The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-08-26

. locomotives % the present day. | u-
manned but six months on this road when
| was offered and accepted more lucra-
tive position IN the shops of CLAYTON &
MaGirri., coal operators at Po;t>ville.
lema:nct! with this firm several ears.
Part Of the time constructed engines
for them at various mines. and about one
year ran IA hosting engine at one of their
coliericS located directly within the pres
ent limits of the borough of Pottsvillr.
While at this work there came "A sudden
crash to the coal trade through the re-
moval of the tariff on coal imported
from abroad. That useful article was
then brought into this country and sod
for less than it cost to mine it here. and
the mines all quit operating. This was
about 1916. and with hundreds of other
men soon found myself without employ
ment Having by this time saved neat
sum of money. concluded to see some
of the country. and accordingly, in the
August of 1916, started on trip to New
|
was as far west as railroads had pene-
tratcd at that time by rail. and then
made the rest Of the trip by boat down
the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. | re-
manned at New Orleans but short time
and then started back to the North.
leaving the river at Wheeling and thence
travelling by stage over the National
turnpike to Cumberland, Nd. which was
then the western terminus the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad-the road having
just been completed to that point. It
was on September 10, 15i6 that | went
to Baltimore and there applied to the
Master Mechanic nf the railroad, Mr..
Perkins. :'or job. My request was at
once granted, by making me the engineer
OF one of their locomotives on branch
road extending from Cumberland TO Mt.
Savage. where quite extensive iron works
were III operation. After being on this
roai Sc vcrai months was transferred to
the EluSt burg branch, extending seven
miles southwest of Cumberland to the
coal min,s, and soon after was again
transferred, but this time to the main
| line, III connection with which my suhse-
quent career was marked with numerous
thrilling incidenls'that would almost fill
a book t. relate i'll themselves. When !
first commenced running on the main
line ran freight engine exclusively.
but was soon put in charge OF Il passen-
ger train, aud continued almost exclu-
svely i'll such service until | quit the
employ Of the company permanently in
| 1865.
HE svGG Esrs THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE CAB.
Talk abou locomotive engineers hay
| irg hard time of it, as many OF them
OF the present day frequently dove had
| the hard times then. Such a thing as a
cab or shelter OF any kind for the cngi-
neer on locomotive was unknown, and
through summer and winter he was OBJ
| ligcd to stand at his post in all kinds Of
weather, regardless Of heat, cold or
storm.
1t was one particularly cold night i'll the
winter "i 1,59 81, w!uu i na> rnil",'i-.
-, ..s,., r,,,, r.,,, n.,,r,.,,,...
'"''"'I '"'l''' uiS!'occ 81 l'' "''''s'
wlcn CAB u covering at some >Ini GA
the engine to protect me Gr>i >uuwesr,,i
| i,,,.r.t,, ,,,;..l I,
NEARLY FROZEN To DEATH
that night. and | at once commenced
.,,,,,;..o ,l.,.. r.,. ..h ut,;,,, il, f,rl,
later l ian" "''"ir III" master 'i'h"""
Of the road He regarded IN. idea as u
very good Que and ordered my engine IN
to the shops to have a cab built Oh 1t.
In due time the engine was AGAIN handed
over 10 me Win the great Improvements
I','Piei'. nc ''' >''"N'''' "a luz
,',n,if, ;,,', ,,;,.h..r y, r,n,+
nng1,i,,,rs - 1I'. .;I.' .,y,,.d viii l,,;,,ht
.t,,t.,;,', ,.~,,,,.,,,,;.,,.ti,.h .,,n-
a., ,,,,nn, ,i.Ni,
r. ,L,,. - ,,.,,,,,, ,'',.,,,,I-',i ,,,.,,,
',;u,. clI.. ,.c ~, ,,r,.>,.,,t a', md Wa.
i,il. -. ,.,ii ,,d,,f..,i n.,, III ,,nr,,.n.
WA, i.,,,..,,. .,,,,.,,,.,..,, ,.
- .1.7',i.'I :, ''"
'AMAN TRAP"
and regarded it as not only nuisance. |
50 far as aiiaptablity was concerned but |
danyerous. They claimed that in c,..
of accident it would irtcrf4r. with th.
enriurer's and hremaus esc,ne fr,,,
their posts, and that il would only be :,
short time until would be Snrely tired |
OF it. But day hy dav as they slw me
running by them in all kinds of iucIetn |