Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-01-21
jim WOODS FAMOUS BELL.
It's Tones Know. Az Along the Main
Line of the Ncs. York Central.

It's Tones known Az Along the Main
Line of the Ncst York Central.
Hear that bell ringing2 That's Jim
Woods engine coming
Hundreds of railroad men and hundreds
of other people living along the main line
of the New York Central and the various
branches over which Jim Wood ran his
engine have made the above remark, for
Jim and his engine became celebrities
on account of the bell
Twenty years or more ago the bell was
made At the same time new engine
was built especially for Engineer Wood
In those days the Now engine ranked as one
of the highest class on the road A feature
OF the engine was the bell When it was
displaced ON new engine IL was discover
el that there was flaw IN il and il was
sent To the foundry and trimmed down.
rendering il thinner than the usual run of
locomotive bclls The result was that the
new he'll gave ont IA peculiarly sweet tone
Indeed. its clangings as it went by cross
lnirs and pulled into stations were full of
the sweetest music and il was not long be-
fore Jim engine became known by the
sweet music its hell pcalcsi forth and poo
pie coEld distinguish it among all the 9th
er engines on the lire and would say
Jim Wood : engine is coming Hear
the hcll:'
Wonderful improvements have wrought
wondrous changes in the equipment of
modern railroads. but none of them ever
replaced this famous bell. which is known
by its sweet sound TO every railroad man
connected with the New York Central
When "A few years ago .lim's engine
was taken OF the passenger service and re-
placed by the first class engines of the pres.
cnt time. il WIS used around the yards at
the Central station doing shifting and
pushing work. and not long ago was sent
To Buffalo To do the same kind of work
there There was an effort made by some
of the engineers To pcrpctuate She bell by
securing il for one of the high class en-
,sincs. and this was accomplished few
weeks ago The bell now rings out its
merry chimes from engine 92S. which runs
the limited east and the fast mail
west between Buffalo and Syracuse
After serving many years rs engineer on
the New York Central. Engineer Wood
was supcrannuatcd and is now living in
retirement in this city But like all old
railroad men there is fascination about
the yards OF great railroad system that
is irresistible. and Mr. Wood can be fire.
quCnily seen down nj the Central station
exchanging greetings and recalling old
times with the railroad men there Over
"A month ago a little incident occurred IL
Illustrative OF the innate love the engineer
has for the great iron machines that be-
come things of life u Ter his skillful
manipulations
Mr. Wood was standing in the station
talking To some old friends when the ncr
~. silvcry tones of the dear old bell rang
out The men instantly stopped talking
and listened Then they simultaneously
made rush for the siding where IN,
sound appeared 10 proceed from Thcr'
standing ON the track was old 10, the On
giac Jim had pilntcd for many years
and Ginning with the old time wonrcd
sweetness was tn. same old bell In Soma
way or other the old engine had been sent
along from Buffalo with load of cars
Tho sight Of the Old engine and the sound
Of the bell brought tears to Jim ; eyes
Rochester Herald