Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-02-16
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
IT. l.. sheldon Recalls Early Days II
Railroading on the Rutland.


Ii. L. Sheldon of Middlebury has writ
ten an interesting letter to the Rutland
Herald on rairoading In former times, in
the course of which he says:
"The old stage coach used to carry
through mail, opened at the large of
fees, using large leather bag with
handles at both ends and door
through the side; also way mail,
changed at each office, while the driver
and passengers waited. But the railroad
brought new duties and more of them.
The Rutland road commenced running
trains about 1880. Cook, Field e. Co.,
the old stage proprietors, were then
carrying the mail, and employed man
to run on the trains until their contract
was closed.
The Rutland road began carrying the
mail for the postofiice department about
the 1st of February. There were then
two mail agents running from Boston to
Bellows Falls, and on extension of the line
to Burlington the writer was appointed
mail agent. AT the time L. Bigelow was
superintendent, Henry Howe and Spencer
Allen conductors and the veteran stage
drivers, Dan Arms and Isaac Williamson,
looked after the baggage. Nick Davis
with his greyhound, the 'Cavendish,
pulled the trains between Rutland and
Burlington. The mail room, which was
in compartment car with baggage and
express, was about IL feet long, with
counter and boxes across one end and
hooks on the sides on which to hang the
bags. Local mails were made up in
Boston for towns as far as Fitchburg
and all mail north of that place was
usually contained in two sacks which
were assorted on the train. The largest
ceived more than from peck to a
bushel of mail, except on paper days.
"rhere were few daily papers then;
the wteklies were received Thur days
and Fridays and usually added two or
three times TO the bulk of the mail.
The Weekly Tribune. usually in clubs
of 20 to 30, the New York Observer and
the Christian Advocate were the papers
mostly taken. There was but one mail
dav each wav. The New York mail
reached Rutland at night and for offices
north remained there until next day.
There was one bag for points north of
Burlington sent to that office for
distribution.
''The mail train from Bellows Falls
consisted of one passenger car and one
combination car and very seldom was 1t
necessary to add car at Rutland.
The road was unfortunate the first year
by reason of freshets. The mails and
baggage were changed seven times in
one day for washouts. The stations be-
tween Rutland and Burlington as printed
on time tables were PittsfOrd, Brandon,
Middlebury, Vergennes and North Fer.
risburgh. There are now 10 clerks on
duty between Boston and Essex June
ton, the car is 80 feet long inside, with
racks on each side for pouches and
sacks, with boxes at one end where let
tiers are tied up for the different offices
and stage routes. There are from 30 to
80 sacks of mail going north of Essex
Junction, besides one and half to two
and half tons for Canada. Instead of
one there are three mails day. Very
few of those old railroad men are now
living. ! think Henry Howe is living in
New York. o. Wooster has been in the
continuous employ of the road over
| 80 years"