The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-10
TINE OLDEST RAILROAD MECHANIC
H.tsresassg Heus~iseesees or werksr N
Three CountrteS.


w.sssrsercs. Del, Dec. a-The oldest liv-
ing railroad mechanic in the United States Is
William II. Schultz, who is now 81 years old.
His hair and his short beard are white; his
intellect is clear and his faculties good. except
for slight deafness. He has lived In Delaware
for about thirty years and in this city for the
past twenty four years He was born in
Bremen. where he learned to be . general
machinist While working there he met an
American from Baltimore. for whom he made
q small printing press during his leisure
hours. When he was about "a years Of age
he sailed for this country. and landed at
Baltimore. He got employment In the only
machine shop in Baltimore. which was then
on Federal HILL He remained In Baltimore
several years. and married there. Early in the
'3O's he drifted to Philadelphia and became
master mechanic for the Philadelphia. Ger
mantown and Norristown Railroad Company.
He had charge OF all repairs. and during his
time he built three locomotives-the General
jackson. the D. L. Porter. and the James Blu
chanan. He also ran engines on several oc-
casions He ran the first mail train to Reading
from Philadelphia. and brought the first cars
Of lime from Norristown kilns to Philadelphia.
The ooSmoys then nS weighed , S6Gst seven
re EEL cars s II ONE train He Invented Tie
lap valve for locomotives, and when he first
es ssGs hs % S.s
wood was the only fuel for engines. and he In
vntiS sHGsrfs s ssTisse Went to the Norris loco
motive works. where he built locomotives. In
1889 he was sent to Prussia to deliver two
scs William MI Thes TIE Prsss snd
the America, and were to be run on the rail
to1Sshs only IN the Berlin
When he arrived at Berlin q Commission was
appointed to examine the engines. They
" 5ors could
pressure OF 100 pounds. but the Commission
s a naS 81 S5S sSrs s
ss, yess sasa 1G he
S 5' sna he did mo- no. Want the so Valves.
ne SAID nothing. but kept on thinning. One
1s he Rst ns s n as 81 ono
II was 50 tight" he said. that one Thousand
RSs nh HeSs Ssse tie
same way. On the trial trip the engineers
At the
pG NJ sshults bud old Frederick William as
miles from Berlin e Potsdam. but he re-
made ths run Ge tWsntythrse minutes One
said. and he said to me. Don't run too slow
MINUTES was ined Tor that. but never sM gave
the Prince away. In those days We used fat
rails Of soft iron spiked down on stringers:
sncs cars But
pletely around one Of the ay wheels Of the en-
gsa anS fta Dih aea
which I replied: Yes. but you only know
sSoSs ShsnS end you don't know anything
Mr. Schultz remained one year year in Berlin. and
en sna to
the country. Heremsined there twelve years.
tSfs Sontq RUSSIAN 5s
was required to sign Q contract By WHICH he
rcad se Sss ia sst S
had signed that" he SAID laughinEly. II
you'd have brought up n Siberia" :, He met
Alexander IL: father Of the p present Empef9r
tSs deseopment s sIGo eA' n.eis'' IN
Eng as to the
Philadelphls. He became master mechanic,
camd en- and atlantic RAILROAD, Which had Just
over the road. He had been asked Il he could
not run specia! train on q certain Sunday. He
te the sdS as one dollar
cars. President Da Costa OBJECTED. and said
that ths oompnny could s net afford e s carry
had made the contract and would Keep it On
sengers carried. the actual, cost to the com
Sr Tier &n se shnK Moved
ark. Del. and later to this city.