El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-26
SANTA FE RETIRES HIM.
Conductor Cap" Thomas Dismiss
ed After SO Years of Service
Too Old.

Too Old.
A.. j. Thomas, better known as"Cap"
Thomas, reputed to be the oldest con-
ductor in active service in the United
States, was retired by the Santa F'e
last eek, says the Kansas CITY Star.
His retirement does not mean that he
gets half pay or pension. He is dis
missed from the service on account of
age and must trust to luck to find an
other means of earning an income.
The case of Cap Thomas has q
touch of pathos. He has lived the
three score years and ten generally 81
he has spent in active railroad work.
His last run was on the Chicago divi-
sion of the Santa Fe, where he had
charge of passenger train. When
he arrived in Kansas City one day last
week and went to division headquarters
in Argentine he found letter await
ing him there. He opened 1t and as
he read it his hand trembled and those
who were in the Office noticed tears
Then, leaning upon the high desk, he
buried b q face in his arms and re
NAMED silent for several moments.
A friend asked him If he was i'll.
For answer he pushed over the letter,
which was request for his resigna-
ton.
The old man left the premises with
bowed head and boarded car for his
home. 1916 East Tenth street, in Kan
sas City. Fifty years of faithful service
and this was the end! Rugged old rail-
readers Who were young compared
with him looked after him, shook theic
heads and murmured: "POOr old
Cap" He refused to resign, but a
day or two later an order came from
Topeka Diminishing him peremptorily'
Gap" Thomas was q conductor on
the Louisville & Nashville railway
when the civil war began. He joined
commission as captain. Owing to his
experience as a railroad man he was
much of thu time placed in charge of
the movement of troops and
supplies He was especially
successful 10 facilitating the
movement of his own troops and i'm
peding the movements of the enemy
by destroying trains and bridges On
one occasion ne ran train In the face
of the fire of the federals, who were
trying to protect bridge on the Louis
vile s. Nashville, and while still under
fire he drumped 80 barrels of turpen-
tine over the structure and set it in
flames. 1t was destroyed immediately.
He then pulled out for the confederate
lines.
At the siege OF Vicksburg, Thomas
assisted il carrying out q very sharp
ruse to stave off the attack of the uni
on forces by making them believe that
the besieged were receiving reinforce
ments of troops rightly.
Darkened trains would be run out of
the city as far as the confederate lines
permitted. The trains would then be
lighted up and with crowds of yelling
men aboard would steam back to town.
The enemy, however, soon discovered
the ruse.
At the battle of Gettysburg Captain
Thomas WAS shot in the right wrist
ing shattered and both hands partially
disabled. When he writes he is oolig-
ed to use hi, left hand to move his
right after each word is written.
: When the war ended cap" Thomas
returned to railroading. He was in
charge of construction train 81 the
building of the Union Pacific railway,
and used to shoot antelope from the
platform of the waycar. While his
maime1 ha,ds inrerfered with his
writing he was still able to handle u
gun. He went to work for the Santa
Fee company ten years ago. During the
last four years his brakeman helped
him make out his reports. His MAIN
ed hands became palsied and the com
pany decided to release him. cap"
loved the service. He had grown to
manhood in it, and it broke his heart
to be forced to leave. A movement is
on foot to have him made librarian at
the new Y. M. G. A. building in Ar
gentine.