Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-07-27

Wherever a group of railroad
! men assemble, be Il In the far east
or the far west portion of Men
tana, there Is always one In the
bunch who knew the late Pat H
/ Campbell, veteran raiIroader and
! Helena merchant. They stuck TO
the veteran raiIroader, and he
stuck by them-through thick and
thin famine and prosperity. No
worthy man was ever turned away
from Pats door, his associates say.
The Northern Pacific railway station
In Helena is nearly one mile from the
heart of the business district. It Is a
community by itself. There used TO be
four sure-fire methods Of getting back
to the business district in hurry. Hail
a cab, take a jitney, climb into the
bus, or make some disparaging remark
about Pat Campbell In the latter
event chances are that JOB would
be provided for the HOSPITALS.
Pat had railroaded since the North
ern Pacific railroad reached Helena
He still carried his card showing that
he had been a member Of the Order
Of Railway Conductors Of America for
more than 40 years.
If one dropped into Pats store, near
the depot, he was greeted by slender
man with snow white hair, wearing
a Stetson hat. He was tall and stnewy,
and kind Going into Pats store was
somewhat like going back IN the good
old days when the merchant was the
best friend Of the family; when folks
shared with him all the little things
In life that made life pleasanter: and
when he shared troubles that then
seemed so large.
An efficiency expert would starve 70
death If he depended upon making
living 'helping" such men as Pat
Campbell was. He didn't need them.
There we're no insulting signs in the
store, and the mo credit" sign was
missing. If Pat had anything to say
he said 1t himself.
entered the store He told Pat he
wanted to open an account. Pats eyes
swept the youngster from head TO foot
Whats your name2 Wherere you
working? Where do you live2" These
three questions we're quickly answered.
Il want TO order a few things to go
out on the first delivery said the
new customer.
ceilings the limit"
That's easy" ne replied. The word
Of the average railroad man Is just as
good as a gold bond-they pay, that's
how it Is done.
%Once in a great while you find one
that's wrong-but he's so wrong he
would stand off st. Peter at the golden
gate"
Pat was born in Malone. N. Y, on 1
st. Patrick's day, 1857. Like the major
Ity OF veteran railroaders, who came /
west In the early eighties, Pat went 1
when he was II years old. /
That was in 1874, when he clerked I
for the o. g. L. c. Central, Vermont. /
Pat explained that was the Ogdens-
burg g. Lake Champlain Central rail- I
way. In the early days OF his career,
Pat followed in the footsteps OF the !
average eastern lad with railroading I
ambitions. He twisted brakes on every /
road IN the country. He saw the whole 4
circus from the sideshow up 70 the I
main tent, from brakeman TO yard |
master, conductor and trainmaster-
and how.
Pat Campbell had some early day /
records that we're coveted by the /
Northern Pacific railroad One was an /
Did yellow tissue duplicate OF an order 4
dated Dec. /, 1888. permitting him 70 /
run wild" from EllistOn TO Helena 4
iigregardinQ everything but time-card /
rains. I've kept her for so many years /
don't see why / should part with II
now said Pat as he put Il back In \
Inc safe. IL was also signed BY Engi- \
neer Jim Holder, reyered Northern Pa 1
,ific veteran. and Pat signed as con-