Askov American., 1938-03-24

New York of another day was re-
called by the retirement of George
A. Robb, a motorman on the Sixth
avenue elevated. Jay Gould was
president of the road when he was
hired away back in 1885. In those
days, the motive power for trains
was not electricity but steam en-
gines. Usually anthracite was
burned. But when strikes shut off
the supply, soft coal was substi-
tuted. That made smoke. House
wives of Harlem, which wasn't a
colored section then, angry because
their washings were soiled, threw
bricks at the trainmen. Also in
those days, on Sundays, special
car was attached to trains. This
was for the benefit of bicyclists
who wanted to 60 to Bronx park or
Moshulu for exercise far from the
throngs of the city. The wheels, as
they were called in the gay nineties,
were carried in the special car and
Robb says that some of the old
racks are still in existence.
Robb spent So of his 73 years rum
ming up and down Sixth avenue. In
all that time, he never was late to
work once. In all that time, he did
not take so much as one drink-a
fact which may have some bearing
on his punctuality record. He start
ed as wiper, became fireman
and then an engineer. When the
line was about to be electrified in
1908, he availed himself of the oppor-
tunity to learn to operate electric
trains, qualified and swapped the
throttle for control handle. His
various trips averaged 100 miles
day. Up until 20 years ago, when
trainmen went on a six-day week,
he made those 100 miles seven days
a week. No vacations were grant
ed, but once year he took week
off on his own time. So despite
the fact that his trips were only
from the Battery to up into the
Bronx, he has covered quite string
of miles.
Now that he has a chance to think
back to the time when there were
no block signals and when the keen
ness of the engineers vision was a
bigger safety factor than it is now,
Robb is not quite sure what he will
do. One thing is certain, however.
He won't spend his time riding up
and down Sixth avenue and visiting
with former fellow workmen. AS a
matter of fact, should he desire to
do so, he wouldn't have the chance
for great while longer. When the
Sixth avenue subway, now being
dug, is completed, the Sixth avenue
elevated will come down.
Just learned why Phil Bakers ac-
Gordon has keyboard just the re-
verse of conventional practice. It
seems that back in pre-war days, in
Philadelphia, the youthful Baker
bought himself pleated piano with
a left-handed keyboard. Having
learned to play on that, he is no
good with the regular kind. His
present instrument, built to his or
der, cost him $1,000. 1t is insured
for $4,000, part of the indemnity be-
ing to cover loss should it be nec-
essary to replace the accordion.
There are none like it on the mar
ket and to make one, a master
craftsman would have to work sew
eral weeks.
Before Spencer Bentley went in
to the show business, he was an as
sistant purser employed by one of
the large steamship lines. The other
day he received a call to report
for duty as purser on one of the
ships of the line. When he quit
seafaring, he forgot to have his
name removed from the active list.
On Broadway, the other after
noon, encountered, swinging along
with great, strong strides, an Of
ficer of the Scottish guard attired
in his uniform including kits, Of
course, sporran, jaunty feathered
cap and long, flowing cape. Com
pletely unmindful of the stares Of
the curious, including myself, he
stopped now and then to peer ear
nestly into a shop window. And
at any moment, expected the bag
pipes to start their skirling.
Subway eavesdropping: ellis face
was as red as if he'd dropped a
couple of crap dice in the collection
plate"
@ Bell Syndicate.-WNU Service.