The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-09-28
Paul Murray.


The Bangor Commercial of Saturday
contains a sketch of the career of Paul
Murray, well known worthy citizen OF
Skowhegan, and employe of the Maine
Central Railroad Company, here, From
this we clip the following:
Paul Murray was born In St. Samuel.
Province of Quebec, May 6, 1892, the son
of Joseph Murray. When lad of is
he bethought himself of the possibilities
in the United States for a young man,
strong of limb and willing to- work. SO
one morning he babe bis parents good
| bye and started off on foot along what
WAS called then in Canada the kennebec
road, and what is known here as the
Canada road. The journey occupied
four days. Arriving here in the month
of April he found home among people
of his own nativity and during that
month hired with the late Samuel Parker
of this town for the drive on Parlin pond
stream. Paul followed the fortunes of
| the lumberman winter and spring for
eight years, taking his chances along
with the rest on quiet and rough water
aud was well liked by lumhermen gen.
eraly. In the fall of 1856 when the
Somerset & Kennebec railroad was being
built to this town and before the bridge
across the Kennebec WAS constructed.
| Paul found work with the railroad COM
| pany as cleaner. In this capacity he
cleaned the first engine that ever run
| into the town and which for month or
more during the erection of the bridge
was obliged to remain out OF doors on a
side track on the south side OF the river
near where the present round house is.'
| The old Hercules was the first engine TO
| arrive here, and the Santa Claus the
| second.
In December,of that year the bridge
WAS completed and the cars crossed the
river, the engines being stalled in a
three stall round house at the end of the
road aud which was destroyed IL years
ago. For 81 years Paul Murray, sober,
industrious and respected, with bunch
of waste 10 one hand and the little sperm
oil lamp in the other, polished the bright
parts of locomotives by night. Then
came the change to the new round house
on the south side of the river, still 10
Paul's charge, one man working nights
with Paul on duty in the day time, for
IL more years.
In his capacity as cleaner he came to
know the locomotive as an expert almost
and was frequently called upon to handle
the machines In doing the shifting about
the yard, and on occasions OF heavy
snow storms to take out an engine, hook
on to plough and scraper and run to
Waterville.
Mr.. Murray married Sylvia Lashon OF
this town and to them were born six
sons and three daughters. OF this num-
Der but two boys and one daughter are
living. Two sons died during childhood,
the other boys worked with their father
in the roundhouse until they obtained
ages that would permit them to go
abroad to make living for themselves.
The oldest son, Paul, after few years
employment in the Portland roundhouse,
entered the employ of the Portland q
Rochester road as freight brakeman.
He was killed by an overhead bridge on
that road Is years ago. The next son,
John H., came to his death by falling
from the top Of freight train which he
was braking at the Seavey street cross
ing in Waterville. The next son, VIII
liam, is now the yard master al Water
vile. Joseph, after ten years firing on
passenger train 12-13, retired from rail-
reading, and is now engaged 10 the oil
business here. The surviving daughter
Is Mrs. Mary Plunkett, Dorchester,
Mass. Mrs. Murray died 16 veal ago,
and Paul, senior, resides with his son,
Joseph. on East Front street.
Paul Murray, today at 81, liz hardly
changed from Paul Murray Of 30 years
ago. He Is the same spirited, energetic,
sober and Industrious man for the Maine
Central that he was for the Somerset &
EUkx b.
perate and his health the very best.
During Paurs term OF service he has
never been Ill of any consequence and
has had but one vacation; he has seen
the Somerset & Kennebec become the
Kennebec & Portland, the Kennehec &
Portland become the Portland & KenDe-
bee, and the latter become the Maine
Central.