The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-17
FIFTY YEARS in HARNESS
BUSY CAREER OF III. NJ. BRONSON, OF
THE BIG FOUR LINES.
BE VIII Celebrate Next Thursday the
Fiftieth Anniversary OF Introduce
ton to RaiIro Dad Life.

III. NJ. Bronson, assistant general passer-
ger agent OF the Big -Four lines and who
ranks as one Of the oldest passenger officials
IN the service, will on Thursday next cele-
brate the fiftieth anniversary OF his rail-
road career. On May p, 1853, he began rail-
road service with the Mad River & Lake
Erie Railroad. now the Sandusky division
Of the Big Four. checking merchandise,
unloading propellers and steamboats, and
loading cars, and vice versa, on the docks,
and continued with that company until the
fall or 1856, when he left and went to Ken
yon College. spending two and half years
at that place. In March. SO. he took service
with the s. NJ. & n. Railroad, now the Lake
Erie division Of the 3. & o., and for several
years was chief clerk in the general freight
and passenger office. which was under one
head. In 1863 the offices were divided, and
he was made general passenger agent The
s. NJ. & n. road was at that time very
closely affiliated with the b. & o.. although
each was under a different organization.
Their principal business during the war
was handling troops, prisoners and NUM-
tons OF war. He was lieutenant In the Ohio
national guard infantry at the same time
he was general passenger agent of the s.
NJ. e. N. and in "a their regiment was or
dered down into Virginia and served dur
ing the summer of ga at the same time
he was general passenger agent of the S.
In August 1869 the s. NJ & N was leased
outright by the Il. & .. and he was offered
position as assistant general passenger
agent of the entire h. & o. system with L.
Nj. Cole, who was general passenger agent
st that time, but declined tho offer and
accepted the general passenger agency OF
the old Mad River * Lake Erie the name
having been changed to the Cincinnati Sam
dusky & Cleveland, and remained in that
position until 1850, when L was leased to the
]. b & w. He remained with that com
pany until the connecting link between the
T., Il. < W. and the c. $. & Or. from Indian
apolis TO Springfield was completed in 1852
when he came TO Indianapolis as general
passenger agent OF the l., b. & w system.
including the Ohio Southern. the Toledo e.
1ronton, the Detroit * Toledo, the Danville
Olney & Ohio River lines. He remained
with the l., Il. & w. until IL was reOrsan-
lied under the name Of the o., I. & w. an6
served with the latter company, as general
passenger agent, until il was leased to the
Big -Four IN 1890. when he was appointed
assistant general passenger agent of the
Big Four system, in charge OF all pas
senger business at indianapolis He served
years, and for the last thirteen years as
assistant general passenger agent
He has annual passes from 1863 up TO the
present time. many OF them signed by rail-
road men whose names are almost house
hold words. such as Deane Richmond OF
the New York Central Cornelius Wander
bilt. OF the Hudson River: Enoch Lewis
and Thos. A. Scott, Of the Pennsylvania:
jay Gould. of the Erie; Samuel Sloane, of
the ~. o.. ]. & G.. T.; ]. ID. Cox, OF the wa
bash; ". X. Arthur Of the st. L., I. NJ.
q s. and the Illinois Central a Mason
Stone, OF the Lake Shore; j. w Brooks
Of the Michigan Central. and numerous
nuaI passes. between four and 1--WE thousand
IN number.