Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-05
CONDUCTOR ADAMS RETIREs.
lie Was the Veteran OF the Connecticut
valley and Began his RaiiroRdIng Ca =
reer 81 Years Ago.

lie W as the veteran OF tne NOnnecttcut
valley and Began his RaiirOsdIng Ca
reer 81 Years Ago.
Alfred Adams, the senior conductor Of
the Connecticut River division of the Bos-
ton Il Maine railroad. retired from active
work Nov. /. He has been running up
and down the valley as a passenger con
ductor "a years and his familiar face and
form are known at all stations along he
line. Mr.. Adams had charge of the Mont
real and New York express, in summers
the White Mountain train, for years, and
left Springfield at 12.15, running through
to Windsor, 10 miles, arriving there at
3.3j, staying over night and making the
return trip the next morning on the train
leaving at and arriving in Springfield at
40.
1t is a hard run, particularly for an old
man, but Mr.. Adams has chung TO 1t with
the faithfulness Of one who breads to break
the last bond that binds him to his life
work. He has written his resignation sew
eral times, but could not bear TO present It,
In 1896 he made up his mind TO take a va
cation during the White Mountain season
and he expressed his determination to Mr..
Ray, the train master who readily assented
to the veterans plan and made the neces-
sary shifts 10 give Mr.. Adams a vacation.
The day before the White Mountain train
was to go on he stepped into Mr.. Ray
Office and remarked that he guessed he
would go TO work as usual. This summer
he did take long vacation, but had the
train during the last two or three weeks OF
the season.
Mr.. Adams began his railroad career 81
years ago in the freight-yard of the Con
nectcut River road in Springfield, Mass.
He was soon transferred to the Chicopee
Falls freight-house. While the first Holy
oke dam was building he was trainman
under Conductor George Burroughs. The
trains were infested with gangs Of toughs
and the trainmen required courage and
muscle. Conductor Burroughs afterward
became division superintendent of the New
York Central, and Mr.. Adams went with
him 10 that road, and afterward TO the
Wabash. He did not remain in the West
many years, and soon returned to New
England, where he took regular run on
the Northampton branch of the New HaV-
en- and Northampton road. going later &c
the Southern road. He returned at last tc
the road that had first employed him, the
Connecticut River. 1t was in October
1873, that Er. Adams moved to Spring.
| field, and was made conductor OF the
owl" He has had many thrilling ex.
periences during his long railroad expert.
| ence, but only two accidents have occurred
TO his train in which passengers or trainmer
were injured. One OF these was on the
! New London road between South Vernon
and Brattleboro, when his engine was de
rallied by a number Of freight cars which
had run down from the siding across III,
main track. His baggageman was serious
! ly injured in this accident. Conductor
and Mrs. Adams have lived on Seventh
street in Springfield for over 20 years
! Their son, Fred Adams. is the well-knowr
station agent for the Boston q Maine roaC
at South Vernon. Conductor F. II. New
ton will take Mr.. Adams's run for thu
| present.