The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-05-19

MN ~,
| FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1870.
railroad officials, Mr.. Wells inadver-
tently took off his overcoat while waiting
! for tran at the station. a severe chill
that evening, succeeded by well defined
symptoms of the grippe, was the begin
ming of the end of his life. Having suf.
eye sight in one eye, it was deemed
advisable to submit to an operation for
! cataract liz the other eye. On Saturday
the 9TH inst, he went to the Hahneman
hospital in Philadelphia, where the
operation was successfully performed
and his eye sight restored. The opera.
! tion was not particularly painful, and
his physical condition seemed none the
worse after it. The grippe symptoms
| from which he had been suffering however
continued, and developed while in Phi!a
delphia into malarial fever, which be
came even more pronounced upon his
return to Elkton on Thursday the 10Th
inst. His condition, while the cause of
anxiety to his family was not seemingly
| alarming and his final recovery was con
| fidently expected. On Friday, however,
after enjoying his MONDAY meal. he was
suddenly taken with a sinking SPELL
| from which he never rallied. remaining
| in an urcol scious condition until his
| death which occurred about five o'clock
on Saturday the 18th inst.
Benjamin Wells was born in ElktOo,
on June 5, 1914. His father John Wells
was a native of Kent county, Delaware,
who located in Elkton early in this ceu-
fury. He married Mary Mahan by
whom he had six children who aItaiued
their majorities, Benjamin the subject
of this sketch, George who died while
engaged at the railroad station vita his
brother Benjamin, Sarah Ann Wells who
married VIM. T. Woods of Wilmington,
and is still living, Joseph Wells until
| recently postmaster at Elkton, Hannah
| now deceased, who anied Joseph
Buckley of Philadelphia, and Elizabeth
also deceased who married Daniel Stew
art formerly of Elkton now residen5 in
Philadelphia. John Wells was man of
| actively and prominence in Elktop, and
held the office of sheriff of the county,
afterwards engaging in the hotel bust
ness in the brick building on West Main
street now occupied by Mrs. George r.
Howard, and also in what was known as
the Black Rock property on East Main
street now owned and occupied by Mr..
John w. Anthony.
Early in his life he learned the trade
of coach painting with his relatives,
| George and William Mahan who COZ
Quoted the business OF coach building on
Main street nearly opposite the National
| Bank, and afterwards engaged in house
painting. He was engaged in this bust.
ness when appointed assistant station
agent, November l, 1887.
In April 1871, Mr.. Wells married Miss
| Rsbecca Alexander daughter of the
late David alexander of this town.
| Their children all of whom are living are
Henry A. Wells night manager Of tie
United Press at Philadelphia; Benjamin
NJ. Wells, Adams Express agent at Elk
ton; Mrs. Molie Alrich vile of VIM. J.
Alrich of EIkton and Charles G.. Wells,
ass stant station egent at ElktOn.
HIs RAILROAD SERVICE.
In continuous service, Mr.. Wells was
probably the Oldest railroad employe in
the United States, his connection with
the Philadelphia, Wilmington ard Baltl-
more system covering period OF fifty
seven unbroken years. BY virtue of his
efficiency aud fidelity to his trust, he
early gained the confidence of his com
pany and which he fully main tained to
the end. He enjoyed a large acquaiu-
lance among his fellow officers and EN-.
pioyes. and with whom the name Of Elk.
ton always called forth in kindly recog-
milton that of station agent Benny"
Wells. Indeed, Mr.. Wells in his coz
nection with the road in this town,
experienced all the evolutions OF the
science of railroading, from tie primitive
train with its maximum speed of fifteen
miles an hour, to the powerful locomo
tive of today, dashing along at the rate
of mile minute. His life at the Elk
|
depots along the road give place to CON-
modious and elegant struotures-the
primitive track OF wood and iron
su perseded by the 80 pound steel rail,
and the uncomfortable COACHES and
lum boring locomotives replaced by
the ralatal Pullman and the powerful
engine. The magnetic telegraph applied
in the block signal tower replaces the
waving flag, which in his early days Mr.
Wells was won't to see flying on the
poles, as signals of an approaching train
Upon the completion of the p. ".
B. railroad il the Fail Of 1886, Zsbuiol
Rudolph was appointed station agent
Mr. Wells, as above stated, was appointed
assistant agent in 1887, aud in which
position he remained until the remove
of Mr.. Rudulph to the West two year:
later, when he was appointed TO succeed
him as agent, by NJ. Brooks Buckley
then president of the company The
depot at that time was situated on the
town side of the track, about where thu
Adams Express office now stands. The
building was a one story wooden struc-
: ture comprising ladies' and gentlemen
waiting rooms and ticket office. The
length was az feet and the depth 30 feet
The present brick station was erected
over thirty years ago. The single traci
at Elkton consisted of entire iron rails
but in some sections, especially between
. Wilmington and Philadelphia, timbers 81
a feet long and inches square, known al
a stringers were spiked to the cross ties, ant
along which an iron strap wac spiked. Oo
. casionally this strap would curl as a trail
was passing, and instances are know