Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-21
EARLY RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.
Something about the Primitive Dny.
of RailrOading,

1t is amusing in this age of strict rail
way management and method, to get an
insight into the crude manner in which
business was managed in the pioneer
days of railroading on the Erie, says the
New York Times There was no general
passenger agent, no general freight agent
superntedent of transportation, etc,
with their small army of assistants, clerks
and messengers which the business of to-
day ren lers U necessity. Everything was
then IN charge Of the superintendent, "
whose headquarters seem to have been at
the station at Narrowsbnrg, now only
possessing such Importance MS its location
as q dining station gives it. Tie agents
at Narrowsburg, W. S. Corwin, who holds
the same position there to-day, had orders
to use his best Judgment in fixing charges
Tor both passengers and freight
No regular rates were adopted for some
time. council was called in February,
1919, at Narrowsburg, to fix regular rate
for passengers from Norrowsburg to New
York. Mr.. Corwin suggested 81 20 as Il
reasonable charge. Superintendent
Cldell was inclined TO tlink the charge
too high, and said that if tie rate was fix
ed at that figure the people wouldgo back
to the stage coaches, Narrowsburg was
then the nearest station on railroad be-
tween New York and all centres of the
northern coal fields, and stages ran from
the trains to Honesdale, Carbondale,
Howley and Wilkesbarre. Scranton had
not yet come into existence. The 81. 20
rate was finally adopted, however, and re-
manned the rate for years.
In February, after the road was opened
to Bnghamton, twopassenger trains came
INTO collision near Nalrowsburg. The 10.
comotives were both disabled. The track
was then single, and there were no tele-
graph signals to run trains by. 1t was
necessary to have other locomotives be.
fore the trains could be moved, and there
were none nearer than Port Jervis. 81
miles away. Superintendent Cidell at
once had horse saddled, and summoniug
his chief and only clerk and general as.
slstant, Charles j. Packet, despatched
him to Port Jervis, over the Sullivan
county mountains, with orders for the
immediate forwarding of two locomotives
to the scene of the accident In six hours
the engines arrived, and the trains were
enabled to resume their respective trips
AT another time the engine of a freight
train was disabled between Narrowsburp
and Cochecton. The track was blocked
and it was necessary that the train should
be got back to Narrowaburg and placed
ON the switch in order that the passenger
train, which would be due in the course
OF three hours, might pass. A man was
sent back to Narrowsburg on foot.
through the snow, to have all the teams
that he could procure sent to the scene of
the blockade. The teams hauled the train
BACK III seotlous, and the passenger train
was only detained an hour.
Inc year 1870 marked an era in rail
road management, not only in this coun
try, but III the world, for in that wear il
was successfully demonstrated that trains
need not be run blindly from station TO
station, but that the telegraph could be
made the means of directing them ON
their way. Up to that time it was the
rule oil trans going West on the Erie to
run to regular stopping places, whore they
TOOK the switch until the train ruuuinr
against them from the West should
pass, and vice versa as locality made noe
essary. The train in the switch could not
go on until the opposite train passed, and
consequently delays of hours duration
were common. One day in 1850, when
oharieS Mlnot was superintendent of the
rood, a passenger train from New Yorl, |
'".hc" turner Station, Where it was TO |
want Tor an E'st-boInd train to pass II
qua not arrive ON its time. Snpcrintcn. |
dent Mlnot was on the train. lie telc. |
grapled to Port Jcryis, and .learneJ
that the train had not reached fiat plnce
yet. ''' l''''
Then the idea struck him that he conl1
run both Of tine trains by the te!errauh
ana save hours of delay to the Wosr, |
bound train. He telegraphed tn fine
agent at Port Jervis, to hold tho East
bound train when it arrived there mill
ne heard from the superintendent. The
latter told the engineer of his train to 20
ahead; that they would run on telerronb
signals. The engineer refused TO Taxa
me RISK. Superintendent Minot ordered
,he engineer of the engine and Crashed the
lever himself. lie ran the train. TELEGRAPH.
ing orders ahead at each station Tnho
East-bound train reached Port Jervis ami
was s run to Otisyille. II miles eastward
while the West bound train was maxi
IT'S way westward at the same time nS
Geographic signals. At Otisvillc tho
East-pound train took the switch and the
other train passed it, reaching Port Jervis
on time. This was the end Of the o Ii sv vs'
ZEN OF running trains, and was the origin
OF Geographic signals in running roiIroaI
IIains. i"iiio"o