Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-07-23
EARLY RAILROADING.
An Amusing Story About the Origin Of the
BcllR0pe.
Ne York TimeS

The recent change of gauge on the
various southern railroads recalls many
interesting incidents of early southern
railroading, writes an Atlanta cores
pondent. The old Georgia road was one
of the first built in this country, and the
men who constructed it all came from
New York and Pennsylvania. George
Adair, of Atlanta, tells with great gusto
of the origin of the bell-rope, which is
in itself an incident worthy of preserya-
ton.
At the time the Erie railroad extended
from Piermont, on the Hudson, over to
Port Jarvis, on the Delaware, old Dick"
Ayers was conductor on the line. They
ran mixed trains in those days-one or
two freight cars, couple of 'gOndolas"
and a caboose and passenger car at the
rear end of the train. Ayers had for an
engineer a rough old English cockney.
who arrogatcd unto himself a good deal
of authority, and felt that he had as
much to say about how that train should
be run as Conductor Ayres had. So when
Ayrcs would wave his hand to to the engi
neer to start sometimes the Englishman
would obey the signal and sometimes he
wouldn't. 1t was pretty much the same
way about stopping the train. Once in
a while the engineer got his temper up
and would run by station when ne knew
that Ayres had passengers to get off
there.
Finally one day, after cudgeling his
brain, Conductor Ayres hit upon plan
for adjusting all the difficulties. He pro-
cured a stout twine and fastened it to
the rear platform of the passenger coach
and then carried the striug forward and
tied the other end OF it to stick of fire.
wood on the floor of the cab near Engi-
neer Williams feet.
Now when / pull the cord, Williams
that means that you are to stop. Dye
hear?'
Hi don't like these ere blarsted new
waysr was the engineers only comment
as Ayres left the engine and went back to
the passenger coach.
Coming down from Middletown to Otis
vile the train was rolling along at
pretty lively pace, when Ayres discovered
he had a passenger for the station now
known as HoweII's. He reached up and
gave the cord a hard tug just as the
whistle blew for the station, unfortunate
Ayres pulled the string little too hard,
for the stick of of frewood to which it
was attached few up and hit Williams
severe blow on the shin, taking off some
of the skin This angered the old man,
and instead of blowing for brakes he
pulled her open" another notch, and the
way he ratified through that town was
l caution. The people came to their win
dows to see what was the matter. OF
/ Course Ayres was mad. In the meantime
| Williams had cody cut the string and
/ had slowed up to take water at the tank
I two miles above town. Ayres came out
I to the engine, climbed up and tied the
string fast to the stick again. There was
I grim determination in his face as he
( turned In the engineer and said: Now,
I here, Williams, the next time / pull that
string if you don't stop this train one or
| the other of Us has got to get licked
Williams vouchsafed no reply and
/ Ayres went back to his place. Guymard
/ he pulled the string again but as before
! the engineer took no notice of the sig
nal, and the train never came to stop
| until Port Jerris was reached. Ayres
came up TO to the engine with his coat
and vest off. ACome down Williams
| he cried. Williams came. similarly equip
ped for fight. and they pitched in. The
ocds were on the engineers side. for he
was the heavier man of the two, but Ayres
had the best wind and Williams finally
cried enough BE was minus part Of