The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-27
TRAIN NO. 8.

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An Old RaiIroader's story of a Terrible
Revenge Frustrated.
am an sold railroader," ana l think
In view of the fact that it is almost forty
since l did my first days work on
the iron horse, my claim othat sobriquct
is a good one. / am a prominent
official now, and am permitted to trans
act most of my business in a pleasantly
furnished Office overlooking the broad
and busy street of a large western city.
Quite frequently old associates, more
recent acquaintances and newspaper
men drop in to visit me, and, when they
see that / am not particularly busy. they
are apt to linger long and will sometimes
worry me for "a railroad story" Espe-
cially is this the case with the reporters
when things are dull" in their own es
pecial line.
"Now, Mr.. Rennie," one will say,
'swe all know that you are an old stager.
Your record is public property. You
have Travelled east and west, north and
south, probably half a million miles.
Tell us a rip snorting' yarn, for The
Bangtown Trumpet"
Whereupon I will occasionally humor
them and resurrect an old dead and
buried "reminiscences, but more often /
will reply in this wise:
1T is very true, gentlemen; / am in
deed an old timer. / have fired up,
bossed the throttle, graded roadbeds, dis
patched trains and managed two or
three thousand miles Of railroad prop
erty, and yet, / venture to say, that I
cannot relate q true story that will be
wonderful enough for The Bangtown
Trumpet"
There is, however, one incident which
came under my especial notice some
years ago., that [ have never yet related
to the reporters or to my more private
~friends-an incident which, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, did not find
its way into the newspapers at the time
of its occurrence.
In the year 1870 I was the superintend-
ent of motive power on the third division
of the Chicago and Arizona railroad.
My duties consisted Of supervising &e
movements of some forty locomotives
and their crews. I was also in charge of
the shops at Axleborough, although they
and the great round house were under
the more immediate care of the master
mechanic.
One day l stood on the huge turn table
in the yard, just outside the round
house, talkingto my friend John Bolton,
one of our best passenger conductors.
While we were chatting together, a small
boy trotted up. ! recollected having
seen him once or twice about the yard
and in town, but / knew nothing about
him, not even his name. Bolton, who
was a whole souled, genial fellow, passed
the time of day to the boy, though he
knew no more of him than 1 did.
The little fellow was as bright as a
new dollar and looked as smart as a
whip, but he was exceedingly small and
I judged him to be about 10 years old.
"If you please, sir" he said, looking
me full in the face, 'are you the chief
of the locomotive department."
"Well, / replied with a grim smile,
l suspect), "that is not what they call
me, although on this division of the C.
and A. 1 am in charge of the shops and
locomotives. Why?"
because, sir, / want a job. I mean
to be a railroad man, anyhow, and want
to be an engineer if possible. Can I go
to work in the shopsy"
laughed, but John Bolton patted the
boy good humoredly on the back as he
said:
"Good for you, my son."
"Indeed, sill" continued the boy, who
was evidently very much in earnest, 81
know a good deal about machinery and
locomotives-just try me-"
I did ask him a few questions about
the construction of an engine, and the
boy actually gave me wonderfully intel
ligent answers.
"You go to school for another year or
two, and grow up a few more inches,
my boy. Then if you come to me 1 will
put you to work in the shops"
His face clouded as I spoke, and he Of
fered a last word in his own behalf:
81 know I'm small sir, but I'm older
than I look. I'll soon be 10, and Pm quite
strong"
sob, give the boy a show, Rennie,"
said Bolton, in his slow, good natured
uIdW1. liz IL pan Oub di AASAu'
"Well," / said, relenting, what is
your nameg'
"Charles Stockwell, SIR"
"Then, Stockwell, I will give you the
first vacant apprentice job"
The lad thanked me joyously enough,
but l noticed that he grasped burly John
Bottoms hand and thanked him twice
over.
Three weeks later / put young Stock
well to work in the locomotive repair
shop.
Six months passed away, and in
the autumn a bitter quarrel was in
progress between the Chicago and Ari-
IONA Railroad company and its employees,
chiefly the engineers. AT the same time
the engineers being for the most part a
highly intelligent and sensible body Of
men. no serious trouble had thus fan
been experienced, nor was any looked
for by the company and its officials. AL
freight traffic was suspended, but the
engineers detailed certain of their num-
Der to run the mail and passenger trains.
ID 49, s,,c& =, en,,o1o Af ,a,nn ~