The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-29


built at the Lawrence Locomotive
Works. The engineer was Dick
Allen, now known to the world as
Richard Norton Allen, the inventor
of the famous paper car wheel called
by his name, and wealthy capital
lists of Cleveland. About five miles
from Bennington, VT, the train ran
oyer steer, and the engine and two
cars were thrown off the track. It
seemed to me that the only way to
get another engine was to run a
hand-car or walk.
WHATS TO be done, Dunlap ?" l
said.
"l'Il tell YOU" he replied. ats
nearly all down grade to Benning-
ton so let's uncouple the last car
and run her back to the station"
In these days anything like that
would cost man his position, butin
the olden time quick expedients and
great risks were often necessary.
When the passengers got out of the
rear coach, Dunlap, a brakeman
named Downer, and I took the un-
coupled car and started off. We went
along finely from the first, ha1ssea vt
ing what we should do when wdNGot
to piece of up grade that pust be
passed. However, fortune was in
| our favor, and the momentum we
had gained took us over tie rise of
ground ana onto the down grade
again. A wandering cow pXt threat
ened us, but, as we stOOd1n the plat
form, with shouts and calculations,
we managed to frightel off the in.
truding animal, and son afterWard
our car rolled in triumph into Ben
ningtOn station. Wit relief en-
CINE we started back o the scene of
the accident, pulled tie other engine
on the track. and wen on to Rutland
atterrific speed. The General Stark"
did nObly, for we mae our time and
connection with the Rutland & Burl-
ington train going north, while the
daring deed was the talk in railroad
circles far and near,
In the early daysof railroad build
ing the track wa built of wooden
rails, upon which lengths of strap
iron were spiked. This strap-iron
sometimes became unloOsened and
bent up at the end. owing to the wear
AND tear of the taIns or the action of
heat or frost. "When the ends of the
rails were struck by the wheels, they
would be forced up through the bot
tom of the car. Passengers were
often hurt in this way, these ''snake-
heads" as they were called, coming
up with great force. We often had
to stop and pound down the iron or
hold it down until the train passed
over.'
At first railroad stations were
merely open sheds, IN which the
waiting passenger was protected
merely by a roof. Sometimes the
only mark of a station was pine box
which served as ticket case. The
old stage coach custom of blocking"
passengers was pursued for a time
"a little later the conductor made
his rounds, carrying a large tin box,
into which the passengers dropped
their fares in cash. One old conduc-
tor, who ran train in Ohio in those
early days, tells how he took all the
cash and kept it until Saturday
night, then paid off himself and the
boys on his run, returning the sur
plus earnings to the company at the
end OF the week. The distinguishing
characteristics of the old time con-
ductor was his fine silk hat. SLOUGH
and stiff hats were good enough for
the ordinary citizen, but it was be-
fore the days of uniforms, and con.
ductors followed their own taste in
dress, usually selecting the best to be
had. A leather strap, on which in
silver letters was the word "Conduc.
tor" was buckled about each hat. and
taken off at the end of each run. |
can remember, when a mere lad, |
thought l never saw a more aWe-in.
spring sight than Levi Wright. of
the Boston & Lowell road, with his
tall hat and impressive dignity, as
he waved his hand to the engineer
and shouted, "All aboard" in toue
worthy of general. The first uni
forms used by railway employees
were on the Hudson River road, if /
remember correctly. The Pennsyl.
yania road next adopted uniforms.
and only within the last ten or twelve
years have they come into general
use."
When tickets first came into use
they were invented about 1886 bv an
English railway employee-thev
were simply thick white cards hear.
lug the names of the two stations ha-