Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-30
MODERN RHYMES'OF THE RAIL.
Interesting News anf Notes of Rail-
road Affairs.
THOUSANDS OF YEARS SAVED.
r
Some Veteran Switchmen-Morc Than
Mile a Minute-A Historic Loco
motive-Railroad Superintend-
ents-Conscience Stricken.
THOUSANDS OF YEARS SAVE
Some Veteran Switchmen.


Among the veterans who gathered at
the recent Switchmens' convention at
st. Louis, says the Globe-Democrat,
were many notable men in the associa-
ton. One vas John II. Kenny, OF Chi
cago, the Oldest switchman in America.
He is sixty years of age, and has been
continuously employed as a switchman
for forty-six years. Uncle Johns"
head is as bald as n billiard ball. He
began switching cars at Piermont, Rock
land county, N. Y, for the New
York g. Erie railroad, the old broad
gauge, He has never been employed
anywhere but in Piermont and Chicago.
He has worked for many years in the
Chicago yards of the Grand Trunk. Mr..
Kenny is h father OF nine sons and
four daughters, and has eight grand
children. Three of his sons are en-
ployed at switching at Chicago, and
Uncle John" says he is as spry' as any
of them. Mr.. Kenny has never been in
jured in the smallest particular. He has
never been discharged, and has never
been Laid off" for even a day. AT the
time that he began switching the ca
-pacity of the freight cars was from eight
to ten tons. Now they are expected to
carry from 10000 to $4,000 pound. In
those early days there were no steel
rails, but instead there was a light iron
rail connected with iron chairs and
wooden straps. The heavy rail now in
use weighs tifty-tive pounds to the
foot. In many Of the yards the switching
was done by horsepower. There were
no traffic arrangements between the
railroad companies, and when the end
of the road was reached the freight was
transferred to the next company and
was thence forwarded to the end of that
line. Now cars travel from the Allan
tic to the Pacific, and there is no break
ing OF bulk. Mr.. Kenny has been con-
nected with the Switchmen's Associa-
ton since its organization, under Presi-
dent Ed. Jennings. He attributes his
immunity from accident to the fact that
he has always led q temperate life.
There is a great deal in a man always
having his wits about him" said he.
Another of the old-timers is Mr..
George F. Andrews, of Ottumwa, la.
He is a tall man with long flowing
beard, nearly white. and looks u great
deal like the picture of John Brown, of
Harper's Ferry fame. He is fifty-three
years of age and is active and sinewy.
He has worked for the Chicago, Bur-
lington 81 Quincy railroad for twenty
nine years, and has, been a switchman
forthirty-tive years. At the commence
ment Of his service the portion of the
road on which he labortd was known as
the Northern Cross, and afterwards
as the Quincy e. Chicago. 1t was finally
incorporated with the great c., b. & Q.
system. Mr.. Andre VS. is u striker on
the 20" and is nowsout of employment.
Like Mr.. Kenny he, has never been in
jured. oil
Another of the old-timers is r. M.
Shackelford, in change of the night
force Of the Chicago, oRock Island &
Pacific railroad at Des Moines, Ia.
He has been a switchman since 1854,
except nearly five years he spent in
the army. go
Frank Wells, a switchman in the
Chicago yards of the Chicago & ATTAIN
tic railway, is iifty-five years old and
has ~railroaded twenty-five years.
Colonel John B. Joyce, of Caronde-
let a switchman actively engaged in
the yards of the Iron Mountain rail-
way, is fifty years of age, and has been
engaged in business nearly all his life.
Colonel Joyce enjoys considerable poi
itical prominence.
John Downey has been employed in
the Chicago yards of the Pittsburg,
Fort Wayne & Chicago railway for
twenty-five years. He was long treas
urer of the order, and is universally
respected by his associates.