Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-05

Combined with the sharp. bristly hairs,
wslrus hide is about as palatable asa
wire hair-brush.
SIXTY YEARS AN ENGINEER.
"UncIe Gac- Lyman's varied Career on
stcsmboats aud Railroads.
"Uncle Cad" Lyman, said to be the
Oldest acting engineer in the United
States, died on Thursday at his home
in Mott Haven. Just week prior to
his death he came home from work in
his usual health, but during the
night he was attacked by conges-
tive chills, which affected his brain
and finally brought his life to close.
He was born in Charlotte, VT, IS years
ago, and was the youngest Of seven
children. His father, farmer, and
his mother died within week Of the
same date from yellow-feyer before he
was three years old, and thereafter he
was handed about among the neighbors
and - brought up piecemeal," as he al
ways expressed it. At an early age
he was employed at odd jobs in a ship
yard at Charlotte, and at fourteen took
the position Of fireman on Lake Cham
plain steamer named the Phoenix and
commanded by Captain Dan Lyon.
Before Cad had been firing year the
engineer was stricken with the cholera
just on the eve of trip. There was
no one in the vicinity to fill his place
and there was no time to send else
where. The young fireman, seeing the
strait the Captain was in, volunteered
his services, and so confident was he Of
his ability that the Captain accepted
the offer, intending, however, to get an
experienced man on the passage down.
Finding this impossible, and that "Gad "
was capable Of filling the position, he
retained him. and from that time on, a
period of sixty years, his entire time
had been devoted to engineering. He
remained on the lake until 1887, du-
ring which time he was employed on
the steamboats, Phoenix, Franklin, and
General Green. In that year he re-
moved to Bordentown, n. j., and was
engineer for a boat running between
that place and Philadelphia. His first
work on locomotive was done in 1889
on the Camden and Amboy railroad,
when he ran a way-train from Camden
to Perth Amboy. From thence he
went to the Reading railroad, and
later was engaged by the Rogers LO-
comotive-W orks, at Paterson, n. j.,
to "take out" engines. 1t was his
duty, when a new engine was sold,
to 60 to the place Of destina-
ton, help set it up, and put it in run
ming order. In the course of his en-
ployment he "took out" engine No.
100 for the New York, Lake Erie and
Western railroad. The officers of the
road were so well pleased with him and
he with the engine that he was engaged
to remain in their employ. Attic open
ing of the road to Binghamton his en-
CINE pulled the special car containing
President Fillmore and his Cabinet. He
had Lincoln on his train on one occa-
sion, when the conductor, being slightly
intoxicated, addressed him as "0ld
Abe" and was discharged for his i'm
pertinence.
" Uncle Cad " was with the Erie for
seven years, and left it to run an ex-
press train on the New Jersey Central.
At the opening Of the war he applied
for a position in the navy and was made
acting first assistant engineer on the
gunboat Neptune. He received an hon
orable discharge in August, 1865, and
from that time until his last illness vas
employed on the New York and Har-
lem, railroad, where he has run every
thing from way-freights up. Two years
since, in consideration of his faithful
service and approaching old age, he was
given a run on the Port Morris branch,
and was promised that it should be his
as long as he cared to keep it.
The old engineer was proud in his
ability to say that he had never had an
accident to his engine or mutilated any
living thing on the track. "I've got
all my fingers" he used to say, holding
out his hands, and II never even
scratched one Of EN-" He was
temperate man, almost total abstain
er, and was blessed with remarkably
good health. During his sixty years
of service he was never laid up but
three weeks. lie narrowly escaped one
or two accidents in his career, the only
one of moment being while he was run
ming his pet, No. 100, on the Erie.
She finally began to act badly and he
condemned her and placed her in the
shop. His brother, who was also an
engineer, took her out on the road and
was blown to pieces by the bursting of
her boiler the third day after at Ches-
ter.
Uncle Cad" used to tell Of run
ming engines when they were nothing
but bare boilers on wheels, without
jackets or cabs. He had distinct re-
collection Of the first steam-whistle in
existence. The first engine he ran had
board fitted around the boiler to pro-
tect him from the driving wind, with a
round peep-hole in it to enable him to
look out ahead. Finally the roofs came
into use. When it was first thought
possible to have glass windows in place
of the open peep-holes, they were op.
posed on the ground that the driving of
the wind and the jolting would force
them out of place.
Mr.. Lyman was q member Of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
from its outset, and for number of
years past has held the position of
chaplain in Division No. los, of this
city. He leaves a widow.
published by Request
WOrking-Days.
A.wooing you came with your dulcet voice.