Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-21
RAILROADS THEN WERE YOUNG
When Passengers Were Billed Like
Merchandise.
THE FIRST RAILROAD TICKETS.
How the semaphore Originated and
the Principle system which Ante
dated the Introduction OF the
Bcii Rope.


yesterday, rs ne nhndCO IL newspaper
clipping announcing the death OF Rob
bert Sayill, the inventor Of the present
system OF railway tickets.
Mr.. Ferguson was once a railway man,
but is now extensive engaged in min
ing, smelling, and the other occupa-
tions OF n miners life.
Its II long time ago. he continued,
but MIR. Sayill was the gentleman that
brought me into the railway service.
Railroads, ns they are now, and rs they
were then diiicr somewhat, and their
history seems to be II species of evolu-
tion in which the iittcst survives. |
had no intention Of going nto railroad
ing when | was II boy, but, you soc, cir
cumstnnccs very often govern events,
and found myself as IA junior clerk IN
the office of the London Il birmingham
railway. II was twcnty-oight years ago,
aud the old system OF billing pas
scngcrs like freight had not
entirely gone out OF existence.
The guards, as they called them,
or conductors, ns you would say now,
used to deliver passengers and bill for
them. mt their various destinations.
The bills for them went to the head
ONCE, anu were suppoStu to taiiS WilH
the amount of cash turned in, which
was the only chock the managers had
on the honesty of their employees. But,
by and by, the business grew TO
be largo and cumbersome and something
had To be done to accommodate
the travel and simplify matters gen
orally. 1t was then MIR. Savill stepped
into the breach and devised the card
system now III vogue.
His original idea, with some slight
mod licationS, is the basis of ticket
agents accounts to the present day, and
IL was II worry decided Improvement on
the old stage style of doing things. As
travel Increased and the old London
birmingham became the London
Northwestern system, the benefit OF the
simple card ticket became apparent,
and with that came the necessity OF
system Of accounts, simple, but con-
densed for the use of the ticket clerks
in making up their daily accounts, aud
also for the chief Office in checking
thcm up This want was also supplied
from Mr. SaNill's Office, an invention,
if it can be called such, being perfected
by an old gentleman In the
office by name of Digglct
The ticket agents check account.
was soon baptized as the diggle' and
believe retains tnat name on English
read, to this date. | believe Digglc
mus bo dead now, bat he never had
amy Official tide. William Savill was
appointed secretary OF the London
Northwestern system when the name
WAS changed from London X Birmiug-
ham,
1t seems strange" MIR. Ferguson
added, that railways have reached
their present high state OF efficiency
within the momory or life OF any one
man OF about average age, but such Is
the case.
II often recall with amusement, the
ola-ume, living signals which ante
dated the mechanical ones, and yet the
change was only FROM flesh and blood
to wood. At the crossings and other
places where such an arrangement WAS
necessary, WAS stationed a policeman or
'Sigual officer He was usually dressed
IN blue uniform, brass buttons and
very tall plug hat. When it was time
for the tram 90 come along he stationed
himself near the track and ii the road
Was clear he stood erect With his arms
close To his side, like a soldier standing
at 'atteution. II, however, he wanted
the train IT, come To u StaudStil, he eN-
tended his right arm across the track.
| remember one place partic-
ularly where, owing 10 curve
or some obstruction, q man on
the track could not be seen far IN ad-
vance oI the eugine, 50, y pedestal was
built upon which the aforesaid police
man used ~ stand and give the neces-
Sary signals. The human signal, IN
time, gave place u the wooden one, but
the priaciple OF operation remains the
same. As boy, | can remember with
what awe used to gaze upon these mag
mates, especially the one on the pedeS-
Ia.
Then there Was smother System in
use that would seem strange To the en-
gineers Of to-day. On branch lines, and
single tracks, they used 10 run trains on
the stan system. The SJtt was SoLue-
what like policemau'S club, aud WAS
painted red, green. yellow, or other
cclors, according to the number re
CURED. Each division had one staff o4
one colcr. No train could start out
without thar Staf beiug in the place
provided for IL ga the engine and its
Possession gave the right vi way TO that
train. AS there was only one star there
could be only one train on the track At
one time, and, cCnseG Uently, there Sere
no collisions,
"t;ailroad men did not kiu them
selves with oyer wOrA t1 those days,snt
il IS almost inpossibl 10 realize the
Lrepe doJS strides INSIDE in the railway
world during she past thirty years
That reminds ae u the history
oT The bel cord said Another railway
uan. In has Us origin IN America
Jhough, down on the New York Central
locomotive bells were uGI IN use -len,
and there was one ens luecr' WAC wa' 30
intent On watching for obstrucg IN s-
that be often ran past stopping place
and never paid amy attention 90 such
Signals aS the conductor n ghc make,
.rhe after was an Irish maI named
III Inn IL. ~