The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-06-10
n. ?. VETERAN GOING
BACK TO OLD MAINE:
WAS 2YEARS West
Remembers Days Of Golden
Spike and jamestown
Surveying

st. Paul, Mimi, June 10.-Edwin
w. Osborne, after So years, Ia eoinr
back to live temporarily at Pembroke.
Me-, in his picturesque old home In
the northeastern corner Of the United
States.
Mi. Osborne. born at Pembroke on
May 10, 1859, was one Of Names uni.
versity graduates who forsook his ma.
tive state in the earlier days to come
west to build railroads. His first lob
In the west was to help to construct
the Northern Pacific, the first Of
the northern transcontinentals."
AS . special officer Of the Northern
Pacific in the position Of chief fire
prevention inspector, with headouar.
tiers In st. Paul, he Is known today by
employees along the entire 7,O00-mile
system. On Friday, May 81, Mi. Os-
bornes name was written on the
honor rolls Of the Northern Pacific
railway after nearly ~ years of con.
tinuous service. With Mrs. Osborne.
he leaves to take up q summers resi-
dence In the old homestead, which
was built In 1890 at Pembroke, Me-. on
Passamaquoddy bay. There, In pictur-
esque surroundings, they will recall
the days prior to his eighteenth birth.
day, when he left home permanently.
MI. Osborne graduated from the
University Of Maine in the engineer
ing course with the class OF 1881. He
first obtained employment as . SUR
veyor with the New York and New
England railroad.
Strong and with q bent for ad.
venture" Mr.. Osborne said, Il felt
that greater opportunity awaited mo
In the west. I had read Of the con-
struction Of the Northern Pacific, tho
first Of the northern lines. I packed
my belongings and headed west. NV
first job was as transitman At st. Paul
In 1852. I helped survey the Northern
Pacific lire from Minneapolis to st.
Paul under General Manager Herman
Haupt."
subsequently. from 1883 to 1887, he
was employed in field work and draft
ing at st. Paul for G. G. Wrenshall,
engineer Of bridges and buildings.
From 1877 to 1890 his work was in
drafting and in clerical duties for J..
T. O'Dell, assistant general manager.
In 1880 he became clerk and then
chief clerk to M. c. Kimberley, gen.
eral superintendent, which position
he held until 1893, when he was ap-
pointed insurance inspector for the
railway company with headquarters in
st. Paul, . position administered UNI
der r. H. Relf, assistant secretary.
Since January /, 1879, Mr.. Osborne
has served as chief fire prevention In
spector. His duties, which cover the
entire system, are to enforce fire pre-
vention regulations. In that work he
has had contact annually with
thousands Of employees Of the railway
company.
Mi. Osborne's employment with the
Northern Pacific dates back to q Pc
Rod before there was q northern
transcontinental line. -
II recall wildly the incidents and
the excitement attendant upon the
completion Of the Northern Pacific In
September. 1853" Mr.. Osborn said. II
was then engaged In surveying 1t
jamestown, N. D., where q roundhouse
was being constructed. When q special
train. bearing General U. 8. Grant
and other world dignitaries. passed
through jamestown, we were at the
track, cheering them on their way.
They were en- route to Gold Creek,
Mont, where the golden spike was
driven. marking the completion Of
the railroad"