train reached Turner's The cap
tain pulled off his coat, and told Ham
mil to get off his engine. Hammil de
clined to get off. Capt. Ayres climbed
to the engineers place, and Hammil
started to jump off on the opposite
side. The conductor hit him under
the ear, and saved him the trouble of
jumping. That settled forever the
question OF authority on railroad trains
Hammil abdicated as autocrat Of the
pioneer Erie train, and the twine and
stick OF wood manipulated by the cor
ductor controlled its management.
That was the origin Of the bell.rope,
now one Of the most important attach
ments Of railroad trains. The idea
was quickly adopted by the few roads
then in operation, end the bell or gong