The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-23
fence, the telegraph line or roadway
Born In 1857

structures.
Born In 1857
It was on these road trips that
gathered from him, bit BY bit, many
interesting stories Of his railroad ex.
periences. He was born in Milwau.
kee on October ~, 1867. His father
was a conductor on the Milwaukee
railroad. On July s. 1871, Mr.. Der.
rick began hiss first railroad work
as relief operator on the Chicago
Milwaukee & st. Paul Railway, Their
the Milwaukee 4 st. Paul. This was
at Cedar Bird, Wisconsin. There he
knew Joe Dietrich's brother, who told
him about Joe out in North Dakots
among the Indians. He was the first
person Mr.. Derrick became acquaint.
ed with when he came to Bismarck.
''ln those days." to quote his owr
words, "the telegraph message was
received through large brass ma
chine with roll Of paper about the
size and width Of roll of tickets
you now see in the ticket office Of
a movie theater. This was arranged
on coywheel and after the operator
answered his call he would throw
this in gear and the weight would
unwind the paner and the point OF .
lever would make dent in the papc,
showing a dot or dash. The operator
would watch this and read the letters
as the paper passed through slot
and after the message was compiet
ed he would then transcribe it Il
letters on blank which would re
quire from five to % minutes ac
coriing to the length Of the message
The last machine Of this kind I svel
saw was at Luana. Iowa. in 1876"
After y short time ut Cedar BIRD
he was transferred to RipOn, Wis.
consin, and he says Of this time: IN,
father, who was q conductor, brought
me paper having an account that ar
operator by the name Of Edison had
invented a machine that would make
it possible to send messages each
way on the wire at the same time
Like all operators laughed and told
him that two trains might as well try
to meet and pass each, other on q
main track and not have q collision
But it developed that Edison did
have it and before he got through he
improved it SO that now they can
send two messages each way on tha
same wire. And short time ago
was in telegraph office at Mime.
apolis and found they were using 6
typewriter in sending messages at the
rate of 80 to 120 words q minute"
Goes to Milwaukee
From Ripon, Mr.. Derrick was trans.
ferred to Milwaukee as a bill clerk
operator and relief agent. Then in
1873 he went braking on what was
known as the Northern Division Of
the Milwaukee 4 Northern, now own
ed by the Chicago. Milwaukee & ST.
Paul. The same summer, he trans.
ferred back to the Milwaukee & St
Paul.
In December, 1873, he became night
telegraph operator at Faribault
Minnesota. and later was promoted to
day operator at Calmar. Iowa. He
remained there three years and then
went back into the train service as a
brakeman. In July, 1876, he was made
a conductor and the next April was
promoted to chief train dispatcher
at Mason City, Iowa. The same sum-
mer, he resigned from that position,
and went back on the road as con-
ductor. While working as a conduc-
tor he had . sad experience in hav-
ing his brother, who was working on
his train as brakeman, instantly
killed. ut was hard thing to have
to take him back to Mother" he told
me.
He remained a conductor until 1886
when he resigned from the railroad
and engaged In wholesale coal bust
ness in Mason City. However, shot
~ after he sold his business and
went to Minneapolis as chief train
dispatcher Of what is now the Mime
sofa Division of the 500 Line. This
was then called the Minneapolis &
Pacific and the end of the line was
at Forman, North Dakota. That part
Of the old 500 Line now east Of
Minneapolis was then called the
Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & At
lantic. but later the two lines were
consolidated.
In 1889 he was promoted to super
inten6ent Of telegraph of the 500
Line. from which position he resigned
in 1892 to again enter private bust
ness. But the railroad held fas-
cination for him that he couldn't live
down and three years later he re-
entered the employ Of the 500 Line.
In the spring OF % he went to Mex
leo City as superintendent Of trans
portation Of the Mexican Central
Railroad. but did not like Mexico, SO
returned to the northwest, entering
the service of the 500 Line again.
this time ~ conductor. That same
fall he went to the New York and
Ottawa, now the New York Central,
as superintendent.
In the spring Of 1899 he went to the
Baltimore 4 Ohio "a special agent
in operation under Vice President and
General Manager Underwood. During
this time he had an interesting ex-
perience in being placed in charge Of
President McKinley's special. train
between Baltimore and Sharpsburg,
when President Mckinley went to At
tend the dedication Of the battlefield
Of Antietam. Upon another occasion
ne had the privilege Of being placed
in charge Of McKinley's special from
Washington to New York city, over
the Baltimore 4 Ohio.
Returns to SEQ Line
In June, 1901, feeling that larger
opportunities were possible in the
West. he returned to the 500 Line as
superintendent Of construction at the
time the Pollock Line was being built
in North Dakota. The end Of the
road was then at Buaddock. He was
promoted to division superintendent
in September, the same year, with
headquarters at Oakes. When the
500 Line built into Bismarck the su-
perintendent's office was transferred
to that place.
In 1904, the Bismarck, Washburn
l. Great Falls Railway, with lines
from Bismarck 70 Underwood, was
purchased and placed under his su-
pervision. In 1905 the 500 Line ex-
tended this branch to meet their
main lire It Drake, and also built to
Plaza. Some years later the line to
Plaza was extended 10 Sanish, the
present terminsl.
During these years he had seen
railroad developments from the days
Of candle lighted coaches and wood
burning locomotives to splendidly
electric-lighted cars and powerful
locomotives. While commenting on
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