Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-11-04
SPIKE
IS DRIVEN
The Railroad Into lewistown is or
fieially Completed in the Presence
OF Large Crowd.
PASSENGERS ON FIRST TRAIN
Several lewistown Professional and
Business Men Take a Trip Out to
the First Stopping Place.

Inc long wished for nrst passenger
train into Lewistown arrived at the
Main street crossing just twenty min
utes to two Thursday night. Owing
TO the earliness OF the hour there was
not a very large crowd out to greet
the first incoming passenger. In fact,
just one person, and that a reporter
on a certain Lewistown paper, was
on the ground to watch the first choo-
choo come around the bend.
A number of persons got off of the
train and as some of them were un-
familiar with the location OF the no.
tells with reference to the depot
and as there was no bus or carriages
there to show them the way down
town, some grumbling was heard, all
of which goes to show that some peo-
Pic are hard to satisfy. Make them
walk they will wish for a horse. Put
them On a horse and they will think
that a coach would be about the thing.
Bring them cross the country in a
coach and they will wear at the coun-
try of no railroads; and pull them in
on a sure enough railway they are
'%grouchy" because the engine does.
MT run them into a hotel lobby.
A somewhat larger crowd was on
hands the next morning to see the
first passenger train leave town. Be-
side the regular passengers, a num-
Der of professional and business men
assembled at the Main street sta
ton 10 watch the train pull out.
Among others were DR.. w. A. Long,
David Hilger, Dana Henphill, Rudolf
Won Tobel, Sam Phillips, Halsey r.
Watson and Tom Stout. They all
climbed up into the coach and as no
one told them to get off they were
there when the train pulled out. Some
OF them didn't want TO leave town, but
once started the train didn't start un.
til the first station. Cottonwood, was
reached. Here the Lewistown delega-
ton were put off, or rather got off, to
consider ways and means of getting
back to Lewistown. 1t was seven
miles, railroad measurement, and,
though walking appeared to be the
only means of transportation in sight,
that method of getting home didn't
particularly appeal to any of the
crowd.
An effort was made to rustic" a
hand-car, whick was setting out by
the side of the track, but the work
crew needed that in their business,
so il was up to the gentlemen to think
up some other way to get in. As
they sat there on the track, talking
the situation over, they came to a II.
animous agreement that riding out OF
town on the first train had its disad.
vantages. While the consultation
was in progress the cook of the work
crew announced that dinner was
ready and invited the visitors into the
dining car"
While they were yet at the table,
the work train, in charge of Boss
Kern. pulled in, and, to the very great
relief of the shipwrecked first train
ers," they were told that the engine
was coming on into Lewistown and
theat they could pile on and come
along. 1t then developed that Chief
Engineer Robertson had informed
Attorney r. o Tobel' that this way
of getting back would be provided
and the &stute attorney had been
thoroughly enjoying the supposed pre-
dicament of the other members of
the crowd.
The first train out was in charge
OF Conductor c. p. Armstrong, Aaron
Shull was at the throttle of engine
number 500 and Mike McGraw was
doing the firing. w. H. Sparrow and
7. Parker were the brakemen.
On Friday afternoon, at twenty
minutes past four, the last spike in
the last rail of the railroad was driy'
en- by Mayor l.. w. Eldridge with
Walter S. Smith. president of the
Business Mems association. driving
the spike on the other side of the
rail.
A large crowd was out to witness
the completion of the road and the
driving of the golden" spike. A feel
ing of relief and satisfaction was pic.
tured on every face when the honor
able mayor sent the last spike home
This was what all had been wanting
TO see for years-the driving of the
last spike on the railroad into Lewis
town. All seemed to appreciate the
significance of the event-the great
est step yet taken in the growth and
development Of our little city. As a
part OF the ceremony Photographer
Culver grouped the crowd. and took q
picture OF the last spike-driving.
The term last spike" is used figu
ratiyely, as there are to be many more
spikes driven before the railroad will
be completed. In building the road
in order to hasten the track laying
every third tie was left out and the
gang putting in these additional ties
has not yet completed the work. The
surfacing crew is this side of Moore
They are leaving behind them a.
good a track as any new road cal
boast. All OF the ~surfacing will b,
completed this month.
, So much for the final completion o
the railroad into Lewistown and tn,
coming and going of the first train