Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-06-18


tho leo, the Maryland Legislature or.
dered the company to take up the
tracks. This order was Immediately
obeyed. The men commenced the work
in the middle Of the river and worked
toward each shore, removing the rails
and leaving the ties. The tracks were
up and all OF tho rails had been safely
placed on the shores BY o'clock in the
Afternoon, and about o'clock the ice
commenced to break up, and soon the
river was MASS Of floating cakes. /
have seon fair mountains oi ice in the
SuRquehanna. | have seen them as
big as a large house and at tines the
station at Perryvile has been half filled
with ice.
In 1856 trans we're enow. hound
between this city and Philadelphia.
Three engines left here one Tuesday
morning and we we're until Thursday
afternoon reaching Philadelphia. On
the way We gathered up two more loco
motives, so that we went into Phila-
delphia with five. After the crews of
the five engines had a brief rest and
the engines were filled up we commenced
the return journey and reached Viii
mington on Friday afternoon.
1t was in the same year that |
went on the Delaware division. The
road then terminated at Dover. In the
fall of the year it was built to Harring-
ton, in tho spring of the following year
TO Bridgoville, early in the summer to
Seaford, where it stopped for one or
two years. Then ii was extended on
to Laurel, and in the following year
to Delmar, afterward going to Sails
bury, whore the extension stopped
until the war was over. At the con-
cluson of the war the line was OK.
tended to Princess Anne and afterward
TO Criaiield, which was the end of our
run for two years From Crisfield
boats ran to Norfolk. After running
two years to Crisiieid the, end Of the
Delaware division was put back to
Delmar, to which place we are now
running.
I'm all my railroad service / have
been pretty fortunate. have been in
several accidents. but was only once
seriously injured. The accident hap
pened at Newport A switch was open
and my engine plunged into a gully
and was turned upside down. | was
badly scalded, but managed to crawl
out Of hole which had been punched
in the bottom Of the tender, As re-
suit Of the scalding was blind for five
weeks, but recovered my eight and am
still able to read orders and distinguish
signala without the slightest difficulty.
My fireman was thrown off the engine
in this accident and not injured at all.
"On one occasion while was run
ming south of Elkton one of the wheels
on the engine broke and the locomotive
was turned end for end | was thrown
off, but not badly hurt.
Two miles south of Middletown, at
Ginn's, several years ago, | ran into a
pile OF wood which had fallen across
the tracks. Again l was thrown out,
with no serious injury.
struck horse while running
south of FELTON, ON one occasion, and,
although | only ran over it's foot, the
engine was turned over and l was
thrown out in a lot. Again | was only
slightly hurt
Yes, | have been exceedingly fortu-
nate and now run 600 miles week. -
Mr. Morgan detailed the changes
which have been made on the road
since he first entered the service. He
noted, among other things tho fact that
previous to 1850 freight was side
Issue, and not until that year was a
through freight train put on. In some
instances tho passenger engines were
required to double up and after run
ming passenger train over the road,
return from one end of the road to Will
mington with freight. He also stated
that previous to lS4S there was no
round house here, the engines laying
over heing stabbed in the shops.
Many men holding high positions in
railroad circles, MIR. Morgan remem-
bers as brakemen.
Engineer Morgan is considered one
Of the faithful, and is not only we'll
liked by his employers, but is popular
also with the men, many of whom 90
to him for advice. He now has the
responsible duty of running the Old
Point Comfort train south and way
train north every other day. lie seems
well contented with his work and does
not look to be much more than 80
years of age.