The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-01-22
Written For the sIFrER,l
RAILROADs-PAsT AND PRESENT.
No. IA.

Included in the list of those actively
engaged in the management and opera.
ton of these roads, are presidents, vice
presidents, general managers, general
superintendent, assistant general super
intendents, superintendent, chief engi-
neers, superintendents of motive power,
bridge engineers, general passenger
agents, assistant general passenger and
ticket agents, general freight and traf-
fic agents, auditors, purchasing agents,
treasurers clerks, station agents, master
mechanics, travelling agents, road mas
tiers, section toremen, section men, fore
men of round houses, machinists, car
penters, ear builders, train masters,
time keepers, bridge foremen and
bridgemen, stone and brick masons
painters, train dispatchers, telegraph
operators, engineers, conductors, fire
men, brakemen, porters, baggagemen,
signalmen, gate tenders, fagmen and
switchmen.
The amount of capital invested in
the railways of this country is about
$10,000,000,000. The earnings
amount to $1,000, 100000 a year, of
which S300,000,000 is from passenger
service, and 500, 900, 900 from freight,
mail and express. The operating ex-
penses are s645, 100000.
Passenger trains run 100000 miles
and freight trains more than 100000
miles day every day in the year, and
the average number of tons carried per
train is 1S0.
Train service is, Of course, the most
hazardous. For the year ending June
80, 1891, 800 employees were killed
while coupling cars, and 7,S41 were in
jured. Statistics for one year show
that out of 100000 trainmen 1900
were killed and 2,200 injured, while
one passenger in 100000 was killed
in this country, against one in 7,000,-
900 in England.
General Zenas G.. Priest, of Little
Falls, N. Y, who was born April Is,
1906, in the town of Fairfield, Herki-
mer, Co., in the same state, and who
died at 2:3O p. m., Sunday, Dec. 4,
1887, was at the time of his death, the
oldest railroad superintendent in the
world, being nearly 80 years old. In
1886 he began his career as railroad
man as conductor on the Utica and
Schenectady Railroad" In less than
four years he was made superintendent
of that road. For 20 years he was SUI
perintendent of the most important
branch of the New York Central and
Hudson River R. R., his division ex-
tending from Albany to Syracuse, a
distance of 14S miles. He was super
intendent of the Central under seven
presidents Of that road, namely: Eras
tus Corning, Henry Keep, Dean Rich
mond, Henry Baxter, Comodore Van
derbilt, W. H. Vanderbilt and Chann-
cey M. Depew.
Chauncey Vibbard, born in Galway,
Saratoga county, N. Y, November
II, 1911; and who died at Macon, Ga,
June 5, 1891, at the ripe old age of so,
was the first general superintendent of
the New York Central Railroad Com
pany, and sometime in October 1858
issued timetable No. |. In his day,
he was considered the foremost railroad
man in America. He resigned as gen
eral superintendent in 1865. Mr..
Vihbard was one of the principal own
the day line of steamers running
He,a Albany and New York.
General w. Raymond Lee died in
Boston, December 26, 1891, at the age
of 81. He was the first superintend-
ent of the Boston and Providence r.
R., which position he held for several
years.
Sidney Dillon, President of the
Union Pacific Railroad, now nearly so
years old, began life as water boy on
the "Mohawk and Hudson r. r.,
between Albany and Schenectady, now
the New York Central. He is also a
director in quite number of railroads
and other corporations, and is reputed
very wealthy man, in fact, he is one
of the money kings of America.
The most remarkable railroad man
that ever lived, and the oldest IN active
service, was Colonel George L. Per-
kins, of Norwich, Conn, who died in
1888, at the wonderful age of 100
wears. Col. Perkins was born in Nor
wich, August ), 1888. In 1886 he
was elected treasurer of the Norwich
and Worcester branch of the New Eng
land road, position which he held to
the day of his death. In 1907 the
Colonel walked from Norwich to Pough-
keepsle, n. Y, in order to be a pas
senger on the Clermont, the first steam
boat run ON the Hudson.
The following is Mr.. Perkins advice
to young men: