Plentywood herald., 1928-12-27

Served at Throttle for 40 Years; Latter
Comes to Montana In 1887 and Begins
Work on Old Montana Union Railroad
Two well-known Anaconda locomotive
engineers received recognition from
the Grand International Division of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
when recently Hiram Mcneil and
Mickey Campbell received the gold
medals emblematic Of 40 years con-
tInu0us service at the throttle. The
pins We're awarded by +. W. Jones. act
ing chief, at the meeting of the Silver
Bow division, No. PA, at the Pay office
hall on Nov. 26.
The meeting was marked by reminis
cences among the old timers, comparing
the pioneer days of railroading with the
present day. t. j. Hagerty acted as con.
ductor during the ceremony and the
two men heard congratulatory speeches
from number OF the men present. They
responded with speeches Of thanks and
appreciation
Mr. Campbell first started his railroad
career on the Pittsburg g. Lake Erie rail-
way in the days when railroading was in
its infancy. He started at the bottom
of the ladder, working on a construction
crew. However, after working through
the winter. he struck out west. doing odd
JObo otl lilC way lllLll ilt ltdllto GCnNtl.
He Immediately gained employment
and worked around the roundhouse in
Denver until he was sent to Buena Vista,
where he continued working for the Den
yer 81 S. Park road until 1884 In 1884
he was transferred to Butte, with eight
engines and crews, and arrived in Butte
in October, where he worked as q fire
man with the Utah Northern until they
changed from narrow to standard gauge
in 1887.
In 1887 MIR Campbell was promoted
to the position of engineer and trans
ferred to the Montana Union, with which
road he stayed until the completion of
the Butte, Anaconda 81 Pacific in 1893.
Since that time he has been working for
the local road continuously and has
gained an enviable reputation as an en-
gineer. At the present time he is ranked
as No. l of the Silver Bow division in
seniority rights.
Also On First Road
| Mr.. Mcneil was transferred from the
Union Pacific to the Utah Northern in
| 1883 from the Denver and Elk Park
| branch where he was working as a fire
man. He was promoted to engineer on
March 90, 1887. On June 10, 1889, he
was married to Miss May Price.
| His first services as an engineer we're
on the Montana Union road between
Butte and Anaconda. Later he held a
run from Butte to Garrison and then
was put back on the Butte to Anaconda
run which he held during his last few
years of service for the Montana Union
road.
| During the early years of the Butte,
Anaconda and Pacific railway the rivalry
was hot between it and the Montana
Union for whom Mcneil was working.
Mcneil has the distinction of making
several fast runs to uphold the honor
of his road and on one time made the
| trip from Butte to Anaconda in 20 min
utes over the Union road which was 28
miles in length This time to this day
is considered as very fast over the noun
tain grade which Mcneil had to traverse.
However, the Montana Union was forced
to abandon the road and its patronage
went to the Butte. Anaconda and Pa
cific and the Northern Pacific which
leased the Montana Union Mcneil trans
| ferred at this time to the Northern Pa
cific service at Missoula.
| After two years of service on the North
ern Pacific he gained employment on
| the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific and re-
turned to his home town of Anaconda.
Between 1906 and 1912 Mcneil was road
| foreman of engines until that office was
abolished in 1912 when he resumed his
| position as an engineer, which he holds
at the present time.
The two veteran railroad men worked
| during the pioneer days OF the Montana
| roads when their position was replete
with thrills, dangers and hardships. They
have seen the big fights which were
waged among the different railroad COM
Il panies and they have seen improvements
which have come with time. Their ca
reers have been ranged from the pioneer
steamers to the most modern electrtcs
and in each they have filled the bill.