Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-08
NO. ~.
where the Railroad BeII.Rope Came
From.

where the Railroad neII-Rope Came
From.
In the early days Of the railroad in this
country the locomotive engineer was the mas
ter of the train. He ran It according 10 his
judgment. and the conductor had very
little voice in the matter. Collecting fares,
experimenting the loading and unloading of
freight, and shouting Gan aboard !" was all
that the conductor was expected to do The
Erie railway was then the New York aud Erie
railroad. There was no rail connection with
Jersey City in 1912. Boats carried passen-
gers from New York to Piermont. on -the-H Hud-
son, which was then the eastern terminus of
the road. Turner's, AZ miles from New
York, was as far west as the railroad was in
operation. One of the pioneer conductors of
this line was the late Capt Ayres. He ran
the only train then called for between the
two terminal points Il was made up OF
freight and passenger cars. The idea Of the
engineer, 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 propriety of things. He frequently en-
countered fractions passenger who insisted
on riding without paying his fare. As there
was no way of signaling the engineer, and
the passenger could not be thrown from the
train whilo it was in motion, the conductor
hhu NJ III SUCH Gases Dut TO let MIN
ride until regular stop was made. Captain
Ayres finally determined to institute a new
system in the running of trains. He pro.
cured stout twine, sufficiently long to reach
from the locomotive to the rear car To the
end OF this string next the engineer he fast
ened a stick of wood. He ran this cord back
over the cars to the last one. He informed
the engineer, who was German named Abe
Hammil, that if he desired TO have the train
stopped he would pull the string and raise
the stick, and would expect the signal to be
obeyed. Hammil looked upon this innova-
tion as a 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, without
interference from any. conductor. The next
day the Captain rigged up his string and
stick of wood again.
ABE" said he, ''this things got to be set
tied one way or the other to-day. II 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 Captain pulled
of his coat, and told Hammil to get of his
engine. Hammil declined to get off. Capt
Ayres climbed to the engineers place. Ham
mil started to jump of on the opposite side
The conductor hit him under the ear, and
saved him the trouble of jumping. That set
lied forever the question of authority on rail
road trains. Hammil abdicated as autocrat
Of the pioneer Erie train, and the twine and
stick of wood, manipulated by the conductor,
its management. That was the
origin Of the bell-rope, now one of the most
important attachments of railroad trains.
The idea was quickly adopted by the few
rains then in operation, and the bell or gong
N time took the place of the stick of wood to
signal the engineer. Capt. Ayres continued
/ conductor on this road under its different
managers until he was superannuated and
-etired on a pension a year ago He died
ew months ago in Owego at the age of rs
years-K y Times