The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-25
ONE OF THE CITY'S SUBURBS
Rapid Growth Within Few Yearsof a
Town Built by a Railroad Company.
BrightwoOd's Shops Where Locomotives Are
OvsrhsuIed or Constructed Throughout
How Bse-Line Employees Are Cared For.

Brightwood which. though four miles from
the Union Depot, almost touches this city on the
northeast periphery, owes its existence to c. Z.
Gale, who, when superintendent of the Bee-line.
established the shops of that road there in order
20 escape city taxation. That is not many years
since, and Brightwood is a thriving village, with
churches, school-houses. groceries, and popu-
iation anxiously awaiting the Introduction OF
natural gas. The shops at Brjghtwood are the
most important on this division of the Decline.
There are hight repair shops at Gallon, o., and
shops at Martoon, where work Is done similar to
that here, but not much.
The shops at Brehtwood are under the man
aRemenr Of William Garstang master mechanic
who has charge of the motive power and
rolling stock of the road from East St
Louis 10 Gallon, o. The various depart
ments Of the Brightwood shops are
managed as follows: j. Fl. Filcer, foreman of
boiler shop; Charles Quandt, foreman of ma
cbine-sbop; Henry Block, foreman of paintshop;
N Marks foreman of car-shop; " alter May fore
man Of round house; Zacnariah Sanders, foreman
Of blacksmith shop, and w. @. Taylor chief d.
vision clerk
The grounds about the shops are kept neat and
clean. everything being In most admirable order.
In the boiler-shop new boilers are built and old
ones repaired. In fact, the most extensive re-
pairs are made at these shops in locomotives
passenger coaches and freight cars, almost to
the extent of nearly quite making them all
over and new again In locomotive work
everything is done here except castings
A new locomotive is now under
way which will be completed this winter. Sew
erAl are being given new boilers. cylinders. fire.
boxes, etc., and the repairs will make them
almost the same new locomotives. These are
the most extensive shops of the kind in the
State and are supplied with all the best modern
machinery. steam hammer is on the way,
which will be put mp in few days, the founda-
sion being now nearly ready for il.
liz was years ago the fashion TO name the loco
motives after men holding positions on the road.
AL this has been done away with and the loco
motives are only known by their numbers.
Among the old engines undergoing repairs
Is the IA R. McAlpine," named after
former division master mechanic. This was No.
2, and is being given new fre-box
In May, 1879. Four new engines were
built here. the first in October, 1877; No.
% given the name Frank Reynolds. is now
simply No. 352; No. II. given the name of Thos.
'Huers is now No 349 and No l. named G. G.
Gale. now No. 124 Among the locomotives
the stocks undergoing repairs is No. 364.
which was bought during the war, second hand,
land cost $4,000. 1t is being made again.
with new FIRE box and general repairs and when
sdone good as new will be worth $1,000 which
kehows that there has been great shrnkage in the
cost of, engines.
There are 4S5 shopmen the rolls at Bright
wood, and the monthly payroll amounts to &c.,
900 to $l8 600 month. This does not include
the engineers and fremen otherwise there
would be a pay roll amounting to $26, 600
month. Forty engines cared for in the
lronad-house. Not more than % per cent of the
men whose names the payroll live at
IBriRhtwood. and it takes two coaches each
SeveninR, which always well filed, to carry
fworkmeu their homes in Indianapolis.
! There &re many gray-headed and gray bearded
men among the employees, some of whom have
been In service with the company over thirty
years.
The E3rghtwood Home is q building erected
by the company for the convenience and COM
fort of It's employees. The home contains read
ing-rooms bathrooms, barber shop, lunch
counter, dining room. sleeping-rooms. and near
by 10 faint and feeble effort at a gymnasium,
the appliances being few and crude. Maya
zines and periodicals. sent to the reading
room by officers of the road and others along the
line who have interest in the welfare of the
home There is library, not large but of
well.chosen books. Lodging rooms are fur
nished to employees free. The home is well in
tended, but is not what it should be. and with
a little aid from the company, might be made
something nearer nat the word ''home" signi-
fes in the English language. The grounds
about the home should be put in order. A lawn
and flower beds, with fountain or two, would
tgreatlv improve their appearance