The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-25
Days of Long Ago
Brought to Mind


the Third ward. Many years ago John
was asked into the superintendent
Office at Milwaukee to stand an oral
examination, and he went. He stood
the fire of questions pretty we'll until
the official asked him: Suppose you
were sent out to flag train and your
lantern went out and you found there
was no oil in it, what would you do?"
John scratched his head a moment,
and replied: II would cut across lots
and bum Farmer Jenkins for a shock
OF hay and set it on fire in the middle
OF the tracks," He passed the exam.
They were telling fishing stories of
years ago, the other day at "Nig's"
liquid emporium when Alb Kruger
butted in. That's nothing, he said.
One day Sorley Jaehrling, Jack Joda,
Charlie Feisst and few others went
fishing through the ice There were a
number of holes cut and blocks of ice
strewed the surface. Joda wanted to
try out new net made of fine yarn
by his wife. He dropped the net
through one of the holes, but it would
not sink. He was about giving up in
despair when happy thought struck
HIM. He seized a big chunk of ice and
put it inside the net and then dropped
it into the water with exclamation,
Il guess you'll sink now" but the net
wouldn't sink, and Joda stood looking
on in amazement until one of his COM
panions shouted, Don't you know
that ice floats" What he replied would
not look we'll in print.
Joe keenan,, who was drowned
many years ago in Madison, was one
of the early day railroad men, now
remembered by few here.
The Rio wreck in the sos recalls
the names of several well known
railroad men. There was Tom Little,
engineer of the ill fated train, and
Glib Egan, the fireman. Henke was
conductor of the freight which side
tracked and Wells was the name of
the man who forgot to close the
switch. Lucius Searles was the con-
ductor on the passenger which crash
ed into the caboose on a dark night,
killed many, set fire to the wreckage
and many passengers were burned
beyond recognition.
Then there is Tom Sweeney. whom
old timers say was one of the best
men the of fro iohf fro ;v ~,
the service years ago. He never forgot
pal or friend and many a time
dropped Off a few silver bucks as the
train sped along to be picked up by
the recipient for whom it was in
tended
Dudley Fitzgerald is probably one
OF the best known railroad men on
the line. He has been in the service
so long that he don't remember him
self just when he started in. He and
his brother Henry, or Hank" as he
was Familiarity known, were former
WatertOwn boys. Hank used to run the
Madison freight forty years ago or
more and did the switching in the
'S'eNi W IL OIL 10. I'll SOlu0 udyS when
there was a Hartland turn around"
it used to be the delight of the local
youngsters on Saturday to take a
free ride with Hank, and they sell
dom were refused this great pleas
ure to them, but we were often in the
way.
r-O-
But very few now remember
Punch" Wescott, whose given name
was David. But forty years ago or
more he was the champion diver in the
old Cole mill race and taught many
young lad how to swim He was after
ward steamboat engineer on the
Mississippi river and died a short
while ago in Milwaukee.
otto Christensen, who for several
years has presided over wants of pa
irons in Cruel & Glaser's buffet and
who is probably one of the most popu-
lar bar men in the state despite his
gray hair, at one time forty years ago
or more, conducted the South Side
Home in Florida street, Milwaukee. at
that time the most popular place for
railroad men in the cream city. Be-
sides the buffet the rest of the double
building was used as a pool and bill
lard room and rest and writing
room, very handy piece of recreation
when the trainmen came in off the
road There were many Watertown
men in the Milwaukee road service
those years who whiled away an hour
or two before the call boy made his
appearance. But all is changed on
Florida street, even the old Metropoli-
tan hotel, the pride of the street, hav-
ing passed from memory.
The extremity low water this sum-
mer and fall reminds one of the agita-
ton forty years ago or more which
was on for the removal of the dam at
Milford, bone of contention with the
farmers along Crawfish rver for miles |
north of Milford. At that time Milford |
was busy hive of industry. The late |
Walter Green was the mainstay of the !
whole town. There was a bank, a |
Touring mill, cooper shop and nee
essary adjuncts. The wheat was
bought of the farmer, ground into |
flour for shipment and was taken by |