Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-29
VETERAN STREET
CAR MAN RETIRES
Herbert E. Cook, ST., Resigns
After Nearly IS Years of
Service.
DROVE HORSE CAR IN 1886
Was Motcrman on First Steam Motor
Car to Sears-To Enter the
Grocery Business.

Herbert E. Cook, Sr., 1923 Four
tenth avenue, veteran employe OF the
1ri-City Railway company, and driver
of the first horse car on the Watch
Tower line, has retired after nearly 26
years of continuous service His res
ignation takes effect Sept. 1. Mr.. Cook
will identify himself in the grocery
| business with his son, Herbert Cook,
Jr., with the firm of Cook & Beck.
Mr.. Cook entered the street car SER
vice and drove a horse car from Mar
ket square TO Tenth avenue
and Eleventh street, the end
of the horse car part of the
line, when the late Bailey Dav-
export owned the system. He was
mOtOrman on the first steam motor
| car running to the Watch Tower.
He has witnessed the growth
of the system from the pioneer days
Of car driving up until the present time
with the modern pay-as-you-enter cars
in use.
ON FIRST MOTOR.
Mr.. Cook was born in New Haven,
Conn, Oct Is, 1854. He came west
with his parents in 1856, settling in
Hampton, H.. and remaining there I'M
til Dec. 3, 1886, when he removed to
Rock Island and entered the street car
service. For five years he drove a
horse car from Market square to
Tenth avenue, at the end of which
time he became motorman of the first
steam motor car running to
Sears and the Tower. Because
of the shaky condition of the
bridges over Rock river, the old horse
cars were still used on the run from
Sears to Milan. In those days but one
car was used, making one trip an hour
with half-hOur schedule on Sundays
The last car left Market square at
T. m, returning at p. m, in the win
ter, but during the warm months the
hours were increased, the last car leav
ing at Z o'clock and returning at 8
, No cars were operated after that hour
and the people were supposed to have
70 use for them after supper
NO VESTIBULEs.
In those pioneer days, the motor
man ran the car alone during the win
} ter months, stopping at the switche:
to collect the fares.
There were no vestibules on the pub
lie conveyances at that time and thu
man at the front was forced to brav,
, .he elements both winter and summer
In the summer when the traffic wa
heavier, a conductor was put on tn,
e Cars, but when the wintry blasts wer'
e bowling, the motorman was the sol,
ruler of his movable domain.
2 Mr.. Cook began work at 6 o'clock il
1 The morning in later years and wa
/ OF continuously until IL o'clock a
= night
HOURLY TRIPS.
Y During the first winter in which tn
r motors ran to Sears, but one car wa
: used the whole time. making hourl
A trips Now a Commute schedule is il
n force For the past 20 years Mr. Coo
n has been a conductor on the Watcl
Tower line, working on the same ca
U as his brother, Walter, who is still
: motoTman on that run and who ha
:, been in the service nearly as long a
4 his elder brother.
MISSED But THREE WEEKS.
J. Cook has been in the service just
# years and nine months, during whic
n time he has been on duty continuousl
r with the exception of three weeks /
q the spring of 1904, when he was lai
VI with pneumonia. Aside from tina
O be has never missed a day.
4 Now at the age of 50 he has decide
n to embark upon business which wi
n be less strenuous.
9 Mr.. Cook has made hundreds {
n friends during his years OF service
who will sincerely regret his retir'
! ment They will miss his familia
q face, his smile and his CHEEKY wor
=, Of greeting and his place will be
= difficult one to fill They one and a
. join in the wish that success and pro
:, perity may be his in his new ventur