, 1904-12-28
West Jersey r. r. Conductors

Superintendent Lowell, of the West
Jersey and Seashore Railroad, was
heard to remark that he believed he
had as fine q body of men under him
as could be found in the employ of any
railroad company in the United States.
These words were spoken at a time
when The train service of his company
was being scheduled to meet the exigen-
cies of the pressing summer business,
when. more than during any other sea-
son of The year, there was need OF the
most faithful and intelligent activity in
every branch of the service.
Having for many years enjoyed an
acquaintance with the personnel of the
road, and more than fourteen years
closely associated with them as a fell
low-employee, / found food for thought
in the superintendent's remarks above
quoted, and the present personnel of
the passenger train service, so far as L
know it, spread itself before my mind,
and as l gave it mental review, | was
well convinced of the correctness of
Mr.. Lovell's opinion.
Veteran passenger conductors still in
active service, those who entered the
company's service as long ago as in the
early sixties, or abouflthe time the ex-
tension to Cape MSf was completed,
are Jeremiabva aIhi, John Price and
A. L. S'parks. The two former were
trs amen on the original West Jersey,
ito Bridgeton and Salem, before even
the extension from GlassborO to Mill
Vile was constructed, when the vener-
able T. Jones Yorke was president of
the company. Sparks came out of the
Civil War after three years of hard ser
vice and became a brakeman, in a few
years becoming a passenger conductor
and finally received the appointment
of trainmaster. His health failing, he
was restored to the more active posi-
ton of a conductorship, and is o on
the Atlantic City branch. He is we'll
known to Cape May travellers. Mr..
Ham, having reached the age limit of
service, will be retired and pensioned
at the close of the present year. Long
and faithfully has Conductor "Jere'
Ham served his company and the
public, and the best wishes of hundreds
of true friends and admirers will follow
him in his retirement. Conductor John
Price has a warm place in the hearts of
Salem folk who have fol- SO many years
travelled in his care. Mr.. Sparks is one
of the most reliable of men, and has a
steady run to Atlantic City and retains
his home in Camden.
Others of long service as conductors,
sturdy men every one, well-tried and
not found wanting as to intelligence,
reliability and faithfulness are John 9.
Sweeten, Joseph Rogers, Thomas Rog-
erson, Clayton Moore, John Roy, c. A.
]. johnson, Ohe popular fixture of
give Mile,p) Harry Wilson, William
Miller, James Curtis, Smith Hewitt,
Thomas &. Wallace. And so we might
go on down the list as memory hurried
ly calls them up, with the names of J.
Wesley Golf, Rickson Robbins, Will
liam Johnson, Mr.. Mccain, Benjamin
Hughes, Frank Williams, James New
ell, Mr.. Clapp, "Willien Weeks.
Hughes and Weeks are Cape May pro-
ductions, young men who have proven
themselves worthy the confidence of
their company and the high esteem in
which they are held by all acquaintan-
ces. Mr.. Robbins, who resides at the
Cape May end of the line, is an ex per-
fenced railroader and a very worthy
citizen.
Older readers of the Herald will re-
call the fact that the first three passen-
ger conductors upon the Cape May
trains were Henry G. Mulliner, Richard
L. Brown and Edward @. johnson.
The latter is still living, / think, neal
Williamstown, N. J. The former two
died at their Cape May homes some
years ago. The lamented James G.
King and Jarvis Sharp of the earlier
conductors were as good and true men
as ever ran a train. The brothers,
Charles p. and Joseph Mikesner, of the
younger men, are still mourned by
many fellow trainmen. ."Dave"
Hickey, Sc long on the,"Ocean City
branch, passed away nearly two.years
ago, soon after retirement on account
of imDairpd viSinn HaiwaS sanothar