OF THE
U N I VER.5ITY
OF ILLINOIS
385.4
• ItUNOIS HISTORICAL SURVR
Ifl
*^OT^M!^^^^W^BE»
ILLINOIS CENTRAL STATION, CHICAGO.
HISTORY OF THE
Illinois Central Railroad Company
AND
REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
A HISTORY OF THE GROWTH AND DEVELOP-
MENT OF ONE OF THE LEADING AR-
TERIES OF TRANSPORTATION IN
THE UNITED STATES,
From Inception to its Present Mammoth Proportions,
TOGETHER WITH THE
BIOGRAPHIES OF MANY OF THE MEN WHO
HAVE BEEN AND ARE IDENTIFIED WITH
THE VARIED INTERESTS OF THE
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.
ILLUSTRATED.
RAILROAD HISTORICAL COMPANY,
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
1900.
PREFACE.
DN ISSUING the History of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, the publishers, according
to custom, desire to give expression of a few words of explanation regarding the work. In
compiling a history of a railroad we were treading unknown paths which might lead to suc-
cess or failure as it met with the favor, or the reverse, of the army of operatives to whom
we looked for encouragement. We are happy to announce that those to whom we appealed for
support have looked with favor upon our enterprise and have accorded us a liberal and hearty sup-
port for which we extend our sincere thanks.
We are under especial obligations to Mr. William K. Ackerman for his generous permission
^ to use his excellent "Sketch of the Illinois Central Railroad Company," which is as complete and
£ authentic as a work of this character can well be. No better commentary op his effort can be
< made than that appearing in the Railway Age at the time the work was first issued, which says :
,., "Mr. W. K. Ackerman, for many years president of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
and for nearly thirty-two years connected with that corporation in various capacities, has availed
> himself of his well earned leisure to prepare an extremely interesting brochure which he entitles,
§ 'Historical Sketch of the Illinois Central Railroad; together with a brief biographical record of
its incorporators and some of its early officers.' No man living is so competent as Mr.
Ackerman to chronicle the early and latter days of this great enterprise, whose inception dates as
far back as 1835 An admirable feature of the work is the entire absence of censorious-
ness or the indication of personal feeling on the part of the writer against any of the numerous
officials with whom he was associated during his long career, or of his successors whose adminis-
tration he might possibly be tempted to criticise. On the other hand, a kindly and appreciative
spirit marks the reference to the numerous officers of the company who are specially named, and
some of the sketches of persons both living and dead are extremely interesting."
We desire to return thanks to the chief officials of the various railway orders for their court-
esy in assisting us to compile creditable sketches of the orders over which they preside. E. E.
Clark, Grand Chief Conductor of the O. R. C.; Mrs. J. H. Moore, Grand President of the L. A. of
O. R. C.; F. P. Sargent, Grand Master of the B. of L. F.; Mrs. Georgie M. Sargent, Grand Presi-
dent of the L. S. of B. of L. F.; Mrs. Ray Watterson, Grand Mistress of L. A. of B. R. T.; C. H.
Salmons, Editor B. of L. E. Monthly Journal; Mrs. W. A. Murdock, Grand President, and Mrs.
^ Harry St. Clair, Grand Secretary of the G. I. A. to B. of. L. E. have given us their hearty co-
operation.
We desire, too, to extend our thanks to the many officials and army of operatives of the Illi-
nois Central for their generous patronage, without which our efforts would have been in vain. To
them is due what credit there may be for the success of the work, for without it only a dismal fail-
ure would have ensued. We realize that there are many whose names should appear within our
pages that do not, but owing to indifference at the time our representative called or absence at re-
peated endeavors to secure an interview the facts could not be obtained and of necessity must
be omitted.
We have spared no effort nor expense to make this volume the most superbly illustrated
work of its kind ever issued from an American press and have endeavored to raise and hold the
biographical section up to the high literary standard set by the historian.
Trusting that a generous and discriminating public will give due credit for the excellencies
of our efforts and judge lightly that wherein we may have fallen below the standard we had set,
\vc place in its hands the fruit of our endeavor — a History of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
with biographical sketches of the men who have made it.
THE PUBLISHERS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
HISTORY OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES.
CHAPTER III.
PRESIDENTS OF ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
CHAPTER IV.
MILEAGE AND EQUIPMENT OF ROAD.
CHAPTER V.
PERSONNEL OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ROAD.
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PART III.
RAILROAD FRATERNITIES.
PART IV.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTER.
HISTORY OF THE
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,
BY W. K. ACKERMAN.
DN undertaking a brief sketch of the origin
of the Illinois Central Railroad, it is nec-
essary to refer somewhat in detail to the
correspondence of two men closely identi-
fied with its early progress, and whose names
stand out prominently in the history of the
state ; I need hardly say that these are the Hon.
Sidney Breese and the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas.
In writing upon the subject, if one were to con-
fine himself to the contentions indulged in by
these two gentlemen, for the credit of either
originating or advocating the scheme, consider-
able time and space would have to be given up
in the endeavor to reconcile their respective
claims. From the most careful examination
made of the correspondence that passed be-
tween them upon the subject, it does not ap-
pear, however, that either of these gentlemen
actually originated the plan of a central road ;
indeed Judge Douglas lays no positive claim
to this, but Judge Breese, in his letter to the
Illinois Slate Register, Dec. 23, 1850, says: "I
must have the credit of it, for I originated it in
1835." And in his famous letter to Judge
Douglas, written Jan. 25, 1851, to the latter at
Washington, -while in the senate, he says, "I
claim to have first projected this great road in
my letter of October, 1835," — meaning his
letter to Judge John York Sawyer of Oct. 16,
1835. But even in this letter, he gives credit
for the plan to "an intelligent friend in Bond
county," who was William S. Waite of Green-
ville, and who proved himself an ardent sup-
porter of the road until its final completion.
These claims of Judge Breese are referred to
by Judge Douglas in a somewhat sarcastic as
well as a facetious manner in the voluminous
correspondence* which was carried on during
1850 and 1851, but the latter modestly abstains
from claiming any connection with the measure
until December, 1843 — the year in which he
entered the house of representatives and the
same year in which Judge Breese entered the
senate — or any exclusive credit for the consum-
mation of the scheme. What Judge Breese did
claim, was undoubtedly true, viz: that he had
"said and written" more in favor of the plan
than anyone else, and for this he was entitled
to great credit.
The daily Illinois State Register of Dec. 19,
1850, published an article, quoted from the
Benton Standard, stating that Judge Breese
favored what was known as the "Holbrook
charter," to which particular reference will be
made hereafter. This stirred Judge Breese to
a reply in which he stated that he was in favor
of accepting the release of the Cairo company
on condition that their rights were to be re-
* "Early Illinois Railroads. By W. K. Ackerman,
Chicago, 1884,"
12
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
spected. In the same letter, he claimed that
he was entitled to the credit of the whole
scheme of a central road, having "originated it
in 1835." The editor of the Register, while
willing to accord him all due credit, reminds
him that the efforts of Senators Douglas and
Shields, and Representatives Wentworth, Mc-
Clernand, Richardson, Bissell, Young, and
Harris, must not be overlooked : that they all
did their duty and were deserving of praise.
On Jan. 5, 1851, Senator Douglas replied to
Judge Breese in the columns of the State Reg-
ister, assuring him that no injustice was in-
tended to be done him, and reminding him of
the fact that when the people of Chicago
tendered him and Gen. Shields a complimentary
dinner for the part they had taken in procuring
the grant of land from the general government,
they modestly declined it, and in their letter
declining the honor awarded the principal merit
to their colleagues.
To go back of the claims of both of these
distinguished gentlemen, I suppose it is an
historical fact that although Judge Breese
brought the plan prominently before the people
of the state by newspaper publications and
letters to prominent men, still the credit of
originating it really belongs to Lieut. Gov.
Alexander M. Jenkins when in the state senate
in 1832.* This was three years before the in-
telligent friend from Bond county whispered in
Judge Breese's ear. Senator Jenkins' plan
was to build the road from Cairo to Peru.
Judge Breese's plan contemplated a line from
Cairo to Galena, but when the plan was fully
developed, Judge Douglas wrote Chicago as
the northeastern terminus. Judge Breese said
that the reason for this was because Judge
Douglas had been investing in Chicago real
estate and on that account wanted the road
extended to that point. This was an unfair
imputation, but a natural one, for Judge Breese
to make, because his plan of a central road
which was a local one, did not contemplate a
* One year after the first act relating to the con-
struction of railways was passed by the general assem-
bly of the State of Illinois, Jan. 28, 1831.
branch to Chicago. Many opposed the enter-
prise in the central part of the state, fearing
that a north and south line would divert traffic
that that section might derive from an east and
west line through the state. It must be borne
in mind, that the prevailing idea at that time
was to have the products of Illinois shipped to
the south via Cairo and the Mississippi river;
but Judge Douglas, who took a broader view
'of the enterprise, saw the necessity of connect-
ing the lakes with the Mississippi, and the St.
Lawrence with the Gulf of Mexico, as well as
a connection at Chicago with the various rail-
ways then projected or in process of construc-
tion from the principal cities of the east, so
that the measure would commend itself to con-
gress as a national work tending to benefit the
whole country and not a local enterprise for the
particular benefit of the state of Illinois. Only
in this way could the votes of the members of
congress from Pennsylvania, New York, New
England and other portions of the Union be
secured, as they did not of course favor any
proposition having for its tendency the diver-
sion of trade from the upper Mississippi toward
Mobile alone.
Judge Breese was named as an incorporator
in the first charter granted by the state in 1836
for a central road and having taken so deep an
interest in the subject, he felt a commendable
pride in the ultimate success of the measure.
He was naturally jealous of his position in the
matter, hence he could not brook a younger
and more active rival. But he was entirely too
sensitive in supposing that Judge Douglas had
not properly recognized his early efforts in the
matter. This feeling he describes in one of his
letters to Douglas, in which he says, "In the
outset, I will candidly confess that, upon the
subject of the Illinois Central Railroad, with all
its concomitants, I am very sensitive, the more
especially since I thought I had discovered a
studious endeavor on your part and on the part
of those with whom you have acted, to conceal
from the public my agency in bringing the
measure into favor and in opening the way for
successful legislation in regard to it. In none
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
13
of your speeches and letters you, and others
who have enjoyed your confidence, have made
and written, has there been the least allusion
to the part I have acted in the matter, nor in
any of the papers in the state, supposed to be
under your influence. Seeing this, and believ-
ing there was a concerted effort to appropriate
to yourselves, exclusively, honors to which I
knew you were not entitled, I deem it my duty,
for the truth of history, to assert my claim, and
in doing so, have been compelled, much against
my will, to speak of myself and of my acts in
regard to it. My whole life will show that it
is the first time I have ever exposed myself to
the charge of egotism, and under the influence
which actuated me, I may have claimed too
much."
The first act incorporating an Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad company was passed by the legis-
lature of the state of Illinois, January 18, 1836.
It was a special charter and granted many valu-
able privileges. It contemplated rail communi-
cation only as far north as the Illinois and
Michigan Canal. The scheme proved an utter
failure.
Under the internal-improvement act passed
Feb.i 27, 1837, its construction was undertaken
by the state, without success, as there was
neither credit to ensure, or capital to complete
it. The appropriation under this act, $3,500,-
000, was in any event totally inadequate.
The Cairo City & Canal company was in-
corporated March 4, 1837. It was authorized
to hold real estate in Alexander county, but
more particularly the tract of land incorporated
as the city of Cairo. They were to proceed to
lay it off into lots for a town to be known as
the city of Cairo ; they were also empowered
to construct dykes, canals, levees and embank-
ments for the security and preservation of said
city ; also to construct a canal to unite with
Cache river, and to use water for a canal run-
ning to and through the city. Reference to
this scheme is made in order to show in a
gradual way the origin and progress of the
Illinois Central Railroad ; its connection with
the canal company was only incidental, Darius
B. Holbrook, who afterward figured conspicu-
ously in the effort to obtain a charter for a
central road having been connected with the
canal company.
Five years later, March 6, 1843, the state
having abandoned the attempt to build any
more railroads, the legislature incorporated the
Great Western Railway company. This was
known as the "Holbrook charter," so frequently
referred to in the correspondence between
Judge Breese* and Judge Douglas. This char-
ter contemplated a "pre-emption right" only, to
Holbrook and his associates, in which the state
was to have no interest, instead of a direct
grant of land to the state. This company was
to consist of the president and directors of the
Cairo City & Canal Company, and the board of
directors were to be chosen by that company.
The road was to be commenced as previ-
ously contemplated at the mouth of the Ohio
river, and was to run in about the same direc-
tion via Vandalia, Shelbyville, Decatur and
Bloomington, and to the same objective point,
the Illinois and Michigan canal. Rates of toll
were to be established by the directors. The
company was authorized to issue bonds, which
were to be countersigned by the president and
treasurer of the Cairo City & Canal Company.
Section 14 provided that whenever the whole
indebtedness of the company was paid and
liquidated then the legislature should have
power to alter and amend the charter as the
public good should require.
An estimate was to be made by a person
appointed by the governor of the value of the
work already done by the state, under the
internal-improvement act of Feb. 27, 1837, and
this was to be paid for by the newly-organized
company at any time during the progress of the
work. When all the obligations of the com-
pany were paid, then the railroad company was
thereafter to forever pay the state, annually, as
a consideration for granting the charter, one-
fourth of the net annual income, after the share-
* Judge Breese was elected to the United States
senate, Dec. 18, 1842, for full term commencing
March 4, 1843.
14
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
if?
:
::.
-'. -~i '
'
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
15
holders had received in any one year twelve
per cent on their investment ; and the act ex-
pressly provided that no legislature should at
any time so reduce the tolls as to produce less
than twelve per cent per annum net to the
shareholders.
The Great Western Railway company, after
spending large sums of money in doing work
which eventually inured to the benefit of the
state, became insolvent, and this third attempt
to build a central road proved a signal failure.
On March 3, 1845, its charter was repealed by
a special act, passed for that purpose.
That Judge Breese favored what was
known as the Holbrook charter is shown by
the fact that on Dec. 27, 1843, he presented in
the house of representatives a memorial of the
Great Western Railway company, praying the
right of pre-emption for Holbrook and his
associates to a portion of the public lands over
which the proposed road was to be constructed.
Judge Douglas, who was in the house of repre-
sentatives at this time, declined to give this
bill his support, very properly insisting that
whatever grant was made should be conferred
directly upon the State of Illinois, and not
upon an irresponsible private corporation that
he did not believe would carry out the project,
and which he stigmatized as a "stupendous
private speculation to enable the Cairo com-
pany to sell their chartered privileges in Eng-
land." This opposition of Judge Douglas was
probably what first excited the hostility of
Judge Breese toward him. Judge Breese re-,
fused to coincide with the views expressed by
Judge Douglas, and the bill failed of passage.
His reason for wishing the pre-emption to run
to a private corporation was, because he had no
faitli 'in tlie ability of the state to complete the
7, •<>;•/>•. This was quite natural considering the
fact that they had so signally failed in all pre-
vious efforts to build the road. At the next
session on Dec. 12, 1844, in deference to the
views expressed by Judge Douglas, Judge
Breese introduced a bill which substituted the
words state of Illinois for the Holbrook com-
pany, as the party to whom the pre-emption
right was to pass; but he appears to have given
it a luke-warm support and it did not pass. At
the next session, Jan. 15, 1846, Judge Breese
reported another bill to grant to the state of
Illinois certain alternate sections of the public
lands to aid in the construction of the Northern
Cross and Illinois Central Railroads in Illinois,
but it does not appear that he ever moved to
take up this bill. At the next session, Dec. 17,
1846, still another bill was introduced by Judge
Breese, covering a right of way and a pre-
emption right. It omitted the donations to the
state, but permitted it to purchase the lands at
a dollar and a quarter per acre upon the con-
dition that it would build a railroad through
them. This bill failed also.
In these various efforts, it would appear
that Judge Breese was in favor of granting pre-
emption rights only, and a right of way, either
to a private corporation or to the state. Judge
Douglas, on the other hand, insisted that an
absolute donation to the state should be made.
This was one of the principal points of differ-
ence between them. Judge Douglas stated to
Judge Breese that if he would consent to this
change he would allow him to take all the
credit. Another point of difference was in
regard to the terminus at Chicago. It is evi-
dent that Judge Douglas particularly favored
this plan, regardless of whether the road was
built to Dubuque or not. And indeed the
eastern members also favored this plan be-
cause it contemplated a connection with the
lakes ; the line from Cairo to Galena being
regarded in the East as a sectional scheme,
calculated to throw the trade upon the Gulf of
Mexico at the expense of the cities on the lakes
and the Atlantic seaboard.
Judge Breese, on the other hand, did not
favor Chicago, as he freely admits. He says
in one of his letters: "You will recollect that
my bills, all of them, established the roads on
the routes defined by our internal-improvement
system of 1836 and 1837, on which the state
had expended such large sums of money ; and
that fact was a strong argument, as I thought,
in my report. In 1847, you made choice of
16
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Chicago as your home, and, as I understood,
purchased a large amount of property there.
Now neither of my bills touched Chicago ; they
confined the roads to the old routes — the Ill-
inois Central Road, as then understood, from
Cairo, by Vandalia, Shelby ville, Decatur, Bloom-
ington, Peru and Dixon to Galena. A new
light broke in upon you when, in conjunction
with Mr. Butterfield and others interested in
Chicago, a great movement was set on foot to
disturb my plans and to change the route of
the Illinois Central Railroad, so as to make it
run to Chicago and thence to Galena. You can
not have forgotten how much surprised I was
when you informed me of your intention, after
you had taken your seat, in December 1847,
to bring forward this proposition, how earnest-
ly I urged upon you, while admitting the im-
portance of the change, an adherence to the old
plan."
On Feb. 10, 1849, the charter of the Great
Western Railway was renewed by the legisla-
ture of Illinois, to take effect April 13, 1849,
the grant running as in the first act, to the
"president and directors of the Cairo City &
Canal Company," with certain others to be
associated with them, but under the name and
style of the "Great Western Railway." Among
the names of the associate directors will be
found those of Justin Butterfield, John B.
Turner, Mark Skinner and Henry Corwith.
The new board was reinstated with all the
powers and privileges contained in the first act,
the act repealing the charter to the contrary
notwithstanding. Many additional and valuable
privileges were conveyed by the state, includ-
ing a grant of the right of way and of all the
work and surveying done at the expense of the
state. The new company was to expend at
least one hundred thousand dollars within three
years, and two hundred thousand dollars in
each year thereafter until the line was com-
pleted from the city of Cairo to the city of
Chicago.
The governor of the state was to hold in
trust, for the benefit of the company, whatever
lands might be donated by the general govern-
ment to the State of Illinois to aid in the con-
struction of the road, anticipating, as it were,
the action of the general government, the
question of a land-grant having already been
freely discussed in congress.
Simultaneous with this, Judge Breese, from
the committee on public lands — of which he
was chairman during the last four years of his
term as senator — reported the following bill in
the United States senate, February 1, 1849 :
"A bill to grant the right of way across
the public lands and to dispose of said land in
aid of the several states in the construction of
railroads and canals.
Be H enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States of America in
congress assembled, That whenever any state in
which public land is situated have, or shall
authorize the construction of any railroad or
canal, and the route of the same shall have
been surveyed and returned to the secretary of
the treasury, the right of way on said route, so
far as the same is situated on the public land, be
and the same is hereby granted for said purpose;
and also the right to take stone and timber and
materials for said erection on any of the public
land adjacent, so long as said land is unsold ;
and the land for the space of one hundred feet
on each side of the middle of said route shall
be and remain for that purpose, so long as said
canal or railroad is sustained.
"SECTION 3. And it is further enacted,
That when the survey of said route shall have
been returned to the secretary of the treasury,
he shall, at the request of the governor of said
state, reserve from public sale all or so much of
the public lands within ten miles of said route, as
said governor, by direction of the legislature of
said state, shall request, and the same shall be re-
tained for said state, and shall be sold and con-
veyed to said state or to whoever said state shall
direct, at and for ihc minimum price per acre, in
such quantities and at such times as said state
shall desire, in aid of said construction. Provided
nevertheless, that said route shall be so surveyed
and returned, and said land so reserved, within
three years from the passing of this law ; and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
17
POPLAR STREET STATION', MEMPHIS, TENN.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL DEPOT, COR. MAIN AND CALHOUN STREETS,
MEMPHIS, TENN.
18
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
all of said land not actually so purchased and paid
lor by said state, within ten years from the pass-
ing of this act, shall be subject to sale and
private entry in the same manner as if the same
had not been reserved. And provided further.
that this shall not extend to any land but such
as is subject to private sale at one dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre: and nothing in this
act contained shall be so construed as to grant
to any state such right of pre-emption to any land
heretofore set apart or reserved for schools,
nor to any public land which may have been
reserved by the United States for military or
other public purposes, nor to mineral lands,
nor to any to which a right of pre-emption may
previously have been acquired by any person
or persons." This bill passed the senate,
February 13, 1849 — was presented in the house
by Jacob Collamer from Vermont — but met
with considerable opposition, and failed of pass-
age there. This bill also, it will be noticed,
contemplated only a pre-emption of lands.
As far back as 1848, Senator Douglas had
introduced a bill in the United States senate,
granting alternate sections of the public land
to the state of Illinois to aid in the construction
of a railroad from Cairo to Galena with a branch
to Chicago. This bill was reported from the
senate committee on public lands of which Sid-
ney Breese of Illinois was chairman. It was
subsequently taken up and early in May was
passed by the senate. The representatives in
the house from Illinois all gave it their cordial
support, but toward the close of the session it
was laid on the table by a small majority. At
the next session, 1848-9, Douglas again intro-
duced his bill in the senate, but before any
action was had in that body, the Illinois repre-
sentatives in the house had succeeded in having
the bill of the last session restored to its place
on the calendar; but congress adjourned with-
out any further action on the bill by the house.
In December 1849, Douglas, with his col-
league, Gen. James Shields, who had succeeded
Breese, and the Illinois delegation in the house
matured a bill looking to the construction of
the Illinois Central Road and its Chicago branch.
That bill, which all the Illinois members had a
voice in framing, was introduced in the senate
by Douglas in January 1850. During its pend-
ence in the senate, besides receiving the support
of the Illinois senators, it was advocated by
Henry Clay, William H. Seward, John C. Cal-
houn, William H. King, Thomas H. Benton
and Gen. Lewis Cass.
While the bill was pending, the Cairo City
& Canal Company induced the legislature of
Illinois to pass a measure ceding to that com-
pany all lands that might at any time be granted
by congress to the state, to aid in the construc-
tion of the Illinois Central Railroad. Senator
Douglas was still unwilling that the grant
should pass to a private corporation direct, and
finally induced Darius B. Holbrook of Cairo,
111., the president of the Cairo City & Canal
Company to release to the state of Illinois all
the rights of that company, which he did, ex-
ecuting on Dec. 24, 1849, on behalf of his com-
pany as president, a full release and surrender
to the state of Illinois of what was known as
the Holbrook charter with all the rights and
privileges therein contained ; in accordance with
which, the legislature on Dec. 17, 1851, passed
an act accepting this release and repealing all
the acts which they had before granted to this
company — Jan. 16, 1836, March 6, 1843 and
Feb. 10, 1849.
Judge Douglas in his letter to Judge Breese
of March 13, 1851, well says: "I can well con-
ceive that it might prove better for Mr. Hol-
brook and his partners, and more effectual for
their schemes of speculation for them to have
had a pre-emption than for the state to have
had a grant ; but I apprehend that you will find
it difficult to convince any citizen of Illinois
who was not a partner in the speculation, that
it was better for tlie state not to have tlic lands
t/ian to /tare them, or to he required to pay a dollar
and a quarter an acre (or them, instead of receiv-
ing them for nothing under the act of last session .
The same act accepted the act of congress
of Sept. 20, 1850, granting the lands to the
state of Illinois to aid in the construction of a
railroad from Chicago to Mobile. The Mobile
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
\ ( >hio Railroad was not however fully com-
pleted from Columbus, Kentucky, to Cairo,
until 1874. In 1872, the Illinois Central Rail-
road company extended its aid to the Mississippi
Central Railroad company, and that line was
extended from Jackson, Tennessee, to Fillmore,
a point nearly opposite Cairo; and thus for the
first time was completed an all rail communica-
tion from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
The bill making a grant of lands to the
states of Illinois, Mississippi and Alabama,
passed the United States senate on May 2, 1850,
by a vote of 26. to 14, and was passed in the
house on Sept. 17, 1850, by a vote of 101 to
7.S. Mobile was inserted as the objective point
by Thomas Childs, Jr., of New York, who was
at that time largely interested in the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad company.
Hon. John Wentworth, in his "Congression-
al Reminiscences," gives an interesting account
of the proceedings attending the passage of this
bill in the house — and the state of Illinois is
largely indebted to him for the efforts he put
forward in that direction — but the claim that he
once owned one-fourth of the capital of the
Illinois Central Railroad company, must be
regarded as an extravagance of speech. Hon.
George Ashmun of the Springfield district,
Mass., and a friend of Daniel Webster, distin-
guished himself among the non-resident sup-
porters of the bill. It was largely through his
influence in the house that the bill was passed.
On their return to Illinois at the close of the
session, Judge Douglas and Gen. Shields were
tendered a public dinner by the citizens of Chi-
cago in consideration of their services in obtain-
ing the passage of this act. In declining the
honor, they modestly awarded to their colleagues
in the house the full measure of credit for having
successfully carried the bill through to comple-
tion. John S. Wright of Chicago, worked
most faithfully to secure the land-grant from
congress to aid in the construction of the Cen-
tral Road. He wrote and had printed and dis-
tributed at his own expense, circulars stating
briefly the necessity of the road to the welfare
of the nation, and six thousand copies of peti-
tions to congress urging the passage of the act.
These petitions were prepared in three different
forms, so as to meet the wishes of the South,
the East and the state of Illinois, and set forth
the advantages to be gained by each section.
At that time, such documents were mailed free
to postmasters, and he kept a clerk busy for
weeks sending these to every postmaster be-
tween the lakes and the Gulf. The requests to
the postmasters to get signers and forward the
petitions to their congressmen were promptly
attended to, and the petitions came in by thou-
sands, and had much influence with members.
Wright also went to Washington and spent*
considerable time laboring for the passage of
the bill ; he also published a pamphlet in which
he took the ground that the grant was of such
immense value, it should go direct to the state
and that it should hold the lands and build the
road from the proceeds of their sale. He wrote:
"the state would be everlastingly dishonored if
the legislature did not devise laws to build the
road, and disenthrall the state of its enormous
debt besides, out of the avails of this land grant.
The suggestion was not altogether unfeasible,
but it is exceedingly doubtful whether the state
could have carried out the project as success-
fully as a private corporation ; judging retro-
spectively, it is fair to presume that it would
have made another and signal failure in such
an attempt.
On Sept. 20, 1850, the act passed by the
thirty-first congress, on the 17th of that month,
was approved, "granting the right of way and
making a grant of lands to the states of Illinois,
Mississippi and Alabama, in aid of the con-
struction of a railroad from the southern termi-
nus of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to a
point at or near the junction of the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers, Cairo, with a branch of the
same to Chicago, and another ria the town of
Galena to Dubuque in the state of Iowa." Gov.
William H. Bissell, afterward a solicitor of the
company, was in the house at the time this act
was passed. This was accomplished after
cago
Address of Augustine W. Wright before the Chi-
Historical Society.
'•
20
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
repeated attempts had been made, beginning
in the year 1843, under the leadership of Sidney
Breese. George W. Jones, senator from Iowa,
suggested the amendment providing for the
termination at Dubuque.
In order to aid in the continuation of this
road from the mouth of the Ohio river to
Mobile, similar rights were conferred upon the
states of Alabama and Mississippi. Mobile
was the objective point on the south, and the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad participated in the
advantages of the grant, receiving its share of
the public lands through the states of Alabama
and Mississippi. The evident design was to
promote traffic, particularly in food products
Central Railroad company afterward accepted
payment for such lands from actual settlers at
the government price. The act further provided
that the construction of the road should be com-
menced at Cairo on the south, and at the Illi-
nois and Michigan Canal on the north, simul-
taneously, and continued from each of said
points until completed, after which the branches
to Chicago and Dubuque, Iowa, were to be
extended. The provision, as to the extension
to Dubuque, was a singular one to apply to a
road that depended upon the state of Illinois for
its charter — it assumed that a bridge was to be
constructed across the Mississippi river between
Dunleith and Dubuque connecting the two
First check used by the baggage department. Exact size.
from Chicago and the Northwest and cotton
from the Gulf states to the South and to Europe
tvV? Mobile, but the shallowness of the water in
Mobile Bay and the consequent expense of
lighterage and of other charges was an insuper-
able objection to foreign shipments via that
point, and to this extent, the plan of connecting
the lakes with the gulf was a failure. The con-
struction of the jetties at the mouth of the
Mississippi river, at a later date, placed New
Orleans in a more favorable position. Besides
the immense traffic carried to that point by rail,
a large quantity of corn is shipped to the latter
city in barges from St. Louis for trans-shipment
abroad. The grant of lands referred to was to
cover alternate sections in even numbers within
six miles, if vacant lands to this extent could
be found; if not, then within fifteen miles. All
pre-emption rights were to be respected, and in
accordance with this provision, the Illinois
states, but made no requirement as to its con-
struction. In point of fact, this bridge was not
built until nineteen years after — in 1869 — thir-
teen years after the railroad was completed,
and then under a separate charter.")" Fifteen
years after its completion, the railroad company
acquired a controlling interest in it, thus fully
perfecting the original design of a continuous
railway from Cairo to Dubuque.*
t The Dunleith & Dubuque Bridge Company.
* October 13, 1867, the Illinois Central Railroad
company leased the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad
extending from Dubuque to Iowa Falls, a distance of
143 miles, for twenty years with privilege of taking the
same in perpetuity. The lease included the Cedar
Falls & Minnesota Railroad extending from Waverly
north to Mona, a distance of 75 'j miles. A year later,
it leased, upon the same terms, the Iowa Falls & Sioux
City Railroad extending from Iowa Falls to Sioux City,
a distance of 184 miles. In 1887 it constructed the
Cherokee & Dakota Railroad from Onawa to Sioux
Falls, a distance of 155)4 miles, and the Cedar Rapids
& Chicago Railroad from Manchester to Cedar Rapids,
42 miles.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
The grant of land was to apply to the main
road and branches, respectively, in quantities
corresponding to the length of each, and only
to be disposed of as the work progressed. All
lands that had been previously granted to the
state in aid of the Illinois and Michigan Canal
were to be reserved from the operations of the
Baggage check used by the Illinois Central
for many years.
act, and the price of these was to be increased
to double the minimum price of government
lands. So that one effect of the grant was to
immediately enhance the value of the canal
lands.
The grant from the United States govern-
ment was to go direct to the state of Illinois
for the purpose named. The railroad and
branches when completed were to remain a
"public highway" for the use of the government,
free from toll or other charge upon the trans-
portation of any property or troops of the
United States. That is to say — the use of the
road bed should be allowed the government,
but the railroad companies should not be obliged
to furnish equipment and men to handle the
business. Consequently it was mutually agreed,
Present check used by the Illinois Central baggage
department.
that the government should be entitled to a
reduction of thirty-three and one-third per cent
from the regular tariff rates on all transporta-
tion conducted for their account, this percent-
age representing the value of the use of the
highway or road bed. The United States
mails were also to be transported over the road
for such compensation as congress might direct.
In case the road was not completed within ten
years, the state of Illinois was to be required
to pay back to the United States the amount
which it might have received upon the sale of
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
any part of the lands and to reconvey any lands
unsold.
In a small and dimly-lighted room at No. 1
Hanover Street, a little narrow street leading
out of Wall Street, in the city of New York in
the early spring of the year 1851, there met a
number of gentlemen who were known in law
as the incorporators of the Illinois Central
Railroad company. It was no new scheme that
they met to consider, but an old one they were
about to revive. In entering upon this great
work, they were not indulging in mere specula-
tion or experiment; many of them had been
connected with other successful enterprises and
this experience helped them to form a proper
judgment in the prosecution of the work they
were about tp undertake. Probably no body of
incorporators, or directors as they afterward
became, was ever imbued with more earnest
determination, confident reliance, pride of
undertaking, and honesty of purpose. And it
may be added that no corporate body was ever
formed that was composed of men of more
indomitable energy, integrity of character,
business capacity, sagacity and foresight.
They were men who lived and moved in the
healthy atmosphere of commercial probity and
stood high in the estimation of their fellow-
men. In social life, their established reputa-
tions gave them a standing among men that
could not be disputed. In the prosecution of
their trust, the interest of the shareholders
they represented was regarded as identical with
their own. The shareholders in turn appreci-
ated this and whatever mistakes were made
were promptly overlooked. This feeling of
mutual confidence strengthened the hands of
the board in all they undertook and gave char-
acter to the enterprise abroad. The enterprise
upon which they pinned their faith, they pro-
moted and sustained to a large extent with
their private fortunes. It is true that they had
much to stimulate them in their efforts — a
promise of two million and a-half of acres of
beautiful, rich and fertile prairie land was no
mean incentive to urge them on. Yet it cer-
tainly required no little amount of courage to
take up a project that had already been thrc-j
times attempted, twice by organized corpora-
tions and once by the state of Illinois, each
time with the same result — disastrous failure.
But in this instance, whatever might be their
fate as individual investors, the benefit to be
conferred upon the state of Illinois by the suc-
cessful accomplishment of the work would not
be less marked. When the dark days of the
panic of 1857 overshadowed them, they might
have abandoned their trusts and sold their re-
spective interests for what they would bring,
but this would have been to them a poor sub-
stitution for the realization of their plans, and
such an idea does not seem to have entered
their minds. They knew, moreover, that there
were those who had been induced to invest
their money in the enterprise because their
names had been identified with it, and they felt
that they were resting under a moral obligation
to save these from pecuniary loss if possible.
ORGANIZATION OF THE LAND DEPARTMENT.
All the requirements of the act of incor-
poration having been complied with, the deed
conveying the lands from the state of Illinois
to the Illinois Central Railroad company was
executed March 24, 1851, by his excellency
Augustus C. French, governor of the state.
Simultaneously with the delivery of the deed,
a deed of trust was executed by the president
of the company to Morris Ketchum, John
Moore and Samuel D. Lockwood, conveying
to them, in trust, all the lands granted by the
government of the United States under the act
of congress referred to, and all the other prop-
erty of the company, as security to the state
for the faithful performance of work to be
undertaken, and to secure the bonds to be
issued. This was an important trust and it was
of the utmost importance to the interests of
the state that it should be confided to those
who would wisely and faithfully administer it
on its behalf, and probably not in the whole
state of Illinois could there have been found
two more fit persons for this purpose than John
Moore and Samuel D. Lockwood.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
23
The state had the appointment of two
trustees of the lands and the railroad company
one; the latter selected Morris Ketchum of the
banking-house of Ketchum, Rogers and Bement
of New York, who was also the second treas-
urer of the company. He was a brother to
Hiram Ketchum, the celebrated lawyer. Mr.
Edward Bement of the same banking-house
being the first treasurer elected. Mr. Ketchum
was also connected with the locomotive works
of Rogers, Ketchum and Grosvenor of Pater-
son, New Jersey, who supplied the first one
hundred locomotives used by the company ; he
was also interested in the New York & New
Haven Railroad company, and was the author
of the plan of raising money on "preferred
stock," the first issue of which was made by
that company during Mr. Ketchum's connection
with it. It was a clever device invented to
enable railway companies to raise money with-
out increasing their mortgage debt, and, while
at the same time it apparently weakened, it did
not necessarily impair the value of the common
stock. The land-commissioners have been
John C. Dodge, who took part in the platting
and selection of the lands; John Wilson,
formerly land-commissioner of the general
land-office, Washington; John W. Foster,
author of the "Mound Builders," and other ar-
chaeological works ; Chas. M. Dupuy, Walter
M. Phillips, John B. Calhoun and Peter Daggy;
L. P. Morehouse is the present incumbent.
His long and faithful service in the engineering
department was rewarded by his appointment
as land-commissioner. Mr. Daggy, though re-
tired as commissioner upon a liberal pension,
still continues to act as secretary of the land
department.
Of the lands entrusted to them, the soil
for the most part was of a rich, black, deep
mould, of unsurpassed fertility, capable of
producing in the greatest abundance wheat,
rye, corn, oats and fruits and vegetables of all
kinds. But, with all their productiveness, the
quarries and mineral wealth had remained com-
paratively unsettled and uncultivated until this
road was constructed, and would have continued
so in all probability for many years to come,
but for the facilities of travel and transportation
furnished by it. These lands had been in the
market subject to private entry for a third of a
century at a mere nominal value, and yet in
very few instances were purchasers found for
them. Remote from markets, without facilities
for transportation, and with roads almost im-
passable, the cost of handling the products of
the lands to a market, and the time employed
therein, amounted almost to as much as the
value of the land.
The total grant of land to the state of Illi-
nois was 2,594,115 acres which were donated
to the company, being at the rate of 3700 acres
per mile. The grant of lands referred to was
not, strictly speaking, the first act of congress
making a grant of lands directly and specifically
to aid railroad building, but was among the
first in importance. Of the land donated by
the state to the Illinois Central Railroad com-
pany, 107,614 acres were first conveyed to pre-
emption claimants. Gov. Joel A. Matteson, in
his inaugural message to the eighteenth general
assembly, convened Jan. 3, 1853, referring to
this, says: "I have not heard that any settler
upon the company's land has had occasion to
complain, but, on the contrary, when the time
by law had passed for proving pre-emptions
upon the company's land by the settler upon
the lands, the company took no advantage and
allowed the lands to be entered on proof being
made, the same as if directed by law. This
course pursued in, can not fail to awaken in
the minds of the people of this state strong
feelings of reciprocal good-will." The rapid
settlement of the railroad lands stimulated the
sale of the government lands, alternate sections,
which for years had been in market, but re-
mained unsold, though for a considerable time
they could have been obtained with land-
warrants at about one-half the government
price. After the location of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad, a large portion of them were
immediately sold for from $2.50 to $5 an acre,
and the line of the road began to fill up with
hardy and enterprising settlers, enabling the
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
25
government to elose its land-offices. Up to
January 1, 1890, of the lands donated to the
company, 2,456,829 acres had been disposed of
to about 30,000 actual settlers, yielding $28,-
742,002.93. The population of the state when
the grant was made was 851,470. The popula-
tion of Chicago was less than 40,000. By the
recent census (1900) it is found to be nearly
2,000,000.
The landed interest seemed for a time to
be regarded as of greater importance and value
than the railroad itself. Said a member of the
English Parliament — the Hon. Lawrence Hey-
worth of Liverpool — who visited Illinois in
1856, and went over the line of railway shortly
after its completion, "This is not a railway
company; it is a land company," and so im-
pressed-was he with the future value of the
lands, that he went back to New York and gave
his bankers a cartf-blanchc to purchase all the
Illinois Central Railroad company's shares that
were offered for sale, and they did not stop
purchasing until they had acquired for his
account an interest amounting to over $1,000,-
000. I mention this to show how pleasing a
picture the beautiful open prairies of our state
presented to the eye of a foreigner at that time,
and what a deep impression they made upon
his mind. But Mr. Heyworth failed to reap
pecuniary advantage from his investment, for
the reason that, like the projectors already
referred to, he had anticipated too much. The
country indeed made the railroad, but the rail-
road did not respond quickly enough in making
the country. The promise of the enormous
traffic, that it was believed these lands would
supply to the railway, was not fulfilled soon
enough to yield sufficient revenue to meet the
early matured interest on the debt. The esti-
mates and predictions made by the friends of
the road told a flattering tale of wealth, and
indeed they were all realized, but not within
the time expected. The difficulty was that
these rich promises pre-supposed a larger emi-
gration to the state and a more rapid settlement
upon the lands than could possibly take place
within the time specified. The cry went out to
the farmers of England, Germany, vSweden,
Norway, Holland, and other countries, at the
cost of many thousands of dollars, to come
over and settle in this new and beautiful coun-
try, but for a time it was scarcely heeded.
Special agents were employed to go to these
countries to explain the advantages of settling
in our state, and pamphlets printed in their
respective languages, describing the attractive-
ness of the country and the fertility of its soil,
were scattered broadcast over Europe. The
dismal failure of Morris Birkbeck and others to
establish English colonies in Illinois was still
fresh in the minds of many of the English
farmers, and, with few exceptions, they could
not be induced to leave the mother country.
The kind words spoken of Illinois by Birkbeck
in his "Letters from Illinois," and "Notes on a
Journey to America," both published in 1818,
were savagely attacked by other Englishmen
who warned their countrymen not to be deluded
by his statements. Later on, however, many
Scandinavians, Poles and a few Germans and
Russians, found their way over and located
upon these lands, but for the most part they
were settled by people from the adjoining, and
older eastern states, who were perhaps better
qualified to judge of their resources and could
cultivate them to greater advantage.
MEMORIAL FOR CHARTER.
On January 15, 1851, Governor Augustus
C. French sent a communication to the house
of representatives transmitting a memorial of
which the following is a copy :*
*Although this was the only plan for the comple-
tion of the road submitted to the legislature, another
plan was seriously agitated by some of the leading men
in 'the state in conjunction with certain men in New
York, who had figured considerably in Illinois matters,
and a bill was prepared in accordance therewith. The
design was to have the state virtually control the road,
and one of the provisions of the bill was that the stock
should be made a basis for banking under any law
establishing a general system of banking. There were
other curious provisions which are interesting as show-
ing the condition of things at that time, and especially
the opinions of men as to the best means of raising
millions of money by a bankrupt state. The press of
the state discountenanced the project and favored giv-
ing the lands to actual settlers. The bill for this pro-
ject may be found in the Chicago Daily Democrat of
January 11, 1851,
26
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
" To tlie honorable the senators and representatives
of the people of the state of Illinois in general
assembly convened:
"The memorial of Robert Schuyler, George
Griswold, Gouverneur Morris, Jonathan Sturges,
Thomas W. Ludlow and John F. A. Sanford of
the city of New York; and of David A. Neal,
Franklin Haven and Robert Rantoul, Jr., of the
city of Boston and vicinity, respectfully repre-
sents :
"That, having examined and considered an
act of congress of the United States, whereby
land is donated by the United States for the
purpose of insuring the construction of a rail-
road from Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio river,
to Galena and the northwestern angle of the
state of Illinois, with a branch extending to
Chicago on Lake Michigan, on certain con-
ditions, therein expressed ; and, having exam-
ined also the resources of the tract of country
through which it is proposed that the said rail-
road shall pass, and the amount of cost, and
the space of time necessary for constructing the
same, the subscribers propose to form a com-
pany, with such others as they may associate
with them, including among their number per-
sons of large experience in the construction of
several of the principal railroads of the United
States, and of means and credit sufficient to
place beyond doubt their ability to perform
what they hereinafter propose, make the follow-
ing offer to the state of Illinois for their con-
sideration :
"The company so formed by the subscribers
will, under the authority and direction of the
state of Illinois, fully and faithfully perform
the several conditions, and execute the trusts,
in the said act of congress contained. And will
build a railroad with branches between the ter-
mini set forth in said act, with a single track,
and complete the same, ready for the transpor-
tation of merchandise and passengers, on or
before the fourth day of July, which will be in
the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and
fifty-four. And the said railroad shall be, in
all respects, as well and thoroughly built as
the railroad running from Boston to Albany,
with such improvements thereon as experience
has shown to be desirable and expedient, and
shall be equipped in a manner suitable to the
business to be accommodated thereby. And
the said company, from and after the comple-
tion of the said road, will pay to the state of
Illinois, annually, * per cent of the gross
earnings of the said railroad, without deduction
or charge for expenses, or for any other matter
or cause ; provided, that the state of Illinois
will grant to the subscribers a charter of incor-
poration, with terms mutually advantageous
with powers and limitations, as they, in their
wisdom, may think fit, as shall be accepted by
said company, and as will sufficiently remuner-
ate the subscribers for their care, labor and
expenditure in that behalf incurred,' and will
enable them to avail themselves of the lands
donated by the said act to raise the funds, or
some portion of the funds, necessary for the
construction and equipment of said railroad.
"ROBERT SCHUYLER,
GEORGE GRISWOLD,
GOUVERNEUR MORRIS,
of Morrisania,
FRANKLIN HAVEN,
DAV. A. NEAL,
ROBERT RANTOUL, JR.,
JONA. STURGES,
THOS. W. LUDLOW,
JOHN F. A. SANFORD.
"December 28, 1850."
It was laid on the table and ordered to be
printed.
On January 14, 1851, Asahel Gridley intro-
duced in the senate a bill for an "act to incor-
porate the Illinois Central Railroad company,"
which was referred to the committee oh internal
improvements. After various decisions and
references from day to day, James L." I).
Morrison, on February 5, following, offered a
substitute for the original bill, to which various
amendments were offered, and, on the next
day, February 6, it was finally passed in the
senate by a vote of 23 to 2. Four clays later —
* John \Ventworth said that it was proposed to (ill
this in ten per cent but that he opposed it.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
27
February 10, 1851, it passed the house of repre-
sentatives by a vote of 72 to 2. The final pas-
sage of the bill was celebrated in Chicago by
the firing of cannon and other demonstrations
in honor of the event. That clause in the char-
ter making the governor of the state an r.v-
oiliiio officer was suggested by John Went-
worth.
The incorporators named were, George
Griswold, Franklin Haven, David A Neal,
Jonathan Sturges, Joseph W. Alsop, Robert
Rantoul, Jr., John F. A. Sanford, Leroy M.
Wiley, Robt. Schuyler, Henry Grinnell, William
H. Aspimvall, Thomas W. Ludlow and Gou-
verneur Morris. The four last named never
took a very active part in the affairs of the
company. Of the others who formed a part of
the first board of directors, the most active and
prominent were Messrs. Sturges, Alsop, Gris-
wold, Neal and Sanford.
The act was accepted by the company,
March 19, 1851. The charter was a special one,
and in its bearing upon the future welfare and
prosperity of the state, probably the most im-
portant it ever granted. It conferred — as was
supposed at the time — valuable privileges, al-
though it exacted unusual benefits in return.
Among the privileges granted were those con-
tained in the eighth section, which -authorized
the board of directors to establish such rates of
toll for the conveyance of persons and property
as they should, from time to time, determine.
A singular provision in relation to this right to
fix rates was, that it was to be governed by the
by-laws of the company. The language of the
charter is, "as they shall from time to time by
their by-laws determine." Ordinarily, the ob-
ject of a by-law is to serve as a regulation of a
society or corporation in a manner agreed upon
by the members, but, as rates of transportation
are necessarily frequently changed, to make
them valid and binding in this particular case,
would necessitate as frequent a change of the
by-laws, and as this could only be done by the
board of directors, it would require an assembl-
ing of that body so often as to practically make
it a freight and passenger department of the
company. Had any one of the corporators
supposed for a moment, that the day would
ever come when this right to fix rates would be
questioned, and that the highest court in the
land would decide that the police power of the
state must override the right to fix rates, it is
very doubtful whether the charter would have
been accepted at the time it was, and the road
would not probably have been constructed for
many years after.
The work of constructing 700 consecutive
miles of railroad was about to be commenced.
Although overshadowed by more modern
achievements, it was a gigantic undertaking
for that day, and not a few of those who had
witnessed previous failures, believed that a
similar fate awaited this. The mortgage upon
2,000,000 acres of the lands and the property of
the company, to secure an issue of construc-
tion bonds amounting to $17,000,000, was exe-
cuted September 13, 1851. Of these, $5,000,000
were negotiated in London, and such was the
confidence reposed in the directory of the com-
pany that the bonds were eagerly taken up at a
premium before construction work was fairly
commenced. The bonds carried with them the
right to subscribe to the share capital in the
proportion of ten shares to each bond, and as
the outlook for the shares was very promising
at the time, this proved a very popular feature.
At this time, the bonds of the state of Illinois
were selling at a large discount, so that in the
Eastern states confidence in any Illinois project
was too limited to command any financial aid
in that direction. At this time and for many
years after, foreign capital was sought to carry
out all the leading enterprises in the West.
Among the first and largest expenditures
made were those for procuring the right of way
into the city of Chicago. This difficult task
was entrusted to James F. Joy and Mason Bray-
man. General Brayman wrote me on Novem-
ber 14, 1890, as follows: "My relation to the
projectors of the Illinois Central Railroad began
in the autumn of 1850. My retainer as their
professional adviser dates November 10, 1850.
The history of the company so far as
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
relates to Illinois, and especially to Chicago,
during the contention for entrance on the Lake
Front was almost dramatic in its incidents."
On June 14, 1852 (Walter Smith Gurnee,
being then mayor of the city) an ordinance was
procured from the common council of- the city
of Chicago, granting permission to the company
"to lay down, construct and maintain within
the limits of the city, and along the margin of
the lake within and adjacent to the same, a
railroad with one or more tracks." This ordin-
ance was confirmed by an agreement entered
into between the railroad company and the city
by purchase and through condemnation pro-
ceedings. The company afterward acquired by
purchase most of the riparian rights pertaining
to the lands.
On March 22, 1851, the board of directors
by a unanimous resolution appointed Roswell
B. Mason of Bridgeport, Conn., engineer-in-
chief with jurisdiction over the entire line. No
person could have been selected better qualified
for the work. Mr. Mason was born Sept. 19,
1805, in the town of New Hartford, Oneida
county, New York. In 1822-3 he was in the
engineering department of the Erie Canal ; in
THE LARGEST LOCOMOTIVE IN THE WORLD.
GENERAL DIMENSIONS: — Cylinders, 23 inches- in Diameter x 30 inch stroke. Driving wheels, 57 inches in Dia-
meter. Boiler, front end, 82 inches in Diameter. Weight on drivers, 193,200 pounds; weight on trucks, 39,000
pounds; total weight, 232,200 pounds. Tender, loaded, 132,700 pounds.
of Chicago March 28, 1853. Lands for depot
purposes, north of Randolph street, were ac-
quired by purchase from the United States
government and from private owners,* and the
right of way south of Park Row was obtained
* Various and persistent attempts have been made
by different parties representing the heirs of Jean
Baptiste Beaubien, Mark Noble and others, to get
possession of the lands in fractional southwest quarter
of section 10, extending north and south of Randolph
street .
April 5, 1872, under a special act of congress,
there was issued to Thos. B. Valentine and wife, of
San Francisco, scrip for about 13,000 acres of land, in
pieces of forty acres each, in consideration of their
having quitclaimed to the United States a similar quan-
tity of land in the county of Sonoma, near the city of
San Francisco, to which Valentine had acquired some
title. These lands were included in what was known
as the "Miranda Grant" (granted in 1844 to Juan
Miranda, and from whom Valentine had received his
title) , which the government had inadvertently disposed
of.
The scrip received from the government was
locatable on any public lands (not mineral) unappro-
priated and unoccupied. October 18, 1875, Valentine
filed a claim in the land-office at Springfield, 111., on
fractional section 10, claiming that it was public land
and that he was entitled to a patent therefor. This
was the first location attempted on the company's
depot-grounds under "Valentine Scrip." Feb. 12,
1878, he applied to the commissioner of the general
land-office for a patent; the application was allowed,
and the patent ordered to be issued. An appeal was
taken by the city of Chicago (which claimed an interest
in a portion of the ground) to the secretary of the
interior, Hon. Carl Schurz. February 28, 1879, the
secretary reversed the decision of the commissioner, on
the ground that no part of section 10 was "public land"
upon which scrip of such character could be located ;
that it could only be located upon "lands that are in a
state of nature."
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
1824 was assistant engineer on the Schuylkill
Canal ; in 1825 was assistant engineer on the
Morris Canal and until 1831, when he took
charge of part of the Pennsylvania Canal. In
1833 he became superintendent of the Morris
Canal, and left • it in 1837, when he became
chief engineer of the Housatonic Railroad, and
held that position and that of superintendent
until 1848. From 1848-51 he was chief engi-
neer, and superintendent of the New York &
New Haven Railroad.
He commenced his journey to Illinois on
May 14, 1851, accompanied by a corps of engi-
neers. Their route west was as follows : by
steamer from New York to Albany, thence by
railroad to Buffalo, by steamer from Buffalo
across Lake Erie to Detroit, by railroad thence
to New Buffalo on the east side of Lake Mich-
igan— the Michigan Central Railroad, at that
time, being completed only to this point — and
thence by steamer to Chicago ; arriving through
in about five days. A few days after his
arrival, he organized several surveying parties,
divided the line into working divisions and
appointed over each a competent division
engineer, the work being apportioned as fol-
lows:
N. B. Porter, from Chicago to Rantoul.
L. W. Ashley, from Rantoul to Mattoon.
C. Floyd Jones, from Mattoon to Main-
Line Junction, and north of Centralia and
the main line from Ramsey's Creek to
Richview.
Arthur S. Ormsby, from Richview to Cairo.
H. B. Plant, from Ramsey's Creek to
Bloomington.
Timothy B. Blackstone, from Bloomington
to Eldena.
B. B. Provost, from Eldena to Dunleith.
B. G. Roots had charge of surveying
parties between the Big-Muddy river and
the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad.
Nearly all the important bridges on the
line were constructed by Stone & Boomer,
bridge builders, of Chicago.
Shortly after Col. Mason's arrival in Chi-
cago, he was joined by Mr. John B. Calhoun
of Bridgeport, Conn., who had been connected
with the Housatonic Railroad company, and
who took charge of the accounts and finances.
Col. Mason, writing of him several years after,
says: "He was a competent, faithful and reli-
able man." Mr. Calhoun remained in the ser-
vice of the company for many years and became
its land-commissioner. He was a genial and
courteous gentleman, unpretentious and thor-
oughly honest, and a man of such an ingenuous
nature that he despised anything like deception.
Millions of dollars passed through his hands
during the work of construction without the
loss of a cent to the company. Very heavy
settlements had to be made with contractors
during the progress of the work, and most of
these were made by Mr. Calhoun personally,
in the capacity of paymaster. As currency
was scarce in the state and most of that in cir-
culation was practically irredeemable, it was
necessary to send to the eastern banks to pro-
cure a monthly supply. In this way the notes
of many of the Hartford banks were put in
circulation along the line; but as these banks
all redeemed in specie, it was not long before
they found their way back for redemption.
Mr. Calhoun named almost all the stations
that were opened for business on the road after
its completion. The names are mostly of Indian
origin, but a few were named in a peculiar
manner. "Tolono," for example, was con-
structed by placing the vowel o thrice repeated,
and alternating arbitrarily with the three conso-
nants which the word contains, producing a
name sufficiently unique.
On March 16, 1853, in addition to his other
duties, Mr. Mason was charged with the care
of the transportation' department of the com-
pany's road, covering such portions of the line
as were completed and in operation, with addi-
tional title of general-superintendent, and in
March 1855 additional executive powers were
granted him in Illinois.
In the early prosecution of the work, great
difficulty was experienced in procuring laborers;
the country through which the line was surveyed
was of course entirely unsettled. Southerly
30
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
from Chicago for about 130 miles, it \v;is an
almost unbroken prairie, inhabited only by deer,
wolves and other wild animals, with no settle-
ment in view. There were not half a dozen
places on the entire line of sufficient import-
ance to be known on the map of the state ; so
that men had to be brought a great distance to
do the work and they had to be cared for along
the line. Indeed with the exception of LaSalle
and Galena on the main line, and Jonesboro in
southern Illinois near the line, there were no
places of importance along the proposed route.
Nearly 80,000 tons of iron rails of a superior
quality had been purchased in England by
Capt. David A. Neal, the vice-president, and
these began to arrive early in 1852. There
were no rail-mills of importance in this country
at that time. The cost of the rails purchased
ranged from $38.50 to $43.50 per ton, f. o. b., at
Wales or Liverpool. These rails were for the
most part exceptionally good in quality, and
some of them were in track for thirty years ; a
much longer period than the steel rails now
manufactured will last under ordinary traffic.
Considerable portion of the line was located
and construction was well under way by the
fall of 1851. Maps and profiles were prepared
and these were deposited with the commissioner
of the general land-office at Washington, as
required by law, in February 1852. The final
approval of location and selection of lands was
secured a month later. The last contract was
let Oct. 13, 1852. In May 1853 the first portion
of the road from LaSalle to Bloomington, 61
miles, was put in operation, a temporary
bridge was erected over the Illinois river, and
cars were hauled to the top of the bluff with
ropes and chains by means of a stationary
engine. In July 1854, 128 miles of the Chicago
branch from Chicago to Urbana were finished
and trains were running. A few years after-
ward the company donated $50,000 toward the
construction of the industrial college at this
point, now known as the Illinois University.
In November of the same year the communi-
cation from Freeport to Galena was completed.
In the same month for the first time, passen-
gers were carried from Chicago to Cairo ria
Chicago & Mississippi Railroad to St. Louis,
thence east by the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad
to Sandoval on the main line of the Illinois
Central Railroad, from which point the road
was then open to Cairo, a distance of 118
miles.
The writer was a passenger on the first
train that passed through southern Illinois to
Cairo and remembers well how the "Egyptians"
turned out to witness the novel sight, to them,
of a locomotive engine and train of cars. They
lined the track on both sides at every station,
the men dressed in their snuff-colored jeans,
and the women with gaudy-colored calicoes,
check-aprons and big sun-bonnets. They stood
dumb with .amazement. Many of them looked
as though they had come out "between the
shakes" of fever and ague.
When the road was located not a single
railroad track crossed the right of way between
Chicago and Cairo, a distance of 365 miles.
The first work put under contract was that por-
tion of the line extending from Chicago to
what was then known as Calumet Station, now
called Kensington. This was done in order to
enable the Michigan Central trains to enter the
city, and that company made a temporary loan
to the Illinois Central Company to enable the
latter to complete this fourteen miles more
promptly. Their first train passed over this
new track on May 20, 1852, running north as
far as Thirteenth street, where a temporary
passenger depot was constructed and which
was used for nearly a year thereafter. The
road from about Sixteenth street to Randolph
street was afterward constructed upon piles
driven in the bed of the lake, and this piling
was maintained until shortly after the great
fire of 1871, when the right of way was filled
with debris from the fire.
The line into Chicago was originally located
through section 10, T. 39, N. R. 14, east of 3d
p. m., to t/if Cln'eaffo river, so that north of
Randolph street it passed through a portion of
Fort Dearborn addition then owned by the
United States government. The map showing
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
the location \v;is Hied in the general land-office
at Washington, the local land-office at Spring-
field and in the registry of deeds for Cook
county. The company claimed a right of way
through section 10, north of Randolph street,
•under the act of congress of Aug. 4, 1852,
entitled, "An act to grant the right of way to
all rail and plank roads and macadamized turn-
pikes passing through the public lands belong-
ing to the United States incorporated by any
of the states." That act gave such a right for
ten years after its passage. The company,
however, acquired the right of way through
section 10, from the United States government
by purchase on Oct. 14, 1852, at a cost of $45,-
000 which was then a very high price. After-
ward the railroad company brought suit against
the United States for the repayment of the
moneys paid for the land acquired in Fort Dear-
born addition, on the ground that the act of
congress applied to the lands reserved by the
government for military purposes as well as
other public lands, but the court of claims
decided adversely to the railroad company.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad did not
enter the city over the Illinois Central tracks
until Nov. 17, 1874.
That portion of the "main line," as it was
called between Cairo and LaSalle, a distance
of 300.99 miles, was completed Jan. 8, 1855.
With its southern terminal in close proxim-
ity to Dixie's land, the road offered ready
means of escape for slaves, of which many
were not slow to avail themselves whenever
the opportunity offered. This they did by
crossing the river at Bird's Point, Kentucky, to
Cairo, and secreting themselves.in freight cars
or under passenger coaches just prior to their
departure for the north. When discovered, if
the conductor of the train happened to be friend-
ly to the slave, his escape was winked at, but
in a few instances they were returned to their
masters, under the law as it existed at that
time.*
Up to Oct. 29, 1889, the transfers of freight
and passengers between the north end of the
* Fugitive-slave law, repealed June 13, 1864.
New Orleans line and the Illinois Central at
Cairo, were made by transfer steamers which
conveyed the cars from one point to another,
but on this date the Cairo bridge was opened
for traffic, forming a continuous rail route from
Chicago to New Orleans, a distance of 938
miles. The length of the bridge is 3 miles and
4,720 feet, and its cost to date has been about
$2,700,000, which will be further increased by
expenditures in the way of filling approaches
and of additional tracks.
The Galena branch, LaSalle to Dunleith, a
distance of 146.73 miles, was completed June
12, 1855.
The city of Galena in 1850 lay principally
on the north bank of the river, and had in that
year a population of 6000 ; the whole population
of Jo Daviess county was only 18,600. The
road was located at first on the south side,
because of very hostile opposition on the part
of the people of Galena, to the extension of
the line across the river, owing to a fear that
their trade would be injured, which at that time
was quite large. After the bridge was con-
structed across the river by the railway com-
pany, one of the old settlers sat at the south
end and swore that he would shoot the first
engineer who attempted to cross ; a little kindly
persuasion on the part of some of the more
conservative citizens induced him to retract
this oath.
Some idea of the value and magnitude of
the business of the city may be gathered from
the following table of exports for 1851 :
Lead,
Flour, -
Barley,
Pork,
Lard,
Bacon,
Butter,
Eggs,
Hides and skins,
Horses,
Cattle,
Lumber,
Shingles,
33,082,190 pounds,
value $1,417,151.
39,385 barrels.
42,731 bushels.
3,185 barrels.
125,000 pounds.
312,568 pounds.
87,618 pounds.
- 22,880 dozen.
9,326
800 head.
1,500 head.
5,085,684 feet.
- 2,470,000 bundles.
32
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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Ct,
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B
o
is
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
33
The town was laid out in 1827 and incor-
porated as a city in 1839.
The fear, as to constructing a railway
through the city, was certainly well founded,
for the completion of the road to Dunleith —
now called East Dubuque — 17 miles north,
proved almost the ruin of Galena as a business
centre ; the trade being transferred to Dubuque.
The road from Galena to Dunleith was opened
Monday, June 11, 1855; and the first passenger
train passed through on that day. No railways
were at this time constructed from Dubuque
west, and all the merchandise for the upper
Mississippi and the northwest was transferred
to steamers at Dunleith, where large and sub-
stantial stone warehouses were erected to
receive and store it. This gave for the time
being quite an impetus to the place ; the price
of city lots rapidly advanced; a fine, large
hotel, called the "Argyle House," which many
old Illinoisans remember well, was erected by
Frederick S. Jesup, a banker of Dubuque,
besides many stores and dwellings.
A connection with Chicago at Freeport was
made by using the tracks of the Galena & Chi-
cago Union Railroad, which, in 1864 became a
part of the Northwestern Railway system.
When the Chicago & Iowa Railroad was built
in 1872, from Aurora to Forreston on the main
line, its tracks were used and the arrangement
via Freeport discontinued. The Chicago branch
between Chicago and the junction with the
main line, a distance of 249.78 miles, was com-
pleted September 26, 1856.* Sections of the
different divisions were operated as fast as
completed.
On Saturday, September 27, 1856, Col.
Roswell B. Mason, engineer-in-chief, having
been notified that the last rail was laid on the
705.5 miles of road and that the construction of
the Illinois Central Railroad commenced Decem-
ber 25, 1851, was an accomplished fact, im-
mediately sent a dispatch to the board of direct-
*The original plan was to have the Chicago branch
leave the main line at a point between Decatur and
Vandalia.
ors in New York informing them of the circum-
stance.
Shortly after he tendered his resignation
to the board and it was reluctantly accepted.
In 1861 he was appointed comptroller of the
land-department and retained that position
until 1867. In 1865 he was appointed by the
state legislature one of the members of the
Chicago board of public works to superintend
the lowering of the summit of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal. In 1869 he was elected mayor
of the city of Chicago, and held that office at
the time of the great fire, Oct. 9, 1871.
In 1857 what was known as the Peoria &
Oquawka Railroad was constructed from Gil-
man on the Chicago branch to El Paso on the
main line, thus forming a connection between
these two important divisions. The Oilman,
Clinton & Springfield Railroad, connecting- the
branch with the capital of the state, was opened
for business on December 3, 1871.
The early estimates as to the cost of con-
struction of the Illinois Central Railroad proved
erroneous: it was supposed that the proceeds
of the $17,000,000 of mortgage debt created,
secured by 2,000,000 acres of land, would be
amply sufficient to construct the road, and that,
immediately upon its completion, the traffic
offering would yield sufficient revenue to pay
the interest on the bonds issued so that no
large contribution from share capital would be
necessary ; but this proved a disappointment,
and it was found necessary to call in not only
the entire amount of the share capital, but to
.increase the capital, all of which was paid up
in full. The charter provided that the capital
stock should be $1,000,000, which might be
increased from time to time to any sum not
exceeding the entire amount expended on
account of the road. The capital was fixed at
$17,000,000, corresponding to the amount of
the mortgage debt, but this has been gradually
increased to meet the necessities of the com-
pany. It is now $60,000,000. The dependence
placed upon the value of the lands granted also
proved a disappointment. The entire proceeds
of these, so far as received, during the construe-
34
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tion of the line and until its completion were
not sufficient to make up the deficiency in in-
terest on the funded debt.
To refer again to the clause in the charter
of the company requiring the payment of a tax
of seven per cent on the gross earnings, its
great importance to the state may be better
understood when it is stated that, up to April
30, 1899, no less than the enormous sum of
$17,652,930.00 has been paid into the state
treasury under this requirement. It may not
be uninteresting to the tax-payers of Illinois to
show what this sum practically represents in
assets of the State. In a recent report prepared
by Hon. C. W. Pavey, state auditor for the
United States census department, the value of
public buildings owned by the state is shown as
follows :
State-house, Springfield, $4,000,000
Northern Insane Hospital, Elgin, 535,000
Eastern Insane Hospital, Kankakee, - 1,211,000
Central Insane Hospital, Jacksonville, - 800,000
Southern Insane Hospital, Anna, - 643,000
Institution, Deaf and Dumb, Jacksonville, 385,000
Institution for the Blind, Jacksonville, 171,000
Asylum for Feeble-Minded, Lincoln, 182,000
Soldiers' Orphans' Home, Normal, 148,000
Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary, Chicago, 84,000
State Reform School, Pontiac, 220,000
Soldiers and Sailors' Home, Quincy, 235,000
Northern Penitentiary, Joliet, - 1,500,000
Southern Penitentiary, Chester, 750,000
Normal University, Normal, 250,000
Illinois University, Urbana, • 270,000
Southern University, Carbondale, 200,000
Executive Mansion, Springfield, - 50,000
Supreme Court, Ottawa, - 50,000
Supreme Court, Mount Vernon, - - 55,000
State-Arsenal, Springfield, 15,000"
$11,754,000
In the constitution of 1870, the following
reference is made to the payment of this tax :
"No contract, obligation or liability whatever,
of the Illinois Central. Railroad company to pay
any money into the state treasury, nor any lien
of the state upon, or right to tax property of,
said company in accordance with the provisions
of the charter of said company, approved
February 10, in the year of our Lord 1851,
shall ever be released, suspended, modified,
altered, remittee! or in any manner diminished
or impaired by legislative or other authority ; '
and all moneys derived from said company,
after the paying of the State debt, shall be
appropriated and set apart for the payment of
the ordinary expenses of the state government,
•and for no other purpose whatever."
The act of 1869, known as the Lake Front
act, contains this clause: "This act shall not
be construed nor have the effect to release the
Illinois Central Railroad company from the
payment into the treasury of the state of Illi-
nois of the per centum on the gross or total
proceeds, receipts or incomes derived from
said road and branches stipulated in the charter
of said company."
The year 1861 was a memorable one in the
history of the Illinois Central Railroad. Ten
i years had elapsed since its charter was obtained.
The road was fully completed and thoroughly
equipped, but the results of operating it were
disappointing. In April of that year, the gov-
ernment placed a force of troops at Cairo.
Communication with the south being prohib-
ited, the through business was cut off, and the
interests of the company suffered for a time
both in the loss of traffic and the failure of the
farmers to pay for their lands. To add to the
difficulty, the bank issues in Illinois were large-
ly based upon the securities of the southern
states. The overthrow of this currency caused
the withdrawal of $12,000,000 of paper from
circulation with great loss to the holders. The
tax payable to the state upon the gross earnings
was, at that time, payable in gold, and the
company was obliged to pay a premium of
twenty-five per cent for a draft on New York,
payable in coin. As .the farmers indebted to
the company could not meet the payments due
on 'their lands in cash, the land-department
adopted the alternative of accepting pay from
them in corn, with which their cribs were over-
flowing. Commencing August 1, in that year,
there were received 1,860,000 bushels of corn
for lands, and a large quantity was received in
the following year.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
35
With the necessities growing out of the
war, sorghum, or Chinese sugar cane, began to
be successfully cultivated in Illinois in 1861,
and about 1,500,000 gallons of syrup were pro-
duced. Cotton was also raised to a consider-
able extent in southern Illinois, the price of
that staple having reached one dollar per pound.
Many of the settlers on the company's lands in
hay and oat crops of 1861-2 were unusually
good, and the prices of these products advanced.
The demand from the south, though not of the
character looked for, was very great, and all
the corn, oats and hay that could be transported
to Cairo, found a ready purchaser at extraordi-
narily high prices in the person of Uncle Sam's
quartermaster. Corn sold at one time at $1.50
COURTESY OF WATERLOO COURIER '
WATEKPOWER DAM AT WATERLOO, IOWA.
southern Illinois were from the south, and
were, therefore, familiar with the cultivation
of both these products.
The loss of the southern traffic was soon
compensated for in the extraordinary impetus
given to every branch of business by the equip-
ment and movement of the vast number of
men placed in the field. It is estimated that in
Illinois alone that year 65,000 men were with-
drawn from the ordinary occupations of civil
life to engage in warlike pursuits. The corn,
per bushel at Cairo and hay and oats were cor-
respondingly high.
The offerings of freight were beyond the
carrying capacity of the line : and traffic was
tendered at various points, with a certainty that
it could not be moved, in order that claims for
damages for refusal to receive might be made.
Several hundred thousand dollars were paid
out on this account. The movements of troops
and munitions of war were so large that at
times whole regiments had to be transported in
36
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
freight cars. It was no uncommon thing for
the passenger department to receive an order
to move 10,000 troops at a few hours' notice.
From this time on the revenues of the line were
immense and the interest on the bonded debt
of the company was no longer a source of
anxiety to those who had stood by it so heroic-
ally through the struggles of the preceding
decade. The first dividend on the shares, two
per cent, was earned and paid that year, six
years after the completion of the line.
The road was placed at the service of the
government, which at times had practical pos-
session, and the number of troops transported
over it was very large, as was also the quantity
of munitions of war and stores. Most of the
Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin troops were
sent south via Cairo. The first detachment of
Illinois volunteer troops, under orders of
Governor Richard Yates and in command of
Brig-Gen. Swift of Chicago, was carried south
in April, 1861. It was rumored that the con-
federates intended an attack on some of the
bridges on the road south of Centralia, and
these men were sent there to defend them.
Such was the haste with which they were dis-
patched, that most of them were unprovided
with arms. For these and many other bodies
of troops forwarded, the company did not wait
to obtain proper requisitions from the state,
and consequently no compensation was allowed
for the service. A large sum of money due
from the state remains unpaid to this day.
Free transportation was given during the war
for all supplies forwarded to the sick and
wounded in the hospitals in the south. During
the war, not only slaves and refugees from the
south, but deserters from the southern army,
and, I am sorry to add, a few from the Union
army escaped by crossing the river at Cairo.
The demands upon the road-bed and rolling
stock of the company, from 1861 to 1865, were
so heavy that at the close of the war, the track
had been so overtaxed as to be in an almost
unsafe condition, and it was restored only after
many years of labor and the expenditure of
large sums of money.
Many of the Union officers and privates,
previous to the war, occupied positions in the
service of the Illinois Central Railroad com-
pany. Among them were :
N! Maj.-Gen. George B. McClellan was engi-
neer-in-chief in 1856 and vice-president in 1857-
9. The financial resources of the company at
this time were quite limited, so that the posi-
tion proved a most trying one to fill. In that
year the company was compelled temporarily
to make an assignment of its property, and the
then Capt. McClellan was appointed one of the
assignees. This trust he administered with
great faithfulness. He was courageous tinder
difficulties, exceedingly tender-hearted, just and
considerate in his treatment of those placed
under him, and was beloved by all with whom
he came in contact. He had charge of Chicago
Harbor in 1843 and superintended the removal
of the sand-bar across the Chicago river.
'J Maj.-Gen. Ambrose Everett Burnside was
cashier of the land-department in Chicago and
treasurer of the company. He was a director
of the company from 1865 to 1868. Upon the
breaking out of the war in 1861, he was called
by Gov. Sprague of Rhode Island to take
charge of the state troops, and from the
colonelcy of the First Rhode Island Regiment
he rapidly rose to the rank of major-general.
His distinguished services in North Carolina
caused him to be promoted to the chief place
in command of the army of the Potomac. He
afterward served his state many years and
until his death as United States senator.
/ Maj.-Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks was resident
director in Chicago from September 1860 to
June 1861. He left this post to enter the
army.
i Brig. -Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom was
station agent at Farina, a small station in
southern Illinois, at the time the war broke
out. He lived, fought and died a brave man,
every inch a soldier. I last saw him alive in
his tent at Bird's Point, in May 1861. He was
anxious to be ordered to the front.
Brig. -Gen. Mason Brayman was one of the
solicitors of the company. He did good service
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
37
for the company during its early organization
and was instrumental in securing most of its
right of way.
Brig. -Gen. John Basil Turchin, colonel of
the Nineteenth Illinois Volunteers and author
of "Chickamauga," 1889, was engaged in the
land-department. He induced a large number
of his countrymen to settle upon the lands of
the company near Radom station.
\J Brig. -Gen. H. L. Robinson, for whom
President Lincoln showed some friendship, was
a conductor on one of the suburban trains. He
rose to the position of colonel and quarter-
master.
Col. John B. Wyman, colonel of the Thir-
teenth Illinois Volunteers, lived at Amboy;
was division superintendent of the north divi-
sion ; he was killed at Chickasaw Bayou, Dec.
27, 1862.
Col. David Stuart was one of the solicitors
of the company.
Lieut. Wm. DeWolf was engaged in the
land-department. He died June 2, 1862, from
injuries received at the fight at Williamsburg,
Va., May 4, in that year.
^Maj. Joseph Kirkland, for some time
auditor of the company, entered the volunteer
service in 1861, in the first levy of troops. He
served faithfully and gallantly as private, lieu-
tenant, captain and major, successively, and
was with Gen. McClellan in his Virginia cam-
paign and remained in the service until 1863.
Col. James T. Tucker, who was aid to
Gen. Banks while the latter was in charge at
New Orleans, was an assistant-treasurer of
the company. He was commissioned by Gov.
Richard Yates in 1861. He was a most gener-
ous-hearted young man, and every one who
met "Jimmy" Tucker learned to love him.
After the war he was the company's general
southern agent at New Orleans, which position
he filled most acceptably. He died in that city
April 15, 1874.
Sergt. Charles W. Everett, of Battery A,
Chicago Light Artillery, had been employed in
the land-department ; he received a fatal wound
at the battle of Belmont, Ky., and was brought
to his home at Woodlawn and died there. It
was my privilege to watch with him during his
last night on earth.
- Irving W. Carson, the celebrated scout
who served in the army of the Potomac, had
been conductor on the Hyde Park train, and
was killed while serving under Gen. Grant at
Vicksburg.
There were hosts of others, principally
privates, but many of whom rendered meritor-
ious service, that enlisted from the ranks of
the Illinois Central Railroad. In truth, during
the early part of the war, enlistments by the
employes were so numerous that it was difficult
to find men to take their places.
LAKE FRONT ACT OF 1869.
I suppose a history of the Illinois Central
Railroad, however brief or condensed, would
be incomplete without a reference to the lake
front act. It will perhaps be a revelation to
many to learn that the Illinois Central Railroad
company was not the first in the field in the
effort to acquire the lake front, and it will per-
haps be a matter of interest to many to learn
just how the plan originated. As far back as
1866, an organization known as the Chicago
Harbor Improvement Company, and which was
composed of many of the leading citizens of
Chicago, attempted to obtain from the legisla-
ture of the state of Illinois certain rights which
can be more clearly defined and understood by
certain articles of agreement entered into by
those interested in it, which were as follows:
CHICAGO HARBOR AND IMPROVEMENT COM-
PANY.
"Articles of agreement and association
made and entered into by and between the re-
spective subscribers hereto, each with the other,
for the uses and objects and upon the declara-
tions herein contained and stated.
"First: It is hereby declared to be the
object of this association to secure by legisla-
tive, and other grants, franchises, immunities,
easements and privileges, the right to create,
38
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
39
fill in, construct, build, dredge, excavate and
dig out, own and possess, lands, piers, wharves,
breakwaters, sea-walls, canals, slips, docks,
warehouses, elevators, stores and buildings of
every name and description, within and upon,
and off from the limits, or any part thereof,
now covered by the waters of Lake Michigan,
or the Chicago river, lying and situated opposite
and east of fractional sections 22 and 15 and that
portion of fractional section 10 lying south of
the Chicago river, in township 39, north range
14, east of the third principal meridian, within
one mile of the shore of said lake, or within so
much and such part of said limits as may be
feasible and expedient, and therein and there-
upon, to create, fill in, construct, build, dredge,
excavate and dig out, own and possess, lands,
piers, wharves, breakwaters, sea-walls, canals,
slips, docks, warehouses, elevators, stores, and
buildings of every name and description, and
do all and singular, such other work and per-
form such other acts as may be necessary to be
done to carry out and effectuate the object and
ends of this association.
"Second: This association shall be known
and called 'The Chicago Harbor Improvement
Company.'
"Third: The officers of the association
shall consist of a president, vice-president,
treasurer, secretary and an executive committee
composed of five members of the association,
to be chosen by the association. ' Said officers
and executive committee to hold office during
the pleasure of the association. The duties of
the executive committee shall be to obtain the
legislation, grants, franchises, immunities and
easements mentioned in the first section of
these articles.
"Fourth: All grants, franchises, immuni-
ties and easements obtained by the association
shall run to individuals composing said associa-
tion, and shall be owned and possessed by the
several members thereof in equal undivided
pro-rata proportions ; and each member thereof
shall have the right, upon the organization of
any corporation under and by virtue of such
grants or franchises, to subscribe for and re-
ceive an equal proportion with each and every
other member chereof of the capital stock of
such corporation.
"Filth: It is hereby agreed by and be-
tween the parties hereto, that each member
hereof is liable for and hereby promises to pay
to the treasurer hereof his equal pro-rata pro-
portion of all assessments made to defray the
expenses incident to the obtaining of the legis-
lation, grants, franchises and easements afore-
said.
"Sixth: All assessments under article
fifth shall be made by the association at a meet-
ing called by the secretary thereof by written
or printed notice to each member thereof, such
notice specifying the time, place and purpose
for which such meeting is called. For the pur-
pose of this section, one-half of the members
of said association shall constitute a quorum,
and a majority vote of such quorum shall be
sufficient to create a valid assessment.
"Seventh: Any member of the association
failing to pay each and every assessment made
against him in accordance with sections fifth
and sixth after notice and demand by the
treasurer shall forfeit to said association all
interests in -its grants, franchises, immunities
and easements, and may by resolution be de-
clared expelled therefrom.
"Chicago, March 10, 1866, A. D."
The organization that sought to obtain this
franchise was composed of many of the leading
citizens of Chicago, but they were governed by
selfish motives, and could give nothing in
return — it is even doubtful whether they would
have carried out their scheme. They failed to
procure the privileges they sought to obtain,
and at the next session, in 1869, the legislature
conferred similar rights upon the railroad com-
pany by the passage of an act of which the
following is a copy :
LAKE FRONT ACT.
"An act in relation to a portion of the sub-
merged lands and lake-park grounds, lying on
and adjacent to the shore of Lake Michigan, on
the eastern frontage of the city of Chicago.
40
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of
the state of Illinois, represented in the General
Assembly, That all right, title and interest of
the state of Illinois in and to so much of frac-
tional section 15, township 39, range 14, east
of the third principal meridian, in the city of
Chicago, county of Cook and state of Illinois,
as is situated east of Michigan Avenue and
north of Park Row, and south of the south line
of Monroe street, and west of a line running
parallel with, and four hundred feet east -of the
west line of said Michigan Avenue — being a
strip of land four hundred feet in width, includ-
ing said avenue along the shore of Lake Mich-
igan, and partially submerged by the waters of
said lake — are hereby granted, in fee, to the
said city of Chicago, with full power and au-
thority to sell and convey all of said tract east
of said avenue, leaving said avenue ninety feet
in width, in such manner and upon such terms
as the common council of said city may, by
ordinance provide : Provided, that no sale or
conveyance of said property, or any part there-
of, shall be valid unless the same be approved
by a vote of not less than three-fourths of all
the aldermen elect.
"SECTION 2. The proceeds of the sale of
any and all of said lands shall be set aside, and
shall constitute a fund, to be designated as the
"park fund" of the said city of Chicago, and
said fund shall be equitably distributed by the
common council between the south division,
the west division and the north division of the
said city, upon the basis of the assessed value
of the taxable real estate of each of said divis-
ions, and shall be applied to the purchase and
improvement, in each of said divisions, or in
the vicinity thereof, of a public park, or parks
and for no other purpose whatsoever.
"SECTION 3. The right of the Illinois
Central Railroad company, under the grant
from the state in its charter, which said grant
constitutes a part of the consideration for
which the said company pays to the state at
least seven per cent of its gross earnings, and
under and by virtue of its appropriation, occu-
pancy, use and control, and the riparian owner-
ship incident to such grant, appropriation,
occupancy, use and control in and to the lands
submerged or otherwise lying east of the said
line running parallel with, and four hundred
feet east of the west line of Michigan Avenue,
in fractional sections 10 and 15, township and
range as aforesaid, is hereby confirmed, and all
the right and title of the state of Illinois, in
and to the submerged lands constituting the
bed of Lake Michigan, and lying east of the
tracks and breakwater of the Illinois Central
Railroad company, for the distance of one mile,
and between the south line of the south pier
extending eastwardly, and a line extended east-
ward from the south line of lot twenty-one,
south of and near to the round-house and
machine-shops of said company, in the south
division of the said city of Chicago, are hereby
granted, in fee, to the said Illinois Central
Railroad company, its successors and assigns :
Provided, however, that the fee to said lands
shall be held by said company in perpetuity,
and that the said company shall not have the
power to grant, sell or convey the fee to the
same ; and that all gross receipts from use,
profits, leases, or otherwise of said lands, or
the improvements thereon, or that may hereafter
be made thereon, shall form a part of the gross
proceeds, receipts and income of the said Ill-
inois Central Railroad company, upon which
said company shall forever pay into the state
treasury, semi-annually, the per centum pro-
vided for in its charter, in accordance with the
requirements of said charter : And provided,
also, That nothing herein contained shall au-
thorize obstructions to the Chicago harbor, or
impair the public right of navigation ; nor shall
this act be construed to exempt the Illinois
Central Railroad company, its lessees or assigns,
from any act of the general assembly which
may be hereafter passed regulating the rates of
wharfage and dockage to be charged in said
harbor: And provided, further, That any of
the lands hereby granted to the Illinois Central
Railroad and the improvements now, or which
may hereafter be, on the same, which shall
hereafter be leased bv said Illinois Central
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
41
Railroad company to any person or corporation,
or which may hereafter be occupied by any per-
son or corporation other than the said Illinois
Central Railroad company, shall not, during
the continuance of such leasehold estate, or of
such occupancy, be exempt from municipal or
other taxation.
"SECTION 4. All the right and title of the
state of Illinois, in and to the lands, submerged
or otherwise, lying north of the south line of
Monroe street, and south of the south line of
Randolph street, and between the east line of
provided for in the charter of said company
shall forever be paid in conformity with the
requirements of said charter.
"SECTION 5. In consideration of the grant
to the said Illinois Central, Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy and Michigan Central Railroad
companies of the land a's aforesaid, said com-
panies are hereby required to pay to the said
city of Chicago, the sum of $800,000, to be
paid in the following manner, viz: $200,000
within three months, from and after the passage
of this act, $200,000 within six months from
PHOTOGRAPH BY A. W. ADAMS, WATERLOO, IOWA.
A representative of the type of Freight Engines used on the West End of the Illinois Central.
Michigan avenue, and the track and roadway of
the Illinois Central Railroad company, and
constituting parts of fractional sections 10 and
15, in said township 39, as aforesaid, are here-
by granted, in fee, to the Illinois Central Rail-
road company, the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad company, and the Michigan
Central Railroad company, their successors and
assigns, for the erection thereon of a passenger
depot, and for such other purposes as the busi-
ness of said company may require, Provided,
That upon all gross receipts of the Illinois
Central Railroad company from leases of its
interest in said grounds or improvements there-
on or other uses of the same, the per centum
and after the passage of this act; $200,000
within nine months from and after the passage
of this act, $200,000 within twelve months from
and after the passage of this act; which said sums
shall be placed in the park fund of the said city
of Chicago, and shall be distributed in like man-
ner as is hereinbefore provided for the distri-
bution of the other funds which may be ob-
tained by said city from the sale of the lands
conveyed to it by this act.
"SECTION 6. The common council of the
said city of Chicago is hereby authorized and
empowered to quitclaim and release to the said
Illinois Central Railroad company, the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad company, and
42
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the Michigan Central Railroad company, any
and all claim and interest in and upon any and
all of said land north of the south line of
Monroe street, as aforesaid, which the said city
may have by virtue of any expenditures and im-
provements thereon or otherwise, and in case the
said common council shall neglect or refuse
thus to quitclaim and release to the said com-
panies, as aforesaid, within four months from
and after the passage of this act, then the said
companies shall be discharged from all obliga-
tion to pay the balance remaining unpaid to
said city.
"SECTION 7. 'The grants to the Illinois
Central Railroad company contained in this act
are hereby declared to be upon the express
condition that said Illinois Central Railroad
company shall perpetually pay into the treasury
of the state of Illinois the per centum on the
gross or total proceeds, receipts or income
derived from said road and branches stipulated
in its charter, and also the per centum on the
gross receipts of said company reserved in this
act.
"SECTION 8. This act shall be a public
act and in force from and after its passage."
This act was accepted by the board of
directors of the Illinois Central Railroad com-
pany July 16, 1870, and the secretary of state
advised accordingly.
This bill was returned to the house of
representatives April 14, 1869, by Gov. John M.
Palmer without his approval. The reasons
given for the veto were that the consideration
for the grant was insufficient — that the rights
that were confirmed to the railroad company
were too vaguely enumerated — that the act was
not, in his judgment, coupled with such restric-
tions as would protect the rights of the state —
that the act did not require the Illinois Central
Railroad company to place improvements on
the submerged lands — that the price named for
the three blocks of land between Randolph and
Monroe streets — intended to be used for a
passenger depot — $800,000 — was below the
market value.
On April 16, 1869, however, the act was
passed in the house over the governor's veto
by a vote of 52 to 31, and in the senate by a
vote of 14 to 11. A careful examination of the
act will show that, although the railroad com-
pany was to receive an extraordinary grant, the
interests of the state at least were very well
guarded. The railroad company could not part
with the fee, and were obligated to pay perpet-
ually to the state upon all gross income derived
from the property the same percentage that
they pay on the gross earnings of their railway,
7 per cent; also taxes to the city of Chicago
upon any of the lands acquired under the grant,
that might be leased to other parties. There
was also a provision in the act that the general
assembly should reserve power to regulate the
rates for dockage. The view taken by many
senators and representatives who voted for this
measure was, that the state was simply utilizing
its interest in the submerged lands by constitut-
ing them a source of permanent income to it
and incidentally to the city of Chicago. The
ownership of docks by municipalities has never
proved very profitable, and their construction
and maintenance have been fruitful sources of
corruption. It is possible, therefore, that what
was regarded by some, at that time, as a tre-
mendous "steal" might have proved a large
and permanent benefit to the city and to the
state.
The construction of piers at that time
would have afforded splendid facilities for the
shipping interest of Chicago, and a strong
effort was made to induce the Michigan avenue
property owners to consent to their erection,
but many of them owning comfortable and
costly homes were reluctant to surrender them
to the demands of business, and relinquish
rights which they had acquired under original
purchase, as well as under a special act of the
legislature of the state of Illinois, passed in
1863 which is as follows :
"The state of Illinois, by its canal com-
missioners, having declared that the public
ground east of said lots should forever remain
open and vacant, neither the common council
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
43
of the city of Chicago nor any other authority,
shall ever have the power to permit encroach-
ments thereon without the assent of all the per-
sons owning lots or land on said street or
avenue."
The great need of the city of Chicago is
increased dockage ; the accommodation offered
by those on the Chicago river and its branches
is entirely inadequate to the wants of a great
city of nearly 2,000,000 inhabitants. The loss
of time and great expense to which vessels are
subjected by reason of being compelled to pass
through the numerous bridges spanning the
Chicago river are very great, and have inflicted
incalculable injury upon the shipping interest
of the port of Chicago, while the delay caused
by the opening and closing of the bridges has
also proved a serious inconvenience and loss to
her citizens. With each section of the city now
supplied with a park, and some of them but
partially completed, the necessity for an addi-
tional one in the business portion of the city,
and which can only be created at great expense,
does not seem as pressing or important as the
construction of additional docks, which the city
under its charter has the right to construct.
On July 3, 1871, with a view of preventing
encroachments upon the shore of the lake, cer-
tain proceedings were commenced by the United
States by information filed in the United States
circuit court and a temporary injunction was
obtained. A year later, a stipulation was
entered into between the railroad company and
the war department upon the recommendation
of the engineer officers of the United States
government, establishing certain dock lines on
the east, to which point, those authorized,
should be allowed to construct piers.
Two years later, April 15, 1873, the follow-
ing act was passed: "An act to repeal an act
entitled 'An act in relation to a portion of the
submerged lands and Lake Park grounds, lying
on and adjacent to the shore of Lake Michigan,
on the eastern frontage of the city of Chicago ;
in force April 16, 1869.'
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of
the state of Illinois represented in the general
assembly, That the act entitled 'An act in re-
lation to a portion of the submerged lands and
Lake Park grounds, lying on and adjacent to
the shore of Lake Michigan, on the eastern
frontage of the city of Chicago ; in force April
16, 1869,' be and the same is hereby repealed."
The subsequent litigation growing out of
the passage of these various acts culminated in
the decision rendered by Judges Harlan and H.
W. Blodgett, February 23, 1888, in the United
States circuit court. This decision confirmed
to the Illinois Central Railroad company its
title to all lands held by it north of Randolph
street and also all its rights as riparian owner
south of Park Row. As to the distance be-
tween Park Row and Randolph street, the fol-
lowing extract, from the opinion referred to,
will perhaps give the reader a clearer view of
the decision rendered by the court :
"Upon the whole case, we are of opinion
that the effect of the repealing act of 1873 was
to withdraw from the railroad company as well
the grant of the submerged lands described in
the third section of the act of 1869, as the
additional powers therein conferred upon it, by
implication, to engage in the business of con-
structing and maintaining wharves, piers and
docks, for the benefit of com«ierce and naviga-
tion generally, and not in the prosecution of
its business as defined and limited by its
original charter; saving to the company the
right to hold and use, as part of its way ground,
or right of way, the small part of the submerged
lands, outside of its breakwater of 1869, be-
tween Monroe and Washington streets, ex-
tended eastwardly, which was reclaimed — pre-
sumably upon the faith of the act of 1869 — from
the lake in 1873. Such appeal was attended
with the further result, that while the city of
Chicago may, under its charter, preserve the
harbor, prevent obstructions being placed
therein, and make wharves and slips, at the
ends of streets, the exercise of those powers,
and the whole subject of the development or
improvement of the harbor by a system of
wharves, docks, piers and other structures, is
with the state, subject only to the paramount
44
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
authority of the United States under the power
of congress to regulate commerce."
An appeal to the United States supreme
court may be taken by any one of the parties
interested, viz: the Illinois Central Railroad
company, the city of Chicago, or the s'tate of
Illinois, at any time within two years after
entry of decree— Sept. 24, 1888.
VISIT OF FOREIGN DELEGATES.
The year 1876 brought new misfortunes to
the affairs of the company. Restrictive legis-
lation in Iowa, of the most aggressive character,
compelled a large reduction in local tariff rates
fierce trunk-line war between the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad and the Vanderbilt lines, and in
which the Pennsylvania Central was necessarily
involved. It was largely a struggle for suprem-
acy between cities, but much personal bitter-
ness was also engendered. Mr. Garrett boasted
of his shorter line to the seaport and his cheap
fuel, and made his demands accordingly. Mr.
Vanderbilt pointed to his curveless and grade-
less four-track line as more than an equivalent.
The battle waxed sore. Freight was moved
for some time at rates below the cost of carry-
ing. Practically, at Chicago, both of these
systems entered into competition with the lakes
UNION PASSENGER STATION USED BY THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL AT Siorx CITY, IOWA.
on the lines in that state, and, incidentally, on
all through traffic to and from all points within
the state. The difficulty was aggravated by a
loss of revenue consequent upon a failure of
crops both in Iowa and Illinois. Added to
this, there had been a large number of new
lines constructed throughout the west, but par-
ticularly in the states of Illinois and Iowa, for
which there was no remunerative traffic. The
• division of the limited traffic over so many
lines was, as Mr. Wilson G. Hunt aptly ex-
pressed it, like giving "one bone to two dogs."
Competition became very sharp and rates were
forced so low that many of the weaker lines
were driven into bankruptcy.
The crowning folly of this dark year in
railroad history was the inauguration of the
and canal. The result was a loss, and both
sides, weary of the fray, came out of it with
largely exhausted resources. The introduction
of larger grain-carrying vessels on the lakes,
and the reduction of tolls on the Erie Canal,
soon proved to the trunk-lines the folly of
attempting to compete with water-carriage.
The effect upon all the weaker east and west
lines was most disastrous — they were compelled
to carry freight from all junction points south
of Chicago at the same rates as prevailed at
Chicago. This, of course, seriously affected
the operations of the Illinois Central Railroad,
as it deprived them of the haul to Chicago.
The result was that their traffic, at all the junc-
tion points in Illinois, was confined to short
hauls between the stations, changing, in fact,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
45
the entire working of this part of the line by
reducing it to a local business. This division
of traffic, with the loss of the long haul to Chi-
cago— which had for so many years proved so
certain and profitable a source of income to the
company — proved very injurious to its revenue.
The unsatisfactory condition of the affairs
of the company — which, however, reflected in
no degree fairly upon the management, being
due entirely to circumstances over which they
had no control — produced a feeling of restless-
ness among the foreign holders of its shares
who coxild not so well appreciate the conditions
which led to it as those on this side of the
Atlantic ocean.
The average shareholder will rest in sub-
lime contentment and with a confidence born
rather of calm indifference than of intellectual
comprehension, regarding the affairs of his
company, so long as other brains are working
out successful results for his benefit. He will
saunter into the treasurer's office semi-annually
or qiiarterly, if notified, scrawl his name on the
dividend-book in a more or less legible style,
receive his check in silence or perhaps with a
little growl, and saunter out again, scarcely
troubling himself to inquire whether his divi-
dend is earned or only paid. But woe be to the
luckless wight of an official, who, through an
error of judgment or unforeseen circumstances,
fails to accomplish all that he attempted in the
way of cash returns, even though he be fortified
with the aforesaid shareholder's proxy. A
shareholder's meeting is a tame affair with the
shareholders — with dividend checks in their
pockets — absent ; but a meeting of shareholders
to consider ways and means will soon resolve
itself into a warring demonstration. So, in
this case, this temporary check to the com-
pany's prosperity — happily apparent rather than
real — was first felt on this side of the water
where the circumstances of the case were better
understood, and its effect was soon discounted.
London and Amsterdam slowly responded to
the shock.
A meeting was held in London on January
26, 1877, to consider existing difficulties, which
was presided over by Sir John Rose, and at
which were present a large number of English
shareholders, and representatives of the admin-
istration office for American railroad securities
in Amsterdam, at which some unnecessary
denunciation was indulged in. Their action,
however, resulted in the sensible conclusion
to appoint a joint-committee to select delegates
to proceed to New York, to confer with the
directors and to examine into the financial con-
dition of the company, and then to visit Illinois
and the south to make a critical examination of
the company's property and report upon its
condition and resources. Captain Douglas
Galton was appointed on behalf of the English
shareholders, and H. de Marez Oyens on behalf
of the Dutch shareholders. They sailed for
New York and held a series of lengthy and
very satisfactory conferences with the directors,
resulting in a complete dissipation of the un-
founded fears which had been entertained.
They then proceeded to Illinois and went over
the entire line with the officers of the company,
making a very thorough and critical examina-
tion of the property and of its assets. As a
result of their inspection, they prepared and
submitted to their respective bodies of share-
holders, April 27, 1877— three months after their
appointment — a very elaborate report covering
the conclusions at which they had arrived and
giving their reasons in detail. It was in all
respects highly complimentary to the directors
and officers of the company, and justly so, and
most reassuring to the shareholders. In this
report, they made various suggestions, which,
if carried into effect would, in their judgment,
prove advantageous to the interests of the com-
pany. Stringent economies were introduced
into the operations of the line, and the recom-
mendations of the delegates were, so far as
circumstances would permit, carried out. The
price of Illinois Central Railroad shares, which
had fallen to forty cents on the dollar, rapidly
recovered.
The office of president had been vacant
since July 1876, at which time Mr. John M.
Douglas resigned, and on October 17, 1877, the
46
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
writer, who had filled the office of vice-presi-
dent and had been acting president, was elected
to fill the vacancy, which position he held until
August 15, 1883, afterward again serving as
vice-president until January 1, 1884, at which
time he retired from the service.
The year 1877 gave promise of better
things for the railways of Illinois. The corn
crop of that year in this state amounted to
about 270,000,000 bushels and the wheat crop
was about 32,500,000 bushels. The price of
iron and steel declined to a very low point, and
railway supplies were correspondingly low. In
Iowa the indications of public sentiment toward
railways were, temporarily, somewhat more
favorable, as the effects of injudicious legisla-
tion on the interests of the state were begin-
ning to be felt by the people. The unwise and
restrictive laws, which had been passed, began
to cripple the railways and forbid further in-
vestments of capital and this had its effect
upon the legislature of the state.
RIOTS OF JULY 1877.
The dark spot in railway history this year
was the inauguration of the great railway strike
which occurred in July. "Railway strikes at-
tended by riots were at that time in progress in
several of the states, but the first demonstration
in Chicago was at a mass meeting of working-
men, so called, held Monday evening, July 23,
at the corner of Madison and Market streets, at
which there were about 5000 people present.
The first indication of mob violence occurred
next morning, Tuesday, when a mob of men
and boys, armed with clubs and sticks, moved
down South Canal street, compelling all work-
men in the lumber-yards and factories to quit
work. They were dispersed by the police but
later on in the day another mob collected near
Remington's gun-store on State street. This
was dispersed also by the police. In the after-
noon mobs congregated in different parts of
the city. The first actual violence occurred on
Wednesday, when the rioters began driving
men from their work and destroying property
in the lumber district, and massed a large force
near McCormick's reaper factory on Blue Island
avenue. A second mob congregated at Van
Buren street bridge and still another in the
vicinity of the Illinois Central elevators. This
latter was most effectually dispersed by the
police under Lieut. Bell and Sergt. Brennan,
who dealt with the leaders in the most summary
manner. Before noon several outbreaks oc-
curred in various parts of the city and the street
cars were compelled to stop running. At the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy freight depot,
five rioters were shot dead. That evening the
rioters raided a gun store and appropriated the
stock. Thursday morning, 26th, the rioters
were massed in the vicinity of the 16th street
viaduct and several sanguinary conflicts took
place. At noon the rioting culminated and the
police, who were greatly exhausted from their
efforts of the four previous days, were no
longer able to cope with the rioters, and it was
found necessary to order out the military. The
first and second regiments reported for duty;
two six-pound guns and two companies of
cavalry were also brought into service. These
troops were stationed in different parts of the
city and had a quieting effect upon the surging
crowd, but in one instance they were obliged
to fire upon the rioters. By Monday, July 31,
the riot was practically at an end. Owing to
the prompt measures resorted to and the effi-
ciency of both the police and the military, the
city of Chicago happily escaped with small
loss."*
The whole demonstration had none of the
elements of a strike, the men were simply in-
timidated and feared to go to work. The prop-
erty of the Illinois Central Railroad, as was
that of many others, was imperilled by the
action of lawless mobs that visited the freight
yards and shops of the company and ordered
the engineers to stop moving trains and men to
quit work. These demonstrations were made
in most instances by men not connected with
the railroads. Almost all the Illinois Central
men took a stand and gave proof of their loyal-
ty and devotion to the company against the
* "History of Chicago," by A. T. Andreas, 1885.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
47
rioters, and assisted in preserving the property
of the company. Indeed, it is greatly to the
credit of the men to record the fact that, during
this trying ordeal, the company suffered no
loss whatever beyond detention of traffic. All
of its rolling stock was removed to a place of
safety, south of the city.
A company of militia was organized by
volunteers from the different departments of
Oliver A. Berry, and other faithful men, at that
time in the service of the company.
In 1878 a contract was entered into with
the Pullman Palace Car Company for the use of
their sleeping cars. Previous to this the com-
pany had constructed and used its own sleeping
cars. For a number of years after the road
was constructed it was not regarded as a pas-
senger line. Indeed, it is very doubtful whether
COURTESY J. R. L'LLY
ILLINOIS CENTRAL LOCOMOTIVE No. 942.
the service, muskets were purchased for their
use and Col. James Noquet, chief draughtsman,
was placed in command of the force which was
placed on duty in the freight yard. Many of
the men had fought in the Union army, and
Col. Noquet had been a soldier in the French
army and had led troops against a mob in the
city of Paris. These facts being made known
were sufficient to deter the rioters from com-
mitting depredations. Col. Noquet was as-
sisted by Thomas J. Tustin, William Wilkinson,
the passenger receipts were sufficient to pay
the expenses of keeping up this branch of the
traffic. It had no through connections of im-
portance, but after the acquisition of the south-
ern lines leading to New Orleans and to other
important points in the south, the character of
the business of the line was materially changed
and it gradually began to take its place among
the first-class passenger lines of the country,
and it became necessary to devote greater at-
tention to this class of traffic. The introduc-
48
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tion of the elegant coaches of the Pullman
Company greatly improved the service of the
company, a fact which the travelling public
were not slow to appreciate.
May 26, 1880, ground was broken for the
construction of the works of the Pullman Palace
Car Company on land adjoining the Illinois
Central tracks, about one mile north of Kensing-
ton station. The establishment of this model
manufacturing town of Pullman upon the road,
at so convenient a distance from the city, gave
an immense impetus to the suburban traffic
which, though carried on for many years, had
not, up to this time, proved very profitable.
In 1879 the company constructed a bridge
across the Chicago river under authority con-
tained in an ordinance which had been passed
many years before, Dec. 1, 1862, entitled "an
ordinance approving the plans for a bridge to
be erected by the Illinois Central Railroad
company across the Chicago river." This con-
nected its depot grounds on the south side with
the lands of the Chicago Canal & Dock Com-
pany on the north side. The construction of
this bridge added immensely to the facilities of
the road, enabling it to reach important con-
nections on the north side, theretofore only
reached by the circuitous route afforded by the
St. Charles Air-line crossing at Sixteenth
street.
In 1880 the Kankakee & Southwestern
Road, a branch line running southwest from
Otto, was extended to a junction with the north-
ern division at Minonk, thus giving an inde-
pendent connection between that division and
the Chicago branch.
Steel rails were purchased this year to
complete in steel the entire original line, and
when laid soon demonstrated that the most re-
munerative employment of capital in a railway
is in perfecting its condition.
In 1881 a brick elevator, with a capacity of
600,000 bushels, was erected at Cairo; and in
Chicago two new docks, and the substantial
iron viaduct at the foot of Randolph street
were completed. In the following year addi-
tional terminal facilities were provided by the
construction of additional tracks from the Chi-
cago yards south, which provided two tracks
for freight trains, two tracks for passenger
trains, and allowed two tracks to be devoted
entirely to suburban business, giving the road
the finest and safest entrance into a great city
possessed by any railway in the world.
In 1883 the South Chicago Railroad was
completed which afforded a double track con-
nection, about five miles in length, with this
important manufacturing town and added large-
ly to the suburban traffic.
RAILWAY COMMUNICATION WITH THE SOUTH.
For many years after the completion of
the Illinois Central Railroad, the directors
made repeated attempts to carry out the origi-
nal intention, as contemplated in the act of
congress granting the public lands to the three
states, by effecting an all rail communication
with the Gulf of Mexico. Traffic to and from
the south was gradually increasing; and tran-
shipment of produce and merchandise at Cairo
by ferry to Columbus, Kentucky, a distance of
twenty miles, there connecting with the Mobile
& Ohio Railroad, was attended with both un-
necessary delay and expense. Accordingly in
1872, a contract was entered into with the lines
that were then known as the Mississippi Cen-
tral Railroad, 232 miles in length, and New
Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railway,
206 miles in length — which were operated under
one management — providing for the extension
of the former line from Jackson, Tennessee, to
a point opposite Cairo, a distance of 108 miles,
and for a mutual interchange of traffic. Under
this contract, the Illinois Central Company was
to invest annually, one-eighth of its earnings
from traffic to and from those lines, in their
consolidated mortgage bonds to the extent of
$100,000 per annum for ten years. This con-
tract was afterward modified to the extent of
an engagement to purchase outright $200,000
of these bonds at par, annually, to the extent
of $6,000,000 in all. This was done in order to
enable the two southern lines to negotiate the
bonds so as to procure the necessary means to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
49
construct the new intermediate road and make
certain necessary improvements. The Miss-
issippi Central road was extended to Cairo —
work being completed so that it was opened
for traffic December 24, 1873. This supplied a
most important link in the direct chain from
Chicago to New Orleans, a distance of 913
miles.
The Illinois Central Railroad company sub-
sequently exchanged $5,000,000 of its five per
cent bonds for the same amount of the seven
per cent, southern bonds with the engagement
to purchase attached, thus practically taking up
its own obligation with a bond bearing a re-
duced rate of interest.
The opening of an, all-rail route to the
south had the effect of largely diverting traffic
from the Mississippi river; but the southern
roads had scarcely recovered from their im-
poverished condition following the close of the
war, and, lacking the means to properly equip
and maintain them, they were not in a situation
to handle the large traffic offering. Steel rails
were selling at nearly $100 a ton at this time,
and many other articles of railway supplies
were correspondingly high. Added to this, the
financial panic of 1873 affected all railway enter-
prises throughout the country, so that this and
the year following were years of unusual de-
pression; the results of the particular arrange-
ments referred to did not therefore immediately
prove as satisfactory as was expected.
In 1876 the roads between New Orleans
and Cairo defaulted on their interest, and on
March 10, in that year, both lines were placed
in the hands of a receiver. Forclosure proceed-
ings followed, and as a result, the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad company became, after about two
years of litigation, practically the owner of
both lines, under purchase, and the name of the
company owning the consolidated New Orleans
line was changed to the Chicago, St. Louis &
New Orleans Railroad company. It was
thought by many, who were unfamiliar with
the resources? of the south, that the additional
obligation assumed by the Illinois Central Rail-
road company would prove an onerous burden,
4
and, for the time being, it had the effect of de-
pressing the market-price of its shares. After
the Illinois Central company obtained full con-
trol of the two lines, it completed their restora-
tion to the standard of first-class railways, and
then what was feared at one time might prove
a serious burden to the Illinois Central Railroad
company became in reality the best paying por-
tion of the line.
The remainder of the story can best be
told by producing verbatim the report of Mr.
William H. Osborn, chairman of the executive
committee, who, through all these trying years,
never lost faith in the ultimate success of the
undertaking, and to whose sagacity and fore-
sight, aided by the indomitable energy of Mr.
James C. Clarke, who was in charge of the
lines, and the remarkable legal ability displayed
by Judge James Fentress, now the general
solicitor of the company, maybe attributed the
very satisfactory termination reached. This
report contains an epitome of the entire trans-
action and is as follows:
Report of Mr. William H. Osborn, chair-
man of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
Railroad Company:
"NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 1882.
"To THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ILLINOIS
CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY :
"Gentlemen: — This railway, consisting of 548
miles of main track, 31 miles of branches, with 1(X>
locomotives, 2,241 cars, and all other property and
rights attached to it, with $1,000,000, five per cent,
1951 bonds, $125,000, six per cent bonds and $623,043. 70
in cash will be surrendered to you on the first proximo,
in pursuance of the lease of this property to the Illinois
Central Railroad company, dated June 13, 1882, thus
completing your system with a well finished railroad
and plant from the lakes to New Orleans.
"The Hon. Stephen A. Douglas introduced in the
senate of the United States in 1848, a bill 'granting to
the state of Illinois the right of way and donation of
public lands for making a railroad to connect the
waters of the upper and lower Mississippi with the
chain of lakes at Chicago." This motion resulted in
the granting of lands to Illinois and similar grants to
Mississippi and Alabama in order to effect the comple-
tion of this important connection.
"It was the subject of earnest debate in the senate
in 1850 and was supported by Senators Lewis Cass of
50
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
SI
Michigan, Henry Clay of Kentucky and William H.
Seward of New York. The latter gentleman, speaking
of the proposed railroad, said: 'I regard this work as
a great national enterprise— a great national thorough-
fare.' The bill, after the advocacy of these distin-
guished statesman, passed the senate by a vote of
nearly two to one.
"In 1851 the state of Illinois accepted a proposal
to build the road, made to it by a prominent body of
New York and Boston gentlemen, all of whom, with
but two exceptions, have passed away.
"The act of the general assembly of Illinois, ap-
proved Feb. 10, 1851, constituted your present corpora-
tion. Most of the directors named in the charter
became the active managers of the company, and,
before the Illinois Central Road was completed, the
directors communicated with those of the Mobile &
Ohio Road, and upon several occasions endeavored to
promote the completion of that line to Cairo; but the
Mobile & Ohio Road did not reach Cairo until a recent
period. The public events which arrested the progress
of the country for so many years left the railroads
south of the Ohio river in the most dilapidated and
ruinous condition. There was no railway communica-
tion from Cairo south until 1874.
"Previous to your line reaching Cairo, the products
of Louisiana were shipped by steamboats to St. Louis,
trans-shipped up the Illinois river by smaller steam-
boats, trans-shipped again to canal-boats, and reached
Chicago by the Michigan Canal. These three transfers
caused a delay of a month or six weeks. The grain
and provisions, which were so indispensable to the
south, were sent in the same circuitous way. Later on
this traffic was connected with your road at Cairo but
in a very unsatisfactory manner, as most of the com-
merce upon the lower Mississippi was destined for St.
Louis and Cincinnati; Cairo was not of sufficient im-
portance to command exclusive lines of boats upon the
river. Moreover, this river communication was often-
times very expensive; the frequent transfers required
expensive packing of provisions; grain was sent in
bags; and upon the north-bound freight, chiefly sugar
and molasses, the waste and shrinkage was serious. It
is a singular fact that the rates of rail transportation
to-day from New Orleans to Chicago, and from Chi-
cago south, are not equivalent to the loss by shrinkage
and waste upon the sugar and molasses in former
times, or to the cost of packing the provisions sent
south, which is not now required under the present
modes of shipment by rail. Thus the producer is
brought close to the consumer at least expense. It is
a moderate estimate to say that the prices of provisions
and grain, hay and other products of the north, now
ruling in the south, are lessened one-third by the ad-
vantage of the present rail communication.
"The Illinois Central directors, in 1872, unanimous-
ly agreed to advance about $5,000,000 toward the ex-
tension of the .Mississippi Central Road to Cairo, and
to the improvement of the Jackson Road to New-
Orleans. It is not pleasant to waste words upon the
failure in the expectations of the company. These ad-
vances at one time appeared to be lost through the
failure of the southern lines to pay the interest upon
the bonds purchased. It may be well to remember
that in February 187G, the board of directors were will-
ing to take the control of the property burdened with
a debt of $18,372,834, with an annual interest charge
of $1,404,655.97, and to spend $2,000,000 additional in
the necessary improvement to the property. Negotia-
tions to this end failed, and foreclosure proceedings
were commenced by filing a bill in the federal courts
in the spring of 1870. These proceedings terminated
happily in 1877, and the two roads were purchased
that year in behalf of the bondholders on equal terms
—the Illinois Central holding a majority of the bonds
in default. The legal steps in the foreclosure were
directed by the Hon. John A. Campbell and the Hon.
.lames Emott. and later, by the Hon. Jas. Fentress of
New Orleans. Suffice it to say that, under the counsel
of these eminent lawyers, we have not had to retrace
our steps in any one instance. Repeated legislation
was required from all four of the southern states, and
ordinances from the city of New Orleans and other
municipalities, all of which were obtained promptly
and honestly. The desire of the southern people to
have a first-class railroad was expressed through the
governors of the states and the legislatures, who gave
every assistance which could consistently be granted.
This new company is now constituted a corporation in
perpetuity with the right to lease other roads or to
lease its own road to the Illinois Central Company.
The acts, deeds and papers have been carefully
examined. Your possession of this property is as
absolute as if the original charters had been granted
to the Illinois Central Railroad Company directly.
"I have, therefore, the satisfaction of concluding
the active existence of this corporation which has had
only five years of duration. Your road constitutes the
most important north and south trunk line in the
world. The traffic is chiefly in the interchange of
commodities, the exclusive growth of the south for
commodities grown in the north, and is of indispens-
able necessity to a population of six or eight millions
of people. The location of the line is so direct that
this traffic is perhaps less open to competition than
that of any other line on this continent.
"Soon after the appointment of receivers in 1876,
I induced those gentlemen to appoint Mr. James C.
Clarke the general manager of both lines. It required
the whole term of the receiverships to catch up with
arrears. The employes were unpaid for several months;
LIBRARY
ILLIM
52
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
there were not fifty tons of spare rails upon the road;
no supplies in the machine shops; no fuel on hand.
The demoralization of unpaid employes is always dan-
gerous, leads to accidents, puts the lives of all the
passengers in peril and causes the death of some.
There was a fatality attending these lines at that time.
The route was avoided; many travelers preferred to
take their chance upon the river rather than face the
dangers of the track. Mr. Clarke had not the power
to restore order and discipline to the management of
this property until the termination of the receiverships,
January 1, 1878. From that date full control of the
working of the line has rested upon him. Knowing
him for many years, his experience, his perfect integ-
rity, his thoroughness in every detail of railroad con-
struction and management, I have never interposed
my comparatively imperfect knowledge of railway
affairs.
"Mr. Clarke has rebuilt this line from its ashes.
At the machine shops were piles of broken cars; and
the remnants of locomotive boilers, which had been
exploded for years, were still maintained on the books
of the company as engines. The bridges all required
renewing; the ties were rotten and defective. From
this confusion Mr. Clarke now delivers to you a well
constructed and equipped railroad. 35 engines and
1200 cars have been built in the shops of the company;
2\}/i miles of bridging have been built; 3,'i miles of
open trestle-work have been rilled up with solid em-
bankments; 1,341,500 new cross-ties have been put in,
equal to 2,080 ties per mile on this whole road and
side tracks. The road has been extended 3 ,'-2 miles to
East Cairo; a spur line of 12 miles to Lexington is
nearly completed; the passenger equipment renewed
and doubled; the wooden truss bridges replaced with
iron; every bar of iron has been taken from the track,
which is now laid entirely with steel; 200 miles of track
ballasted with stone or gravel, and over 100 miles of
the road have been fenced. It was indispensable to
change the gauge, adopting the standard gauge of the
north, which of course required the change of all the
motive power and rolling stock. This has been done.
The side tracks were insufficient — 15 miles of new side
track have been added, the shops furnished with new
machinery sufficient for the repair and construction of
engines and cars at both of the principal machine
shops; new shops have been built at Jackson, Tenn.
The improvements to the road render it safe; the trains
are now running from New Orleans to Chicago, about
the same distance as from New York to Chicago, at
about the same speed. Passengers going to St. Louis
were formerly two nights and one day on the road;
they are now taken through in twenty-nine hours.
The station grounds on the river bank at New Orleans
were insufficient; large and valuable property has been
purchased, and a freight station, which accommodates
the West Indian and Mediterranean freight business,
built near the river front.
"These betterments, which have cost about $5,000, -
000, have been paid for out of the earnings of the
property. The road is not overlaid with debt to cor-
respond to these outlays. On the contrary, its im-
proved condition and the increase of traffic benefitted
the credit of the corporation to such an extent that it
has been practicable to issue and sell five per cent
bonds to take up the older issues of six's, seven's and
eight's. In this way the interest charge upon the prop-
erty, which is intrinsically worth $5,000,000 more than
it was in 1876, has been actually reduced $370,505.97
per annum and its debt from $18,372,834 to $17,000,000.
"The services of Judge Fentress in arranging and
settling the many legal complications which cumbered
and afflicted this railway and in securing the legislation
affecting its powers for all time, though not as con-
spicuous to the eye as those of Mr. Clarke, have been
equally valuable and of as much permanent import-
ance. Annexed to this statement is an exhibit of the
legislation in the several states.
"The company has no engagements with other
railway corporations excepting those for the construc-
tion of the two lines in Mississippi, which have been
entered into under your direction and by your author-
ity. Its recent contract with the Western Union Tele-
graph Company is open to revision at short periods,
and the engagement with the Pullman Southern Car
Company can be terminated at the option of the~com-
pany in 1884. It is free from floating debt and free
from litigation.
"You take this productive property with a surplus
in hand and with all the powers necessary for its future
management. You now own $5,000,000 of the five per
cent bonds, for which there is no immediate use as the
requirements of the southern line upon capital account
are drawing to a close and can readily be met from
the earnings of the property. I therefore beg to sug-
gest to your consideration the cancellation of this $5,-
000,000 of bonds, thus reducing the debt to $13,000,000,
upon which the interest charge will eventually be
$650,000. This reduction of interest charge will enable
you to pay larger dividends upon the $10,000,000 of
stock now the property of your shareholders. This
step will reduce your entire fixed charges to about
$1,350,000 on 1525 miles of railway.
"For the next thirteen years you have no debt to
provide for. $2,500,000 of your bonds fall due in 1895.
It seems unwise to hold $5,000,000 of your own executed
obligations available at any moment. The experience
of nearly thirty years strengthens my impression that
prosperity — leading to unwise expenditures — is often-
times as dangerous as adverse crops, with consequent
loss of traffic affecting income. The specific for
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
53
accuracy in accounts and economy in expenditures
appears to be — to take all expenses including construc-
tion out of income and divide the surplus only.
"I beg to refer to you the annexed exhibits and
reports.
"In retiring from this trust, I have every reason to
believe that the New Orleans division of the Illinois
Central is in charge of zealous, faithful and experienced
men. W. H. OSBORN, Chairman."
Report of Mr. James C. Clarke, general
manager of the Chicago, St. Louis &- New Or-
leans Railroad Company:
Railroad Company — now the lessee of this railroad —
treats of the work which has been done on track,
building bridges, engines, cars, ballasting, fencing,
depot grounds, side tracks, shops machinery, steel
rails, change of gauge, etc., etc., in a general way.
It is therefore, considered unnecessary to refer again
to them. At the close of the year 1877, there were 60
miles of steel rails on the track. On December 31,
1882, the whole main track, 548 miles, is laid in steel
rails.
"REDUCTION OF GRADES BETWEEN JACKSON, TENN.,
AND CANTON. — The maximum of grades on this por-
tion of the road has been reduced from 60 feet per
ILLINOIS CENTRAL STATION AT NEW ORLEANS.
"NEW ORLEANS, LA., January i, 1883.
"To THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE CHICAGO, ST. Louis AND
NEW ORLEANS RAILROAD Co.
Gentlemen : — I was elected vice-president and
general manager of this company in January 1878.
At that time, the equipment of the road in motive
power and rolling stock consisted of 80 locomotives
and 1240 cars. At the present time, this company
has 106 locomotives and 2242 cars of all kinds. Many
of the engines anJ cars on the schedule in 1878 have
been rebuilt and renewed, some were condemned
as unsafe for future use. n of the old engines were
sold, their capacity to draw heavy trains being too
light for profitable use.
"The report of the chairman of our board, dated
December, 30, to the directors of the Illinois Central
mile to a maximum of 40 feet per mile, few exceeding
35 feet per mile.
"This has enabled our engines to draw over this
portion of the road six to eight loaded cars more per
train than the engines of the same class were able
to do before the grades were reduced, thus largely
reducing the expenses in train' service by increasing the
earnings per train.
"The portion of the line between Jackson, Tenn.,
and East Cairo, no miles, has some grades of 52
feet or more per mile. It was constructed with these
grades. Evidently the question of economy in operat-
ing the lines as a channel of commerce was not con-
sidered in adopting such grades. I recommend to
the lessee to reduce these grades to a maximum of
40 feet per mile. The work may be done gradually,
and the outlay spread over a series of years. I am
54
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
sure it will pay to reduce the grades on this portion of
the road.
"In these times of low rates for transportation
service, nothing is more conducive to economy in
operating a railroad than low grades, steel rails, a
well-ballasted track, large engines, and slow speed '
of heavy freight trains.
"CAPITAL ACCOUNT — There is at present nothing
to call for any immediate large outlay of money.
"It is proposed to build four combined brick,
freight and passenger stations on the line during the
coming year, costing in all about $15.000, and to re-
vise and remodel the freight-houses and yards and
tracks at the levee station in New Orleans, to adapt
them to handle the business with less force and ex-
pense than we now incur. The increased facility and
decreased expenses in transacting business at this
station will compensate for the outlay to be made.
"MOTIVE POWER. — The present equipment of en-
gines seems to be sufficient for the wants of the road
until the business shall increase to require more power.
"BALLASTING — I recommend to the lessee the
continuance of this important matter, gradually, as
we have heretofore done during the summer months
when the traffic is light and the engines and cars can
be spared from service to transport it.
"FENCING. — This necessary precaution to avoid
accidents and prevent paying damages for stock in-
jured or killed, which, in the past five years, has
amounted to upward of $60,000, should be gradually
pursued until the whole line is enclosed.
"MACHINE-SHOPS. MACHINERY, AND TOOLS. — The
present condition of this plant and its location is all
that will be required on this line until its business and
traffic shall be increased fifty per cent more than it
now is.
"STEEL RAILS. — It will be necessary to buy 150
to 200 tons per year to make frogs and switches and
provide for those, now in track, which may be broken
or rendered unfit for use by reason of accidents.
"LABOR. — During the past five years, this company
has employed a large amount of unskilled labor, con-
sisting chiefly of negroes. My experience with this
class of labor has been very satisfactory. When in-
telligently directed, properly treated, and justly dealt
with, there is no better laborer than the negro to
br found among any race w the world. They are
peculiarly fitted for labor in semi-tropical climates,
and by nature cheerful, obedient, kind, imitative, and
contented. They are fast learning that "freedom"
means honesty, industry, and intelligence. They are
now a valuable laboring population, and each year,
as they acquire education, they will become better
citizens. They should be justly dealt with and treated
with the respect due all honest laborer*.
"CAPITAL REQUIRED FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS. —
From the past five years' experience. I feel I am jus-
tified in saying that this property, managed as we
have no doubt it will be, will furnish the funds to
make the betterments and improvements that may be
necessary, as well as to provide for the fixed charges
and rentals.
"The Illinois Central Railroad Company has, to-
day, assumed the control and management of this
property as lessee. Hereafter its earnings and ex-
penses will appear in the accounts of that company,
under the head of the 'Southern division of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad Company.'
"CONCLUSION. — As you are aware, the managers
of this property, during these past five years, have
made no published report. All our receipts, during
these five years, have been applied to the operating
expenses, and reconstruction, and to the interest on
the prior liens, styled the first and second mortgage
bonds. I have not endeavored to draw a nice distinc-
tion between operating expenses and construction ac-
count. After providing for the interest on the prior
liens, I have used the remainder of the money in
rebuilding this road. It is now in such a condition
that I feel it safe to say that it can be maintained and
steadily improved at about sixty per cent of its gross
earnings. The gross earnings, during the past five
years, have been as follows :
1878 $2,842.434.15
1879 3.357,305.00
1880 3,716,902.42
1881 4,059,151.40
1882. 3,820,996.83
A yearly average of $3.559,357-96
"The report of the chairman of the board referred
to gives the result of our stewardship of your proper-
ty.
"With a sense of gratitude to officers and em-
ployes in every grade of the service for their zeal,
anxiety, and devotion at all times to promote the
company's interest, and the cheerful co-operation and
aid rendered to me in the management, I desire to
place my aknowledgements on the records of the com-
pany.
Respectfully,
JAMES C. CLARKE, General Manager.
This report was submitted to a meeting of
the board of directors, held January 17, 1883,
and the following preamble and resolutions
were adopted :
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
55
[Extract from the minutes:]
"The report of Mr. William H. Osborn, chair-
man of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Rail-
road Company, addressed to this board under date of
December 30, 1882. accompanied by the report of the
Hon. James Fentress, general solicitor, addressed to
him, under date of December 8, 1882; and, also, the
report of Mr. James C. Clarke, general manager of
the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad Com-
pany, addressed to the shareholders of that company,
under date of January I, 1883, having been submitted
and read, it was, on motion of Mr. Webster, duly
seconded,
"Resolved, That these reports be accepted by this
board, printed, and a copy thereof transmitted to
each shareholder of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany, and to each holder of the leased line stock' cer-
tificates issued against the shares of the Chicago. St.
Louis & New Orleans Railroad Company.
"That this board desires to express and place on
record its high appreciation of the wisdom, zeal, and
unflagging fidelity with which Mr. Osborn, Mr. Clarke,
and Mr. Fentress, and every other officer whose work
has come under the observation of this board, have
conducted the affairs of the Chicago, St. Louis &
New Orleans Company since the property was placed
in their hands. And the president of the Illinois Cen-
tral Company is hereby directed to express to those
officers of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
Company the thanks of this board for the gratifying
results which their labors have done so much to ac-
complish."
The following, moved by Mr. Elliott, and duly
seconded, was also adopted :
"In view of these highly satisfactory reports, the
board deems it desirable to call the attention of the
Illinois Central shareholders specifically to the in-
creased value of their property resulting from the in-
telligent and unwearied efforts of the officers who have
been charged with the care and development of the
Southern line ; therefore, be it
"Resolved, That the board recommends to the
shareholders, at their next annual meeting, to take
such action as they may deem best to express their
appreciation of the results thus far obtained and their
recognition of the services rendered."
In obedience to the request of the board of
directors, the president addressed letters to
Mr. Osborn, Judge Fentress, and Mr. Clarke,
expressing- the thanks of the board, of which
the following' are copies:
"ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.
CHICAGO, January 24, 1883.
"WILLIAM H. OSBORN, Esq., New York:
"My Dear Sir: — At a meeting of the board of di-
rectors of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, held
on the I7th instant, your teport to them, dated December
30, 1882, was submitted, read, ordered to be printed,
and copies mailed to each shareholder and leased-line
certificate holder of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany.
"The following resolution was offered by Mr.
Sidney Webster, duly seconded, and passed unani-
mously :
"Resolved, That these reports be accepted by this
board, printed, and a copy thereof transmitted to each
shareholder of the Illinois Central Company and to
each holder of the leased line stock certificates, issued
against the shares of the Chicago, St. Louis & New
Orleans Railroad Company — that this board desires
to express and place on record its high appreciation
of the wisdom, zeal, and unflagging fidelity with which
Mr. Osborn, Mr. Clarke, and Mr. Fentress, and every
other officer whose work has come under the observa-
tion of the board, have conducted the affairs of the
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Company since the
property was placed in their hands. And the president
of the Illinois Central is hereby directed to express
to those officers of the Chicago, St. Louis & New
Orleans Company the thanks of this board for the
gratifying results which their labors have done so
much to accomplish."
"Also the following, offered by Mr. John Elliott :
"In view of these highly satisfactory reports, the
board deems it desirable to call the attention of the
Illinois Central shareholders specifically to the in-
creased value of their property resulting from the in-
telligent and unwearied efforts of the officers who
have been charged with the care and development of
the Southern line ; therefore, be it
"Resolved, That the board recommends to the
shareholders at their next annual meeting to take such
action as they may deem best to express their appre-
ciation of the results thus obtained and their recogni-
tion of the services rendered.
"I do not know that I can add anything that will
emphasize more distinctly the sincere gratification felt
by the board on the completion of your work and I fear
that I shall but feebly convey to you the proper expres-
sion of their feeling. Remembering, as I do, the physi-
cal condition of the Chicago, St.Louis & New Orleans
Railroad six years ago. and the complicated state of
its finances and affairs generally, the work which you
56
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
have just completed seems to me the most remarkable
exhibition of energy, skill, and untiring perseverance,
ever recorded in the history of railroad management.
Words fail me to properly express the appreciation
which I am sure every member of the board of direc-
tors of the Illinois Central Railroad Company feels
in reference to the prominent part you have .taken in
rescuing this property and in protecting the interests
of the Illinois Central shareholders. This work has
been to you at times one of great discouragement as
well as intense anxiety; but the grand result accom-
plished, now commanding the attention of those in-
terested with you, will, I am sure, compensate you for
your labors and call out from the shareholders a more
earnest expression of approval than has yet been given.
the management of the Illinois Central property for a
period of over a quarter of a century.
"I remain, with great respect,
Yours very truly,
WM. K. ACKERMAM, President."
"ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.
CHICAGO, January 24, 1883.
"HoN. JAMES FENTRESS, New Orleans :
"My Dear Sir: — At a meeting of the board of
directors of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
>.
COURTESY S. 0. HORTON, DURANT, MI98.
Effects of a collission with a $10 cow.
Even without this, i am sure that the eminent satis-
faction you wiM enjoy arising from the conscientious
application of your energies in developing and bring-
ing to a successful conclusion so arduous a work as
you have been charged with, would of itself amply
repay you for the harassing cares which have sur-
rounded you in its prosecution.
"Permit me, in conclusion, to express to you my
own sense of the great obligation under which you
have placed us, and to express the hope that, although
iii the future you may not be engaged in the active
management of the line, yet that we may be favored
from time to time with your kind co-operation, and
may have the benefit of your long experience, gained in
held on the I7th instant, the very able and comprehen-
sive report prepared by you as solicitor general of the
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad Company,
and addressed to the chairman of the executive commit-
tee of that company, covering a period of five years past
and giving a synopsis of the legislation obtained dur-
ing your management of the legal department during
that time, was laid before the board, together with the
reports of the chairman and general manager. They
were read in full, accepted by the board, ordered to be
printed, and copies thereof sent to each shareholder
and to each leased line certificate holder of the com-
pany.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
57
"The following resolutions were offered by Messrs.
Webster and Elliott, duly seconded, and passed unani-
mously :
[Same preamble and resolutions as contained in
letter to Mr. William H. Osborn.]
"From the foregoing, it will be seen that it is
made my pleasant duty to convey to you the thanks of
the board, as expressed in the above resolutions, which
I take great pleasure in doing. There was but a single
expression on the part of all the members of the board
and that was one of full appreciation of the very able
manner in which you have conducted the legal business
of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad
Company since that line first came into the possession
or under the control of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company. The management of the department, over
which you have so successfully presided during the
past five years, has been eminently satisfactory, and
the board feel that there is due to you an expression
of the high sense of obligation under which you have
placed the shareholders of the company for the very
happy results that you have obtained.
"Desiring to add my own personal congratula-
tions and good wishes, and trusting that our future
relations will be as pleasant and harmonious as they
have been in the past,
"I remain, with great respect,
Yours very truly,
WM. K. ACKERMAN, President."
"ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.
CHICAGO, January 24, 1883.
"JAMES C. CLARKE, Esq., New Orleans :
"My Dear Sir: — At a meeting of the board of
directors of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
held on the I7th instant, the report prepared by you
dated January I, 1883, and addressed to the sharehol-
ders of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Rail-
road Company, was submitted, read, ordered to be
printed, and copies thereof mailed to each shareholder
of the Illinois Central Railroad Company.
"The following resolutions were offered by Messrs.
Webster and Elliott, duly seconded, and passed unani-
mously :
[Same pre-imble and resolutions as contained in
letter to Mr. William H. Osborn.]
"From the foregoing, it will be seen that it is
made my duty to express to you, as one of the officers
of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad
Company, the thanks of the board for the efforts put
forward by you during the past five years and which
have resulted in bringing this property to its present
very satisfactory condition. Although the board of
directors have now by formal resolution more particu-
larly called the attention of the shareholders to your
efforts in accomplishing so desirable a result, yet I am
sure that, during all the time you have been so en-
gaged, they have never ceased to feel how great was the
obligation under which you had placed them. Of my
own personal knowledge, I know full well with what
difficulties you have had to contend and the many ad-
verse circumstances with which you have been sur-
rounded. In 1874, I passed over the line of road which
you have practically rebuilt. Comparing my recollec-
tions at that time with its present condition, I can bet-
ter and more fully appreciate what work you have
accomplished. The Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
Railroad from this time on becomes a part and parcel
of the old line, which it has been the good fortune of
both of us to serve for so many years together. I
sincerely trust that our relations, personal and
official, will be as pleasant and cordial in the future
as they have been in the past. Believe me, dear Mr.
Clarke, yours very sincerely,
WM. K. ACKERMAN, President."
In addition to the reports made by Mr. Os-
born and Mr. Clarke, was one furnished by
Judge James Fentress, then of Bolivar, Ten-
nessee, giving a concise statement of the legal
history of the case. He, with Hon. John A.
Campbell of New Orleans — ex-attorney-general
of the United States and at one time one of the
justices of the United-States supreme court —
had been most active in the management of
the company's legal affairs of the South, and
with consummate skill had been instrumental
in bringing them to a successful result. Both
Judge Campbell and Judge Fentress — owing
to their great ability and thorough familiarity
with the laws of Tennessee, Mississippi and
Louisiana, the latter unusually, complex — were
enabled to render most valuable services in ex-
pediting settlements of complicated legal ques-
tions. Judge Fentress is now the general-
attorney of the company, resident in Chicago,
having succeeded Mr. Benjamin F. Ayer, who
held that position for many years and is now
the general-counsel of the company. The law
department of the company has always been
maintained at a high standard, and among its
legal advisers, in past years, may be found the
58
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
names of James F. Joy, Hiram Ketchum, Will-
iam Tracy, Wm. Curtis Noyes, Daniel Lord,
Charles O'Connor, Judge Ebenezer Lane,*
Judge James Emmott, Melville W. Fuller, the
present chief-justice of the United States ; W.
C. Goudy, Senator William B. Allison, Lyman
Trumbull, and John N. Jewett.
Among' those prominently identified with
the history of the road we mention the follow-
ing:
Edward Turner Jeffery who was born in
Liverpool, England, procured employment as
an office boy with Samuel J. Hayes, superinten-
dent of machinery of the Illinois Central Rail-
road in October 1856. He was afterward
placed for a while in the tin and copper shops,
and then served as an apprentice in the machine
shop, cultivating what might be regarded as
an hereditary fondness for the craft of the ma-
chinist. He then entered the department of
mechanical drawing, and, after he had mastered
this science, he was — at the age of twenty —
put in charge of this department, and was also
made secretary to the superintendent of ma-
chinery, and had charge of all new work done
ii> the shops and foundry. From February I,
1871, to May 4, 1877, he was assistant-superin-
tendent of machinery, and on that date he was
appointed general superintendent of the road
*Ebenezer Lane, jurist, was born in North Hamp-
ton, Massachusetts, December 17, 1793, and died in
Sandusky, Ohio, June 13, 1866. He was graduated
at Harvard in 1811. studied law under the guidance of
his uncle, Matthew Griswold of Lyme, Connecticut,
in 1814, and was admitted to the bar. After practis-
ing for three years in Connecticut, he removed to
Ohio and settled in Norwalk, Huron county. He be-
came judge of the court of common pleas in 1824,
and from 1837 until 1845 was judge of the supreme
court of Ohio. After his retirement from the bench,
he resumed his profession and was afterward engaged
in various relations with western railroads. Decem-
ber 6, 1855, he was elected resident-director of the
Illinois Central Railroad Company, and was their
legal adviser for three years. He withdrew from ac-
tive employment in 1859. His ability and experience
rendered his advice wise and trustworthy. Like
Rufus Choate, Horace Greeley, and some other great
nuii. he never learned to write legibly.
serving as such until December 15, 1885, when
Ivj was appointed general manager of the entire
line — a rare promotion for one of his age, the
more so when we consider his humble begin-
nings. He resigned as general manager in
1889.
His own advancement, step by step, was
fairly won without favoritism or solicitation, but
solely on the ground of merit and fitness. His
experience not only added to his capacity as a
railroad manager, but it likewise broadened his
mind and enlarged his heart and sympathies for
every honest wage-worker, especially for the
young apprentice in the shops. His official
career, in the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
was singularly successful throughout. His par-
ticular strength lay in his thorough adaptation
to the company's service and to every branch of
it in which he served, as well as in his great
industry and energy. (See biography in Part
II.)
It was my good fortune, during the seven
important years of my connection with the com-
pany, as its executive, to have so able a man
with me, and one so loyal alike to me and to the
company as was Edward T. Jeffery. He was
skillful, energetic, systematic, and economical ;
and, in all he undertook, he worked with an
intelligent comprehension of the duty in hand.
.•V harmonious feeling was maintained among
the employes, and their devotion to him was
something rarely witnessed in corporate opera-
tions.
The seven years, heretofore referred to,
were the most prosperous ones in the history
of the company. Many important additions
and improvements were made to the property
during this time, and, as the engineering de-
partment had been abolished — Mr. Leverett
II. Clarke, chief-engineer, having resigned after
a faithful service of twenty-five years — and
the construction account had been closed, the
planning and superintending of these new works
devolved largely upon the general superinten-
dent. The gross earnings were increased, the
operation expenses were kept at a very low per-
u-ntage, while at the same time, the physical
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
59
condition of the property was fully maintained
and large additions were made to its rolling
stock.
Joseph !•". Tucker was born in Saco, Maine,
September 2<). 1835. He entered the service
oi" the company September 15, 1856, and re-
mained until 1884. Five of these twenty-eight
years were spent as ticket agent, ten as genera!
freight agent, two as general superintendent, and
nearly nine as traffic manager.
that had certain of the freight agents in former
years adopted such honorable and conservative
principles in the prosecution of their business,
it is more than probable that the railway interests
of this country would have suffered less than they
have at the hands of legislatures. Many a time
at meetings and in conventions, did Mr. Tucker
warn these railroad managers and freight agents
a- to what would be the result of their doubtful
dealings. His words were not always heeded.
PHOTO LOANED BY E. H. GERRY, CHICAGO.
A representative of the locomotives used by the Illinois Central, in the Chicago suburban service.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that his
education in the traffic department was thorough
and the lessons he gained there taught him that
earnings for his road meant more than gather-
ing a large volume of profitless business for self-
glorification. The "rate per ton per mile" was
his ever present thought — and he aimed to se-
cure such a rate as would produce a reasonable
net result of profit. In this matter, he was a
wholesome example to many in similar posi-
tions and they might have studied with advan-
tage his conservative course. It is safe to assert
and when the storm came it swept into bank-
ruptcy the properties managed by the reckless
or ignorant men who had withstood him.
There is another thing about "Joe" Tucker
that is pleasant to record and that is the esteem
i1.! which he was always held by the shippers
over his line as well as by the craft of traffic
ipanagers. It was always said of him that his
word was as good as his bond, and so it was.
The shippers used to say that if he declined to
make concessions, he could always give a good
reason for the ground he took and that the re-
60
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
iusal was always made in such a kind spirit
that, although they might feel disappointed, they
could not go away offended. And in his re-
lations to other lines, it required no cast-iron
compact of any association of traffic managers
to bind him to an agreement as to maintenance
of rates. It was this spirit of fairness and in-
tegrity that made and kept him host of friends
both among freight men and shippers.
His management of the traffic business of
the Illinois Central Railroad Company extended
through some very troublous times, particular-
ly during the period when railroad commis-
sioners were sometimes appointed not so much
for their fitness as for political reward. When
these men got on the wrong track and attempted
to make unreasonable reductions, it was difficult
to reason them out of it, for they were dealing)
with a subject concerning which they were pro-
foundly ignorant, and were governed more by
prejudice, and passion, than by sound sense and
sober judgment. But Mr. Tucker's arguments
before the board of railroad and warehouse com-
missioners, evincing as they did a thorough
mastery of the subject and delivered with such
fairmindedness and honest precision, were us-
ually listened to with respectful attention and
often carried conviction to his hearers; and, in
one instance at least — aided by some sugges-
tions from his brother officers — he prevailed
upon the members of the board actually to re-
call a schedule of tariff rates which they had
ordered to take effect within a few days. He
proved clearly to the minds of the commissioners
that the practical effect of an enforcement of the
schedule would be a confiscation of railway
property and that it would also operate to the
disadvantage of the public.
John C. Welling was born near Trenton,
New Jersey, on February 24, 1840, and received
his education in that city. In 1858 he went in-
to business at Titusville, New Jersey, remained
there until 1861, when he was appointed clerk-
to John W. Newell, paymaster of the United
States army. He was in the government ser-
vice until August 1866, and then entered the
service of the Ironton Railroad and Mining Com-
pany, whose mines were located near Allentown.
Pa., and owned by Robert Lennox Kennedy of
New York. He afterward served as Mr. Ken-
nedy's private secretary until 1874, when he en-
tered the service of the I. C. Railroad Com-
pany in the financial department in New York.
September i, 1874, he removed to Chicago to
take the position of assistant treasurer. Two
years later, he was appointed auditor. His title
was afterward changed to general auditor and
then to comptroller, a title more nearly corre-
sponding to the duties performed, his office be-
ing charged with the supervision of all accounts
of the company. He was later elected vice-
president, which position he retains at the pres-
ent time.
Personally, Mr. Welling is held in very
high estimation by the board of directors, by
every brother officer, and by all the employes of
the road, especially by the young men serving
immediately under him, who find in him not
only an example of good life but a kind and help-
ful counsellor.
Benjamin Franklin Ayer was born in
Kingston, Rockingham county, New Hamp-
shire, April 22, 1825. His family is one of the
oldest in New England, he was descended in the
eighth generation from John Ayer, who had
settled in Haverhill, Mass., in 1645. After
preparing himself at the Albany, New York,
Academy, Mr. Ayer entered Dartmouth College
where he was graduated in the year 1846. He
afterward attended the Dana Law School of
Harvard College to perfect himself for the pro-
fession of the law. In July 1849, he was ad-
mitted to the bar and practised in Manchester,
New Hampshire — being endowed with natural
abilities for the profesion, he soon made a high
reputation. He was elected to the legislature
in 1853. In 1854 he was appointed prosecut-
ing attorney for Hillsborough county, New
Hampshire, and held that office until his removal
to Chicago in 1857. He was admitted to the
bar of Illinois on May I5th of the same year, and
he as rapidly rose in the regard of our people
and of the profession as lie had in his Eastern
home. In 1861 he was appointed corporation
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
IU
counsel and served as such five years, during .
which time, he prepared the revised charter of
Chicago in 1863. He was afterward of the law
firm of Beckwith, Ayer and Kales. When
Judge Corydon Beckwith withdrew to accept
the general solicitorship of the Chicago & Alton
Railroad Company, the firm was continued by
Ayer and Kales. In 1876 he was tendered the
position of general solicitor of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad Company. Prior to this, he had
devoted his attention to corporation and railroad
law and had distinguished himself in this class
of legal practice. He accepted the offer of the
Illinois Central Railroad, gave up all other prac-
tice, and has since devoted himself to the legal
department of this company. He was elected
a director of the company, April 25th, 1877,
which position he still holds. In 1890 his title
was changed to that of general counsel. Mr.
Ayer was for several years president of the
Western Railroad Association, which was or-
ganized many years since to pass upon the vali-
dity of patents affecting railways and which in-
cludes in its membership all the leading railways
of the West.
Timothy B. Blackstone, late president of
the Chicago & Alton Railway, was one of the
division engineers who assisted Col. R. B. Mason
in surveying, locating and constructing the line
of the road and was with him from May 1851,
to December 1855.
Mr. Marvin Hughitt was born in August
1837, and may be said to have begun his railroad
experience with the Chicago & Alton Railroad
in 1856, in the capacity of superintendent of
telegraph and train dispatcher. He entered the
service of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
in 1862, and occupied the positions of superin-
tendent of telegraph, train dispatcher, assistant
general superintendent, and general superinten-
dent, successively. He was appointed general
superintendent in 1866 — succeeding W. R.
Arthur, who had held that position for about
seven years — and remained in that position un-
til 1870. The period of his connection with the
company was a somewhat trying one. It was
during the stormy days of the rebellion, when
the railway service was a hard field to occupy.
The demoralization incident to the war seemed
to permeate every part of the line and unfortu-
nately it was not confined to the subordinates.
Many of the men in the different departments
having enlisted in the army, their places had to
be supplied by new and inexperienced hands.
Perfect discipline was practically impossible.
The earnings of the line were very large, but
all supplies and materials had to be bought at
war prices. The equipment, both in quantity
and quality, was inadequate to the demands up-
on it, and these demands were all the more diffi-
cult to meet with an unballasted road-bed upon
a prairie soil. These disadvantages, particular-
ly at time when the resources of the road were
greatly overtaxed, required about as much hero-
ism as any that was displayed on the field of
battle, and reflected great credit upon those who
could bring good results out of such compara-
tively disordered conditions, and Mr. Hughitt
was well entitled to a share of this credit.
For awhile, the United States government
hesitated about making payments to the com-
pany for transportation of troops and munitions
of war. Hon. Elihu B. Washburne, then a
member of congress from Illinois, took the
ground that the company was obliged under its
charter to carry them free. If congress adopted
this view, it meant bankruptcy for the road.
The matter was very thoroughly discussed and
exhaustively examined by congress, and a con-
clusion was reached in exact accordance with
the charter — that the road-bed should remain
open a "public highway" free for the transpor-
tation of troops and war materials for the
government; but that the company was not ex-
pected to furnish equipment, supplies and men
free.
The year after the close of the war, 1866,
there was a large decline in the passenger traffic
consequent upon the discontinuance of hostili-
ties. The south had been desolated by the war,
its labor system was disorganized and its in-
dustries were not yet reconstructed, so that its
impoverished people were unable to purchase
much. The southern states not taking their
62
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
x
A,
CJ
x
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
usual supply of food from the north, traffic in
that direction decreased. The road-bed and
equipment, owing to the heavy traffic of the five
years preceding, were greatly deteriorated and
this called for large expenditures in the way of
reconstruction, sadly affecting net results.
October i, 1867, the Dubuque & Sioux
City Railroad was leased ; but all the traffic at
1 hmleith had to he transported across the river
to Dubuque by ferry. This year the construc-
tion of the Dunleith and Dubuque bridge was
commenced, but it was not opened for business
until January i, 1869. In 1869 the corn crop
in central Illinois was a failure. 54 miles of
Cedar Falls & Minnesota and 49 miles of the
Jowa Falls & Sioux City railroads were con-
structed this year but both lines — the former
to Mona and the later to Sioux City — were
not completed until the following year. In
1869 the Iowa system reached the total length
of 402 miles.
In 1870 an arrangement was made with the
Ijelleville & Southern Illinois Railroad for run-
ning through trains between Cairo and St.
Louis.
In 1871 Mr. Hughitt was succeeded as
general superintendent by Mr. Abram Mitchell
having resigned to accept the position of assist •
ant general manager of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul Raihvav. In the same vear, he be
emne superintendent of the Pullman Palace Car
Com pan\'. In February 1872, his connection
with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway com-
menced, in which company he held with great
credit to himself and to the material prosperity
of said company the various positions of super-
intendent, general manager, and second vice-
president, and finally rose to the presidency.
The present managers of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad Company have a goodly heritage.
'1 hey have emulated the example of their pre-
decessors in carrying along a work born in in-
tegrity of purpose and prosecuted with heroism
under every conceivable adversity to a success-
ful completion.
The construction of the Illinois Central
marked a new era in the history of the
slate of Illinois, an era in which it could turn
from the mortification of broken pledges, and
despair of insolvencey, to the bright realiza-
tion of restored credit at home and abroad.
Well has the state profited by its sad experience,
"internal improvement" need be no longer
dreamily indulged in as a joyful anticipation of
childish fancy — for it is now being worked
out to its fullest completion. Well may its
sons rejoice, and let them not forget to honor
the memory of those who filled important parts
in the work of construction and commercial
progress.
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES.
HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES.
Among: those who were most prominent in bringing to a successful termination the organization and
early development of the Illinois Central Railroad, we mention the following:
JONATHAN STURGES was one of the
incorporators of the company, and a
director from February 10, 1851 to May
28, 1862; he was again elected, May 17,
1868, and held the office until the time of his
death, Nov. 28, 1874. He was also acting-presi-
dent at one time. In the management of this prop-
erty, he applied the same rules of commercial in-
tegrity that were employed in his own business.
In the days of its sorest trials, Mr. Sturges
proved the main-stay of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, and in the time of its greatest financial
depression when the price of its shares declined,
his great fear was that some who had been in-
duced to purchase them, owing to his official re-
lation with the company, might suffer loss. Mr.
Sturges was born at Southport, Ct., March 24,
1802. He was one of the honored merchants
of the city of New York. His business-house
was established about 1834 and was then Reed
and Sturges ; afterward it became Reed, Hemp-
stead and Sturges, and later Sturges, Bennett
and Company, wholesale grocers at No. 125
Front street. He was elected a member of the
Chamber of Commerce, July i, 1834, and was
elected its vice-president in 1863, and retired
from that office in 1867. The following is an
extract from a letter addressed to Mr. Sturges
by his brother merchants, Dec. 30, 1867, on the
occasion of his retiring from business and invit-
ing him to meet them at dinner : "Your life among
uj. of nearly half a century in the same locality
in Front Street, we can truly say has been such
as commends itself to every one both old and
young, who regard that which is -true, just, and
noble, in mercantile character." * * * *
On December 3, 1874, the directors of the
Chamber of Commerce ordered the following
minute to be entered upon their record :
"In 1868, Mr. Sturges retired from active
business with an ample fortune and a reputation
for probity and honor which is better than earth-
ly riches. He had come to be regarded as the
foremost man in the tea and coffee trades which
he had followed for so many years, and was
recognized as a wise counsellor, and a warm
and steadfast friend. The good example which
he lived doubtless did much to impart to the
whole body of traders, of which his house was
a conspicuous member, that character for integ-
rity and upright dealing which it has always
borne — which it still maintains. * * * Mr.
Sturges was a promoter of many important un-
dertakings, as well as an able coadjutor in all,
and in the discharge of his various and responsi-
ble duties, he was always governed by a recti-
tude of purpose and unswerving fidelity to his
trust. Good sense and a sound judgment were
the distinguishing characteristics of his great
worth in all corporate bodies. As one of the
founders and directors of the Bank of Commerce,
as director and acting-president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, as one of the pro-
prietors and directors of the New York and New
Haven Railroad Company, and as vice-president
of this association, he was widely known and
held in high regard. Nor was it in the walks
of business, in the counting room, and in the
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
exchange, that he was chiefly honored and be-
loved — he was a recognized patron of art. In
the church, he manifested the virtues of a Chris-
tian ; in society, the unostentatious attributes of
a gentleman ; in the service of his country, the
devoted zeal of a true patriot ; as a citizen, the
love of the philanthropist, never forgetti'ng his
obligations to the poor, the sick, and the crippled,
but extending to all the benefactions of a warm
heart and of an open hand. The homage we
paid to the good man when living we desire to
perpetuate in hallowed memories, and to this end
being signed by the officers of the chamber." He
died in the city of New York, November 28,
1874.
York.
EORGE GRISWOLD was of the firm
of N. L. and G. Griswold who occupied
a rough-granite store at No. 71 and
72 South street in the city of New
This building was a fitting emblem of
the standing and credit of the house. They
COURTESY B. A 0. R'Y.
THE HERCULES" 1837.
This was the first locomotive in the world with equalizing frames and levels.
See article Transportation Advancement.
we inscribe on our minutes the sentiments that
are graven on our hearts — of gratitude for this
life of uncommon beauty, of sincere sorrow for
our own great loss, and of our sympathy for the
family of the bereaved to whom it is ordered
that a copy of the foregoing be transmitted after
were egaged in the China trade, sailing the good
ship Panama, and did a very large business, sel-
ling Canton goods, teas, etc. J. N. A. Griswold,
son of George Griswold, who in 1855 became
president of the Illinois Central Railroad com-
pany, was sent as super-cargo on the Panama to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
69
China, and resided there for many years. Mr.
Griswold came to New York from Lyme, Conn.,
in 1794, and in 1796 the house was established.
In those early years, the merchants ruled the city,
and participation in politics was regarded not
only as honorable but as an imperative duty.
He made an excellent presiding officer at politi-
cal or popular meetings for any purpose. He
was always ready to promote the interests of the
city and added largely to its prosperity in his
day. He had many noble traits of character,
and more than one young merchant owed his
success to the help and counsel Mr. Griswold
afforded. Although well advanced in years at
the time, he took part in the organization of the
Illinois Central Railroad company, in 1851, he
was a man of such wonderful energy for his
years and possessed of such remarkable will
power, that many of the younger men engaged
with him in this important work, found it no
small task to keep up with his movements. He
was "a director in the Bank of America for many
years, and was also interested in many institu-
tions of a public character in the city of New
York. He was a member of the Presbyterian
church, attending Dr. Pott's church. He died
in New York, September 18, 1859, in the old
homestead which he had occupied for so many
years at No. 9 Washington Square.
LEROY M. WILEY was born in Han-
cock county, Georgia, on October 30,
1794. His father was born in South
Carolina, and his mother in Mecklen-
burgh county, North Carolina; they were both
of Scotch-Irish descent and were among the
early settlers in Hancock county, Georgia.
About the year 1807, they removed to Baldwin
county and resided on a farm near Milledgeville,
which had been made the capital of the state.
Here his father died, leaving his widowed mother
with seven children with limited means to fight
the battle of life alone and to provide for their
support and education. Under these circum-
stances, Leroy the eldest son, then only fifteen
years of age, was placed in a dry-goods store
in Milledgeville to earn his living and make his
way in the world. With a limited education,
by industry and integrity, faithfulness and close
application to business, he soon gained the con-
fidence of all those with whom he came in con-
tact and laid the foundation for his success in
life.
Upon his arrival at manhood, Mr. Wiley
entered into business with Thos. W. Baxter,
who had married his eldest sister, under the
name of Wiley and Baxter, and for many years
this firm continued in Milledgeville doing a
large and profitable business. After the settle-
ment of Macon, they opened an additional store
in that city where they were equally successful.
In 1832 the firm was dissolved, Baxter mov-
ing to Macon, and Wiley went to Charleston,
S. C, at the invitation of the Messrs. Parish
of New York and became associated in business
with them under the firm name of L. M. Wiley,
Parish and Company in Charleston, and Parish
and Company in New York. They did a large
and lucrative business extending throughout the
Southern States, and thus Mr. Wiley became one
of the leading merchants of the South and a man
of wealth. After the retirement of the Messrs.
Parish from business, Mr. Wiley removed to
New York and became the head of the house
under the name of L. M. Wiley and Company,
and afterward as a special partner in the firm of
W. G. Lane and Company, continuing in business
until 1854.
In the winter of 1853, he was called on an
urgent engagement to St. Louis, and through
the exposure of that journey, then partly made
by stage-coaches, and from general overwork,
he had a slight attack of paralvsis, and at the
earnest solicitation of his friends and relatives,
he retired from all mercantile pursuits. From
this time, he devoted his time and energies to
the management of his large estate and to various
enterprises in which he was engaged. He estab-
lished a large flour-mill and iron-works on the
Etowah River near Cartersville, Ga., and became
70
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
interested with others in various railroad com-
panies, and these, together with his plantation
interests, occupied his time. He was one of
the original corporators and directors of the
Illinois Central Railroad Company from 1851—
64. He was also a director and largely inter-
ested in the Great-Western Railroad Company
of Illinois, afterward the Toledo, Wabash &
Western Railroad Company. At the commence-
York, resumed his old quarters at the Astor
House, and engaged again in the various railroad
enterprises in which he was interested. The
board of directors of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company, out of respect to Mr. Wiley and in
recognition of his valuable services to the
company during its early organization, again
elected him a director. May 29, 1867, which
office he held until the time of his death.
COURTESY B. A 0. R'Y.
THE "ATLANTIC." 1832.
This is the first of the "Grasshopper" class, and is the oldest American locomotive in existence.
See article Transportation Advancement.
ment of the war, influenced by education, associ-
ation, and sentiment, he removed South to
protect his interests and to cast his lot with his
brothers and sisters, and remained quietly at
his plantation near Eufaula, Ala., which hence-
forth became his home. During his absence
South, his seat in the board was declared vacant.
May 19, 1864, on account of absenteeism. After
the restoration of peace, he returned to New
Mr. Wiley was a man of fine physique and
indomitable energy and a gentleman of the old
school. He was scrupulously honorable and just
in all his transactions, never seemed to know
what fatigue was, and his invincible will power
was felt among his subordinates in all the ram-
ifications of his extensive business. In society,
he was courteous and polite, and among his
relatives, he was exceedingly kind and generous.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
71
His three sisters were all left widows with large
families, and two of them without means.
The families of these two he supported, and
educated their children, and all of his nieces he
educated, giving them the very best advantages
the country afforded. At the commencement
of the war, he had by his own exertions and
without entering into any speculations, accumu-
lated a fortune estimated at two millions of
dollars, at a time when millionaires were not
so plentiful as they now are. During that un-
fortunate struggle, much of his property was
greatly depreciated in value, and this, together
with the effects of emancipation, swept away
one-half of his estate, which, when he died, was
valued to be about one million of dollars. Having
never married, he gave his entire property to his
three sisters and the children of his deceased
brothers. In January 1868, Mr. Wiley, while
on his journey from Georgia to New York, was
again attacked by disease of the brain, and his
friends, finding him in this condition, removed
him to the home of Mr. Gresham, who had
married his niece, in Macon, Ga. But he did
not improve, and was carried to Welanee — the
name he gave to his beautiful home in
Alabama — and there, under the tender care of
his sisters and nieces, he quietly passed away,
April 16, 1868, and his body lies at rest in
Macon, by the side of his mother.
OBERT RANTOUL, JR. was an
American statesman, born in Beverly,
Mass., August 13, 1805. He was
graduated at Harvard College in 1826
and was admitted to the Essex bar in 1827. In
1837 he was appointed a member of the Massa-
chusetts board of education. In 1838 he re-
moved to Boston, and in 1843 was appointed
by President Tyler collector of that port, and in
1845 United States district attorney for Massa-
chusetts. Hiram Ketchum — a celebrated lawyer
of New York, and an intimate personal friend
of Daniel Webster, and who strenuously advo-
cated his nomination to the presidency, suggested
the latter's name as a fit person to draft the char-
ter of the Illinois Central Railroad, but Webster
could not give it attention and named Rantoul,
who did most of the work at his Boston office.
Hon. George White, now judge of probate for
Norfolk County, was then a student in Rantoul's
office, and copied out the first draft in his hand-
writing. Probably Ketchum aided Rantoul in
formulating the charter; there were, however,
radical changes made in it before its final passage,
which Mr. Rantoul personally superintended in
Springfield. By a coincidence, while thus en-
gaged, he was elected by the Massachusetts legis-
lature to serve out Daniel Webster's term in
the United States senate, which had been tem-
porarily filled by Robert C. Winthrop under an
appointment of the governor, entering the senate.
February 22, 1851, twelve days after the Illi-
nois Central Railway charter was passed. He
wrote to his son on taking his seat a letter in
which occurs this passage "I arrived this fore-
noon from St. Louis, my mission to Illinois has
been completely successful. I have obtained a
charter which the western senators here call
worth five or six millions. This however is
to be ascertained by the result of the experiment."
After Mr. Rantoul's services of a few weeks
in the senate, he was succeeded by Charles
Sumner for the long term. He was elected to
the house of representatives the same year, 1851,
for the first time, and died before his term ex-
pired, August 7, 1852.
Said his historian : ''Of the great men who
in 1852 were summoned to "put on immortality,"
Robert Rantoul, Jr., in all the elements of moral
worth, intellectual activity, practical usefulness,
and beneficence to mankind, was one of the
greatest. His life was a scene of incessant labor
in the cause of liberty, justice, and humanity.
Of every subject to which he directed his
attention gaining with unparalleled . facility a
profound knowledge, a thorough mastery, he de-
voted his acquirements with honest and inflexable
purpose to advance the welfare of society; yet
lie sounded no trumpet before" him. His manners
72
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
were gentle, quiet, and unostentatious. * * *
Few men have been called from the scenes of
American civil life whose death caused more
unaffected sorrow and tender grief."
One of the laudable acts of his life was the
effort he made for the abolition of capital punish-
ment and his report is still one of the standard
authorities on the subject. In politics, Mr. Ran-
tou! was a democrat and an earnest advocate
but he was unsuccessful. When in 1863, Ran-
toul's son — the present mayor of Salem, Mass.,
was introduced to President Lincoln at the White
House, the latter referred to this fact and ac-
knowledged he did all he could to stop it, but
added with a laugh and slapping his lank thighs,
"Your father beat me, he beat me!"
Rantoul was the author of an interesting
pamphlet entitled : "Letter on the value of the
COURTESY B. A O. R'Y.
THE "MT. CLARE." 1845.
Named after the oldest railroad shops in the world. See article Transportation Advancement.
of free-trade. He defended the first fugitive
slave arrested in Massachusetts under the act
of 1850.
At the time application was made to the
legislature of Illinois for the Illinois Central Rail-
road charter, there . were certain Western capi-
talists who desired to secure it, as they did not
wish the project to go to Eastern capitalists.
Abraham Lincoln was employed on their behalf
public lands of Illinois" which he wrote in 1850.
It was an inquiry as to the prospective value of
lands in Illinois and an examination of the con-
siderations which would probably influence the
settlement of the state. In this pamphlet, he com-
pared the lands of our state with those of the
older states and .showed how the latter had been
affected in value by railway construction. The
pamphlet teems with valuable statistical infonna-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
73
tion, and we quote extensively from it. At that
time, 1850, it appears that the unsold lands in
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, were as follows :
Ohio, containing 25,576,960 acres, had unsold 367,742
Indiana, " 21,637,760 " " " 1,511,266
Illinois, " 35,459,200 ' 11,449,471
He estimated that eleven million acres of land
not taken up in Illinois would supply a popula-
tion of little more than four hundred thousand
persons with twenty-eight acres each, and pre-
dicted that this increase at the ordinary rate
would occur in six or s'even years, and that if
the rate of increase should not be checked, five
hundred and sixty-five thousand persons would
be added to the population in eight years, and
nine hundred and five thousand in twelve years,
this at the ordinary rate. He then went on to
show what, in his belief, would be the effect of
the settlement of the Illinois Central Railroad
lands, and estimated the following increases in
population by land districts :
District. Rate of increase. Pop, I860
yuincy and Chicago, 66% per cent, 525,225
Dixon, Danville and Vandalia, 240 " 640,009
Other five, 80 " 633,620
1,798,854
His estimate was very nearly reached. The
population of our State in 1850 was 851,470 and
in ten years, 1860, it had reached 1,711,951.
Referring to the debt of Illinois and its
effect upon emigration to that State, he says :
"During the last ten years, Illinois has la-
bored under a debt of a magnitude absolutely
overwhelming, when compared with her re-
sources at the commencement of that period.
She had then before her a very gloomy alterna-
tive. If she endeavored to meet even the in-
terest of her obligations, she would be crushed
under the weight of an intolerable taxation, from
which her most able and enterprising citizens
would have fled into other states. If she aban-
doned the effort in despair of the possibility of
success, then she must suffer all the consequences
of the total loss of credit consequent on her bank-
ruptcy. In neither case, did it seem to be prob-
able that her public works could be made avail-
able toward the discharge of .the debt incurred
for them or aid to develop the resources of the
State. Why should an emigrant from the old
world, or from the states, with the broad valley
of the Mississippi open before him where to
choose, voluntarily assume a full share of these
embarrassments by becoming a citizen of Illinois?
The answer which the emigrants have given to
this question may be seen in the settlement of
Wisconsin which state, with a colder climate and
harder soil than Illinois, has added to her popu-
lation more than eight hundred and eighty per
cent in the last ten years — a progress unpre-
cedented in the history of the world in any agri-
cultural community.
"Ten years ago, Illinois, borne down with
debt, had not only not a mile of railroad, or canal,
or plank road, in operation within her borders,
but no reasonable plan had been agreed upon
by which she could hope to diminish her debt,
discharge her interest, or acquire facilities of
communication. She has now her canal debt
rapidly approaching toward extinction, revenues
sufficient in a very short time to discharge her
whole interest without increasing the rate of
taxation, one hundred miles of canal, and a still
geater length of railroad in highly profitable
operation, with plank roads in great numbers
paying dividends large enough to insure the ear-
ly construction of several thousand miles more.
Not only so but she has before her the certainty
that she will be supplied with more than twelve
hundred, perhaps it may be safely said, more
than fifteen hundred miles of railroad in the
next five or six years ; and channels are already
constructed to convey her products, transported
to her borders on these railroads, through Michi-
gan, Indiana, and the Eastern states, to the sea-
board and abroad. If, paralyzed as she was for
the last ten years, her growth was at about the
same rate as that of Michigan, having less than
half as dense a population, with her railroads and
her lake borders and her steamboats ; about the
same as that of Missouri with only two-thirds as
dense a population, and with the Queen Citv of
the Great River in her centre receiving the whole
current of emigration up the Mississippi ; about
the same numerically as that of Wisconsin and
74
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Iowa together, these two starting with a hundred
thousand square miles of land unoccupied, whol-
ly unencumbered with debt and accessible from
the lake and from the river — why should she
not, in her present healthy condition, her limbs
unshackled and her pathway free before her, ad-
vance with the step of a giant refreshed, toward
her natural position among the first in popula-
tion, power, and wealth of the North American
is not worth so much as a bushel of corn costing
twenty cents which can be carried for tea cents
to the same market and sold for the same price
of thirty-six cents. A saving of twenty cents
per bushel on the transportation of your corn
is the saving of ten dollars on the crop of an acre
reckoned at fifty bushels ; and this sum is twen-
ty per cent interest on a first cost of fifty dollars
per acre. It will be better economy, therefore,
COURTESY B. A O. F.-Y.
THE "DRAGON." 1848.
This is one of the oldest examples of the Baldwin Locomotive Works extant. See article Locomotive Advancement.
confederacy of states? * * But, it may be
asked, will not a larger portion of the additional
population coming into the valley of the Missis-
sippi, diverge into the new states and so be drawn
off from Illinois?
Certainly not to the inaccessible portions
of those states — - because a bushel of corn cost-
ing six cents which can be carried for thirty cents
to a market where it will sell for thirty-six cents,
taking the article of corn as a criterion, to buy
land in the south part of the Danville district at
fifty dollars per acre, when the prices by compe-
tition for it shall have been raised so high, and
you have a double-track railroad within twelve
miles of your farm, than it would have been
to buy the same land at a dollar and a quarter
per acre when there was no practicable outlet
for your produce.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
75
"Corn was carried during the summer from
a point several miles above the mouth of the Illi-
nois River down to the Illinois, thence up that
river to the canal, thence to Chicago, and thence
to New York, and there sold at a profit. Corn
was not low in Illinois last summer, but in New
York is was considerably lower than the average
of the last four years. Corn will go to market
cheaper from the lands in the Danville district
on the line of the Chicago branch of the Central
road than from the point of shipment on the
Mississippi first referred to. Corn is so cheap
and bulky that all other agricultural produce
may be carried much further on the railroad
without too great an addition to its price. All
produce for which a market can be found at the
seaboard will bear the cost of transportation from
Illinois.
"Xor need we be alarmed at the vast amounts
of produce which these unsettled tracts are capa-
ble of yielding. The Northwest never received
so great an accession to its population in any
equal period as in the last five years ; the emigra-
tion from foreign countries, most of which passes
to the Northwest, having risen to 299,610 in 1849.
and to 315,333 in 1850, instead of less than
50,000 a year as it was formerly. Yet with this
unparalleled increase of laborers cultivating the
richest soil of the world, with the new avenues
to market that have been opened during that
time, all pouring to the seaboard the surplus of
a succession of bountiful harvests in quantities
unheard of before, and at much lower freights
than before, the supply has not kept pace with
the demand as is shown by the fact that agricul-
tural products, almost without exception, have
borne much higher prices during the last four
years than during the four next preceding. The
following are the average prices of the whole
quantities of some of the principal articles ex-
ported from the United States during the two
periods :
Flour, 1843-4-5-6, $4.79 1847-8-9-50, $5.77
Wheat, " " .96V l-2S^
Corn, " " .55 -71>4
'The prices of pork and other animal pro-
ducts differ also in about the same proportion.
The difference extends also to southern products,
so that labor will not be diverted at the South
from their peculiar staples, to wheat, corn, pork,
and the articles which now employ Northwestern
labor. The prices were :
Cotton, 1843-4-5-0, $ .068728 1847-S-9-50, $ .08417
Rice, " " 17.66 22.24
Tobacco, " " 52.1.5 59.47
''Stimulated by this rise of prices, the ex-
ports of the last four years exceeded those of the
four years previous in vegetable food and the
products of animals alone by about one hundred
millions of dollars in the total :
The animal products, exported from 1843-46
inclusive, were valued at - - - $24,153,331
And the vegetable food at 47,335,438
Making an aggregate of $71,488,769
"But, during the period from 1847-50 in-
clusive, the exports of animal products
were about doubled and amounted to $ 47,354,655
The vegetable food was more than doubled
being 123,720,738
Total - - $171,075,393
Subtract amount for previous four years, 71,488,769
$ 99,586,624
"The demand for Northwestern products
for exportation is, however, far from being the
only dependence of the producer. The home
demand increases and must continue to increase
in a ratio even greater than the foreign demand.
As the country grows richer, a larger proportion
of its population is withdrawn from agricultural
pursuits to be employed in manufactures and
mining, and in fhe management of internal ex-
changes and transportation, and foreign naviga-
tion and commerce. All these persons ceasing
to grow their own food and consuming freely,
since, taken as a whole, they have ample means
to purchase, create a continually expanding de-
mand, which for the last five years at least, has
not been overtaken by the supply. This progress
in this country is far beyond that of any other
part of the world in the rapidity with which it
proceeds. This communication would extend to
too great a length if I should collect all the ele-
ments which would be necessary to judge ac-
curatelv how fast this change goes on. But for
76
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the present purpose and with a view to contrast
the multitudes of men devoted now to other than
agricultural pursuits with the small numbers of
a time not far distant, let us compare a few par-
ticulars of the years 1830 and 1850.
In the year 1830, the anthracite coal sent to
market from the mines of Pennsylvania was less
than 175,000 tons. In 1850, it was about twenty
times that amount. In 1830, the iron produced
in the United States was about 165,000 tons or
"The instruments of transportation compare
as follows after an interval of twenty years only :
Miles of canal in operation,
Miles of railroad in operation,
Miles of railroad in construction,
Tons of shipping, 1
Tons of shipping built in the
year - - - -
Number of steamers built in
last five years -
1830
1,277
73
338
191,776
1850
3,698
8,779
11,000
3,535,454
58,094 272.218
196
965
COURTESY B A 0. R'Y.
THE "PERKINS."
The first of the type of heavy ten-wheel locomotives. See article Transportation Advancement.
about as much as Great Britain produced in 1800.
In 1850, the United States produced about four
times as much as in 1830 or about the same
quantity that Great Britain produced in 1830.
The cotton manufacturers in the United States
consumed in 1830, 45,000,000 of pounds of raw
material ; in 1850, 270,000,000 of pounds or six
times as great a quantity.
"The imports of the year 1830 were $70,-
876,920, but in 1850 they had risen to $178,138,-
318. This increased purchase of course took off
increased quantities of products to pay for it.
The imports in the four years ending with 1830
were $313,363,339 ; for the four years ending with
1850, they were $627,519,323, while the exports
for four years ending in 1830 were $300,797,692,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
77
and for the four years ending in 1850, they were
$610,339,598. The imports having doubled in
twenty years, the exports have doubled also.
Has the whole demand, both domestic and for-
eign taken together, been sufficient to keep up
the prices of the surplus products of the North-
west, as compared with the prices of manufac-
tured and imported articles which the farmer
purchases with the disposable portion of his crop?
The answer to this question determines whether
the inducements to settle in the Northwest are
gaining strength ; for it is the amount which his
surplus 'Mill purcliase that determines the ques-
tion whether the fanner will grow rich or poor.
"If we compare the four years with the four
preceding, we shall find: i. That goods
manufactured in the Eastern States have become
much cheaper. 2. That imported articles have
grown cheaper. 3. That agricultural products
command much higher prices than before. 4.
That the cost of transporting agricultural pro-
duce from the West to the seaboard, and manu-
factured and imported articles from the seaboard
to the West has been materially diminished and
i". likely to be still more so.
"Each of these four changes is of vast im-
portance to the settlers on public lands, and their
combined influence has caused wealth to pour
in like a flood into those sections of the North-
west having convenient access to the markets
of the world. Of the effect of this tribute of
wealth upon the accumulations of those com-
munities who receive it, I give as an instance,
that the wealth of the thirteen northern counties
of Illinois was six times as great in 1849 as it has
been nine years before in 1840, as follows.
Population and valuation of the thirteen
counties on the line of the Chicago & Galena
Railroad in 1840 and 1849 :
L-OI-STIES POP. 1840 1850 VAL. 1840 VAL. 1849
Jo Daviess, 6,180 18,767 383,715 2,785,225
Stephenson, 2,800 11,666 125,485 837,685
Winnebas<o, 4,609 11,731 222,630 1,564,617
McHenry. 2,578 15,800 88,930 1,545,277
Lake, 2,634 14,134 95,385 1,222,088
DeKalb, 1,697 7,544 66,945 720,108
Kane, 6,551 16,242 289,565 1,442,001
DuPage, - 3,535 9,290 196,290 943,503
Cook, -
Boone, - -
Kendall,
Carroll,
Ogle. -
10,201
1,705
new
1,023
3,479
43,280
7,627
7,730
4,58(1
10,020
1,864,205
55,990
7,617,102
717,292
1,205,739
370,372
971,230
85,345
175,555
46,992 178,417 3,630,040 21,942,239
Population in 1840, 46,992. Valuation,
$3.630,040; per head, $77.25.
Population in 1850, 178,417, by United
States census.
Deduct 15,000, increase 1849 to 1850.
Population in 1849, 1^>3,417- Valuation,
$21,942,239; per head, $134.27."
The town of "Rantoul" 114 miles south of
Chicago was named after him.
JOHN F. A. SANFORD was an incorpora-
tor of the Illinois Central Railroad com-
pany and one of its directors from Feb.
10, 1851 to March 18, 1857; he was of
the firm of Pierre Chouteau, Jr. and Company,
extensive traders in furs and other commodities
with the far-northwest country — they had ware-
houses in St. Louis and New York. Chouteau
was also a director of the company from 1857 to
1860. He was born in St. Louis, Jan. 19, 1789.
He was of French extraction, his father and
uncle, Auguste, were the founders of the city
of St. Louis and gave> it its name; they were
both born in New Orleans. Pierre was at first
a clerk with his father and uncle, who were then
largely engaged in the fur trade with the Indians,
but soon entered into business for himself. May
i, 1813, Berthold and Chouteau opened their new
firm in St. Louis with a general stock of mer-
chandise. This was the origin and foundation
of what afterward, by the addition of two new
partners — John P. Cabenne and Bernard Pratte,
Sr. — with their added capital, became the great
and wealthy "American Fur Company" to trade
with the Indian tribes on the Upper Missouri;
and which for many years almost monopolized
the fur trade of the upper country and acquired
78
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
large wealth. Following the Indians as they
receded from point to point, Chouteau established
himself at different points on the Missouri river
and finally at Fort Benton, Montana, at the head
of navigation of the Missouri river. In 1806,
he visited Dubuqne to trade with the Sacs and
Foxes, ascending and descending the river in
canoes. He also followed the Indians as they
receded up the Osage river, and up the Missis-
U the Falls of St. Anthony, and northwestward
to the Blackfeet country ; monopolizing the fur
trade of the entire region east of the Rocky
Mountains and also controlling the trade of Santa
Fe in New Mexico. This business necessitated
the employment of a large amount of capital,
and large transactions in the Eastern cities were
carried on, so that Chouteau was finally obliged
to take up his residence in New York ; but he
THE FIRST PASSENGER "MOGUL."
WINAN'S "CAMEL-BACK" IN BACKGROUND TO RIGHT.
The "600" was regarded as representative of the highest type of American locomotive twenty-five years ago.
See' article^Transportation Advancement.
sippi from Keokuk to St. Paul, having trading
posts all along the rivers. In 1834, he and his
associates purchased the interest of John Jacob
Astor in the American Fur Company, and in
1839 they formed the trading company which,
under the firm name of P. Chouteau, Jr. and
Company, extended its operations southward as
far as the Cross Timbers in Texas, northward
afterward returned to St. Louis. In 1808, act-
ing under the instructions of Governor Lewis, he
concluded an important treaty with the Osages
fixing the boundary between them and the
whites. In 1819 he was a member of the con-
vention which framed the first constitution for
the state of Missouri, but with this exception,
he never engaged in politics. Both Chouteau
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
70
and Sanford were exceedingly just in their deal-
ings with the Indians, and by this means gained
their confidence and were enabled to carry on
their trading with them amicably, and through
these transactions amassed a large fortune.
Chouteau died in St. Louis on Sept. 8, 1865.
Fort Pierre, 1300 miles above St. Louis on the
west bank of the river, was named in compli-
ment to Pierre Chonteau.
Owing to his generous treatment of the In-
dians and the great confidence placed in him by
them, Sanford was appointed by the United
States government Indian-agent for the Man-
dans, Rickarees, Minatarees, Crows, Kniste-
neaux, Assineboin, and Blackfeet tribes, and
made frequent trips up the Missouri and went
among the Indian tribes, and his very presence
among these hostile people always restored con-
fidence and courage. The speech of Ha-wan-
je-tah — the one horn, a Sioux chief,* will serve
to show the estimation in which Major Sanford
was held by them :
"My father, I am glad to see you here to-
day : my heart is always glad to see my father
when he comes — our Great Father who sends
him here is very rich and we are poor. Our
friend who is on your right hand — meaning
Pierre Chouteau — we all know is very rich and
we have heard that he owns the great medicine-
canoe. He is a good man and a friend to the
red man. My father, I hope you will have pity
on us, we are very poor." After these words,
he took off his beautiful war-eagle head-dress,
his shirt and leggings, his necklace of grizzly
bear's claws, and his moccasins, and tying them
together, laid them gracefully down at the feet
of Major Sanford as a present. Major Sanford
made a short speech in reply, thanking him for
the valuable present which he had made him,
and for the very polite and impressive manner
in which it had been done, and sent to the steamer
for a quantity of tobacco and other presents
which were given to him in return.
He frequently visited Washington with
representatives of these different tribes ; an amus-
228.
* "Catlin's North American Indians," Vol. 1, page
ing and interesting story is told also by Catlin
of a young Assineboin, Wi-jun-jon — the pigeon's
egg head, who was selected by Maj. Sanford
to represent his tribe in a delegation which visited
Washington City under his charge in the winter
of 1832. With Major Sanford, the Assineboin,
together with representatives of several others
of those Northwestern tribes descended the Mis-
souri river on their way to Washington in a
Mackinac boat from the mouth of the Yellow
Stone. Wi-jun-jon and another of his tribe, at
the first approach to the civilized settlements,
commenced a register of the white men's houses
or cabins by cutting a notch foe each on the side
of a pipe stem, in order to be able to show when
they got home how many white men's houses
they saw on the journey : as the cabins increased
in numbers, they soon found their pipe stem
filled with marks, and they determined to put
the rest of them on the handle of a war-club
which was soon marked all over likewise. At
length while the boat was moored at the shore,
Wi-jun-jon and his companion stepped into the
bushes and cut a long stick upon which they
afterward attempted to copy the notches from
the pipe-steam and club, but the cabins increased
so in number that they, after consulting a little,
pitched their sticks overboard. Wi-jun-jon was
absent a year on his trip to Washington and when
he returned to his tribe with Major Sanford,
he was decked in a full suit of colonel's uniform
which had been presented to him in Washing-
ton. He wore with it a beaver hat and a blue
umbrella. Catlin frequently accompanied Maj.
Sanford in his visits to the different Indian tribes
and in this way procured the interesting views
and 'portraits with which his works are illus-
trated; and to the correctness of which Major
Sanford certifies. It took about three months
for a steamboat to reach the mouth of the Yel-
low Stone from St. Louis. The steamer, Yel-
low Stone, on her first trip up .the Missouri, had
Catlin and Sanford on board. As she approached
the Mandan village, she fired a salute of twenty
guns, which caused great alarm among the In-
dians. When they stepped aboard they met,
to their great surprise and delight, their old
80
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
friend Major Sanford, their agent, and this put
an end to all their fears. Mr. Sanford married
Miss Emilie, the daughter of Chouteau. He was
a genial gentleman of polished and graceful
manners, and of fearless nature, which mani-
fested itself either when driving a spirited horse
or facing an hostile savage. The cares and
anxieties of the immense business transacted by
his firm, but largely devolving upon him,
weighed heavily upon his mind, and at last it
succumbed to the strain. He died in New York
in 1857, much beloved and respected by all who
were brought into commercial or social relations
with him.
to purchase large tracts of land, "they both be-
ing in affluent circumstances." Whilst Richard
was living in New York, a son was born to him,
in 1672, and called Lewis, after his uncle. "Six
months after this child's birth" — so runs the
old record — - "the father, Richard, died, and in
a few weeks the mother also died, and this child,
the sole one of the family and name at that
period in this country, was left at nurse among
strangers at Harlem." Such part of young
Lewis' papers and other property as had escaped
the pillage of servants and soldiers was placed
by the Dutch — then in possession of New-
York — under the care and management of some
PHOTOGRAPH LOANED BY GEORGE E. PETERS. CHICAGO.
The present type of switch engine used by the Illinois Central R'y Co.
OUVERNEUR MORRIS of Morrisa-
nia, was the only child of Gouverneur
Morris and Anne Cary Randolph,
and was born at Morrisania, New
York, on February 9, 1813.
The earliest record of the Morris family in
America dates from about the time of the
Restoration, 1660, when Colonel Lewis Morris,
having played a bold and daring part in opposi-
tion to King Charles, being then in the Island
of Barbadoes, and thinking it imprudent to re-
turn to England, directed his thoughts and
aspirations toward America. Accordingly, he
sent his brother Richard to New York empowered
of the principal inhabitants, and a guardian was
appointed for the infant. When New York was
restored to the British in 1674, Lewis Morris, Sr.,
came from the Barbadoes, took charge of his
nephew, and settled upon his lands in New
Jersey, improving at the same time his estate
in Westchester Co., which by the royal patent
of 1676 was called the lordship or manor of
Morrisania. Before leaving Barbadoes, Lewis
Morris, Sr. had unfortunately married a woman
of low extraction and bad conduct whom he
brought with him to America. During Morris'
last illness, this woman destroyed all the family
papers she could lay her hands on, and so re-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
81
modelled his will as to leave herself and one
P.ichley, her accomplice, the whole personal es-
tate and all the negroes and silver. The fraud,
however, was so evident that when young Lewis
came of age, some years after his uncle's death,
the legislature gave him possession of the
estate as his uncle's heir-at-law. Lewis Morris
married Isabella Graham, a near relative of the
Marquis of Mont rose, by whom he had fifteen
children, of whom five daughters and two sons
survived him. At different times, he held the
offices of chief justice of New York and New
Jersey, state councillor and acting governor in
1731 and governor of New Jersey in 1738.
In the quaint old family record kept by
himself, Lewis Morris says : "I begin the year
the 25th of March. I was born at Tintern in
New Jersey in 1698, Sept. 23, and I was married
by Wm. Vesey [the first rector of Trinity
Church] on March 17, 1723, to Mrs Sarah
Staats." The issue of this marriage was three
sons and one daughter. Lewis, the eldest son,
was "born the 8th day of April 1726." He was
afterward one of the signers of the Declaration
of American Independence. Sarah Staats, the
first wife of Lewis Morris, died in 1731, and
Morris married, November 3, 1846, "Mrs. Sarah
Gouverneur," and the issue of this marriage
was four daughters and one son — Gouverneur,
who was born on January 30, 1752, and who
played so distinguished a part in the struggle
for American freedom and in the formation of
the constitution, and who, during the stormy
days of the revolution in France, stoutly main-
tained the integrity of his government in the
fulfilment of his duties as accredited minister
to the' French court. In the autumn of 1798,
Gouverneur Morris returned to America after
an absence of ten years, and rebuilt the house at
Morrisania in which he had been born, and,/
which having been within the enemy's lines
during the revolution, had seen so many stormy
days. In 1809 Gouverneur Morris married Miss
Anne Gary Randolph, the daughter of Thos.
Mann Randolph, Esquire, of .Tuckahoe, Virginia,
and in 1816 Morris died, leaving to her the care
6
of his son and also of his estates, in which she
was to have a life interest.
Morrisania was far removed during the
early part of the century from the busy parts of
New York city, and communication was only
easy by means of the family carriage. Occa-
sional trips into town and rare journeys not
comfortable and often dangerous through New
\ork state to Jefferson County to inspect lands
— called the "Morris tract," lying along the St.
Lawrence River — seem to have been the principal
breaks in the life of of young Gouverneur, who
with only the companionship of his mother, and
occupied by the various interests connected with
his farm, grew to man's estate. On May 28,
1837, Mrs. Morris died and Morris became
possessed of his father's estates and responsi-
bilities. After Mrs. Morris' death, the house
at Morrisania was closed for some years and
during this period Morris mingled somewhat
in the society of New York and among his
numerous kinsfolk.
-i The extensive field for men of intelligence
and enterprise which was opened by the project-
ing and building of railways, early attracted Mor-
ris' attention ; he foresaw the great effect they
would have in helping to build up and develop the
varied interests of the whole country, and there-
fore devoted himself earnestly to the work. His
first effort in this field was in connection with the
New York & Harlem Railroad. The company
had by herculean efforts completed the road in
1838 from the city hall to Harlem, I25th street,
in the course of which it had blasted its way
through many deep rock cuttings, and had per-
formed the wonderful feat, for that early day,
of driving a tunnel of several hundred feet in
length through the rock at Yorkville hill, and
had built a long and high viaduct across the
Harlem flats at great expense. The road was
made a double track and had cost so much that the
company found its finances completely exhausted
on reaching this point, as also were its powers
to proceed further under its charter. About
this time, 1838, another company was chartered
by the legislature of the State of New York,
called the New York & Albany Railroad Com-
82
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
pany, empowered to build a road from New
York to Albany. Gouverneur Morris and other
gentlemen interested in the Harlem road, con-
ceived and carried out the idea of purchasing this
charter and consolidating it with the Harlem,
which being accomplished, opened the way for
extending the Harlem railroad beyond the
Harlem River. Railroads were then in their
infancy and people were timid about investing
H. Morris. Morris had the satisfaction of see-
ing the completion of this extention and its
opening for business in 1841. From this time
forward for many years, he acted as a director
in the company, taking a very active part in con-
ducting its affairs, and at one time held the
office of vice-president. He exerted himself in
having the road extended from time to time Un-
til it reached its final completion in 1852, by a
THE LAST OF THE "CAMEL-BACK" TYPE.
money in them so that it seemed probable that
the extention would have to be abandoned. In
this emergency, Morris came forward and per-
sonally supplied the means with which to extend
the road as far as Williamsbridge in Westchester
County, about seven miles, making use of the
railway bridge built for wagon travel across the
Harlem River at the head of Fourth avenue,
that bridge being owned by Gouverneur Morris
and his cousins Gerard W. Morris and William
connection with the Boston & Albany Road at
Chatham Four Corners in Columbia county, New
York, one hundred and thirty miles from the
city. The last fifty miles of the road from Dover
Plains to Chatham Corners — called the "Albany
extension" — were built in 1851-2 by Morris in
partnership with George L. Schuyler and Sidney
G. Miller as chief contractors. Seeing the im-
portance to the Harlem Railroad of having a
connection with deep water tide at its southern
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
83
terminus, Morris undertook and completed in
1850 the construction of the Port Morris branch
road from a point near the Melrose station on
the main line to a point on the East river oppo-
site Flushing Bay, including the building of
ample wharf accommodations for large vessels.
This road was built upon Morris' own lands and
with money supplied entirely by himself. He
was one of the incorporators of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad company and a director from the
date of its incorporation to August 4, 1854.
In 1850, with George Barker and others,
Morris built the Vermont Valley Railroad, twen-
ty-two miles long, from Brattleboro to Bellows
Falls on the Connecticut river. He became a
director in the company and subsequently was
chosen president. His career as a railway pro-
jector and builder ended when he retired from
the presidency of the Vermont Valley Road about
1879. Morris, in 1852, commenced to build the
Treverton & Susquehanna Railroad in Pennsyl-
vania. This road, sixteen miles long, including
a very long bridge over the Susquehanna river,
was a most difficult work, requiring much time
and care in its execution. It was, however, very
satisfactorily completed in 1855. Associated
with George L. Schuyler, J. S. Stranahan, Josiah
W. Baker, Charles G. Case, and Sidney G. Miller,
Morris entered into contract with the Albany &
Susquehanna Railroad Company in 1853, to build
its road from Albany to Binghamton in Broome
county on the Erie Railway, a distance of one
hundred and forty miles. The work was com-
menced soon after the contract was signed, and
the grading was quite far advanced when, in
1854, a difference of opinion arising between the
company and the contractors, work was stopped,
the contractors considering themselves justified
in abandoning it. As early as 1839, Morris be-
came persuaded that the progress of railways
through the country could not be arrested by
the timidity of persons unwilling to put their
money in them, and to a number of gentlemen
averse to subscribing for the completion of the
New York & Albany road, he plainly stated
this conviction. "Gentlemen," said he, "it makes
no difference how dilatory you are in the matter,
within thirty years there will be steam communi-
cation from Boston pierhead to the Pacific."
The less far-seeing among this group of gentle-
men were inclined to treat the prediction as a
flight of the imagination, but many of them lived
to see the prophecy fulfilled, for, exactly thirty
years and four months after it was made the last
spike was driven in the Pacific Railway.
In February 1842, Mr. Morris married his
cousin, Miss Martha Jefferson Cary, of Virginia,
and by her had ten children of whom five survive
him. Mrs. Morris died in 1873, and in 1876,
Mr. Morris married his cousin, Miss Anna Mor-
ris. After his second marriage, he lived quietly
at Pelham, where he died after a long illness,
August 20, 1888, aged seventy-five years.
The period of one hundred and thirty-eight
years covered by the lives of the two men, father
and son, was one of vast interest to the civilized
world. It embraced the American revolution for
independence, the revolution in France for liber-
ty, the development of the far-reaching power
of the press, the perfecting of the locomotive-
engine which has opened up the immense re-
sources of America, and the unfolding of the
amazing power of the electric telegraph. With
keen intelligence, the two Morrises, father and
son, conceived and prophesied the development
of their country, and each, in his generation,
labored earnestly for its advancement.
Mr. Morris was a man of powerful physi-
que, had a robust and generous nature, and pos-
sessed broad views regarding matters of public
policy. He was somewhat negligent of his per-
sonal appearance, but with commendable pride,
he always signed his name "Gouverneur Morris
of Morrisania."*
FRANKLIN HAVEN was born May 30,
1804. When the Merchants Bank of
Boston was incorporated in 1831, Mr.
Haven accepted the office of cashier.
He was elected, 1836, its president, which office
he continued to hold until Jan. 1884, having
* "Gouverneur Morris," by Anne Cary Morris,
Genealogical and Biographical Kecord, January, 1889.
84
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
served the institution in the two capacities for
over half a century. At the time of his resigna-
tion, he was succeeded by his son Franklin
Haven, Jr. He continued a director, however,
until March 1885, when he resigned that position
and was succeeded by Abbott Lawrence.
In 1838, he was appointed pension agent
for New England and held that office seventeen
years. He was also appointed sub-treasurer at
recognition of his services. Mr. Haven is a gen-
tleman of striking features, tall and erect, of
courtly bearing and possessed of great dignity
of manner as well as kindly feeling, and is per-
fectly upright in all his business relations.
Among the people of New England and especial-
ly among the bankers and merchants, none stand
higher in the estimation of their fellowmen than
he.
A "CAMEL BACK."
Boston in 1849 an^ resigned in 1853, but at the
request of President Pierce continued a year lon-
ger. As chairman of the commission on public
lands of the state in 1859, and many years sub-
sequent, he had much to do with the growth and
development of the city of Boston over what is
known as the Back Bay, now the most beautiful
part of the city. He enjoyed the acquaintance
and esteem of Daniel Webster, and after his
death and that of his son Fletcher, became guar-
dian of Fletcher's children. He was an incor-
porator of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
and a director from Feb. 10, 1851 to May 28,
1862, and gave much of his valuable time to the
affairs of the company. As he resided in Bos-
ton, he was obliged to make a journey to New
York each time he attended a board-meeting,
which he did with frequency. When he retired
from the directory, the board made a handsome
JOSEPH W. ALSOP was for many years
of the firm of Alsop and Chauncey of
New York, formerly Alsop, Wetmore
and Cryder, one of the greatest of New
York's old mercantile houses. The Alsops trace
back their ancestry to Richard Alsop, who was
lord mayor of Dublin in 1597. Joseph W. Al-
sop was descended from one of the oldest fami-
lies in Connecticut, which had settled at Middle-
town before the revolution, early in the eigh-
teenth century ; Middletown being at that time
a commercial seaport doing more business than
New Haven and Hartford combined.
Joseph W. Alsop was born in Middletown,
November 22, 1804. He received a common-
school education. At the age of fifteen, he en-
tered the commission-house, of which his father
was senior partner, as clerk. The house then
commanded a large share of the West-Indian
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
85
and South-American trade, and in the capacity
of agent, Alsop made several voyages to Santa
Cruz and other commercial ports.
He came to New York in 1824, and soon
thereafter began business in his own name.
Branches of the house of Alsop and Company
were established on the western coast of South
America, where they are still conducted under
the same firm-name and where they now, almost
alone, maintain the repute of American com-
merce in fields from which it has been driven by
our own stupid legislation. In 1842, on the re-
turn of Henry Chauncey — at that time one of
our first merchants — from South America, the
firm of Alsop and Chauncey was formed. The
partnership continued until the death of Chaun-
cey about fifteen years ago. Shortly before the
discovery of gold in California, William H. As-
pinwall, in connection with the old house of How-
land and Aspinwall, started a line of steamships
to run in connection with the Panama R. R. In
both of these enterprises, the New York branch
of Alsop and Chauncey took a prominent part.
Aspinwall, upon whom the principal labor of
establishing the railroad devolved, subsequent-
ly said that had it not been for the sagacity, in-
tegrity and capital of Alsop's firm, the road would
not have been finished. Besides the firm of
Howland and Aspinwall, John L. Stephens,
Gouverneur Campbell, Joseph W. Riley, Edward
Bartlett, and Samuel Comstock, were associated
with Alsop in the Panama enterprise, several of
whom were successively connected with the
house of Alsop and Chauncey, and all of whom
were familiar with the Southern coast and with
the wants of commerce, and who understood
the usefulness of this road to American trade.
Mr. Alsop was the first president of the
Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and was receiver
of it for ten years and retired in favor of Gen.
George B. McClellan. He was one of the in-
corporators of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany and a director from February 10, 1851 to
May 27, 1863. He was a director of the Sea-
men's Savings Bank and was its treasurer for
many years, and was also director of the
Woman's and St. Luke's hospitals. Mr. Alsop
had not been actively engaged in business for
about seven years at the time of his death, 1878,
but had remained in the city during the winter
and at the old homestead in Middletown during
the summer.
Mr. Alsop was always a warm friend to the
deserving poor, and young men of principle and
integrity who got into business embarrassment,
he helped, often at great inconvenience to him-
self. He always declined to accept any political
office. He was an earnest friend to the demo-
cratic party, but never permitted his political
principles to influence or disturb his social rela-
tions. He died at his residence, No. 32 West
Washington Place, New York City, February
26, 1878. He left a wife and one son, Dr. Joseph
W. Alsop of Middletown, Connecticut. He was
an exceedingly conscientious and upright man,
and died as he had lived, deeply loved and re-
spected. His remains were taken by special
train to his native town for burial. The funeral
services in New York were conducted by Dr.
Eaton and Dr. John Cotton Smith, and at
Middletown, Bishop Williams officiated. Thus
passed away one of the greatest of New York's
old merchants.
APT. DAVID AUGUSTUS NEAL,
the first vice-president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, was one
of the incorporators of the company
and a member of the board of directors from
February 10, 1851 to March 19, 1856. He was
born at Salem, Mass., in June 1793 ; his life was
an exceedingly eventful one. He received a
thorough elementary education and left school
early. At the age of twenty-two, he made his
first voyage to Calcutta as super-cargo in the
brig Alexander, a small craft of two hundred and
fifty tons burthen, owned by himself and his
father. In 1817 he made a voyage to Batavia,
a city of Java — the capital of the Dutch posses-
sions in the East Indies, in command of the
same vessel. This voyage he always said was
86
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
without doubt the first voyage ever navigated
on tee-total principles. As he had come to the
command of his vessel, as the phrase is "through
the cabin window," that is to say through the cir-
cumstance of part ownership and without the
rough discipline, delay, and experience of the
lower grades of service, his crew at once began
to presume upon this fact and to test his quality.
When a few days out, the men sent back, by one
of their number, the usual allowance of grog
which had been served, stating that if they could
Halifax, in July 1814, he sailed in a transport,
one of a fleet convoyed by the Goliath, Capt.
Maitland, for Dartmoor prison in England.
While in the fogs of the Grand Banks of New
Foimdland, he took part in an attempt to get pos-
session of the transport, was severely wounded
and had his hand dressed by Surgeon Barry
O'Meara of the Goliath, who, soon after, joined
C'apt. Maitland on the Bellcrophon, going with
him to St. Helena in charge of the captured
Bonaparte. Surgeon O'Meara afterward wrote
ILLINOIS CENTRAL LOCOMOTIVE No. 383.
not have more, they would not have any. The
young captain took them at their word, directed
the ship's steward to "cut off the tap," and navi-
gated his brig without further trouble. His com-
ment was, "the rum came home safe and so did
the men."
During the war with Great Britain in 1812,
he embarked in privateering and met with con-
siderable success. In May 1814, he was cap-
tured and taken to Halifax, where he spent his
freedom birthday in a Britis* prison. From
a famous memoir of the Emperor. Capt. Neal
carried with him the evidence of this attempted
escape until his dying day. He was released
from Dartmoor by the treaty of peace of 1815.
Later, he was a shipmaster in the merchant ser-
vice and commanded ships until the summer of
1826, making several voyages to the Mediterra-
nean, the East and West Indies, South America;
and incidentally visiting a great deal of the in-
teresting scenery and a great many of the his-
torical spots in Europe and Asia. He was an
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
87
observant traveller and gained much valuable
knowledge in his trips abroad. These were sin-
gularly free from disaster with the exception of
one trip to Sumatra, undertaken in 1818, where
his crew fell sick and some died. Failing to
ship fresh hands there, he made the best of his
way around the Cape of Good Hope to the is-
land of Saint Helena in hopes of a supply of
provisions, medicines, and able bodied men. But
here Napoleon was a prisoner, and access to the
harbor was so jealously guarded that he suc-
ceeded in obtaining nothing but supplies for his
depleted medicine-chest. He returned from
this place with his vessel in charge of himself,
one old sailor, and two chinamen, they being
the only able bodied seamen on board. In this
miserable condition, he at last, reached the coast
of Virginia in the tempestuous January of 1820
with his remnant of a crew on short allowance
and here he suffered total shipwreck in sight of
the lights of Cape Hatteras. The shore, being
white with snow, had misled them as to distance.
Capt. Neal made his way to Norfolk and Balti-
more, where having settled the disastrous voy-
age with his owners, he took passage for Phila-
delphia, early in March, in a government mail-
wagon.
On retiring from the sea, he became a com-
mercial partner in the house of Neal and Sons,
which was founded by his father, an old revolu-
tionary veteran, privateersman, and prisoner of
war, and finally became head of that house on
the retirement of Capt. Neal, Sr. He became
president of the Eastern Railroad of Massachu-
setts in 1841, when it was extending its lines
from Massachusetts into New Hampshire and
Maine, and subsequently took charge also of
the Reading Railroad of Pennsylvania, the affairs
of which were much disordered and which was
then in control of Eastern bankers. Both of
these positions he resigned in 1851 to become
vice-president of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company, of which he was one of the original
incorporators and in which he held a large pe-
cuniary interest. He remained in that position
four years. He was director for five years until
1856. In 1851, he visited Illinois and went over
the proposed route with Col. Roswell B. Mason,
was very favorably impressed with the country,
and made a very elaborate report to the board
of directors on the value . of lands and on the
resources and probable amount of traffic that
would be controlled by the line when completed.
He also paid considerable attention to the organi-
zation of the land department and to the platting
and selling of the lands which had been donated
to the company. During the period of the con-
struction of the road, he made two trips to Eu-
rope, spending a considerable portion of his time
in Liverpool, where he purchased about 80,000
tons of iron rails of a most excellent quality — 56
pounds to the yard.* In London, he took part
in the negotiation of the first issue of sterling
bonds made by the company. They were sold
at a premium.
Capt. Neal was a man of robust nature, of
indomitable energy and of great physical endur-
ance. In his religious views, he was perhaps
inclined to be somewhat heterodox, or, even
skeptical ; he was brought up in the midst of
tendencies and influences which may have been
intensified by his early acquaintance with orien-
tal life and thought, of which in his autobiogra-
phy, left in manuscript, he writes most under-
standing!)'. Capt. Neal never held political
office of any kind. He died at Salem, Massachu-
setts, in August 1861.
•ILLIAM H. ASPINWALL, one of
the incorporators of the company,
was born in New York, December
16, 1807; he was a nephew of Gard-
ner G. Howland, and, at an early age, he entered
the old shipping house of Gardner G. and
* The receiving and forwarding of these rails was
entrusted to a commission-house established in New
York in 1852, under the firm name of Clark & Jesup,
being composed of Charles G. Clark and Morris K.
Jesup. This was the inception of the present firm of
Crerar, Adams & Co. (John McGregor Adams, Edward
S. Shepherd), extensive manufacturers of railway
supplies, Chicago, whose senior partner, John Crerar,
recently died, leaving such a munificent sum to the
city for a public library, and other liberal bequests.
88
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Samuel S. Howland, and was taken into the firm
in 1832. In 1837 the new firm of Howland and
Aspinwall was established. This house had the
largest Pacific-coast trade of any firm in New
York, besides doing an extensive business with
the East and West Indies, England, and the
Mediterranean. Shortly after the discovery of
gold in California, he retired from the active
management of the firm and secured the contract
for a line of mail-steamers to run from the Isth-
enterprises, Mr. Aspinwall was eminently suc-
cessful and he held the office of president of
the company for many years. He founded the
city of Aspinwall, at the eastern terminus of the
railway. Besides his brief connection with the
Illinois Central Railroad, Mr. Aspinwall was in-
terested in the construction of the Ohio & Mis-
sissippi R. R., extending from Cincinnati to St.
Louis. This was built as a broad-gauge road,
but afterward changed to the standard gauge.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL LOCOMOTIVE No. 638.
mus of Panama to San Francisco, Cal. This
line was established under the name of the Pa-
cific-Mail Steamship Company. He and his
associates also organized the Panama Railroad
Company, and constructed its road. In aid of
its construction they received a liberal conces-
sion from the government of New Granada.
Owing to the unhealthy climate of the country
through which the line passed, the construction
proved an expensive work, but after many diffi-
culties the road was completed and opened for
business February 17, 1855. In both of these
Mr. Aspinwall traveled much in the last twenty
years of his life, and being a liberal patron of the
fine arts, made an important collection of paint-
ings. These were sold by his family in 1886.
Mr. Aspinwall was a man of fine presence, a
courteous gentleman, an earnest Christian, and
justly ranked as one of New York's great mer-
chant-princes ; he was remarkable for his gen-
erosity and his lenience to the debtors of his
house. He died in his native city, January 18,
1875, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
89
kHOMAS WILLIAM LUDLOW, a son
of Thomas Lucllow and Mary Ludlow,
was born in his father's house, on the
northeast corner of Garden street (now
Exchange Place) and Broadway, New York, on
June 14, 1795. He was a great-grand-son of the
founder of the New York family of Ludlow,
Gabriel (arrived in New York, 1694), who came
of the old English stock to which belonged the
republican general. Sir Edmund Ludlow, and the
great Puritan statesman and jurist, Roger Lud-
low of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Thomas
W. Ludlow graduated with credit from Columbia
College in the class of 1811, and served as a trus-
tee of his alma mater from 1833 to 1836. After
graduating he read law with Martin Wilkins.
In 1825 he went to England with his cousin,
Frances Mary Ludlow, wife of Philip Thomas
and mother of Ludlow Thomas, in connection
with her claim to the Harison succession, then in
the English courts, and was successful. How-
ever, he soon withdrew from general practice of
his profession. His brother-in-law, Gulian Lud-
low, recommended him, toward the close of his
active life, to his family connections of the great
banking-house of Crommelin of Amsterdam, and
to his English correspondents as well, and for
many years Mr. T. W. Ludlow had charge of
their important commission business in America,
and conducted it so much to their satisfaction
that, upon his retirement, the Crommelins sent
him a large sum of money, with which he pro-
cured, as a souvenir, a splendid service of plate.
For the account of the Dutch house, Mr. Ludlow
had much to do with a loan of the District
of Columbia, an affair of considerable importance
at that time. He represented also the Holland
Land Company, and was at one time instrumental
in saving the interests of his clients, which were .
menaced by an adverse sentiment in congress.
From early manhood, Mr. Ludlow's mental
grasp of the prospects and promises of the
country, which was then almost wholly unde-
veloped, was remarkably comprehensive, and
with bis immediate associates, many of them at
that time or since distinguished in the fields of
public or of private affairs, he took an active
part in the inception of a number of business
enterprises which have continued to be highly
prosperous, and have several of them contributed
not a little to the national progress. Thus he
became one of the incorporators of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, February 10, 1851,
and was a director of that company from Feb.
10, 1851, to August 25, 1854. He was the first
president of the Panama Railroad Company ;
a director of the New York Life Insurance Co. ;
and one of the founders of the New York Life
Insurance and Trust Company. Of the last
corporation, Mr. Ludlow served as vice-president
up to the time of his death. This corporation
has been managed so well that the shares ori-
ginally issued at $100 now sell for $700.
Mr. Ludlow married, in 1828, Frances
Wickham Morris, a beautiful and accomplished
daughter of Robert Morris of Fordham (Mor-
risania), and established a charming home in
the then fashionable quarter of the Fifth ward
of the city, at the southeast corner of Varick and
Laight streets, Hudson Square, opposite St.
John's Park, which is now the site of the freight
station of the New York Central Railroad. Soon
afterward he acquired a large tract of property
south of Yonkers, adjoining the new station of
the Hudson River Road which bears his name,
Ludlow.
Mr. Ludlow died at his country-seat,
Cottage Lawn, Yonkers, New York, July 17,
1878, leaving behind him the memory of a
thoroughly just, upright, liberal, and temperate
life.
ENRY GRINNELL was born in New
Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1800, was
graduated at New Bedford Academy
in 1818, and during the same year
became clerk in a commission house in Pine St.,
New York. In 1825 he was made a member of
the firm of Fish and Grinnell, afterward Grinnell,
Minturn and Company. He was much interested
in geography, and especially in Arctic explo-
ration, and in 1850 at his own expense, fitted. out
90
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
an expedition to search for Sir John Franklin,
from whom nothing had been heard in five years.
The expedition sailed from New York in May
1850, under command of Lieut. E. J. DeHaven,
with Dr. Elisha Kent Kane (whose second
cousin, Elias Kent Kane, was a senator from
Illinois) as surgeon and naturalist. It dis-
covered land in latitude 75° 2^ 2ix\ which was
named Grinnell Land — an island north of Corn-
graphical Society in 1852-3, and a vice president
from 1854-72. His daughter, Sylvia, married
Admiral Ruxton of the British navy, and in 1886,
presented to that society a crayon portrait of
her father framed in wood taken from the
Resolute. Mr. Grinnell was also one of the
merchant princes of New York and died in that
city, June 30, 1874, universally loved and re-
spected.
Illinois Central bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Om,aha. Double track — 17 ft. above
high water — 1707 ft. long — span 520 ft., the longest in the world.
wallis Island which should not be confounded
with the better known Grinnell Land bordering
on the frozen sea. In 1853, in conjunction with
George Peabody, he spent $50,000 in the equip-
ment of the second Franklin search expedition,
.giving it also his personal supervision. This
expedition was placed in charge of Dr. Kane,
and the government bore part of its expenses.
Mr. Grinnell also contributed freely to the Hayes
expedition of 1860, and to the "Polaris" expe-
dition of 1871. He was one of the original in-
corporators of the Illinois Central Railroad Co.,
and named in the charter; but, as he was about
retiring from active business at the time the
company was being organized, his connection
with it was brief. Throughout life, he was
an earnest advocate of the interests of sailors.
He was the first president of the American Geo-
JOHN MOORE was an Englishman by
birth, having been born at Grantham,
Lincolnshire, September 8th, 1793. Up
to his fourteenth year, he attended the
common school and all his subsequent education
was obtained without a teacher. He often
studied while at his work at his trade as a wheel-
wright, to which he was apprenticed at an early
age. In 1817 he sailed for America. He settled
first in Virginia but remained there but a short
time, when he removed to Harrison, Hamilton
County, Ohio ; here he worked at his trade ;
March 9, 1820, he married a Kentucky lady, a
Mrs. Misner. They had a family of eight chil-
dren. In October 1830 he moved to McLean
County, 111., and settled on a farm at Randolph
Grove. There he entered forty acres of land and
afterward purchased considerable more land, and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
91
did some farming. He also worked at his trade ;
and here he endured the privations to which all
the early settlers were subjected. In 1831 he was
elected a justice of the peace, this being the first
office he held. In 1835 he was elected to the
legislature, which then held its. sessions at
Vandalia. In 1839 he was elected to the senate
of the State and in 1840 he was elected lieutenant
governor; this office he held up to 1846. At the
close of his term, at the outbreak of the Mexican
War, he enlisted as a private in the 4th Regi-
ment of Illinois Volunteers, which he had been
active in forming, and was almost immediately
chosen lieutenant colonel ; he bravely and honor-
ably served during that war and participated in
several engagements — Cerro Gordo, Rio Grande,
and Vera Cruz. When he returned from the
Mexican War, the State of Illinois presented him
with a sword to show its appreciation of his
distinguished services. In 1848 he was appointed
state treasurer by Governor French, to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of Milton Carpenter.
At the expiration of the term in 1850, he was
elected to hold the same office and was reelected
in 1852. In 1854 he was again a candidate, but
was defeated on account of an absurd prejudice
which sprang up at that time against foreigners.
In 1853 Mr. Moore was appointed by Governor
Matteson to settle the difficulty between the
State of Illinois and the firm of Thompson &
Foreman, growing out of a contract by which that
firm was to deliver to the State of Illinois a cer-
tain amount of railroad iron. This difficulty was
arranged by Mr. Moore to the entire satisfaction
of all parties. He was appointed one of the
trustees of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
in 1851, and held that position up to the time of
his death in 1866.
Mr. Moore was nearly six feet in height
and heavily built ; his shoulders were broad, and
his carriage erect and his complexion ruddy. His
health was remarkably good, and this doubtless
contributed to his cheerful, happy disposition.
He was a man of great natural force of character
and an honest man, and was familiarly known
throughout the State as " Honest John Moore."
The State of Illinois never had a more faithful
guardian of her interests. His power of memory
and of conversation was wonderful. He was a
fine presiding officer and the chair of the senate
has never been filled by a more accomplished
parliamentarian. His death, which occurred at
Boston, September 23, 1866, was the result' of a
surgical operation performed upon his eyes for
cataract. His remains were interred in the old
burying ground at Randolph Grove.*
JUDGE SAMUEL DRAKE LOCKWOOD
was born at Poundridge, Westchester
county, New York, August 2, 1789;
when quite young, his father died, leav-
ing his mother with three small children and
with but slender means of support; by this
event, Samuel's plans for a liberal education
were broken up and he was thrown upon his own
resources. At twelve years of age, he spent
a few months at a private school in New Jersey,
where he says of himself, "I acquired some
knowledge of arithmetic and enough of Latin
to be able to decline a few nouns and conjugate
a few verbs." Lessons in arithmetic were given
orally and written out by the pupils. In 1803 he
went to live with his mother's brother, Francis
Drake, a lawyer of Waterford, New York, where
he remained as a law student until February
1811, when he was licensed to practise law and
opened an office in Batavia, New York. It may
be said of Judge Lockwood as was said of John
Quincy Adams, that he never had a boyhood.
In early years, he met the stern realities of life
which left no time for boyish or manly sports
and, as a consequence, he had no relish for such
things. But he was preeminently a home man,
in full sympathy with everything that would
increase the happiness of home, and bring en-
joyment to the family circle. The first four
years of his professional life was a hard struggle
with disease and pecuniary embarrassment. In
* "Good Old Times in McLean County, Illinois,"
by Dr. E. Dnis, Bloomington, 1874,
92
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
a new country, he found the legal profession
well filled and in it some men of reputation and
experience — able to absorb all the business.
On March 12, 1813, however, he was ap-
pointed master in chancery by Gov. Tompkins,
a circumstance which, as he wrote at the time,
enabled him, with his. other practice, to support
himself decently and to pay the debts he had con-
tracted before he got into business. This period
included the war time, when everything was
for Illinois, reaching Shawneetown, December
20. He made the journey in company with
William H. Brown and others on a flat-boat down
the Alleghany and Ohio rivers. From Shaw-
neetown, Lockwood and Brown made the trip
to Kaskaskia, a distance of 120 miles, on foot
and arrived December 26 ; entire strangers to the
country. On their way, they were met by two
young men bound for the same place. These
were Thomas Mather and Sidney Breese, both
ILLINOIS CENTRAL LOCOMOTIVE "1156."
depressed to the lowest point. Judge Lockwood
naturally diffident and retiring, feeble in physical
constitution, with a tendency to self-depreciation,
and far separated from all family friends, must
have passed through many trials, and his final
success is an evidence of that sterling worth of
character with which in after life he was univer-
sally credited. From a letter to his mother,
written in May 1815, we learn that he remained
in Batavia about a year, then removed to Auburn
in that year and practiced law with George B.
Throop until the fall of 1818, when he started
from New York. Judge Lockwood remained
in Kaskaskia a year, and then removed to Carmi,
spending a year there. In 1821, at the second
session of the legislature held at Vandalia, he
was elected attorney general. This election to
office necessitated his removal to Edwardsville.
In 1822 Governor Coles appointed him secretary
of state, but in the same year, President Monroe
appointed him receiver of public moneys at
Edwardsville and he accepted the latter position.
In 1823 he was appointed an agent of the board
of canal commissioners. In 1824 he was elected
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
93
associate justice of the supreme court, and in
1824-5, assisted in a revision of the criminal code
of the state which, with a few amendments,
has continued in force ever since. He remained
on the bench until the adoption of the new state
constitution in 1848. Judge Lock wood was
therefore a resident of Illinois from 1818 to 1874,
and for over fifty years was in public service,
holding during that period, under state and
national appointment, the following positions
of trust and responsibility, attorney general,
secretary of state, receiver of public moneys in
the Edwardsville land-office, associate justice of
the supreme court. He was state trustee of the
I. C. Railroad from the organization of that
company until his death in 1874, and was charter
trustee in each of the state institutions estab-
lished for the benefit of the insane, deaf and
dumb, and blind.
This brief outline indicates something of
Judge Lockwood's standing in the state, some-
thing of the esteem with which he was regarded
by his fellow-citizens, and something of the in-
fluence he must have exerted in that period of
our State history, when a few of our good and
wise men were laying the foundations of those
civil, social, and educational institutions, which
have secured for us our present prosperity and
are a standing proof of the wisdom and fidelity
of the great men into whose labor we have
entered.
,OSWELL B. MASON, chief engineer
of the Illinois Central from 1851 to
to 1856, was born in New Hartford,
Oneida county, New York, Septem-
ber 19, 1805, and died in Chicago, January i,
1892. He was reared on a farm and attended
the district schools until the age of sixteen. In
the summer of 1821 our subject's father took a
contract to furnish stone for a section of the
Erie Canal, and the boy was set to work hauling
stone. It was here he met Edward F. Gay,
assistant engineer of the canal, who offered him
ii position of rodman for the engineering party,
and he remained with Gay until the completion
of the Erie Canal. In the spring of 1824 he
joined the engineering party that was engaged
in the construction of the Schuylkill Canal, but
on account of sickness was compelled to return
home in August of that year. In the spring of
1825 he joined his old employers on the Morris
Canal in New Jersey. Here Mr. Gay resigned
his position as assistant chief engineer, and our
subject was given his place. He was engaged
on this work for six years, the latter part of the
time as chief engineer and superintendent of the
canal. He was engaged on various canals in
New Jersey and the east until the spring of
1837, when he became interested in the surveys
of the Housatonic railroad, one of the largest
of the early railroads. During the follow-
ing fourteen years he served as engineer and
superintendent of the railroad, making his head-
quarters at Bridgeport, Conn.
In the spring of 1851 he came west and took
charge of the construction of the Illinois Central
railroad, which he completed in October 1856.
He then resigned his position as chief engineer
and was engaged in the construction of other
roads in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota until the
spring of 1861, when he was appointed comptrol-
ler of the land department of the Illinois Central
Railroad and retained this position until August
1867. He then took charge of the Dubuque
bridge which was completed in December 1868.
In November 1869, he was elected mayor of
Chicago and it was during his administration
that the great Chicago fire occurred. In 1873
he was appointed one of the trustees of the Illi-
nois Industrial University and held that position
ten years. He was an important factor in the
early growth and development of our present
svstem of railroads.
CHAPTER III.
PRESIDENTS OF THE
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
PRESIDENTS OF THE
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
Robert Schuyler ................................................... March 19, 1851 to July 11, 18S3.
William P. Burrall, ................................................ July 28, 1853 to Nov. 23, 1854.
John N. A. Griswold ............................................... Jan. 10, 1855 to Dec. 1, 1855.
Wm. Henry Osborn ............................................... Dec. 1, 1855 to July 11, 1865.
John M. Douglas .................................................. July 11, 1865 to March 14, 1871.
John Newell, ..................................................... April 14, 1871 to Sept. 11, 1874.
Wilson G. Hunt ................................................... Sept. 11, 1874 to Jan. 28, 1875.
John M. Douglas, . . . .............................................. Jan. 28, 1875 to July 17, 1876.
Wm. K. Ackerman, ............................................... Oct. 17, 1877 to Aug. 18, 1883.
James C. Clarke, ................................................. Aug. 18, 1883 to May 18, 1887.
Stuyvesant Fish, .................................................. May 18, 1887.
(OBERT SCHUYLER, first president of
the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
was a grandson of General Philip
Schuyler of revolutionary fame; he
served from March 19, 1851, to July 3, 1854. He
became interested in Illinois railways through
the purchase of the finished portion, 24 miles, of
the Northern Cross Railroad from Jacksonville
to Meredosia, the first railroad constructed in
the State. It was sold at public sale, April 26,
1847, ar>d purchased by Nicholas H. Ridgely of
Springfield, who soon after, through the nego-
tiations of Thomas Mather of the same city, sold
it to a construction company organized in New
York in which Schuyler was interested. Its
name was changed to the "Sangamon & Morgan
Railroad" and it was rebuilt, work being com-
pleted July 22, 1849.
The record of Robert Schuyler in his con-
nection with American railways is an interesting,
but a sad one, to dwell upon. He was a pioneer
in American railway construction and justly
deserved the title of the first railroad king. He
was at one time the president of five railways,
viz. the New York & New Haven, the Harlem,
the Illinois Central, the Rensalaer & Saratoga,
and the Sangamon & Morgan, and these various
positions he held up to a certain period with great
credit to himself. He was a man of unusual
business ability, aided by a sound judgment and
a liberal education. In his devotion to duty, he
was no less remarkable ; though broken in health,
he was frequently found laboring in his private
rooms until an early hour in the morning in a
conscientious effort to serve the best interests
of his share-holders. His versatility of mind
enabled him to accomplish great results in a
short space of time. He was a man of keen
perceptions, clear and comprehensive views, and
these constituted him a wise counsellor. His
unaffected dignity, courteous bearing, and refined
manner, commanded the respect of all who knew
him, and these included many eminent persons
of his day. Such qualities lent a peculiar charm
to his office and station, and gave him the
presence of an American gentleman. There was
a provision in the charter of one of the railroad
companies with which he was connected that
required its completion within a certain time
under a penalty of forfiture. In an effort to
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
complete it within the specified time, as was
supposed, he in an evil moment of his mistaken
ztal, resorted to very questionable measures,
which in the end proved his down-fall. In addi-
tion to holding the office of president of the New
York & New Haven Railroad Company, he was
the transfer agent of that company. At that
time, the share certificates of railways were not
countet signed as they now are; consequently
there was nothing to prevent irregularities.
Transfer agents had it in their power at that time
ture of the State of New York, familiarly known
as the "Schuyler Act," making the over-issue
of capital stock in that state a felony ; for up
to this time there was no statute covering such
a breach of trust. A final examination of the
books of the New Haven company and a return
of all certificates showed that there had been an
over-issue of the stock of that company amount-
ing to about $2,000,000. The discovery was
made by mere accident. Schuyler was taken ill
on June 29, 1854, and remained away from his
COURTESY A. H. RALPH, VICKSBURG, MISS.
"The Freight Conductor En Route."
to over-issue the shares of a railway, and it
was done in this instance. The first irregular
issue was made in Oct. 1853, and others followed
until the irregularity was discovered, July 3, 1854.
This occurrence resulted in the action that was
afterward taken by the New York stock ex-
change, requiring that all certificates be signed
by two officers of a company, and registered
and countersigned by a third disinterested par-
ty, which must be a banking or trust company.
This has proved a wholesome check upon similar
dishonest transactions. It also resulted in the
passage of a special law, in 1855, by the legisla-
office until July 3rd; the vice-president, Mr.
Worthen, being called in to act as transfer agent,
the fraud was discovered by the presentation of
some of the spurious certificates issued by Schuy-
ler. The case, which was brought by the holders
of these irregular certificates, many of whom
claimed to be innocent holders, was continued in
the courts for ten years, but finally resulted in a
decision in the New York court of appeals, in
1864, against the railroad company, which com-
pelled it to reimburse every holder the value of
his shares.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
Schuyler, in his pride and ambition to suc-
ceed, and lacking the moral courage to acknowl-
edge his needs and mistakes, fell into the fatal
blunder which brought ruin to his reputation,
sorrow to his friends, disgrace to his family-
name, and disaster for the time being to the
financial world. Flattered by apparent success
• deficient in caution — failing properly to
measure his resources — and withal, lacking the
principle with which he had been credited, he
dissipated large sums of money in an attempt
to resuscitate failing properties. In an effort
to retrieve himself, he committed this terrible
wrong. However questionable his procedure,
or reprehensible his conduct may appear to the
minds of those unfamiliar with all the circum-
stances of the case, a careful investigation into
his conduct shows that he was at least in part
actuated by unselfish motives. It does not appear
that he took advantage of his position merely
to enrich himself. The trust imposed in him was
unlimited, and the burden laid upon him very
great ; but there is a limit to human accomplish-
ment, and there ought to be a limit to the
responsibility laid upon human intellect. If
there is not, those who impose excessive burdens
in hopes of obtaining impossible results, should
at least be willing to share in the responsibility,
and to accept the outcome with resignation. In
this instance, the zeal to promote the interest
of one corporation tempted him to draw — tem-
porarily, as he no doubt regarded it — upon the
resources of another. The redeeming feature
of the case laid in the fact that, when the trans-
action was laid open, he did not attempt to
palliate his offence and meet his accusers with
brazen effrontery. His sense of personal honor
was so shocked, and his mortification so great,
that he could not face his friends, and hence
his flight to a strange land, to find relief in death.
He fled the country from Quebec in a stray
vessel : had he been a polished villain instead of
a blunderer, he might have covered his tracks.
But he had not studied the art of fraud, and so
he put a very honest construction upon his own
dishonesty. He attempted too much for his day,
and failed. Many have gone further since and
succeeded, as the world counts success. But
his was not a day of "trusts," when transactions
quite as dishonest, and involving many more
millions, can be so deftly hidden as to defy dis-
covery. The world might indeed say that
his sin partially lay in the fact of his being found
out. The subtleties of finance had defeated him,
because in his blindness he could not see his peril
ir time to be warned ; and so, in the meridian
of an otherwise bright and extraordinary career,
his light went out. A life was extinguished
that could not well be spared at that juncture
from the railway world. He died in a foreign
land, poor and friendless ; the concealed worm
had fed upon him, until he was wrecked mentally
and physically, and he became the mere shadow
of his former self.
ILLIAM PORTER BURRALL was
the second president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, having
succeeded Mr. Schuyler under whom
he had acted as vice-president. He was born
in Canaan, Conn., September 18, 1806; died at
Hartford, Conn., March 3, 1874. His father,
William Morgan Burrall, was a lawyer by pro-
fession, a graduate of Yale, a prominent member
of the bar of Litchfield county, Conn., an associate
judge of the county court from 1829-36, and
after that, chief judge for ten years. His an-
cestors were among the original settlers of the
town of Canaan, and his mother, Elizabeth
Morgan, was a member of the well known
Hartford family of that name. William P.
I'.urrall's mother was Abigail Porter Stoddard,
a descendant of the Porter and Stoddard families
of Salisbury, Conn., both of them prominent
in the early history of the town and state.
Mr. Burrall was graduated at Yale College
in 1826, among his classmates being President
Sturtevant and Elizur Wright; he studied law
at the Litchfield law-school ; also in the office of
the late Chief Justice Church, where he was
associated as a law student with O. S. Seymour,
loo
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
late chief Justice, and was admitted to the bar
of Litchfield county in 1829. He practiced law
in his native town until October 1839, when he
removed to Bridgeport, Conn., to accept the
presidency of the Housatonic Railroad, which
position he held for fifteen years. This railroad
had just become an accomplished fact by the
exertions of Alfred Bishop, a gentleman of great
energy and personal power, father of Hon. W.
D. Bishop. Mr. Burrall was called from its
views were broad and generous. He favored no
mean or stingy policies. He held in just esti-
mate the rights and responsibilities of railroad
companies, believing that the true secret of suc-
cess in railroad management is found in fair and
courteous treatment of the traveling and trading
public. He desired the best, safest, and quickest
accommodation for all patrons of his roads. He
withheld no proper information from his stock-
holders. He kept his promises and asked of
FHOTO LOANED BY MRS. C. K DIXON, CHEROKEE, IOWA.
CENTRIFUGAL SNOW PLOW OWNED BY THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL R'Y Co.
management to the Illinois Central Railroad
Company as treasurer, and became president.
He was afterward connected with the New York
& New Haven Company as vice-president, then
with the Hartford & New Haven as vice-president
and president, and finally was made vice-pres-
ident of the New York, New Haven & Hartford
at the consolidation of the companies. He was
several times a member of the house of repre-
sentatives and also filled the position of state
senator.
In his business relations, Mr. Burrall was
a man of singular honesty and accuracy. His
those with whom he came in contact that they
should keep theirs. He was faithful to every
trust reposed in him. As a draughtsman of
railroad contracts, he had no superior in the
country. There was no ambiguity in the lan-
guage he employed ; every sentence was so clearly-
expressed as to leave no room for doubt as to
its meaning.
As a citizen, he favored honesty and truth
in all public matters. The stain of corruption
never was upon his hands in his extensive deal-
ings with legislatures, courts, and commissions.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
101
In the sphere of private life, Mr. Burrall's
course was usually charming. Courteous, un-
obtrusive, pure, gentle, tender-hearted as a child,
he kept a "peaceful tenor" in all his dealings
with his associates. He was benevolent, but
his benevolence was unostentatious. He was
courageous, but his courage was always tempered
with consideration for others. His word was
as sacred as if sealed as a covenant.
Into the privacy of domestic grief we may
not enter, but we may say that Mr. Burrall's
large family found in his affectionate heart a
faithful response in all the tenderest relations
of life, and that his sudden death sundered many
sacred cords. Such a life as his was an honor
and a blessing to our common nature, and the
cpmmunity in which he lived mourned his loss
with no common grief. One of his daughters
is the wife of Henry H. Anderson, a prominent
lawyer in the city of New York.
The revelation of the Schuyler incident
shocked the confidence of the financial world
and placed under suspicion every enterprise with
which he had been connected. The unfortunate
affair happened at a critical time in the history
of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. On
the day following the disaster, Mr. W. H. Osborn
was called to the council of the board of directors
and he was afterward (Aug. n, 1854), elected
a member. On Dec. i, 1855, he was elected
president of the company. He entered with
remarkable energy upon the work of restoring
confidence to this great enterprise. A resume
of his services to the company and incidentally
to the State, is given below.
JOHN N. A. GRISWOLD, third president
of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany, served the corporation in that ca-
pacity from January 10, 1855 to Decem-
ber i, 1855.
ILLIAM HENRY OSBORN, was
born in Salem, Mass., Dec. 21, 1820,
and received a high school educa-
tion in that venerable New England
town. Shortly after leaving school, he entered
the counting room of the old East India house
of Peele, Hubbe1! and Company, founded by
J. Willard Peele, engaged in the East India
trade. After remaining there a while, he was
sent to Manilla, (under the auspices of Stephen
C. Phillips who was a member of the house),
to represent the business at that place. He re-
sided there several years, and afterward became
the head of the firm and engaged in business
on his own account. He traveled extensively
in Europe and on his return to the United States
in 1853, took up his residence in the city of
New York, where he shortly after married the
daughter of that most estimable man and up-
right merchant, Jonathan Sturges, the senior
member of the firm of Sturges, Bennett and Co.,
at that time one of the largest mercantile houses
in the city of New York. Mr. Sturges was one
of the incorporators of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company, and had unbounded faith in the
future development of the State of Illinois. He,
in company with other men of large means and
reputation, had entered with great energy upon
the work of constructing the Illinois Central
Road upon a sound financial basis. The high
character of the men engaged in the work of
reviving a scheme that was destined to prove
of such great advantage to the State, inspired
confidence both at home and abroad. But the
undertaking proved to be a more formidable one
than even the minds of those sagacious men
had calculated upon.
In 1854 while the work of construction was
well under way, it became apparent that much
larger expenditures would be required than had
been estimated, and to carry it through to a
successful completion more vigorous measures
must be adopted. Up to the end of 1854, only
300 miles of the whole 704 miles to be built were
completed and these in detached portions, so
that they were operated at great disadvantage
and cost, and the entire amount of net earnings
102
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
derived from their operation for the last half
of the year was, as appears by one of the early
reports of the company, only $149,744.16. While
the road was earning so little, the interest ac-
count on the bonded debt, already incurred, was
rolling up so heavily as to threaten to engulf the
whole enterprise. To add to the "paucity of
events," the crops of Illinois in this year, 1854,
were almost a total failure, checking the sale of
lands which had been donated to the company,
earnestly demanded. It was therefore necessary
at this critical juncture, to find immediately some
one who could go to the scene of active operations
in Illinois and personally superintend the closing
up of the gaps between the unfinished portions of
the line, as economically and as expeditiouslv
as possible, so that it could be placed in a tho-
roughly equipped condition to earn money for
the shareholders. At that time, the demand for
men of such capacity was beginning to be felt
COURTESY JOHN H. WILSON.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL DEPOT AT FREEPORT, ILL.
as well as diminishing the amount of collections
for those already sold. To add to the compli-
cation of affairs, the "Schuyler fraud" over-
issue of the stock of the New York & New
Haven Railroad Company was made public July
3. 1854, and completely unsettled business affairs,
making it almost impossible to negotiate railway
securities, however good. The directory, though
composed of men of such high standing in the
community, were all residents -of the Eastern
States, and they could not give that close per-
sonal attention to the affairs of the company
which its peculiar condition at that time so
all over the country, but in no instance was it
more urgent than in the case of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company. In this dark hour
for those who had ventured so largely and with
such sanguine expectations upon this first land-
grant project, (and which threatened for a
while to prove even more disastrous than had
other successive attempts that had been made
to construct a road through the center of the
State), Mr. Osborn was called to the command,
and took up for a time his residence in Chicago.
It was a herculean task imposed upon him and
one which would have daunted almost any other
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
103
man. The people of the State of Illinois have
never known what a debt of gratitude they owe
to Mr. Osborn for his successful effort in sav-
ing the road to the State. It is perhaps no
exaggeration to say, that if it had not been for
the extraordinary exertions made by him at that
time, the road would not have been brought to
a successful completion, certainly not within the
time it was, for, if foreclosure proceedings had
been instituted then, it is extremely doubtful
whether any new corporation which might have
been formed would have been willing to accept
the onerous conditions imposed by the original
charter; and so in this way the essential ad-
vantage in the matter of tax on gross earnings
would have been lost to the State.
Even after the ordeal of 1854 had been safe-
ly passed and the company's financial condition
greatly improved by the successful negotiation
by Mr. Osborn of a temporary loan of three mil-
lions of dollars, new and unlooked for difficulties
arose. The income of the road had scarcely be-
come sufficient to pay its running expenses, for
the country along its line had not sufficiently
developed to yield an adequate traffic for its sup-
port when the panic of October 1857, with all
its disastrous accompaniments, swept over the
country. Mr. Osborn had sailed for Europe, a
month previous. The financial skies were com-
paratively clear when he left, but on Oct. 9th, all
the banks in New York, with the exception of
the Chemical Bank, and most of those through-
out the country, suspended specie payment. The
wheels of commerce became clogged, and dis-
trust everywhere so prevailed that it was impos-
sible to negotiate a sterling bill at any rate of ex-
change. At this time, Mr. Osborn was in Lon-
don in conference with English bankers with a
view of placing the finances of the company on a
more substantial footing. This he would have
undoubtedly succeeded in accomplishing at once,
but for the circumstances referred to. The sud-
denly changed condition of affairs compelled his
immediate return to this country. The Atlantic
cable was not in operation at that time, and on
his arrival at Sandy Hook, he was startled to
read in the New York papers an announcement
by the treasurer of the company in these words :
"OFFICE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD Co.,
NEW YORK, October 9th, 1857.
"The Directors of THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAIL-
ROAD COMPANY are under the painful necessity of
announcing that, notwithstanding the most strenuous
exertions to avert such a result, the company is forced
to suspend payment.
"The existing derangement in the financial affairs
of the country surprised the company with a large
floating debt incurred for the completion and equip-
ment of the road. To provide for its payment when
the usual credits became unavailable, an assessment of
ten dollars per share was promptly made, and upon
this side of the Atlantic, largely paid in advance,
enabling the company to meet its engagements in
September. The installments upon the stock held
abroad, have been in rapid progress of payment, but
the negotiation of the bills of exchange drawn against
them, difficult at first, has at length become impos-
sible.
"All other and usual modes of raising money are
'well known to be entirely unavailable. It would be in
*: vain at this time to call in another installment on the
stock; "fcs the same difficulties which prevent the realiz-
ing of the proceeds of the one already called, in season
to meet the accruing obligations of the company,
would attach to any other immediate assessment.
"The directors have therefore yielded to the stern
necessity of the case reluctantly, but with a clear con-
viction that the true interests of both creditors and
stockholders would be promoted by the legal steps
which, under the advice of able counsel, have been
taken to secure their respective rights.
"The coupons due on the construction bonds,
October 1, have been paid to a large extent, and a
provision has been made to receive the balance out-
standing in payment of unpaid installments, if desired
by the holder. No serious inconvenience will probably
result therefrom.
"All possible exertions will be used to pay off
every liability without unnecessary delay; and to re-
lieve the company from its present embarrassment.
"As this has not risen from any difficulties intrinsic
in the enterprise, but from the extraordinary condition
of the money market, the directors see therein no cause
to abate the confidence they have heretofore felt and
expressed in the value of the road and the lands of the
company.
By order of the Board,
J. N. PERKINS, Treasurer."
104
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
The coupons falling due on the large bonded
debt then outstanding, were being presented by
anxious holders, and, to satisfy these and to
prevent further complication, Mr. Osborn upon
his personal responsibility — for the credit of the
company was entirely exhausted — negotiated
loans to a large extent from banks and indi-
viduals, and with the proceeds paid the coupons
and held them until the company was able to
redeem them. He then provided a plan for the
re-establishment of the company's credit by the
issue of a new loan of about $5,000,000. From
came connected with the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company in 1854, it had a bonded debt of
nearly $20,000,000, and a floating debt in addi-
tion of $2,500,000, as shown by the annual re-
port of that year, and the future of the enter-
prise was an unsolved problem. When he retired
from active participation in its affairs in 1877,
its bonded debt was $10,508,000, the road was
and had long been paying regular dividends, and
it had a large amount of assets on hand available
for any contingency. During the frequent visits
of Mr. Osborn on the other side, he had occasion
PHOTOGRAPH BY A. W. ADAM6. WATERLOO, IOWA.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL LOCOMOTIVE No. 223.
the proceeds all the outstanding, floating in-
debtedness of the company was paid in full, prin-
cipal and interest, the assignees discharged, and
the business of the company placed once more
in the hands of its officers.
The restoration of the company to full credit
had a very favorable effect upon all American
securities abroad, and made the Illinois Central
Railroad the most prominent American corpora-
tion in the eyes of English capitalists, and,
increasing public confidence in it, materially
strengthened other companies of a similar kind.
It was the turning point in the affairs of the com-
pany, and from that time on,. it enjoyed an un-
broken era of prosperity. When Mr. Osborn be-
to consult with the large shareholders of the com-
pany, and in this way, he formed the acquaintance
of many prominent English bankers and states-
men. Among these was Richard Cobden, who
had first visited Illinois in 1855, and passed over
a portion of the proposed line and who, when
he saw the beautiful prairie and examined its
fertile soil, became an enthusiast as to the pro-
spective value of the property ; so much so, that
he invested nearly all his money in it. Morley,
in his life of Cobden, refers to a visit made by
Mr. Osborn to the great premier in 1858, whom
he found in a perturbed state of mind regarding
his holding of Illinois Central shares, and whom
he aided with his friendly counsel.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
105
In 1858, the troubles of the previous year
were aggravated by another failure of the crops.
This bore heavily upon the new settlers on the
company's lands, most of whom had made only
their first payment. The result was that many
of them became so impoverished in their re-
sources that they were almost objects of charity.
Not a few were entirely destitute of the neces-
saries of life. Private contributions of tea,
coffee, sugar and provisions were made by the
directors of the company and sent to various
points on the line to relieve cases of actual suffer-
ing. From 1861 on, owing to the great develop-
ment of the resources of the country and the
consequent rapid settlement of the company's
lands, regular dividends were paid on its shares.
Mr. Osborn occupied the position of president
of the company from December i, 1855 to July
u, 1865, and was a director from August
n, 1854 to May 30, 1877, so that he practically
continued in the management of the company's
affairs for twenty-two years, a management that
was characterized by prudence and conservatism
remarkable skill and executive ability, firm and
unceasing devotion to the interests of the com-
pany, indomitable will and courage, and, above
all, strict integrity of purpose.
JOHN M. DOUGLAS served as the fifth
president and again as the eighth presi-
dent of the Illinois Central. Mr. Doug-
las was born at Plattsburg, Clinton coun-
ty. New York, August 22, 1819. His maternal
grandfather, Elijah Weaver, was a second lieu-
tenant in the revoluntionary war, and his father,
Congdon Douglas, served in the war of 1812
and fought at the battle of Plattsburg. At the
age of seventeen, John M. Douglas entered the
law-office of Sweatland and Beckwith, at Platts-
burg, and read law for three years. He then
came west and settled in Galena, Illinois. He
was admitted to the bar in 1841 and opened a
law-office in that city. His first employment by
the company was to secure right of way through
Galena, where he was in practice with R. H.
McClellan. In 1856, he came to Chicago, and,
in 1857, was appointed one of the solicitors of the
Illinois Central road, David Stuart being the
other. It never had a more faithful servant
than he. Cautious and conservative in tempera-
ment, many were the breakers avoided by his
wise counsel. Litigation pregnant with danger,
he made it a rule to settle ; but where he believed
the law and the evidence to be on his client's
side, or where he believed there was a principle
worth contending for, he would contest, general-
ly with success, a case to the end. Knotty prob-
lems, such as frequently encompass the opera-
tions of a railway, he studied out with untiring
zeal.
Mr. Douglas was a director of the company
from May 29, 1861, to May 22, 1872, and from
January 15, 1875, to July 17, 1876. On July
n, 1865, he was elected president of the com-
pany and served until March 14, 1871. He con-
tinued in the service as general-solicitor and, on
January 28, 1875, was again elected president,
serving until July 17, 1876, when he retired per-
manently from the service. His presidential
terms covered important periods in the history
of the road, and, in the course of his manage-
ment, he encountered many difficult problems in
dealing with which he displayed sterling quali-
ties of mind, and in the solution of which he
was eminently successful.
In 1881, he was appointed by Judge Thomas
Drummond, receiver of the Ohio & Mississippi
Railway Company, the affairs of which he
managed with scrupulous fidelity to the owners
of the property. Mr. Douglas died March 26,
1891. He married Amanda Marshall, of Platts-
burg, New York, and left three children, Helen.
Anna and John Marshall. He was a democrat
in politics but never took a very active part in
political life. He made it a rule of his official
life never to write a letter concerning any im-
portant matter of business, which he could bet-
ter explain in person, apparently following the
advice of Sidney Smith, "that it was better to
walk six miles than to write six lines." Diffi-
106
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
dent and retiring in disposition and exceeding-
ly reticent in manner, he was often misunder-
stood. The labors of the best part of his life
were with singular devotion given to the interests
of the Illinois Central Railway Company and it
is pleasant to know that they were appreciated.-
that the supreme court of the state declared it
unconstitutional. But, in the mean time, it in-
flicted untold hardships upon the railways of the
state, and, owing to its peculiar geographical
position, none suffered worse than the Illinois
Central Railroad. On more than one occasion,
COURTESY MRS. C, K. DIXON, CHEROKEE, IOWA.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL STATION FT. DODGE, IOWA.
'OHN NEWELL, sixth president of the
Illinois Central was elected April 14,
1871. As far back as 1855, Mr. Newell
was division engineer on the main line.
His knowledge of engineering and his experience
in that profession served him well when he re-
turned to the service of the company. During
his presidency, he encountered a larger propor-
tion of trials than ordinarily fall to the lot of the
railway manager. They might be summed up
chiefly in three words — grangerism, fire and
panic.
In 1871, the legislature enacted the first
granger law, which proved so odious in its terms
lawless mobs undertook to dictate how the trains
should be run on the road. If there is any one
thing that the average railway manager especial-
ly rebels against, it is to have outsiders interfere
with the running of his trains. The good sense
of the people soon prevailed, and another law,
not so objectional in its provisions, was passed
two years after.
The great Chicago fire, of October 8th and
Qth, 1871,- destroyed a very large amount of the
company's property, including its freight houses
with all the valuable goods stored in them ; also,
one of the large grain-elevators with its con-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
107
tents,* and the commodious passenger depot.
These severe losses almost paralyzed for the time
being the business of the road. As entrance to
the company's grounds in Chicago was complete-
ly obstructed, it was impossible to receive or
forward freight. The company's money loss by
the fire was about $300,000. This, fortunately,
was largely covered by insurance in a reliable
company — the Liverpool and London and Globe
of London — which promptly paid its obligation
in full.
In 1873 a financial panic swept over the
country with all its concomitant evils, rendering
successful administration of railroad affairs a
matter of no ordinary difficulty. The business
of the country was greatly unsettled and prices
of produce fell to a very low point. Corn sold
on the board of trade, Chicago, in June of that
year, as low as 27 cents, and, owing to the diver-
sion of grain carrying vessels to the ore trade —
then quite active, it was difficult to make charters.
The consequence was that the company's eleva-
tors were soon filled and the movement of this
class of traffic in the direction of Chicago was al-
most suspended. The company was compelled
to pay exorbitant lake and canal rates in order
to relieve their elevators ; and, in some instances,
as high as 33 cents per bushel was paid on wheat
to New York — vessel owners naturally taking
advantage of the situation.
Mr. Newell, during all these and other vari-
ous trials, proved himself equal to every emer-
gency ; and the affairs of the company during
his connection with its management, April 14,
1871 to September n, 1874, were administered
with fidelity and on his part with an unflinching
adherence to what he believed to be for the best
* The other elevator was saved through a fortunate
circumstance. There happened to be loaded on a flat-
car in the freight yard a steam fire-engine, which had
been ordered from an eastern manufacturer for Beloit,
Wisconsin. The man in charge of it volunteered to
assist in unloading it and putting it in position for
service, and, by taking suction from the lake, a well
directed stream was applied to the huge building just
as the flames began to lick up the belting inside the
door. The engine, which had done such valuable ser-
vice, was purchased by Messrs. J. and E. Buckingham,
the lessees of the elevators.
interests of the shareholders. In 1883 Mr.
Newell was elected president of the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern Railway and continued
as such until his death in 1894.
ILSON G. HUNT served as the
seventh president of the Illinois
Central Railway from September
11, 1874, to January 28, 1875.
M. K. ACKERMAN ninth presi-
dent of the Illinois Central Rail-
way. (See biography and portrait
in part two.)
JAMES C. CLARKE tenth president of the
Illinois Central Railway was born in
Montgomery county, Maryland, March
4, 1824. Like several other Illinois Cen-
tral workers — among whom may be mentioned
John H. Done, Samuel J. Hayes, John C. Jacobs
and Charles C. Berry — he commenced his rail-
way life on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ; he
entered its service in 1844, and was first engaged
in the road department and then entered the ma-
chinery department as a fireman ; after the usual
term of service as such, he was appointed a loco-
motive engineer. During this term of ser-
vice, he ran the old engine "Arabian," which
was on exhibition in Chicago in 1883 and which
i;; now used as a switch engine in the yard of
Mt. Clare shops, Baltimore. In 1855 — at the
instance of Mr. John H. Done, who had been
master of transportation on the Baltimore &
108
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Ohio Railroad and was called to a similar posi-
tion on the Illinois Central Railroad — Mr.
Clarke accepted the position 08 division super-
intendent of the main line with headquarters at
Amboy, Illinois.
Matters were then in a demoralized condi-
tion on that division and insubordination existed
among the men. Mr. Clarke, coming among
them a stranger, did not meet with a very hos-
ment of his future course. It did not take them
long to find out who "that fellow Clarke" was,
for, on the succeeding day, on the occasion of the
first revolt, every man in the .shops was dis-
charged and the shops were closed to await the
arrival of fresh men.
One year afterward, he was appointed
general superintendent, and, upon the death of
Mr. Done — which sad event occurred through
ILLINOIS CENTRAL STATION AT CHEROKEE, IOWA.
pitable reception. He tells an amusing story of
conversation had in his hearing between some
of the men, around the big stove in the depot hotel
on the night of his arrival, about "that fellow
Clarke" who, they had heard, was coming over to
Amboy to straighten things out. As he had not
registered his correct name on the hotel book, he
enjoyed not only the conversation with its boasts
and threats, but, by joining in it, he was enabled
to obtain some valuable points for the govern-
an accident at Hyde Park — he was elected to
succeed the latter as master of transportation.
He remained in the service at that time for three
years — 1856-1859, and then resigned to accept
a position as general superintendent on the
Northern Central Railroad, where he remained
three years — 1859-1862.
While in charge of the road in the early
part of the war, the task of conducting Presi-
dent Lincoln in safety from Harrisburg to Wash-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
109
ington, prior to his first inauguration, devolved
upon him. A few years before, Mr. Lincoln had
been one of the attorneys of the Illinois Central
company. This was during Mr. Clarke's early
connection with the road ; and, upon this memor-
able trip, their former pleasant acquaintance was
renewed. Shortly afterward, Mr. Clarke retired
to his farm near Frederick, Maryland, where he
was alternately visited by portions of the federal
and confederate armies, and was occasionally
asked to drink to the success of each side, a con-
dition of things that rendered farming in that
locality a somewhat dubious occupation.
After the close of the war, he engaged in the
iron business at the Ashland furnaces in 1862-
1870. He was then elected president of the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Company, and, for
the first time in sixteen years, he made this canal
self-sustaining and paid off in two years more
than $600,000 of its preference debts from its
net earnings. He remained in charge .of this
property for two years — 1870 to 1872. Mr.
Clarke was then elected vice-president and
general manager of the Erie Railway Company,
while that road was still suffering from the evil
effects of the Fisk management. Here he proved
himself faithful among the faithless ; his savings
at the spigots were numerous and effective but
were sadly offset by waste at the bungs.
Mr. Clarke was familiar with the use and
purposes of the locomotive engine and all ligiti-
mate railroad machinery, but the operations of
a small printing press quite baffled him. One
day, there was submitted to him a mysterious
voucher for $50,000 for his approval. All the
explanation vouchsafed for the proposed pay-
ment was that it was "for legal services;" Mr.
Clarke shortly after signed his name, not to the
aforesaid voucher, but to a letter pf resignation,
after a service of two years — 1872 to 1874.
In 1874 he returned to the Illinois Central
service as general manager — 1874 to 1877 —
and took a very active part in the reorganization
and reconstruction of the roads which had been
acquired south of Cairo and which have been
hereinbefore referred to in detail. He became
vice-president and general manager — 1877 to
1883 — and president — 1883 to 1888 of these
dependent lines successively. He was also
vice-president of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company, and in August 1883, became presi-
dent. This position he held until May i8th,
1887. He resigned as director, December 21,
1887.
Mr. Clarke's record as a railroad manager
would fill a respectable sized volume of itself.
He is a man of indomitable energy, unswerving
integrity, and is possessed of great versatility.
His power of adaptation to adverse circumstances
and conditions is something remarkable. He has
a wonderful capacity for dealing with men, and
his tact and discretion in this particular have
saved many thousands of dollars to the com-
panies he has served.
It has been said that on the occasion of a
strike on one of his roads, a "grievance commit-
tee" of locomotive engineers, who visited him,
were put in such good humor that they forgot
what they came for. Having been a Knight
of the Footboard himself, he knew how to sym-
pathize with this class, and he could enter into
their feelings and grant all reasonable requests;
but, at the same time, he could, in his clever way,
point a lesson when he believed they were wrong.
TUYVESANT FISH, the eleventh and
present president of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad Company was elected
May 1 8, 1887. (For biography and
portrait see part two.)
110
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
DIRECTORS OF THE
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,
WITH DATE OF THEIR ELECTION.
1851-1890.
Jonathan Sturges,
February 10, 1851.
George Griswold, -
February 10, 1851.
Gouverneur Morris, - -
February 10, 1851.
David A. Neal,
February 10, 1851.
John F. A. San ford, - -
February 10, 1851.
Franklin Haven, - - -
February 10, 1851.
Leroy M. Wiley, - - -
February 10, 1851.
Robert Rantoul, Jr. -
February 10, 1851.
Henry Grinnell, - - - -
February 10, 1851.
Thomas W. Ludlow, -
February 10, 1851.
Joseph W. Alsop, -
February 10, 1851.
Gov. Augustus C. French,
February 10, 1851.
Robert Schuyler,
February 10, 1851.
The foregoing, with the governor of Illi-
nois, constituted the first board of directors; the
following named were afterward elected :
Morris Ketchum,
William P. Bun-all, -
Gov. Joel A. Matteson, -
J. Newton Perkins, - -
Wiliam H. Osborn,
Frederick C. Gebhard, -
J. N. A. Griswold,
James F. Joy, - - - -
Thomas E. Walker, - -
Ebenezer Lane, - - -
Gov. William H. Bissell,
Abram S. Hewitt, •
Pierre Chouteau. Jr.,
Gustavus W. Smith, •
William Tracy, - - -
Gov. Richard Yates, •
Nathaniel P. Banks, - -
John M. Douglas, - -
James C. Fargo, - - •
William R. Arthur, -
H. H. Hunnewell, - -
Edwin H. Sheldon,
James Caird, - - - -
April 15, 1851.
- March 16, 1853.
- January I, 1852.
August II, 1854.
August 11, 1854.
October 24, 1854.
December 5, 1854.
March 21, 1854.
- November 7, 1855.
December 6, 1855.
January I, 1856.
March 19, 1856.
March 18, 1857.
December 12, 1857.
- April 12, 1859.
- January I, 1860.
September 6, 1860.
May 29, 1861.
May 28, 1862.
May 28, 1862.
May 28, 1862.
May 28, 1862.
May 27, 1863.
Cunningham Borthwick,
Gov. Richard J. Oglesby,
Henry Chauncey, - -
Wilson G. Hunt,
Ambrose E. Burnside,
R. Daniel Wolterbeek,
Gov. John M. Palmer, -
George Bliss, - - - .
J. Pierpont Morgan,
Louis A. Von Hoffman,
John Newell, - - -
Lucien Tilton,
William H. Gebhard,
William K. Ackerman, •
Gov. John L. Beveridge,
L. V. F. Randolph,
Abram R. Van Nest, -
Frederick Sturges, -
Constantine Menelas, -
Gov. Shelby M. Cullom,
A. G. Dulman,
Stuyvesant Fish, - - •
Benjamin F. Ayer, - -
James C. Clarke,
John Elliott,
W. Bayard Cutting, - -
Sidney Webster,
Gov. John M. Hamilton,
Edward H. Harriman, -
Gov. Richard J. Oglesby,
Walther Luttgen,
Robert Goelet,
S. Van Rensalaer Cruger
William Waldorf Astor,
Oliver Harriman,
Levi P. Morton. - - -
John W. Auchincloss,
Gov. Joseph W. Fifer,
J. C. Welling,
Charles M. Da Costa,
George Bliss,
May 27, 1863.
January I, 1864.
May 25, 1864.
June 14, 1864.
- May 31, 1865.
December 13, 1865.
- January I, 1868.
May 27, 1868.
May 31, 1871.
May 31, 1871.
May 31, 1871.
May 31, 1871.
May 31, 1871.
May 29, 1872.
- January I, 1873.
January 28, 1873.
- January 26, 1875.
October 26, 1875.
• December 15, 1875.
- January I, 1876.
• - March 16, 1877.
- March 16, 1877.
April 25, 1877.
May 30, 1877.
- - May 30, 1877.
- - May 28, 1879.
April 19, 1882.
February 6, 1883.
- - May 30, 1883.
2d term, Jan. I, 1884.
March 12, 1884.
March 12, 1884.
, • March 12, 1884.
• - March n, 1885.
March 10, 1886.
March 10, 1886.
May 3, 1888.
January I, 1889.
- March 9, 1889.
March 13, 1889.
March 13, 1889.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
Ill
In 1889 the fiscal year was changed to corre-
spond with that of the national government. A
report of six months business was reported and
the election changed from March to September.
Since that time the following have been elected,
their term of office expiring as given below :
Expiring 1890. Oliver Harriman, George
Bliss, John Elliott
Expiring 1891. Stuyvesant Fish, Edward
H. Harriman, William Waldorf Astor.
Expiring 1892. S. Van Rensalaer Cruger,
Charles A. Peabody, Jr., Norman Ream, Gov.
Joseph W. Fifer.
Expiring 1893. Benjamin F. Ayer, Wal-
ther Luttgen, John W. Auchincloss.
Expiring 1894. Oliver Harriman, John W.
Doane, Charles M. Beach.
Expiring 1895. Stuyvesant Fish, Edward
H. Harriman, John Jacob Astor.
Expiring 1896. S. Van Rensalaer Cruger,
Charles A. Peabody, John C. Welling, Gov. John
P. Altgeld.
Expiring 1897. Benjamin F. Ayer, Wal-
ther Luttgen, John W. Auchincloss.
Expiring 1898. Oliver Harriman, John W,
Doane, Charles M. Beach.
Expiring 1899. Stuyvesant Fish, Edward
H. Harriman, John Jacob Astor.
Expiring 1900. Charles A. Peabody, Jr.,
John C. Welling, W. Morton Grinnell, Gov. John
R. Tanner.
Expiring 1901. Benjamin F. Ayer, Wal-
ther Luttgen, John W. Auchincloss.
Expiring 1902. John W. Doane, Charles
M. Beach, James D. W. Cutting.
Expiring 1903. Stuyvesant Fish, Edward
II. Harriman, John Jacob Astor.
CHAPTER IV.
MILEAGE AND EQUIPMENT OF THE ILLINOIS
CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
MILEAGE AND EQUIPMENT OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL
RAILROAD COMPANY.
From the original Road of 705.50 Miles it has Grown to its Present Magnificent Proportions of
5,454.53 Miles.
NORTHERN LINES.
MILES.
East Dubuque to Main Line Junction.. 340. 77
Chicago to Cairo, Illinois 364.73
South Chicago Branch.
Parkside to South Chicago 4.63
Blue Island Railroad.
Kensington to Blue Island 3.96
Mound City Railroad.
Mound City Junction to Mound City. . . 2.87
Kankakee & Southwestern.
Otto to Normal Junction 79.43
Kempton Junction to Kankakee June. . 41.80
Buckingham to Tracy 10.00
Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad.
Oilman to Springfield 111.47
Rantoul Railroad.
West Lebanon, Ind., to LeRoy, 111 74.40
Chicago, Havana & Western Railroad.
Havana to Champaign 100.58
White Heath to Decatur 31.04
Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad.
Freeport, 111., to Madison, Wis 61.59
Cedarville June., 111., toDodgeville.Wis. 57.36
Freeport to Clark Street, Chicago 112.14
Chicago & Texas Railroad.
Johnston City to East Cape Girardeau. 73.00
Mobile Junction to Garrison Shaft 2.00
St. Louis, Indianapolis & Eastern R. R.
Switz City, Ind., to Effingham, 111 88.51
St. Louis A. & T. H. Railroad.
East St. Louis to Eldorado 121.00
Belleville to East Carondelet 17.30
Pinckneyville to Brooklyn 98.43
Harrison to Murphysboro 2.31
Belleville to East St. Louis 14.40
St. Louis, Peoria & Northern Railway.
Springfield to East St. Louis 97.59
Total Northern Lines. . 1911.31
WESTERN LINES.
Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad.
Dubuque to Sioux City 326.58
Onawa, la., 'to Sioux Falls, S. D 153.23
Cedar Rapids to Manchester 41.74
Cedar Falls June, to Minnesota State
Line 75.58
Stacy ville Railroad.
Lyle, Minn., to Stacyville 7.66
Omaha Division.
Tara to Council Bluffs. . . . . 131.02
Total Western Lines.
735.81
SOUTHERN LINES.
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans R. R.
Cairo, 111., to Canton, Miss 341.03
Canton to New Orleans 206.76
Memphis Division.
Grenada, Miss , to Memphis, Tenn 100.00
Durant, Miss., to Kosciusco, Miss 17.20
Louisville Division.
Memphis, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky. ...398.12
Owensboro, Ky., to Horse Branch, Ky. 42.16
Evansville, Ind., to Hopkinsville, Ky.. 129.12
Morganfield, Ky., to Uniontown, Ky.. 7.59
DeKoven, Ky. , to Ohio River 2.00
Hodgenville & Elizabethtown Railroad.. 11.10
Troy & Tiptonville Railroad.
Moffat to Troy, Tenn 4.60
Canton, Aberdeen & Nashville Railroad.
Aberdeen to Kosciusco, Miss 89.06
Total Southern Lines.
Total of all lines .
1,348.74
3,995.86
116
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
SUMMARY.
MILES.
On June 30, 1900, there were in operation,
Of first main track 3,995.86
Of second and additional main tracks 248.17
Total of main tracks 4,244.03
Of passing and side tracks, including yard
tracks 1,209.50
Total tracks of all kinds 5,453.53
This mileage is exclusive of the railroad
owned and operated by the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley Railroad Company.
YAZOO & MISSISSIPPI VALLEY RAILROAD COM-
PANY.
The following extract from the report of the
President of the Board of Directors of the Y. &
M. V. Railroad Company, for the year ending
June 30, 1900, shows the mileage operated by
that company:
"The number of miles of railroad operated
by the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad
Company throughout the past year has been
1,000.68."
Statement of the number of miles of railroad
operated by the I. C. Railroad Company
and also the number of miles of railroad
operated by the Y. & M. V. Railroad Com-
pany, respectively, in various states on
June 30, 1900.
STATES.
MILKS OF 1
LAILROAD IN
JUNK 30, 190(
OPERATION
.
I. C. R. R.
CO.
Y. &M. V.
R. R. CO.
BOTH
COMPANIES.
Illinois
1 769 47
1 769 47
South Dakota .
Minnesota
Iowa
14.95
11.40
712 19
14.95
11.40
712 19
Wisconsin
Indiana . . .
91.31
45 17
91.31
45 17
Kentucky. . . .
506 28
506 28
Tennessee
Mississippi ....
Louisiana
Alabama
252.38
497.13
87.74
7 84
13.11
817.37
170.20
265.49
1,314.50
257.94
7 84
Total
3 995 86
1 000 68
4 996 54
On September 20, 1850, Congress made the
first grant of public lands to aid in the construc-
tion of a line of railroad. This grant to Illinois
was subsequently transferred to the Illinois Cen-
tral, which was chartered February 10, 1851,
to run from LaSalle, the terminus of the Illinois
and Michigan Canal, north to the Mississppi
river, opposite Dubuque, la., and south to Cairo,
with a branch to Chicago. There were 2,594,-
1 1 5 acres included in this grant.
The first engineering party was organized
at Chicago, May 21, 1851, and began the survey
of the Chicago division. ' The whole line was
surveyed and located before the end of the year.
The first contract for grading was made
March 15, 1852, for that part of the line between
Chicago and . Calumet, a distance of fourteen
miles. It was completed May 24, 1852, to let
the Michigan Central into the city, making con-
nection between Chicago and Detroit. The con-
tracts for grading divisions i, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10 were
let in June 1852, while those for grading divi-
sions 3, 4, 5, 7, n, 12 were let October 14, 1852.
The following lines were opened for traffic
at the times specified below :
Chicago to Kensington 14 miles.
Bloomington to Tonica 50 " .
Kensington to Kankakee.... 42 " . .
Tonica to Mendota 25 " .
Freeport to Nora 20.75 " .
Clinton to Bloomington 22 " .
Kankakee to Ludlow 52 " .
Ludlow to Champaign 21 " .
Nora to Apple River 10 " .
Decatur to Clinton 21.50 " .
Apple River to Council Hill. 13 " .
Cairo to Sandoval 118.50 " .
Mendota to Amboy 16 " .
Sandoval to Decatur 86.25 " .
Freeport to Amboy 47.50 " .
Council Hill to E. Dubuque. 25.22 " .
Champaign to Mattoon 43.50 " .
Mattoon to Main Line June. 77.28 " .
May
May
July
Nov.
Jan.
Mar.
May
July
Sept.
Oct.
Oct.
Nov.
Nov.
Jan.
Jan.
June
June
Sept.
24, 1852
16, 1853
11, 1853
14, 1853
6, 1854
14, 1854
13, 1854
24, 1854
11, 1854
18, 1854
28, 1854
22, 1854
27, 1854
6, 1855
15, 1855
11, 1855
25, 1855
27, 1856
The conservatism, which marked the early
operations of the company, later gave way to
very active progress. Large expenditures have
been made in the construction and acquisition of
lines, as well as for additional equipment and for
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
117
other property. Among the more important
works carried out we mention the following :
The South Chicago Railroad (4.76 miles)
was completed, affording a double track connec-
tion with this important manufacturing town.
The Chicago, Madison & Northern railroad
was begun in 1886 and the first trains began
running in August 1888. It was turned over to
the Illinois Central January i, 1889.
to acquire the line in Illinois. The Illinois Cen-
tral railroad secured a clear title to this road in
January 1887, and increased it from a narrow
gauge to a standard gauge in 1888.
In 1877 the Oilman, Clinton & Springfield
railroad was organized under the name of the
Chicago & Springfield railroad and leased to the
Illinois Central for fifty years, operations be-
ginning January i, 1878.
PHOTO LOANED BY A. DILLON, CHEROKEE, |OW».
A partial view of the Coon River trestle on the Omaha division,. 1500 ft. long and 65 ft. high,
one of the largest in the world.
The Chicago, Havana & Western railroad,
130 miles in length, was acquired in 1887, under
foreclosure proceedings.
The Havana, Rantoul & Eastern railroad,
West Lebanon, Indiana, to LeRoy, 111., (74.40
miles long) was chartered October 10, 1873, and
opened in 1881, being purchased in May of that
year by the Wabash. Went into the hands of a
receiver with the Wabash in May 29, 1884; de-
faulted on interest June I, 1885, and sold under
foreclosure in October 1886, being purchased
by the Illinois Central and two new companies
organized, the Lebanon & Western to acquire
the road in Indiana and the Leroy and Eastern
Between the years 1878 and 1883 the Kanka-
kee & Southwestern railroad, 131.26 miles, was
constructed and added.
The Indiana & Illinois Southern railroad,
extending from Switz City, Ind., to Effingham,
Illinois, a distance of 88.51 miles, was acquired
by the Illinois Central in 1899, under foreclosure
sale and since January i, 190x3, has been operated
by the Illinois Central as the Effingham district.
April i, 1896, the Illinois Central leased
the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad
for 99 years from October i, 1895, and the
Belleville & Southern Illinois Railroad, carrying
leases of six small roads.
118
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
The 13 miles of track constructed in 1885.
by the Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railroad,
on the company's right of way between East
Dubuque and Portage curve under condem-
nation proceedings, was purchased in 1888, and
an arrangement made permitting the Chicago,
Burlington & Northern Railroad to use it at a
fixed rental.
Control of the Dunleith an Dubuque bridge,
the construction of which was begun in 1867
and opened for business January i, 1869, was
secured in 1888 by the purchase of all the stock
of that company, and the Chicago, St. Paul
& Kansas City Railroad and the Chicago,
Burlington & Northern Railroad became par-
ticipants in its use as joint tenants.
The control of the Dubuque & Sioux City
Railroad — 143 miles — and the Iowa Falls &
Sioux City Railroad — 183 miles — was obtained
through the purchase of the securities of those
companies in 1887.
Between the years 1881 and 1888, the Illi-
nois Central built, or had built in its interests,
in Iowa, the Cherokee & Dakota Railroad, ex-
tending from Cherokee, Iowa, northwesterly to
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and from Cherokee,
southwesterly to Onawa, a distance of 155.58
miles.
Also the Cedar Rapids & Chicago Railroad,
extending from Manchester to Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, a distance of 41.85 miles.
In 1899 the Omaha division, extending
from Tara, Iowa, to Council Bluffs, la., (131.02
miles) was completed.
The Cedar Falls & Minnesota Railroad was
purchased at foreclosure sale June i, 1896.
The Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
Railroad was formed November 8, 1877, by the
consolidation of the New Orleans, Jackson &
Northern and Central Mississippi Railroads.
The former road was chartered as the New
Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad,
April 22, 1852, and opened from New Orleans
to Canton, Miss., (206 miles) in 1859. It was
sold under foreclosure March 17, 1877, and re-
organized as the New Orleans, Jackson &
Northern, May 12, 1877. The Mississippi
Central Railroad was chartered by the states of
Mississippi and Tennessee in 1852, and was
opened from Canton, Miss., to Jackson, Tenn.,
in 1860, and extended to the Ohio river opposite
Cairo in 1873, making a line 343 miles long. It
was sold under foreclosure August 23, 1877,
and reorganized as the Central Mississippi
River Railroad, November 5, 1877. June 13,
1882, the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans •
Railroad was leased by the Illinois Central for
400 years, and assumed control of the same Jan.
i, 1883-
On September 15, 1897, the owners of the
Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern, Owensboro,
Falls of Rough & Green River and the Short
Route Terminal of Louisville, deeded the same
to the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Rail-
road. Later they were simultaneously mort-
gaged to the Illinois Central and leased for 99
years from July I, 1897.
The Ohio Valley Railroad was sold under
foreclosure July 13, 1897, and bid in for the
stockholders. On August i, 1897, the Illinois
Central began to operate the road as "agents for
the owners."
The Chicago & Texas Railroad was secured
and is operated under a 25 year lease from Octo-
ber I, 1897. The extension from East Cape
Girardeau to Gale, a distance of five miles, was
completed June 30, 1898.
The bridge across the Ohio river at Cairo
was built to obviate the delays incident to the
ferry transfer.
In 1892 the Illinois Central secured control
of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad by
purchasing all the securities for $5,000,000 cash
and $20,000,000 in bonds. In October 1892 the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad and
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad were
consolidated and since November i, 1892, have
been operated by the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley Railroad.
The Litchfield division, 97.59 miles in length,
formerly owned by the St. Louis, Peoria &
Northern Railway Co., was leased by the Illinois
Central from December i, 1899.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
119
On August I, 1900, the Illinois Central as-
sumed control, by purchase, of the Peoria,
Decatur & Evansville Railway, (254 miles).
Statement showing the number of engines
owned by the I. C. Railroad Company for
the year ending June 30, 1900, and the
years in which they were built:
WHEN BUILT. NO.
During years ending Dec. 31, 1854 to 1856 inclusive. 2
" 31, 1867 to 1871 " 6
" 31, 1872 to 1876 " 16
" 31, 1877 to 1881 " 44
year ended " 31,1882 24
" 31, 1883 26
" 31, 1884 26
" 31, 1885 14
" 31, 1886 42
" 31, 1887 54
" 31, 1888 63
6 mos. ended June 30, 1889 8
" year ended " 30,1890 43
" 30, 1891 99
" 30, 1892 52
" 30, 1893 55
" 30, 1894 52
' 30, 1895 23
" 30, 1896 45
30, 1897 25
30, 1898 21
, " " " " 30, 1899 26
! " 30, 1900 47
Total 813
Number and classification of cars for year end-
ing June 30, 1900.
PASSENGER CARS.
Passenger and Chair Cars 388
Smoking Cars 64
Cafe Dining Cars 10
Buffet Library Cars 8
Baggage and Smoking Cars 21
Mail and Express Cars 7
Baggage and Express Cars 92
Baggage, Mail and Express Cars 34
Postal Cars
Postal Cars (Joint)
Pay Cars
Business Cars
Instruction Cars. . .
Old Cars
Test Car
35
3
2
10
1
20
1
FREIGHT CARS.
Box Cars 16,873
Coal Cars 10,671
Stock Cars 1,179
Fruit Cars 822
Refrigerator Cars 1,078
Flat Cars 1,816
Caboose Cars 530
Total.
32,969
WORK CARS.
Pile Drivers
Steam Shovels
Derrick Cars
Tool Cars
Ballast and Construction Cars
Hart Ditcher
Scale Cars
Snow Excavator
Water Cars
Dirt Levelers
Shop Cars
11
9
19
33
359
1
2
1
2
2
2
Total.
441
Total of all Cars 34,106
Statement of revenue freight cars, and their ca-
pacity in tons, June 30, 1900.
CLASS OF CARS. NUMBER.
Box 16,873
Stock 1,179
Fruit 822
Refrigerator 1,078
Coal 10,671
Flat 1,816
CAPACITY
460,611
28,038
17,019
28,390
309,382
55,305
Total 32,439 898,745
Average per Car 27.7
Statement of number, classification and tractive
power of engines.
Total.
696
CLASS OF ENGINES.
Year ending June 30, 1900.
NUMBER.
TRACTIVE POWER
IN TONS.
119
33
180
271
170
39
1
361,136
73,535
651,423
919,018
423,027
178,161
8,472
10-wheel
8-wheel
12-wheel
Total
813
2,614,772
3,216
Average per Engine. . .
120
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
REVENUE PER MILE OPERATED.
Statement, showing the receipts per mile operated, the Illinois Central system in comparison
with that of all other railroads in the United States.
YEARS ENDED
JUNE 30.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.
ALL THE RAILROADS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
AVERAGE NO.
OF MILES
OPERATED.
GROSS RECEIPTS
FROM OPERATION.
GROSS RECEIPTS
PER MILE
OPERATED.
NUMBER OF
MILES
OPERATED.
GROSS RECEIPTS
PER MILE
OPERATED.
1890
2,875
2,875
2,883
2,888
2,888
2,888
3,067
3,130
3,775
3,671
3,845
$16,452,022
17,881,555
19,291,760
20,095,191
20,657,464
19,056,994
22,002,842
22,110,937
27,317,820
28,114,690
32,611,967
$5,722
6,220
6,692
6,958
7,153
6,599
7,174
7,064
7,237
7,659
8,482
156,404
161,275
162,397
169,780
175,691
177,746
181,983
183,284
184,648
187,535
$6,725
6,800
7,213
7,190
6,109
6,050
6,320
6,122
6,755
7,005
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
*1900
* The figures for all the roads for the year ended June 30, 1900, are not as yet obtainable, but in that year
the gross receipts per mile of the Illinois Central Railroad showed a further increase of $823.
CHARACTER AND WEIGHT OF RAILS USED BY
THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL.
All the main tracks and all of the side tracks,
excepting 31.66 miles, are laid with steel rails
The average weight of rails in the main
tracks is 69.41 pounds per yard, or 109.08 tons
to the mile of single track.
Exclusive of the rails in 1,209,50 miles of
side tracks, the total weight of all the rails in the
main tracks on June 30, 1900, was 462,960 tons,
an increase over the previous year of 46,839 tons.
Of the new mileage taken over during the
past year, the Omaha division, 131.02 miles, and
the second track from Oilman to Otto, 21 miles,
are laid with new 85 pound rails.
The lightest rails in the main tracks weigh
50 pounds to the yard, and the heaviest weigh
100 pounds.
There are laid with rails weigh-
ing less than 60 pounds 355-61 miles
With 60 pound rails 1,223.79 miles
With rails weighing from 60 to
70 pounds 593-°° miles
With 75 pound rails 1,578.42 miles
With 85 pound rails 489.13 miles
With 100 pound rails 4.08 miles
Total of main tracks 4,244.03
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
121
THE "LINCOLN CAR.'
COURTESY "RAILWAY AGE" AND UNION PACIFIC R. R.
This car was in the Union Pacific exhibit, Transportation Building,
at the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, held at Omaha,
Neb., in 1898. It was built to meet President Lincoln's ideas, at the
Military Car Shops, Alexandria, Va., in 1864.
It is iron-clad, armor plate being set between the inner and outer
walls to make it bullet proof.
The largest of the compartments was the President's study. In it
was the long sofa, which at night, was adjusted into a bed for Mr. Lincoln.
The President generally used this car, and in it his remains were
taken to Springfield for interment.
The car was purchased by the Union Pacific in 1866, and is still the
property of that company.
CHAPTER V.
PERSONNEL OF THE MANAGEMENT OF
THE ROAD,
PERSONNEL OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ROAD.
Directors :
His Excellency JOHN R. TANNER, Governor of Illi-
nois, Ex OfKcio.
B. F. AYER,
JOHN W. AUCHINCLOSS,
JOHN JACOB ASTOR,
CHARLES M. BEACH,
W. MORTON GRINNELL,
J. W. DOANE,
STUYVESANT FISH,
EDWARD H. HARRIMAN,
WALTHER LUTTGEN,
CHARLES A. PEABODY, JR.,
JOHN C. WELLING,
J. D. W. CUTTING.
STUYVESANT FISH, President New York
JOHN C. WELLING, Vice-President Chicago
J. T. HARAHAN, Second Vice-President. .. .Chicago
A. G. HACKSTAFF, Secretary New York
WM. G. BRUEN, Assist. Secretary Chicago
LAW DEPARTMENT.
B. F. AYER, General Counsel Chicago
JAMES FENTRESS, General Attorney Chicago
J. M. DICKINSON, General Solictor Chicago
SIDNEY F. ANDREWS, Asst. General Solici-
tor Chicago
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
F. FAIRMAN, Auditor of Freight Receipts. ..Chicago
M. D. ROYER, Assistant Auditor of Freight
Receipts Chicago
A. D. JOSLIN, Auditor of Passenger Receipts. Chicago
CON. F. KREBS, Auditor of Disbursements. .Chicago
W. S. PINNEY, Chief Traveling Auditor Chicago
C. C. WHITNEY, Traveling Auditor Chicago
WALTER NEWELL, Traveling Auditor Chicago
W. R. COMSTOCK, Traveling Auditor Chicago
D. E. WOODS, Traveling Auditor Chicago
W. D. BRENT, Traveling Auditor, Water Valley, Miss.
C. B. WEST, Traveling Auditor Paducah, Ky.
MAURICE REIS, Traveling Auditor of Expen-
ditures Chicago
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
E. T. H. GIBSON, Treasurer New York
J. F. TITUS, Local Treasurer Chicago
R. S. CHARLES, Local Treasurer New Orleans
H. D. WARNER, Paymaster Chicago
L. B. BUTTS, Assistant Paymaster Chicago
R. S. CHARLES, JR., Assist. Paymaster. .New Orleans
E. P. SKENE, Land Commissioner Chicago
W. L. TARBET, Tax Commissioner Chicago
L. P. MOREHOUSE, Custodian of Deeds. .. .Chicago
OPERATING DEPARTMENT.
J. F. WALLACE, Assistant Second Vice-Presi-
dent Chicago
A. W. SULLIVAN, General Superintendent. . .Chicago
DAVID SLOAN, Chief Engineer '..Chicago
L T. MOORE, Consulting Engineer Chicago
WM. RENSHAW, Superintendent of Machin-
ery Chicago
JOSEPH BUKER, Assistant Superintendent of
Machinery Chicago
W. H. V. ROSING, Assistant Superintendent of
Machinery Chicago
J. W. HIGGINS, Superintendent of Transpor-
tation Chicago
J. G. HARTIGAN, Asst. Gen. Supt. Northern
and Western Lines Chicago
M. GILLEAS, Assistant General Superinten-
dent Southern Lines Memphis
W. J. GILLINGHAM, JR., Signal Engineer. . .Chicago
H. W. PARKHURST, Engineer of Bridges. .Chicago
F. T. BACON, Architect Chicago
O. J. TRAVIS, Superintendent of Bridges. . .Chicago
T. S. LEAKE, Master Carpenter Chicago
M. MILLER, Gen'l Foreman of Water Works. Chicago
M. D. NELON, Supt. of Floating Equipment. .. .Cairo
G. M. DUGAN, Superintendent of Telegraph . Chicago
126
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
C. F. ANNETT, Asst. Supt. of Telegraph .... Chicago
L. L. LOSEY, Chief Claim Agent Chicago
C. A. BECK, General Purchasing Agent Chicago
A. J. SIMPSON, Stationer Chicago
GEO. P. MURRAY, Chief Special Agent Chicago
G. W. HATTER, Fuel Agent Chicago
FRED. SCHLINKERT, Supervisor of Scales. Central*
JOHN MONOHAN, Supervisor Fire Ex-
tinguishers Burnside, 111.
HUNTER C. LEAKE, General Agent. .. .New Orleans
C. F. PARKER, General Agent St. Louis
TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT.
T. J. HUDSON, Traffic Manager Chicago
M. C. MARKHAM, Assistant Traffic Manager. Chicago
A. H. HANSON, General Passenger Agent. . .Chicago
C. A. KNISKERN, Assistant General Passenger
Agent Chicago
S. G. HATCH, Assist. Gen'l Passenger Agent. .Chicago
J F. MERRY, Assist. Gen'l Passenger
Agent Dubuque, Iowa
WM. ALFRED KELLOND, Assistant
General Passenger Agent .' .Louisville, Ky.
JOHN A. SCOTT, Division Passenger
Agent Memphis, Tenn.
C. C. McCARTY, Division Passenger Agent.. St. Louis
F. W. HARLOW, Division Passenger Ag't. .Cincinnati
WM. MURRAY, Div. Passenger Agent.. New Orleans
W. H. BRILL, District Passenger Agent Omaha
W. E. KEEPERS, General Freight Agent,
Northern and Western Lines Chicago
W. R. BASCOM, First Assistant Gen'l Freight
Agent, Northern and Western Lines Chicago
J. R. PEACHY, Assistant General Freight Ag't,
Northern and Western Lines Chicago
ROBT. KIRKLAND, Assistant Gen'l Freight
Agent, Northern and Western Lines Chicago
GEO. W. BECKER, Assistant General Freight
Agent St. Louis
J. S. WEITZELL, Assistant General Freight
Agent Omaha
F. W. BOWES, General Freight Agent,
Southern Lines Louisville
W. M. RHETT, General Freight Agent.. .New Orleans
C. C. CAMERON, Asst. Gen'l Freight Agent,
Southern Lines Louisville
W. L. SMITH, Assist. General Freight Agent,
Southern Lines Memphis
F. H. HARWOOD, Assistant General Freight
Agent Evansville
R F. REYNOLDS, Division Freight Agent,
Southern Lines New Orleans
HENRY BALDWIN, Foreign Freight Ag't
New Orleans
SLATER & REID, European Agents,
No. 44 Chapel street Liverpool, Eng.
W. D. HURLBUT, General Coal Agent Chicago
J. A. OSBORN, General Baggage Agent Chicago
W. A. ELDREDGE, Freight Claim Agent Chicago
A. P. FARRINGTON, Assistant Freight Claim
Agent Chicago
GEO. C. POWER, Industrial Commissioner. . .Chicago
W. D. MURRAY, Supt. Hotel Service Chicago
LIST OF DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS.
H. McCOURT, Chicago Division Chicago, 111.
J. C. DAILEY, St. Louis Division Carbondale, 111.
H. BAKER, Amboy Division Clinton, 111.
D. S. BAILEY, Springfield Division Clinton, 111.
H. U. WALLACE, Freeport Division. .. .Freeport, 111.
F B. HARRIMAN, Dubuque Division. .. .Dubuque, la.
C. K. DIXON, Cherokee Division Cherokee, la.
G A. CLARK, Omaha Division Council Bluffs, la.
W. S. KING, Mississippi Division Jackson, Tenn.
J. B. KEMP, Aberdeen Division Durant, Miss.
O. M. DUNN, Louisiana Division. .. .New Orleans, La.
A. PHILBRICK, Memphis Division Memphis, Tenn.
W. J. HARAHAN, Louisville Division. Louisville, Ky.
Y. & M. V. R. R. CO.
A. A. SHARP, Vicksburg Division. .. .Memphis, Tenn.
A. J. GREIF, New Orleans Division. .Vicksburg, Miss.
LIST OF MASTER MECHANICS.
J W. LUTTRELL Burnside, 111.
J H. POLLARD Centralia, 111.
J. G. NEUDORFER Water Valley. Miss.
L. L. DAWSON, McComb, Miss.
M. S. CURLEY, Memphis, Tenn.
T F. BARTON, Paducah, Ky.
G. J. HATZ East St. Louis, 111.
J. H. BANNERMAN, Clinton, 111.
E. O. DANA Freeport, 111.
T. W. PLACE Waterloo, la.
C. LINSTROM, (Y. & M. V. R. R.) .Vicksburg, Miss.
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
STUVVESANT FISH.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
TUYVESANT FISH, president of the
Illinois Central Railroad Company
was born in New York City, June 24,
1851, and was educated at Coumbia
College. He entered the service of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, October i, 1871, as
clerk in the financial office in New York, where he
remained until June 20, 1872, when he was ap-
pointed secretary to President Newell, in Chica-
go, and served in that capacity until October
30, 1872. On November i, 1872, he left the ser-
vice of the company to accept a position with the
banking house of Morton, Bliss & Co., of New
York, and later became identified with their Lon-
don house, Morton, Rose & Co., remaining there
until December 31, 1874, when he returned to
New York to become the managing clerk of the
house, holding their power of attorney, and re-
mained with them until March 15, 1877. From
December 14, 1876, to March 6, 1879, he was a
member of the New York stock exchange. On
the 1 6th of March, 1877, he was elected a direc-
tor of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
and was appointed treasurer and agent for the
purchasing committee of the New Orleans, Jack-
son & Great Northern railroad, and served as
such until November 8, 1877, when he was elect-
ed secretary of the Chicago, St. Louis & New
Orleans Railroad Company, and was thus em-
ployed until he was elevated to the vice-presi-
dency in March 1882. On January 7, 1883, he
was elected second vice-president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, serving as such until
April 2, 1884, when he was elected vice-president,
in which position he was retained until May 14,
1887, at which date he succeeded James C.
Clarke as president of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company.
Up to a decade ago the Illinois Central had
the unpleasant reputation of being perhaps the
worst regulated and slovenly of the large Amer-
can railway companies. The ruling spirit in all
that has been done since that time toward placing
it in its present enviable position has been Stuy-
vesant Fish, of whom a portrait is given here-
with. In addition to his position in the railroad
world, he is also prominent in social and public
affairs, especially in New York.
EORGE NIMAN, conductor on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy divi-
sion, is the son of George and Anna
Niman. The father, who was a car-
penter by occupation, died in 1896. One son,
Louis, is a railroad employe, residing in Wil-
mette, 111.
Our subject was born November 26, 1868,
at Polo, 111., and was educated in the public
schools of his native town. In 1889 he en-
tered the service of the I. C. R. R. on the Amboy
division, as brakeman, where he served four
months, and was transferred to the Freeport div-
132
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ision, serving on that branch for two years in
the same capacity, then returned to the Amboy
division where he has since remained, having
been promoted to the position of conductor, Aug-
ust 31, 1899. April 23, 1899, Mr. Niman was
married to Miss Bertha L. Palmer, a native of
Amboy, and daughter of Walter M. Palmer, an
engineer of the I. C. R. R., now residing in Free-
port. Mr. Niman is a Protestant in his religious
belief. He is a member of the B. of R. T., and
a Democrat in politics.
JOHN.R. GORMAN, passenger conductor
between Dubuque and Fort Dodge, be^
gan work for the Illinois Central company
in November, 1878. Prior to this, how-
ever, he served as a brakeman on the Oil Creek &
Allegheny River Railroad for about two years.
He entered the employ of the Illinois Central
at Fort Dodge as a brakeman, with a run between
that city and Sioux City. In 1880 he was pro-
moted to the position of freight conductor on the
same division, and in 1884 was promoted to the
passenger service and transferred to the Lyle
branch where he had charge of a mixed train for
six or seven years. He was then transferred to
Dubuque and for a time worked between that city
and Fort Dodge. Later he worked on the Cedar
Rapids branch for four years, and May n, 1899,
he was again located at Dubuque and has since
had charge of a passenger train between that city
and Fort Dodge.
Mr. Gorman was born July 24, 1855, in
Salamanca, New York, a son of John Gorman,
of Medina, New York, who helped to lay the
Oil Creek & Allegheny River Railroad, and
was superintendent of construction of that
line for some time. Our subject was married at
Orchard, Iowa, to Miss M. E. Wright, of that
city, and two children, Avilla and John C., have
been born to them. Socially Mr. Gorman is a
member of Division 93, O. R. C., of Fort Dodge,
Howland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W., of Water-
loo ; Knights of Pythias, at Fort Dodge, and the
Elks at Waterloo. He has been very successful
since being on the road, has never met with ser-
ious accident, and is very popular among his fel-
low workmen.
L. WARD, conductor at Waterloo,
began his railroad career as a brake-
man on the Illinois Central Railroad
at Fort Dodge, in October, 1883,
running both ways out of that city for six months.
Following this short service, came a lay-off of
about three months, after which he was at work
again for about two months. Mr. Ward then se-
cured a position with the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul company as brakeman between Oxford
and Jackson Junction until September 1885,
when he returned to Waterloo, where he has
since made his home and found work with the
Illinois Central company. For twenty-three
months he served as a brakeman, running out of
Waterloo, and in August, 1887, he received his
promotion to the office of conductor. As a
brakeman, Mr. Ward served under the follow-
ing conductors : Harry McCort, Tim Sullivan,
John Gorman, F. Welker, and W. Laird ; and
while running out from Waterloo, he worked
under William Barr, E. W. Sornborger, D. Cot-
ter and G. R. Turner. Mr. Ward's first work in
the capacity of conductor was between Waterloo
and Dubuque, where he spent six years. He
then spent several years running both ways out
of Waterloo, but for the past two years and a half
he has had charge of a way freight train between
Waterloo and Dubuque.
Mr. Ward was born at Strawberry Point,
Clayton county, Iowa, a son of Giles and Caroline
(Godfrey) Ward, the former a native of New
York, and the latter of Bigfoot Prairie, Wis.
The father migrated to Iowa in 1849, when there
was not a railroad in the state, and for a portion
of the journey, at least, the " foot route " was the
best accommodation that the traveling public en-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
133
joyed. He bought a tract of land for which he
paid gold, and then for a time was engaged in
rafting from the pineries. He then returned to
his farm where he was engaged in agriculture
for a period of forty years. He is now spending
his declining years in retirement at Strawberry
Point. The mother died in March 1877. In
1887, Mr. G. L. Ward, the subject of this history,
returned to his boyhood home for a life com-
panion whom he found in the person of Miss
Elsie Noble and they are the parents of two sons,
E. Wayne and Giles L. Socially he affiliates
with Division No. 67, O. R. C. of Waterloo, and
also Howland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W. Mr.
Ward is now serving the first named lodge in
the capacity of assistant chief.
-.**-,'*•.**-.**•.**-,**
PRED B. TAYLOR, engineer on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, Freeport divi-
sion,was born in Gibson, Steuben Co.,
N. Y., October 26, 1869. His father,
William L. Taylor, deceased, was a carpenter and
shipbuilder, and served for many years as justice
of the peace and constable. He married Frances
E. Lyon, who is now living in Freeport. One
son, Burt H., is in the employ of the I. C. R. R.
as fireman.
Our subject, Fred B. Taylor, was educated
in the public schools of Freeport. At the age of
fifteen he entered the shops of the Henney Buggy
Co. and learned the trade of coachsmith, remain-
ing in the employ of the company for six years.
He then went to Oklahoma as one of the "Boom-
ers" and took up a claim which he held two years,
then sold and returned to Freeport and worked
for the Woodmanse Co. for one year. On the
1 4th of August, 1892, he entered the service of the
I. C. R. R. as fireman on the Freeport division,
and served in that capacity until December 1 1 ,
1897, when he was promoted to the right side.
On the 25th of January, 1893, Mr. Taylor mar-
ried Miss Clara C. Seifertt, of Freeport, who was
born February 22, 1870. To them two children
have been born: Clarice C., born June I, 1894,
and Charles F., born September 28, 1896. Mr.
Taylor is a member of Union Lodge No. 138, B.
of L. F., Racine Division 27, B. of L. E., and
Rinaldo Lodge No. 97, K. of P. In his political
views he is independent.
JW. MULLAN, freight engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Omaha divi-
Q sion, first began his railroad service as
brakeman at Waterloo, August 1880,
and served for about fifteen months under Con-
ductor McCabe and others between Waterloo and
Dubuque. He then worked for the American
Express Co. for a time, first in the office at Water-
loo, and later as expressman on the train between
Waterloo and Lyle. He began firing for the I.
C. R. R. in November 1883, working between
Waterloo and Sioux City, and was promoted to
engineer in September 1887, running first in the
Waterloo yards for three months, and later ran
as extra over all the branches of the Iowa divi-
sion. In 1894 he was given a regular run be-
tween Ft. Dodge and Waterloo, was then in the
construction service on the Omaha division, and
now has a passenger run between Ft. Dodge and
Omaha.
Mr. Mullan is a native of Waterloo, Iowa,
and a son of Charles Mullan, a surveyor and far-
mer, who died at his home near Waterloo in 1874.
His widow, America (Virden) Mullan, now lives
in Waterloo. Our subject has one brother, H.
C., who is a passenger conductor on the I. C. R.
R. between Ft. Dodge and Sioux City. Mr. Mul-
lan was married in 1882 to Miss Emma Thomas,
of Waterloo, and has two sons, Fred and Alva.
He is a member of B. of L. E., Waterloo Divi-
sion 114, K. of P. No. 89, and the Royal Arca-
num, of Waterloo. He is a popular railroad man
and has never met with anv serious accidents.
134
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ENRY LUSCOMBE, engineer on the
Frecport division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, is a native of Devonshire,
England, where he was born November
26, 1852. His parents, Henry and Susan Lus-
combe, still reside in England where his father is
engaged in farming.
The subject of this sketch had the advantages
of a liberal education in the public and private
schools of Devonshire, finishing later at Dart-
mouth College. In 1872 he came to the United
States, locating in Amboy where he was em-
ployed in various ways until in 1873, when he ac-
cepted a position as helper in a boiler shop of
the I. C. R. R. at Amboy. After a few months,
in the autumn of 1873, he began firing on the road
and remained in that position until 1880, when he
left the road and went to farming, which occupa-
tion he followed fo'r three years. The next three
years were spent at his old home in Devonshire,
when he returned to Amboy, re-entered the em-1
ploy of the I. C. R. R., and in 1888 was promoted
to the right side where he is now engaged, hav-
ing a passenger run on the Freeport division. On
the Qth of October, 1879, Mr Luscombe was mar-
ried to Miss Netta New, who was born in Galena,
Illinois, January 30, 1859. They have one son,
Thomas N., born July 26, 1886, who is attending
the public school at Freeport. The family are
communicants in the Protestant Episcopal church.
Mr. Luscombe is a member of the B. of L. E.
and the Masonic fraternity, and is a Republican
in politics.
C. NORMAN, station agent at
r<\ Winthrop, Iowa, began work for the
\\ Illinois Central company in the summer
of 1 88 1, in the capacity of clerk for C.
H. Dodd, then agent at the same station in which
our subject is now located. He was there em-
ployed about eight months and then went to
Cherokee to perform the duties of operator at
that station one winter. From there he went to
Independence and there served two years as
operator and two months as agent, ancl Septem-
ber 20, 1884, lie was transferred to his present
position at Winthrop. Mr. Norman was born in
Ohio, July I4th, 1860, a son of N. V. and Mary
(Taylor) Norman, both of whom are of English
birth. They came to America and settled in
Ohio in 1850, and moved from there with their
family to Winthrop, Iowa, and are still making
that their home. In 1886, our subject was united
in marriage to Miss Gelia Adams, of Indepen-
dence, Iowa, and two children, Milton B. and
Winfred B., have been born to them. Socially
Mr. Norman affiliates with the Blue Lodge, No.
542 of the Masonic fraternity. He has been
quite successful in his railroad career, having
risen to an enviable position by his faithfulness
and enterprise in spite of the fact that he was
reared a farmer.
M. HOLLAND, station agent at Jesup,
Iowa, began working for the Illinois
Central Railroad company April I3th,
1892, as station agent at Peosta in Du-
buque county, and from there went to Mason-
ville, and on December I2th, 1899, was trans-
ferred to his present position at Jesup. He
learned the duties that pertain to a station agent
at Floyd, Iowa, in the fall of 1891, under Mrs.
Martin, who was then agent at that place.
During the earlier years of his life, Mr.
Holland worked on a farm in the vicinity of
Floyd, the place of his birth. He is a son of
Cain and Mary (Sullivan) Holland, both of
whom are natives of Ireland. The parents came
to America in 1865 and located at Floyd, Iowa.
For twenty-five years he served the Illinois Cen-
tral company in the capacity of a section fore-
man but is now living in retirement in the village
of Floyd. They have ten children besides the
one whose name heads this article, namely :
Timothy, a milk dealer in Chicago; Dennis, a
farmer near Floyd, Iowa; Edward, at home;
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
135
Nellie, wife of Thomas Silver, of Dearfield.Ia. ;
May, wife of M. McParland; Kate, a school
teacher, but is still making her home with her
parents ; and Sarah, Annie, Hannah and Lizzie,
all of whom are still under the parental roof. Mr.
Holland is a member of the Catholic church at
Masonville. He is very popular among the
young men of the Illinois Central employes and
enjoys the respect and esteem of all.
Charles, a florist at Cedar Falls, Iowa; Ray, an
operator for the Illinois Central company at Earl-
ville, Iowa, and Winnie, Richard and Ruth who
who are still making their home with their pa-
rents. Mr. Simons has an excellent record with
the railroad company, a good name among his
fellow workmen, and commands the respect of all
who know him. Besides his position with the
railroad company, Mr. Simons has a valuable
farm of forty-five acres of highly improved land
near Delaware.
J. SIMONS, station agent at Dela-
ware, Iowa, began work for the Illi-
n°is Central company at Earlville,
Iowa, October, 1871, where he learned
the duties pertaining to the care of a station
while working under the direction of C. J.
Steever, who had charge of the station six
months after our subject began working there
and was then succeeded by F. E. Monger who
held the position eighteen months. From Octo-
ber, 1873, until December, 1876, Mr. Simons
had charge of the station at Delaware, Iowa, and
was then transferred to Webster City, remaining
there two years. On account of failing health,
Mr. Simons was then obliged to leave the road
for six years, and when he again returned to the
company for employment he was placed in charge
of the station at Delaware. Six months later he
was transferred to Hammond, La., and was agent
there for two years. In January, 1887, Mr.
Simons was transferred to his present position
and for the third time assumed the control of the
Delaware station.
Mr. Simons was born in North Royalton, O.,
a son of George and Sarah (Short) Simons, both
of whom were natives of England. When he
was but ten years of age, he moved with his pa-
rents to Iowa and settled on a farm near Delaware
and subsequently the mother died in their western
home. The father died in England. In 1875
our subject was married to Miss Lucretia Boone,
of Delaware, and of the five children that have
been born to them we have the following record :
ENRY ROONEY, yard master at Du-
buque, began railroading in this city
in 1871, in the capacity of freight
trucker in the freight house. During
the following year, however, he began as switch-
man and pursued this vocation until 1876 when he
was promoted to the position of night yardmaster.
Four years later he became general yardmaster,
and in 1883 resigned his position and went to
Marshalltown and served the Iowa Central com-
pany in the capacity of switchman for half a
year. From there Mr. Rooney went to St. Cloud,
Minn., entered the employ of the Great Northern
Railroad, and during the month that he was con-
nected with the company made one trip to Fergus
Falls as brakeman. Mr. Rooney then returned to
Iowa, and during the following eight months was
switchman at Cedar Rapids for the Burlington,
Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. From
there he went to Waterloo and took charge of
the Illinois Central yards one year, after which
he spent six months as brakeman, running out
from Dubuque in a chain gang. Since then Mr.
Rooney has been yardmaster in Dubuque, chang-
ing only in 1896 from the night service to the
office of general yardmaster.
The gentleman whose name appears at the
head of this article, is a native of the city in
which he now makes his home, and first opened
his eyes to the light of day December 5, 1855.
He is a son of Charles Rooney, a volunteer of the
136
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Civil war, who, after the close of hostilities in
the South, enlisted in the regular service and
spent many years with the government troops
on the plains. He died at the Soldiers' Home
in Wisconsin, May 29, 1878. The subject of
our sketch was married in Dubuque to Miss Rose
O'Hare, and they are the parents of two children,
Arthur and Mary. Mr. Rooney is a member of
the Ancient Order of United Workmen and also
of the Foresters, of Dubuque. During his rail-
road career, Mr. Rooney has received but one
slight injury by falline from a moving train in
the yards.
D. BURHYTE, an engineer, Illinois
Central Railroad, Freeport division,
residing in East Dubuque, 111., was
born in Jamestown, Wisconsin, April
14, 1863.
His parents were C. T. and Adelaide (Col-
lins) Burhyte. His father, a horse dealer by
occupation, died February 1899; his mother hav-
ing died in 1871. Their family of four children
were named as follows : Elizabeth R., married
L. P. Boynton and lives in Pasadena, California;
A. D., subject of this sketch ; John P., residing
in Iowa; Jacob G., an electrician, resides in Chi-
cago.
Our subject received his education in the
public schools of East Dubuque, where he after-
ward learned the trade of moulder and remained
in that business for three years. He then followed
the occupation of teaming four or five years,
working at railroad construction. October 4,
1887, he entered the service of the I. C. R. R. as
a fireman, running between Dubuque and Amboy,
and on the I5th of January, 1891, was promoted
to the position of engineer, and is now running in
that capacity between Dubuque and Chicago.
Mr. Burhyte is a member of the Methodist
church. Socially he is connected with the Ma-
sonic order, the Knights of Pythias, and the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. He is
a Republican in politics.
'ILLIAM KURTH, a machinist in
the Waterloo round house, is a
native of the city of Cologne, Ger-
many, born December 6th, 1859.
He began life on his own responsibility as a rail-
road employe in the town of Essen, in his native
country, and later spent six months in the Krupp
gun works. His first experience as a machinist
was in government roads, and later worked in
the shops of the Haskell locomotive works at
Essen. In 1882 Mr. Kurth came to America,
sailing from Antwerp in the "Big John," and
upon landing on this side of the Atlantic, came
directly to Waterloo and worked four weeks on
a farm before he could secure a position in
which he could ply his trade. He then worked
four months in Robinson's factory, and February
4, 1883, he entered the employ of the Illinois Cen-
tral company as a machinist and worked in the
shops eight years. Subsequently he served as a
laborer in the round house a year and a half, and
in 1893 was promoted to gang boss of the round
house.
August n, 1883, Mr. Kurth was married at
Eagle Center, Iowa, to Miss 'Lizzie Braum, and
their wedded life has been blessed by the pres-
ence of a family of eight children, whose names
in the order of their birth are as follows : Min-
nie, Pauline, Harry, Fred, Louis, Gertrude, Clara
and Walter. Socially Mr. Kurth is identified
with Rowland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W.
FRANK G. WAGNER, foreman of the
blacksmith shop at Waterloo, was born
in Dubuque, Iowa, his natal day being
July 7, 1857. He began learning his
trade at Belle vue, Iowa, in 1871, and served an
apprenticeship of three years. He then opened
a shop at Dubuque and conducted the same
about six months, after which he spent three
months in the employ of the Novelty Iron Works.
Mr. Wagner then worked for a short time in
the shops at Earlville, Iowa, and from there came
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
137
to Waterloo, September 13, 1886, and entered the
employ of the Illinois Central company, and since
August i, 1894, has served in the capacity of
foreman of the blacksmith shop.
The estimable lady who presides over the
household affairs of Mr. Wagner, bore the maid-
en name of Miss Annie Evans. They were mar-
ried in Springbrook, Iowa, and their wedded life
has been blessed by the advent of a family of
eight children, whose names in the order of their
birth are as follows : Maggie, Sophie, Frances,
Henry, Minnie, Cecelia, Lauretta and Louise.
Mr. Wagner is a member of Rowland Lodge No.
274, Ancient Order of United Workmen.
HARLES H. MCCARTHY, conductor
on the Illinois Central Railroad, who
has been in the employ of the company
since twelve years of age, began in Ep-
worth, Iowa, as water-boy, and was thus em-
ployed three years. He then began working on
the section at Epworth, and at the end of four
years was made section foreman, retaining that
position for two years. He then engaged in the
grocery business in Epworth for one year, and
then took charge of the Cherokee gravel pit as
foreman for the Illinois Central, remaining in
charge about five months. He then became
a brakeman on the Illinois Central for one year
and nine months, and then began as conductor.
Since 1889 he has been in the freight service on
the Cherokee division, running between Sioux
City and Fort Dodge.
Our subject was born in Epworth, Iowa,
November 20, 1866, son of Florence, better
known as "Flerry," McCarthy, who was section
foreman of the Illinois Central for thirty-five
years, but is now retired and resides in Epworth.
Our subject had two brothers in the service.
Thomas O. is a conductor on Waterloo division
of the Illinois Central, and John M. was a brake-
man on the Illinois Central at the time he was
killed at Manchester, Iowa, in 1883.
Mr. McCarthy married Mary A. Lennon, of
Farley, la., and they nave two children, Charles
Eugene, and John Morris. Our subject is a
member of the B. of R. T., and is master of the
lodge. He also holds membership in the A. O.
U. W., also Catholic Order of Foresters, all of
Fort Dodge. He is a consistent member of the
Sacred Heart Catholic church of Ft. Dodge. His
residence is at No. 1210 Sixth avenue, south.
UGENE DAILEY, train master at
Waterloo, Iowa, is another of those
men who, though they had none of
this world's goods for a capital with
which to start in life, are endowed with suffi-
cient enterprise and tact to soon place themselves
among the leading business men of the communi-
ty no matter how lowly their first position. Mr.
Dailey began his railroad career as a messenger
boy at Ackley, Iowa, in August, 1878, and while
in that capacity, learned telegraphy. In Febru-
ary, 1880, he succeeded in securing a position as
operator at Webster City, Iowa, and about two
months later became the day operator at Iowa
Falls. Subsequently Mr. Dailey, at different
times filled various positions for the Illinois
Central company, being transferred from one
place to another and steadily promoted until he
reached his present position. In August, 1880,
he was made day operator at Cherokee ; in March
of the following year was sent to Ackley ; and in
August, 1882, was sent to Waterloo to accept a
position in the office of the train despatcher. In
February, 1883, he was made train despatcher at
Fort Dodge; in March, 1885, chief train de-
spatcher of the Waterloo and Mona district with
his headquarters at Waterloo; in October, 1889,
when the offices of train master and train de-
spatcher were moved to Dubuque, Mr. Dailey
was sent to the last named city in the capacity of
chief train despatcher. In November, 1894, the
offices were returned to Waterloo, and at this
time, Mr. Dailey was appointed the first " trick "
138
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
dcspatcher of the Dubuque division, and April
1 5th, 1898, he became train master of the Dubu-
que division, the position which he still holds.
February 4th, 1891, Mr. Dailey was married
at Dubuque, to Miss Jennie Phelan, and to this
congenial union has been born a bright, interest-
ing little family of three children upon whom
they have seen fit to bestow the following names :
Joseph Raphael, Eugene Louis and Lois Mer-
riam. Mr. Dailey is identified with Lodge No.
290, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
of Waterloo, and Knights of Pythias, No. 89,
of Waterloo.
.HARLES H. DJNSMOOR is noted as
one of the steadiest men in the employ
of the Illinois Central. He is an en-
gineer in the freight service on the
Cherokee division. For sixteen years Mr. Duns-
moor has been in the employ of the I. C., and dur-
ing the past six years has not been absent from
duty for a single day, an enviable record. He
entered the service of the I. C. as a fireman, at
Waterloo, Iowa, serving three years under En-
gineers O. D. Gray, W. F. Hall and Al. Girard.
His ability was recognized by the company, and
on September 13, 1887, he was promoted to en-
gineer on the Waterloo division, where he served
two years. Coming to the Cherokee division in
1889, he has since remained there in the freight
service between Cherokee and Sioux City. He is
one of the most careful employes on the road, and
has, during his entire service with the company,
never been in the slightest wreck.
Mr. Dunsmoor was born in Boston, Mass.,
in September, 1851, and is a son of Thomas
Dunsmoor, now a prosperous farmer in Clayton
Co., Iowa. Our subject was married to Miss
Phoebe L. Sargent, and they have a fine family of
six children, four sons and two daughters, viz :
Lulu, Nellor, Theo, Dennis, Charles and Earl.
He is connected socially with No. 226 B. of L. E.,
of Fort Dodge, and resides at Cherokee, where
he has a pretty cottage near his work.
JOHN H. FOX is a well and favorably
known engineer in the freight service of
the Illinois Central, his run being on the
Cherokee division. He has been con-
nected with the I. C. for twenty years, commenc-
ing at Waterloo, Iowa, in 1880, as fireman. Af-
ter working there for nearly two years he went to
Dubuque, and was promoted to engineer and
given charge of Engine No. 78 on the Dubuque
division of the I. C. He held this position for
four years, when he was sent to Cherokee, and
has since been identified with that division. He
has never been in a wreck, and sustained only one
slight injury during his career on the road.
Our subject was born in Canada on June
17, 1852, and acquired his first knowledge of
railroad work there, on the Great Western R. R.
John Fox, the father of our subject, was a mer-
chant, and resided in Canada, but made his home
with his son, John H., for two years prior to
his death, at the age of eighty-one years. His
mother survives, being seventy-three, years of
age, and makes her home with her daughter.
Mr. Fox was married to Miss Annie McDonald,
and they have had four children, of whom two
survive, vtz : Wilbur B., a fireman in the service
of the I. C., and John Jr., who is in the drug bus-
iness, both residing in Cherokee. Socially he
is connected with No. 226, B. of L. E., of Fort
Dodge.
W. FAIRBURN, engineer at Water-
loo, Iowa, began his railroad career
with the Illinois Central company
March I7th, 1882, filing his ap-
plication at Waterloo, but did his first work
in the yards at Dubuque, where he was engaged
until June I3th, of the same year. He then re-
turned to Waterloo, where he was employed un-
der James McCullen for a short time on the main
line. Later he got a regular engine, No 143,
which he had for about a year with Engineer J.
Battell, and later, was on with different men,
among them, Charles Baldwin, with whom he
JjM
WILLIAM K. ACKKRMAN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
141
ran between Waterloo and Sioux City. Mr. Fair-
burn then spent one year on a passenger engine
between Waterloo and Sioux City, and subse-
quently between Waterloo and Lyle. He then
spent seven years on a freight run, after which he
was again put on the passenger service and spent
eight months with G. Martin on the " Clipper "
run. July 7th, 1892, Mr. Fairburn was set up
to engineer, took charge of a switch engine in
the Waterloo yards for a short time, and then
went on to the road in charge of engine No.
1301, on the Lyle branch. After spending one
winter on that branch, he ran extra out of Water-
loo for some time, but finally went back to his
old run on the Lyle branch.
Mr. Fairburn was born in Janesville, Iowa,
and made his home under the parental roof un-
til he entered the employ of the Illlinois Central
Railroad company, but moved to Waterloo with
his family in 1882. He was married in 1879 *o
Miss Mary Pound, also of Janesville, Iowa, and
their home has been blessed by the presence of a
family of three children, whose names in the
order of their birth are Mabel L., Blanche L.
and Lula May. In the social circles of Water-
loo, our subject is identified with Division 114,
B. of L. E. and Howland Lodge No 274, A. O.
U. W. He has been very successful as a railroad
man, having spent about eighteen years on the
road without experiencing an accident and in-
cidentally laying aside portions of his earnings
until in 1887, he secured for himself and his
family a beautiful residence at 216 Logan Ave.,
where he is now making his home.
'ILLIAM K. ACKERMAN, who
served as president of the Illinois
Central Railroad from October 17,
1877, to August 18, 1883, was born
in New York City, January 20, 1832. His pa-
ternal ancestor, David Ackerman, who arrived
in New York, September 2, 1662, from Amster-
dam, was the first of that name to settle in this
country.
W. K. Ackerman was educated in the Me-
chanics Society school, in -New York, afterwards
attending the high school. He entered the em-
ploy of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
May 28, 1852, as an office clerk in the financial
department in New York, from which position
he was gradually piomoted to secretary and
treasurer respectively. On September 30, 1860,
he was transferred to Chicago, occupying va-
rious positions, among them being the general
auditorship. July 17, 1876, he was elected vice-
president, and October 17, 1877, was elevated to
the presidency of the company, succeeding John
M. Douglas. This position he held until Au-
gust 18, 1883, when he resigned in favor of
James C. Clarke.
In the annual report of 1877, his election
was referred to in the following manner :
"Your directors have had the pleasure to
elect Mr. William K. Ackerman to the presi-
dency of this company, a position which he has
earned by twenty-five years of faithful service."
Upon his retiring from the presidency, the board
passed the following resolution :
"Resolved, that this board having assented
to the suggestions contained in the letter of Pres-
ident Ackerman to the directors, dated July 18,
1883, desires to place on record its unqualified
approbation of the integrity, ability, fidelity, zeal
and success with which he has throughout his
entire time of office, discharged the responsible
duties thereof ; and the secretary is hereby di-
rected to transmit to Mr. Ackerman a copy of
this resolution." This was on August 18, 1883,
at which time he was again elected vice-presi-
dent, holding the position until December 31,
1883, when he finally resigned from the com-
pany.
Mr. Ackerman was also a director of the
company from 1874 to 1884, and a trustee of
their construction mortgage bonds for many
years. On the 5th of August, 1883, the New
York Times published the following article :
"One event of the week deserving notice,
is the retirement of Mr. Ackerman from the
presidency of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany after thirty-one years service. This com-
142
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
pany and its excellent management have been
spoken of before. To President Ackerman is
largely due the credit. He leaves the company
after having placed it foremost among the rail-
road properties of the United States, its securi-
ties considered second only to government "bonds,
its reputation such that it is referred to as one
of the model corporations of the country. The
history of President Ackerman's management
shows that \ye have men, who with great oppor-
tunities and abundant excuse to enrich themselves
at the expense of their trust, yet administer that
trust with soundest sagacity and the highest in-
tegrity, making one of the bright spots in a record
of corporate abuses for which the country is now
paying some of the penalities."
EORGE P. TURNER, foreman of the
paint shops at Waterloo, was born at
Concord, N. H., February 13, 1833.
He learned his trade in the railroad
shops of the town of his nativity, beginning at
the age of eighteen years. There he spent five
years and then went to the Connecticut & Pas-
sumpsic Rivers Railroad shops at St. Johnsbury,
Vt, where he spent seven years as foreman.
December 26, 1864, he began work for the Du-
buque & Sioux City Railroad in the shops at Du-
buque as foreman of the painting department.
When the Illinois Central company leased the
line in 1867, he continued in service as the fore-
man in the same department, and in 1870, when
the shops were moved to Waterloo, he was con-
tinued in the same position.
Mr. Turner was married at Manchester, N.
H., in February, 1853, to Miss Susan F. Sweet
and they have reared a family of five daughters,
whose names in the order of their birth are as
follows: Ella F., Hattie H., Mary R., Ida E.
and Carrie A. Mr. Turner is a member of the
Waterloo Lodge No. 105, F. & A. M. Tabernacle
Chapter No. 52.
T. MORAN, road supervisor at Water-
loo, is one of the Illinois Central com-
Q pany's pioneer employes. He began
his railroad career in New York state
on the New York & New Haven Railroad as a
track laborer, and assisted in the construction of
that road. Later, from 1848 to 1854, he worked
in the same capacity for the New York & Har-
lem R. R., being located at -Towner Station and
Paterson, New York. The man who was per-
forming the duties of roadmaster at Freeport,
111., for the Illinois Central company at that time,
Mr. J. S. Rogers, was a friend of Mr. Moran and
it was through his influence that our subject
came west and entered the employ of the Illinois
Central company at Freeport in 1854. There he
was employed as extra foreman for six months,
after which he had charge of a section at Apple
River for fourteen years, doing section work and
helping to build side tracks. October I3th,
1867, Mr. Moran was transferred to Waterloo
to accept the position of road supervisor, had
charge of the track from Waterloo to Dyersville
for a time and then was transferred to that por-
tion between Waterloo and Iowa Falls. In 1877,
C. F. & M. branch was given to his supervision,
and this he still retains, also having charge of
the track between Independence and Waterloo.
Mr. Moran was born in Bally mahon, Long-
ford county, Ireland, in 1830, a son of Edward
and Margaret Moran. Our subject was married
the I4th of June, 1852, in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
to Miss Hannah Hayes, a native of Limerick,
Ireland, and of the six children that have been
born to them we have the following record : Ella,
wife of P. F'. Doherty, of Dubuque, Iowa ; Char-
lie, at Kansas City, Mo. ; Hannah, wife of Joseph
F. Gunn of Denver, Colo. ; Fred, at home ; Mar-
tha, a Sister of Charity at Davenport, Iowa ; and
Christopher, a telegraph operator at the Chicago
Board of Trade. Our subject has never given
attention to any other line of work except rail-
road track work ; this he has thoroughly learned.
For more than fifty years he has devoted his en-
tire attention to railroad track work and the Illi-
nois Central company is to be congratulated on
securing and retaining so competent a man for
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
143
the position of railroad supervisor. He is very
popular among the railroad employes in the com-
munity in which he lives and is held in high es-
teem by all who know him.
LEWIS P. NELSON, better known as
" Lew," is an engineer on the extra list
of the Illinois Central. He has been
in the employ of the I. C. for nine years
beginning on the Cherokee division, as a fireman,
with the well-known engineer, Sam Chapman.
He held this position for seven years with credit,
and was then transferred to the Clinton division
of the I. C., working there only a few months.
Returning to Cherokee, he was promoted Sep-
tember 17, 1897, to engineer, and since that time
has been running extra on that division. He
has been in one or two small wrecks, but was
never injured. Our subject is a Canadian by
birth, and is now thirty years of age. He has
one brother, W. C. Nelson, who is a fireman on
the North-Western R. R. His father, a mill-
wright by trade, resides in Cherokee. Mr. Nel-
son was married to Miss F. F. King, of Chicago,
January i, 1896, and their union has been blessed
by a bright little daughter, Marie. He is con-
nected with B. of L. F. No. 79, of Cherokee, and
also with the A. O. U. W. of Cherokee.
EORGE M. CROWNOVER, general
foreman at the shops at Waterloo,
was born at McVeytown, Pa., Septem-
ber 26th, 1863, and spent his early
boyhood in the place of his nativity. In 1877 he
came west with his parents, and at the age of
seventeen years began learning the machinist's
trade at the Waterloo shops under Mr. Place,
serving an apprenticeship of four years or from
April 4th, 1881, until April 4th, 1885. In 1887,
he was appointed foreman of the round house at
Clinton, 111., but after spending five years there,
returned to Waterloo and assumed charge of
the air brake department which occupied his at-
tention thirteen months. May 1st, 1893, our
subject was appointed foreman of the machine
shops and held this position until October 1895,
when he was appointed to the office of general
foreman at Waterloo.
Mr. Crownover has been twice married. His
first wife bore the maiden name of Miss Catherine
F. Deady and became his wife September 8th,
1887, at Waterloo. One daughter, Ethel, was
born to this union. His present wife formerly
Miss Martha M. Magee, was wedded to him
October loth, 1893, at Mitchell, Ontario. This
union, also, has been blessed by the advent of
one daughter, Edna. Mr. Crownover is a mem-
ber of Waterloo Lodge No. 105, A. F. & A. M.,
and is Junior Warden at the present time. He
is also Venerable Counsel of Waterloo Lodge
No. 2059, M. W. of A. Mr. Crownover is a
member of the Tribe of Ben Hur. His father,
Benson Crownover, taught school in Iowa un-
til his superannuation, and is now living in re-
tirement at Hudson, Iowa.
PRANK EVANS, engineer, has been
with the Illinois Central company for
twelve years, beginning at Waterloo,
Iowa, as fireman with Engineer A. M.
Place. He was thus employed about seven years
and then promoted to engineer, running a switch
engine in the yards at Fort Dodge. Since then
has had charge of freight engine No. 808 on the
run between Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa.
For three months in 1898 he ran an engine on the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley division out of New
Orleans.
Our subject was born in Claremont, Iowa,
October I7th, 1866, a son of Robert Evans, who
is a tailor by trade, now residing in West Union,
Iowa. Our subject has one brother (Lewis) who
144
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
is train-man for the Great Northern Railroad
company. Mr. Evans married Miss Bertha
Willey, of Mount Ayer, Iowa, and they have one
child, Rowena. He is a member of the B. of
L. F. No. 222, B. of L. E. No. 226, and I. O. O.
F. No. 85, of Fort Dodge. Both he and his
wife are members of the M. E. church.
JF. MULKERN, engineer at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career in the
Q winter of 1880, at Waterloo, working
first under Engineer Wood. He was
next with F. A. Hill between Waterloo and Sioux
City and also between Waterloo and Fort Dodge.
He was placed in charge of the lever and throttle
in October 1883, and began work in that capacity
in the yards at Dubuque, where he was engaged
about a year and then went to Fort Dodge until
1885. At the last named date, he went to Water
Valley and Jackson, Tenn., remained there two
months, returned to the Dubuque yards for about
three months, then back to Water Valley for two
months, and then returned to his home in Water-
loo and entered the employ of the Chicago
Great Western Railroad company. Four weeks
later, he severed his connection with the last
named company and again began work for the
Illinois Central in 1887, running between Water-
loo and Sioux City and also between Waterloo
and Dubuque.
Mr. Mul.kern was born in Dubuque, Decem-
ber 27, 1862, a son of Hon. M. B. Mulkern, a
native of Ireland. The father migrated to
America in 1848, and located in Dubuque where
he was known for many years as one of the lead-
ing attorneys of that city. He was state senator
in 1870 and '71. His wife was a daughter of
John C. Regan, and is now making her home in
Dubuque. They were the parents of a family
of five children, of whom we have the following
record : Rachael, J. F., the subject of this sketch,
James A., Daniel and M. B. Jr. J. F. Mulkern,
whose name appears at the head of this article,
was married October 12, 1887, to Miss Josephene
Murry, of Independence, la., and the following
children have been born to them : J. Frank,
Raphiel V., John H. and M. Alice. Mrs. Mul-
kern's father, Simon Murry, was a constructor
for the Illinois Central company and built a great
deal of their road. He fell from a bridge at
Cedar Falls, Iowa, and was injured while at work
in that place. He died in 1888.
Socially our subject affiliates with Division
No. 1 14, B. of L. E. ; with Howland Lodge No.
274, A. O. U. W., and also the Royal Arcanum,
all of Waterloo. He has been a very successful
railroad man, as is evidenced by the above record
and also by the fact that he has performed his
duty with such care and system that he has
avoided the accidents that so many run into, and
has never received the slightest injury since he
has been on the road.
M. FLICKINGER is an engineer in
the freight service on the Ft. Dodge
and Omaha division of the Illinois
Central. He first entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. in 1886, at Waterloo, Iowa, as
fireman, running on different divisions of the
road until 1892, when he was promoted to en-
gineer after passing a creditable examination.
He was then placed in charge of Engine No.
1376, running between Cherokee, la., and Sioux
Falls, South Dakota. Our subject first worked
with the B. & M. R. R. as brakeman and served
also on the Union Pacific with the civil engineer-
ing corps, for nearly three years. He was for
a time connected with the O. & B. R. R. and with
the Vicksburg & New Orleans division of the I.
C. In February 1899, he returned to Cherokee,
and was assigned to the Ft. Dodge & Omaha
division.
Mr. Flickinger was married to Miss Jessie
Lawless, and they have four bright children, viz :
Geneva, Glenn, Wayne and Claude. He is a
member of B. of L. E. No. 226, of Fort Dodge,
Iowa.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
145
A. TAYLOR, engineer, has been with
the Illinois Central company ten
years. He began as fireman in 1889
on Engine No. 196, and was engaged
in that capacity for about seven years. On
November 19, 1896, he was promoted to engineer
and took charge of engine No. 1398, and ran
same in the switch yards at Fort Dodge until
December i, 1897, when he began running on
the road, and has since pulled both freight and
passenger trains.
He is a native of Dane county, Wisconsin,
born December 19, 1861, a son of Thomas G.
Taylor, who is a farmer, and now resides on a
farm in Dane county. Our subject married
Miss Catherine P>owen, of Sioux City. He is
very systematic and keeps a record of every trip
he makes on the road. Mr. Taylor is a member
of I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 85, of Fort Dodge,
also of the B. of L. F. No. 222, of Fort Dodge.
He resides at No. 526 Fourth avenue, south.
=x^DWARD P. LISCHER, engineer on
the Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy
division, was born in Chicago, March
29, 1867, whilst his parents were on
their way to Iowa. His father, Andrew Lischer,
is a farmer living in Griswold, Iowa, and his
mother, Catherine (Leffler) Lischer, died in 1886.
Edward P. Lischer was educated in Colum-
bus City, Iowa. He learned the shoe maker's
trade at which he worked eight years, and in
November 1891 entered the service of the St.
Joseph Terminal Railway association as a wiper,
remaining in that position one year, and then be-
came a fireman, in which capacity he served until
January 19, 1895. Mr. Lischer then removed
to Clinton, 111., where he engaged as fireman on
the Amboy division of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, serving in that position until November
8, 1896, when he was licensed to run as engineer
and is still handling the throttle for the same
company.
Mr. Lischer was married on the first day of
August, 1880, to Miss Rose Atchison, of Colum-
bus City, Iowa. Mrs. Lischer died in March
1895, leaving two children, Florence M. and
Nancy B. Mr. Lischer is socially connected
with the B. of L. F. and B. of L. E., and in his
political views is independent.
jtjtjtjtjjt
|HARLES E. JONES, engineer on the
Freeport division, Illinois Central Rail-
road, is a native of the Keystone state
and was born May II, 1865 in Rock-
ville, Dauphin county. His parents, William L.
and Elizabeth (Vallence) Jones, reside in Pa-
ducah, Kentucky, where his father is in charge of
a Baptist church.
Our subject attended the schools of Mechan-
icsburg and Middletown, Pa., and Cape May
Court House, N. J., and at the age of thirteen
entered the printing office of R. H. Thomas, at
Mechanicsburg, and served as a printer for six
months. When fifteen years of age he learned
the blacksmith's trade at Cape May Court House,
and followed this occupation for fifteen years at
Pottsville, Pa., Philadelphia, and elsewhere. In
1884 he came west and located for a time in Do-
ver, 111., following his trade of expert horse-shoer
there and in various other towns in the state. In
1894 Mr. Jones removed to Freeport where he
followed blacksmithing until October 20, 1895,
and on the nth of November following, entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as fireman on the
Freeport division and remained in that position
until July 22, 1899, when he was promoted to
the right side.
Mr. Jones was married July 6, 1885, to Miss
Elizabeth Hubbard, of Dover, 111. Mrs. Jones
was born at Sheffield, 111., October 23, 1868. She
is the mother of three interesting children :
Frances V., born July 7, 1886; Marguerita
Catherine, born February 27, 1888; Charles V.,
born April 25, 1890. Mr. Jones with his family
attends the First Baptist church of Freeport. He
is a member of the B. of L. F., and votes the Re-
publican ticket.
146
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
i ( mXELIUS B. DEBOLT, is an engineer
in the yards of the Illinois Central at
Cherokee, running also as an extra.
He entered the service of the I. C.
in 1890, as bridgeman, then for several years as
fireman, and in 1897 was promoted to engineer.
He has charge of a switch engine in the yards
at Cherokee, and also runs as an extra when
called upon. His first experience at railroad
work was acquired on the B. C. R. & N. R. R.,
with which he served ten years as bridgeman
and carpenter, resigning to accept a similar
position with the I. C. Our subject was born at
Juda, Green county, Wisconsin, December i,
1862. His father is now a resident of Clarks-
ville, Iowa. Mr. DeBolt was married to Miss
Martha Miller, and they have two children.
Gladys and Henry B. Mr. DeBolt is a member
of B. of L. F. No. 79, and is also connected with
the Masonic and K. of P. lodges in Cherokee, his
home town.
W. McFARLANE, station agent
at Waterloo, Iowa, began work
Q for the Illinois Central company
in the capacity of car tapper, but
soon after secured a position in the freight
house. His next situation was that of night
ticket clerk, which he retained for two years, and
was then appointed bill clerk for one year. In
1890 Mr. McFarlane became the cashier at
Waterloo, and in January, 1893, he left that
position for that of station agent at Cedar Falls,
which he retained until April 1894. At the last
named date he returned to Waterloo to assume
the responsibilities of the position he still holds,
that of station agent. Previous to entering the
employ of the Illinois Central company, however,
Mr. McFarlane was a contractor in Waterloo for
about ten years. Our subject is a son of Alex,
and Jane E. McFarlane, the former a native of
Scotland and the latter of London. The family
located in Waterloo in 1857, where the father
has for many years been a contractor. W. W.
McFarlane, whose name appears at the head of
this article, was married May 18, 1882, to Miss
Emma J. Moss, of Anamosa, Iowa, and their
wedded life has been blessed by the advent of
three children, as follows : Edward, Arthur,
and Carrie. In the social circles of Waterloo,
Mr. McFarlane is identified with Howland Lodge
No. 274, A. O. U. W., also Helmet Lodge K. of
P. and the National Union. He has also always
taken an active interest in all local, political and
school matters, being now a member of the
East Waterloo school board, and was a member
of the city council during the past four years.
He is very popular among the railroad employes
and is widely known as one of Waterloo's sub-
stantial citizens.
EWIS ALBRIGHT, engineer on freight
engine, has been with the Illinois Cen-
tral company since August 29, 1883.
He began as fireman and worked at
same until October 17, 1887; was then examined
and promoted to engineer and took charge of En-
gine No. 195, working in the yards awhile and
then began in road service, which he continued
until January 28, 1900, when he was promoted
to the passenger service on the Omaha division,
running between Fort Dodge and Omaha.
He was born in Sangamon county, Illinois,
September 8, 1859, a son °f August Albright,
deceased, who was a fanner in that county for
many years. Mr. Albright has one brother, a
carpenter in the Illinois Central shops at Water-
loo, Iowa. Our subject married Miss Millie
Viers, of Manson, Iowa, who is the mother of
three children, Ear], deceased, Ella and Raymond.
He was never injured and has never lost a day's
work since he began with the company. He is
a member of the B. of L. E. No. 226, Olive
Lodge No. 85, I .O. O. F., of Fort Dodge, and
Wahkonse Encampment No. 53. Both he and
his wife belong to the Daughters of Rebecca.
He resides at 610 Fifth avenue, south.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
147
SCAR E. ADAMS, switch engineer
at Fort Dodge, Iowa, has been with
the Illinois Central company since
March I3th, 1880. He began as
a switchman in the yards at Fort Dodge,
where he worked one year and four months and
he then began as fireman with Engineer H. W.
Harrington running between Waterloo and Sioux
City. He was next employed as fireman in the
switch yards at Fort Dodge one year, and then
became hostler in the shops for one year. He
then fired on switch engine No. 149 in the yards
at Fort Dodge until October 12, 1885, when he
was examined and promoted to engineer and
took charge of his present engine, switching in
the yards at Fort Dodge.
Mr. Adams was born in Rutland county,
Vermont, on May 4, 1851, a son of George L.
Adams, a carpenter by trade, who died in the war
on May 24, 1862. Our subject had one brother,
who was brakeman on the Wisconsin Central rail-
road and who was killed while working for that
company.
Our subject married Miss Carrie A. Bunnell,
of New York state, and is the father of three
children, Charles R., Bessie L., and Carlyle. He
has been in several accidents and at one time
was on his engine on the Lizzard bridge when it
went down, but he has fortunately escaped in-
jury.
He is a member of the B. of L. E. No. 226
of Fort Dodge, and now resides at No. 826,
Eighth Avenue, North, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
iHARLES D. GREIG is a well known
engineer on the Cherokee divi-
sion of the Illinois Central, having
charge of Engine No. 1324, between
Sioux Falls, S. D., and Onawa, Iowa. He "be-
came identified with the I. C. on September 14,
1875, as engineer on the Cherokee division,
where he worked until 1887, during which year
he was appointed to his present run, and has
since remained there. Our subject acquired his
first knowledge of railroad work, in 1869, on
the Delaware & Lackawanna R. R. at Scranton.
Pennsylvania, where he worked as fireman for
two years. He was then examined for promo-
tion to engineer, and passing the examination
with credit, took a position on the Danbury &
Norwalk R. R. in Connecticut. After serving
that company for two years, he came west to
Fort Dodge, Iowa, and immediately entered the
service of the I. C. His record on the road has
been satisfactory in every respect, never during
his years of service having had a wreck.
Mr. Greig was born at Nunda, New York, in
1851, and was married to Miss Lois Chapman
of Illinois. They have four children, three
daughters and one son, viz: Cressa, Helen, Stella
and George. He is a member of B. of L. E. No.
226, of Fort Dodge, and has his home at Chero-
kee, Iowa.
R. COOLEY, conductor at Waterloo,
began his railroad career with the Illi-
Q nois Central company at Dubuque,
August i, 1886, as a brakeman. His
first run was under Thomas Quinlan, for whom
he set brakes eight months on a passenger train.
Later he served on the " Clipper " run for about
five months under conductor Jenness and later
under Thomas Quinlan again and under different
ones between Waterloo and Dubuque for about
six months. Sickness then took Mr. Cooley off
the road for a time and when he was again able
to resume his work, he was given a run on a
passenger train between Dubuque and Lyle un-
der John Dougherty for a time, then spent one
year as baggageman between Waterloo and Sioux
City and then worked on a freight train on the
east end under different men until he was pro-
moted to conductor in the fall of 1892. Mr.
Cooley's first work as conductor was also on the
east end for a time, and then spent several years
running both ways out of Waterloo. His present
run is between Waterloo and Lyle.
148
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Mr. Cooley was born in Lorain county,
Ohio, a son of Newell B. and Emeline (Cooper)
Cooley, both of whom were also natives of Ohio.
The parents always made their home in the state
of their nativity, the mother still residing near
Oberlin, but the father died in 1897. Our sub-
ject located in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1888, and four
years later he was married to Miss Annie C.
Mathias, of Dubuque, who has since shared his
Waterloo home. To this union has been born
one child who bears the name of Marion M. Mr.
Cooley is a member of Division No. 67, O. R.
C. and also of Lodge No. 89, K. of P., both of
Waterloo. He has been very successful since be-
ing in the employ of the railroad company, his
career has been free from accidents and up to
the present time he has a clear record.
in 1878 and located in Jesup; lived there about
twenty months and then returned to his home in
Vermont. In 1880 he again removed to Iowa
and entered the employ of the Illinois Central
Railroad company. In 1887 he was united in
marriage to Miss Myrtle Staunton, of Waterloo,
Iowa, and two children, Harry and Leonore,
have been born to them. Mr. Robbins has been
quite successful since locating in Iowa. He en-
tered the employ of the railroad company without
any capital whatever, and has gradually worked
himself up to a good position. Besides this, by
careful management and economy, he has been
laying aside something for a rainy day, until he
is now in possession of considerable Waterloo
real estate, the rent of which adds materially to
his monthly income. Socially he affiliates with
Division No. 114, B. of L. E., and also the Blue
Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic fraternity at
Waterloo.
ROBBINS, engineer at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career April
LQ 6th, 1882, as a wiper in the Illinois
Central round house at Waterloo.
August 2gth, of the same year, he began as
fireman between Waterloo and Fort Dodge un-
der Engineer James McNeil, working there one
year, and then spent four years with Engineer
Martin. During the winter of 1886 and '87, he
went on a switch engine, and on August
20, 1889, he crossed the cab and has since had
charge of the levers. For a time he was in
charge of a switch engine,. then ran extra out of
Dubuque one winter, then seven weeks on the
Cherokee & Dakota, later on the line between
Waterloo and Fort Dodge, then spent the follow-
ing summer at the head of a construction train,
but since that time has been employed on a regu-
lar run, changing only in 1899 when he was trans-
ferred to a passenger run.
Mr. Robbins was born in Elmore, Vt, a son
of Truman and Betsey E. (Preston) Robbins,
both natives of Vermont and always made their
home in that state. The father died in 1864 and
the mother in 1875. Our ? abject came to Iowa
'ILLIAM J. HAVILAND, engineer
for the Illinois Cenral, has been
connected with the road since Oc-
tober 1890, when he began firing.
In 1896 he was promoted to engineer and since
that time has had charge of the engine.
He is the son of William Henry Havilancl,
formerly a farmer in Bremer county, Iowa, but
who is now deceased. Our subject is a native of
Rock county, Wisconsin, and was born February
23, 1868. The only railroad man in the family,
he came to Waterloo in 1890, and shortly after
secured a place in the operating department.
Mr. Havilancl married Miss Ella Barnard,
of Cherokee, Iowa, and they now reside at Fort
Dodge. For three months he worked on the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley branch of the Illinois
Central, and then returned to Iowa and has since
been running out of Fort Dodge. He is a mem-
ber of the B. of L. E. No. 226 and the B. of L.
!•". Xo. 222, of Fort Dodge, also of Waukanzee
Lodge I. O. O. F. of Fort Dodge. He has a
beautiful home at 1325 Fourth avenue, south.
EDWARD T. JEFFERY.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
151
•COWARD TURNER JEFFERY, presi-
dent of the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad Company, was born in Liver-
pool, England, on April 6, 1843. He
is a son of William S. and Jane (McMullen)
Jeffery, of English descent, although his father
was born at Greenock-on-the-Clyde, in Scotland,
and his mother at Downpatrick, in Ireland.
The senior Mr. Jeffery followed the sea, and
when not engaged in his nautical avocation, re-
sided in the cities of Liverpool, Portsmouth and
Woolwich, in the order named, until his death,
which occurred when Edward was six years of
age. In 1850 the family emigrated to America,
and settled first in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Here the following six years of Edward's boy-
hood were passed in minor occupations and in
gaining the rudiments of an education. He was
but thirteen when the family removed to Chica-
go, in 1856, and in September of that year he
entered the employ of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company, probably not dreaming of the
distinction that awaited him as the future super-
intendent and manager of that great corporation.
His ambition at that early day did not extend be-
yond reaping the rewards of faithful and honest
work in the humbler duties of his calling. He
entered the office of Samuel J. Hayes, superin-
tendent of machinery, where he was employed as
general errand and chore boy for about two
months, when he was put to work in the tin and
coppersmith shops, where he served three or four
months, and then entered the machine shops of
the company to learn the trade of a machinist.
He served in this latter capacity until July 5,
1858, when he was given a place by Mr. Hayes
in the department of mechanical drawing. From
this time, encouraged by the warm heart and
good counsel of Mr. Hayes, he developed the
ambition to fit himself for the complete mastery
of both the science and the art of mechanical
drawing and engineering. He entered upon a
course of systematic studies which he continued
for ten years, with such marked results that the
privilege was accorded him of alternating study
with his work as his duties permitted and he
might feel inclined. At the age of eighteen he
was on the rolls of the company as one of the
regular mechanical draughtsmen. At twenty
he was placed in full charge of the department
of mechanical drawing. It is worthy of notice
here that young Jeffery, at this early stage of
his career, had perceived and applied in his own
self-training the principle now advocated by the
most advanced educators, viz : that of combining
the labor of the hand and the brain, the work-
shop and the study in the attainment of an edu-
cation that shall meet the practical demands of
an industrial calling. In this Mr. Jeffery an-
ticipated most of our polytechnic and manual-
training schools by the force of his own original
mind. It does not appear that he took any sug-
gestions from any of these schools or their
founders. He continued his work and studies
with such profit that at the age of twenty-five
he was in possession of the entire range of
sciences adapted to the highest efficiency in his
occupation, and had also gained a wide breadth
of general culture. Few men can be found
whose talents or acquirements are more versa-
tile than his. At the time he was placed over the
department of mechanical drawing he was also
made private secretary to the superintendent of
machinery. At the age of twenty-eight he was
appointed assistant superintendent of machinery,
by John Newell, then president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company. Mr. Newell was
thoroughly acquainted with Mr. Jeffery's capa-
bilities, and being a typical self-made railroad
man was not slow to open the way for promotion
to deserving and energetic employes. During
the six years of his service in this position, Mr.
Jeffery was one of the most active and efficient
officers of the road. His long experience com-
bined with his practical work and study, had not
only rendered him familiar with the mechanical
departments in all their branches and details, but
he had also acquired much knowledge of general
railroad operations and management. Accord-
ingly, in 1877, he was appointed to the office of
general superintendent of the entire Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad system. He held this responsible
position until January i, 1885, at which time he
was appointed general manager of all the de-
10
152
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
partments of the rpad, a position which he held
till he resigned, in September 1889, for the pur-
pose of obtaining needed rest, after so long and
arduous service in the interests of the company.
While he may be called a self-made man in the
best sense of that phrase, yet the company was
liberal in the recognition of his genius and in'
affording him a fair opportunity for its develop-
ment. Thus from an office boy he rose by suc-
cessive stages to the management of a great cor-
poration, and every promotion he received was
fully earned by hard and faithful work, and was
conferred upon him unsolicited. In 1885, when
the international railway congress was held at'
Brussels, he was the representative in that body
of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and
the only American delegate present. In his
younger days he was president for several years
of the Young Men's Literary Society, of Chi-
cago, an institution which did much to foster a
literary spirit among a large number of citizens,
and which carried on its roll of membership some
of the brightest young men of the city. He was
a frequent though anonymous writer in prose
and verse, and several of his poems were very
generally copied by the press of the country.
The following lines written and published by
him more than a quarter of a century ago have
been reprinted from time to time :
OUR DUTY.
The heart that is sad where a heart should be light,
Or false where a heart should be true,
Let us guide through the darkness obscuring the light,
And point to the future eternal and bright,
And teach it to dare and to do.
The soul that is darkened by passion and crime
Let us win from its idols of clay,
And lead to the heroes and sages sublime,
Whose names are inscribed on the records of time,
Unfading. Immortals are they!
Let us fight for the right, though the struggle be long,
With firm and unswerving desire.
Let us manfully battle oppression and wrong,
With hearts that are earnest and trusty and strong ;
With God and the truth to inspire.
Let Us dare to be noble men, nature's own pride,
And dare to be true to each other.
For the earth is a homestead so fruitful and wide,
We can live, we can love, we can toil side by side,
And each unto all be a brother.
Mr. Jeffery is a prominent member of the
American Railroad Master Mechanics' Associa-
tion, a member of the Chicago, Iroquois and
Calumet Clubs, being vice-president of the latter,
and belongs to the Masonic fraternity. Socially
as well as intellectually he is held in high repute.
In his political affiliations he is democratic, but
takes no active part in political affairs. The
three principal ideas which governed Mr. Jeffery
in his official railroad career were : First, to es-
tablish mutual confidence and kindly relations
between the corporation and its employes. Sec-
ond, to gain the respect of the general public, and
bring about a clearer and more intelligent com-
prehension of the relations between the • people
and the carriers, and of their obligations to each
other. Third, to so conduct corporate affairs as
to secure and retain the confidence of investors
and the financial world. It is believed by those
who are qualified to judge, that he met with a
large measure of success in carrying out these
ideas. With the people and with working men,
Mr. Jeffery has always been in close fellowship,
and few men have been capable of exerting a
stronger influence over railway employes. One
instance may be cited. Soon after the strike oc-
curred on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
road, in 1888, and a general tie-up on all the
roads of the country was threatened, he was re-
quested by a few conservative labor men to use
his influence with those who favored a general
strike, a large mass-meeting of whom were in
session in Turner Hall, on Twelfth street, ready
to take radical action in the matter of a general
suspension of work which would have been dis-
astrous to all the industrial, commercial and fi-
nancial interests of the country. Mr. Jeffery
met the excited multitude, gained their attention,
addressed them for over two hours, and by his
powerful and conciliatory arguments succeeded
in averting the impending disaster. For this
• AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
153
timely service he received public recognition and
many letters of congratulation and thanks from
the leading merchants and business men of the
country. As soon as it was known that he had
resigned his position in the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company, Mr. Jeffery was selected by the
mayor and leading citizens interested in pro-
moting the World's Columbian Expostion, to
visit the Exposition in Paris, study it and make a
report upon it, and at the same time to promote,
as far as practicable, the claims of Chicago as
the site of the Columbian Exposition. He went
to Paris and was entirely successful in his mis-
sion, remaining in that city a sufficient length of
time to gather and condense a vast amount of
invaluable information respecting the Paris Ex-
position, which he published in one of the ablest
and most concise reports ever prepared upon that
subject. This report furnished all the data
which have been so freely used by the directors
and officers of the Columbian Exposition. It
was published in London and has been translated
into the French and other European languages.
Mr. Jeffery declined to accept any compensation
for these and other services in connection with
the Exposition. Upon the organization of the
directory, Mr. Jeffery was chosen a member of
the board. He was strongly urged to accept at
a high salary, the position of director general,
but he refused the honor. He also declined to
have his name used as a candidate for the pres-
idency of the board of directors, to fill the va-
cancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Lyman
J. Gage. He was for a year and a half chairman
of the committee on grounds and buildings, and
was in every way efficient and influential in or-
ganizing and constructing the great interna-
tional exposition of 1892-3, giving his time and
energies to it without pay. Chicago is very
much indebted to his influence for securing the
location of the enterprise in this city. In Jan-
uary 1890, he was sent to Washington, and made
an unanswerable argument before the Senate of
the United States in behalf of Chicago as the
site for the Exposition. Mr. Jeffery is a close
student, a fluent writer, and a ready speaker.
He has delivered various addresses on transpor-
tation and other public questions before state
legislatures, municipal councils, boards of state
and inter-state railroad commissions and other
bodies, which rank among the best literature of
their class. For nearly a year and a half he was
connected with a new enterprise having in view
the construction of large locomotive works in
the city of Chicago. Many of the leading citi-
zens were associated with him in the undertaking
and he accepted the presidency of a company
which was organized for the purpose stated. It
was natural, however, that his inclinations and
the associations and habits of life formed
through thirty-three years of continuous railway
service would lead him to return to his old pro-
fession. Many lucrative offers were made to
him by railway companies after he retired from
the Illinois Central road, but all were declined
until October 1891, when he accepted his present
distinguished position as president of the Den-
ver & Rio Grande railway, with headquarters at
Denver, Colo., where he now resides. The cir-
cumstances under which this important change
in Mr. Jeffery 's affairs was made, were as fol-
lows: Having been solicited in September 1891,
to act as arbitrator in a controversy at Denver,
he, while there in that capacity, was proffered
by the directors of the Denver & Rio Grande,
the presidency of that road, and with such a
warmth and heartiness that he accepted it.
When this became known in Chicago, the press
of the city were unanimous in expressions of
sincere regret at the loss the community was to
sustain at the removal of so valuable and popu-
lar a man, though at the same time rejoicing at
his new and deserved honors. The following
editorial, which appeared in one of the leading
papers, is typical of • the many that voiced the
public sentiment :
"The Denver & Rio Grande Railway Company is
to be congratulated on securing for the difficult office
of president and general manager, so able and amiable
a man as E. T. Jeffery. The city of Denver is happy
in the accession of a good citizen. But Chicago, though
extending its felicitations to the fortunate company,
and the no less fortunate city, can not let the occasion
pass without an expression of regret at the loss we
experience in Denver's gain. Mr. Jeffery has lived in
154
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Chicago from boyhood. Here he made that wonderful
race from the workshop to the general superinten-
dency of a great railroad. In all stages of advance-
ment he has been found more than equal to the re-
sponsibilities of his position, and a loyal and patriotic
citizen. Mr. Jeffery's public spirit has best been illus-
trated by his services to the Columbian Fair. As a
member of the directors and especially as chairman
of the vastly important committee on grounds and
buildings, he has been alert, indefatigable, invaluable.
It is no disparagement to the other members of the
directory to say that Mr. Jeffery has led them all in
value of his services, bestowed freely and with no
other motive than an admirable public spirit. It will
not be easy to fill the place Mr. Jeffery will leave va-
cant, it will be harder still to efface the traces which his
master mind has left on the records of the fair."
Mr. Jeffery was married April 2, 1877, to
Miss Virgina O. Clarke, of Frederick, Mary-
land. They have two children : James Clarke
and Edna Turner, aged thirteen and eleven years
respectively.
Mr. Jeffery's career in the West has been a
marked success. The railway of which he is at
the head consists of 1,900 miles, located almost
wholly in the state of Colorado, reaching all the
principal mining, agricultural and commercial
points of the state. Deep canons, elevated
mountain passes, sharp curves and heavy grades
are the features of this remarkable railway. His
administration of its affairs for the past seven
years has been most wonderful in its results.
Out of the greatest business depressions, ag-
gravated by the unprecedented fall in the mar-
ket value of silver, of which metal that state is
so noted a producer, and amidst other disturb-
ances of trade and commerce that have occurred,
and surrounded by bankrupt railways, the Den-
ver & Rio Grande has emerged unscathed, with
a financial record stronger than at any time in
its history. Since he took up his residence in
Colorado, Mr. Jeffery has been a factor, and a
potent one, in all those affairs which go to pro-
mote the welfare of its citizens and its material
progress. He is a representative man in the
broadest sense of the term. His unprecedented
clear and right perception of things, and his in-
fluence for peace and harmony have been ex-
erted with good results in trying circumstances
affecting the welfare of her citizens, and particu-
larly between employers and employes he has
been instrumental in bringing about a better un-
derstanding between them, a higher regard for
the rights of each other, and confidence based
upon the mutuality of their interests. In all
movements for the good of the community he
has taken an active part since he has been in
Colorado, and his eloquence on many occasions
has encouraged public enterprise and aided
charity.
JP. REECE, conductor on the Amboy
division of the Illinois Central Rail-
Q road, first saw the light in Columbus
Junction, Iowa, July 28, 1866. He
is the son of William and Mary (Colton) Reece,
who died October I4th, 1899, and Novmber I5th,
1892, respectively. He attended the schools
of Columbus Junction, and at the age of nineteen
went to Colorado and drove a team for about two
years. He then entered the service of the Denver
& South Park R. R. Co. as brakeman, remaining
in that position for three years, then served in
the same capacity with the Denver & Rio Grande
six months, the Colorado Central six months,
and with the B. C. R. & N. a short time, after
which he went to Rock Island and was employed
by the Chicago & Rock Island company as a
switchman about eight months, served the C. M.
& St. P. as yardmaster at VanHorn, Iowa, six
months, then returned to the B. C. R. & N.
where he remained about six months. On the
22nd of October, 1893, Mr. Reece moved to Am-
boy, and entered the service of the I. C. R. R. as
a brakeman, and in July 1895, was promoted to
conductor, which position he retains at the present
time, having removed in 1894 to Freeport where
he now resides.
Mr. Reece was married June i, 1892, to
Miss Jessie May Sissley, of Burlington, Iowa.
She was born in Walker, Iowa, August 28, 1871.
He is a member of the O. R. C.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
155
IDNEY D. BRISTOW is an engineer
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, on the Cherokee division. He
entered the service of the company
October i, 1888, as fireman on a switch engine
in the yards at Cherokee, and was with many of
the old engineers on this division. Some years
after coming to the I. C. he was promoted to
engineer taking charge of a switch engine in the
Cherokee yards and serving there for two years.
He was then appointed to the regular run which
he now holds. During his service, he has never
had a member of his crew injured in any way, a
record of which he is justly proud. Mr. Bristow
was born at Ontario, Canada, June 9, 1867. His
father, Isaac Bristow, resides with him and has
charge of the store house for the I. C. Socially,
our subject is connected with B. of L. E. No. 226,
of Fort Dodge, and is also a member of B. of
L. F. and A. O. U. W. of Cherokee.
F. CAREY, passenger engineer, Illi-
nois Central Railroad, began in the
iO service °f the company in 1865, in
the Dubuque offices, where he re-
mained for two years under J. T. Farley, and
also worked in the freight house about two years
under W. F- Blake. March 9, 1869, he was
placed in the Dubuque yards where he served
the company until 1874. At that time he went
on the road as fireman and in the fall of 1879
was licensed to handle the throttle and lever, run-
ning for sixteen months in the Dubuque yards
under T. W. Place, and later worked on different
branches of the system until 1885 when he was
given a run between Dubuque and Waterloo.
April q, 1898 he was promoted to passenger en-
gineer, and now runs between Dubuque and
Waterloo.
Mr. Carey married Mary F. Case, of Du-
buque, and to them have been born nine children,
six of whom are deceased. Those living are Jos-
eph, George and Laona. Mr. Carey is a native of
Vermont, while Mrs. Carey was born in Flint,
Michigan. Mr. Carey is a member of B. of L.
E. No. 114, K. of P. No. 89, A. O. U. W. No.
274, and the Foresters. He has been successful
in his railroad career, and is popular with his
employers and the patrons of the road.
I HARLES F. HILDRETH, former agent
of the Illinois Central Railroad at Free-
port, 111., is a native of the Green
Mountain state and was born in Ben-
nington county, October 15, 1861. His father,
Jerone D. Hildreth, who was engaged in the
manufacture of cotton goods, died in 1891, while
his mother, formerly Miss Eliza M. Turner, is
living at the age of sixty-nine years.
Our subject attended the public schools of
New England and Ontario, Canada, and after
two years in the Academy of Prattville, Ala.,
at the age of fifteen, he began work in the cot-
ton factory at that place, of which his father was
superintendent, and later was employed in
the cotton mills at Cottondale, Alabama. When
eighteen years of age Mr. Hildreth studied tele-
graphy, and served the Chicago, Pekin & South-
western R. R. (now a part of the Santa Fe
system) as station agent at Groveland, 111., four
months and at Morton, 111., for sixteen months.
He then entered the employ of the I. C. R. R.
as night operator at Ackley, Iowa, remaining
there one month and at LeMars, Iowa, three
months. He was then made ticket agent and
served in that capacity at South Park, near Chi-
cago, for two months, Heyworth, two weeks,
Patoka, three and one-half years, and then took
charge of the ticket office at Decatur for the I.
C. R. R., the Illinois Midland (now Vandalia)
and the P. D. & E. for a period of nine months,
after which he acted as joint agent at El Paso
for the I. C. and T. P. & W. railroads a little
more than three years, then went to Pana where
he remained as I. C. freight agent about sixteen
months. In September 1891, Mr. Hildreth came
156
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
to Freeport as freight agent for the I. C. R. R.,
and in July 1892, severed his connection with the
railroad and is now in the real estate and insur-
ance husiness and is likewise interested in the
manufacture of paper boxes.
On the 28th of August, 1889, Mr. Hildreth
was united in marriage with Miss Nellie P.
McLafferty, of Hutchinson, Kansas, but whose
life till within a few months of her marriage was
spent at El Paso, 111.
Mrs. Hildreth received a liberal education at
the State Normal School at Normal, 111., and
taught school a number of years. Mr. and Mrs.
Hildreth have no children. They are members
of the First Presbyterian church, and Mr. Hil-
dreth is a staunch Republican in politics.
OP. ESTEY, engineer at Waterloo, be-
gan firing for the Illinois Central
11 lAO company September 26, 1886. Pre-
vious to this, however, he had worked
in the Waterloo shops from April to September
of the same year before there was an opening for
him on the road. His first run was between
Waterloo and Fort Dodge, and the first engineer
under whom he served was A. C. DuBois. After
a service of ten months on a freight engine, Mr.
Estey was promoted to a passenger run and
served three years under L. Smith. August 17,
1890, he was set up to engineer, worked one year
in the yards at Waterloo, then on the main line,
running east, west and north out of Waterloo,
covering every portion of the Iowa division, un-
til 1897, and since then has had a regular run
between Waterloo and Fort Dodge. The record
»f Mr. Estey's railroad career is not dotted 1>\
a single accident.
The subject of this sketch is a son of Charles
and Sylvia (Peck) Estey, both of Vermont. In
1885 he went to Nebraska for the purpose of
visiting his sister a short time, but on his return
he stopped in Waterloo and was there married
in 1887 and has since made his home there. The
estimable lady of Mr. Estey's choice was known
in her girlhood as Miss Nellie Armbruster and
her native city is Galena, 111. This union has
been blessed by the presence of a son, Fred.
Mr. Estey is a member of the following fra-
ternities: Division No. 114 B. of L. E., Lodge
No. 274 A. O. U. W. and the Blue Lodge, No.
105, of the Masonic fraternity, all of Waterloo.
AVID L. CHEVALIER, a prominent
engineer, residing in Fort Dodge, be-
gan with the Illinois Central November
3, 1889, as fireman. He engaged in
firing seven years and on' November 1896, was
promoted to engineer, and since that time he has
had charge of an engine running between Sioux
City and Fort Dodge.
He is a native of Dubuque, Iowa, born De-
cember 23, 1867, a son of David L. Chevalier
who was one of the oldest engineers on the Illi-
nois Central and used to run a passenger engine
between Dubuque and Waterloo. He is now a
farmer and resides in South Dakota.
Our subject comes from an old and promi-
nent railroad family, two of his brothers being
in the service, one an engineer on the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad, living
in Sioux City, Iowa, and the other a fireman on
the Illinois Central. An uncle, H. L. Chevalier,
(see sketch elsewhere in this volume) is an en-
gineer on the Illinois Central ; another uncle, H.
Girard, deceased, was an engineer on the Illinois
Central for thirty-eight years ; and a cousin, A.
E. Girard, (see sketch on another page of this
work) is an engineer on the Freeport division of
the Illinois Central. Our subject has been in
several small wrecks but. never injured. He is
a member of Division No. 222, B. of L. F., Divi-
sion Xo. 226, B. of L. E. and the Royal Arca-
num, all of Fort Dodge. Mr. Chevalier married
Miss Dean Cronenberger, of Fort Dodge, and
they reside at No. 603, Third avenue, south.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
157
LE. ROPER, better known as "Lee," en-
gineer for the Illinois Central at Fort
Q Dodge, has been with the company
since 1887. He first worked with the
Iowa Telephone Co. for some time and then be-
gan as fireman for the Illinois Central and
worked in that position until 1895, when he was
promoted to engineer and began work in freight
service running between Fort Dodge and Sioux
City. Mr. Roper is a native of Fond du Lac,
Wisconsin, and is a son of Samuel E. Roper, who
was a railroad man and was yardmaster at Fort
Dodge for the Illinois Central for nineteen years,
at the end of which time he went to Eagle Grove,
Iowa, where he is now engaged in business. A
second son was "caller" on the Illinois Cen-
tral at Fort Dodge, where he died at the age of
nineteen years.
Our subject married Miss Mary Riffenberry,
of Fort Dodge, and they have become the pa-
rents of four children, Letha, Ionia, Antia and
Horatio. Since his marriage he has always lived
in Fort Dodge, and he now resides at 603 Sec-
ond avenue, where he now has a neat and com-
fortable home.
Mr. Roper is a member of the B. of L. E.,
No. 226, of Fort Dodge. He has never been in
any wrecks, although he was injured once, caus-
ing him the loss of two weeks' time. He is well
and favorably known along the line.
HARLES L. SMITH, an engineer of
Fort Dodge, began with the Illinois
Central in 1889 as fireman, and worked
at that seven years, when he was then
promoted to engineer. He is a native of Fort
Dodge, Iowa, and a son of Loring W. and Caro-
line (Gardner) Smith. The father was a farmer
near Fort Dodge, where he died in 1891. Our
subject was educated in the common and high
schools of Fort Dodge, and then began railroad-
ing under H. M. Rhodes, engineer, and fired
for him until he was promoted. His engine at
present is No. 1511, and his run is from Fort
Dodge to Sioux City. Mr. Smith is a member of
the B. of L. E. No. 226, and also belongs to the
Royal Arcanum of Fort Dodge.
He resides at 1216 'Fifth avenue, south,
where he has recently built a neat cottage home.
JOHN DOHERTY, a retired passenger
conductor on the Illinois Central Rail-
road, at Dubuque, Iowa, began work on
this road as a clerk in the freight depot
at Cedar Falls under W. B. Boss. He was thus
engaged three years and a half from the spring
of 1 86 1, and then started as brakeman under S.
A. Wolcott, running west out of Dubuque, and
for about eight months ran to Cedar Falls. Af-
ter being promoted to the position of conductor,
he worked between Dubuque and Fort Dodge
about twelve years, running the first night pas-
senger train west of Dubuque, then worked be-
tween Dubuque and Lyle, and later returned to
the main line, making an aggregate of twenty-
seven years of service for the Illinois Central
Railroad. Mr. Doherty has left a splendid
record on the company's books, for he has never
met with serious accident, and an injury of any
kind has never been inflicted upon himself.
Mr. Doherty was born near Dublin, Ireland,
and at the age of eight years came to America
with his parents and located in Dubuque, Iowa.
One of his brothers, G. F. Doherty, was also a
conductor on the Illinois Central for several
years. In May 1869, our subject was united in
marriage to Miss Mary J. Redfern, of Bedford
county. Pa. Since retiring from the road Mr.
Doherty engaged in the wholesale liquor busi-
ness for two years in Dubuque, and since then has
been dealing quite extensively in western lands
and Dubuque real estate. He is well known in
Dubuque and portions of the West, and enjoys
the confidence and respect of all who know him.
158
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JOHN WILLIAM HANSON, yard fore-
man at Fort Dodge, has been in the em-
ploy of the company twenty-two years,
beginning in 1878 on the section as a
laborer. He worked at the same six months and
then was " wiper" in the round house at Fort
Dodge for two years, and for one year was en-
gaged in car repairing in the round house. He
then served as switchman in the yards at Fort
Dodge until 1885, when he was made yard fore-
man and has since continued in that position.
Mr. Hanson is a native of Christiania, Norway,
born September 14, 1854, a son of John Hanson,
who is a carpenter by trade and resides at Fergus
Falls, Minn. Our subject married Miss Bridget
Daily, who has borne him four children, Mary,
Eddie, now in the employ of he Illinois Central,
Georgia and Bernidetta. Mr. Hanson has been
in several wrecks and was twice injured, once
in jumping from the train and was also caught
in a "frog" and injured badly. He is a charter
member of the A. O. U. W. of Fort Dodge, and
a charter member also of the B. of R. T. of Fort
Dodge, Lodge No. 171. He now owns a nice
residence at No. 603 Fourth avenue, and is a
respected citizen and railroad man of Fort Dodge,
Iowa.
'ILLIAM Z. WRIGHT is one of the
old and respected employes of the
Illinois Central. He entered the
service of the company at Fort
Dodge, Iowa, on September 9, 1869, as fireman,
with Engineer Col. Thomas. He remained in
this position three years, and during the follow-
ing five years ran an engine between Waterloo
and Sioux City. He was then made foreman of
the round house where he served about ten years,
retiring to accept the position of train master at
Fort Dodge, where he spent the greater part of
1885. He then returned to his former position as
foreman of the engine house, but in 1887 was
transferred to Cherokee and given a regular run
in the passenger service between Cherokee and
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which he still holds.
Mr. Wright is a native of Willoughby, O.,
where he was born June 7, 1850. He has an
amiable wife and an interesting family of three
daughters, viz : May, Bertha and Kittie. ,He
is quite prominent in railroad circles socially,
being a member of B. of L. E. No. 226, of Fort
Dodge, for twenty-five years, and for ten years
Chief of the lodge ; is also a member of Cherokee
Lodge No. 307, A. F. & A. M., and A. O. U. W.
No. 197. He resides in Cherokee, and there is
not a better known man all over the Iowa division
of the Illinois Central.
JOYCE, conductor at Waterloo, be-
gan his railroad career as a section
hand at Cedar Falls in 1880, and was
engaged in that line of work for two
years. Subsequently he had charge of the
freight and baggage rooms at the same city for
four years and then began as a brakeman between
Waterloo and Fort Dodge and served at different
times under the following conductors : Ed. Spear,
Henry Mullan, J. Keeler, and his brother, T. M.
Joyce. Mr. Joyce was a brakeman for twenty-
three months and in the fall of 1887, he was pro-
moted to the position of conductor and for sev-
eral years thereafter he ran trains out of Waterloo
both east and west on the main line and also north
on the branch. At present he is running a con-
struction train out of Waterloo. Mr. Joyce has
been very successful as a railroad employe, hav-
ing given his employers satisfaction from the very
start as is attested by the unusually short time it
required for him to attain the position of conduc-
tor. His entire career has also been without re-
ceiving the slightest injury.
Mr. Joyce was born in Forreston, 111., a son
of Michael and Margaret Joyce, both natives of
Ireland. The father, also was an employe of
the Illinois Central company, having served on
the section for thirty years. He was killed at
Waterloo, in the year 1869, but the mother is
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
161
still living and is making her home at Cedar Falls,
Iowa. Three of their sons, besides the one whose
name appears at the head of this article, are rail-
road employes : T. M. Joyce, a conductor on the
Illinois Central at Waterloo; J. Joyce, a passen-
ger conductor on the Sioux City & Northern
Railroad ; and P. F. Joyce, yardmaster at Fort
Dodge. Our subject was married at Fort Dodge,
in 1892, to Miss Ella Harrington, of that city
and their home has been made happy by the pres-
ence of three children whose names in the order
of their birth are Earl, John and Myrtle. Mr.
Joyce holds a membership in Lodge No. 67, O. R.
C. and also in Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W. both
of Waterloo.
JAMES D. PLACE, the clerk of the oil
room at the shops and round house at
Waterloo, Iowa, ranks among the oldest
men in the employ of the Illinois Central
Railroad. He was born in the town of Acworth,
Sullivan county, N. H., his natal day being Aug.
17, 1830. He received a common school edu-
cation in his native county and was engaged
principally in farming until he began railroad-
ing at the early age of twenty years, and has
pursued that vocation almost continuously ever
since. His first experience was with the
Northern Railroad of New Hampshire, now a
part of the Boston & Maine System, in 1851,
serving as fireman on an engine named " Frank-
lin " under Engineer James Blaisedell, now de-
ceased, and later fired the engine "Blackwater"
under James Bachelder, also deceased. In those
days it did not tak so long to become an engineer
as it does now, and ten months after he entered
the service of the railroad, Mr. Place was given
charge of the " Shaker Engine."
After spending two and a half years with
the Northern Railroad of New Hampshire, Mr.
Place came west and began work for the Illinois
Central company, in August 1853, running en-
gine No. 9 on construction work from Chicago
to Kankakee before the bridge at the latter place
was built. November 6, 1853, he was trans-
ferred to Freeport. 111., with engine No. 13, and
at that time the track was not laid as far north as
Lena, neither was the road graded south of
Freeport, and only ten miles of track was laid
on the northern division.
January i, 1854, a train ran into Warren,
and in September, of the same year the first train
was run as far west as Scales Mound. October
3ist, the first regular train ran into Galena;
Rensselaer Smith was engineer of the engine,
No. 2, and Conductor William Thayer in charge
of the train ; and the first regular train out of
Galena to points farther east was one day later
drawn by engine No. 45, with the subject of
our sketch at the levers and Conductor O. B. Wy-
Tian in charge. Mr. Place also took the first pas-
senger train into Dunleith (now East Dubuque)
with engine No. 37, on the I2th day of June,
1855, with L. P. Pettibone, conductor, in charge
of the train. Even at this time there were but
two regular passenger trains running each way
out of Freeport. In the spring of 1856, Mr.
Place severed his connection with the Illinois
Central company and spent six months in the em-
ploy of the Chicago & Galena Union Rail-
road, and spent two months in Minnesota,
and then returned to the Central road and
for a time plied between Amboy and Dunleith.
In June 1857, he went south, but after spend-
ing a few months on the Memphis & Charleston
line, he returned to Amboy and for two years
did no railroad work. In 1859, however, he
secured a position on the Dubuque & Sioux City
Railroad, running between Dubuque and Cedar
Falls, and was thus employed until the summer
of 1862.
August 14, 1862, Mr. Place enlisted in com-
pany F, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infan-
try, and served under Buell, Rosecrans, Sher-
man and lastly under " Pap " Thomas, partici-
pating in the following battles : Perryville, Stone
River, Chickamauga, Pine Mountain, Kennesaw
Mountain, New Hope Church, Atlanta, Look-
out Mountain. Missionary Ridge, Franklin,
Tenn., and several other minor engagements.
162
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
He was mustered out at Nashville, June 12, 1865,
and was paid off in Chicago, June 3Oth, follow-
ing.
After the close of the war, Mr. Place re-
turned to the Illinois Central company and ap-
plied for a situation, and was given charge of an
engine on the Chicago division running between
Chicago and Champaign, but later was trans-
ferred to run between Centralia and Cairo. Dur-
ing this time he was caught in a collision at
Hanging Rock, two miles north of Makanda,
March 8, 1866, in which he lost his right leg
and was laid up for about a year. As soon as
he was able to resume his duties, he was given
charge of an engine to run between Chicago and
Kankakee, 111., for a short time, and then went
to Iowa and took charge of an engine running
between Waterloo and Mona until January 7,
1894. During this year Mr. Place retired from
the road after an engine service of over forty
years, and was placed in charge of the oil room
at the shops and round house at Waterloo, the
position he still holds. Socially he affiliates
with Division No. 114, B. of L. E., of Waterloo,
and Robert Anderson Post No. 68, G. A. R.
ANIEL J. REARDON, conductor on
the Illinois Central, Freeport division,
is a native of Freeport, where he was
born August 20, 1871. His parents.
Jerry and Mary (Flanagan) Reardon, are resi-
dents of Freeport, of which place his father is
now city treasurer.
Our subject was a student in St. Mary's
parochial school until March 1885, when he en-
tered the U. S. mail service at Freeport and re-
mained in that position for three years ; served as
clerk for a period of eight months in the German
Insurance office; then acted as time keeper in
the office of E. O. Dana, master mechanic of the
I. C. R. R., eight months. At this time he en-
tered the service of the C. M. & St. P. R. R. as
brakeman, and after two years experience began
work for the I. C. R. R. in the same capacity,
where he remained until September 1899, when
his faithful service was rewarded by promotion
to conductor, which position he now holds.
June 23, 1897, Mr. Reardon was married to
Miss Sarah Wolf, of Freeport, who was born in
Lena, October 27, 1875. This union has been
blest with one son, Martin, born June 18, 1899.
Mr. Reardon is Catholic in his religious views,
is a Democrat in politics, and is socially connected
with the B. of R. T.
G. FLANAGAN, train despatcher
for the Illinois Central Railroad,
LQ Freeport, 111., was born in Freeport,
November 10, 1865. His father,
James Flanagan, was born in County Limerick,
Ireland, in 1812, and while in his native country,
worked on a farm. He was married Feb. 20,
1844, to Honora Hayes, also a native of Ireland,
and born April 24, 1824. He came with his
family to America, landing at New York July 4,
1851, and located in Binghamton, N. Y., where
he worked for his brother-in-law, Martin Hayes,
who was supervisor on the Erie railroad. In
1857 he moved to Freeport and entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. R. R. as section foreman, and re-
mained in that position until he resigned in 1885.
He died December 28, 1891, his wife having pre-
ceded him January 6, 1889. James Flanagan,
by his industry and thrift, had acquired consider-
able property. He bought eight lots in Freeport,
and erected the house on the corner of Float and
Winnesheik streets, where our subject was born,
and subsequently built the fine brick house in
which subject now resides.
M. (1. Flanagan attended the public schools
of Freeport, and in 1881 entered the employ of
the C. M. & St. P. R. R. as an operator which
position he retained for about four years, and
also served as train despatcher at Racine, Wis-
consin, and Aberdeen, S. Dakota, for three and
one-half years. He left the C. M. & St. P. R. R.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
163
and came to Freeport, securing a position with
the I. C. R. R. as telegraph operator and extra
despatches In 1891 he was appointed train de-
spatcher which position he still retains. On the
231x1 of November, 1892, Mr. Flanagan was mar-
ried to Miss Mary Scanlan, of Freeport. She
was horn December 24, 1866, and died December
25, 1893, .leaving twins, Mary and Margaret,
horn December 12, 1893. Mr. Flanagan is a
Catholic, and a member of the Catholic Order of
Foresters. He also belongs to the M. W. A.,
is a member of the Train Despatchers' Associa-
tion of America, and is a Democrat in politics.
T. GREGORY, freight engineer on
Illinois Central Railroad, at Water-
loo, Iowa, entered the service of the
I. C. R. R. at Waterloo, December
1884, as fireman on the main line, making his
first trip with Engineer Bruce. He then fired a
short time for J. Griffin between Waterloo and
Sioux City, two years for J. D. Place on passen-
ger engine between Waterloo and Lyle, and later
for other engineers, and was then promoted to
engineer July 1888, having previously run a
switch engine for about eight months. His first
work as engineer was in the Waterloo, Cherokee
and Dubuque yards. In 1889 he ran between
Centralia and Cairo from May to September,
then returned to Waterloo and ran in the con-
struction service on the Cherokee division for a
short time, and after running extra on the Iowa
lines was given his present run from Waterloo to
Ft. Dodge in 1895.
Mr. Gregory was born in Pittsford, N. Y.,
of which state his parents, Daniel and Emily
(Tefft) Gregory, were natives. Mr. Gregory
married Miss Jennie White, of Manchester, la.,
and has one son, Lorenzo E. \Yhile firing, in
the spring of 1885, Mr. Gregory had a very nar-
row e?cape from death. The engine was struck
at Lizzard Tank by a double header train, and he
was knocked off the water tank, caught under the
train, and dragged for some distance, which laid
him up for about two months. Since handling
the throttle he has been so fortunate as to escape
further accidents. He is a member of the B. of
L. E., Division No. 114, and the Masonic Lodge
No. 105, both of Waterloo.
J. FAIRBURN, passenger engineer
at Waterloo, Iowa, began his railroad
career at Fort Dodge, Iowa, August
24, 1880, in the capacity of fireman
for the Illinois Central company. After spend-
ing eight months at Fort Dodge, Mr. Fairburn
worked on the main line as an extra for some
time. His first regular run was under L. Smith
on Engine No. 150, running on the " West
End," where he was employed for about a year
and then worked on a passenger engine with
Henry Colburn between Waterloo and Sioux
City for a time. Subsequently he served as
hostler at Fort Dodge for two winters, and then
fired for C. W. Baldwin on the "West End" on
a passenger engine two years. December 18,
1885, Mr. Fairburn was set up to engineer,
worked in the yards at Waterloo for a short time,
and then on the main line as an extra, running
over all parts of the Iowa division until it was
divisioned off. His sphere was then limited to
that portion of the line that lies between Water-
loo and Fort Dodge, and in 1898 he was pro-
moted to his present position on the right side of
a passenger engine running on the same division.
Throughout his entire career as a railroad em-
ploye, Mr. Fairburn has not met with serious ac-
cident.
Mr. Fairburn was born sixteen miles north
of the city in which he now makes his home, the
son of Robert and Elizabeth (Churchill) Fair-
burn, the former a native of England and the lat-
ter of Michigan. The father was a carpenter
by occupation and worked for the Illinois Central
company for twenty-three years, repairing de-
pots, etc., along the entire line. Our subject
was married in 1882, at Jancsville, Iowa, to Miss
164
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Fannie Loveland. In the social circles of Water-
loo, he affiliates with Division No. 114, B. of L.
F., Blue Lodge No. 105, A. F. & A. M., and
Rowland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W.
Mr. Fairburn has always been a hard work-
ing man, is thorough and systematic in his work,
and has been very successful in life. He is
known as a man whose moral character is above
reproach, and he commands the respect and es-
teem of all who have the pleasure of his acquain-
tance
ICHARD WILLIAM ORMSBY, pas-
senger engineer on the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad, Freeport division, one
of the old reliable engineers, entered
the service of. the company as a machinist in the
Weldon shops, in Chicago, in 1871, remaining
in that position until May 1874, when he began
firing on the Chicago division, but after one year
in that position he returned to the shops and fol-
lowed his trade for two years. He then began
firing again, and in August 1878 was promoted
to engineer and ran on the Chicago division until
September 1887, since which time he has been on
the Freeport division.
Mr. Ormsby is a Canadian by birth, and was
the first white child born in Collingwood, Ontario,
where he first saw the light May 3, 1854. His
father, Richard Ormsby, a carpenter and con-
tractor by occupation, was born in Belfast, Ire-
land. In early life he came to America and lo-
cated in Meaford, Ontario, but later removed
to North Platte, Nebraska, where he died in Feb-
ruary 1869. His wife, who was Hannah J.
Vail, was born in Owen Sound, Ontario, in No-
vember 1822, and is now living at Orfordville,
Wisconsin.
Our subject, who early developed mechanical
genius, when but thirteen years of age began run-
ning a small stationary engine at Meaford, On-
tario, but after eighteen months service, he moved
with his parents in October 1868 to North Platte,
where he went to work for the U. P. R. R. as
an apprentice in the North Platte shops, and re-
mained until April 1870, when he came to Chi-
cago and svas employed by H. Petrie & Son, man-
ufacturers of stationary engines, with whom he
remained until October 9, 1871, when the plant
was destroyed by the great fire, in which the fam-
ily lost all their household and personal effects.
It was at this time that Mr. Ormsby entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as before stated.
On the 25th of November, 1875, Mr. Ormsby
was married to Miss Margaret E. Kenney, of
Chicago, who was born January 15, 1854. Their
union has been blest with six children : Kath-
erine, born November 15, 1876, was educated at
the Hanen and Coleman school, of Chicago, and
is now bookkeeper for the American Wall Paper
Co. of that city; William J., born January 17,
1879, is a machinist's apprentice at the Burnsicle
shops, Chicago; Nellie, born August 1884, is at-
tending the Hyde Park high school in Chicago ;
May E., born October 18, 1886, is attending the
Madison Ave. school, Chicago; Richard, born
June 25, 1889; Irene, born Nov. 28, 1894. Mr
Ormsby is one of the charter members of World's
Fair Lodge No. 382, K. P., and also belongs to
the B. of L. E. in which he is at present chairman
of the Grievance Committee, Division 27, and
was formerly Chief of Division No. 10 for two
years. He is a Protestant in religion, and a Re-
publican in politics.
O. FERN, an engineer on the Omaha
division, began working for the Illi-
n°is Central company at Waterloo,
Iowa, December 24, 1887, as a fire-
man on the main line. He served two months
under J. M. DuBois and later under different
men. He worked on the Cedar Rapids branch
for eleven months and for three years he fired
for T. W. Place between Waterloo and Dubuque.
In the fall of 1895 Mr. Fern was given charge
of a freight engine, worked in the Waterloo
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
165
yards for a short time and also in the yards at
Dubuque, and since then has made his home in
Waterloo, serving as an extra, running east, west
and north.
Mr. Eern was born in Dubuque, Iowa, a
son of John and Elizabeth S. Fern, both of Eng-
land. The parents emigrated from the land of
their nativity to America in an early day and lo-
cated in Dubuque where the father worked in
a smelter. They are the parents of three sons
besides the subject of this sketch, who are em-
ployes of the Illinois Central Railroad : Frank,
an engineer on the Cedar Rapids branch ; Rob-
ert, an engineer at Waterloo, and Leo E., a brake-
man at Waterloo.
Mr. C. O. Fern, the gentleman whose name
appears at the head of this article, made his home
with his parents at Dubuque until 1887, when he
entered the employ of the railroad company and
located in Waterloo. About two years after he
was united in marriage to Miss Cora Banton, of
Farley, Iowa. In social circles Mr. Fern is iden-
tified with Cedar Valley Division No. 30, B. of
L. F., of Waterloo, and also the A. O. U. W.,
No. 274, of Waterloo. Our subject is very suc-
cessful as a railroad man, commanding alike the
esteem and confidence of his employers and fel-
low workmen, and throughout his entire career
has never been injured in any way.
O. MILLER, conductor at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career with
Q the Illinois Central company at Fort
Dodge, in September 1881, where he
worked three months in the freight house before
he went on the line. In August 1882, he secured
a position as brakeman between Waterloo and
Fort Dodge on a passenger train under the con-
trol of Conductor B. Merrill, worked one week
and then made one trip on a freight train under
W. N. Barr. He then broke on a freight run
from Waterloo to Charles City as extra, and then
broke for three months under G. R. Turner on a
mixed train between Waterloo and Lyle. Mr.
Miller was then appointed baggageman on the
mixed train between Waterloo and Lyle, under
Ed. Parker, and retained that position about a
year and eight months. He then returned to the
Waterloo and Dubuque division and broke for
different conductors until 1886, when he received
his promotion to the office of freight conductor.
Mr. Miller's first experience in charge of a train
was between Waterloo and Dubuque. Then, after
running extras for about a year he was given a
regular crew between Waterloo and Dubuque.
Again he was placed in charge of extra trains,
both freight and passenger, and his work took him
over all of the Dubuque division, but for the past
two years, his run has been from Dubuque to Ft.
Dodge.
Mr. Miller was born in Ingersoll, Canada,
in the year 1857, a son of William H. and Helen
(Ervine) Miller, the latter a native of Scotland
and the former of German descent. They came
west in 1864 to Michigan, thirty miles north of
Detroit, made that their home for two years and
a half, and then moved to Buchanan county.
Iowa, near Independence, on a farm. Our sub-
ject made his home with his parents until he at-
tained his majority. He worked for a time in
the hospital at Independence, and afterward at-
tended the commercial college at Keokuk until
he secured a situation with the Illinois Central
Railroad company and located in Waterloo. In
September 1882, he was united in marriage at
Independence, to Miss Annie E. Williamson, and
three children have been born to them : George
Ervine, John Paul and Regina A. Socially Mr.
Miller affiliates with the Division No. 67, of
Waterloo; Waterloo Lodge No. 105 of the Ma-
sonic fraternity ; and also the A. O. U. W. Lodge
No. 274 of Waterloo. He has a good education,
is pleasant to meet and is held in high esteem by
all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.
In his railroad career, Mr. Miller has been very
successful, performing his duties to the satisfac-
tion of his employers and has never been injured
in any way.
166
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COM PA XV
JF. VAN RENSSELAER was born at
Xew Brunswick, New Jersey, August
Q 1 8, 1875. He is of old Holland stock,
his ancestors having settled in the val-
ley .of the Hudson in 1640 and the names of their
descendents make a large family tree". Mr.
Van Rensselaer entered the railroad service in
May 1890, when but fifteen years of age, secur-
ing a place with the Fort Worth & Rio Grande
R. R. in Texas, in the accounting department,
in which he continued until May, 1893. On that
date he secured a position as chief clerk in the
offices of the joint car association of Fort Worth
Railways, where he was employed until June 20,
1896, when he was appointed general clerk in
the office of the second vice president of the Illi-
nois Central at Chicago, serving in that capaci-
ty until November 2, 1898. Transferred to
Evansville, Indiana, he was appointed chief clerk
to the assistant superintendent at that point serv-
ing until March 14, 1900, when he was appointed
traveling freight and passenger agent for the line
with headquarters at Denver. It is a position of
greater responsibility than is usually entrusted to
one of his age. but Mr. Van Rensselaer has in
past positions proven himself worthy of trust im-
posed in him by the management of the Illinois
Central sstem.
'ILLIAM F. HALL, one of the old-
est engineers employed by the Ill-
inois Central company, began work
for this company March 4, 1870,
in the shops at Dubuque, Iowa. He was born
in Danville, Canada, June 27, 1840, and is a son
of Enoch Hall, who was a native of Massachu-
setts. He was a lumberman and farmer through
life, coming to Canada and later to Wisconsin,
where he died. Our subject's first railroad work
was on the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Rail-
road, where he worked as engineer from 1862
to 1870. He then began on the Illinois Central
and for the past twenty-seven years has occupied
the right side of the cab, now having a passenger
run between Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa,
and makes three trips a week. He has been in
several wrecks, but no one was ever seriously
injured.
William F. Hall married Miss Carrie Bron-
son, of New York state, -and they have become
the parents of eight children, two of whom are
deceased. Those living are as follows : Edward
M., who is a painter , of Fort Dodge ; Ida May ;
William F. Jr., is in the employ of the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad at
Sioux City, Iowa ; Charles B. is general secretary
of the Y. M. C. A. at Sioux City; Fred A. is tel-
egraph operator for the Western Union at Fort
Dodge, Iowa, and Bessie. Those deceased are
William and Harry J. The family has a pleas-
ant home at No. 313 S. Seventh street, Fort
Dodge.
Socially Mr. Hall is a member of Division
No. 226, B. of L. E., and also of Blue Lodge No.
in, A. F. & A. M., both of Fort Dodge. He
is justly numbered among the prominent and
representative engineers on the Illinois Central
Railroad.
LEWIS C. FOOTE, passenger engineer
at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, began his rail-
road career on the Southern Minnesota
Railroad, running out of La Crosse,
Wis., beginning in the year 1865. He worked
for a time as fireman and later as engineer on
this line, and subsequently moved to Chicago and
served the Chicago & Eastern Illinois company
in the capacity of engineer. In March 1873, he
moved to Dubuque, Iowa, and the Illinois Central
company placed him at the head of one of their
freight trains between that city and Waterloo,
and retained him in that position for fifteen years.
At that time Mr. Foote was promoted to the
passenger service and for the following ten years
he held a position at the head of the "Clipper."
In April 1898, he was transferred to the Cedar
Rapids branch, where he has since been employed
in the passenger service.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
167
Mr. Foote was born at Brookfield, Fairfield
count}-, Conn., and moved from thence to the
west in 1865. In 1869 he was married in La
Crosse, Wis., to Miss Genevieve Foster, of
Hokah, Minn., and two children have been born
to them, namely : Eugene, a switchman at
Cedar Rapids, and Edna, who is still making her
home with her parents. Socially Mr. Foote
affiliates with the following secret fraternities :
Division No. 114, B. of L. E., of Waterloo; he
first joined this fraternity in Minnesota but later
had his membership transferred to Waterloo.
Also a member of Rowland Lodge No. 274, A.
O. U. W., Blue Lodge No. 105 of the Masonic
fraternity, and the Tabernacle No. 125. Mr.
Foote has been on the road for a great many
years, and with the exception of a few years at
the beginning of his career, he has had the lever
and throttle in his own hands, yet his record is
almost entirely free from wrecks, he having never
received the slightest injury.
T7 OHN L. WOLFE, conductor on the Am-
boy division of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born December 8, 1863, in
Mishawaka, Indiana, whence the fam-
ily removed to Freeport in 1865, and thence to
Lena in 1868, but later returned to Freeport,
where the parents, John and Theresa Wolfe, now
reside, the former engaged in the cooper's trade.
John L. Wolfe attended the public schools of
Lena, but at an early age learned his father's
trade and worked at the bench for eight years.
In 1883 he entered the service of the I. C. R. R.
as brakeman on the Amboy division, but after a
few months' service returned to his trade which
he followed until the fall of 1885, when he re-
entered the employ of the railroad. In the fall
of 1886 he was promoted to the position of con-
ductor, and September 1898 was made an extra
passenger conductor, and the following August
was given a regular passenger run on the Amboy
division, where he is still engaged in the faithful
discharge of his duties. Mr. Wolfe was married,
January n, 1888, to Miss Florence New, of Du-
buque, Iowa, formerly of Galena, 111., where she
was born November 15, 1864, and where she re-
ceived her education in the public schools of that
city. To Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have been born
two children; Mary T., born October 29, 1888,
and Cecelia O., born November 29, 1897. Mr.
Wolfe belongs to the O. R. C., is a member of
the Catholic church, and is independent in his
political views.
ARTIN HILL, conductor on the Am-
boy division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, was born in Prophetstown,
111., October 22, 1876. His father,
George Hill, is foreman of the bridge building
department of the I. C. R. R., at Chicago, and
his mother, Ella May (Gould), is a relative of
Jay Gould the great financier of New York.
Martin Hill was educated at the public
schools of LaSalle, graduating from the high
school in 1891, after which he attended the State
Normal at Normal, 111., for two terms. In 1892
he began working for the Illinois Zinc Co., at
Peru, 111., where he remained about one year.
At this time the family removed to Chicago and
Martin was employed in bridge work on the I.
C. R. R. under his father, a little more than a
year. In 1894 he went to Kansas City, Mo.,
and after visiting a large number of the western
cities, he returned to Chicago, again entering the
bridge building department of the I. C. R. R.
January 7, 1897, he began braking on the Amboy
division, and was promoted to conductor August
12, 1899.
On the 6th of August, 1897, Mr. Hill was
united in marriage with Miss Bertha Gainer, of
Lake Zurich, 111., where she was born November
5, 1876. To them has been born one child,
Walter E., born June 22, 1898. Mr. Hill is a
Protestant in religious faith. He is a member
of the B. of R. T. No. 115, and is independent
in politics.
168
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JR. (iRIFFIN, an engineer running out
of Waterloo, Iowa, began his railroad
Q career with the Illinois Central com-
pany August 30, 1879, as a fireman un-
der D. R. Gould on a freight run between Water-
loo and Dubuque. He was set up ta engineer
September 14, 1882, beginning work in this ca-
pacity in the yards at Dubuque where he was re-
tained until January, 1883. He was then given
a freight run between Waterloo and Sioux City
until 1887, when he was transferred to the Water-
loo and Dubuque division, and February 27, 1899,
was promoted to his present position as passen-
ger engineer on the same division.
Mr. Griffin was born in Saxeville township,
Waushara county, Wisconsin, where his father,
John Griffin was engaged in agricultural pursuits.
In 1896, our subject was united in marriage to
Miss Dora Whitney of Waterloo. Socially he
affiliates with the Division No. 114, B. of L. E.
at Waterloo, A. O. U. W. No. 274, of Waterloo,
and the Elks, No. 290, also of Waterloo. Mr.
Griffin has been quite successful in his railroad
career, has never met with serious accident and
from his salary has built for himself and his com-
panion a very comfortable home at 221 High
street, which was completed in 1891.
New York City. In 1872 he entered upon his
railroad career as assistant ticket agent in the
office of the Michigan Central R. R. at Chicago,
remaining there three years, when he gave up
office work and accepted a position as locomotive
fireman, which he retained for one year and ten
months, and was then promoted to engineer. Af-
ter nine years in that capacity, Mr. Griffith left
the service of the company to engage in a simi-
lar position with the C. B. &. N. R. R., where he
remained two years and three months, and then
left voluntarily to enter the service of the I. C.
R. R. , Jan. n, 1888, as engineer, where he has
served continuously ever since, and is now run-
ning the Sioux City Express between Chicago
and Dubuque.
On the igth of August, 1874, Mr. Griffith
was married to Miss Mariette E. Markham, of
Michigan City, Ind., She was born in Monroe,
Michigan, April 19, 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith
have two promising children : Edmund L., born
November 12, 1878, is attending the dental de-
partment of the Northwestern University at
Chicago, and will graduate in 1902; Nellie M.,
born December 9, 1882, is a member of the Free-
port high school class of 1901. Mr. Griffith is
connected with the Masonic fraternity, Blue
Lodge, the Royal Arcanum, and the B. of L. E.
He is a Protestant in religion and politically is
a member of the Republican party.
M. GRIFFITH, engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Freeport
division, was born in St. Joseph,
Michigan, February 9, 1855. His
father, Edmund L. Griffith, who was engaged
in merchandising,- died when our subject was
but a child, and the mother, Hannah C. (Stinson)
died May 29, 1899.
R. M. Griffith attended the public schools of
Niles, Michigan, and the Preparatory Depart-
ment also of Albion College. He began his busi-
ness life while still a lad as clerk in a grocery
store, where he remained one year, and spent
one year in the office of a banker and broker in
W. BOSTON, engineer running out
of Waterloo, began his railroad
O career August 28, 1887, in the capa-
city of fireman on a switch engine in
the Illinois Central yards at the city in which
he makes his home. About a month later he
was given a freight run between Waterloo and
Dubuque under J. F. Mulkern, which he retained
for four years. He then worked about five
months on the left side of a passenger engine
under Engineer L. Smith, and in March 1893,
JAMES W. LUTTRELL.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
171
was set up to engineer. The following five
months were spent in the yards at Dubuque, but
he has since been in Waterloo, running east, west
and north out of that city, and has run on every
portion of the Iowa division of the Illinois Cen-
tral railroad.
Mr. Boston was born in Waterloo, Iowa,
the only child of J. C. and Sarah (Collins) Bos-
ton, the former a native of Bangor, Me., and the
latter of Brentonwood, N. H. The parents moved
to Iowa in 1854, and settled on a farm four and
a half miles west of Waterloo, and made that
their home until 1875. In 1876 they moved to
Indian Territory, where the father is engaged in
the fruit business. Mr. Boston was married in
Waterloo in 1883, to Miss Ellen Coyne, also a
native of that city, and they have become the pa-
rents of a family of three children, Sadie, Mabel,
and Lewellyn. In the social circles of Waterloo,
Mr. Boston is identified with the Cedar Valley
Lodge No. 30, B. of L. F., Blackhawk Lodge
No. 72, I. O. O. F., and Lodge No. 274 A. O.
U. W. The record of his railroad career is not
dotted with a single accident.
JAMES W. LUTTRELL, master mechanic
at the Burnside shops, Chicago, began
railroad work as an apprentice machinist
in the shops of the Norfolk & Western
Railroad at Lynchburg, Va., in 1868, and served
two years. Immediately upon completing his
apprenticeship he secured a position on the road
as fireman, and in 1871 he became engineer and
served in that capacity on that road fourteen
months. From there he went to Denison, Ohio,
and worked for the Pan Handle company a short
time in the shops at that place. Subsequently
Mr. Luttrell worked as engineer for the St.
Louis & Southeastern Railroad company eight
months, and in the same capacity for the Eliza-
bethtown & Paducah Railroad three years, then
three years as engineer for the Louisville &
Nahville, then for a time a general foreman of
that company's shops at Pensacola Junction, and
31
September i, 1881, he became master mechanic
of the Louisville, Cincinnati & Lexington divi-
sion of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
September i, 1886, he resigned his position for
the position of superintendent of machinery of
the western division of the Newport News &
Mississippi Valley Railroad, and October 10,
1891, resigned the latter for the position of mas-
ter mechanic of the Mississippi division of the
Illinois Central Railroad at Water Valley, Miss.
He remained at this place fourteen months and
was then transferred to Chicago, January i,
1893, and was placed in charge of the machinery
in the capacity of master mechanic at that place,
January i, 1896, the Chicago shops were re-
moved to Burnside, and since that date Mr. Lutt-
rell has had charge of the locomotive and car
department.
Mr. Luttrell was born in Washington Co.,
Virginia. He was married in Hardin county,
Ky., to Miss Susan Lucretia Allen. To this
union was born one child, Lewis Mattison, who
died at the age of fourteen months.
Mr. Luttrell is a Mason of high degree and
holds membership in the following lodges : Pres-
ton Lodge No. 281, King Solomon Chapter No.
1 8, Louisville Council No. 6, DeMolay Comman-
dry No. 12, Grand Consistory of Kentucky,
Thirty-second Degree, all of Louisville, Ky., and
also the the Medina Temple, Mystic Shrine, of
Chicago. Mr. Luttrell's father, John M. Lutt-
rell, was an employe of the Norfolk & Western
Railroad prior to the Civil war. On the out-
break of hostilities, he enlisted in the Thirty-
seventh Virginia Infantry under " Stonewall "
Jackson, and died in the army after the battle
of Antietam.
M. TAYLOR, foreman at the Du-
buque shops, began his railroad
LQ career with the Illinois Central Rail-
road in the fall of 1871, at Clinton,
111., where he served as a machinist for one year.
Subsequently he worked seven years in the
172
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Springfield shops, and in 1884, came to Dubuque
as foreman. Ten years later, he went to Fort
Dodge, where he had charge of the Illinois Cen-
tral shops two years ; then at Champaign one
year, at Centralia seven months, at Cherokee,
Iowa, four months : after which he returned to
Dubuque to accept his present position.
Mr. Taylor was born in Albany, N. Y., a
son of John and Sarah Taylor. The father for
several years held a position in the State House
at the capital city of New York, in the Bank de-
partment. He and his companion are now both
dead. Our subject, prior to entering the em-
ploy of the railroad company, was engaged in the
laundry business at St. Louis for about six
months. He was married at Centralia, 111., to
Miss Mary E. Barney, of Boston, Mass., and one
child, Lula, has blessed their home. Socially Mr.
Taylor affiliates with the Ancient Order of
LTnited Workmen. His life has been an exam-
ple of faithfulness and has won the perfect con-
fidence of his employers as well as the unfeigned
respect and esteem of those with whom he comes
in contact.
time worked on the Mississippi division twice and
the Y. & M. V. for about three months, and then
returned to Iowa division at Ft. Dodge and ran
Engine 809 until the winter of 1898. He then took
charge of Engine 813 until he was transferred
to the Omaha division. Mr. Haines is a native
of Dubuque, Iowa, was born May 24, 1862, a
son of Charles G. and Harriet (Andrews)
Haines. The father was a farmer through life
and is now retired, living in Deadwood, South
Dakota. Our subject married Miss Minta Jones,
of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and to them was
born one son, Frederick A., who died January
18, 1900, at the age of seven and one-half years.
They reside at 1027 First avenue, Fort Dodge.
Mr. Haines is a member of the B. of L. E.,
Division No. 226, of Fort Dodge, also of the
A. O. U. W. of Fort Dodge, and the Masonic
order. Mr. Haines has never been injured in any-
way, having fortunately been in very few wrecks.
G. HAINES' first work with the Ill-
inois Central company was in 1881,
LQ when he began as fireman, remain-
ing on the left side until the fall of
1885, when he was promoted and took charge of
Engine No. 152. In June 1887, he quit the Illi-
nois Central and began work with the Fremont.
Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, and worked
as engineer until February 1891, when he re-
turned to the Illinois Central at Fort Dodge. In
November 1891 he went on a regular run between
Fort Dodge and Sioux City, but later was as-
signed to other divisions, such as Springfield, and
also on the Chicago division, and returned in 1892
and worked here at Fort Dodge until July 1893,
on Fort Dodge and Sioux City. He then re-
turned to the Chicago division and worked on
World's Fair trains until November i, 1893, and
then returned to Fort Dodge. He has since that
F. GATES, who has been an engineer
with the Illinois Central company for
seventeen years, first began his rail-
roading at Peoria, 111., on the I. B. &
W. R. R. as fireman, where he worked one year
and then fired on the Wabash railroad two years.
He then went to Waterloo, Iowa, and began as
fireman with the Illinois Central company and
worked all over the Iowa divisions of the com-
pany. Two years later he was promoted to en-
gineer and has held that position with the com-
pany ever since.
He is a native of Lake county, Ohio, and was
born in September 1847. His father was Lor-
ison Gates, who was a minister in the Christian
church, but he now resides on a farm in Benton
county, Iowa. Our subject has one brother who
is an engineer on the T. P. & W. Railroad, re-
siding at Peoria, Illinois.
In August 1871, our subject married Miss
Olive A. Woodley, of Medina county, O., and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
173
they have the following children : Clyde A.,
Frederick L., Lena E., Alice L., Edna Ethel and
Ralph L.
Mr. Gates now has a night run on the pas-
senger train called " The Flyer," between Fort
Dodge and Sioux City. He has been in one
wreck at Bushnell, 111., on the Wabash Railroad,
but he was never seriously injured in any way.
He has lived in Fort Dodge for the past twelve
years, is a member of the B. of L. E., Division
Xo. 226, of Fort Dodge, also the Royal Arcanum,
of Fort Dodge. He is an old and very prominent
engineer on the line, and now resides at No.
1013 Fourth avenue, south, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
an enviable one. He is one of the best informed
men on the entire system and enjoys the confi-
dence and esteem of a large circle of warm
friends.
•ILLIAM R. POLMYER, accountant
at Dubuque, began work for the
Illinois Central company April 19,
1874. Subsequently he served un-
der different men, including General Superin-
tendent Jeffery, J. C. Welling, vice-president of
the road, and others, and has served in the ca-
pacity of bookkeeper, keeper of the mileage books,
clerk and accountant on construction work, and
office clerk at different times until April 11, 1881,
when he was appointed to his present position as
accountant in the office at Dubuque, and during
that time was also connected with the construc-
tion of the C. & D. R. R.
Mr. Polmyer was born in Baltimore, Md.,
and is of English and Dutch parentage. He has
been married twice; his present wife was Miss
Celia Lorez, of Dubuque, Iowa. During the
early years of his manhood, Mr. Polmyer served
in the United States Navy. Socially he affiliates
with the Masonic fraternity, Home Lodge No.
508, of Chicago, of which he is a life member,
and is also connected with the Knights of Pythias,
holding his membership in Orient Lodge No.
210, Dubuque, la. Mr. Polmyer's life has been
an example of faithfulness, and his record since
entering the employ of the railroad company is
M. FERN, engineer at Waterloo, la.,
began his railroad career with the 111-
Q inois Central company in the capacity
of a fireman at Waterloo, December
r886. At first he worked on a switch engine in
the Waterloo yards under Harvey Jacoby, after
which he was employed on extra trains out of
that city. Later he fired two years on a freight
engine for Charles Wahl, then four months on
a passenger engine under D. R. Gould between
Waterloo and Dubuque, then for John Mullan
about a year on the middle division, then for
F. H. Stearn about a year on the east end, and
September 23, 1895, he was examined and was
promoted to engineer October 12 of the same
year. Upon taking his place on the right side of
the cab, Mr. Fern spent one week in the Waterloo
yards on a switch engine, and then worked in
the Dubuque yards from October 19 until Jan-
uary 1 6 of the following year, and then returned
to the Waterloo yards. He spent the following
summer as an extra, and from March 1898, un-
til August i of the same year, he was fireman
under George Martin between Waterloo and Du-
buque. In fact the most of his railroad work has
been done between these two cities.
Mr. Fern is a native of Dubuque county,
Iowa. In 1886, at the time he entered the em-
ploy of the Illinois Central company, he located
in Waterloo, and about five years later he won
the heart and hand of Miss Carrie Stewart, of
Traer, Iowa, who has since shared his Waterloo
home. In the social circles of Waterloo our sub-
ject is identified with Division 114, B. of L. E.,
and Rowland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W. Mr.
Fern is a son of John and Elizabeth Fern, both
natives of England. The father came to Ameri-
ca in 1830, when he was ten years of age. Be-
174
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tween the years of 1834 and 1877, he lived in
Iowa, but from the last named date until his
death, which occurred in 1889, he made his home
in Hazel Green, Wis. He established the Hazel
Green smelter and operated it in partnership with
Mr. Simpson, under the firm name of -Fern &
Simpson, for four years. Mr. and Mrs. Fern
were the parents of a family of six children, of
whom we have the following record : William,
deceased; Ellen, deceased; Lillie, wife of E. M.
Staly, a carpenter of Waterloo; Frank, an en-
gineer; R. M., the subject of this sketch; Leo, a
brakeman at Waterloo. The mother died in
1875-
D. McKINLEY, engineer, who has
been with the Illinois Central com-
Q pany twelve years, first began as
fireman. Four years later he was
promoted to engineer, beginning on the Cherokee
division and is now running in freight service on
Engine No. 802 on the above division. He had
worked on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad
for some time before coming on the Illinois Cen-
tral.
Our subject is a son of Gilbert J. and Mary
(McDougall) McKinley, both of Scotland, where
the former was a farmer. He moved to this
country and settled in Wisconsin, engaging in
farming there. He later moved to Milwaukee
and now resides there retired. The mother is
deceased. They had thirteen children, seven girls
and six boys, four of the latter becoming engi-
neers. One is now an engineer for the Chicago &
North-Western Railroad, running between Chi-
cago and Harrington. Another is engineer on
the Santa Fe Railroad, and another was engineer
on the Great Northern Railroad but is now de-
ceased. Mr. McKinley married Miss Mary C.
Sommers, of Berkeley, Iowa, and they have three
children, Geneveve, Lionel and Harrold. Mr.
McKinley now runs between Fort Dodge and
Sioux City. He is a member of the B. of L. E.
of Fort Dodge, No. 226, also a member of the
Masonic order of Fort Dodge. The family re-
sides at No. 1230 Fourth avenue, south, at Fort
Dodge, Iowa.
ENRY A. SMITH, engineer at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career on the
Illinois Central Railroad at Waterloo,
in January, 1886. He first served as
fireman under John Rix for about five months,
when he was laid off on account of a decline in
business, and he went to Independence to work-
in a hospital where he had previously been em-
ployed. Three months later, however, he was
called back to the road and for the following two
years and a half he stood at the left side of a
freight engine, working under M. F. Carey. Sub-
sequently Mr. Smith served the Illinois Central
company on different runs and in the order given
below : With Engineer J. D. Place on the Lyle
branch three months ; then helped as hostler for
a short time ; then as engineer of a switch engine
in the Dubuque yards ; then fired on freight en-
gine during one summer and fall, and lastly on
a passenger engine under H. A. Knowlton be-
tween Waterloo and Dubuque.
January i, 1890, Mr. Smith was given a
seat on the right side of the engine, and since then
his work has been even more widely distributed
than was his work in the capacity of fireman. He
began in the yards at Waterloo and from there
was sent to the Dubuque yards; from there to
Champaign ; then to Centralia about two months ;
then to Cherokee on construction work for nearly
four months ; then to Waterloo for a short time ;
then to Clinton, 111., for one winter; returned to
Waterloo for a short time ; then to Freeport ; in
1892 was in Clinton, 111., Champaign, and Cen-
tralia, until May ; then home for a short time ;
back to the Chicago division ; then again to
Waterloo to work as fireman for a short time;
then as engineer again on the Cedar Rapids
branch ; was in Chicago during the World's
Fair ; then to Centralia ; back to Waterloo and ran
extra until he got a regular run on Engine No.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
175
500, running out of Waterloo. His work is
mostly west from that city, but is still making
an occasional extra trip to various parts of the
Illinois Central system. He has made two trips
to Mississippi, one to Water Valley and one to
Canton, and has made a trip to Jackson, Tenn.
Mr. Smith was born in Iowa, about five miles
from Independence, a son of Joseph L. and Car-
oline L. (Wheeler) Smith, who migrated to the
agricultural districts of Iowa from the East in
1858. The father died in 1884, but the mother
is still living. Our subject first located in Water-
loo in 1886, the year he entered the employ of
the railroad company. He was married Decem-
ber 25, 1892, to Miss Rose E. Baum, a native of
the city of Waterloo, and a daughter of S. H.
and Amelia (VanSchoick) Baum, and their home
has been blessed by the presence of a daughter,
Pauline Marie. Mrs. Smith's father is a stone
mason by trade. Socially our subject is a mem-
ber of Division No. 114, B. of L. E., and also of
Howland Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W., both of
Waterloo.
ILAS B. MABEY, conductor on the Am-
boy division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, was born in Albany county,
New York, August 19, 1850. His
father, Stephen Mabey, a minister in the Ad-
ventist church, is now living in Nebraska at the
age of seventy-two years. His mother, Lucy
(Teats) Mabey, died in Genesee county, New
York, in 1856. The family came west in 1862
and located at LaSalle, 111., but a year later re-
moved to Amboy. Our subject was educated in
the schools of Albany county, N. Y., and at Lee
Center and Amboy, 111. At the age of sixteen
he began the carpenter's trade at which he re-
mained about six years, and at the age of twenty-
three commenced preaching for the Advent de-
nomination, engaging in the active work of the
church until 1880, when he gave it up on account
of failing health. He then entered the service of
the I. C. R. R. at Amboy as a freight brakeman,
running between Amboy and Clinton, and on the
25th of November, 1881, was promoted to con-
ductor. In 1882 he took leave of absence and
went to Dakota where he remained six months,
and in the fall of that year returned to the I. C.
R. R., working for the road during the busy sea-
sons but still retaining his home in Dakota. In
1886 he began regular work for the company
and has been in its constant employ to the pres-
ent time, having run mixed trains between Am-
boy and Clinton, and also served as extra passen-
ger conductor.
In 1870 Air. Mabey was married to Miss
Mary Crocker, of Amboy, now deceased. He
was united in marriage a second time to Miss
Pauline Le Derer, of Freeport. Mr. Mabey has
no children. He has been a member of the Ma-
sonic fraternity, and also of the O. R. C., since
1882, and is an Adventist Christian in religion.
JT. TAIT, claim agent for the Illinois
Central Railroad, located at Dubuque,
Q began his railroad career at Amboy, 111.,
October 12, 1868, at the age of eighteen
years. He began as car accountant and served
as such until June 1873, wh,en he was apponted
chief clerk at Amboy under J. C. Jacobs, and
remained there until July, 1892, when he was ap-
pointed claim agent and took up his abode in Du-
buque, Iowa. Mr. Tait is very industrious,
thorough and systematic in his work and has
acquired a high reputation of faithfulness and
fidelity to his employers.
Mr. Tait was married at DeKalb, 111., Sept.
24, 1873, to Miss Emma A. Bundy, of that city,
and two sons, William P. and Walter H., have
been born to them. Socially our subject affili-
ates with the Masonic fraternity, holding his
membership in the Amboy Lodge No. 178; and
also the Elks of Dubuque. He has a very wide
acquaintance, as his line of work requires, and in
whatever community he has been called he has
never failed to make a circle of friends.
176
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
1LLIAM ALDERMAN, engineer at
Waterloo, began working for the
Illinois Central company at Water-
loo, November 9, 1887, running on
the main line for a short time under Engineer
Peter Girard on engine No. 148. Soon after,
however, he was transferred to a passenger run
on the Lyle branch with engineer Dave Roby,
and later spent eighteen months with H. Knowl-
ton, between Waterloo and Dubuque. Mr. Al-
derman was placed in charge of the lever and
throttle November 14, 1891, and did his first
work in that capacity in the yards at Waterloo,
where he spent about six months. He then went
on the main line at the head of a construction
train for a time, then spent a part of one summer
as an extra on all lines running out of Chicago.
He then spent a part of one winter running out
of Champaign, one winter out of Water Valley,
Miss., and one winter out of Jackson, Tenn.
Mr. Alderman was born in Janesville, Wis.
During the early years of his manhood, he was
engaged in various lines of work, and before en-
tering the employ of the Illinois Central com-
pany, he was fireman for the Northern Pacific
Railroad company between Fargo and Bismark,
N. Dak., for a short time. He came to Waterloo
in 1887, was married the same year to Miss Ida
M. Roebuck, of that city, and two children, Eddie
and Lora, have been born to them. Mr Alder-
man affiliates, fraternally, with the Division No.
114 P>. of L. E. and Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W.,
both of Waterloo. He is a man of ability, care-
ful and thorough about his work and through-
out his railroad career has never met with seri-
ous accident.
A. BRYANT, general foreman at
Fort Dodge, Iowa, is a very prom-
inent and well-known employe of
the Illinois Central company. He
began his work with the company July 5, 1881, as
fireman, which position he held until October 30,
1882, when he was promoted to engineer and took
charge of a switch engine in the yards at LeMars.
Here he worked until December i, 1882, and then
was sent to Sioux City, Iowa, where he was pro-
moted to foreman of shops and held that posi-
tion until November 1889. He was then sent to
Fort Dodge to take charge of the shops and has
been general foreman of the same ever since.
Mr. Bryant is a native of Battle Creek,
Michigan, born November 28, 1852, and is a son
of James Bryant, who was a farmer in Michigan
and died there in 1892. Mr. Bryant is a grad-
uate of the University of Michigan. Our sub-
ject married Miss Clara Mentor, of Fort Dodge,
Iowa, a daughter of Wilson H. Mentor, who was
the second station agent at Fort Dodge for the
Illinois Central company. He was engaged by
the Illinois Central company there for three years
and then moved to Newell, Iowa, where he is
running the Stevens House, near the Illinois Cen-
tral depot, it being the only hotel in the town.
Our subject and wife are the parents of four
children : James, Helen, Alan and Dorris. Mr.
Bryant is a member of Lodge No. 306, Benevo-
lent and Protective Order of Elks, of Fort Dodge,
also the A. O. U. W. of Fort Dodge. He is one
of the best known master workmen of the western
branch of the Illinois Central. He now resides
at No. 1216 Fourth avenue, south, Fort Dodge,
Iowa.
ENRY L. CHEVALIER, passenger en-
gineer on the Illinois Central Railroad,
Waterloo division, one of the oldest and
most experienced engineers on the road,
began in the service of the company June 9, 1864,
at Dubuque, where he worked as engine wiper in
the shops until March 15, 1865, then fired one
and one-half years in the Dubuque yards, and two
years on the main line, and was then promoted to
engineer August 15, 1868. His experience as
engineer has been varied. From 1867 until Sep-
tember 1872, he ran on the main line between
Dubuque and Waterloo, on the St. Louis &
South-eastern R. R., from October i, 1872, to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
177
.March 1873, on the C. X. & W. R. R., Peninsular
division, from May i, 1873, to August 15, 1874,
and on the 2Oth of August, 1874, returned to
the I. C. R. R. In March 1875, he located in
Waterloo and from there ran a freight engine
until 1893, since which time he has been in pas-
senger service, running principally on the Cedar
Falls and Minnesota branch, but has at times
served on all branches of the road.
Henry Chevalier was born in Moutier,
Switzerland, and came to America with his
parents D. L. and Cecil (Jeraux) Chevalier, both
natives of Switzerland. He worked in a glass
factory before coming to the U. S. On his ar-
rival in 1853, he located in Ft Wayne, Indiana.
He was a blacksmith by trade. In 1873 our sub-
ject was married in Dubuque to Sarah A. Bid-
dolph, of that city, by whom he has two sons,
Lester William and Roy John. Mr. Chevalier
is a member of the B. of L. E. No. 1 14, Waterloo
Division, in which he has been Chief Engineer
two years and has held other offices, and belongs
to Black Hawk Lodge No. 72, I. O. O. F., of
Waterloo, and the Encampment. He has always
been strictly attentive to duty, and in his twenty-
seven years service has never had a lay off,
and has had no accidents.
gineer and has since run principally on the Lyle
branch. From December 1887 to March 1888,
he was in the employ of the Wabash R. R. and
ran between Moberly and St. Louis and to Kan-
sas City.
Our subject was born in Oxford, N. Y.,
whence he removed while a small boy with his
father, Joseph S. Hackett, and located in Inde-
pendence, Iowa. He learned blacksmithing un-
der George Wilcox, at Otterville, Iowa, when
young, and worked at the trade eleven years.
Our subject had one brother, W. L., who was
fireman on the I. C. R. R. for two years, and a
brother in Muscatine, Iowa, who is a veterinary
surgeon.
Mr. Hackett was married in his native town,
October 6, 1875, to Hattie M. Slocum, of the
same place. Mrs. Hackett is the mother of five
children, Flora, Ardell and Lettie, living, and
Duane and Hazel, deceased. Mr. Hackett is a
member of the B. of L. E,, Waterloo Division
No. 1 14, and has held the office of F. A. E., and
also belongs to the A. O. U. W., No. 274, of
Waterloo. During his eighteen years of service
he has had no accidents.
W. HACKETT, passenger engineer
on Illinois Central Railroad, entered
the service of the company at Water-
loo, Iowa, as fireman, March 17,
1882, firing on the main line between Waterloo
and Dubuque under B. F. Fox for nine months,
and for H. E. Camp on a passenger engine two
years. In the fall of 1885 he was promoted to
the right side and worked in the Dubuque yards
until February 1886, and in the Fort Dodge yards
until April i, at which time he was set back to
fireman until July when he returned to his old
position, running on the Lyle branch the follow-
ing winter and then on the main line until August
1897, when he was promoted to passenger en-
'ILLIAM N. BARR, passenger con-
ductor, Illinois Central Railroad, at
Waterloo, Iowa, began as brakeman
in October 1878 on Mona branch,
braking for Conductor B. Merrill one year, and
one year for different ones, then served between
Waterloo and Fort Dodge, and on the Cedar
Rapids branch. In July 1880 he was promoted
to conductor, running on the Lyle branch nearly
five months, and on the main line and branches
on the " Clipper " run for four years, and was
promoted to passenger conductor in June 1891,
since then he has run extra passenger.
William N. Barr was born in West Chester.
Chester county, Pennsylvania, and is the son of
William and Elizabeth (Evans) Barr, natives of
the Keystone state. The father, a blacksmith by
178
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
trade, died in 1855, our subject being but a small
boy at the time. After the death of her husband
the mother, accompanied by her son, William,
who was the only child, came to Cedar county
where they lived a short time, then returned to
Pennsylvania. She died in 1897 at Waterloo.
Mr. Barr has always been a lover of fine
horses and in early life drove on the tracks at
Waterloo, Dubuque, Minneapolis, St. Paul and
all the towns in the northwest. Of the noted
horses, he has driven, among others, Harry Kim-
ball with a- mark of 2 132, Whalebone, 2 129, Kit-
tie Strattan, 2:29^, Sleepy Bill, 2:26, Fear Not,
2 :29 and Dread 2 135. He now owns a black
mare, Ritta, with a record of 2 :26, and Tom Cur-
tis a promising colt by Manager, and also keeps
a fine driving team. Mr. Barr was married in
1890 to Miss Myrtie Hunt of Independence, la.,
and has one daughter, Bessie M. He has been
successful in every undertaking, and has accumu-
lated not a little of this world's goods, owning his
home at 317 E. Eleventh St. which he built in
1898, and other valuable real estate in Waterloo.
He is a well known and popular conductor.
EORGE H. ARMSTRONG, engineer
on the Amboy division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, is a native of Amboy,
where he was born February 26, 1872.
He is the son of Alexander Armstrong, an en-
gineer of the I. C. R. R. for about twenty-five
years, who now resides in Amboy, and Edith
(Allison) who died in 1876.
After the death of his mother our subject
went to Iroquois, Canada, where he attended
school until eighteen years of age, when he re-
turned to Amboy, and after attending college at
Dixon for a time, entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. as clerk, doing night work in the depot
at Amboy for a period of thirteen months. On
the twenty-sixth of June, 1893, he began run-
ning on the Amboy division as fireman, in which
position he remained until 1896, when he was
promoted to the right side, retaining that posi-
tion to date.
Mr. Armstrong was married September 25,
1895, to Miss Rena H. Klein, who was born in
Amboy, April 14, 1872. Mrs. Armstrong re-
ceived her education in the public schools. Mr.
Armstrong is a member of the B. of L. F., at-
tends the Protestant Episcopal church, and is
independent in politics.
H. SHULL, passenger conductor on
the Ilinois Central Railroad, Water-
loo division, began his railroad ex-
perience, which has been varied and
extensive, with the Illinois Central as brakeman
at Amboy, under Trainmaster Rosebow, J. C.
Jacobs, Supt, and Conductor G. Finch for one
year running between Amboy and Wapello, with
Conductor Gardner about six months. He then
entered the services of the C. B. &. Q. R. R.
where he was switchman four years, and yard-
master and switchman at Galesburg for four
years. He then served the T. P. & W. Railroad
as conductor for a short time, the C.
& N. W. Railroad as a brakeman six
months, the B. C. R. & N. R. R. for four years
as conductor, brakeman, baggageman, express-
man, and U. S. mail agent, and the C. B. &. Q.
R. R. as brakeman and switchman for one year.
In 1877 he returned to the I. C. R. R. and after
braking about three months was promoted to
conductor, running from Waterloo to Fort Dodge
and Cherokee and return for one year, a way
freight between Fort Dodge and Waterloo about
two years, and a stock, train for seven years. He
was promoted to passenger engineer in 1887,
making his first trip on an excursion train to
Sioux City. He then ran extra on the main line
and all the branches for three years, and for the
past eight years has had a regular run between
Waterloo and Dubuque.
Our subject was born in Philadelphia, and
is the son of Fred A. Shull, a native of the Key-
JOHN F. JARVIS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
181
stone state, who removed to Rutland, 111., where
he engaged in farming, and subsequently moved
to Fort Dodge where he died in 1892. In early
life, about 1840, he was a conductor in West Vir-
ginia. His widow, whose maiden name was
Sarah M. Barger, now resides in Waterloo. One
son, Fred A., has been in the service of the C.
B. & Q. R. R. as passenger and freight conduc-
tor at Galesburg, 111., for thirty years.
Mr. Shull was married at Fort Dodge to
Miss Viola A. Hartman, of that city. They are
the parents of four children : E. H. Jr., Grace
V., Mabel and Florence. Mr. Shull is a member
of the O. R. C., Division No. 93, and A. O. U.
W. No. 274, of Fort Dodge, and the K. P. No.
89, of Waterloo. In his many years of railroad-
ing Mr. Shull has not been injured so as to be
laid up for any length of time, but has had a
great many narrow escapes.
nOHN F. JARVIS is one of the most promi-
nent and well known passenger engineers
CvL) on the Louisiana division of the Illinois
Central. His first knowledge of railroad
work was acquired in the shops of the I. C. at
McComb City, Miss., where he served an appren-
ticeship of four years. He then went to Mar-
shall, Texas, and was for two years in the service
of the Texas Pacific R. R. as a fireman, and for
a short time worked in the same capacity on the
International R. R. out of Palestine, Texas.
Summoned to his home at McComb City, on
account of the death of a sister, he decided to
remain and began work in 1880 as fireman on
the Louisiana division of the I. C., under Engi-
neer Henderson Wallace. One year's service
in this branch found him capable of taking charge
of an engine, and he was accordingly promoted
to the freight service where he continued until
July 2, 1895, when he was promoted to the pas-
se'nger service, and is at present employed there.
He was injured in a rear-end collision, which
occurred on October 19, 1899, and was for two
months incapacitated for work. This was the
only serious wreck of his railroad career. Mr.
Jarvis was born on January 14, 1857, at Rock
Island, Illinois, and is the son of C. C. and Eliza-
beth Jarvis, both now living retired at McComb
City. He was married to Miss Susie Zealy, of
Jackson, Miss., their union being blessed by four
children, viz : Mabel, Frankie, Elmarie, and
Quinn. Mr. Jarvis is connected with the Elks
organization, and is also a member of Myrtle
Lodge No. 136, Knights of Pythias, both of
McComb City. He has a beautiful home on
Broadway, in the latter city, where his genial
qualities and long residence has won for him the1
esteem of its best citizens.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
"ILLIAM WADDINGTON, one of
the oldest conductors in the service
of the Illinois Central, is a native of
old England, his birth having oc-
curred in Yorkshire. His father, Joseph Wad-
dington, was one of the earliest employes of the
road, having worked two years on the construc-
tion train at the time the road was built. After
it was turned over to the operative department
he was appointed switchman at Nora, and held
that position some fifteen years. During this
period he had charge of the water supply at War-
ren when horse power was used to fill the tank.
In 1860 he was seriously injured by falling be-
tween some moving cars, breaking his hip and
receiving other severe injuries. He lived to a
good old age, passing away in 1888, leaving a
wife who still resides at the old home at Nora.
Of their children two sons survive, William and
Joseph, a baggageman running between Chicago
and Dubuque.
William Waddington began his railroad
career at Warren in 1860 having charge of the
water supply there for two years. In 1862 a
place was found for him as brakeman running
between Dunleith and Freeport, first under M.
G. Mills and later Thomas Snow, Homer Graves
182
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and other old time conductors. September 5,
1865. he was placed in charge of a train in the
freight service between Dunleith and Amboy,
and for fifteen years held the same run. In
1880 he was promoted to the passenger service
and ran between Amboy and Forreston and Free-
port some six years, and for three years between
LaSalle and Dubuque and later on the Dubuque-
Chicago run. The only serious accident that
ever occurred to Mr. Waddington happened
at Council Hill, Illinois, on the twenty-ninth of
July 1898. While his train was waiting there on
a siding for passing trains he stepped off the front
end of his train and the view down the track be-
ing obscured by escaping steam he did not see
nor hear the swift moving train and was in con-
sequence struck by the engine losing his right
leg below the knee and suffering a severe mang-
ling of the other in the driving wheels. So
severe were the injuries that Mr. Waddington
has not yet been able to resume his duties al-
though his old place is waiting for him as soon
as he has fully recovered. Accident and death
are always contingents of railroad life and it
is good fortune that this occurrence was not
worse than it was.
Mr. Waddington first married Miss Elsa
Consauls, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in
1882, having borne seven children as follows:
Bessie (deceased), Sadie, Burt, William, Hollis,
Nina (deceased) and Merril. Of a second mar-
riage, to Miss Ida Foster of Dubuque, one child
has been born, Lorain. In 1870 Mr. Wadding-
ton purchased his present home at East Dubuque
and made all the subsequent improvements. It
is a home where whole-souled hospitality is dis-
pensed.
The reminiscences of one that has been so
long in the service of one employer can not fail
to be of interest and many of the experiences of
early railroading related to the younger genera-
tion seem almost incredible so great have been
the improvements in the science of railroading
in the last three decades. Mr. Waddington was
in charge of the train that hauled the first stone
for the railroad bridge at Dubuque and has had
the honor of running from time to time the offi-
cial trains and specials carrying nearly every
officer of the road. Jovial and hearty, William
Waddington is one of the best known and best
liked operatives on all the lines of the great sys-
tem, not only by the officials under whom he
works but by a large contingent of the traveling
public who have been patrons of the road for
vears.
PRANK E. FERN, engineer at Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, began work for the Illi-
nois Central Railroad company in Sep-
tember 1883, as a fireman, living in
Waterloo and running between Dubuque and Ft.
Dodge. His first engine was No. 79, and this
he retained continuously for two years, but later
he worked on different ones. In August 1887,
he was placed in charge of the levers and con-
tinued on the same run for five years after his
promotion, but later ran only between Waterloo
and Dubuque. In April 1889, Mr. Fern was
transferred to the Cedar Rapids branch and has
since had charge of an engine between Cedar
Rapids and Manchester.
Mr. Fern was married in East Dubuque in
1890, to Miss Belle S. Fox, of that city, and Sep-
tember 6, 1891, they were made happy by the ar-
rival of a daughter whom they saw fit to name
Marjorie. Mr. Fern is a member of Division
Xo. 114, B. of L. E., also Howland Lodge No.
274 A. O. U. W., Blue Lodge No. 105, and Chap-
ter No. 54, of the Masonic fraternity, all of
Waterloo. Mr. Fern has been a very successful
engineer, having kept his record entirely free
from serious accidents, and has never received
the slightest injury since he has been on the road.
He is very popular among his fellow workmen,
and enjoys the confidence and esteem of a large
circle of warm friends. A brief history of the
family of which our subject is a member will be
found in the sketch of R. M. Fern on another
page of this volume.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
183
LEO MEINZER, residing at 618 Fifth
avenue, south, Fort Dodge, Iowa, an
engineer on the Illinois Central, first be-
gan with the company in 1878 as fire-
man. Four and a half years later was promoted
to engineer, and since that time he has been run-
ning an engine on the Illinois Central road.
Mr. Meinzer, a native of Racine, Wisconsin,
was born Nov. 18, 1853. His father, Michael
Meinzer, was a farmer in Wisconsin, but in 1862
removed to Iowa, where he died in 1874. Our
subject had two brothers, Augustus and Charles,
who were engineers on the Chicago & Eastern
Illinois R. R.
On Nov. 3, 1880, our subject married Miss
Carrie Widman, of Waterloo, and they have be-
come the parents of five children, Gus, Annie,
Eddie, Albert and Grace.
Our subject began with this company at
Waterloo, Iowa, on the Dubuque division, on
which he ran until 1886, when he moved to Sioux
City, Iowa, and began in freight service between
Fort Dodge and Sioux City. He has since been
on that division with the exception of three years
when he was not in the employ of the company.
Mr. Meinzer now has a passenger run be-
tween Fort Dodge and Omaha. He is a member
of the B. of L. E. of Fort Dodge, No. 226.
tHILIP R. GRIFFIN, freight and extra
passenger engineer on Illinois Central
R. R., Iowa division, started in the ser-
vice at Waterloo, October 21, 1879, as
fireman on the main line, and fired under O. D.
Gray two years and under Jim Wheeler eleven
months, between Waterloo and Sioux City. He
was promoted to the right side September 9, 1882,
and worked alternately on the main line and in
the yards until 1887 when he was given a freight
run between Waterloo and Dubuque, which he
has retained for the past eleven years.
Philip R. Griffin was born in Saxeville, Wis.
His parents were. John and Jane (Layton) Grif-
fin, both of English nativity. Their family con-
sisted of seven children : Martha married H. A.
Dewey, of Poysippi, Wis.; William died in 1874;
John R. is an I. C. R. R. engineer at Waterloo;
Philip R. ; Charles H., living in Dakota, was fire-
man on the I. C. R. R. five years; George A., a
farmer, lives in Wisconsin ; Belle is the wife of
Peter Johnson and lives in Saxeville, Wis. Philip
lived at home until twenty-one years of age, when
he entered the service of the I. C. R. R.
Mr. Griffin married Lettie Wescott, of Poy-
sippi, Wis., a native of the Green Mountain state.
Of this union three children were born : Willie,
Lotna and Philip. Mr. Griffin is a member of
the B. of L. E., Waterloo Division No. 114, Ma-
sonic Lodge No. 105, and Howland Lodge No.
274, A. O. U. W., of Waterloo.
LUCIAN SMITH, passenger engineer on
the Waterloo division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, was born in Cleve-
land, Ohio, and is the son of Daniel and
Celia (McFarland) Smith. His father was a
farmer in Lorain county, Ohio. In early life our
subject was newsboy on the Cleveland & Toledo
R. R. for nearly four years, then lived with an
uncle on a farm west of Cleveland four years,
after which time he came to Iowa to visit a broth-
er living near Dubuque, with whom he remained
a short time, then went to work for the I. C. R.
R. He began firing at Dubuque June 10, 1868,
and after two years in that service between Du-
buque and Iowa Falls he was promoted to engi-
neer, July 20, 1870, ran a switch engine in the
Waterloo yards three months, and freight engine
between Dubuque and Waterloo until 1883, when
he was promoted to passenger service, running
from Waterloo to Sioux City until the division
was divided, and since that time runs between
Waterloo and Ft. Dodge.
Mr. Smith was married in Dubuque in 1879
to Miss Lena Forrest, of that city. In 1883 he
located in Waterloo and built a home on the cor-
184
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ner of Lime and E. Fourth streets, which he re-
cently removed to another lot and replaced by
a beautiful new house which he now occupies.
He is a member of the B. of L. E. No. 114,
Waterloo Division, Waterloo Lodge No. 105, of
the Masonic fraternity, A. O. U. W. No. 274,
and B. P. O. E., all of Waterloo. Mr. Smith
has been fortunate in his railroad career, and is
a highly respected citizen of the city of Water-
loo.
ERNARD COYLE, former section boss
on the Illinois Central Railroad, Free-
port, 111., and one of the pioneer work-
men of the road, was born in County
Caven, Ireland, in 1830. He is the son of James
and Rose (Smith) Coyle, the father a farmer by
occupation.
The subject of this sketch received his ed-
ucation in Ireland, and came to the United States
in 1850, locating in New York, and worked in a
brick yard at Haverstraw in that state for two
years. In 1853 he moved to Chicago where he
entered the service of the I. C. R. R. as section
boss, and laid the first rails on that road between
Chicago and Champaign. In August 1854, he
was removed to Clinton and also laid the first
rails on that branch of the road from Clinton
bridge to Decatur, then continuing southward,
laid the track to Ramsey, after which he was giv-
en a section twenty miles north of Cairo where he
remained until April 1855. He then went to
Freeport and took charge of a gravel pit for six
months, then to East Dubuque, and worked on
a fill where the present passenger station stands,
and was then sent to the Amboy section where he
remained until the spring of 1856, when he re-
turned to Freeport and took charge of the gravel
pit for the summer. In the fall of that year he
was made section foreman at Forreston where he
remained twenty-two years. In 1880 Mr. Coyle
severed his connection with the I. C. R .R. and
joined the forces of the C. M. & St. P. as a track
layer, and laid track on different sections, spend-
ing five years in said service. He then returned
to the I. C. R. R., took charge of the gravel pit
one summer, and in the fall went to Cherokee,
Iowa, where he had charge of one hundred men
in the supply yard. Mr. Coyle, now feeling that
his many years of active work would justify a
life of leisure, returned to Freeport where he
purchased a comfortable home in the city, and has
since lived retired. He also owns two farms
near Freeport.
In 1860 Mr. Coyle was married to Miss
Ellen Matthews, of Freeport, and has a family of
five children, as follows : James was a car in-
spector for the I. C. R. R., and was fatally in-
jured in the service in 1894; Thomas is an en-
gineer in the service of the I. C. R. R. on the
Amboy division ; Michael is a conductor on the
C. M. & St. P. R. R. ; John is attending the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin, and is now in the last year
of the law course ; Emma is the wife of P. J.
Lonergan, supervisor of the I. C. R. R. at Free-
port. Mr. Coyle is a devoted Catholic and in
his political views is a Democrat. He is a man
of strong moral integrity and sound constitution,
and proudly states that he never entered a saloon
for a drink, never used tobacco in any form' and
never took a dose of medicine.
J SULLIVAN, supervisor of the road at
Manchester, Iowa, began work for the
Q Illinois Central Railroad company,
July 6, 1893, at Epworth, la., where he
had charge of section No. 5 for two years and
nine months. From there he was transferred,
November i, 1896, to his present position at Man-
chester where he has since had charge of sections
No. 14 and 15 of the eighth division.
Mr. Sullivan did his first work at Van Horn,
Iowa, where he was section foreman for the Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad company
for a year and a half. Later he had charge of
a section for about three years at Green Moun-
tain for the Diagonal Railroad, and also had
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
185
charge of the Oskaloosa yards one year. Mr.
Sullivan then worked for the Chicago & North-
Western Railroad at Jefferson, la., about twelve
years, doing extra work during summer seasons
and section work during winter, and then entered
the employ of the Illinois Central company.
Our subject was born in Jackson county, la.,
not far from Dubuque, a son of Patrick and Mary
(Cosgrove) Sullivan, and one of his brothers is
now in Dubuque .where he is engaged in bridge
building. Our subject was married in Mason-
ville, la., in 1880, to Miss Katie Gushing, of that
city, and to this union have been born five chil-
dren whose names appear below in the order of
their birth : Harry, Nellie, Rosie, Irene and
Leo. Mr. Sullivan is a member of the M. W.
of A. He is a railroad man in the truest sense
of the word, for his earliest and only employment
has been on the railroad, and he has been very
successful since being with the Illinois Central.
ILLIAM G. PLUMB, of Freeport, is
a scion of old New England stock,
his father, Henry C. Plumb, having
been born in the green hills of Ver-
mont. He was a carpenter and builder in Massa-
chusetts, but at the outbreak of the war he left
everything and enlisted almost at the first call.
He contracted fever in the south and died of the
malady somewhere in South Carolina. The
mother, Eliza S. Graves, was a native of North
Leverett, Massachusetts, and died in 1876. Our
subject was born at Bernardstown, Vermont,
December I2th, 1857, ar>d attended school at
North Leverett until the age of sixteen, working
on neighboring farms during the summer months,
and earning his board and schooling during the
winter months, for he had to care for himself
after his thirteenth year. He was thus employed
until he came west in 1878. Sojourning for a
time in Indiana, he came to Illinois, working for
a time on a fruit farm near Pontiac. Coming to
Amboy he secured a position as brakeman on the
Amboy division, and two years later was placed
in charge of a train. Amboy was his place of
residence until April 1896, when he moved to
Freeport and has been a resident of that city
since.
Mr. Plumb was married in Amboy October
29, 1893, to Mrs. Minnie Wood, a native of
Ross Grove, Illinois. By a former marriage
Mrs. Plumb became the mother of one daughter,
Anna Wood Plumb. Mr. Plumb is an indepen-
dent Republican in politics.
G. SEARLES, freight conductor at
Waterloo, Iowa, started his railroad
LQ career as a brakeman in February
1883, at the city in which he now
makes his home, under Trainmaster J. E. Mc-
Neil, with a run between Waterloo and Dubuque.
He subsequently served under Frank O'Connor,
J. Quirk and others, until 1887, when he was
placed in charge of a train. His first work as
a conductor was between Waterloo and Dubuque,
but was soon after sent to Cherokee to do con-
struction work on the branches that start from
that place, and was thus engaged about four
months. Subsequently he had control of a train
between Fort Dodge and Sioux City until 1890;
then between Waterloo and Dubuque until 1896;
then for a short time between Waterloo and Fort
Dodge, after which he returned to the Dubuque
and Waterloo division until 1898. Since the last
named date, Mr. Searles has been employed on
(he branch between Waterloo and Lyle. He has
now been employed on all of the divisions of the
Illinois Central company's lines which have a
terminus at Waterloo.
Mr. Searles was born in Laporte county, In-
djana, March 12, 1865, a son of J. W. and Mary
(Masters) Searles, both of Pennsylvania. The
father's occupation was that of carpenter and
builder. He died in the year 1884, about five
jears later than the death of his wife. Our sub-
ject made his home with his parents until he en-
186
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tered the employ of the railroad company in 1883.
when he located in Waterloo. During the pre-
ceding year he was united in marriage to Miss
Susie Deaver, of Dubuque, and two children,
Hildred and Willie, bless their home. Mr.
Searles is another of those fortunate ones who
have never received an injury in the service of the
lailroad company, and he has never lost a day on
the account of physical disability. Socially he
is connected with the O. R. C, Division No. 67,
of Waterloo, anil also with the Tribe of Ben Hur.
PRED H. STEARNS, engineer at Water-
loo, Iowa, started his railroad career
with the Illinois Central company as a
fireman in the city in which he now
makes his home, in 1880. His first run was be-
tween Waterloo and Lyle, under Engineer Sam
Kear, his second between Waterloo and Dubuque,
where he worked for six months under Engineer
Ben Fox; the next on engine No. 148 on the
"West End," serving about a year under Arthur
Mooney ; the next was on engine No. 146, on the
Lyle branch, where he served six months under
his father, E. Stearns, whose sketch appears on
another page of this volume. Mr. Stearns then
worked as a brakeman for about five months on
the "Middle Division" and "West End," was pro
moted to conductor and had charge of a train on
the "West End" for six months.
Mr. Stearns then discontinued his service on
the Illinois Central Railroad and entered the em-
ploy of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis &
Omaha company, and after performing the duties
of conductor for them for five months, he spent
another five months as brakeman for the Mis-
souri Pacific Railway company. Mr. Stearns
then worked six months for the International &
Great Northern Railroad at Palestine, in the ca-
pacity of brakeman, after which he returned to
Waterloo and again entered the employ of the
Illinois Central company who, after he had spent
another year as fireman, promoted him in August
1887, to his present position of engineer on the
Dubuque division. Although Mr. Stearns be-
gan working on the railroad at the very early age
of seventeen years, and has devoted himself ex-
clusively to that vocation, he has never had the
misfortune to meet with an accident of any kind,
and has never been unable to respond to the call
of duty.
Our subject was married in 1889 to Miss
Bertha Schreiber, of Dubuque. Socially he affil-
iates with the B. of L. E., Division No. 114, of
Waterloo, and in fact nearly all of the secret fra-
ternities of that city. He is very prominent in
social circles and among the railroad men, and
enjoys the respect and esteem of all who have
the pleasure of his acquaintance.
R. GOULD, passenger engineer at
Waterloo, Iowa, began work for the
Q Illinois Central company November
2, 1872, at Waterloo, on a run be-
tween that city and Dubuque, where he served
as freight engineer until 1884. At this time he
was promoted to a passenger run between Water-
loo and Sioux City, but incidentally doing some
freight work on the same division until 1888,
but since that time, his place has been at the
right side of a passenger engine running between
the city he makes his home and Fort Dodge.
Mr. Gould's first railroad experience was in
the capacity of fireman in 1866, when he was but
seventeen years of age. At this time he was run-
ning out of Troy, N. Y., on the Troy & Boston
Railroad, now known as the Fitchburg Line.
After three years of experience he was promoted
to the position of engineer and worked between
Troy and Adams, Mass., and Rutland, Vt., un-
til 1872. Then after serving the Chicago, Du-
buque & Minnesota Railway company one sum-
mer, running out of Dubuque, Iowa, he entered
the employ of the Illinois Central company.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
187
During his entire career as a railway employe,
Mr. Gould has never received injury of so seri-
ous a character as to render him unfit for service,
nor has he ever been the cause of the injury of
his fellow workmen.
The subject of this sketch is a native of
Cavendish, Vermont, and a son of R. D. Gould
who was a conductor on the Rutland and Bur-
lington division of the Rutland Railroad from
uS48 to 1856, and later moved to St. Louis, Mo.,
and worked for a time on the St. Louis, Alton &
Terre Haute R. R. He died in St. Louis in
1857, leaving one son besides the one whose
name appears at the head of this article, who was
a railroad employe for a time.
Mr. Gould's companion in the journey of
life was known, prior to her marriage, as Miss
Elizabeth R. Palmer, and is a native of Troy,
N. Y. To this congenial union have been born
two sons, Harry R., who is still making his home
with his parents, and Freddie, who died in 1895.
Socially Mr. Gould is identified with the B. of L.
E., Division No. 114, of Waterloo, has been an
office holder of that lodge and is one of its wide-
awake and enterprising members. He also holds
a membership in the A. O. U. W. at Waterloo.
P. McCUNE, engineer at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career in the
capacity of call boy for the Chicago
& Northwestern Railroad at Belle
1 Maine, Iowa, and was thus engaged eight months.
Then, after spending about two months in the
shops, he began firing on the quarry engine,
spending one summer there, and was transferred
to the local run between Belle Plaine and Boone.
Two and half years later Mr. McCune was set
up to engineer, spending his first eleven months
on the right side of the engine in the upper and
lower yards at Belle Plaine, and then spent a
year running between the last named city and
Boone.
Mr. McCune then severed his connection
with the Chicago & Northwestern company and
began as fireman for the Illinois Central company,
running out of Cherokee. January 13, 1887,
he moved to Waterloo, and began firing under
Engineer James McNiel between the last named
city and Eort Dodge, and held this place from
January to April. Next he was sent to Chero-
kee where he spent about two years firing on the
" North Branch ", running to Sioux Falls, S.
Dak. Mr. McCune's next position was on the
left side of a passenger engine running from
Cherokee to Onawa. Four months later, or in
1891, he became an engineer. Mr. McCune is
now in charge of an engine running between
Waterloo and Fort Dodge.
The subject of our sketch was born in Frank-
lin-county, Pa., a son of J. V. McCune and Esther
Alexandria, both of whom were natives of Penn-
sylvania. The father was a contractor and
builder by occupation, and moved to Dubuque,
Iowa, in 1856, where he died in February, 1898,
about a year later than the death of his com-
panion. Three of their sons, besides the one
whose name appears at the head of this article,
were railroad employes, R. K. McCune, is an en-
gineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad
at What Cheer, la., J. M. is train despatcher at
Lajunta, Colorado, for the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe Railroad company, and Carson C, who
served as a freight conductor, was killed eleven
miles west of Lajunta, Colorado. Mr. E. P.
McCune, our subject, made his home with his
parents until he entered the service of the railroad
company. He was married in Paris, Texas, to a
young lady of that place who bore the maiden
name of Alice North, and their home has been
made happy by the presence of a family of the
following children, Edna, Arthur, Beulah, Harold
and Nina. Socially Mr. McCune affiliates with
the B. of L. E., Lodge 226, at Fort Dodge. In
his railroad career he has never had the misfor-
tune to receive an injury of any kind nor to cause
the injury of one of his fellow workmen, and
his career has ben exceptionally free from ac-
cidents.
188
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
T. KILLORAN, conductor on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy
division, was born in LaSalle, 111.,
October 13, 1877, and is the son
of Thomas and Mary (Ryan) Killoran, both of
whom are now living in Lostant, 111., his father
a prominent grain merchant of that place.
Our subject a bright and energetic young
man, was educated in the Brother's school at
LaSalle, and graduated at a very early age from
the high school at Lostant. In 1893 he went to
Streator and worked in the carpet store of D.
Heenan & Co. for a few months. He then took
a teacher's examination, securing a first grade
certificate, but preferring the active employment
of out-door life he declined an offer of a school,
and entered the service of the I. ,C. R. R. as a
brakeman where he remained for three months,
then resigned the position and taught school at
Lostant for several months, and also worked at
telegraphy for some time. Returning to the ser-
vice of the road, Mr. Killoran served as freight
and passenger brakeman until August 31, 1898,
when he was promoted to conductor and remains
in that position to date, the youngest conductor
in the employ of the company, having been ap-
pointed before he had attained his majority. He
is a member of the O. of R. C, a Democrat in
politics, and a communicant in the Catholic
church.
March i,
E. CAMP, passenger engineer at
Waterloo, and third engineer on the
Iowa division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, started as a railroad man,
1866, on the Dubuque & Sioux City
R. R. at Dubuque as a fireman, and fired two
years under J. P. Farley, Sup't, S. A. Wolcott,
Trainmaster, and T. W. Place, Master Mechanic,
running between Dubuque and Iowa Falls, and
was also in the construction service between
Ackley and Iowa Falls in 1866, and helped to
build that road. He was promoted to engineer
May 9, 1868, has run on all the Iowa lines, and
has been on the Dubuque division for thirty-one
years. He was promoted to passenger engineer,
April 1878, since which time, with the exception
of thirteen months, from October 16, 1890, to
November 17, 1891, when he served as general
foreman in the Waterloo shops, he has been in
the passenger service.
Mr. Camp was born in Euclid, Ohio, May
19, 1845, and is the son of John H. and Ruth
Mary (Baldwin) Camp, natives of Canon, Conn.,
and New York, respectively. The father, who
was a cooper, millwright and farmer by occupa-
tion, spent the greater part of his life in Ohio,
where he died in 1850. They had a family of
eight children : Frances C. married William Pal-
mer; Elizabeth lives in Ohio; Dudley B., de-
ceased, was a marine engineer; Pulaski S. is
farming at Everett, Mich. ; Anna Eliza died in
Long Island ; William M. is one of the oldest
engineers on the I. C. R. R., Springfield division;
H. E. ; Seth C. is a printer and works on the
Northwestern Miller, a magazine published in
Minneapolis. After the death of Mr. Camp,
Mrs. Camp was married a second time to R. B.
Marsh, of Port Hope, Canada West, who died
in Oregon. Mrs. Camp died at Mexico, Mo.,
in 1878.
H. E. Camp remained at home until sixteen
years of age, when he enlisted, June 6, 1861, in
Company A, 24th Ohio Vol. Inf., but was dis-
charged in August 1862 for disability. In Janu-
ary 1864 he re-enlisted in the 37th N. Y. Vol.
Inf. and served until the close of the war, taking
part in many battles and skirmishes without re-
ceiving -a wound, and was discharged May 16,
1865. Shortly after the close of the war he went
to work on the railroad as before stated. In
1878 he located in Waterloo, having lived previ-
ous to that time in Dubuque.
Mr. Camp. was married at Glen Cove, Long
Island, February 21, 1870, to Jeanette T. Camp-
bell of that place. To them have been born two
children : Mary J. married W. J. Smith, of Water-
loo, Iowa, manager of the Iowa Telephone Co. ;
Jessie E. is still at home. Mr. Camp is a mem-
JOHN I. HOUSEAL.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
191
her of the I>. of L. E., Waterloo Division No.
114, in which he has held all the offices and is
now Secretary of Insurance ; Harmony Lodge
No. 2, I. C). O. F., of Dubuque, since 1869; A.
(.). U. W. No. 274 of Waterloo. In his career
as a railroad man, Mr. Camp has been very suc-
cessful, having never been injured or injured
others during his many years of service. He is
well known all over the system and well liked
by all.
JOHN I. HOUSEAL, a popular and promi-
nent passenger engineer on the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R., entered the
service of the Illinois Central in 1893.
His railroad career began on the Columbia &
Greenville R. R., where he was for two years
a fireman. Resigning his position he retired
from the road and entered the employ of a mer-
cantile house in Newberry, S. C., and later was
a clerk in the sheriff's office there. He was then
made chief of police of Newberry, and held that
position until 1875. In the latter year, after an
absence of seven years from railroad work, he
went to the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R. as fire-
man, where after five months service he was pro-
moted to engineer and remained eight years on
that road, and on the Alabama division of the
East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia R. R. He
returned to Vicksburg as engineer on the Ala-
bama & Vicksburg R. R., remaining there six
months. In 1883, he entered the service of the
old Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.) which was
absorbed by the I. C. R. R. in 1893. Receiving
the appointment of foreman in the railroad shops
at Memphis, in 1884, he accepted and held the
position one year, but returned to the road where
he remained until 1887. He was appointed fore-
man at Memphis for the second time and re-
mained there four and one half years, afterward
returning to his former work as engineer, and
has since been in the regular service with the
exception of three years spent as traveling en-
gineer. His present run is on engine No. 15 in
the passenger service between Memphis and Rol-
ling Fork, Miss. His career embraces a period
of twenty-five years of railroad work, during
which time he was only in one wreck, being
slightly burned. He has never had a collision,
and no railroad property in his care has ever been
. damaged. He is the oldest engineer in the em-
ploy of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
and highly esteemed by the company. He was
offered a position in the service for some months
before he accepted. Mr. Houseal is a native of
Newberry, S. C., where he was born January
26, 1845. His father, William W. Houseal was
sheriff and auditor of that county, and also en-
gaged in merchandising. He died in 1889, and
is survived by his wife who resides at Newberry
and is seventy-eight years of age. Two brothers
of our subject are professional men of that place,
one an editor and another a doctor. Another
brother is engaged in farming in Cedartown,
Ga.
Mr. Houseal received a college education in
his native city, and on January i, 1863, enlisted
in Company F, South Carolina Regulars, under
Col. L. M. Keitt, and Captain John M. Kinard,
of the Confederate army. His company fought
at Fort Sumter, and was at the siege of Charles-
ton in 1863. He served in General Lee's army
in the campaign of 1864, at Richmond, Va. ; at
the battle of the Wilderness, second battle of
Cold Harbor, and siege of Petersburg. He was
then transferred to Gen. Early's command, and
fought Sheridan at Cedar Creek, Va. He was
then transferred back to Richmond, and finally
to South Carolina, and met Sherman on his
march through Georgia. He surrendered with
his company in 1865, at Salisbury, N. C. His
career as a soldier, like his career as a railroad
man, was a fortunate one, never being wounded
nor compelled to go to the hospital. Mr. Houseal
married Miss Augusta G. Addy, of Newberry,
S. C., and to them eight children have been born,
of whom four survive. They are : J. Fred, an
engineer in the I. C. service ; E. B. ; M. B., and
Iva, the latter three at home. His deceased
12
192
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
children are Frank I., William W., Ouida and
an infant.
Mr. Houseal is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, Knights of Pythias and Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife are
members of the Baptist church, in Memphis,
where they reside at No. 180 Florida avenue in
a beautiful home, and where their excellent qual-
ities have gained for them a warm place in the
hearts of a large circle of friends.
Mr. Van Vleck was married in January 1883,
to Miss Mary Heyer, of Waterloo, Iowa, by
whom he has three children : Myrtle Irene, Mil-
dred Mae and Charles Matthew. Mr. Van
Yleck has been very successful as a railroad man.
has never been injured and never laid up. He
is a great hunter, and has a case of fine guns
and has won some fine medals. He is very
well known and is one of the popular young con-
ductors of the Illinois Central system. He is a
member of the O. of R. C. No. 67, and the Ma-
sonic F>lue Lodge, No. 105, both of Waterloo.
LAWRENCE VAN VLECK,. passenger
conductor on the Waterloo division of
the Illinois Central Railroad, entered
the service Tune 27, 1879, at Waterloo,
as a brakeman under Matthew Bankson, his first
run being on No. 13 to Dubuque for a short time ;
was on the Pool run two months, and one and
one-half years on a passenger run. He then ran
with George Clinger and J. H. Keepers for a
time, and for four months was on the local and
way freight with Conductor Quinlan. In 1881
he was promoted to conductor and ran extra
about four years when he was given a regular
run between Waterloo and Dubuque, and also
ran for three months on the west end, and was
then promoted to extra passenger conductor. In
January 1897, he took a regular passenger run,
and now runs to Dubuque, Fort Dodge and Lyle.
Lawrence Van Vleck was born in Grant
county, Wisconsin, near Dubuque. He is the
son of Matthew and Chloe M. (Clark) Van
Meek, of Syracuse, New York. His father was
the owner of three packet lines on the Erie
canal while residing in New York, and after mov-
ing to Wisconsin he patented a spring bed which
he manufactured quite extensively. He died in
1873. The family numbered seven children:
Helen lives in .New York state; Henry was
brakeman and baggageman for the I. C. R. R.,
and died in 1890 ; George ; Rose ; Orab, deceased :
Lawrence and Carrie.
JM. DuBOIS, passenger engineer on Illi-
nois Central Railroad, Iowa division,
Q began his life on the road October 10,
1870, at the early age of seventeen
years, as a brakeman, first under Fred Hill and
later with Jack Shipman, and was baggageman
for Thomas Sanders one year between Waterloo
and Sioux City. In 1873 he started as fireman,
running between Waterloo and Dubuque about a
year, and later from Waterloo to Sioux City,
firing for Engineer Kingsbury a short time, and
Bill Hale three and one-half years, for James
Palmer one year, and afterward for different
ones. He was promoted in the fall of 1879, and
ran engine No. 153 in the Dubuque yards, but
later was given freight engine No. 141, running
between Waterloo and Sioux City, and has since
run nearly all the engines stationed in Waterloo.
He ran a freight between Waterloo and Dubuque
one year, and in 1887 was promoted to the pas-
senger service and now runs between Dubuque
and Fort Dodge.
Mr. DuBois was born in Tompkins county.
N. Y., and is the son of Uriah DuBois, also of
the Empire state, who came west and located
seven miles north of Waterloo, on a farm, in
1855. Our subject had one brother, Arthur C.,
who was killed on the I. C. R. R. at Abingdon,
Iowa, in the fall of 1889, by his engine going
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
193
through a bridge that was being repaired. He
had been in the service of the road for about
fifteen years. Mr. DuBois is a member of the
1). of L. E., Waterloo Division No. 114; A. F.
& A. M. No. 105, and A. O. U. W. No. 274, of
Waterloo. He has made many of the fast runs
out of Waterloo, and has been very successful
in his experience, never having been injured or
caused injury to others on his trains,
T. PIMM is the well-known engineer
in charge of the "Brookhaven Local,"
Q running between McComb City and
Brookhaven, Mississippi, in which ca-
pacity he has served since 1893. In point of age
he bears the distinction of being the oldest engin-
eer in the employ of the Illinois Central in the
South, being now in his sixty-sixth year. At
the age of twelve years our subject began life
on his own account, working as an engine wiper
lor the B. &. O. Railroad at Frederick City,
Maryland. He also served as fireman on the
same road, and for a short time as freight con-
ductor, and in May 1852, being then only eight-
een years of age, was promoted to engineer, serv-
ing the same company as such for several years.
In 1871 he decided to retire from railroad
life, and, going to Parkersburg, W. Va., obtained
a position as superintendent of an extensive oil
business, conducted by William W. Hartness, an
oil producer of that locality. After a number of
years in this work, our subject went to Lexing-
ton, Mississippi, and entered the service of the
Illinois Central a,s engineer. He then came to
McComb City, taking charge of a bridge train,
and running all over the Louisiana division of
the I. C. until in 1893, when he was promoted to
his present position.
Mr. Pimm was born in Frederick City, Md.,
December 15. 1834, and is a son of John Pimm,
a farmer of that vicinity, now deceased. John
I'innn Jr., a brother, was an engineer on the
Western Maryland Railroad, and was killed in
an accident on that road.
Our subject was. married in early manhood
to Miss Mary Norton, of Virginia, who died in
1898. Nine children were born to them, viz:
James, a machinist residing at Wilmington, Del. ;
William, a machinist in the employ of the I. C. at
the McComb City shops; Nannie, residing in
Philadelphia; Nora, at home; John, an engineer
in the service of the I. C. at Canton, Mississippi ;
Harry, a machinist in McComb City; Frank, an
employe of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in
Philadelphia ; Maggie, residing with her father,
and Bernard, a prescription druggist in McComb
City.
Socially Mr. Pimm is connected with the
Catholic Knights of America, being a member in
good standing for the last twenty years. He is
also a member of Division No. 196, B. of L. E..
of McComb City, where he resides in a beautiful
home of his own, and of which city he is a useful
and valued citizen.
(ENJAMIN F. FOX, a very prominent
and one of the oldest engineers on the
road, has been in the employ of the
Illinois Central company since 1868.
He began in the car shops at Dubuque, Iowa,
and worked there under Foreman D. B. Smith
until 1869. He then began as fireman on the
Waterloo and Iowa Falls division and worked
there for one and a half years. In 1870 he be-
gan firing on an engine between Waterloo and
Sioux City, and then in 1872 was promoted to
engineer, running a freight train between Du-
buque and Sioux City until 1882, when he was
promoted to passenger engineer and since that
time he has run passenger train between Fort
Dodge and Sioux City. He is now, in point of
service, the fourth oldest engineer in Fort Dodge.
He is a son of Calvin P. Fox, who was a
machinist by trade and worked at that until his
death at Dubuque, Iowa. Our subject had one
194
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
brother who was a fireman on the Illinois Central
and L'nion Pacific railroads. He was killed at
Sedalia, Missouri, in 1876, while in the employ of
the company as a traveling engineer.
In 1867 Mr. Fox married Miss Mary F.
Smith, of Connecticut, a daughter of D. B. Smith
who was foreman of the shops for the Illinois
Central. Our subject and wife have two chil-
dren, Avis L. and Orphia. Mr. Fox has never
been injured in a wreck nor has he ever been the
cause of an injury to any of his fellow men. He
has been a member of the B. of L. E. for twenty
years, and is now a member of Lodge No. 226,
of Fort Dodge. He now resides at 808 Second
Ave., south, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
C. CALKINS, engineer at Waterloo,
Iowa, began his railroad career in
'O September 1885, at Fort Dodge, in
the capacity of fireman for the Illi-
nois Central company. He first worked on a
switch engine in the yards for a time, and for a
short time thereafter was employed on extra
trains, and was then promoted to the passenger
service, running between Waterloo and Sioux
City with Engineer Baldwin for two years. Sub-
sequently Mr. Calkins worked on a switch engine
in the Dubuque yards until October 1889, when
he crossed the cab and has since had a seat on
the right side of the engine. His first work in
the capacity of engineer was in the Dubuque
yards, and then for a time his work was distrib-
uted over the entire Iowa division. In 1891 Mr.
Calkins had a run between Champaign and Cen-
tralia, 111., after which he returned to the Iowa
division for a short time. In the spring of 1892
he went south, but soon returned to Waterloo ;
from thence he went to the Chicago and Cham-
paign division, and in the fall of 1892 returned to
to Waterloo where he has since made his home.
Mr. Calkins was born in Amboy, 111., a son
of Henry G. Calkins, who has been an Illinois
Central engineer since 1862. He is now making
his home in Freeport, 111., and is ranked among
the oldest of the company's employes. Our
subject also has a brother, Frank W., who is an
engineer between Freeport and Clinton, 111. Mr.
Calkins was married in Dubuque in 1896, to Miss
Anna Hayes, of that city. He has been a very
successful railroad man and is known to be a
skillful engineer.
JOHN G. DUGAN, one of the most popular
conductors and known from Chicago to
New Orleans, was born in Lockport,
Niagara county, New York, June 20,
1847. His father was Hugh Dugan, who was a
successful business man in Buffalo and afterward
retired on a farm, dying when our subject was
a small boy. Several years after his father's
death our subject's mother married a Mr. Kol-
lymer, going to Cleveland, Ohio, to live. Our
subject worked at various occupations and at the
time the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in Com-
pany D, 84th Ohio. Serving' out his enlisted
period he received an honorable discharge and
entered the service of the Adams Express Co.
as messenger between Louisville, Kentucky and
Nashville, Tennessee. He was a trusted em-
ploye of this company for eighteen years, serv-
ing in various capacities as messenger and assis-
tant cashier, afterward having entire charge of
a large scope of territory. On the night of July
29, 1869, while messenger, he had a serious mis-
fortune happen while on train going from Mem-
phis to Louisville. The train went through a
bridge at Budds Creek. This was one of the
most serious railroad accidents of the time, as
the entire train was burned up and many passen-
gers perished. Being a short distance from a
meeting point a crew of another train saw the
light and came to the rescue. They took blankets
from the sleeping cars and wrapping them
around themselves, went into flames of the wreck
and rescued many of the passengers. Among
them was Mr. Dugan who had been thrown un-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
195
cler the car. Our subject was so badly burned
and injured that the doctors gave him up to
die as he lay on the depot platform at Clarksville.
An old German named Wenzler living at that
place, and who had been educated in Germany^
determined to save our subject if possible. No-
ticing signs of life he sent for a tub of hot water,
into which he placed our subject, even going so
far as to suck great clots of blood out of subject's
throat from which he removed several handfuls.
The German then had Mr. Dugan removed to his
house where he faithfully nursed him six months,
having six and eight doctors at various times,
his condition being so serious, and at one time
he was given up to die and a coffin and suit of
clothes, were made for him. Mr. Dugan often
laughs when he thinks of the coffin as he saw it
many times afterward, it being sold in 1894 by
the company back to the maker, while the suit of
clothes disappeared.
The doctors at one time decided to remove
Mr. Dugan's eyes, his head being in a deplorable
condition. Mr. Dugan was helpless and could
not raise his hand against them, but he told them
if they did, and he recovered he would kill every-
one of them, as he preferred dying to loosing his
eyes. They put off the operation and Mr. Dugan
recovered, but a leech injured a cord of the right
eye when our subject was helpless, which caused
the iris to turn back. The express company and
railroad company did everything possible for him
and when lie had fully recovered he went back
to the express company as general agent's clerk,
serving up to 1880, when he left the service and
engaged in the commission business in Louis-
ville, Kentucky, building up a large business,
making many friends. Through the unfaithful-
ness of persons supposed to be his friends he lost
a large amount of bills and closed out his busi-
ness and entered the service of the C. O. & S.
W. Having friends on the road he made but
few trips as brakeman, when he was given charge
of a freight train, ran this four years and was
then promoted to passenger conductor, running
between Louisville and Paducah.
His present run is between Louisville and
Fulton, being one of the best runs on the divi-
sion. Mr. Dugan has had a remarkably success-
ful railroad career, having had no serious acci-
dents or injuries while running a train. He
never had any passengers injured, the only per-
son ever hurt on our subject's train was mail
clerk Myers, who was slightly injured by the car
leaving the track.
Our subject is courteous, accommodating,
always looking out for the comfort of his passen-
gers and he has hosts of friends. Mr. Dugan
married Miss Vollmer, of Louisville, Kentucky,
and has four children, George John, a lumber
inspector ; Frank Wenzler, who served as lumber
inspector of Louisville, now lumber inspector at
Memphis; Miss Ella Pauline, an accomplished
young lady, and Albert, a graduate of the Louis-
ville schools.
Our subject is a member of the O. R. C.
Monon Division, No. 89, having filled the princi-
pal chairs and served on many of the committees.
Was also one of the organizers of the Knights of
Honor, of Louisville. He has a fine residence
on West Broadwav.
JD. HARRELL, an engineer in the pas-
senger service on the Louisiana divi-
O sion of the Illinois Central, is an old
and trusted employe of the road. His
connection with the I. C. dates ^from July n,
1878, when he was employed as fireman on a
steam shovel at' Chatawa, Mississippi. He re-
mainded there only three months when he went
to McComb City, where he worked for some
time in the shops of the company at that point.
Later he was appointed locomotive fireman, hav-
ing served two years as fireman, he was on Oc-
tober 28, 1880, examined for promotion to en-
gineer, and passing the examination with credit,
was given a position in that capacity on the
Louisiana division of the road. In 1891 he was
promoted to the passenger service, and has since
196
•ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
remained there having a regular run between
Canton, Mississippi, and New Orleans. He has
never had a serious wreck, or been in any way
injured on the road.
Mr. Harrell is a native of Greensboro, Ala-
bama, the date of his birth being September 14,
1860. He is the son of James D. Harrell, who
was a carpenter and builder by trade, also a suc-
cessful farmer. Mr. Harrell, Sr. departed this
life in 1895, at the advanced age of eighty-seven
years. Three brothers of our subject, now all de-
ceased, were former employes of the I. C. Wil-
liam C. was a bridge foreman, John A., a carpen-
ter, and Wesley M. was for a time supervisor of
bridges and buildings.
Mr. Harrell married Miss Mamie Long, of
Kenner, Louisiana. Two children have been
born to them: James M., born August 7, 1895,
and Mae, born August 3, 1898.
The family reside in a beautiful home in the
south-east part of McComb City, besides
which Mr. Harrell is the owner of several other
pieces of valuable property. Division No. 196,
B. of L. E. claims him as a member, he having
just been elected secretary of the Division.
Mr. Harrell kindly furnished the Histori-
cal Company with a short sketch of the Lodge
which is as follows :
" Magnolia Division No. 196, B. of L. E.,
was organized by F. L. Waldron. on October
23, 1882, with the following charter members :
C. Lindstrom, W. B. Baldwin, Harry Thompson,
George Deaton, P. Hannon, J. C. Purdy, F. G.
Wheelock, F. Burrow, H. Bowen, John Dietz.
William Hight, W. D. Mitchell', and Hennison
Wallace. The Division now has seventy-eight
members, with the following officers : |. D.
Harrell, Secretary: E. R. Harlan, Chief Engi-
neer ; B. E. Harrell, First Engineer ; William
Munn, Second Engineer ; Thomas McCosker,
Second Assistant Engineer: C. W. Harrell,
Third Assistant Engineer ; Leon Ford, Guide ;
J. R. Lilly, Chaplain ; J. R. Smith, Journal Agent :
J. D. Harrell, Insurance Agent, and delegate to
the General Board 'of Adjustment ; William
I 'evens, ( )fficer of Law &c. ; and H. Bowen, dele-
gate to the International Convention.
SCAR D. GRAY is an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central
in the Cherokee district of the Iowa
division. He entered the service of
the I. C. in January 1873 as fireman, and has re-
mained with the company ever since. His first
experience in railroad work was between the
years of 1852 and 1856, when he worked as fire-
man on the old Galena & Chicago Union R. R.
He retired from the service of that company and
at once entered the employ of the I. C. On com-
ing to this company he was for nearly five
years fireman for T. W. Place, now master me-
chanic, receiving a well-merited promotion in
1877 to engineer, and took a regular run between
Waterloo and Sioux City. During his service
he has been in a number of small wrecks, in one
of which he was injured. He is now in charge
of freight engine No. 814, running on the Chero-
kee division.
Mr. Gray was born April 6, 1834, in Chau-
tauqua county. New York, and is married. His
wife, formerly Miss Adeline Conley, being a na-
tive of Canada. He is socially connected with
B. of L. E. No. 226, and also of the Elks organ-
ization of Fort Dodge.
J WILLIAM MEYER, engineer on the
Illinois Central, Freeport division, en-
Q tered the service of the company No-
vember 8, 1 887, as a fireman on the Am-
boy division, and after some four years' service
was licensed to handle the throttle and lever June
1 6. 1 80 1, since which time he has served in that
capacity, now running on the Freeport division.
Our subject is a native of Hull, England,
where he first saw the light October 22, 1865.
Two years later the family came to the United
States and located in Chicago, where they re-
mained but eight months, then removed to Dixon,
111., where the parents, Julius and Rosine (Oyler)
Meyer, still reside, the father following the tail-
or's trade.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.-
197
J. William Meyer attended the Dixon
schools, and during his boyhood and early man-
hood worked on a farm near his home. On the
1 7th of January, 1889, he was married to Miss
Addie F. Walker, of Amboy, 111. Mrs. Meyer
was born in Sublette, June 28, 1868. By her
union with Mr. Meyer she is the mother of one
child — Myrtle M., born December i, 1890. So-
cially Mr. Meyer affiliates with the Masonic fra-
ternity, and also belongs to the B. of L. E. In
his religious views he is a Protestant, and is a
Republican in politics.
C., being engaged as pumper at the station at
Frinear, Louisiana.
Miss Mattie E. Hammond, of McComb City,
Mississippi, became the wife of our subject. She
is the daughter of H. R. Hammond, now de-
ceased, who was for twenty-two years, an engi-
neer in the service of the I. C. at the water-works,
and was also supervisor of the pumping service.
To this marriage two children have been born,
Harry and Vivian.
Socially Mr. Muller is connected with the
Order of Maccabees, and is a member of Divi-
sion No. 367, O. R. C. of McComb. He has a
comfortable home in East McComb, and is a
highly respected citizen.
JG. MULLER, a well known conductor
in the freight service of the Ilinois Cen-
Q tral, on the Louisiana division, dates
his connection with the road from 1890.
Previous to becoming identified with the I. C.
he had been employed for two years, first as fire-
man and later as a brakeman, on the New Or-
leans, Spanish Fort & Lake Railroad. He then
engaged in farming in Alabama, which he fol-
lowed two years, and the three years following
was employed as a fireman on a Mississippi river
steamer. In 1890 he entered the employ of the
Illinois Central at McComb City, as brakeman,
and served three years. Owing to a small wreck
which occurred that year, he retired from the
service and went to the Southern Pacific at New
Orleans, as hostler and night engineer. After
a two years'service with that road, he went to the
shops at Gulf port, Louisiana, where he worked
for a period of eighteen months. In 1898, he
was re-instated by the I. C. and resumed work
as brakeman, and after fourteen months spent
in that branch of the service, was promoted to
conductor in the freight service, and given a
regular run between Canton, Miss .and New Or-
leans.
Mr. Muller is a native of New Orleans where
lie was born on February 22, 1866. His father,
Mathias Muller, is a valued employe of the I.
ICHARD MORGAN, trainmaster of the
Grenada district, was born at New-
castle, Ireland, November 15, 1856.
His parents emigrated to the States in
the spring of 1858, sojourning at Cumberland,
Maryland, and at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, be-
fore settling at Nashville, Tennesee. Here in
public and private schools the boy received his
education until 1867, when he began his railroad
career, lad though he was, as tool carrier on the
Louisville & Nashville road on what is now the
Henderson division. Soon he secured a some-
what easier situation, that of news-boy, running
between Nashville and Guthrie, Kentucky, about
a year. His next move was to become bridge
watchman at Red River, near Adams, Tennessee.
A year later he was given a place with the bridge
carpenters, and a year later became brakeman
running between Nashville and Henderson. Pro-
motion came within a twelve-month, and he was
given charge of the construction train and later
a freight run, receiving a final promotion and
placed in charge of a passenger train which he
ran for one year before resigning and entering
the service of the Illinois Midland as conductor
of the work train, which he ran some five months
198
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
before going east to accept a position on the New
York & New England road with a freight run be-
tween Boston and Hartford. A year later he
secured a place as conductor on a construction
train on the Denver & Rio Grande, for, a year,
and went from there to the Cotton Belt road in
Texas on a work train until the road became
bankrupt some seven months later. An opening
being offered him on the road where he served
his apprenticeship, he accepted and served as
freight and passenger conductor some three years,
and then started in as extra freight conductor for
the Chesapeake, Ohio & South-Western, soon re-
ceiving a promotion to extra passenger conduc-
tor, and later was made trainmaster at Memphis,
from which place he was transferred to Paducah
and later to Louisville, Ky. September 16, 1893,
he was made superintendent of the main line
and branches, with headquarters at Paducah.
When the road became a part of the Illinois Cen-
tral system on July 31, 1896, Mr. Morgan was
assigned his present position with headquarters
in Memphis.
May 31, 1878, he was married to Miss El-
leanor A. Kane, of Logan county, Ky. They
are members of the Catholic church. In his
political views Mr. Morgan affiliates with the
Republican party, and socially is a member of
the Elks. His career refutes the old saying that
a rolling stone gathers no moss, or is the ex-
ception that proves the rule In the many
changes of employers he encountered, he gathered
an experience that ripened and fitted him for the
higher positions that came after — positions that
he might not have been competent to fill had the
varied experience been lacking.
JOHN J. McNAMARA, a popular conduc-
tor in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, on the Louisiana division, en-
tered the service of the I. C. in 1891. His
railroad career began in 1882, on the Chicago,
Burlington £ Ouincy R. P.. at Beardstown, Illi-
nois, where he served as brakeman for two and
one half years, and afterward as conductor for
five years. He then went west to Pocatello. Ida-
ho, where he was for two years with the Union
Pacific R. R. as conductor. Going from there
to Birmingham, Alabama, he was for a short
time with the Georgia Pacific R. R., and in 1891
became identified with the Illinois Central at
McComh City, Mississippi, where he has since re-
mained in the freight service of the road on the
Louisiana division.
Mr. McNamara is a native of Sublette, Illi-
nois, where he was born October 20, 1864, and
is a son of Daniel McNamara, now retired, and
living at Rock Falls, Illinois, but who for many
years was connected with the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy and Illinois Central roads as sec-
tion foreman. Miss Katie McCoster, of Canton,
Mississippi, became the wife of Mr. McNamara,
and they are the parents of two children, Bessie
and Ellen. Mr. McNamara belongs to the Ma-
sonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, and Di-
vision No. 367 O. R. C., of McComb City, where
he has a fine home on Broadway. . He is regarded
among the officers of the I. C. as a very careful
and steady man, and his fellow citizens respect
him for his integrity and progressive qualities.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
J' NORTH ABBOTT, a well-known con-
ductor in the freight service on the Lou-
Q isiana division of the Illinois Central
between Canton, Mississippi, and New
Orleans, entered the employ of the company in
1872 at the age of seventeen. He was first em-
ployed as bill clerk and later as rate clerk in the
outward freight office at New Orleans, under
Major E. A. Burke, who was then freight agent.
Occupying this clerkship until 1878, he then
resigned to accept a position at court, where
he was engaged for the succeeding four years.
He then returned to the employ of the Illi-
nois Central in 1886, and entered the service
of the company at McComb City, Mississippi,
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
201
as a conductor on the Louisiana division of the
road, which position he holds at the present
time. For the past six years he has had charge
of the summer fruit trains out of New Orleans.
Mr. Abbott is a native of Natchez, Missis-
sippi, where he was born October 31, 1854, and
is a son of John and Sarah J. Abbott, both still
living and leading a retired life in the city of
New Orleans, at the ripe old age of seventy-six
and seventy-four respectively. John Abbott was
a commercial salesman by occupation, well and
favorably known throughout the state of Mis-
sissippi. He was in later years in the newspaper
business, being connected with the Item and the
States, New Orleans publications.
On November 12, 1877, J. North Abbott
was united in marriage to Miss Clara Vienne,
a daughter of Francis A. Vienne, a cotton mer-
chant of New Orleans. Four children have been
born to them, viz : Marga B., Alene M., Dr.
C-W-M., and Clara Louise. In his social con-
nections Mr. Abbott is a member of Division No.
367, O. R. C., of McComb City, of which he is
now Chairman, and has been the representative
of the Division for four years. He was a char-
ter member of the Young Men's Gymnastic Club
of New Orleans, and is connected with Lodge
No. 68, Knights of Pythias, of New Orleans.
Mr. Abbott resides with his family in a beautiful
and commodious residence in East McComb
City, of which place he is an energetic and pro-
gressive citizen.
L. HAYES is an engineer in the pas-
senger service of the Illinois Central,
Q his run being between Champaign and
Centralia. His father, Patrick Hayes,
entered the service of the Illinois Central in 1864,
as a section man at Champaign, working after-
ward in the shops as a laborer until December
I, 1895, without suspension or discharge. On
the latter date, after a life of well-spent labor,
he retired on account of ill-health, and died one
year later, December i, 1896. Our subject was
born in Lowell, Mass., in 1860, and came to
Champaign in 1864. He entered the employ of
the Illinois Central as fireman in 1878 on the
Champaign section of the Chicago division, ser-
ving six months in the freight, and four and
one-half years in the passenger service. On
February 13, 1883, he was examined by E. T.
Jeffery and Henry Schlacks, and passing the ex-
amination was promoted to engineer, taking a
passenger run in 1893. Mr. Hayes is a charter
member of B. of L. F., and also a member of
Division No. 24, B. of L. E., of Centralia. May
20, 1885, he was married to Miss Margaret Cof-
fee, of Champaign. They have had four chil-
dren, Gertrude and Minnie, deceased, and Wil-
liam Bertram and Margaret Loretta. In politics
he is a Democrat. Both are members of St.
Mary's Catholic church, of Champaign.
JGRANEY is an engineer in the passen-
ger service of the Illinois Central, run-
Q ning between Champaign and Centralia.
He was born in Bristol, Conn., January
T, 1854, a son of John and Kate (Naughton)
Graney, natives of County Galway, Ireland. He
entered the service of the Illinois Central as fire-
man in 1871, when only a youth of seventeen.
He was promoted to engineer October 5, 1877,
and in 1892 took charge of engine No. 968 in
the passenger service on the Champaign section
of the Chicago division. Mr. Graney was mar-
ried to Miss Minnie F. Hayes, November 10,
1880. She is the daughter of Patrick and Mary
(Quirk) Hayes, and was born in Lowell, Mass.,
February 19. 1858. They have no children.
Both are communicants of St. Mary's Catholic
church in Champaign, and he is a member of
the Father Matthew Total Abstinence Society,
of which he has been a member for twenty-five
years. The fathers of Mr. and Mrs. Graney
were both in the employ of the I. C. R. R. for
202
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
thirty-five years, and only retired when old age
compelled them, and during all this time neither
of them were ever discharged or laid off. Mr.
Graney is connected with Division No. 24. U.
of L. E., of Centralia.
•ILLIAM H. BARTLETT, a popular,
hustling young agent at Owensboro,
the son of William H. Bartlett, is
a native of Tennessee, where he re-
ceived his education. At the age of seventeen
he worked in a store where he learned telegraph
operating, remaining in this store seven months.
He then began work for the L. & N. at Browns-
ville, Tenn'essee, where he remained two years
as operator, then was in Supt. Dunn's office at
Memphis for three months. Then he entered
the service of the C. O. & S. W. as operator and
ticket agent. In 1891 he went to Greenville, and
in 1892 to Grand River, a boomed town, as agent.
Tn 1894 he went to Eddyville, remaining until
1896, when he was transferred to Central City.
One year after this he again changed and took
up his work at Princeton, and yet a year later
was again transferred to Owensboro to succeed
Agent Stovall, of Louisville. Our subject has a
number of men in his department, his assistants
being J. P. Van Meter, chief clerk and cashier,
F. X. Pottinger, bill clerk, ticket seller and opera-
tor, and George Arnold, warehouse man.
Owensboro is a city of great business enter-
prises. The yard has two and a half miles of
side track, and the freight house is far too small
for the amount of business transacted. Mr.
Bartlett has continued the good work begun by
Mr. Stovall and has doubled the business in the
last year. The principal shipments from this
town are tobacco, carriages, wagons, feed, whis-
key, cellulose, a preparation made from the pith
of corn stalks, which is used in battle ships, ex-
ports of 1,000,000 tons expected in the year 1900,
also large shipments of woolen goods, brick and
tile, There are seven thousand bogheads
of tobacco to be shipped in the year 1900,
besides the large shipments of flour. Mr. Bart-
lett has a great deal of competition, there being
the L. & N., the L. H. & St. L. railroads and the
Ohio river, all having good agents. Our subject
acts as commercial agent in connection with the
duties of local freight agent, and much of his
success lies in his being very accommodating to
his patrons and his pleasant manners and his
square dealing have also done much for him in
his work. He is a temperate man, attends strict-
ly to his business during the day and spends his
evenings at home when not engaged at his office.
Mr. Bartlett married a daughter of M. W. Brown
and has one child, Leonard B. He is a member
of the A. O. U. W. and resides at 210 E. Fifth
street, Owensboro, Kentucky.
L. PRICE, a conductor on the Louis-
iana division of the Illinois Central,
in the freight department, dates his
connection with the company from
1894. His first knowledge of railroad work was
acquired on the Louisville & Nashville R. R.
where he worked as a brakeman for three years
out of Birmingham, Alabama. He was after-
ward for three years with the Nashville & Chat-
tanooga R. R. as brakeman and extra, conductor
but returned to the Louisville & Nashville where,
after six months service as brakeman he was pro-
moted to conductor. The latter position he held
for nine years, having charge of a run out of
Birmingham.
In 1894 he became identified with the I. C.
at McComb City, Mississippi, as a brakeman,
serving for six months. He was then sent to
Jackson, Mississippi, as yardmaster for the I. C.,
which position he held for two years, and in
1897 returned to the road service as a conductor
on the Louisiana division of the road, and has
since remained there. He was in a collision at
Johnston's Station, Miss., and also at Brook-
haven, but in both escaped injury.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
203
Mr. Price is a native of Coffee county, Tenn.,
his birth occurring on December 23, 1864. James
I Vice, his father, now deceased, was a prominent
attorney at Manchester, Tenn., and well known
throughout the state. Mr. Price has two broth-
ers who reside at his old home in Tennessee, one
of them a physician by profession, and the other
a farmer. ( )ur subject was united in marriage
to Mrs. Annie Wilson, a native of Tennessee,
by whom he has one son, James Ernest, a prom-
ising boy. The Knights of Maccabees and O.
R. ('. of McComb City, claim him as a valued
member. A man of genial disposition, and- a
faithful employe, he is held in high esteem by
the officials of the road and his fellow employes.
Central.
•ILUAM T. COLMESN1LL, the
popular passenger conductor, is the
oldest man in active service on the
Evansville district of the Illinois
Around the family of which he is a
descendant, is woven a romance as interesting as
any tale of fiction.
Gabriel de Colmesnill, a native of France,
enjoyed the title of Marquis while under his na-
tive flag. When a young man he settled in the
island of Hayti, and acquired several large plan-
tations, some in the valley of the Antobomic, and
the home plantation in the mountains near St.
Marks, on which he raised large quantities of
sugar, cotton, coffee and indigo. During an up-
rising of the blacks at the close of the last cen-
tury, the Marquis was beseiged on his planta-
tion that had been fortified by his faithful slaves.
When carried by storm his wife and two sons and
(laughters perished, while he himself was severely
wounded and carried by his servants to a place of
safety in St. Marks. Here he chartered a vessel
belonging to Stephen Girard, and loaded it with
coffee and indigo. Just prior to sailing there
appeared a couple of his slaves who had with
them his infant son that they had rescued and car-
ried to the mountains. This was John D. Colmes-
nill, father of the subject of this sketch. The
Marquis landed at Philadelphia and, selling his
cargo to Girard, purchased a plantation at Lam-
berton, New Jersey, where most of his old slaves
joined him. Finding the climate too severe for
them, he removed in '800 to Georgia, purchasing
a large plantation near Savannah, where he
raised cotton and vegetables for the city market.
Here John D. Colmesnill was reared and at the
age of sixteen, after two years in the academy at
Athens, Georgia, he entered the mercantile es-
tablishment of Robert and John Baldwin as ship-
ping clerk. The following year he was made
super-cargo on one of their trading vessels and
sent on several voyages to the West India islands.
During one of these trips he landed at Hayti
to recover the family plate that his ' father had
buried between two mahogany trees at his moun-
tain home. Together with what was buried for
the neighbors there were two tons of the precious
metal which he packed into some four hundred
fifty bags of coffee he was buying for that pur-
pose, and started with it to the coast. Some one
proved traitor and informed the authorities at
Port an Prince, so the young treasure hunter
was compelled to make his escape in an open boat
to Jamaica, and return to the states poorer by
the value of the silver and the coffee. After
leaving the sea Mr. Colmesnill went into business
at Fashington, Georgia, where he was when his
father died, directing in his will that his slaves be
set free, and that the grown ones be given fifty
dollars each and the young ones thirty. As the
laws of Georgia did not permit the freeing of
slaves, he had to work the plantation a year to
secure funds enough to carry out the provisions
of the will by moving them north before manu-
mitting them. This he did, although it was a tax
on his own resources. A few years after he sold
his possessions and moved with what slaves had
been purchased in Georgia to Kentucky, where
he spent the remainder of his days. During the
days of his service as super-cargo, an attempt was
made to smuggle a part of the cargo of flour
through the port at Havana. Being detected,
Mr. Colmesnill, along with the captain of the ves-
sel, was arrested and cast into the Moro castle,
204
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and confined in a dungeon below the level of the
sea. After thirty-one days in darkness the Cap-
tain General chanced to visit the dungeons and
was appealed to for mercy. Learning the name
of the young man he enquired of his father, asked
his size, appearance, birth-place, and place of ed-
ucation. It was an old schoolmate who had been
in college of Lorenz, in the Pyrenees, with him
years before. The prisoner was released, taken
to the palace of Don Vivas, and nursed through
a spell of fever contracted while in the damp
dungeon under the sea. At Louisville he entered
into trade and became the largest merchant in
the city, with a trade extending to the mouth of
the Mississippi. At one time when the firm with
which he was connected failed, Mr. Colmesnill
refused to take advantage of the bankruptcy laws,
but paid dollar for dollar on over a quarter of a
million. During the administration of James
Guthrie as secretary of the treasury, Mr. Colmes-
nill was agent of the department in the most con-
fidential relations, handling millions of the na-
tion's revenue. In 1833 he purchased a beautiful
country seat near the city, where he lived until
the northern soldiers despoiled it of its beauti-
ful grove during the war, when he moved to the
city to spend his declining days. He was born
July 31, 1787, and died July 30, 1871. In 1815
he married Miss Honore, who lived but a few
years. In 1826 he married Sarah Courtnie Tay-
lor, daughter of Major Edmond Taylor, of the
U. S. A.
W. T. Colmesnill was born in Bullet county,
Kentucky, and received his education in the pub-
lic, schools of Louisville and at St. Mary's Col-
lege. When the war broke out he moved to Mis-
souri, and being a large boy for his age was ar-
rested many times for not entering the service.
Tiring of this annoyance he entered the railroad
service of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad,
on the Beardstown branch, as brakeman and bag-
gageman a short time, when he was promoted to
freight conductor, running a mixed train until
1873, and for a year following had charge of the
work train and the iron train on the Richmond
branch. In 1874 he engaged with the Elizabeth-
town & Paducah road under the superintendency
of Dan Whitcomb, running a local between Cen-
tral City and Paducah. At that time there was
no telegraph on the road, and trains ran by the
card. The night of March 28, 1875, the train
went through the bridge at Poplar Creek, the
caboose with seven men aboard fell forty feet into
ten feet of water. Not until after rescuing for-
mer Governor Anderson and seeing that all were
safe, did Mr. Colmesnill realize that he had bro-
ken an arm, shattered a leg, ribs fractured and
severe cuts about the head. After his recovery
he resumed his place again, but soon abandoned
it. to manage the large farms of D. R. Burbanks
for three years. When fully recovered he again
entered upon a railroad career, this time in Texas.
For a time he ran a passenger train and then
had charge of a train on construction, and in one
capacity or another helped construct seven hun-
dred miles of road in the Lone Star state, includ-
ing the three hundred miles of track laying for
the Texas Pacific through an unsettled wilder-
ness. Returning to Kentucky he entered the ser-
vice of the Ohio Valley line, under construction
by General Manager Kelsey, running a work
train, remaining in the service of the road under
the subsequent changes of management. Dur-
ing all the years of his railroad service Mr.
Colmesnill has never had a passenger lose his
life although in the incident above related there
was a narrow escape.
Mr. Colmesnill married Miss Fanny Taylor,
a daughter of Dr. Thomas Taylor, a prominent
physician of Henderson county, and one of the
early settlers there. Of his two sons, Thomas H.,
the elder, attends the Kentucky Military Acad-
emy, where he is considered by his instructors
one of the brightest students ever in the school.
His address at the age of eight to the convention
of ex-Confederate soldiers at Nashville, awak-
ened the greatest enthusiasm. The second son
is Charles Anderson, attending the public school.
Mr. Colmesnill is a member of the Monon Div-
ision. O. R. C., and of the Blue Lodge, Chapter
and Commandery of the Masonic order. In his
stately bearing he shows descent from the old
cavaliers, and his jovial nature makes him a typ-
ical railroad man of the highest type.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
205
JC. LOMAX, a widely known and pop-
ular conductor in the freight service of
Q the Illinois Central, on the Louisiana
division, received his initial training on
that division and has since remained there. Be-
ginning as brakeman in August 1889, he worked
in that capacity for one and a half years, when
he was found worthy of promotion to conductor
and given charge of a regular run. A man of
capability and faithful services, his future should
be a bright one. He has seen some small acci-
dents, but has escaped serious injury.
Mr. Lomax is a native of Hazelhurst, Miss.,
where he was born on May 3rd, 1860. Jesse
Lomax, an extensive farmer of that state, now
deceased, was his father. Mr. Lomax married
Miss Katie Easley, of McComb City, and three
children are the result of their union, viz :
Blanche, Maude, and Madge O. He affiliates
socially with Division No. 367, O. of R. C., of
McComb City, where he resides with his family
in a nice home in the southern part of the city.
Mr. Kennedy is a native of Crab Orchard,
Kentucky, the date of his birth being August i,
1869. Matthew Kennedy Sr., his father, an ex-
tensive railroad contractor, was for many years
connected with the Alabama & Chattanooga Rail-
road, the Louisville & Nashville, and also assisted
in the construction of the I. C. He is now liv-
ing at New Orleans, enjoying the fruits of a
well spent and industrious life. William Ken-
nedy, a brother of our subject, was a railway
conductor, and was killed while in the employ
of the Little Rock & Fort Smith R. R. Mr.
Kennedy's estimable wife was a Miss Wise, of
Alabama, by whom he has three children, Lois,
Maud Wise, and Mary Chapel. He affiliates so-
cially with the Maccabees, and is secretary of
Division No. 367 O. R. C., of McComb City. He
has a pleasant home on Front street, and is con-
sidered a worthy and energetic citizen of that
place.
ATTHEW KENNEDY is a popular
freight conductor in the service of the
Illinois Central, having a run between
Canton, Mississippi, and New Or-
leans. His first experience at railroad work was
acquired at Birmingham, Alabama^where he was
in the employ of the Louisville & Nashville Rail-
road as a brakeman. In 1888 he was promoted
to conductor in the freight service of that road,
and served as such between Decatur and Mont-
gomery, Alabama, and between Decatur and Bir-
mingham. He left the employ of that road in
1892, and was for a time with the Fort Scott &
Memphis R. R. as brakeman, and from the latter
road went to the San Antonio & Aransas Pass
Railroad as brakeman and conductor. He en-
tered the service of the I. C. in 1894, beginning
as a brakeman, and in 1895 was promoted to
conductor in the freight service on the Louisiana
division, where he has since remained.
^OBERT C. McKAY, a prominent en-
gineer on the Vicksburg division of
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.,
was born in Jackson, Tennessee, Sep-
tember 23, 1874. John S. McKay, his father,
was an engineer on the Mississippi Central R. R.
for many years. He was also master mechanic
at Jackson, and was superintendent of the div-
ision between Canton, Mississippi, and Cairo, Il-
linois. His railroad career embraced a period of
thirty-two years. He died in 1895 while acting
as traveling engineer for the Y. & M. V. division
of the J. C. R. R., and is survived by his wife,
Lucy (Cady) McKay, who is a resident of Mem-
phis. Robert C. McKay attended the public
schools of Memphis until fourteen years old,
when he entered the employ of the Buyers and
Factors Compress company, at Memphis, where
he worked two years. In January 1890, he be-
came identified with the Illinois Central as an ap-
prentice in the machine shops at Memphis, under
Master Mechanic Jones Ramsey, and served a
full term of four years there. Remaining there
206
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
one year longer, in April 1895 he went to Vicks-
burg, Mississippi, and worked there in the shops
of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. until
November of that year. He then entered the
road service of the I. C. as fireman on locomotive
No. 48, with Engineer Joseph O'Leary, between
Memphis, Tennessee, and Vicksburg, Mississippi.
He remained in that branch of the service until
promoted to engineer in October 1897, where he
is at the present time employed, having charge
of engine No. 35 on the Yicksburg division. Mr.
McKay was reared in the Presbyterian faith,
and in his political views is a supporter of demo-
cratic principles. He is a young- man of ability,
and is a valued employe of the company.
THOMAS ALLEN BANKS JR., the pop-
ular agent at Princeton, Kentucky, was
born at Springfield, January 17, 1869.
His father was a well known conductor
for many years on the Louisville & Nashville
road. The subject of this brief sketch left school
at the early age of fifteen to study telegraphy,
and in 1885 was given a place at Rives, Tennes-
see, remaining at that station two years as bill
clerk. He was next assigned work at Ripley,
and from there at Dyersburg for a short time.
The following four years he served as agent at
Kattawa, Ky., and was transferred from there
to Evansville, Indiana, as operator. January 7,
180,9, he was assigned his present position as
agent at Princeton. This is one of the important
points on the Louisville division, requiring the
assistance of six clerks, operators and assistants,
besides a number of porters and a matron. In
addition to his duties as station agent Mr. Banks
acts as yard master and has charge of several
miles of tracks and forty-eight switches. Being
a junction point large quantities of baggage are
handled, averaging five thousand pieces a month.
In addition to a large express business, the sta-
tion sends out each year several thousands hogs-
heads of tobacco, large quantities of castings,
lime, limestone, brick, cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry
and produce. With a seminary in the town, a
large passenger traffic centers in the place. To
manage all this properly requires a man of alert.
pushing business qualifications. Mr. Banks mar-
ried Miss Mattie, a daughter of Mr. William
Shrvock, of Newton, Illinois.
DH. MARTIN, a popular and well-known
engineer in the passenger service of the
Q Illinois Central, became identified with the
company in 1883. In September of that
year he entered the service of the I. C. as fireman
on the New Orleans division, with Engineer John
Hines. He remained in that branch of the ser-
vice until 1887, when on examination he was
found proficient and was promoted to engineer
in the freight service, and given charge of a run
between Canton, Mississippi, and New Orleans,
Louisiana, continuing there until his promotion
to the passenger service, and has since continued
in that capacity on the Louisiana division, where
he is known as a careful and painstaking employe.
His experience in railroad work has been de-
void of serious accidents, and although he has
been in some small wrecks, was never injured.
He has charge at present of the largest' engine
in the McComb City shops.
Mr. Martin was born in Franklin county,
Tennessee, March 5. 1865, and is a son of Wil-
liam W. Martin, formerly a blacksmith in the
employ of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis
R. R., who is now retired and living at Decherd,
Tennessee. Edward H. Martin, a b'rother, now
residing in Kentucky, was for some time con-
nected with the I. C. as bookkeeper in the store-
room of the company at McComb City, and was
also for several years chief clerk to the master
mechanic there.
The lady who became Mr. Martin's wife
was formerly Miss Julia Hanford, whose father,
A. W. Hanford, now deceased, was proprietor of
the popular Hanford Hotel, of McComb City.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
207
Their union has been blessed by one child, Hugh
deary, a fine boy. Mr. Martin belongs to the
Elks organization, and also to the B. of L. E.,
of McComb City, where he and his estimable
family reside at the Han ford Hotel.
young.
cHENRY HIXON, local freight agent
at Evansville, was born December n,
1867, at Union Point, Georgia, but
moved to Russellville when quite
and received his education there. His
first experience in railroading was at Russellville
as baggage and freight clerk for the L. & N.
He worked here a short time when he accepted
a. position with the N. N. & M. V. road at Prince-
ton, Kentucky, and continued in the clerical de-
partment until January i, 1894, when he was pro-
moted to agent at Uniontown, Kentucky. March
loth, -following, he was made agent for the Ohio
Valley Railway at Princeton, Kentucky, where
he was employed at the time the road was ab-
sorbed by the Illinois Central and on the trans-
fer became chief clerk at Princeton. He re-
mained here until January 5, 1899, when he was
appointed agent at Morganfield, Ky., remaining
there until May 3, 1899, when he was appointed
local freight agent at Evansville, Ind. He now
has as his assistants E. F. Coon, chief clerk, H.
E. Fritz, warehouse foreman, W. C. Mitchell,
F. Bock, W. T. Coxin, all of whom are clerks in
the office, and H. Ross who is the yard clerk, be-
sides five or six porters. This is a very impor-
tant office, as besides the Illinois Central there
is a great deal of transferring for the E. & T. H.,
the E. & L, L. E. & St. Louis, P. D. & E., and
the L. & N. The principal commodities handled
at this place are tobacco, cotton, pig iron, hay
and grain, furniture, stoves, plows, etc. Evans-
ville has many manufacturing industries and the
Illinois Central business is gradually increasing,
lumng had an increase of eighty-three thousand
dollars in receipts in 1899. Mr. Hixon is a man
who is not afraid of work as his accounts will
show. He assumes a large part of the work him-
self, and thereby reduced the office expense one
thousand dollars during the year 1899. Mention
should be made that most of the freight handled
is in less than car load lots, which makes a greater
amount of work. The freight house is much too
small for the business and a new one is contem-
plated.
Mr. Hixon married a Miss Tully of Ken-
tucky, and has three children, McHenry Jr., Tul-
ly, and an infant. He is very popular and a
man who has a bright future.
ENRY C. EICH, general foreman at
Louisville is a native of Chicago, where
his father, Peter Eich, was a shoe mer-
chant. Our subject commenced rail-
roading in Chicago in the year 1882, as an office
boy in the auditor's office. He worked in this
capacity three months, and then entered the
Weldon shops an apprentice under William Ren-
shaw, master-mechanic, serving four years. He
afterward left the shops to learn mechanical
drawing, leaving his position to take one at less
wages, being anxious to learn. He worked in
the drafting department six months, applying
himself closely and on account of his merit he
was appointed instructor of the Illinois Central
drafting school at McComb City, Miss., remain-
ing there one year and a half. 'January i, 1893,
he was appointed foreman at Rantoul, 111., and
remained there three months, later served as gang
foreman at the Burnside shops. He continued
in this place until May i, 1898, when he was pro-
moted to general foreman at Freeport, Illinois,
remained there until March 20, 1899, at which
time he was transferred as general foreman at
Champaign. He continued in this capacity thir-
ty days, and on the first of May 1899, he was
transferred to Louisville, his present position.
Our subject has at present one hundred men
in his department, the round house foreman be-
ing John McDerrmott ; chief clerk, H. M. Miles.
208
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
His territory comprises Louisville, Owensboro
and the Hodgenville and Elizabetlitown districts.
He has fine new shops, fifty by fifty feet, a boiler
room, fifty by twenty-five, new fifteen stall round
house, all modern style. T. M. Baughn is the
car foreman, and there is a large amount of work-
done here.
Mr, Eich is a young man who is steadily
rising and has had quick promotions on account
of his merit. He married Miss M. Steinert and
resides at 1527 Maple street, Louisville. He be-
longs to the Forresters Court, Chicago, also to
the Railway and Telegraph Political League of
Illinois.
C. JARVIS, a retired passenger en-
gineer, ex-mayor and extensive real-
estate owner of McComb City, Mis-
sissippi, is one of the oldest and best
known men on the Illinois Central Railroad. Mr.
Jarvis was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia,
November 24, 1832, where he received a practi-
cal education in the common schools. In 1853.
at the age of twenty-one, he made a successful
trip to California, and returning to "the states"
went to Elkhart, Indiana, and from there in 1860
to Chicago, Illinois. He there secured a posi-
tion as fireman on the Chicago & Rock Island
R. R. and received promotion to engineer in 1862.
After a short service as engineer on that road,
he went to Memphis, Tennessee, and was in the
employ of the government as engineer on mili-
tary railroads until the surrender. During that
time he ran on every road in the state of Ten-
nessee.
In 1865 he went to New Orleans, and was
for one year with the New Orleans, Jackson &
Great Northern R. R. as engineer, but returned
to Memphis and for a time was with the Memphis
& Ohio road. He then went to Rock Island,
where his family resided, and entered the employ
of the Chicago & North-Western R. R. on the
Iowa division, where he had charge of a con-
struction train for six months. In 1867 he first
became connected with the Illinois Central, work-
ing for seven months in the freight service on
the Chicago division.
Leaving the 1. C. he went to the L'nion Pa-
cific R. R. at Cheyenne, Wyoming, and after
working there in the freight service, was ap-
pointed traveling engineer for that road between
Rollins Springs and Bryan, Wyoming, occupying
the latter position until May 12, 1868. He then
resigned and went to Chicago, and the next
year was spent in recreation. In October 1869,
he went to Water Valley, Miss., entering the
employ of the Mississippi Central (now the I.
C.) where he was for two months, finally re-
turning to the old New Orleans, Jackson &
Great Northern (now the I. C.), and for one
year was in the freight service between New Or-
leans and Canton, Miss. Promotion to the pas-
senger service followed in September 1870, and
from that date until July 23, 1895, he was on the
Louisiana division of the road, when he retired
to private life.
Mr. Jarvis has a fund of experience of early
railroad days on the I. C. He was engineer on
the road when water had to be dipped with a
cup to fill the tender, in order to make a ten mile
run between Summit and Magnolia, Miss. He
made what was considered at that time a very-
fast run on one of the old engines, No. 262, the
first extension front engine on the Louisiana di-
vision. The engine had a five foot wheel, and
a cylinder 15 by 24. On this engine he covered
the distance between McComb City and New Or-
leans, a distance of one hundred and five miles,
in one hour and fifty-nine minutes, a remarkable
run for those days.
Mr. Jarvis married Miss Elizabeth Sare, of
Covington, Kentucky. They have two children,
both railroad men: J. F., a passenger engineer
on the I. C. at McComb City, and Samuel, an
engineer on the Kansas City, Memphis & Bir-
mingham R. R. Mr. Jarvis is one of the honored
and substantial citizens of McComb City. He
served as mayor during the years 1896, '97 and
'98, his administration being a highly successful
one.
C. H. MOORE.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
211
H. MOORE, attorney for the Illinois
Central residing at Clinton, 111., was
born at Kirtland, Lake county, Ohio,
on October 26, 1817, about twenty
rods south of the famous Mormon temple situ-
ated there. He attended the Kirtland Academy
during the summer and in winter was employed
in teaching. Going to Pekin, 111., in May 1839,
he assumed charge of a school, and between
whiles read law with Bailey & Wilmot, leading
attorneys of that city. At the July term of court
1841, he successfully passed a rigid examination
in open court, in company with two other stu-
dents and was admitted to the bar. By a curious
error our subject is reported in the second or
third volume of Scammon's reports as "residence
not given.''
Mr. Moore arrived at Clinton in August
1841, opened an office and has successfully prac-
ticed his profession in that city ever since. He
was the speaker of the day on the occasion
of the laying of the corner stone of the new Illi-
nois Central Depot at Clinton and has been one
of the attorneys for the Illinois Central R. R.
company since 1852, and obtained its right of
way through Dewitt county for it. The profes-
sion of the law has always had with Mr. Moore
a powerful rival, that of buying and improving
land. His success in life marks the career of
a shrewd business man as well as a prosperous
attorney, and speaks for itself.
LRERT E. BROAS, the well and fa-
vorably known conductor in charge of
the '' Hammond Local " on the Louisi-
ana division of the Illinois Central,
began railroad life when a boy. His first work
was as messenger hoy for the Louisville & Nash-
ville R. R. under Mr. Dunn and Mr. Harahan,
both now officials of the Illinois Central. He
followed other pursuits in early life, but for a
short time only, as railroad work had for him
an irresistible charm. Going to McComb City
in 1887, he began at once as brakeman on the
Louisiana division, and after a faithful service
of nearly two years, was promoted to conductor
in the freight service. At the present time he
has the local run between McComb City, Missis-
sippi, and Hammond, Louisiana, making the trip
on alternate days.
Mr. Broas was born in New Orleans, on
October 31, 1866. His father, now deceased,
was a prominent contractor in his clay. He was
married to Miss Ollie McLaurine, who departed
this life in 1899. One child, also deceased, was
born to them. Of the social organizations, Mr.
Broas claims membership with the Masonic or-
der, (Blue Lodge,) Order of Elks, Order of the
Eastern Star, and Division No. 367, Order of
Railway Conductors, all of McComb City. He
has a pleasant home on South street in that city,
where he resides with his mother.
L. ARM I STEAD, a rising young con-
ductor in the freight department of
the Illinois Central, on the Louisiana
division, has been with the company
since 1895. He acquired his first knowledge of
railroad work, on the New Orleans & North-
Eastern R. R. where he served for five years as
fireman. Following this, he was for one year in
the employ of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pitts-
burg R. R. as flagmaji and brakeman. In Sep-
tember 1895, he became connected with the Illi-
nois Central, at McComb City, Mississippi, as
switchman in the yards there, and was for two
years employed at that work. He then served as
brakeman for eleven months, followed by pro-
motion to his present position as conductor in the
freight service. His career with the I. C. has
been devoid of accidents of any kind.
Mr. Armistead was born in Meridian, Mis-
sissippi, on April 27, 1870. He is a son of J. J.
Armistead, now living a retired life in New Or-
leans, but who was for many years connected
with a firm of contractors who took large con-
212
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tracts in building the Vicksburg & Meridian and
I. C. Railroads. A brother of our subject, Jabe
Armistead, is now chief dispatcher of the New
Orleans & North-Eastern R. R.
Mr. Armistead belongs to the Order of Elks,
and Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, ui Me
Comb City, and is a member of Faith Lodge No.
200, B. of L. F. of Meridian, Mississippi. He
is unmarried, and resides at McComb City, mak-
ing his home with Conductor S. M. Reames of
that place.
jt.lM.fM**
AMUEL H. BREWER, a prominent en-
gineer in the freight service of the Illi-
nois Central, on the Louisiana division,
entered the service of the company in
January 1895. He was first employed in the
yards of the I. C. at New Orleans as a switch en-
gineer, and then went to McComb City, Mis-
sissippi, and took a position as engineer in the
freight service, where he has since remained, and
is appreciated as a careful and steady employe.
His first knowledge of the work was acquired
on the Western & Atlantic R. R. where he began
service in 1870 as a wood passer. After one
year at that work, he was promoted to fireman,
serving as such for the following three years,
when he was examined and promoted to engineer.
In 1877 he entered the employ of the Nashville,
Chattanooga & St. Louis R. R., where he re-
mained until 1880, and was then for three months
engineer with the Alabama & Chattanooga R. R.
Returning to the Western & Atlantic R. R., he
worked there for a short time when he went to
Savannah, Georgia, and was in the employ of
the "Plant System" until 1887. The intervening
three years between 1887 and 1890 were spent
on the Northern Georgia R. R., when he went to
Water Valley, Mississippi, and worked for three
months as engineer on the Mississippi division
of the I. C. Deciding to try agricultural pur-
suits, he left the road and was engaged in that
line until 1895, when he became identified with
the I. C. at New Orleans.
Mr. Brewer was born at Adairsville, Bar-
tow county, Georgia, in August 1855. Peter W.
Brewer, his father, deceased, was an experienced
railroad man, and was a machinist and engineer
in the Baldwin locomotive works at Philadelphia.
He was also at various times connected as en-
gineer with the Philadelphia & Reading R. R.,
the Illinois Central, the Western & Atlantic, and
the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia R. R.
A brother of our subject is a hostler in the round
house of the I. C. at McComb City.
Mr. Brewer married Miss Ella Jennings,
a native of Georgia. They are the parents of
three children, viz : Milton, Bessie and Maurice.
Socially he is connected with Division No. 196,
B. of L. E., and also with the Modern Woodmen
of the World.. He has recently erected a pretty
cottage home in East McComb City, where he
resides, and is a popular citizen.
kRANK J. ZANONE, store keeper of the
Memphis division, is a native of Louis-
ville, Kentucky, where he was reared
and attended school. After four years
in the fire insurance business at Louisville, with
his father, he entered the service of the Louis-
ville & Nashville Railroad as clerk in the Audi-
tor's office at Louisville, and three years later
went into the mechanical department at Louis-
ville where he remained two years. Returning
to the insurance business he was engaged two
years, and in September 1898 entered the service
of the Illinois Central road at Memphis as store-
keeper, where he is at present engaged. The
parents of our subject, J. A. and Alice (John-
son) Zanone reside at Louisville, where the
father is a leading real estate dealer
Mr. Zanone was married January 19, 1894,
to Miss Ida Cook in the rites of the Catholic
church to which they both belong. A son, Ar-
thur, was born June 29, 1897. Mr. Zanone is
a Democrat in politics. He is a competent ac-
countant and his integrity is such that he merits
the fullest confidence of his employers.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
213
"7 UTHER BURNS, a conductor in the
freight service on the Louisiana divi-
Lx-y sion of the Illinois Central, entered the
employ of the road in 1882 as brake-
man, at McComb City, Mississippi. He was em-
ployed in that capacity until June 1893, when he
went to North Dakota, and engaged in brick-
making. Returning to McComb City, he re-
sumed work on the T. C. working as brakeman,
switchman and finally as yardmaster, at that
place. In 1894, he went to Minnesota, and for
a year followed farming in that state, and in
Xorth and South Dakota. He then returned to
Vicksburg, Mississippi, and worked on the I.
C. as brakeman, between that city and New Or-
leans. After successively working as brakeman,
switchman and yardmaster for the I. C. on the
Louisiana division, he was on November 7, 1898,
promoted to conductor in the freight service,
where he now has a regular run. His railroad
career has been free from accidents.
Mr. Burns was born May 21, 1861, in Lin-
coln county, Mississippi, and is a son of
Joseph Burns, contractor and builder, who
died at Jackson, Mississippi, in 1871. Mr. Burns
was united in marriage to Miss Nannie Quin, of
McComb City, and they have one child, Alice
Eugene. He is connected with Division No.
367, O. R. C., and with Pearl Lodge, Division
No. 264, O. R. T., both of McComb City.
EORGE F. MULLINIX, a popular
conductor on the pay car on the Louis-
ville division, is a native of Yorktown,
Pa., his father being W. H. Mullinix,
an did conductor on the Baltimore & Ohio system,
having been with the road through the war. Our
subject remembers often hauling soldiers to the
south and riding on his father's train. His fath-
er died in 1870, and his mother passed away in
the year 1809. He has a brother who is at pres-
ent an engineer on the L. & N., and a second
brother who is a train dispatcher on the Southern
road, and a third brother passenger conductor
on the same road. They are all getting along
nicely and have been very successful in the work-
day are doing.
Our subject commenced his railroad service
driving a team for a contractor on the C. Mt. V.
& C. road at the age of sixteen years, and at the
age of eighteen he was a coach hand on the B.
& O., his duties being to collect tickets ; at that
time a coach was connected to the fast freight.
In the fall of 1877 our subject left the B. & O.
and entered the service of the L. & N.- as a brake-
man. He remained in this capacity up to 1879
when he was promoted to conductor, running a
local freight train between Louisville and Knox-
ville until 1883, when he accepted a place running
a freight on the C. O. & S. W. under Superinten-
dent Frasher. He continued here up to 1887
and then went to the Cincinnati Southern where
he worked until 1889, at which time he took a
place on the K. C. Ft. S. & M., and ran between
Thayer and West Memphis. Returning to the
Cincinnati Southern he ran a train two years,
after which he entered the service of the C. O.
& S. W. on a freight. He has at present a pre-
ferred run on a freight train, and is conductor
of the pay train, which place he has had for six
years. Mr. Mullinix has had the best of success,
and in his long service he has not yet lost a trip.
He is a member of Monon Division No. 89, O.
R. C., of Louisville, Ky.
JOHN A. JONES, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central,
on the Louisiana division, entered the
employ of the company in 1883, at the
age of fifteen, as steam-handle boy in the I. C.
blacksmith shops at McComb City. He was af-
terward a general helper, and for a time had
charge of a bolt machine in the same shops. An
interval of two months was then spent in the
blacksmith shops of the Southern Pacific R. R.,
when he returned to the Illinois Central black-
214
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
smith shops for six months, then served as brake-
man for one year. The following year was
spent at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the em-
ploy of the Santa Fe R. R. and from there to
Annistbn, Alabama, where he worked for the U.
S. car works, at that point for ten months. In
November 1893 he returned to the service of the
I. C. as a fireman, at which he was employed
until September 1896. On the latter date he took
charge of a switch engine in the yards at Canton,
Miss., but soon returned to his former position
as fireman, -serving for the next eighteen months
in that capacity. Passing a highly creditable ex-
amination in February 1899, he was promoted
to engineer on the main line, being given his
present run between Canton, Miss., and New Or-
leans, on Engine No. 730. He is proud of the
fact that in his entire railroad career he has never
had an accident of any kind.
Mr. Jones was born on April 30, 1868, at
Summit, Miss. His father, James M. Jones, is
engaged in farming in the vicinity of McComb
City. A brother was for some time an engineer
on the Louisiana division of the I. C. He is a
member of Division No. 196, B. of L. E., and
Division No. 411, P>. of L. F., of McComb City,
and is also connected with Knights of Pythias
Lodge No. 46, of Anniston, Alabama. Mr. Jones
is unmarried and makes his home with Engineer
Bacot, in East McComb City.
JESSE D. PETTINGILL, passenger en-
gineer on the Louisville division of the
Illinois Central, was born in Wayne
county, Michigan, a son of W. A. Pet-
tingill, a farmer of that county.
Our subject commenced his railroading on
the Michigan Central, working a short time,
when he went to the Flint & Pere Marquette
railroad, working out of Saginaw for thirteen
months. Our subject next came to Kentucky
in 1882 and entered the service of the C. O. &
S. W. as brakeman, running out of Elizabeth-
town. In 1883 he began firing and fired up to
1887 when he was given engine No. 562, a ten
wheel Cook, on a freight between Louisville and
Central City and Paducah. Our subject ran
freight up to 1896 when he was promoted to
passenger service. Mr. Pettingill has been very
successful as a railroad man.
Our subject married Miss Mamie Turner, of
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and he resides at 522
Breckenridge street, Louisville. He is a mem-
ber of the B. of L. E. and of Preston Lodge,
No. 281, A. F. & A. M. of Louisville, Ky.
JD. McMURTRIE, a popular passenger
conductor on the Vicksburg division of
Q the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.,
was born in Harrisburg, Can., March
18, 1864. Mr. McMurtrie is of Scotch descent.
His father, Mathew A., was a native <5f Scotland,
but emigrated to Canada when a young man, and
was for many years connected with the Great
Western R. R. as agent and telegrapher. He
departed this life in 1882. The mother of our
subject was, before her marriage, Miss McKen-
zie, a name honorably connected with the history
of Scotland. The subject of this sketch received
his early training in the schools of Cass City,
Michigan, where he made his home with an un-
cle. At the age of fifteen he began railroad life
on the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin R. R. as
an engine wiper in the round house at Pontiac,
Michigan. After one year there he entered the
road service as fireman between Pontiac and
Cassville, a distance of one hundred miles, re-
maining there one year. He then returned to
the round house at Pontiac as hostler, working
there three months. His next employment was
as brakeman on the Missouri Pacific R. R. be-
tween St. Louis and DeSoto, Missouri, where he
worked six months, and from there went to
\ icksburg, Miss., where lie entered the employ
ot the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R.
(now the Y. & M. V. R. R.), as brakeman and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
215
baggageman between Leland and Allen, Miss.
After filling the latter position for one year he
was promoted to conductor on the local, between
Memphis, Tennessee, and Cleveland, Mississippi,
and in 1897 was promoted to the passenger
service. Mr. McMurtrie affiliates with the Ma-
sonic order, Order of Elks, and O. R. C. He
attends the Presbyterian church, and prefers to
be independent in politics.
JOHN L. McGUIRE, the oldest engineer
on the Memphis division in active ser-
vice, has had an eventful life, full of
experiences that have seldom ever be-
fallen a human being. His railroad experience
began at the early age of fifteen as helper to
C. C. Jarvis, a machinist on the Nashville &
Northwestern, serving three years. He then ac-
cepted a place with the New Orleans & Ohio
railroad, working on the section. It was while
thus employed that a severe and peculiar acci-
dent occurred to him. During a trip of the con-
struction train he slipped and fell under the mov-
ing car sustaining severe injuries. With his
spinal column dislocated, his breast crushed in,
several ribs broken, his head injured and a badly
damaged foot, he was gathered up for dead and
no one supposed that he would survive for more
than a few hours. Little was done for him at
first by the surgeons, because it was thought use-
less, but when it was seen that his wonderful
vitality was keeping him alive, proper attention
was given him and after a confinement of eleven
months to his bed he was able to set his foot on
the ground again. As soon as able to work he
was given a place as brakeman on the road then
known as the New Orleans & Ohio Railroad un-
der the presidency of Mr. Fate Flourney.
Railroading on the line at that time was
primitive in the extreme. There was but one
train with a crew of six men, the engineer, fire-
man, conductor and three brakemen. There was
between Paducah and Union City, but one train
a day each way six days a week, and on Sunday
the engineer repaired his engine, the fireman
polished the bright parts and the brakemen
scrubbed the coaches. After the completion of
the road to Rives in 1871, there was an additional
train put on, a local freight, and more like
modern railroad principles instituted.
Mr. McGuire did not long remain a brake-
man, and when the first new engine, the " H.
Norton," was brought onto the line he was given
. the place of fireman under the instruction of en-
gineer B. F. Adams, the first engineer on the
road. In 1873 when the business of the road
increased so that an additional engine became
necessary, Mr. McGuire was promoted and
placed in charge, and was assigned to the pile-
driver service when that was put on, serving here
for a year and a half.
On January 27, 1875, occurred the second
exciting experience in our subject's career. Driv-
ing a Baldwin engine that had been built for the
government during the war, drawing the pay
car over the line, Boaz station had been reached
on the return trip about five o'clock in the eve-
ning. While standing on the track, without a
moment's warning, the boiler exploded, landing
parts of the plates a quarter of a mile away and"
the smoke stack four hundred yards from the
scene. Mr. McGuire was standing on the deck
at the time and escaped with three fractures of
his right leg, a split ankle and serious cuts from
flying glass, one piece nearly severing the jugular
vein. With no telegraph to summon a surgeon,
Mr. McGuire lay on the platform while the super-
intendent walked five miles to get a' handcar to
go to Paducah for help, returning about eleven
o'clock. After patching him up the best that
could be done there, the patient was removed to
Paducah and for another long period of eight
months was confined to his room.
As soon as able to resume his duties, Mr.
McGuire was given a run between Paducah and
Fulton, pulling a coal train, and June 20, 1876,
he was assigned to a passenger run to Newbern,
Dryersburg and Covington successively as the
road was completed to those points. In the
216
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
month of August, 1882, when the above named
road was completed to Memphis, it was a gala
day, a public celebration being held. A train of
six coaches with the mayor and city council left
Paducah, with our subject at the throttle, and at
Rialto met the officials of the road and celebrated
the event of the completion by driving the golden
spike. On the opening of the road Mr. McGuire
was given his present run in the fast passenger
service between Paducah and Memphis on a
Baldwin engine Xo. 554. During the inter-
vening years many large and extensive improve-
ments have been made. From a rough, uneven
road-bed with heavy grades, under the succeed-
ing management a fine road bed with gravel bal-
last has been built, the grades reduced, new
trestles put in, and new station buildings erected.
During the earlier years of the operation of the
road the old " chair rail " was used, and a train
load was not more than seven cars. Up to 1883
the engines in vogue on this line were the -old
wood burners and the first air brake was installed
in 1879. The passenger coaches were small and
the upholstering meagre, while in case of an
emergency rush benches were fastened to flat cars
to accommodate the crowds. Twenty miles an
hour was the schedule time while now nearly
twice the speed is required with numerous stops
on the way.
In 1883 a third thrilling incident occurred
in the life of the subject of this sketch. While
running a fast passenger train approaching a
sharp reverse curve, the engine struck a box car
that had got out of the siding and was spinning
along the down grade at the rate of fifty miles an
hour. Although the engine was turned over
and rolled into the ditch in a demolished condi-
tion, and the baggage car telescoped as far as
the boiler, Mr. McGuire emerged with his life
though somewhat bruised. He has had thrilling
experiences with floods, one notable instance be-
ing on February 18, 1884, when he brought the
last train into Paducah before traffic was sus-
pended, running part of the time in ten to twenty
inches of water until the water reached the fire
box and the mail and passengers had to be trans-
ferred in boats some six miles to the landing.
Hugh McGuire, father of our subject, had
also an unusual career. As a lad he was a wit-
ness of the battle of Waterloo, and well remem-
bers seeing the Iron Duke. Shipping in a ves-
sel for America in 1820, he was shipwrecked on
the coast of New Brunswick, rescued and landed
at St. Johns. Not frightened by his experience
here, he shipped as a sailor and for a number of
years followed the sea, and later served on ves-
sels plying the great lakes. It was while engaged
here that he met at Erie the woman who became
his wife, and, leaving the water, he learned stone
cutting, and after the birth of our subject moved
to Tennessee.
Born at Erie and reared in Tennessee, John
L. McGuire's marriage occurred at Paducah,
Miss Jane Jones, a native of Georgia, being the
woman of his choice. To them have been born
four children : Margaret E., wife of Mr. John
Gossett ; Mabel Maude ; John Norman, clerking
for the Scott Hardware Company, and Mamie,
still in school, and all residing in Paducah.
Mr. McGuire has been unusually prominent
in social orders. He is a charter member of the
local division of the B. of L. E., and served
seven years in the presiding chair. He served
as chairman of the General Adjustment Commit-
tee, which at one time held a session of twenty-
two days in Chicago. He takes a prominent part
in the insurance department of the order and at
the present time is serving as secretary of that
body. For eight years he represented the en-
gineers on the board of trustees of the Paducah
hospital, and was an active worker in securing
the establishment of the institution, one of the
most complete of its kind in the country. He is
a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity,
holding membership in Blue Lodge No. 449,
Chapter No. 30, and in the Consistory, with
which he has been affiliated for fifteen years.
Mr. McGuire has demonstrated his finan-
cial ability in securing a handsome home in the
city of Paducah, and a fine farm a short distance
from town, which is now very much enhanced
in value, owing to the location of the Union de-
pot within a short distance of it.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
217
During a long and exceedingly eventful ca-
reer, " Old Dad McGuire " has never received
a mark of demerit and has nothing to which to
look back with regret. His career has been one
in which his children may take pardonable pride,
and a railroad record to which younger members
of the craft may turn for inspiration. It is a
pleasure and an honor to anyone to have called
him friend. Up to June I, 1900, Mr. McGuire
has covered 1,200,000 miles in the passenger
service.
CAMPBELL, the capable train de-
spatcher for the Illinois Central in
Memphis, Tennessee, is a Canadian
by birth, and of Scotch ancestry. He
was born in Elgin county, Ontario, February 24,
1864. His parents, A. and Catherine (Taylor)
Campbell, were farmers of that place ; both are
now deceased, the former in 1893 ancl tne latter
in 1877. The Campbell family settled in Canada
in 1833. Angus Campbell, a brother of our sub-
ject, residing at Shreveport, Louisiana, is an en-
gineer in the service of the Kansas City, Pitts-
burg & Gulf R. R. The subject of this sketch
received his early training in the public schools
of Avon, Ontario, working on a farm at inter-
vals until 1878. In that year he commenced
work in a saw-mill where he remained three
years. He began railroad life in 1880 on the
Michigan Central Railroad at Taylor, Ontario,
as pumper at a gravel pit, taking up the study of
telegraphy at the same time. In 1882 he was a
competent operator, and was employed in thai
line at various points until April 1884, when he
went to North Dakota for a change of climate,
remaining there until November of that year.
He then returned to the service of the Michigan
Central as operator at Comber, Ontario, holding
that position until July 27. 1885, when he re-
signed to enter the employ of the Milwaukee,
Lake Shore & Western R. R. He was with the
latter road as operator until August 14, 1886,
when he was called to Ashland, Wisconsin, and
promoted to train despatcher, occupying that po-
sition until July 1892. On August 6, 1892,
he became identified with the Northern Pacific
R. R. as train despatcher at Dickinson, North
Dakota, where he remained until December i,
1893, when the Missouri and Yellowstone di-
visions were consolidated, with headquarters at
Glendive, Montana, to which place he was trans-
ferred and remained there until December 18,
1898.
On the latter date he resigned to accept his
present position with the Illinois Central. Jan-
uary 26, 1895, Miss Mary Agnes Gillespie, of
Glendive, Montana, became the wife of Mr.
Campbell. She was born at Wheeling, West
Virginia, February 8, 1873. Two children are
the result of their union : Archibald A., born
November 20, 1896, and Grace C, born Sep-
tember 11, 1898. Mr. Campbell belongs to the
Knights of Pythias and Knights of Maccabees.
His religious connection is with the Presbyterian
church, and in politics he votes with the Demo-
cratic party.
HARLES L. JORDAN, a conductor in
the freight service of the Yazoo & Mis-
sissippi Valley R. R. on the Vicksburg
division, was born in Macon, Tennes-
see, December 18, 1871. His parents were C.
W. and Caroline (Boswell) Jordan, respected
farmers, both now deceased; the former in 1899,
and the latter in 1882. The grandfather of our
subject. Rev. T. L. Boswell, was a prominent
Methodist minister and for many years a presid-
ing elder. Mr. Jordan attended the public
schools of Oakland, Tennessee, and began life
as a newsboy on the Tennessee Midland R. R.,
running between Memphis and Perryville, Ten-
nessee, where he remained about eight months.
He then came to the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mississippi Val-
ley R. R.), and was a newsboy there between
Memphis and Vicksburg. He then secured a
position as flagman on a passenger train, and
218
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
after three months service, not being of age, had
to give up his position. He returned to his for-
mer position on the Louisville & Nashville R. R.,
running between Memphis and Bowling Green,
Kentucky. Returning to the Louisville, New
Orleans & Texas R. R., he was employed there
as flagman and baggageman for one year, and
was also flagman in the freight service of the
road. In October 1896, he was promoted to con-
ductor, and is now in the freight service between
Memphis and Vicksburg, where he is a worthy
and capable employe. Miss Mary F. Perkins,
of Memphis, became the wife of Mr. Jordan on
July 8th, 1895. Socially he is connected with the
O. R. C. The Methodist church finds in Mr.
and Mrs. Jordan valued members. Politically
he is a Democrat. P>eing essentially a self-made
man, Mr. Jordan may well be proud of his suc-
cess in life.
F. MIXON is a popular engineer in
the freight service on the Louisiana
Q division of the Illinois Central. He
first became connected with the I.
C. in 1889 as a car-repairer in the shops of the
company at McComb City, and was later trans-
ferred to the carpenter shops, working until 1891.
He then embarked in the livery business at Mag-
nolia, Mississippi, but remained there only one
year, when he returned to McComb City and for
a time clerked in a large mercantile house there.
On October 16, 1895, he re-entered the ser-
vice of the I. C., as fireman on engine No. 718,
with Engineer Ed Forclish. Serving in this ca-
pacity until September 16, 1899, he was then
examined and promoted to engineer in the freight
service, between McComb City and New Orleans,
which position he is filling at the present time
with eminent satisfaction.
Mr. Mixon is a native of McComb City,
having been born September i, 1871. His
father. Abner J. Mixon, is a mechanic in the
shops there, and is a valued employe of the
company.
Our subject married Miss Alice Andrews,
of McComb City, and they have one child, Wil-
liam Bernard, a fine boy. Socially he is con-
nected with Division No. 411, B. of L. F. and
is also a member of Myrtle Lodge, No. 36,
Knights of Pythias. In religious views both he
and his wife are adherents of the Baptist faith.
They reside in a pretty and well-furnished home
on Fourth street, in McComb City, where Mr.
Mixon is a useful and popular citizen.
T. HOSKINS, a conductor in the
freight service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral on the Grenada district of the
Memphis division, was born in
Louisville, Kentucky, November 8, 1856. His
parents were C. W. and Susan (Williams) Hos-
kins, both deceased. Mr. Hoskins Sr. being a
fanner, the early life of our subject was spent
like that of most fanners' sons, working on the
farm and attending school. He was educated in
the public and private schools of Corydon, Ken-
tucky, and was occupied with rural pursuits until
reaching manhood. At the age of twenty-two
he went to Louisville, Kentucky, and there be-
gan his railroad career in the shops of the Pa-
ducah & Elizabethtown R. R., working until the
road was sold. He then went to the St. Louis
& South-Eastern R. R. (L. & N.), securing a
position as brakeman between Nashville, Tennes-
see, and Henderson, Kentucky, when after a
short service, he was appointed yard master at
Earlington, Kentucky. He occupied the latter
position about eighteen months, when he was
promoted to conductor in the freight service, and
afterward in the passenger department, between
Nashville and St. Louis. He resigned in 1886
to embark in the grocery business in St. Louis,
and was in business there for one year when he
sold out and went to Memphis. He there be-
came identified with the Illinois Central, work-
ing first in the yards, then as brakeman, and fi-
nally as conductor. He is very acceptably filling
ELI W. PERKINS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
the latter position at the present time, being in
charge of a run between Memphis, Tennessee,
and Grenada, Mississippi. When a young man
of twenty-four, Mr. Hoskins married Miss Bet-
tie Henton of Sedalia, Missouri, a lady of excel-
lent qualities of mind and heart, who died in
1882. Two children were born to them, viz:
Minnie, the wife of M. H. McLean, and Charles,
a flagman in the I. C. service, all residing at
Memphis. Mr. Hoskins belongs to the Masonic
order, and the O. R. C. He is a Methodist in
belief and a Democrat in politics.
and in 1896 he was changed to the Daylight
Special, with engine No. 905. On Decoration
Day, 1885, engine No. 119 blew up with him at
Wildwood, and our subject received injuries
which came near costing him his life; as it was
he escaped with five months' confinement in a
hospital. Mr. Perkins is a member of Division
No. 10, B. of L. E., of which he was former sec-
retary of insurance, and is also a member of
Blue Lodge No. 508, A. F. & A. M., of Chicago.
He married Miss Lizzie Downes, of Wells,
Minn., and has two children, Eli W. Jr., who
is a great favorite among the railroad boys, and
Miss Clara.
LI W. PERKINS, a representative loco-
motive engineer on the Illinois Central,
is a native of Bath, Maine. In 1876
he became a fireman on the New York
& New England Railway, of Massachusetts, in
freight service, running from Boston to Hart-
ford, Conn., remaining here one year, at the end
of which time he was promoted to the passenger
service where he fired two years. He was then
promoted to engineer and pulled freight on the
same road for one year and eight months when
he resigned .and went to Albuquerque, N. M.,
and accepted a position there as a freight en-
gineer on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. This
was in the early days of railroading in that coun-
try and the above road was just being con-
structed. He had only been there seven months
when smallpox broke out and he left and came
north. His next position was pulling freight on
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at
Wells, Minn., remaining there one year when he
resigned and on February 2, 1883, he began his
services with the Illinois Central pulling freight
with engine No. 170 on the Chicago division,
and remained in that service until January 1892,
when he was promoted to passenger engineer;
his first regular run was pulling what was then
called the Riverview Hotel train. During 1893
his run was extended to Champaign and in Sep-
tember he began pulling the Diamond Special,
GUIS J. FASS, chief clerk at the Illi-
nois Central freight office at Louisville,
Kentucky, was born in Louisville in
1873. His father is Frank Pass, a sta-
tionary engineer, who resides in Louisville. His
mother died when he was but thirteen years of
age.
Our subject received his education in the
public schools. Leaving school at the age of
fifteen, he went to work in a wall paper store,
remained there a short time and August 15, 1890,
he entered the service of the C. O. & S. W. in
the stationery department, working there one
year, and was then promoted to a position in the
auditor's office in which department he held va-
rious positions, until February 1896, when he
went into a local freight office as revising clerk
where he remained until August 1896, when he
was appointed assistant chief clerk, and in Aug-
ust 1898, he was appointed chief clerk of the local
freight office to succeed L. T. Nash.
Mr. Fass is but twenty-seven years of age,
and holds a very responsible position, having
nineteen clerks under him in the various depart-
ments, with a stenographer. He is a bright,
successful young railroad man, and in his ser-
vice so far has had rapid promotions. He re-
sides at 1624 W. Market street, Louisville, Ken-
tucky,
222
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JOHN G. JONES, a highly popular con-
ductor in the passenger service of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. on the
Vicksburg division, was born in Jeffer-
son county, Mississippi, August 26, 1869, and
is the son of Eli R. and Mary L. (West) Jones,
residing in Harriston, Mississippi. Eli R. Jones
is a lawyer by profession, and a man of promi-
nence in his district, having twice represented
its citizens in the legislature. John G. Jones,
attended the public schools of Fayette, Missis-
sippi, and in 1885, at the age of sixteen, took a
contract to carry the U. S. mails, between Har-
riston and Union Church, Mississippi, a distance
of twenty miles. He was in the government ser-
vice nearly a year, when he decided to enter rail-
road life, and entered the service of what is
now a part of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. as a bridge carpenter. After working for
two months, he was appointed assistant foreman
of a construction gang, and held that position
six months. Receiving an offer from the Pa-
cific Express Company, to act as their' agent at
Harriston, he accepted, but remained there but
a short time. He then entered the service of
the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. as
express messenger, between Leland and Glen Al-
len, Mississippi, where after a service of two
years, he became baggage master on the same
run, occupying the latter position until the spring
of 1889. About that time, he became identified
with the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as
brakeman on the New Orleans division, between
Vicksburg and New Orleans, and in Septem-
ber of that year, was promoted to conductor in
the freight service of that road.
In 1891 he was given charge of a mixed
train between Leland and Arkansas City, and
in 1896 took charge of the local freight between
Memphis and Clarksdale Mississippi. In 1897
he had a through freight run, and acted also as
extra passenger conductor, and in September
1898, was promoted to conductor in the passenger
service, where he has since remained, having a
run between Memphis, Tennessee, and Vicks-
burg. Mississippi. On October 3. 1893, Mr.
Jones was united in marriage to Miss Euphemia
Melchior, of Rosedale, Mississippi, her native
place. They are the parents of three fine chil-
dren, Evelyn, born December i, 1894, John M.,
born January i, 1897, ancl Charles, born April
25, 1900. Mr. Jones is connected socially, with
Masonic Lodge No. 206, Royal Arch Chapter,
Delta Commandery No. 16, and Alchymia Shrine.
and Greenville Lodge No. 148, B. P. O. E. of
Greenville, Mississippi, also the O. R. C. of
Memphis.
His family attend the Hernando Street
Methodist church of Memphis. In his political
views Mr. Jones is a Democrat. Mr. Jones dis-
charges his duties in such a manner as to win
the confidence of his employers, and the good
will and respect of the traveling public. As a
citizen he stands high in the city of Memphis,
where he resides in a nice home on McLamorc
street.
gms,
jHAKLES J. QUIGGINS, freight agent
at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, first saw
the light of day in Elizabethtown in
1868. His father was C. W. Quig-
a merchant of Elizabethtown. At this
place our subject received his early education,
and afterwards learned the printer's trade, after
which he. entered the service of the L. & N.
Railroad around the station at Elizabethtown,
learning telegraph operating. In 1888 he began
his occupation as operator with Agent C. G.
Wintersmith, remaining there seven years, until
1895, when he began working for the C. O. &
S. W. as operator, afterward serving as relief
agent. In the year 1895 he was made agent to
succeed F. G. Corlev, now county clerk of Har-
clin county. Our subject's assistants are H. W.
Mahall, chief clerk and operator; Ben Skees,
freight clerk : and A. M. Ramey, warehouse man.
At this station there is a Postal Telegraph, and
our subject is the American Express agent.
Elizabethtown is the seat of Hardin county,
and has a population of three thousand people.
It was at one time the site of the Paducah & Eliz-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
223
abethtown shops, which employed five hundred
men. The station shipments are fruit and they
have large shipments of peaches ; also horses,
mules, grains and flour. Mr. Quiggins does a
great deal of soliciting and through his tireless
efforts has increased the business of the station
in a great measure, making it necessary to en-
large the freight house to twice its former . ca-
pacity, and it is now too small. Our subject is
a great worker, and has much opposition on the
L. & N., but he is a young man who is sure to
advance in the work he has to do. He married
Miss Stark, a daughter of J. W. Stark, of Coles-
burg, Kentucky, and has two small children.
He belongs to the Blue Lodge, A. F. & A. M.,
and also the K. of P. of Elizabethtown. He is
now living on Main street, Elizabethtown, Ken-
. tucky.
1CHAEL J. KEIRCE, a popular pas-
senger conductor, was -born in Louis-
ville, Kentucky, in January 1863.
His father was an old railroad man
who worked on the construction of the B. & O.
He died in 1891, while the mother died in Janu-
ary 1899.
Our subject began railroad life when twen-
ty-two years of age as brakeman on a work train
on the Ohio Valley Railroad between Henderson
and Morganfield, in 1886. He continued as
brakeman eighteen months and was then given
charge of a local freight train for two years, when
he was promoted to the passenger service July
25, 1889. During all these years he has escaped
personal injury.
Mr. Keirce has noticed the great civilizing
influence of the railroad in the people along his
own run. When the road first ran through, the
old people went bare-footed, now they are well
dressed and live in better houses. He has also
seen many thriving towns spring up. Our sub-
ject belongs to Howell division No. 381, O. R.
C., in which he has been Assistant Chief, and
has also held various other offices. He is at
present chairman of the Local Grievance Board.
He is also a member of Lodge No. 343, A. O.
t". W., at Evansville, Indiana. Mr. Keirce mar-
ried Miss Glen, of Louisville, and they have a
daughter, Miss Nellie. Three children died
when very young.
ENJAMIN T. LAWRENCE, a popular
conductor in the passenger service on
the New Orleans division of the Ya-
zoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., is a
native of Ohio county, Kentucky, born April 2,
1859. His parents, Jonathan and Margaret E.
(Coates) Lawrence, were respected farmers of
that county, and departed this life in 1872 and
1873 respectively. Mr. Lawrence attended the
schools of his native county, assisting in the work
on his father's farm, and at the age of thirteen
began life as a clerk and followed other pursuits
until nineteen years old. He then entered rail-
road life on the Elizabethtown & Paducah R. R.,
assisting in constructing a telegraph line be-
tween Central City and Paducah, six months be-
ing occupied in that work. He was next em-
ployed as a brakeman on that road between the
same points, and held the position for eighteen
months. In the meantime the road had acquired
control of a branch between Cecelia and Louis-
ville, Kentucky, and Mr. Lawrence was promot-
ed to conductor in the freight service on that
branch, and ran between Louisville and Central
City. Soon after the road was known as the
Chesapeake, Ohio & South-Western R. R. (now
part of the I. C. system), and he remained with
the new company until 1883. He then went to
Texas, securing a position as brakeman with the
Missouri Pacific R. R., serving afterward as
yard master at Victoria, Texas, for the New
York, Texas & Mexican R. R. Becoming ser-
iously ill about this time, he was obliged to
go to a hospital, where he remained several
months, and upon his recovery went north to
Brazil, Indiana. He there entered the employ
of the Chicago & Indiana Coal Company as a
224
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
conductor between Brazil and Fairbanks, hold-
ing that position two years. In 1887 he went to
.Memphis, Tennessee, and from that city to New
Orleans, where he became identified with the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as a_ conduc-
tor in the freight service between Memphis and
Vicksburg. After eight months successful work
in that service he was promoted to the extra pas-
senger service, and in September 1892 was again
promoted to the regular passenger service, and
is now in charge of a run between New Orleans
and Vicksburg. On September 17, 1894, Mr.
Lawrence was married to Miss Elizabeth G. Mc-
Gregor, who was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi,
September 19, 1875, and educated in the schools
of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Seattle, Wash-
ington. Thomas Gordon Lawrence, born July
14, 1895, is the result of their union. Mr. Law-
rence is a member of Vicksburg Division No.
231, O. R. C. Politically he is a staunch Demo-
crat. Mr. Lawrence finds time during his leis-
ure moments to cultivate his taste for fine lit-
erature, being especially fond of historical works
and the higher English writings. He is a very
popular man on the road, and his friends in his
home city of New Orleans are many and sincere.
'ILLIAM GARNER BEANLAND,
a popular conductor in the freight
service on the Vicksburg division
of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R., is a native of Batesville, Mississippi,
where he was born February 21, 1871. He is
a son of Dr. E. D. and Elizabeth (Archibald)
Beanland. Dr. Beanland was a medical prac-
titioner of thirty-nine years standing in the south
and was for many years a member of the state
board of health in Mississippi. He departed
this life on March 28, 1897. His wife was of
Scotch lineage, but born in Mississippi. She re-
sides at Batesville.
Mr. Beanland graduated from the Batesville
high school in June 1890, and in December of
that year entered the service of the United States
Express company as a messenger on the Louis-
ville & Nashville R. R. between Anniston and
Gadsden, Alabama, serving until 1895, when he
was appointed a conductor in the freight service
of that road and on the same run. He held the
position of conductor until April 1897, when he
resigned to embark in the hotel business at Tal-
ladega Springs, a health resort of note in Ala-
bama. He conducted the hotel until January
1898, when he disposed of it and went to Mem-
phis and secured the position of chief clerk for
the American Express company, where he re-
mained until December 1898. Entering the em-
ploy of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
on that date as conductor in the freight service,
between Memphis and Vicksburg, he has since
successfully filled that position. On the 2ist of
April, 1897, Mr. Beanland married Miss Stella
Onderdonk, a native of Brooksburg, Ind., but
residing at Calera, Alabama. She is a popular
lady of fine musical attainments. They have one
child, Dorothy, born September 14, 1898.
Socially our subject is connected with the
Knights of Pythias, also the Uniform Rank,
of Gadsden, Alabama. He is also a member
of the Modern Woodmen of the World, and of
the O. R. C. In religious affairs his family
united with the Presbyterian church, but Mrs.
P>eanland is a member of the Episcopal church.
Politically he is a Democrat.
C. HALL is a popular engineer in
the freight service on the Louis-
Q iana division of the Illinois Cen-
tral. He entered the service of
the I. C. in 1897 as engineer, and was at once
given charge of a run between Canton, Missis-
sippi, and New Orleans, which he still holds.
His first knowledge of railroad work was ac-
quired on the L. & N. R. R., where he worked in
1889 as brakeman. After eighteen months ser-
vice with that road he went to the Georgia Pa-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
225
cific R. R. as fireman, at which he served five
years, being then promoted to engineer. As en-
gineer he worked with that company for three
years, or until 1897, when he came to the I. C.
Mr. Hall was horn in Florence, Alabama,
November 8, 1866, his father, George W. Hall,
now deceased, having been a prominent farmer
of that vicinity. A brother of our subject, Jos-
eph J. Hall, is an employe of the I. C., being a
brakeman, and residing at McComb City. W.
C. Hall was united in marriage to Miss Yolande
Kennedy, and they are the parents of two fine
children. Socially he is a member of Division
Xo. 196, B. of L. E., and he and his estimable
wife are attendants of the Methodist church in
East McComb City, where they reside in a com-
fortable home. •
JOHN HARPER, foreman of the foundry
at the shops of the Illinois Central at
McComb City, Mississippi, is an old and
faithful employe of the company, re-
spected alike by the officials of the road and his
fellow-employes. When the N. O. J. & G. N.
R. R. was bought by the I. C., he was with the
former, and has remained with the latter ever
since, having lost only one month during, his en-
tire service.
Born in the city of Belfast, Ireland, on Feb.
2, 1835, Mr. Harper emigrated to America in
1858, and landing in New York City, at once
found employment at his trade, that of a moul-
der. He afterward went west to Chicago. Illi-
nois, working there for a time, and from that
city to Ottawa, in the same state, as foreman in
a foundry. From the latter place he went to
La Salle, Illinois, where he worked at his trade
for three years. He then went to New Orleans
and was with the N. O. J. & G. N. R. R. in the
warehouse there, and was also a fireman on the
old engine " The Creole." He then found em-
ployment at his trade in that city, and in 1861
went to Selma, Alabama, where he remained one
vear. From Selma he went to Athens, Georgia,
working there at his trade until 1867, when he
returned to New Orleans, and re-entered the ser-
vice of the N. O. J. & G. N. R. R.
In 1872 Mr. Harper took up his residence in
McComb City, and was appointed foreman of
the foundry in the I. C. shops which position he
holds at the present time. Since becoming iden-
tified with the I. C. he has worked satisfactorily
under eleven master mechanics. Eighteen men
are at present under his supervision.
Mr. Harper was married in New Orleans,
to Miss Eliza Anne Healy, and they are the pa-
rents of an interesting family of five children,
viz : Sidney J. who occupies the position of day-
foreman of the 1. C. round-house, at McComb
City ; Sarah, wife of Mr. Livingstone, an I. C.
engineer ; Matthew, employed in a mercantile
house; Rachel, who is at home, and Robert, a
machinist in the I. C. shops.
Socially our subject is connected with Ma-
sonic Lodge No. 382, of McComb City, and is
a life-member of Concord Chapter of New Or-
leans. He is also a Knight of Honor, which or-
ganization he joined in 1878.
In his religious views he is liberal, but in-
clined toward the principles of Free-thought.
Mr. Harper is one of the substantial citizens
of McComb City, owning a comfortable home on
Railroad avenue, besides much other valuable
property.
J WESLEY BROWN, a popular young
conductor on the Louisiana division of
Q the Illinois Central, acquired his first
knowledge of railroad work on the
Mobile & Ohio R. R. He was in the employ of
that road as brakeman for three years, with
headquarters at Meridian, Mississippi. Going to
McComb City in February 1896, he entered the
service of the I. C. as brakeman on the Louisiana
division of the road, and in November 1899 was
promoted to conductor in the freight service,
which position he now holds. He has been in a
few small wrecks, and was once injured and tin-
226
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
able to work for a few weeks. Mr. Brown was
born at Lockhart, Mississippi, on February 7,
1872. J. Wesley Brown Sr., his father, deceased,
was a prominent farmer and planter of that place.
Of the social orders Mr. Brown belongs to Di-
vision No. 264 B. of R. T., and is also a member
of the K. O. T. M., of McComb City, where he
makes his home.
AVID C. MORTHLAND, who holds
the responsible position of general
yardmaster for the Illinois Central at
Memphis, Tennessee, was born in
Cleveland, Ohio, November 24, 1866. He is a
son of Abraham and Louise (Whitacre) Morth-
land, the latter having died in 1869. Mr. Morth-
land Sr. is a conductor in the service of the
Pennsylvania R. R., residing at Alliance, Ohio.
Our subject attended the public schools of Al-
liance and Steubenville, Ohio, and in 1881 served
on the Pennsylvania R. R. as water-boy on a
work train ; soon he became a brakeman on the
same train. He was in that service about one
year, when transferred to Steubenville as switch-
man in the yards of that place, and from the lat-
ter work went as brakeman on the local freight,
between Steubenville and Dennison, Ohio, re-
maining in that capacity about four months. He
resigned from the road to engage in business at
Orrville, Ohio, and was in the -mercantile line
there until January 1886, when he entered the
service of the Chesapeake, Ohio & South Western
R. R. at Paducah, Kentucky, as brakeman.
Early in 1887 he was promoted to conductor,
and soon afterward to yardmaster, at Memphis.
In March 1894, he went to the Cotton Belt R.
R. at Commerce, Texas, as conductor in the
freight service and extra passenger, and re-
mained with that road two years. He then re-
turned to the T. C. at Memphis, and was ap-
pointed general yardmaster at that place, retain-
ing the position and satisfactorily filling it at
the present time. The entire yards of the Illi-
nois Central and the Yazoo & Missisippi Valley
R. R. at Memphis, are under his supervision.
Mr. Morthlancl was on December 27, 1887,
united in marriage to Miss Mollie Foley, of
Memphis, who was born in that city October
12. 1868. They are the parents of two children,
Margaret and Mary ; the former's birth occuring
in 1890. and the latter's in 1893. Of the social
orders, Mr. Morthland belongs to the O. R. C.,
Knights and Ladies of Honor, and the Masonic
organization. His family attend the Catholic
church. In politics he is a staunch Democrat.
L. MUNN, a well-known engineer
in the freight service of the Illi-
Q nois Central, on the Louisiana
division, was born in Kendall-
ville, Ind., March 19, 1870, but was reared and
educated at Big Rapids, Mich. He is the son
of Rev. Charles A. and Anna (McLain) Munn,
the former a native of Ohio and the latter of
Pittsburg, Pa., both of whom are now residing
at Fresno, Cal., where Mr. Munn is the pastor
of a Presbyterian church. Charles B., a brother
of our subject, was a valued employe of the I. C.
and lost his life in a wreck near New Orleans in
1892.
W. L. Munn acquired a good education in
the common schools of his native city, and at
the age of fifteen began to learn the trade of a
printer in the office of The Current, at Big Rap-
ids. From there he went to Muskegon, Mich.,
and was employed on the Morning Nnvs and
Chronicle, and later on the Inland Printer.
of Chicago. Compelled to seek more active em-
ployment on account of failing health, he went
south to Jackson, Miss., and on October 19,
1890, secured a position as fireman on the Yazoo
branch of the I. C. with Engineer E. Fordish.
Four months later he went to McComb City,
Miss., and entered the service of the company
there as fireman on the Louisiana division under
Engineers Ford and Burke. He was engaged
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
227
in that branch of the service three years, and
in 1893 was examined and received his creden-
tials as locomotive engineer. On January 21,
1894, he took charge of Engine No. 1338, in the
freight service, and has since been employed on
the Louisiana division in that capacity. He now
has charge of a regular run on engine No. 717.
He has never been injured, although in two acci-
dents, in both of which his engine was over-
turned.
Mr. Munn was married to Miss Charlotte
\V. Waring, of Liberty, Miss., and they have one
child, Charles Thomas, a fine boy. He is con-
nected with Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of
McComb City, and during his old printing days,
to which he looks back with pleasure and satis-
faction, was a member of the Typographical
Union. Mr. Munn resides with his family in a
pretty home in the western part of McComb
City, and takes an active interest in the affairs
of the town.
O. WHITE, a well-known conduc-
tor in the freight service of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
on the Vicksburg division, was
born May 13, 1866, in Tate county, Mississippi.
His parents, T. B. and Virginia (Jennings)
White, are now residents of Memphis, Tennes-
see. Mr. White received his educational train-
ing in the public schools of Senatobia, Missis-
sippi, and at Oxford in that state. At the age
of seventeen he entered a general store at Sena-
tobia as salesman, working there for about nine
months, and acquiring a knowledge of mercan-
tile life. Going to Memphis, he became connec-
ted with F. .Ozane in the stove and mantle busi-
ness, but after one year went tp the dry goods
firm of Hunter Bros., and was for six years in
their employ. In 1891 he entered the service of
the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R.
as fireman and engineer, between Memphis and
Birmingham, and was in the employ of that
company for three years. Returning to his for-
mer position with Hunter Bros., of Memphis, he
remained there nine months and again entered
railroad life as fireman on the Yazoo & Missis-
sippi Valley R. R. He resigned after a short
service, and for the next year was a stationary
engineer in the employ of the Memphis Compress
Company.
He then returned to the Y. & M. V. R. R.
as flagman on the Vicksburg division, and after
three years service as flagman was promoted to
conductor, and is now in that branch of the ser-
vice, giving eminent satisfaction. Mr. White
was, on April 25, 1897, united to Miss Mamie
Kerr, of Byhalia, Mississippi, a native of Tate
county, born July 30, 1874, and a very estimable
lady. He is a member of the O. R. C., and of
the Odd Fellows. Mr. and Mrs. White are
members of the Baptist church. In politics he
votes with the Democratic party
OARRY C. BENWELL, a rising young
conductor in the Grenada district,
j_l ]\ Memphis division, of the Illinois Cen-
tral, entered the service of the com-
pany in February 1895 as store-keeper at the
Memphis round-house. He was employed there
until May 12, 1896, when he became a flagman
on a passenger train between Memphis and Can-
ton, Mississippi. He soon afterward secured
a position as brakeman in the freight service,
and on May 12, 1899, was promoted to conductor
on the same division, where he still remains. Mr.
Benwell was born in Canton, Mississippi, No-
vember 25, 1875. His parents were Harry R.
C. and Medora (Wood) Benwell, the latter liv-
ing in Memphis. Mr. Benwell Sr. was chan-
cery clerk of Madison county, Mississippi, and
died of yellow fever in 1878. The early train-
ing of our subject was acquired in a private
school in his native city. In 1892, he was ap-
pointed a page in the Mississippi state legisla-
ture and served through two sessions. In 1893
he entered the drug business, and remained in
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
that line until his connection with the I. C. in
1895. Mr. Benwell is a Catholic in faith, and
a Democrat in politics. He is a young man of
fine abilities, destined to make his mark in any
line where he may decide to operate. He is
one of the youngest conductors in the' service of
the Illinois Central road.
JOHN MULVIN, familiarly known as
"Trilby," began his railroad career
in 1877, on the Paducah & Memphis
Railroad as a wiper under foreman G.
M. Taylor. October i, 1879, he began firing
and occupied the left side of the engine three
years when he was promoted, running through
freight to Memphis. In 1888 he went to the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas, now the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley branch of the Illinois
Central road. He remained there from 1888
to 1891, running in passenger and freight ser-
vice all over the line. It was during his service
on this line that Mr. Mulvin was injured in a
rear end collision at Hollywood, running a spe-
cial train. With no flag out, he struck the local,
going at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The
engine was demolished, the caboose and ten cars
wrecked, and he was laid up one year with two
broken ankles and numerous bruises
In 1894 he went to the Chesapeake, Ohio &
Southwestern Railroad and was given a freight
run between Paducah and Louisville, and in
1895, when the division was divided, he was
given a run between Paducah and Central City.
Our subject's present engine is a new Brooks,
No. 21, and his fireman is W. Evitti.
Our subject was born in Paducah, his father
James Mulvin. who was at one time a fireman
on the C. O. & S. W., died July, 1890. Our
subject has a brother, James, who runs out of
Memphis. Mr. John Mulvin married Molly
Rock and has three children, John, James and
Kate, at school. He resides in a comfortable
home on Broadway, Paducah.
LEON FORD is a well-known engineer
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central on the Louisiana division. His
connection with the I. C. dates from
1892, when he began as engine- wiper in the
round-house at McComb City, under Master
Mechanic William B. McKenna. He worked
in this capacity for two years, when he received
an appointment as fireman with engineer Charles
J. Swett. Following the occupation of fireman
for a period of three and one half years, he was
examined for promotion to engineer, in which
he was successful, and since then has held a
regular run in the service between Canton, Mis-
sissippi, and New Orleans.
Mr. Ford was born in Sumter county, Ala-
bama, on October 17, 1873, and is a son of Leon
E. and Jennie (Eskridge) Ford, both deceased.
Leon E. Ford, the father of our subject, was the
inventor of the Ford-Whitworth car-coupler,
and was for many years in the employ of the I.
C. as a conductor. He also helped in the con-
struction of the M. & O. R. R.
Mr. Ford, of this sketch, was married dur-
ing the present year (1900) to Miss Ella Har-
rell, of Osyka, Mississippi. They reside at
present, with Engineer and Mrs. Long, in the
south-west part of McComb City. Sociallv Mr.
Ford is connected with Division No. 196, B. of
L. E. of which he was recentlv elected Guide.
BEN HERRING, the popular young
cashier at the local freight office at
Louisville, Kentucky, is a native of
Paducah, having been born there in
the year 1874. His father was Rowland Her-
ring. Our subject was educated in the common
schools until the age of sixteen, when he entered
the office of the Paducah, Tennessee & Alabama
Railroad where he worked sixteen months, and
then he accepted a position as clerk in the mas-
ter mechanic's office of the C. O. & S. W. at Pa-
ducah. He was then promoted to time keeper
THOMAS F. SHANNON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
231
and later appointed clerk at the Paducah freight
office.
Mr. Herring was next transferred to Louis-
ville as clerk in the freight office, and was soon
promoted to cashier to succeed W. J. Rye. His
promotions have been rapid, and he has great
responsibility, as there are large sums of money
to handle. His office force consists of two clerks.
Mr. Herring is well up in Masonry, being a
member of the Plain City Lodge No. 449, at Pa-
ducah, Kentucky. He resides at 1719 West Jef-
ferson street.
F. SHANNON, foreman in
U charge of the Illinois Central shops at
Cherokee, Iowa, entered the service of
the company at Dubuque, Iowa, in
September 1868, as a locomotive fireman. At
that time wood was used as fuel, and it was on
one of the old wood burners, engine No. 160, in
charge of Engineer Moses Arquetti, that he
made his first trip between Dubuque and Charles
City. He continued in this service for two years,
when he was appointed engine dispatcher at Du-
buque, and from the latter position was trans-
ferred to Ft. Dodge, Iowa. For a period of
nine months he was in charge of two engine
houses at the latter city, running switch engines
and moving trains in the yards there. He was
then promoted to engineer in the freight service,
and worked in the yards at Waterloo and Du-
buque for about one year, when he was trans-
ferred to the regular road service. His first
trip in this branch of the service was made in
the spring of 1872, on engine No. 51, passenger
train No. 4, from Dubuque to Waterloo. He
continued in the freight service until 1883, when
by right of seniority he received a regular pas-
senger run between Waterloo and Sioux City.
Remaining in that branch of the service until
May ist, 1888, he was then promoted to the po-
sition of trainmaster at Ft. Dodge, where he
served until May ist, 1891, when at his own re-
quest he was transferred to Cherokee and took
charge of the Sioux Falls and Onawa districts
as trainmaster, holding that position until Sep-
tember ist, 1893, when the office was abolished.
He was then assigned to his present position.
During the seventeen years that Mr. Shannon
served as engineer, he was remarkably success-
ful, never having had a wreck or collision of
any kind, nor so much as being off the track.
He was never dismissed or suspended, a
record of which any railroad man might be just-
ly proud. Always disposed to be conservative,
he took an active part in the settlement of dif-
ficulties between the company and the engineers.
He was elected assistant general chairman of
the General Grievance Committee of the I. C.
system at Centralia, in 1887, which position he
occupied during the great strike on the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy road in 1888. Believing
that the I. C. was in no way responsible for the
trouble which prevailed, he used his efforts in
breaking up the boycott against the latter road,
and was eminently successful. Mr. Shannon
has taken an active part in politics since 1876.
He is a strong Republican, and has the faculty
of making friends among the prominent men of
his party. During the administration of Gov-
ernor Larrabee he was appointed Special Aid-
de-Camp, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
At the present time he is being urged by his
friends to become a candidate for the legislature,
but for business reasons he is obliged to decline.
During the fall and winter of 1887 and 1888,
Mr. Shannon organized what is known as the
legislative 1x>ard (an organization of railway em-
ployes) for the purpose of defeating the two-
cent fare bill, and also for the purpose of taking
issue with the legislature on other matters per-
taining to the interests of railway employes. It
was generally conceded that the defeat of the
two-cent fare bill was due to the influence of
this organization.
Mr. Shannon was born in Ireland on Jan-
uary 6, 1845, and with his parents emigrated to
America in 1850, settling in Grant county, Wis-
consin, from whence in 1856 they removed to
Fayette county, Iowa. In 1871 he was married
to Miss Annie E. Kirby, in Dubuque, and they
232
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
have three sons : Kirby E. and Herbert J., both
in the employ of the Illinois Central, and George
F., who is attending school. In 1863, during
the Civil war, Mr. Shannon enlisted as a private
in the Ninth Iowa Cavalry, under Col. M. M.
Trumbull, and was honorably discharged at Da-
venport, Iowa, in February 1866. Socially he
is connected with Division No. 226, B. of L. E.,
of Ft. Dodge, and is also a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic at Waterloo, Iowa.
=x^DGAR F. STOVALL, freight agent at
the Illinois Central's extensive depots
at Louisville, Kentucky, was born in
McNairy county, Tennessee December
18, 1865. ' His father, Dr. W. W. Stovall, a
well known physician who practiced medicine
in McNairy and the adjoining counties fifty
years, died at the age of seventy-eight years.
The mother lives with her daughter at Bethel
Springs.
Our subject received his education in the
country schools and worked on a farm up to the
age of nineteen years when he became a clerk
in his brother's store and studied telegraphy at
odd times. In 1887, he entered the service of the
Mobile & Ohio railroad as operator at Jackson,
Tennessee, worked four months, when he was
transferred to Cairo, Illinois, as operator. He
worked here five months and then went to East
St. Louis as copying operator in the despatcher's
office. He left the despatcher's office to accept
a position as agent's operator at E. St. Louis,
worked eight months and was made revising
clerk, occupied this position two years and a
half and was then promoted to cashier. He re-
tained this office a few months, when he was
offered a position with the C. O. & S. W., at
Memphis, Tennessee, acting as cashier, was
afterward chief clerk and in January 1896, was
appointed agent at Paducah, Kentucky. In
August 1897, he was transferred to Owensboro,
Kentucky, as agent, and in August 1898, he was
again transferred to Louisville as agent to suc-
ceed G. T. Fuller. Mr. Stovall's ability has been
recognized as his rapid promotion will show.
A fair idea of Mr. Stovall's responsibility
may be formed when considering his office force
numbering twenty-three office clerks, eleven
ware-house clerks and forty laborers. Mr.
Stovall has entire charge of the three freight
depots at Louisville, and his assistants are Mr.
Klinger at Fourteenth and Kentucky streets, L.
J. Fass, chief clerk, and Ben Herring, cashier,
Mr. Gunther, assistant agent at First Street:
station. Mr. Stovall also has charge of the
freight of the Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis,
and Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis roads.
Louisville's freight house was at one time an old
tobacco warehouse remodelled. Now there is a
new house at the corner of Twelfth and Rowan,
probably the most modern in the country, being
seven hundred feet long and having scales be-
fore each door. The receiving house across the
track is probably one of the best in the city.
Mr. Stovall is a popular member of the Elks,
belonging to Paducah Lodge No. 217, also of
the Concatinated Order of Hop Hoos. He re-
sides at 1719 West Jefferson street, Louisville,
Kentucky.
A. LONG, a popular and high-
Uly esteemed engineer in the freight ser-
. vice on the Louisiana division of the
I. C., entered the service of the com-
pany about ten years ago at McComb City, as a
locomotive fireman, with Engineer Clark Bagley.
He was for several years in this branch of the
service, and on examination was found capable,
and promoted to engineer, since which he has
had a regular run in the freight service between
Canton, Mississippi, and New Orleans.
Mr. Long was born at Kenner, Louisiana,
October i, 1868. His father, now deceased, was
a merchant of that place. Judge Henry Jacob
Long, a brother, who died in 1899, was a promi-
nent citizen of Jefferson Parish, in the same
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
233
state, and was for many years assessor of the
parish.
Mr. Long was united in marriage to Miss
Mollie Ford, of McComb City, wher,e they re-
side in a pretty home on Michigan avenue. In
his social connections he affiliates with the K. of
i'., and Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of his
home city.
ARRY W. BLADES, local freight and
ticket agent at Henderson, Kentucky,
was born in the state of Illinois. His
ancestors are of Scotch descent, and on
coming to this country settled in Virginia. The
grandfather came to the Blue Grass region and
later settled in Illinois. The father is a promi-
nent citizen of McLeansboro, Illinois, having
held all offices from mayor dowrr. Our subject
received his education in the common schools
and college, and on completing his course went
in the grocery business as clerk. At the age of
eighteen he secured work on the L. & N. road as
brakeman between Evansville and St. Louis. He
learned telegraphy and was soon made extra op-
erator, supplying stations all over the road. He
quit telegraphing and began firing on the same
road. Shortly after he went to the Ohio Valley
road in the same capacity. He then worked a
while at Morganfield as operator, and later at
Princeton and Northville ; then went to the Pa-
ducah shops and began his service there as oper-
ator, from which he was transferred to the su-
perintendent's office. He was next appointed
agent at Kuttawa, Kentucky, and afterwards left
for Memphis where he served as baggage agent
and assistant ticket agent.
In 1893 he was sent to Sturgis as freight
and ticket agent, at which place he remained six
full years, performing a large amount of work.
August TO, 1899, he was appointed freight and
ticket agent at Henderson to succeed G. H.
Waltz. Mr. Blades is becoming very popular
with the commercial public and is making a
grand showing, as he has two rival roads to con-
tend with. Besides his duties at the station he
acts as commercial agent around the city and
does a great amount of soliciting. Through his
accommodating ways he has built up a large in-
crease. Mr. Blades has as his office force, chief
clerk, E. B. Caldwell ; ticket clerk and cashier,
Walter Albritten ; W. G. Hancock, day operator
and bill clerk; George Hixon, night operator;
W. G. Hammond, yard clerk ; L. L. Long, check
clerk, and Van Miller, messenger.
Henderson's principal shipments are tobac-
co, grain (three elevators), cotton goods, woolen
goods, whiskey, furniture, and canned goods.
Tobacco shipments often reach 15,000 hogsheads
a year. Henderson has fourteen tobacco steme-
ries, two distilleries, brewery, cotton mill, woolen
mill, furniture factory, and a canning factory.
Mr. Blades married Miss Green, daughter of
W". H. Green, ex-representative of Kuttawa, Ky.,
who now conducts a hotel. Our subject has one
child, a boy of four years of age. Besides his
duties as agent Mr. Blades acts as yard master,
and is a man capable of a great amount of work.
F. WHEELER, an efficient and pop-
ular conductor on the Memphis divi-
' Q sion of the Illinois Central, in the
Fulton district, is a native of Ken-
tucky, and was born in Graves county, Septem-
ber 18, 1857. He is the son of Benjamin and
Martha (Pegram) Wheeler, the former a mill-
wright by trade, who died on April 25, 1899,
and the latter resides in Martin, Tennessee. Mr.
Wheeler acquired his education privately, and
moved with his family in 1873 to Weakly coun-
ty, Tennessee. At the age of eighteen he began
working at the carpenter trade, and remained at
that work three years. When twenty-one he en-
tered the employ of the Mobile & Ohio R. R. as
a brakeman between Okalona, Mississippi, and
Columbia, Kentucky, where, after fourteen
months service as brakeman, he was promoted to
conductor in the freight department. He was in
234
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
that branch of the service four years when pro-
moted to the passenger service, serving two years
in the latter capacity. He then severed his con-
nection with that road and spent two years in
various pursuits. His next railroad work was
on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as con-
ductor in the freight service between Vicksburg
and New Orleans, when after one year's service
he went to Memphis to the Chesapeake, Ohio &
South-Western R. R. (now the I. C.), in the
freight service between Paducah and Memphis.
After ten years' faithful work he was, on Decem-
ber 24, 1896, promoted to the passenger service,
where he is at present employed, and is consid-
ered an efficient and capable official. Mr. Wheel-
er married Miss Grace Myers, of Covington,
Tennessee, July 23, 1895, and they have one
child, Martha C, born July 15, 1896. Socially
Mr. Wheeler is a member of the Masonic frater-
nity, and of the O. R. C. He is an adherent
of the Methodist church, and in politics is a
staunch Democrat.
C. HAYNIE is an engineer in the
freight service, on the Louisiana
Q division of the I. C. He en-
tered the service of the I. C. in
1887, 'as fireman under engineer C. L. Smith.
Serving in the capacity of fireman for three
years, he was then examined and promoted to
engineer, being immediately placed in the freight
service on a regular run between Canton, Mis-
sissippi, and New Orleans.
His first experience in railroad work, was
acquired in the shops of the A. T. & S. F. R. R.
at Galveston, Texas, where, after a short ser-
vice, he obtained a position as fireman on the
road, and two years later, was promoted to en-
gineer. He remained with the Sante Fe until
1887, when he entered the employ of I. C. and
has been with the latter road to the present
time.
Mr. Haynie was born on March 15, 1863,
in Washington county, Texas. His father, John
A. Haynie, now deceased, was an extensive cot-
ton buyer, and well-known throughout the
South.
The subject of this sketch, was married at
Houston, Texas, to Miss Paralee Mount, of New
Orleans, whose father, William S. Mount, was
engaged in the banking business there. To this
marriage, four sons were born, Kell and Homer
are living, and at home, and William and Wal-
ter, are dead. Mr. Haynie has a commodious
home on Minnesota avenue, one of the best resi-
dence portions of McComb City.
C. CAMERON, a freight conductor
on the Memphis division of the Illi-
Q nois Central, is a native of Ononda-
ga county, New York, born Septem-
ber 25, 1851. He is the son of Alden and Mar-
garet (Guillies) Cameron, of whom the latter
survives, and is residing in Scranton, Pennsyl-
vania. Alden Cameron, who died in 1898, was
a graduate of the medical department of the
Abbey College, of Boston, Massachusetts, but
followed agricultural pursuits. The subject of
this sketch attended the common schools of his
native place, afterward taking a college course
at the Monroe Collegiate Institute, working on
his father's farm during vacations. In 1870 he
began railroad life on the Syracuse & Northern
R. R. as brakeman in the passenger service be-
tween Syracuse and Sandy Creek, in New York
State, remaining in that position about eight
months. He then went to Michigan and worked
on the Michigan Central R. R. as fireman be-
tween Detroit and Jackson, occupying that posi-
tion three months, when he became a brakeman
on the same road between Michigan City and
Pentwater. After spending a winter in the pin-
eries of that state, he went to Meadville, Pennsyl-
vania, and secured a position as brakeman on the
Atlantic & Great Western (now the Erie Rail-
road), and from June 1873 to July 14, 1878, was
in that branch of the service on that road, a
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
235
period of five years. He was then promoted to
conductor and remained with the road until June
1 88 1. From 1881 until November 25, 1885, he
\vas a conductor in the service of the Louisville
& Nashville R. R., and resigned to go to Colo-
rado on account of ill health of his wife.
In that state he remained two years in the
employ of the Denver & Rio Grande R. R., and
then returned to New York, and from there went
to Kentucky. A short period was spent with the
Louisville & Nashville as brakeman, when he
entered the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio
R. R. (now the Illinois Central), and from that
time has been with the latter road in his present
capacity between Memphis and Paducah. On
November 13, 1878, Mr. Cameron was united in
marriage to Miss Eliza Nicholson, of Meadville,
Pennsylvania, and they have one son, Robert A.,
an employe of the I. C. at Memphis. Mr. Cam-
eron has also two stepsons, James L. and Wil-
liam Walters, both connected with the I. C. Mr.
Cameron is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
His family attends the Methodist church, and
in politics he is a Democrat. He is noted as a
careful and prudent employe, and has had a
highly successful railroad career, having no ac-
cidents of any consequence, and losing no rolling
stock under his care. Mrs. Cameron died Feb-
ruary 5, 1886. He was married a second time,
June 23, 1889, to Mrs. Nannie Walters, of Fay-
ette Co., Tenn., who is the mother of the two
stepsons above mentioned.
,DWARD DONOGHUE is the well-
known supervisor of track and trains
on the tenth section, Rantoul district,
of the Illinois Central. He became
identified with the I. C. in 1853 as a laborer on
the Chicago division, working northward from
Cairo, 111. He remained on that division for
several years, and on the acquisition of the
Springfield division by the I. C. he came north
to the latter place, remaining there until 1880,
when he went to Centralia as supervisor of tracks
on the Chicago division. From Centralia he
was transferred and in 1887 came to Rantoul,
111., to take charge of the reconstruction of that
division, changing the road from a narrow to a
broad gauge. He has since remained at Rantoul
and fills his present responsible position with sat-
isfaction.
Mr. Donoghue was born near Dublin, Ire-
land, August 15, 1829, but came to America in
March 1846, becoming a resident of Illinois in
January 1847, which state he has ever since made
his home.
3, 1861.
J. JACOWAY, a popular conductor
on the Memphis division of the Illi-
Q nois Central, is a native of Dallas,
Texas, his birth occurring August
His parents were John A. and Lucy A.
(Holland) Jacoway, both deceased. Mr. Jaco-
way Sr. was a railroad contractor, and had
charge of the reconstruction of the Selma, Rome
& Dalton R. R. after the Civil war. Our sub-
ject was educated in the state university of Fay-
etteville, Arkansas, working on his father's farm
during his vacations. After graduating he en-
tered the office of the Dardanelle Post, at Dar-
danelle, Arkansas, where he served one year as
a printer. He then studied civil engineering
and was later engaged in the house and sign
painting business. Compelled to abandon the
latter work on account of his health, he entered
the service of the Memphis & Charleston R. R.,
on March 10, 1877, as a news agent, between
Memphis and Chattanooga. One year later he
went to the Mississippi & Tennessee R. R. (now
part of the I. C.) as a brakeman, and afterward
was employed as a baggageman on that road.
In 1881 he was promoted to conductor between
Memphis and Grenada, and held that position
ten years, or until 1891. In the latter year he
went to the Newport News & Mississippi Valley
R. R. as receiving clerk in the freight department
of that road, serving there one year. He then
236
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
declined positions as conductor with the Mem-
phis & Little Rock R. R., and Nashville & Chat-
tanooga R. R. respectively, to enter the employ
of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R.
R., but remained there only two weeks. In 1893
he went to the Chesapeake & Ohio ro'ad (now
part of the I. C.) as conductor in the freight ser-
vice, soon after being promoted to the passenger
service, where he has since remained, having a
regular run between Cairo, Illinois, and Mem-
phis, Tennessee. Mr. Jacoway was, on May 14,
1890, united to Miss Mary H. Campbell, of Sen-
atobia, Mississippi, but a native of Memphis.
She was born at the latter city July nth, 1871,
and educated in Ward's Seminary at Nashville,
and is a lady of fine attainments. They have a
bright little daughter, Mamie E., born June 13,
1894. Mr. Jacoway is a Scottish Rite Mason,
Knight of Pythias, and is connected with the O.
R. C. and the Hoo Hoos. His family are ac-
tive members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
JOSEPH H. MULHALL, a popular young
freight conductor on the Louisville div-
ision of the Illinois Central, was born in
Hardin county, Kentucky. His father,
Thomas K. Mulhall, who was a farmer, still re-
sides at Grayson Springs where John H. received
his early education. Our subject began working
in a tobacco house and later worked in a dry
goods store. In 1887 he secured a place on the
C. O. & S. W. Railroad in track service, and in
1888 commenced in train service, running out
of Louisville, braking in the passenger service
with Conductor Connors. He was later pro-
moted to baggageman and worked at this five
years when in June 1896 he was promoted to
freight conductor, running between Louisville
and Central City. Our subject has at present a
preferred run between Louisville and Paducah
on caboose 98,481. He has never suffered any
serious mishaps, but in 1889 he fell from a car
and sprained his ankle, falling with such force
as to bend a switch rod, and was laid up for three
weeks. Mr. Mulhall is very well liked by his
men, and is noted for telling very droll stories.
He belongs to Monon Division No. 89, O. R. C.
He resides at 1114 W. Broadway, Louisville,
Kentuck.
£"J-[xiHOMAS D. RUFFIN, a conductor in
Uthe passenger service on the Memphis
division of the Illinois Central, in the
Fulton district, was born at Jackson,
Tennessee, April 16, 1863. His parents were
Robert J.-ancl Melissa (Williamson) Ruffiii.
Mr. Ruffin Sr. is a carpenter by trade, and re-
sides in Jackson. His wife departed this life
January 25, 1895. The immediate family of
our subject included a brother, William R. Ruf-
fin, an engineer in the service of the I. C. on the
Mississippi division, and three sisters, Mrs. J.
G. Carter, Mrs. E. B. Curtis, and Miss Mary D.
Ruffin, all residing in Jackson, Tennessee. Af-
ter attending the public schools of Jackson un-
til thirteen years of age, Thomas D. Ruffin be-
came an apprentice at the carpenter trade, under
his father, and worked at that trade until Decem-
ber 24, 1880. He then secured a position with
the Mobile & Ohio R. R. as brakeman, between
Columbus, Kentucky, and Tupelo, Mississippi,
where he worked about two years, and was then
promoted to conductor in the freight service of
the road. He remained with that company un-
til December 1883, when he entered the service
of the Illinois Central as conductor in the freight
service on the Mississippi division, between
Jackson, Tennessee, and Canton, Mississippi.
On June 6, 1890, he resigned and went to the
Chesapeake, Ohio & South-Western R. R. (now
part of the I. C. system) as conductor in the
freight department between Paducah, Kentucky,
and Memphis, Tennessee. He was soon given
an extra passenger run, and in 1892 was given
a regular passenger run where he continues at
the present time. On December 26, 1895, Miss
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
237
Minnie Markette, of Water Valley, Mississippi,
became the wife of Mr. Ruffin. Of the social
orders Mr. Ruffin is a thirty-second degree Ma-
son, a Knight Templar, an Elk and a Mystic
Shriner. He is Assistant Chief of Division No.
175, O. R. C, and was a charter member of No.
217, of Paducah. His family attends the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, and politically he is a
strong advocate of the principles of Democracy.
baggage handled per month is sixteen thousand.
Besides taking charge of this force Mr. Jordan
looks after the large amount of writing and office
work which demands his attention. He is well
liked by the traveling public, always having a
courteous answer for the many questions asked.
Mr. Jordan married Miss Emma Warrington,
of Covington, Kentucky, and resides at 320 E.
Jacob street, Louisville.
EORGE JORDAN, the popular and ac-
commodating baggage agent of the
Union depot at Louisville, Kentucky,
first saw the light of day at Cincinna-
ti, Ohio, March 5, 1873. His father was George
W. Jordan, who died when George was a small
boy, leaving him in care of an aunt. The boy
received his education in Cincinnati, but left
school at fourteen years of age and entered a
machine shop to learn the machinist trade. He
worked a short time and then went to Nashville,
Tennessee, and learned the trade of stone carv-
ing, working there at his trade five years, after
which he went to Cincinnati and carved stone
two years.
He then left the stone business to enter rail-
road service with the Illinois Central Railroad at
Louisville in the baggage room. He then went
into the Union depot at Louisville as checkman.
Here through strict attention to his business, he
won the esteem of his employers, and October 2,
1898, he was promoted to baggage agent to suc-
ceed Michael Carroll. The responsibility up-
on Mr. Jordan is great. Besides handling the
extensive business of the Illinois Central, he
looks after baggage of the six other roads run-
ning into the depot. They are B. & O. S. W.,
Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis, Big Four,
Southern Railway, C. & O., Louisville, Evans-
ville & St. Louis.
Mr. Jordan's large force consists of fourteen
baggage porters, four mail porters and two
checkmen. The average number of pieces of
,OBERT A. GODWIN, the accommodat-
ing city ticket agent for the Illinois
Central at Memphis, Tennessee, was
born in that city on April nth, 1876.
He is a son of John R. and Mary Francis (Mul-
lins) Godwin, both well and favorably known
residents of Memphis. Mr. Godwin Sr. was a
cotton merchant. He was a member of the state
legislature in 1893, and was also a representa-
tive to the national Democratic convention that
nominated Cleveland. He held the responsible
office of president of the Mercantile Bank for
ten years, of which he was the original organizer.
Mr. Godwin and his estimable wife are now liv-
ing a retired life in Memphis.
Robert A. Godwin, the subject of this
sketch, was educated in private schools in his na-
tive city until sixteen years of age, when he en-
tered the University of Virginia. After apply-
ing himself for two years he was compelled, on
account of poor health, to leave college. He
spent a year on his father's farm recuperating,
and then took a position on the Commercial Ap-
peal, as a reporter, and worked there six months.
He then went to the I. C. ticket office as assistant
ticket agent in Memphis, occupying that position
fourteen months, when he was promoted to city
ticket agent, a position he now holds and is fil-
ling with the greatest satisfaction to all con-
cerned. Mr. Godwin is a member of the Hoo
Hoos, an organization of a social character. His
family attends the Methodist Episcopal church.
In politics he is a staunch Democrat.
238
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
nAMES C. GUNTHER, the agent at the
First Street station, Louisville, Ken-
tucky, was born in Louisville July 10,
1871. His father is Sebastian Gunther,
who has been connected with the Louisville po-
lice department for thirty years, and is- at pres-
ent assistant chief of police. Our subject left
school when but fourteen years of age, beginning
as messenger boy in the C. O. & S. W. local
freight office, remained there one year and four
months, when he was made bill clerk, held va-
rious other clerkships, and was then made cash-
ier at Twelfth and Rowan street office, which
position he had three and a half years. Octo-
ber 15, 1895, he came to the First Street station
as agent, and his station is one of importance as
freight is transferred here to many other roads,
among them the B. & O., S. W., Monon, Louis-
ville, Evansville & St. Louis. Our subject's of-
fice force are Mr. August Goudex, bill clerk,
L. C. Rose, platform clerk, J. S. Malburn, plat-
form foreman, and M. Brann, clerk, besides six
truckmen, one yard clerk, Joseph McHugh.
Mr. Gunther married Miss L. E. Liter, a
popular Louisville lady. He belongs to the Blue
Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic order, and
the Red Men. He is very popular with the pa-
trons of the road as well as with all his associates
in the service.
AMUEL M. REAMES, a conductor in
the freight service on the Louisiana
division of the Illinois Central, began
life on his own account when only six-
teen years of age. His first work was on the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. (now the I. C.
R. R.) where he was employed as a brakeman
between Vicksburg and New Orleans. When
but nineteen years old he was promoted to con-
ductor, and was in the freight service of that
road until 1890. He then went to New Orleans
and worked in the yards of the New Orleans &
North Eastern Railroad until 1893. In the lat-
ter year, he was appointed yardmaster for the
Illinois Central, at McComb City, Mississippi,
holding that position for eighteen months, and
on Feb. i, 1897, was promoted to conductor on
the Louisiana division where he is at the present
time. Mr. Reames was born at Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, September 2, 1866, and is a son of
William P. and Eliza Reames. Mr. Reames, Sr.
now deceased, was a carpenter by trade, and a
highly respected man. Robert S., a brother of
our subject, is a conductor on the Illinois Cen-
tral having a run out of Vicksburg. Samuel
M. Reames married Miss Flora Packwood, a
native of Louisiana, and with her occupies a
nice home in the western part of McComb City.
He is a valued and faithful employe of the com-
pany, possessing many excellencies of character,
which command the esteem of his fellow-men.
R. HARLAN, is an engineer in the
freight service on the Louisiana di-
'O v's'on °f tne Illinois Central. His
first experience at railroad work was
acquired in 1884, on the St. Louis & San Francis-
co R. R., where he was employed at Springfield,
Missouri, as a fireman. He was afterward trans-
ferred to the Texas division of that road, and it
was while there that he was examined for, and
received promotion to engineer. Leaving that
road in 1893, he went to New Orleans, and in
October of that year entered the service of the
Illinois Central as an engineer on the New Or-
leans Terminal. In 1895 he was transferred to
McComb City, Mississippi, and has since had
charge of a run in the freight service on the
Louisiana division of that road.
During the year 1898 he had charge of the
pay car, and was injured in a small wreck on the
Grenada division. He was also in a serious
wreck on the Louisiana division in 1896.
Mr. Harlan was born in Kosciusko, Indiana,
on October 2, 1864. His father, George W.
Harlan, is a substantial farmer now residing in
Oklahoma. The union of Mr. Harlan and Miss
g
o
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W
o
Q
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
Rosa Brooks, of Pittsburg, Kansas, has been a
very happy one, and they are the parents of two
fine children , Marie and Robert. Of the social
orders Mr. Harlan is connected with the Ma-
sonic fraternity, and with Division No. 196, B.
of L. E. of McComb City, of which he is at
the present time Chief. He resides in East Mc-
Comb City, where he has a nice home.
AVID J. CULTON is a well known en-
gineer in the passenger service on the
Sioux Falls division of the Illinois
Central, and is one of the old and re-
spected employes of the company. He entered
the service of the I. C. in 1866, as an engine
wiper in the round house at Dunleith, 111., when
that place was a great central point of the com-
pany. He was soon promoted to fireman and
worked as such until 1876, when he was trans-
ferred to Dubuque, Iowa, and given charge of an
engine on what was then known as the Iowa
division of the I. C. In 1881 he removed to
Waterloo, Iowa, and was given a regular run on
the western division of the road. He came to
Cherokee in 1887, when the Sioux Falls division
was being built, and was in charge of the engine
which laid all the rails on the new division. The
completion of this line was made under more than
ordinary difficulties, as the rails were laid in
a terriffic blizzard of wind, cold and snow, the
thermometer registering twenty degrees below
zero, still the men worked with a will, and at
ii -.20 P. M., December 19, 1887, the last spike
was driven in the presence of the governor of
the territory of Dakota, Mayor Norton, of Sioux
Falls, Mr. E. T. Jeffery, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Dixon,
and other officials of the company. He also ran
the first train over that division, a mixed one,
after which he was given a regular run in the
passenger service of that branch of the road,
which he still holds. Our subject is a native of
northern Ireland, and was born in 1851. His
father, William Culton, now deceased, was also
in the service of the I. C. on the section and in
the round house, both at Dunleith, 111., and Du-
buque, and a brother, James Culton, residing at
Bloomington, 111., is now traveling freight agent
for the company. Mr. Culton has been twice
married. His first wife was Miss Esther Girard,
who died, and later he was united to Mrs. Mary
Hull. , They have one child, Elva. Both he and
his wife are prominent members of the Congre-
gational church, of Cherokee. He is a member
of Division No. 226, B. of L. E., at Ft. Dodge,
and was a delegate from Division No. 114, of
Waterloo, to the convention at Pittsburg, Pa.
He is also connected with the Masonic order,
Knights Templar, and A. O. U. W., of Chero-
kee, where he resides in a fine home on Elm
street. Mr. Culton has never been in a wreck
during his long career as a railroad man, and
his rise in his chosen work marks him as a man
of sterling worth and energy. Since writing the
above Mr. Culton had the honor to make the
first trip over the Ft. Dodge & Omaha R. R.
This was made November i, 1899, from Council
Bluffs, leaving there at 7 145 A. M. on that date,
arriving at Ft. Dodge at 6:20 P. M., with Vice-
President Wallace's business car.
AVID McKELLIP, one of the most
prominent engineers on the west end
of the Central, has had a railroad ex-
perience extending over more than
forty years. He was born on his father's farm
near Bradford, Vt., September 3, 1841. His
father, Stephen McKellip, moved later to New
Hampshire, where he passed his last days. Three
of his other sons chose a railroad career. S.
Horace, after learning the science of engineering
on the Grand Trunk, then ran for a number of
years on the lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul, later settled on the Pacific coast, and
has for the last twenty years run an engine on
212
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the narrow gauge road there, residing at Antioch,
Cal. Daniel, deceased, was, during the latter
years of his life, on one of the roads running out
of San Francisco. Elbridge L. is master me-
chanic for the Southern Pacific at Carlin, Nev.
David McKellip began his railroad career as
fireman on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
line (then the Chicago & Prairie du Chien Rail-
road), in 1859, and in a short time was promoted
and given an engine running between Milwaukee
and Janesville. On the outbreak of the Civil
war, he answered his country's call for volun-
teers and enlisted on August 3, 1862, in Company
D, 24th Wisconsin Infantry, under Captain Phil-
brick and Col. Larabee. After passing through
nearly three years of campaigning, during which
he participated in sixteen hard fought battles,
he was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., June 25,
1865, having been fortunate enough to escape
wound or injury. On his return from the war
he was given his old place and soon after pro-
moted and assigned to a run on the Milwaukee-
Janesville line. Resigning, he went to Waterloo,
Iowa, and on August 26, 1871, was engaged on
the line where he has since been engaged. For
a number of years he was in the freight service,
but the latter years he has had a passenger run
between Fort Dodge and Sioux City on engine
No. 1304. During the forty years of life on
the rail, he has never been injured from accident.
Mr. McKellip was married in March 1866,
at Waukesha, Wis.,to Miss Eliza Rifford, to
whom three children have been born : Mary B. ;
Arthur an engineer on the Southern Pacific road
at Ogden, Utah ; .and Robert D., at home
On the organization of the B. of L. E., Mr.
McKellip became a member in 1866, and at
present is a member of Division No. 226, of Ft.
Dodge. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum,
and a charter member of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen, of Ft. Dodge. He is enrolled
as a member of Fort Donaldson Post No. 236,
G. A. R., of Ft. Dodge. He is one o'f the veteran
operatives on the west end, and one of the great-
est favorites of the older line of railroad men.
He has a pleasant home at 444 South Eighth
street, Ft. Dodge.
YINCENT E. OGDEN, better known as
"Colonel Ogden," yardmaster at Ev-
ansville, Indiana, was born in Jefferson
county, Indiana, in 1847. At the age
of thirteen years he entered the service of the
J. M. & I. Railroad as train boy, served a few
months, when he ran away and joined the army
in 1862, in the 49th U. S. Infantry. He served
in quartermaster's department and was in sev-
eral engagements, served all through the war
and received an honorable discharge. He then
entered the service of the J. M. & I. Railroad
where he remained fourteen years, then worked
for the Short Line fourteen months and the
Belt Line one year, the Air Line two years and
finally served as conductor and yardmaster for
the E. & T. H. seven years. In 1893 he began
on the Ohio Valley Railroad as switchman and
night yardmaster, remained here four years when
he became day yardmaster.
O. DAHL, one of the many citizens
of foreign birth that have crossed the
LQ ocean to find a home in the states,
was born in Sweden, October 9, 1871,
and came with his parents to America two years
later. The family first resided at Green Bay,
Wisconsin, but later moved to Memphis where
the father entered the lumbering business. After
attending the Memphis schools he assisted his
father several years and for three years was en-
gaged in farming and then entered the employ of
the Georgia Pacific Railroad, now a part of the
Southern system, working in the bridge depart-
ment eleven months. After five years running
a saw mill for his father he went to Grenada,
Mississippi, working in a planing mill two years
before beginning work as night clerk in the
freight office of the Illinois Central at that place.
Remaining in the office some eleven months, he
was employed coaling engines about three
months, and then secured a place as brakeman
running between Memphis and Grenada. After
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
243
attaining proficiency he was promoted to freight
conductor on the same run and April 4, 1899,
received a further advance to extra passenger
conductor, and is in line for a regular run. On
February 17, 1895, Mr. Dahl was married to
Miss Annette McCormack, of Torrance, Missis-
sippi. Their one child, Alvin K., was born
January 6, 1896. Mr. Dahl is a member of the
Memphis Division, No. 175, O. R. C. In re-
ligion he is of the Lutheran faith and a Democrat
in politics. Although still a young man, Mr.
Dahl has made rapid progress in the operation
of railroads, especially when it is considered
that he did not enter the service as a boy as most
railroad men have done.
'ILLIAM P. BONDS, the capable and
energetic train dispatcher, for the
Illinois Central at McComb City,
Mississippi, has been connected with
the company since 1874. He was in that year
appointed telegraph operator, at Frenier station,
Louisiana, where he worked for ten months, and
afterward at various small stations on the I. C.
in a similar capacity, until 1876. In the latter
year he was appointed agent for' the company
at Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, remaining there
until 1884. He then went to McComb City as
assistant train dispatcher, and from there was
sent to Yazoo City as the first station agent for
the I. C. at that place. A service of eight months
at Yazoo City was followed by a transfer to
Vicksburg, where he acted as train dispatcher,
thence in 1889 to McComb City, where he has
since been employed as a dispatcher, under Chief
W. L. Oakley.
Mr. Bonds was born near Liberty, Mississip-
pi, on September 13, 1857, where his father P.
B. Bonds, deceased, was an extensive farmer,
and spent most of his life.
Miss Ella Wilson, of Summit, Miss., became
the wife of Mr. Bonds, in 1880, and they are the
parents of three children, viz; William, John,
and Eugenia. Mr. Bonds affiliates with the Ma-
sonic order, the Knights of Pythias, and the
Knights of Honor. He and his wife are mem-
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and
take an active interest in church matters. He
is at present a member of the board of stewards
of the church in McComb City, where he has a
beautiful home, and is a substantial and progres-
sive citizen.
JT. DONOVAN, began his railroad
career in 1877 as a clerk in the shops.
O He was afterward made time-keeper,
at the same time doing station work.
He was next transferred to the auditor's office
of the Memphis, Paducah & Northern in 1880
and in 1884, was made commercial agent of the
Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern at Paducah.
When the Illinois Central took the road, the
office was abolished and Mr. Donovan was made
agent at Paducah and given charge of both
freight and passenger departments.
Paducah is one of the most important
stations on the Louisville division of the Illinois
Central, being the terminus of the St. Louis,
Memphis & Louisville divisions. It is the
natural gate-way of the great undeveloped fer-
tile valley of the Tennessee and Cumberland
rivers. Year after year opens up new markets
for her manufactures and trades. Paducah is
the second city in business importance in the state
of Kentucky, having a population of over twen-
ty-one thousand, has fine business college, good
schools and twenty-three churches, and does a
larger volume of jobbing business than any city
in the country in proportion to the population.
It is distinctively a jobbing city, and its trade
extends in an ever increasing circle. Over two
hundred and fifty traveling men are sent out
of the city, fifty being employed in lumber and
tobacco trades. The annual shipment from
Paducah amounts to 325,000,000 pounds.
Mr. Donovan has an office force of seven-
teen men, A. R, Meyers, chief clerk, W. G.
244
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Street, cashier, J. C. Frazer, ticket clerk, and W.
A. Flowers, baggage agent.
Our subject was born in Paducah. His
father, John Donovan, was a drayman, and died
in 1891. Our subject began work at the age of
thirteen years as clerk in a candy store, next in
a book store, and then worked in a real estate
office from which he entered the railroad service.
Mr. Donovan married Miss Katie O'Brien,
of Paducah, and has four children ; Richard,
Frank, John and Katherine at school. He is
a member of Lodge No. 217, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, of Paducah ; Knights
of Columbus ; Louisville Lodge, Catholic Knights
of America; Catholic Mutual Benefit Associa-
tion and the Concatinated Order of Hoo Hoos.
He has a home on the corner of Sixth and Clark
streets, where he enjoys the comforts of a happy
home and the fruits of a successful career.
he remained one year before being promoted
and given a local freight run on the same divis-
ion. On the transfer of Superintendent J. B.
Kemp to the Memphis division, Mr. Kibler was
transferred also, and given a freight run between
Memphis and Grenada, Mississippi. After six
years in the service here he was promoted to the
passenger service where he has since been em-
ployed. On the i8th of October, 1893, Mr. Kib-
ler was married to Miss Ora H. Carlton, a native
of Sardis, Mississippi. Their only child, John
H. Jr., was born January 17, 1896. Mr. Kibler
is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer-
ica, the Masonic fraternity, and the O. R. C.
He is a Democrat, and with his wife is a member
of the Methodist church.
JOHN H. KIBLER, a passenger conductor
on the Grenada district, was born in
Rockingham county, Virginia, Novem-
ber 10, 1859. His father, Joseph W.
Kibler, was a mill-wright in Rockingham county
and died in 1900, while the mother who was Miss
Eliza A. Beard, died in 1872. John H. Kibler
enjoyed good educational privileges having at-
tended the schools of Rockingham county and
the Shenandoah Seminary at Dayton, Virginia.
For a few years he worked on a farm and then as
a coach smith some three years before leaving his
native state. Journeying to Shannon, Missis-
sippi, he secured a clerkship, remaining two years
before taking a similar position at Aberdeen,
where he remained three years longer. In 1884
he secured a place with the Illinois Central and
began his service as brakeman on a passenger
train, running between Aberdeen and Lexing-
ton, Mississipi, under Conductor R. N. Colqu-
houn, former superintendent of the Mississippi
Central road. December 5, 1884, he was trans-
ferred to the baggage department and a year
later was returned to the former position where
S. MILLER, a popular passenger con-
ductor on the Louisville division of
'Q the Illinois Central Railroad, is a na-
tive of New York/ His father was
George W. Miller, one of the brightest of New
York's lawyers, whose career was cut short by
an early death at the age of thirty-eight years,
leaving a young wife and our subject, who was
then but a small boy.
After receiving a common school educa-
tion Mr. Miller began to earn his own living
and assisted his mother. He entered the service
of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad company
as water boy at the age of sixteen, worked one
year at this when he took up train service as a
freight brakeman, and at the age of eighteen
was promoted. Running a train as conductor
with great success for several years, he resigned
to accept a position with the Cincinnati Southern
as conductor, remaining here one year. He re-
signed again, and entered the service of the
North-Western, served for one year and then en-
tered the employ of the C. O. & S. W. in 1890
as a freight conductor, serving successfully as •
his record will show. In 1897 he was promoted
to a regular passenger run.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
245
Mr. Miller is very affable and is already
one of the most popular men on the road. He
runs on trains No. 221 and 231, and 201 south,
and 204, 222 and 232 north, running between
Louisville and Fulton, Kentucky. During his
connection with the Illinois Central and C. O.
& S. W., Mr. Miller's career has been free from
accidents and he has a remarkably clean record.
His only injury in railroad life was while with
the North-Western road. He had a head end
collision and was thrown out of the caboose, re-
ceived a bad cut above the eye, narrowly escaping
death and being laid up four months.
Mr. Miller married Miss Julia States, of
Danville, Ky., a popular young lady. Mr. Mil-
ler is an active member of Monon Division No.
89, O. R. C., having been offered many offices
which he declined. He resides at Hotel Vic-
toria, corner Tenth and Broadway, Louisville,
Kentucky.
JW. DODGE, chief clerk in the office of
the division superintendent at Mem-
O phis, is a native of Grant county, Wis-
consin, born July 29, 1856. He is a
son of Jeremiah E. and Rachel M. (Ashley)
Dodge, the latter a member of the Ashley fam-
ily of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, who
were originally from Vermont. Jeremiah E.
Dodge was a native of New York state and one
of the best known lawyers of Wisconsin. He
was a Harvard student, taking up law as a
special course, Chief Justice Storey occupying
the chair of that department. He was appointed
adjutant general of the territory prior to the ad-
mission of Wisconsin to statehood, and served
in each branch of the legislature of the state sev-
eral terms. Mr. Dodge, the subject of this
sketch, was educated in the public schools of
his native county and in the Lancaster Institute.
In 1875 he was appointed engrossing clerk of
the senate of Wisconsin, serving one term. In
May he entered the service of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad, and at his own request was started at
the foot of the ladder, that he might learn all
the details of railway work. He served first as
check clerk in the local freight office at Mauch
Chunk, later as baggage master and night tel-
egraph operator. In 1876 he was appointed tick-
et agent at Mauch Chunk, resigning the
following spring to return to Wisconsin to set-
tle his father's estate. In May of that year he
re-entered the service of the Lehigh Valley road
as clerk in the car record office, and the follow-
ing year was appointed rate clerk of the general
freight office, where he remained until he re-
signed to enter the service of the Illinois Central.
May i, 1880, Mr. Dodge entered upon his duties
as clerk to division superintendent C. A. Beck,
at Centralia, 111., and about three months later
was made chief clerk in the same office. Here
he remained with Mr. Beck and his successor,
Mr. T. J. Hudson, after the removal of the
office to Cairo until 1883. When the Central took
charge of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
R. R., Mr. Dodge was selected by Mr. E. T.
Jeffery, then general superintendent, to accom-
pany him in taking stock of the road and witness
the transfer. On the completion of that duty
Mr. Dodge was appointed assistant agent at
Cairo, remaining as assistant and acting as agent
until July 1887, in the meanwhile acting part of
the time as traveling freight agent. On the
above date he was appointed chief clerk to Mr.
Beck, and his successor Mr. A. W. Sullivan
with whom he remained until failing health
compelled him to resign April i, 1890. For
two months prior to this time he was as-
signed to the special service of investigating the
transportation systems of various railroads,
which carried him as far west as the Pacific
coast. Returning to his desk it was soon found
that he had returned to his labors too soon, and
he was compelled to seek less confining work
or a different climate. Being favorably im-
pressed with the region of Puget Sound, he re-
signed and accepted a position as secretary of
the Chamber of Commerce at Seattle, retaining
that position four years, resigning to engage in
lumbering. In January 1896 he returned to the
240
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
service of the Central as clerk in the office of
Mr. Wm. Renshaw, superintendent of 'machin-
ery, and later as chief clerk in the storeroom at
Burnside shops. April i, 1897, he was appoint-
ed chief clerk in the office of the superintendent
at Memphis, where he has been employed since.
Mr. Dodge's marriage to Miss Mary E. Mc-
Mullin, daughter of John and Catherine (Nagle)
McMullin, occurred at Mauch Chunk, October
14, 1879. The children born to them are as fol-
lows : Marguerite, Mary E., Roccena, Eliza-
beth, Jeremiah E., John W. Jr., and Ruth.
The members of the family are communi-
cants of the Protestant Episcopal church. Mr.
Dodge is a Republican in politics, and has taken
quite a prominent part in the active workings
of the party. He was president of the Illinois
Central Railroad Sound Money Club of Illinois,
in 1896, and was the spokesman of the delega-
tion of Railway Men's Sound Money Clubs dur-
ing their visit to Canton, Ohio, during that cam-
paign, delivering the address to Major McKin-
ley. For proficiency and thoroughness in his
chosen calling, few equal Mr. Dodge on the en-
tire system. Beginning at the bottom of the lad-
der he has made himself familiar with every de-
tail of clerical work, and has fitted himself for
higher honors when the vacancy that is awaiting
him shall occur.
PRESTON A. SIGHTS, second clerk in
the office of the roadmaster at Mem-
phis, has had a very short but very
promising railroad career. Born and
reared at Henderson, Kentucky, he graduated
from the high school and immediately after took
a commercial course in Lockyear's Business Col-
lege, at Evansville, Ind., graduating in December
1897. Assisting his father, A. B. Sights, in his
business, coal dealing, for a few months, he se-
cured a position in the office of the assistant su-
perintendent of the Louisville division of the Ill-
inois Central road at Henderson, removing with
the office in October to Evansville and remaining
in the service there until March 25, 1899. Se-
curing a situation in the employ of a railroad
contractor, he was there engaged until July 25,
1899, as bookkeeper, when he resigned to become
yard clerk in the yards of the Illinois Central at
Evansville. October 28 following, he was trans-
ferred to Memphis and made second clerk in
the roadmaster's office, which position he is at
present filling. Mr. Sights is a member of the
Methodist church and of the social order Knights
of the Maccabees.
'ILLIAM GREEN HANCOCK, the
chief operator at Henderson, Ken-
tucky, began his railroad career at
a very early age. Born at Green-
ville, Ky., October 21, 1868, he received his ed-
ucation in the Kentucky common schools, and
while yet a youth learned the art of telegraphy.
At the early age of sixteen years he entered the
service of the Louisville & Nashville as night
operator at Slaughters, Ky., and from there was
sent to Casky, where he remained two years as
operator and agent. He was stationed succes-
sively at Crofton, Slaughters and Nortonville,
where he remained fourteen months as operator
and relief agent. In 1890 he entered the service
of the Chesapeake, Ohio & South-Western as
operator at Covington, Tenn., and from there
was transferred to Fulton, Ky., as night operator.
From here he filled successively the offices at
Paducah Junction, St. Charles, Kuttawa, Fre-
donia, Rives and Princeton, where he served as
operator and bill clerk. In 1898 he was assigned
to the office at Henderson as operator, bill clerk
and assistant ticket agent. Being at the termin-
us of the Evansville district, the position is one
requiring close application to business, and is
one of no little responsibility. Mr. Hancock
married Miss Ramage, and has one son living,
M. Rice, and a son deceased, Costello, who died
at the age of four years. Mr. Hancock is a
member of the Tribe of Ben Hur, Court No. 3,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
247
of Henderson, Ky. In all the positions in
which he has been placed, Mr. Hancock has met
the expectations of his employers and merited the
promotions that from time to time he has re-
ceived.
JOSEPH J. BORNSCHEIN was born in
Louisville, Kentucky, January 17, 1866.
His father, F. J. Bornschein, is now de-
ceased, while his mother resides in Louis-
ville with her daughter. Our subject was edu-
cated in the Louisville high school, afterward
taking a thorough business course. He was
with Pratt & Co. three years, as book-keeper,
becoming an expert accountant and is very sys-
tematic in his work. He is also an inventor,
having invented and patented a metal bicycle
support, hat pin, and metal plating that is more
durable than nickel plate.
Mr. Bornschein, commenced railroading in
September 1886, on the Chesapeake, Ohio &
Southwestern, firing freight and passenger, and
in July 1889, he was promoted to a switch en-
gine in the Paducah yards. July 23, 1890, he
was given a road engine and ran on a through
freight to Memphis. He has, at present, a pre-
ferred run between the same points, and drives
a new Brooks engine, No. 28. Our subject has
a remarkably good record, not having had any
accidents or injuries. Mr. Bornschein married
Miss LeBlanc, the daughter of Dr. J. W. Le
Blanc, who was a very prominent physician.
They have one child, Clifford Louis, at school.
Our subject is a progressive, up-to-date man,
a great reader and also a musician, his instru-
ment being the mandolin. He is a member of
Division No. 225, B. of L .E., and is at present
Secretary and Treasurer of the Lodge, having
held the office during the years, 1890, 1893, 1894,
and 1899. He also belongs to the Knights of
the Maccabees, Griffin Tent, No. 47, and Blue
Lodge No. 449, Paducah, Chapter No. 30 and
Commandery No. u, A. F. & A. M. He has al-
so taken the thirty-two degrees of the Consis-
tory of the Scottish Rite Masonry.
MBROSE E. MERCER, a popular Illi-
nois Central freight engineer, began
his railroad career in 1885 as a fireman
on the C. O. & S. W., now the Louis-
ville division of the Illinois Central, with En-
gineer N. Hudson, now of Memphis, Tenn. Our
subject fired both freight and passenger engines
until 1888, when he was promoted to engineer
and given a McQueen engine, No. 79, running
extra all over the Louisville division. Our sub-
ject at present has a preferred run between Pa-
ducah and Central City, on engine No. 252, with
Fireman Jos. Stanfield. He has had several
good firemen promoted from his engine, and he
has a fine record as an engineer.
Mr. Mercer was born in Pennsylvania.
His father is William Mercer, a practical miner,
who came to the coal fields of Pennsylvania
from England, opening up several important
mines. In 1872 he opened up mines at Mercer,
Ky. Afterward the Emporia mine was opened
in 1878, he being the proprietor of both of these
mining properties. He later came to Paducah
and engaged in the coal business, being one of
the leading coal dealers of the city for seven
years. He is now retired and living with his
son, a religious and highly respected citizen.
Our subject worked in the coal mines in various
capacities five years, and is considered an expert
miner. He has a brother, Thomas Mercer, who
is an old engineer running between Memphis and
Cairo, being one of the oldest and best known
men on the road.
Mr. Mercer married Miss Mary Campbell,
and has four children, three boys and one girl,
Harry and Robert William, at school, Katie
Belle and Leland, who have not yet attained the
school age. Our subject is a member of Div-
ision No. 225 B. of L. E., and Division No.
238, B. of L. F. He is also a member of the
Plain City Lodge No. 449, A. F. & A. M. He
built a fine residence in 1891 at 633 S. Thirteenth
street, where he enjoys, when off duty, the com-
forts of a happy home. Mr. Mercer is a man of
temperate habits, who has succeeded by his own
efforts and character.
248
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
SHEAHAN, roadmaster on the Mem-
phis division of the Illinois Central,
Q with headquarters at Memphis, Ten-
nessee, was born at Moro, 111., No-
vember 27, 1858. His parents, respected resi-
dents of Bath, Illinois, were Dennis and Esther
(Walter) Sheahan. Mr. Sheahan Sr., who de-
parted this life in 1881, was a native of Limerick
county, Ireland, and had been in railroad service
about thirty years as section foreman. He
served in that capacity at Bath; Illinois, for the
Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis R. R. (formerly
the Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville R. R. ) for many
years. Our subject attended the public schools
of Bath, and worked, when a boy, on a farm.
At the age of fourteen he began railroad life
as a section hand under his father, on the Peoria,
Pekin & Jacksonville Railroad and was with him
eight years. He was then appointed section fore-
man at Hollis, Illinois, and was soon afterward
sent to Peoria, Illinois, where he was placed in
charge of a section, which embraced the Peoria
yards. He held that position two years, and
was then transferred to Havana, Illinois, in a
similar position, remaining there five months.
He then took charge of a surfacing gang, on the
Peoria & Farmington R. R., and was two months
later promoted to foreman of track-laying at
Peoria. Serving there three months in that ca-
pacity, he was promoted to assistant roadmaster,
where he was engaged for one year, when the
road was extended to Keithsburg, Illinois, and
the name changed to the Iowa Central. He was
then appointed roadmaster, with headquarters
at Monmouth, Illinois, and was there for three
years, when division headquarters were changed
to Keithsburg, Illinois, to which point he was
transferred. The division was afterward ex-
tended to Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Mr. Sheahan had
charge of 192 miles of track and the last four
months with that company he was road and train-
master. He remained with the Iowa Central un-
til 1893, when he entered the service of the Illi-
nois Central as supervisor of the second divi-
sion, at Champaign, Illinois, where his jurisdic-
tion extended over 116 miles. He held that
position two years, and was then transferred to
the fifth division, with headquarters at Kankakee,
Illinois, and remained there one year, when he
was sent to Clinton, Illinois, as roadmaster of the
Springfield division. He occupied that position
seven months, when he resigned to go to the
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern R. R. as roadmaster,
with headquarters at Joliet, Illinois. He was
with the. latter road about one year, when he
returned to the I. C. service, as supervisor of
the seventh division, with headquarters at Mur-
physboro, Illinois, and remained there eighteen
months. He was then promoted to his present
position as roadmaster of the Memphis division,
which embraces 265 miles of main line between
Fulton, Kentucky, and Grenada, Mississippi.
On the gth of June, 1881, Mr. Sheahan was
married to Miss Mary T. Donahue, of Peoria.
Illinois, where she was born, June 7, 1861.
Both Mr. Sheahan and his estimable wife are
devoted members of the Catholic church. He
is connected with the Catholic Order of Fores-
ters. In politics he is a Democrat. From a
humble beginning, Mr. Sheahan has, by his un-
tiring industry and energy, reached a position
of prominence, carrying with it the complete
confidence of the officials of the road, and the
good will and esteem of the many employes un-
der his jurisdiction.
M. BRANNER, chief clerk in the
office of the roadmaster at Memphis,
O although a young man, has made
rapid progress in the service he has
chosen to make his vocation in life. Born at
Arcola, 111., December i, 1879, he was reared
and educated at Jackson, Tenn., whither the fam-
ily removed during his early childhood. His
father, M. F. Branner, an extensive contractor
during his active business career, died in 1892.
The mother, whose maiden name was Rachel
Becton, resides in Jackson, Tenn. Mr. Branner
began his railroad career in the spring of 1895
as clerk in the office of the superintendent at
ARTHUR HARMS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
251
Jackson, remaining about eighteen months,
when he was transferred to the trainmaster's
office, serving there six months. Promoted to
second clerk in the roadmaster's office, he served
with such credit to himself that in February 1899
he was transferred to Memphis and made chief
clerk to the roadinaster there, which position he
is holding at the present time. Mr. Branner
was reared in the Presbyterian faith and is in-
dependent in politics. Few young men with in-
fluential friends to help them make as rapid rise
in any calling as has been made by the subject of
this sketch. By his own merit he has won pro-
motions in a short time that it has taken others
years to win.
RTHUR HARMS, a well-known engi-
neer in the freight and passenger ser-
vice on the Louisiana division of the
Illinois Central, was born at New Or-
leans, January 4, 1858. Henry Harms, his
father, was for a long time connected with the
N. O. J. & G. N. R. R. in the bridge construction
department of that road. When but a young
lad of sixteen years, the subject of this sketch
began his railroad career in the car department
of the I. C. shops at McComb City, Miss., and
on October 12, 1884, was given a position as
fireman, on engine No. 318, with G. Nelson
as engineer, and A. Butterworth as conductor.
In 1886 he was promoted to engineer, being em-
ployed on a switch engine until 1888. He was
then given a regular run in the freight service,
and finally in the passenger service, where he is
at present employed, in charge of engine No.
720, with John Rayford, who has been with him
for six years, as fireman. Mr. Harms had a
narrow escape from death on December 22, 1892,
caused by a " lap order ". While running at a
speed of forty miles an hour, with a heavy train
of freight, his engine collided with an extra
freight on a curve near Gallman, demolishing
both engines. Seeing the great danger which
threatened him, Mr. Harms jumped as the en-
is
gines met, and received a painful injury in his
knee, which for some time incapacitated him for
duty. This wreck was considered the most dis-
astrous that ever happened on the Louisiana divi-
sion of the road.
On March 25, 1896, Mr. Harms was united
in mariage to Miss Kace McNeal, a popular lady
of Wesson, Miss. He has just completed and
occupies one of the finest residences in McComb
City, many of the features being of his own de-
sign. This elegant home which is appropriately
furnished, is located in the most aristocratic sec-
tion of the city, on a high eminence, surrounded
by a grove of beautiful shade trees, and stands
as a monument to the pluck and energy of a poor
boy, who, to use his own language, began life
with less than "two-bits." Mr. Harms holds
membership in Division No. 196, B. of L. E.
in which he has held various offices.
=\\UGENE B. CALDWELL, chief clerk
in the offices at Henderson, Kentucky,
holds an unusually responsible position
for one of his age. Born at Austin,
Tennessee, in 1875, after attending the common
schools until 1891, he entered the employ of the
Southern Railroad at Lawrenceburg, Kentucky,
as messenger boy, making himself useful as
clerk, and was soon promoted to bill clerk and
later to chief clerk. From Lawrenceburg he
was transferred to Paducah Junction as assist-
ant agent, and from there to Hopkinsville as
chief clerk, where he remained five months. He
was then assigned to duty at Henderson as chief
clerk, being held accountable for the work of
the two assistants under his charge. It is un-
usual for one of his years to have attained so
responsible a position. He is quick and accurate
and thoroughly reliable, which accounts for his
rapid rise. Mr. Caldwell was married to Miss
Lula Ausenbaugh, of Hopkinsville. Their home
is at present at Henderson.
252
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
T. ERTCKSON is a popular young
conductor on the Louisiana division
of the Illinois Central, in the freight
department. Beginning in 1892 at
Canton, as a fireman on the Mississippi division
of the I. C. with Engineer Wilder, he was for
two years in that branch of the service. He
then went to the Louisiana division, and until
1899 was engaged as a brakeman, and in the lat-
ter year was promoted to conductor in the freight
service, where he has since remained. He has
been in a few small wrecks while on the road,
the most serious being at Hazelhurst, Missis-
sippi, in which several were injured. He, how-
ever, was fortunate in escaping.
Miss Leila C. Hemphill, of McComb City,
became the wife of Mr. Erickson. She is a
daughter of Mrs. Amelia Hemphill, the propri-
etress of a boarding house in that city, a very
popular stopping place with the employes of the
I. C. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson's marriage has
been blessed by a bright little daughter, Maude,
born April 14, 1894. Mr. Erickson is connected
with Myrtle Lodge No. 36, Knights of Pythias,
and is also a member of Division No. 264, B. of
R. T. of McComb City. He has a comfortable
home on Broadway and is a useful and progres-
sive citizen of that cit.
THEODORE MORENO JR., chief clerk
in the local freight offices at Memphis,
was born at Tougalo, Georgia, Decem-
ber i6th, 1872, and educated in the
schools of Gainesville, Georgia. While quite a
lad he began for himself as cash-boy in a large
store in Gainesville, and two years later was
given a clerkship in the same establishment
where he remained four years. In 1891 on com-
ing to Memphis, he entered the service of the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad as
clerk in the auditor's office, and a year later was
transferred to the local freight office where he
was employed at the time the road was absorbed
by the Central in 1892. Under the new man-
agement he became report clerk in 1894, and was
successively promoted to rate revising clerk.
night chief clerk, station accountant, and in Aug-
ust 1897 became cashier, and six months later
chief clerk in the freight department, where he
is at present employed. Theodore Moreno Sr.
is a civil engineer, now retired, who served many
years in the employ of the Atlanta & Charlotte
Railroad. He married Miss Virginia Anderson,
a native of Florida. They are members of the
Episcopal church, in which their son was reared.
Mr. Moreno is a Democrat in politics. He is
accurate and quick at figures and his integrity
is of the strictest kind, winning for him the con-
fidence of his superiors in the service.
EORGE B. McCOY, train despatcher
at Memphis, was born at West Point,
Kentucky, April 23, 1856, and re-
ceived his education at the famous
Military Institute at Lexington. Having learned
telegraphy, in 1876 he accepted a position with
the Ohio River Telegraph company, and shortly
after joined the force of the Pacific & Atlantic
Telegraph company, both of Louisville. Hav-
ing a taste for railroading, in 1877 he secured a
position as sleepingcar conductor, running out
of New Orleans until the following year, when
the service was abandoned on account of the
prevalence of the yellow fever. Being offered
a position by G. M. Dugan, superintendent of
telegraph, in the service of the Illinois Central,
he accepted in December 1878, and filled the
position of operator and chief clerk in East
Cairo, Kentucky, two years. Transferred to the
despatcher's office at Jackson, Tennessee, he re-
mained but a short time, then was assigned as
despatcher to accompany the construction force
during the building of the Canton, Aberdeen &
Nashville road, and remained at Aberdeen as de-
spatcher until 1888. When the Illinois Central
bought the Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad
and created the Memphis division, he was trans-
ferred to Memphis and made one of the despatch-
ers there, which position he has since filled to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
253
the satisfaction of his employers. Mr. McCoy
is a son of Bernard McCoy, deceased, formerly
a merchant at West Point. The mother, Ann
E. Withers in maidenhood, survives him.
The marriage of Mr. McCoy occurred Jan-
nan- 3, 1889. at Aberdeen, Mississippi, the home
of the bride, Miss Madie E. Montgomery, a
native of that place, born October i8th, 1878.
Their only child, Harry Bernard, was born at
Memphis, November 25, 1893. The family be-
long to the Methodist church, south, and Mr.
McCoy to the Royal Arcanum. In politics he
lias been a lifelong Democrat.
read.
, OBERT S. ALFORD, an energetic and
popular employe of the Illinois Cen-
tral, is a conductor in the freight ser-
vice on the Louisiana division of the
At the age of ten years he was employed
as messenger and errand boy at the depot in
Johnstons, Miss., where he remained for five
years. Being a thrifty lad, he accumulated suf-
ficient funds during those five years to give him
a college course of three years at Holmesville,
-Mississippi, where he acquired a good practical
education. At the age of twenty-one he went to
McComb City and again entered the service of
the I. C. as a brakeman on the Louisiana divis-
ion, in which branch of the service he was em-
ployed until October 1890. He was then pro-
moted to conductor, and has since had a regular
run between McComb City and Canton. In a
serious wreck, a head end collision which oc-
curred on March 8th, 1891, at Martinsville,
Mississippi, he was injured, and for nine months
incapacitated for work.
Mr. A 1 ford was born on a farm near Johns-
tons, Mississippi, where his father, Leandor R.
Alford, still resides on the old homestead. In the
paternal family there were three sons beside the
subject of this sketch, Barney and Harvey, who
are at home, and Monroe, a teacher in the pub-
lic schools near his home. Mr. Alford belongs
to the Knights of Maccabees, Knights of Pyth-
ias, and O. R. C. of McComb City, where he
makes his home with Conductor Erickson.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
]. LAWRENCE, a prominent and
highly popular conductor, in the pas-
senger service of the Yazoo & Missis-
sippi Valley R. R., with headquarters
at Memphis, Tenn. was born in Hartford, Ky.,
on June 12, 1865, and is a son of H. J. and Eliza-
beth (Coates) Lawrence, both deceased. The
educational training of our subject was acquired
in the public schools of his native place, and at
South Carrollton College, in Calhoun county,
Ky. At the age of eighteen, he began railroad
life, as a student of telegraphy at Caneyville,
Ky., on the Chesapeake, Ohio & South Western
R. R. (now the Illinois Central) and was soon
afterward given the position of night operator
at that point, where he remained eighteen months.
He was then sent to Trimble, Tenn., as agent
and operator, remaining there about the same
length of time, and was then transferred to
Obion, Tenn., holding a similar position there
for three years. Desiring a change of climate,
he resigned and went to Texas, and was ap-
pointed agent and operator for the San Antonio
& Aransas Pass R. R. at Driscoll, in that state,
and after four months service was transferred
to Corpus Christi as bill clerk in the local freight
office, occupying that position eight months. He
next went to Memphis, Tenn., and entered the
road service of the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mississippi Val-
ley R. R.) as a brakeman between Memphis and
Vicksburg, and after a service of one year was,
on December 18, 1891, promoted to conductor
in the freight service on the same run. He held
the latter position until September 7, 1897, when
he was discharged for failing to clear passenger
trains according to the rules and regulations
then existing. He then entered the service of
the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. as a brake-
man, between Houston and Hillsboro, Texas,
remaining there four months. While switching
in the yards at Taylor, Texas, he lost two fingers
254
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
of his right hand, which caused him to remain
in the hospital for three months. Upon recov-
ery he resumed his work as brakeman, being
promoted to conductor on September i, 1898,
and working three months. He was then re-
instated in his former position and rights on the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., and was in
the freight service until February 8, 1899, when
he was promoted to the passenger service and
given a regular run on the Vicksburg division,
between Memphis and Vicksburg, where he is
now serving successfully, and one of the most
popular conductors on that division. Mr. Law-
rence is a member of Vicksburg Division, No.
231, O. R. C. His family attend the Christian
church, and politically he is a strong Democrat.
NDREW J. FRALEY, freight engineer,
a trusty employe of the Illinois Central,
began his railroad career in 1876 on
the Eastern Kentucky Railroad as fire-
man, working a short time. He then went on
the Lexington division of the Chesapeake &
Ohio Railroad where he fired five years, four
years of this time being in passenger service.
He next worked on the Cincinnati Southern road
and the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton line some
six months and an equal period on the Alabama
Great Southern Railroad.
Coming to Paducah he fired one year be-
tween Padncah and Louisville when he was pro-
moted to engineer and took charge of engine
No. 50. From 1887 to August 7, 1890, he was
in this employ and then resigned, returning to
the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio, remain--
ing until February 1893, when he came back to
Paducah and has been running since in the
freight service with a seat in the cab of a Brooks
engine, No. 22, with Thomas Mullen firing.
Our subject has a good record, having re-
ceived no severe injury. He had a very close
call July 13, 1898; while moving at the rate of
thirty miles struck an extra freight train at Gar-
rison Creek trestle and he jumped. The trestle
was thirty feet high and Mr. Fraley rolled thir-
ty feet, but escaped death and was out of service
only a few days with his injuries. Thirty-six
cars were wrecked and both engines demolished.
Our subject was born in Virginia, a son of
Mr. Boone Fraley, farmer, now dead, as is the
mother who passed away in early life. Our sub-
ject has had to earn his own living since his
childhood, and he is a self-made man.
Mr. Fraley married Miss Rindenbrugh, and
has five children : Mary, Orville, William R.,
Freddie and Jeanette. He is an active member
of Division No. 225, B. of L. E., having joined
the Order in 1887. His genial nature has made
him a host of warm friends from one end of the
line to the other.
J. SHEA, the efficient foreman of
the blacksmith shops of the Illi-
Q nois Central at McComb City,
.Mississippi, began work in the
shops at the age of fifteen years. After serving
an apprenticeship, he remained in the shops un-
til 1889, when he went to Vicksburg, Mississippi,
and was employed in the Louisville, New Or-
leans & Texas Railroad blacksmith shops at that
place for about fifteen months. Returning to
the shops at McComb City, he was for seven
years in charge of what is known as the "first
fire," when he was promoted to foreman of the
shops, and has held that position ever since. He
now has charge of thirty-two men, and his de-
partment is kept very busy. His long incum-
bency as foreman, and the capable manner in
which he handles his force, show him to be a
man of marked ability.
Mr. Shea was born at Binghamton, New
York, on March 3Oth, 1867, and is the son of
John Shea, who was a section foreman in the
service of the I. C. for twenty years, and who
died at Canton, Mississippi, while in the employ
of that road. Mr. Shea married Miss Cecelia
Daigle, of Natchez, Mississippi, and resides with
his estimable wife in a fine home in the western
part of McComb City.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
255
R. WHEELER, city pas-
senger and ticket agent of the Illinois
Central at Evansville, Indiana , was
born at Union Springs, New York, a
son of B. D. Wheeler, a tanner by trade. Our
subject received his education in the New York
public schools until seventeen years of age, when
he went to Seymour, Indiana, and was employed
in a general store. His first railroading was in
Vincennes, Indiana, on the Ohio & Mississippi
Railroad in the local freight office as clerk, and
then went into the mechanical department as
clerk in the master mechanic's office, after which
he went into the ticket office at the union depot in
Vincennes, where he remained six years as tick-
et agent. He was then made traveling freight
and passenger agent under G. J. Grammer, who
.is now with the Lake Shore road. Later he be-
came general baggage agent of the Mackey sys-
tem. When the roads were separated he went
with the Ohio Valley Railroad as chief clerk in
the general freight and passenger office, and
when the road was absorbed by the Illinois Cen-
tral he was made city passenger and ticket agent
with headquarters at 200 Main street, Evans-
ville, Indiana. Mr. Wheeler married a daughter
of Henry Grady, of Tiffin, Ohio, and has three
children: Charles S., Florence E., and Fred-
erick R. Jr. Our subject belongs to the National
Union, a railroad insurance order. He is a
pleasant and accommodating agent, and holds a
very responsible position.
L. WRAY, a conductor in the
freight department of the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R. on the
Vicksburg division, was born in
Popes, Miss., September 23, 1874, and is the son
of Elijah S. and Sallie A. (Collins) Wray, both
deceased. After attending the schools of his
native place until fourteen years of age, Mr.
Wray began life as a clerk in a grocery store at
Huntington, Miss., and one year later (1889)
went to the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
as a newsboy, where he was employed four years
and ran on the entire system between New Or-
leans and Memphis. He then worked in the
same capacity on the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R.,
and the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham
R. R. successively, remaining in constant service
until twenty-one years old. He then became a
flagman on the Y. & M. V. R. R., between Mem-
phis and Vicksburg where he served six months,
being then transferred in a like capacity to the
local freight between Memphis and Clarksdale.
He was then promoted to brakeman in the
freight service between Coahoma and Rolling
Fork, Miss., and later was transferred in a sim-
ilar position to a through freight between Mem-
phis and Vicksburg. He retained the latter po-
sition until March 23, 1898, when his services
were rewarded by promotion to conductor on
a through freight on the same run, where he is
now serving with eminent satisfaction.
Mr. Wray is a member of the Baptist church
and is a strong Democrat politically.
D. COBOURN, chief clerk in the
trainmaster's office at Memphis,
Q was born in Winchester, Virginia,
March 23rd, 1867, and attended
both public and private schools of his native
place. His father, William F. Cobourn, was an
employe of the Illinois Central, and lost his life
by accident on duty as a lineman between Brad-
ford and Greenfield, Tennessee, November 17,
1885. The mother, Lucy E. Cobourn, nee
Drake, resides at Fulton, Kentucky.
At the age of twenty-two Mr. Cobourn be-
came a clerk in a dry goods store at Fulton,
where he remained about two years, when he se-
cured a position as clerk with the Mobile &
Ohio road at Rives, Tennessee. About three
years after his entrance into the service of that
road, the financial depression caused the reduc-
tion of the force, and for a time he was idle, but
on the revival of business he was reinstated and
assigned to duty at Cairo where he remained
256
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
about one year, and was then transferred to
Union City, Tennessee. About a year later lie
was transferred to the offices at St. Louis, where
he remained but a short time before being re-
turned to the office at Cairo. In 1896 he re-
signed and accepted a place in the office of the
Illinois Central at Fulton, Kentucky, and No-
vember 17, 1897, lie was transferred to Mem-
phis,, to the trainmaster's office, and made chief
clerk, which position he still holds. Mr. Co-
bourn is a member of the Protestant Episcopal
church, and affiliates with the Knights of Pyth-
ias. Politically he is a Democrat.
ILLIAM GARDNER, an engineer
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, on the Louisiana division,
has been connected with the road
since 1894. Beginning as a carpenter with a
" bridge gang ", he remained at that work only
a few months, when he decided to return to
school. In 1895 he went to McComb City,
Mississippi, and entered the road service of the
I. C. as fireman on the Louisiana division, with
Engineer Charles Gilmore. After a faithful ser-
vice of four years and eight months in that
branch of the service, he was examined for pro-
motion to engineer, in which he was highly suc-
cessful, and was given charge of engine No.
1135 on the Manifest run on the south end of
the Louisiana division. He was there only a
short time when he took charge of a regular
run in the freight department. He has never
been in a wreck during his service on the road.
Mr. Gardner was born at Summit, Miss.,
March 28, 1873. His father, William S. Gard-
ner, was a farmer of Liberty, Miss. Both pa-
rents of our subject died in the prime of life. A
sister. Alma Lee Gardner, became the wife of
Charles N. McKnight, who is also an employe of
the I. C.
Mr. Gardner was for three years a student
at the A. and M. College of Mississippi, and
while there was a member of the Lee Guards,
a military organization. He was married to
Miss Almeta H. Hemphill, of Byram, Miss. A
lovely little daughter, Eugenia Belle, has blessed
their union. Socially Mr. Gardner is a member
of the Modern Woodmen of America, Protective
Knights of America, and B. of L. F. He is
a charter member of Ensign Lodge No. 411,
acting as a member of the Grievance Committee,
and is at present a delegate to the convention of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, to be
held at Des Moines, Iowa, during the present
year (1900). He resides in a pretty home in
the western part of McComb City, and is a
highly respected citizen of that community.
'ILLIAM R. WILKINSON is of old
Virginia stock. His father, William
Wilkinson, was killed in the civil
war and his mother is since deceased.
Our subject's brother, P. B. Wilkinson, is a
passenger conductor running out of Jackson,
haying been conductor since 1874. He has an-
other brother, J. J. Wilkinson, who is a success-
ful business man at Morristown.
Our subject began his railroad service as a
brakeman on the main line of the Illinois Central
and was promoted to conductor in 1878, having
served less than one year in the former position.
Mr. Wilkinson ran between Water Valley and
Jackson, Miss., up to 1883, after which time he
went to the narrow gauge road. He worked
there five or six years and in 1891 came back to
the main line and remained there up to 1895
when he came to Paducah as conductor. Our
subject's present run is a preferred one out of
Paducah on caboose 98491. He has a remark-
ably clean record, not having had any accidents
or injuries. He is also a thorough business man
and one who is well-liked.
Mr. Wilkinson married Miss Tebbets. He
is a member of Division No. 290, O. R. C. and
is at present Senior Conductor of the Lodge.
He is also a prominent Mason, being a member
of the Paducah Lodge No. 127.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
•257
LLEN J. JORGENSON, was born in
Florence, Indiana. His father, N.
Jorgenson, was an insurance man, who
engaged in that business in Henderson.
Our subject, the trusty and successful dispatcher,
commenced railroad service at Henderson as op-
erator, served several years and was next made
agent. Afterwards he was "trick" dispatcher at
Earlington, Ky., for eight years, and then came
to Paducah in the same capacity, serving ten
years when he was made agent and afterward
chief dispatcher. He has two train dispatchers,
W. L. Bennett and J. B. Alvey, also two opera-
tors, R. Foster and W. O. Rodgers, in the office
under his charge.
Mr. Jorgenson married a daughter of Dr.
G. Davis, and has one child, Susie, a young miss
at school. Our subject is a Mason, belonging
to Plain City Lodge No. 449. His home is at
Paducah.
.OBERT DAWES, a good natured
freight conductor on the Louisville di-
vision of the Illinois Central, is a na-
tive of Stanford, Kentucky. His
father, A. Dawes, was a liveryman in Ken-
tucky, but afterwards moved to Missouri. Our
subject learned telegraphing and in 1879 entered
the service of the Missouri Pacific as operator,
but in 1880 he went to New Mexico as a tele-
graph operator on the Santa Fe. Soon after he
came back to the Missouri Pacific as conductor
and dispatcher, and from 1884 to 1887 he worked
on the construction through western Kansas and
Colorado. After the completion of the road he
secured a place on the Denver & Rio Grande,
at Pueblo. His next position was at Clarendon,
Texas, where he spent one year as dispatcher.
During the next four years he was in the employ
of the Santa Fe as conductor. After this he
left the road and engaged in the restaurant bus-
iness for six months. In 1894 he came to the
C. O. & S. W., working at Paducah two years
as conductor. His present run is a preferred
one between Paducah and Louisville. He has
never been injured, but he has had varied ex-
periences. He is considered a thorough railroad
man.
In 1884 Mr. Dawes married a lady of West
Virginia, and they have six children : Ethel,
Lillian, Bernie, Robert, Morgan and Palmer.
He resides at Louisville.
JOHN A. SCOTT, division passenger agent
for the Illinois Central at Memphis,
Tenn., was born in that city on Novem-
ber ist, 1865. He was educated in the
public schools of his native city, and also took
a business course at the Robertson Business Col-
lege there. Mr. Scott began his railroad career
at Memphis in September 1880, as clerk in the
office of J. T. Harahan, superintendent of the
Louisville & Nashville R. R., and was, in 1882,
assigned to the city ticket office of that road, as
assistant ticket agent. In 1884 he was promoted
to city passenger agent, and in 1888 succeeded
to the city ticket agency for the Louisville &
Nashville, Illinois Central, and Little Rock &
Memphis roads. In 1891 he was made district
passenger agent for the Louisville & Nashville,
with headquarters at Memphis, and resigned in
September 1893 to accept the position of general
agent of the passenger department, at Memphis,
for the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis R.
R., and the Kansas City, Memphis & Birming-
ham R. R. He left the service, of those roads
to take his present position with the Illinois Cen-
tral. Mr. Scott's jurisdiction covers the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R., and all branches
between Memphis, Tenn., and Baton Rouge, La. ;
and the Illinois Central from Paducah, Ky., to
Cairo. 111., and to Grenada, Miss., including also
the main line of the I. C. between Fulton and
Grenada, and reporting to the assistant general
passenger agent at Louisville, Ky.
He is an official of splendid executive abil-
ity, courteous and obliging in all his relations
with the public, and ever vigilant and ambitious
258
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
to guard the interests of the I. C. road and pro-
mote its prosperity, and is justly popular with
• all with whom he is brought in contact.
,RANK WINTERS, a young freight
engineer on the Louisville division of
the Illinois Central, began September
1888, firing with Engineer Haywood
between Paducah and Memphis. He was pro-
moted to engineer in 1895, having run a switch
engine one year. Our subject ran both north
and south out of Paducah, when he was given
his present run on the north end between Padu-
cah and Central City. He has a fine Brooks en-
gine of the newest type, and has a good record.
Mr. Winters was born in Ripley, Ohio.
His father, a cigar manufacturer, died when our
subject was quite small. Of the leading social
orders Mr. Winters is a prominent member. In
the Masonic bodies he affiliates with Blue Lodge
No. 449, the Chapter No. 30, and the Command-
ery No. n, while the Odd Fellows and the Red
Men claim his allegiance. He is also a member
of Division No. 225, B. of L. E., of Paducah.
Although one of the younger engineers he has
attained a proficiency and interest in his work
that will advance him as fast as there are open-
ings at the top for progressive young men.
ILLIAM SPEAR FORSYTHE,
a passenger conductor on the Lou-
isville division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, is a native of New Concord,
Ohio, having been born there in December 1859.
His father was J .V. Forsythe, a tanner by trade,
who died in 1881. He moved to Kansas and our
subject was educated there. He left school when
he was fourteen years of age, working at various
occupations until at the age of eighteen, when
he entered the train service of the Missouri Pa-
cific as brakeman, and was promoted to conduc-
tor on that road. In 1891 he came to the C. O.
& S. W. and was given a freight train, and ran
an extra passenger between Central City and
Paducah. Our subject's present run is a through
passenger between Louisville and Fulton. He
has a fine record.
Our subject married Miss Brady, of Osa-
watomie, Kansas, and has two daughters, Helen
and Ethel. Mr. Forsythe is a member of Mo-
non Division No. 89, O. R. C., of Louisville ;
also belongs to Lodge No. 184, K. of P., and the
I. O. O. F., both of Osawatomie, Kansas. Our
subject resides at Louisville.
RANT O. LORD, is a popular conduc-
tor in the freight service of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad on the Louisi-
ana division. He was born in Berks
county, Pa., on September igth, 1869, and is
the son of John R. and Mary L. Lord, both na-
tives of Pennsylvania.
John R. Lord was for a time employed on
the Middle division of the Pennsylvania Railroad
as a clerk, and later as a conductor. He was
also connected with the Philadelphia & Reading
road, but in 1881 went to Nebraska where he
engaged in merchandising and stock buying. He
remained at that business until removing to
Hammond, Miss., where he is now living retired.
Grant O. Lord entered the service of the
Illinois Central at Hammond, Miss., in 1888, as
a brakeman on the Louisiana division of the
road, and in 1890 was promoted to conductor in
the freight service. He occupied the latter posi-
tion until 1893, when he resigned to engage in
the saw-mill business at Hammond, La., but re-
mained at that work only one year. Returning
to the service of the I. C. he resumed his former
position, and has since had a regular run in the
freight service on the Louisiana division. Dur-
ing his career with the road, he has been in two
wrecks, the most serious of which was between
JAMES M. HOKKINS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
261
Gallman and Crystal Springs, Miss., in 1892,
and another at South Port. In the latter a large
amount of stock was killed. He was fortunate
in escaping injury, especially in the first wreck,
which was a head end collision.
Mr. Lord was married to Miss Enos, of
Summit, Miss., and they have a bright daughter,
Margaret F.
He affiliates with the Masonic order, and
is also a member of Division No. 367, O. R. C.
at McComb City, where he resides in a comfort-
able home.
JAMES M. HOSKINS, a prominent en-
gineer in the freight service on the Lou-
isiana division of the Illinois Central,
was born in Brookhaven, Miss., in No-
vember 1857. His father and grandfather were
extensive railroad contractors and lumbermen.
In 1879 the father built, under contract, twenty-
five miles of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R.
R., from Vicksburg to Big Black River. He
also built the road from Holly Springs to Mem-
phis. In 1880 • he constructed the Hoskins
branch, and sold it to the Illinois Central in 1891.
The Gulf & Ship Island R. R. and the Brook-
haven branch were built under their supervision.
Mr. Hoskins Sr. organized the Hoskins Battery,
during the Civil war, and served during the en-
tire war, from 1861 to 1865. They were noted
for bravery, and always found in the thickest of
the fight. He died in Jackson, Miss., during the
yellow fever epidemic in 1898, his wife dying
in 1890. Three of his sons, brothers of our
subject, attained military distinction during the
Spanish-American war. Samuel W. was lieu-
tenant of Company H, First Miss. Vol. ; G. C., a
West Point man, was major of the Second Miss.,
and W., a lieutenant in the Third Miss. Regt.
Another, Jones H., was a private in Co. H,
First Miss. The maternal grandfather of our
subject, Mr Whitworth, was a very wealthy man,
a Methodist preacher, and donated a female col-
lege named after him, in Brookhaven, Miss., to
the Methodist conference.
The subject of this sketch began life as a
bookkeeper for his father in the lumber business,
who had all the penitentiary labor of the state,
besides many others, his crew sometimes reach-
ing 1,500 men. It was his duty also to look
after the machinery, etc., and in 1891, when he
entered the service of the Illinois Central, his
experience at engineering was such that it was
not necessary for him to spend any time as fire-
man. He has since been in the regular employ
of the I. C. company, and has at present a run be-
tween McComb City and Canton, on engine No.
723. He has graduated several firemen from his
engine, among them L. Jenkins, W Graves and
Leon Ford, all successful engineers. Mr. Hos-
kins had one very serious head end collision, in
which Engineer Quinn, of the other engine, and
a very popular man, lost his life, and our subject
had a close call. The accident happened on a
curve, and many theories were advanced as to
the cause, but Mr. Hoskins and his crew were
exonerated. Miss Maggie Towns, of Brook-
haven, Miss., became the wife of Mr. Hoskins,
. and they have three children living : James, a
bright boy, at college in Bay St. Louis, Miss. ;
Sherwood Towns, aged seven ; and Milton La
Hargue, aged five. Jacob W. died when a small
child. Mr. Hoskins built a fine residence in 1896,
constructed from his own designs ; it is finished
in hard wood, and has all modern conveniences.
Mr. Hoskins has been connected with the B. of
L. E. since 1891, having served as chairman of
the Grievance board, and was also a delegate to
the Legislative board. He vigorously opposed
the Cox bill at the last state session. He is a
member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 241, the
Knights of Honor and the Knights of Pythias, of
Brookhaven, and of Elks Lodge No. 268, of Mc-
Comb City.
Mr. Hoskins is devoted to manly sports. He
has a fine driving horse, and a promising colt by
Tug Wilkes. He also has some fine dogs and
is very fond of hunting, making frequent trips
during the season with Dr. Doepp, I. C. surgeon,
of Chicago, and A. L. Barker, a lumberman of
Wisconsin. He is an expert shot, and has taken
several prizes at tournaments. In a state drill
262
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
at Jackson, he tied for first honors. He is a
member of the Brookhaven Gun Club, and is
now one of the twenty charter members organiz-
ing the McComb City Sportsman's Club, which
will be incorporated for the purpose of protecting
game and fish, and enjoying the pleasures
thereof. Mr. Hoskins is closely identified with
the interests of McComb City, where he is an
influential and respected citizen.
JACOB W. BOONE, a prominent young
employe of the Illinois Central, is a con-
ductor in the freight service of the road
on the Louisiana division. In early life
Mr. Boone learned the trade of a printer, and
still retains membership in the Typographical
Union. Deciding to embark in railroad life, he
entered the service of the Kansas City, Watkins
& Gulf R. R. at Lake Charles, La., as a fireman,
serving thirteen months. He then went to Mc-
Comb City in 1891, and at once became identi-
fied with the I. C., working first as fireman and
later as brakeman on the Louisiana division,
until 1897. In the latter year he received a
well merited promotion to conductor, and has
since held that position. He has been fortunate
in escaping injury during his service, and has
never been in a wreck.
Brookhaven, Miss., is the birthplace of our
subject, and the date of his birth is August 3rd,
1871. He is the third son of Rev. Robert J. and
Tomaesia A. (Stanard) Boone, both of whom
reside at Summit, Miss., where Mr. Boone Sr.
has charge of a congregation of the Baptist
church.
Mr. and Mrs. Boone Sr. were the parents of
four sons, viz : Henry, formerly a conductor on
the I. C. but now with the Kansas City, Fort
Scott & Memphis road ; Jacob W., our subject ;
Charles, who although only a young man of
eighteen years, has reached a degree of promi-
nence not easily attained at his age. Educated
in the public schools of Brookhaven, Miss.,
Charles soon won his way into the State Uni-
versity, and from there went to the Military
Academy at Annapolis, Md. At the outbreak of
the Spanish-American war he enlisted in the
United States Navy, serving through the war
and received special mention for bravery at the
battle of Santiago. Having enlisted without the
consent of his parents, their first knowledge of
his action being gleaned from the newspaper ac-
counts of his bravery, they requested and ob-
tained his discharge from the government, upon
which he enlisted on a British vessel and went
to England. Showing his honorable discharge
from the United States authorities, he was at
once given a position in the English navy, and
is now quartermaster on an English ship, on the
African waters. The fourth son is Oscar, who
resides with his parents. Rev. and Mrs. Boone
believed in education, and gave their sons all the
advantages their circumstances would permit.
Jacob W. Boone, our subject, belongs to the Ma-
sonic order, and is a member of the Blue Lodge
No. 241, of Brookhaven, Miss. He is also a
member of Lodge No. 204, I. O. O. F. Of the
railroad social organizations he claims member-
ship with Division No. 367, O. R. C., Division
No. 264, B. R. T. of McComb City. Being a
young man of pleasing manners, and an employe
noted for carefulness and steady habits, Mr.
Boone has a bright future before him.
EGINALD DUVALL, probably the
youngest man running an engine on
the Memphis division, was born in
Lyon county, Ky. His father, F. M.
Duvall, died in 1888, leaving our subject to sup-
port his mother and two sisters and a brother.
He educated his two sisters who are now married
and living at New York and New Orleans, re-
spectively. He was himself a great student and
has a fine collection of standard books which he
thoroughly studied.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
263
Mr. Duvall commenced his railroading in
1888 as caller, which place he retained one year,
then worked as fireman for F. Humphrey on a
freight run out of Paducah up to 1893, when he
went on a passenger engine on which he fired
twenty months and was then, at the age of twen-
ty, set up to engineer. His first run as engineer
was to the St. Charles coal mines, and he ran on
the north end three years. His present run is a
through freight between Paducah and Memphis
on a McQueen engine Xo. 370. He has run
every style of engine, and has had several nar-
row escapes from injury. At one time while
firing on the train known as the " cannon ball "
they struck cross ties on the track and were
ditched. August 3, 1895, he had a peculiar ex-
perience : while coming into the yard he had his
engine turned completely over through an old
colored woman who was wandering around the
yard and in some way stepped on the switch and
turned it ; fortunately no one was injured.
Our subject is a member of Division No.
225, B. of L. E., at Paducah, also belongs to
Division No. 238, B. of L. F. He owns a home
at 1234 Jefferson street.
I ARL F. SWANSON, a popular engineer
on the Louisville division, began his
railroad career in 1878 as a bridge car-
penter, at which he worked until June
1879. when he was taken sick. September 15,
following he was re-employed watching an en-
gine at Covington and in 1882 went to Memphis
as " hostler " in the round-house remaining in
that position until 1884, when he began firing
on engine No. 54. In 1887 he was promoted to
engineer, first running a switch engine at Mem-
phis five years. He next ran a freight engine
between Paducah and Memphis until assigned
his present run, a preferred run between Pa-
ducah and Central City. Our subject is one
of the most faithful men in the service, hav-
ing never missed a call, always on time and
never suspended and is considered one of the
most thorough engineers on the road. He
is a son of Andrews Swanson and was born in
Sweden, coming to America in 1877. Our sub-
ject has a brother who is foreman in the Illinois
car shops at Paducah, a man of many years' ex-
perience in railroad construction.
Mr. Swanson married Miss R. Stokes of
Memphis. He is a member of Division No.
225, B. of L. E., and a charter member of the
B. of L. F. having held all the offices in the lat-
ter order. He is also a member of the Masonic
fraternity affiliating with Plain City Lodge No.
449, and of Ingleside Lodge, I. O. O. F.
Our subject has made several fast runs for
which he has received special mention. One in
particular was in 1894, taking a theatre party
forty-five miles in fifty-five minutes. He is held
in high esteem by his superiors and his col-
leagues.
A. DRISCOLL, chief clerk in the road-
master's office at Louisville, was born
in 1866 at Jeffersonville, Ind. He re-
ceived his education in the public
and the parochial schools of that city, and after-
ward took a course in the Bryant & Stratton
business college. His father, David Driscoll,
was for a long time connected with the Penn-
sylvania system, having charge of the store de-
partment at Jeffersonville.
Our subject entered the service of the Penn-
sylvania company in Superintendent E. W. Me
Kenna's office and worked for that company thir-
teen years, under five different superintendents,
in local freight, transportation and road depart-
ments. In March 1896, he began working for
the C. O. & S. W. as chief clerk to General Super-
intendent F. D. Thompson, and in August 1896
as accountant in Superintendent W. J. Hara-
han's office, serving in this capacity two years
when he was made superintendent's chief clerk.
Here he continued for six months and was
afterwards transferred to chief clerk in roadmas-
ter's office to succeed C. B. Wintersmith, who is
264
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
now at Memphis. Our subject has a very re-
sponsible position, as the roadmaster's depart-
ment often reaches three thousand men, includ-
ing- section men and carpenters. Besides this
he has to look after a large number of rails, ties,
lumber (rough and dressed), gravel, fence, wire,
posts, brick and tank materials, also attends to
the general detail of engineer's actions, besides
the immense amount of correspondence in re-
gard to labor and materials. Mr. DriscolFs
position is a bonded one as he often pays a large
number of men in busy season, and in addition
prepares leases. He has a stenographer and
several assistants. Mr. Driscoll belongs to the
Elks Lodge, No. 362, being instrumental in se-
curing the charter of the Lodge. He resides
with his parents at Jeffersonville, Indiana.
EORGE C. DEAN, a popular engineer
on the Memphis division of the Illi-
nois Central began his railroad career
in 1879 as a brakeman on the East
Broad Top Railroad. He served as brakeman
and fireman up to 1887 when he entered the ser-
vice of the C. B. & Q., working one year in the
Chicago yards, after which he entered the em-
ploy of the Illinois Central at Memphis, begin-
ning as engine cooler. At that time the engineers
and men were a tough lot and our subject soon
got to the top of the list being temperate and in-
dustrious. September 3, 1889 Mr. Dean came to
Paducah and was given an engine on a gravel
run, and various other runs, up to the time of
his promotion to his present preferred run be-
tween Paducah and Memphis. Our subject's
present engine is No. 33, a Rogers of the newest
type, and his fireman is J. G. Sands.
Our subject has a remarkably good record,
having had no serious accidents to damage
property to the extent of fifty dollars and has
had no serious injury to himself.
Mr. Dean was born in Clarion county,
Penn., but his father now resides at Newburn,
Tenn., whither he removed a number of years
ago. He has had the misfortune to have two
brothers killed in the service. Edward, a fire-
man, a bright young man while firing for En-
gineer Pat Grogan, in going into Wingo struck
an open switch and was crushed between the
baggage car and tender, being instantly killed.
Mr. Dean's mother received two thousand dol-
lars from the railroad company. Engineer
Grogan was severely injured about the head and
limbs. Our subject's brother Harry was killed
while braking, falling between the cars. He
was a bright young man and a favorite with all
his colleagues.
Mr. Dean married Miss Rhea and has one
child, Mabel, a bright miss at school. He is a
member of Division No. 225, B. of L. E., of
Paducah, having served as an official of the
order, also a member of Blue Lodge No. 449,
A. F. & A. M. and the Knights of Golden Cross
of Paducah.
Our subject has made several fast runs and
received special mention for the same from the
officials. His record is a creditable one of
which he may take a pardonable pride.
DWARD W. CRUTCHFIELD, one of
the younger engineers of the Central's
army of operatives, is a native of old
Kentucky, having first seen the light
of day in the town of Wingo. His father, J.
R. Crutchfield, is one of the leading farmers of
the county in which he resides. At the early age
of sixteen our subject started out for himself se-
curing a place as fireman on the Chesapeake,
Ohio & Southwestern in 1892. After six years
service on the left side of the cab, the last fifteen
months in the passenger service, he was ex-
amined and set up in the operating department
being assigned to a freight run between Paducah
and Memphis. Like many railroad men that
ride at the front end of a train our subject has
had many narrow escapes, the most notable one,
perhaps, occurring April 30, 1897, while he was
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
265
firing in the passenger service, in which the en-
gine was ditched but all aboard escaped. Mr.
Crutchfield's marriage at Paducah, to Miss Lucy
Saunders has been brightened by the arrival of
one child Kathalen, by name. Their pleasant
home is at No. 1249 Tremble street, Paducah.
JJ. TRACEY, engineer on the Amboy
division of the Illinois Central Railroad,
O was born in Wapella, 111., January 3,
1864. He entered the employ of the
Illinois Central Railroad at the age of fifteen
as section man, and afterward served as engine
wiper in round house and shops for two years,
then went on the road as extra fireman. In 1889
he was promoted to engineer and was given a
run from Clinton to Centralia, where he served
until April 24, 1898, at which time he was trans-
ferred to his present run on a freight from Clin-
ton to East St. Louis. During the ten years
service Mr. Tracey has made a remarkably clean
record, and stands high in the regard of his em-
ployers. In 1888, Mr. Tracey was united in
marriage with Miss Tilly Oberst, to whom have
been born four children: two daughters, Ella
May and Sarah are living; one son and one
daughter, are deceased. Mr. Tracey is a mem-
ber of the B. of L. E. No. 315.
O. DANA, master mechanic on Free-
port and Amboy divisions of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as fireman
on the Chicago division in 1860, and was pro-
moted to engineer in 1864, serving in that position
on the Chicago division until 1888, and incident-
ally filled the position of round-house foreman
and general foreman at the Weldon shops. At
that time, 1888, he was transferred to the Free-
port division and ran a locomotive in the con-
struction service one year, and was then given
the first service as passenger conductor on the
new Freeport division where he ran one month,
when he was promoted to master mechanic at
Freeport. His territory has been extended un-
til he now is master mechanic over the Freeport
and Amboy districts, having under his charge
four hundred sixty-four miles of track.
Mr. Dana was born in Cobbleskill, New
York, in 1841. He was married in 1865 to Miss
Sarah E. Holland, and has three children : Esther
G. is supervisor of drawing in the public schools
of Freeport; Edgar W. was chief clerk in his
father's office, but is now general foreman in
the. shops at Council Bluffs ; Bert E. is store-
keeper for his father at office. Mr. Dana is al-
derman of the second ward of Freeport, and is
a member of the Masonic fraternity.
A. DAVIS, freight conductor of
the Evansville district of the Illi-
Q nois Central road, is a man of
much railroad experience, and
comes of a railroad family. He is a native of
Madison, New Hampshire, but at the age of
three years his parents removed to Boston. His
father, Augustus Davis, who died at the age of
thirty-one, was at one time conductor on the Bos-
ton & Maine road and resided at Reading, Mass.
Our subject had other relatives who were en-
gaged in the railroad business, his uncle, John
Stone, at one time was an old engineer on the
Boston & Maine and ran the old engine so well
known in the past around Boston, called "Mys-
tic." At the age of fourteen years our subject
began his railroad career as water boy on a pas-
senger train, and later served in various capaci-
ties. Later he worked in the Chicago & Alton
yards at Chicago, from which he was appointed
general yardmaster of the Chicago & North-
Western. In 1890 he commenced service for
the Illinois Central as freight conductor. He
served until 1898, when he came to the Evans-
266
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ville district of the Illinois Central as freight
conductor, where he is now employed. Mr.
Davis is an experienced railroad man. He mar-
ried Miss K. W. Stowe, of Chicago, and resides
on Second street, Henderson, Ky. He is a mem-
ber of Division No. 381 O. R. C., of Howell,
Indiana.
JESSE D. WILLIAMS, ex-passenger con-
ductor, Amboy division, Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad. The father of our sub-
ject, G. W. Williams, a farmer, died in
February 1863, while in the service of the n6th
111. Vol. Inf. The mother, Rhoda J.(Hughey)
died October 30, 1894, from la grippe, aged six-
ty-one years, six months. Our subject was born
in Macon county, 111., January 9, 1852. His ed-
ucation was received in the schools of Macon
and Marion counties. In 1867 he entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. at Centralia, as brake-
man on a passenger train between Centralia and
Amboy. He served as brakeman, baggageman
and freight brakeman for four years, then be
came a freight conductor in December 187 f,
and retained that position for twenty-two years.
He was then promoted to passenger conductor,
and remained in that position until August 1899,
when he left the employ of the company and
removed to a farm near Patoka, 111., where he
is engaged in farming.
On the gth of January, 1876, Mr. Williams
was married to Miss Elizabeth Ashton, of Cen-
tralia, daughter of James Ashton, a farmer, now
deceased. Mrs. Williams was born January 14,
1849. Her union with Mr. Williams has beer.
blest with four children : Jesse D. Jr., born
December 10, 1879, is driving delivery wagon
for Walton Nephews, of Freeport ; Lula J., born
April 23, 1883, is in the high school of Freeport;
Bessie May, born September 8, 1889; Pearl D.,
born June 22, 1890. The family attends the
First Methodist Episcopal church as members.
Mr. Williams is a member of the K. of P.,
O. of R. C., and is also a Knight Templar. In
politics he is a Republican.
JERRY W. HOLLAND is a conductor on
the Amboy division of the Illinois Cen-
tral. He entered the service of the com-
pany in 1893, as brakeman on the Clin-
ton district of the Amboy division, his first run
being with Conductor John Clarke. The ef-
ficiency of our subject was rewarded by promo-
tion on August 7, 1899, on which date he was
made a conductor. The parents of our subject
were Allen and Elizabeth Holland, who were
both natives of Kentucky, but both are now de-
ceased. J. W. Holland was born in Fayette
county, 111., April 18, 1867, and was married in
1893 to Miss Laura Cruse, who is a daughter
of Job and Arminta Cruse, natives of Illinois.
Mr. and Mrs. Holland are the parents of two
children, a son and a daughter, viz : Bruce
Tyler and Nellie Marie.
H. HARWOOD, assistant general
r freight agent at Evansville, Ind., was
born in Chicago, January 15, 1863, and
is a son of Theron D. Harwood, a
prominent manufacturer. The subject of this
sketch was educated in the public schools of
Chicago, and at the age of fourteen entered the
mercantile business in which he was engaged
ten years. He commenced railroading in Au-
gust 1887, on the Chicago, Kansas & Nebraska
railroad, working on the construction of the road
to Denver with Resident Engineer Dubois. In
April 1888, he entered the service of the Illinois
Central, in Chicago, in the local freight office,
filling various positions until 1890 when he was
promoted to rate clerk in the general offices in
Chicago. In June 1893, he was made contracting
freight agent in Chicago ; and held this position
nine months when he became traveling freight
agent, with his headquarters at Pittsburg, Penn.
He was afterwards made commercial agent and
I une i, 1896, was transferred to Cincinnati.
Ohio. December 20, 1899, he wa« promoted to
assistant general freight agent, at Evansville,
to succeed J. S. Weitzell who was transferred to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
267
Omaha, Neb., with territory extending over the
Evansville district of the Louisville division.
Mr. Harwood married a daughter of J. T.
and Theresa Herring, of Topeka, Kansas, and
makes his home in Evansville. He is a young,
bright, hustling railroad man as his rapid pro-
motions indicate.
EORGE A. LINCOLN, freight engi-
neer on the Louisville division, began
his railroad career in 1869 with the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
road, _where he learned the machinist's trade,
working three years, after which he began fir-
ing. After a short time here he was offered a
fine position as fireman, which he accepted, on
the Peoria division of the Indiana, Bloomington
& Western Railroad, in which service he was
promoted to engineer in 1874, remaining with
that road up to 1879. He then tried to quit
railroading, running a stationary engine in Mon-
tana six months, but returned to railroading in
the service of the Big Four, then the Chicago,
St. Louis & Indianapolis Railroad, remaining
one year. After this he came to the Chesapeake,
Ohio & South-Western as engineer in 1890, run-
ning between Paducah and Memphis. During
our subject's thirty years' experience he has
never received even a scratch, and has been suc-
cessful in his railroad career. He is of old Con-
necticut stock. His father, Albert Lincoln, a
banker, died in 1887. Our subject's people set-
tled in the United States about the time of the
landing of the Mayflower, his grandfather be-
ing a Revolutionary veteran. As a family they
have all enjoyed superior educational advan-
tages, and most of the kin are professional men.
Mr. Lincoln married Miss Batey Fowler and
has two children, Albert G., who holds a fine
position with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, be-
ing superintendent of circulation. He has the
credit of making a wonderful increase in the cir-
culation of that paper, having doubled the pa-
tronage. The daughter, Miss Edna, is a highly
accomplished young lady.
Mr. Lincoln is a member of Division No.
225, B. of L. E., and was a charter member of
the Firemen's organization fifteen years. Mr.
Lincoln is one of the prosperous citizens of the
little city in which he resides, and he helped im-
prove it by acquiring a nice home on Broadway.
JW. DIETRICK, local freight agent at
Omaha, Nebraska, for the Illinois Cen-
Q tral Railroad company, was born in
Cedarville, Stephenson county, Illinois,
May 20, 1861. His father, William S. Dietrick,
was a native of Monroe Co., Pa., and was born
in 1826. He was a farmer through life and died
September 22, 1897. The father's great-grand-
father came from Germany ; he was a Protes-
tant. The mother of our subject, Sarah E.
(Ohl) Dietrick, was a native of Clinton Co.,
Pa., and is now living in Raymond, Iowa. There
are four children, namely : J. W., our subject ;
Charles H., station agent for the I. C. R. R. at
Carbon, Iowa, is married and has two children :
Frank B., bookkeeper in First National bank, at
Waterloo, Iowa, a former employe of the I. C".
R. R., married ; Cleora B., single, resides at
home.
J. W. Dietrick was educated in the common
schools of Raymond, Iowa. He clerked in a
store and assisted his father on the farm until
nearly seventeen years of age, when on Jan. i,
1878, he entered a telegraph office and learned
telegraphy. June 15, 1880, he became station
agent at Epworth, Iowa, for the I. C. R. R., re-
mained there until March 1881 ; then went to
Alden, Iowa, as station agent until June 1881,
thence to Storm Lake, Iowa, as clerk and oper-
ator; Jan. 1882 was sent to Earlville, Iowa, as
agent, until Nov. 1883 ; then employed as oper-
ator and relief agent until April 1884; until Sept.
1884, was agent at Winthrop, Iowa; then served
as operator in train dispatcher's office at Water-
268
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
loo, Iowa, until Dec. 1884; then appointed agent
at Independence, Iowa, and in Oct. 1887, was
transferred to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, as agent; in
Sept. 1888, returned to Waterloo as agent, where
he remained until April 2., 1894; was then sent
to Dubuque as local freight agent, and on March
15, 1898, was appointed train master at Free-
port, 111., and on Dec. 15, 1899, appointed local
freight agent at Omaha, Neb.
Dec. 10, 1885, Mr. Dietrick was united in
marriage with Miss Minnie, daughter of Dr. M.
A. Chamberlain, of Winthrop, Iowa. She was
born April 23, 1865, at Dakota, Minn., and was
educated at Northfield, Minn. She died Sept.
6, 1896, at Glendora, Cal., and was buried at
Independence, Iowa, Sept. 12, 1896. She left
two children, Eloise May, born August 28, 1890,
and Marion Elizabeth, born May 8, 1893. Oct.
26, 1898, Mr. Dietrick was married to Miss
Lavina E. Jackson, daughter of Ralph E. Jack-
son, of Dubuque, Iowa. She was bbrn Oct. 30,
1871. They have one son, Ralph Jackson born
Aug. 18, 1899. Socially Mr. Dietrick ranks
high in the Masonic fraternity, being a member
of Mosaic Lodge No. 125, of Dubuque, la.;
Dubuque Chapter No. 3, Dubuque, la. ; Siloam
Commandery No. 3, of Dubuque, la. ; Elkohir
Temple, Mystic Shrine, Cedar Rapids, la., and
is also a member of the Protective Order of
Elks, Dubuque Lodge No. 267, Dubuque, la.
In politics he votes the Democratic ticket. His
family attends the Congregational church.
LEWIS RICHTER is the night foreman
of the Illinois Central at the Cham-
paign round-house. He entered the
service of the company March I3th,
1876, as messenger at the telegraph office at
Champaign. In 1878, at the age of seventeen,
Mr. Richter apprenticed himself in the machine
shops, and after working there thirteen months
commenced his work as locomotive fireman, serv-
ing in that capacity until April 1894. Though
well qualified for promotion to engineer he was
prevented from taking such a position on account
of defective eye-sight. His present situation
was tendered him on May I, 1895, in which he
is giving perfect satisfaction.
Our subject is a resident, and has spent
most of his life in his native city, Champaign,
where he was born October 4, 1861. He was
married October 23, 1887, to Miss Mary Hazen-
brook, who was born in Champaign December
9, 1862. They have one child, a promising son,
Frank. He is a member of Centralia Lodge No.
37, B. of L. F., of which he was a charter mem-
ber.
RANK RICHTER is a conducter in the
freight service, Champaign district, of
the Illinois Central. He entered the
service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman in 1889, making his first trip with
Harry Levernway as conductor, on the local.
He was promoted to conductor December 27,
1895. William Riqhter, the father of our sub-
ject, was a faithful employe of the Illinois Cen-
tral for over twenty-five years, holding the re-
sponsible position of foreman in the car depart-
ment. Mr. Richter Sr. retired in 1894.
Our subject was born at Champaign, 111.,
in 1868, and continues to reside there, owning a
substantial home. Socially he is connected with
O. R. C. No. 112, of Centralia. April 29, 1890,
Mr. Richter married Miss Emma O'Briant, of
Centralia. They have two sons, Ole and Bertie,
both attending school.
'ILLIAM A. CONWELL is one of
the best known men in the service of
the Illinois Central, having begun
as messenger boy at the age of nine
years at Clinton, Illinois. In 1891, at the age
of twenty-two years, he took a position as
brakeman on the Clinton district of the Amboy
division, filling the position with satisfaction,
and in August 1898 received a well merited
EPHRAIM McILWAIN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
271
promotion to conductor. He is now in the
freight service of the Illinois Central, running
between Clinton and Centralia.
Our subject was born at Cedar Rapids, la.,
September 27, 1869, and on February 4, 1891,
was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Dun-
ham, of Waynesville, 111. A promising son,
Monte D., is' the offspring of the union. Mr.
Conwell is a member of B. of R. T., State Cen-
ter Lodge No. 41, and is also an honorary mem-
ber of the Clinton fire department.
=x^PHRAIM McILWAIN is a native of
Washington county, Alabama, having
been born fifty miles north of Mobile.
He commenced railroading on the M.
& O. Railroad at Whistler, Ala., in 1859, as a car
repairer, serving as such for some time and then
enlisted in the Confederate army, and served
eighteen months under General Lee, the greater
part of the time as orderly to General Lee. Dur-
ing his service he was • at -the first and second
battle of Manasses, Leesburg, Malvern Hill,
Seven Pines, and around Richmond. He left
them at Leesburg, Va., when they crossed into
Maryland, being honorably discharged, as he
was under age. He then returned to the M. &
O., as a fireman between Whistler and Mobile,
but at the end of seven months re-enlisted at
Mobile in the marine service and was sent to
Charleston, S. C, and afterward stationed seven
miles below Richmond as a member of the ma-
rine corps under Captain Lee, brother of Gen.
Robert E. Lee. He continued in that service
and was captured at Sailor's Creek, Va., seven
days prior to Lee's surrender, and was taken to
Washington, D. C., landing there the day after
Lincoln's assassination, and was put in the old
capitol prison. Then he was sent to the Elmira,
N. Y., prison, and remained there four months,
when he was discharged and sent home. He
came to Jackson, Tenn., and began in the shops
of the M. & O. as carpenter and continued one
10
year, then worked on construction of bridges be-
tween Humboldt and Jackson, and Was in that de-
partment about seven months. He was then
brakeman on the M. & O. six. months and was
then promoted to baggage and ran baggage cars
one year, again promoted to freight conductor
and began running f-eight between Jackson,
Tenn., and Columbus, Ky. He continued as
freight and extra passenger conductor twelve
years, was then brakeman on passenger train on
the old Mississippi Central, now the Illinois Cen-
tral, one year. He then went to the New Or-
leans & North-Eastern railroad as foreman of
grading between Meridian, Miss., and New Or-
leans, and continued there about five months,
then made foreman of -construction train three
months, and then to the Mississippi Valley road
near Vicksburg as section foreman for about a
month, next into the extra repair gang for the
same road a month, and was then appointed gen-
eral foreman of raising the track near Vicks-
burg. He was next on construction train from
Clarksdale, Miss., to New Orleans, and so con-
tinued one year and then came to the Illinois
Central at Jackson, Tenn., and began running
freight in December 1885, serving in that po-
sition on the Jackson district four years. At
the end of that time he was promoted to the pas-
senger service and has continued in the same to
the present time, having a run between Jackson,
Tenn., and Canton and Grenada, Miss.
Mr. Mcllwain's first marriage united him
with Miss Cozart, sister of James Cozart, travel-
ing engineer of the M. & O. Railroad. She died
in September 1885. To this union was born
eight children, five of whom died in infancy and
childhood. Those living are Harry E., a resi-
dent of Memphis, Tenn., where he is a boiler
maker and inspector of engines in the shops of
the Southern railroad ; he is married and has
three children. Willie Belle married John F.
Price, foreman in the I. C. shops at Water Val-
ley, Miss., they have one daughter. Arthur C.,
now in the north.
In February 1887, our subject was united
in marriage with Miss Douglas, of Water Val-
ley, Miss., and unto them have been born three
272
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
children, viz: Nettie Eva, born December 5,
1887, died March 2, 1892. Those living are
Shirley Wiggins, born June 2, 1893, and Eugene
Franklin, born January 16, 1896. Our subject
is the owner of fine property at the corner of
Grand and Highland avenues, in Jackson, Tenn.
In a railroad career covering more than forty-
one years, fifteen of which have been spent with
the I. C., Mr. Mcllwain has been very success-
ful, never having been seriously injured. He is
a member of Jackson Division No. 149, O. R.
C., of Jackson, Tenn.
JR. HUTCHISON, conductor at Water-
loo, Iowa, began work for the Illinois
Q Central company in 1886, as a brake-
man on the Lyle branch. After work-
ing there one year, he was transferred to the main
line as an extra and worked on all parts of the
Iowa division for a short time, and was then
promoted to the office of conductor, making his
first run in this capacity between Waterloo and
Dubuque. Subsequently he ran east and west
out of Waterloo, but was soon afterward given
a regular run on the Lyle branch to which
he is still devoting his time with the exception
of an occassional extra trip on a passenger train.
Mr. Hutchison was born in Boston, Mass.,
a son of J. R. and Ellen Jane Hutchison, who
moved to Boston from England. Our subject
came to Iowa, upon leaving the parental roof,
and located first in Dubuque and worked for
a while for the Illinois Central company at
that time. He then went to Minneapolis and
worked in the yards of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul Railroad for a short time, from there
went to Austin, and from thence to southern Min-
nesota and spent a year in the employ of the Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in that
part of the state. Mr. Hutchison next had a run
between Austin and Minneapolis, but was soon
promoted to conductor on the same line and was
thus engaged six years. Subsequently he con-
ducted a passenger train between Mason City and
Austin, then from Mason City to Sanborn, and
when he left this run, he severed his connection
with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul company
and secured a position with the Chicago & North-
western company as a brakeman at Eagle Grove.
Soon after, he secured a position with the Bur-
lington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad, and
after spending about two months on this line, he
came to Waterloo and has since found employ-
ment with the Illinois Central company. Mr.
Hutchison was married at Independence, Iowa,
to Miss Anna L. King, a native of Syracuse, N.
Y., and their wedded life has been blessed by the
presence of a family of three children whose
names in the order of their birth are Harry S.,
Richard L. and Madeline Z. Socially our sub-
ject affiliates with Lodge No. 67, O. R. C. and
Howland Lodge No. 274, A. O. II W., both of
Waterloo. He is a thorough railroad man, is
careful and systematic about his work and
throughout his career has never received the
slightest injury from a railroad accident.
OBERT TAYLOR, engineer on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, Amboy division,
entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral railroad at Waterloo, Iowa, on the
Iowa division, in the fall of 1885 as a fireman,
and made his first run under Engineer McNeil.
In 1887 he was transferred to Clinton and fired
for Jim Miller, who is still on the road, until
November 1888, when he was promoted to the
right side and is running in the Clinton district
of the Amboy division. Mr. Taylor is a native
of Toronto, Canada, where he was born in July
1858. He was married to Miss Louise Kohl,
of Centralia, in 1898, and has one son. Mr.
Taylor is socially connected with the B. of L.
E., Clinton Division No. 315, and the I. Q. O.
F., Wapaukonica Lodge No. 38, of Toledo,
Ohio.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
273
W. DIETRECH entered the service
of the Illinois Central as an appren-
tice blacksmith in Centralia, serving
in that capacity nineteen months, af-
ter which he worked in the car department,
thence to the water department at Centralia.
From the latter place he was transferred to Chi-
cago as assistant foreman in 1894, serving with
fidelity for three years. He then came to Clin-
ton, February 27, 1898, as water foreman of the
Amboy division, which position he still holds.
Mr. Dietrech is a native of Centralia, Illinois,
having been born there on November 17, 1872.
Socially he is connected with Deer Park Camp,
No. 41, M. W. A., of LaSalle, Illinois.
"ILLIAM W. EARNIST, conductor
on the Illinois Central Railroad, Am-
boy division, was born in Greene,
Butler county, Iowa, April 5, 1874.
He is the son of Abram S. and Maggie L.
(Northfoss) Earnist, both living. The father,
who is also a conductor on the Amboy division
of the I. C. R. R., resides in Freeport.
William W. Earnist was educated in the
schools of Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. He
learned the printing trade in Brainerd, Minn.,
and received fifty cents a week as wages. He
worked at his trade in South Dakota for one
year, then went to Greene, Iowa, where he
served for three months as foreman in a print-
ing office. In July, 1894, he went to Amboy
and entered the service of the I. C. R. R. in the
shops at that place, but after a short time was
given the position of night caller which he re-
tained for three months. In the autumn of 1894
he came to Freeport, where, after clerking for
the winter in a meat market, in February of the
following year he re-entered the service of the
I. C. R. R. this time as a brakeman, making his
first run February gth. He served in that posi-
tion until August 31, 1898, when he was pro-
moted to conductor, which position he now oc-
cupies.
July 17, 1897, Mr. Earnist was united in
marriage with Miss Lena S. Halen of Freeport.
She was born in Auburn, N. Y., Oct. 28, 1869,
and came with her parents to Freeport in 1873.
Mr. Earnist is a Republican in politics, and so-
cially is a member of the B. of R. T.
J. McKILLOP, one of the most
trusted and honorable engineers in
_ the service of the Illinois Central,
is a native of St. Thomas, Canada.
His first experience in railroading was on the
Canada Southern division of the Michigan Cen-
tral at St. Thomas, as fireman on the road in the
freight service in 1884. He continued in this
position for four years and three months, when
he was promoted to engineer in the road service
where he remained until Oct. 16, 1892, when he
severed his connection with the Michigan Cen-
tral, came to Chicago, and accepted a position
on the Illinois Central. His first engine was
No. 1373, which was in the switch service. His
next engine was No. 114. It was at this time
that the switchmen were having their troubles,
and our subject had many very unpleasant ex-
periences which tried his courage, but they soon
found that he was there to run his engine accord-
ing to orders, regardless of their threats, and
after several attempts to make him give, in to
their demands they left him severely alone.
He continued in the yard service about two
weeks and was then given engine No. 857, with
which he made several trips on the road, pulling
through freight. During the summer of '93 he
was in the suburban service, beginning May i
and running until Nov. 15, when he was given
No. 332 in regular freight service and contin-
ued until Nov. 4, 1894, and then took engine
No. 301 which he had for some time. It was at
this juncture that the big A. W. R. strike began,
the men going out June 26, 1894, including con-
ductors, brakemen, and firemen, also a great
many engineers who were in sympathy. The
history of this strike is well known.
274
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
No one man figured therein more promin-
ently than did our subject. Taking the first
train from the Randolph St. yards through the
terminal was an experience he will never forget.
Many times his life was threatened. On his en-
gine rode Mr. W. R. Head, together with other
officials on the train. His crew was a green one,
and that he did get through was due entirely to
his own preseverance and undaunted courage.
At Kensington, rocks were fired at him. After
the trouble was settled he ran No. 301, with
exception of five months, until Oct. '98, when he
took No. 318 and ran her until May 19, 1899.
On that date, owing to the drunken condition of
another engineer, he had a head end collision
with train No. 62, he being on train No. 83,
which was a very bad accident. Subject was not
even suspended.
In March 1895, Mr. McKillop married Car-
rie Ely of Champaign, by whom he has one
child, Jennie. He is a member of the B. of L.
E. No. 10, of Chicago, and also belongs to B.
of L. F. Charity Lodge at St. Thomas. He is
a man of considerable means and owns fine
property in Champaign. Mr. McKillop received
the first certificate for air brakes issued to a
freight engineer.
E. REDUS, a conductor in the
freight service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral, entered the employment of
the company in 1888 as a fireman,
serving in that capacity for about seven months.
He was then appointed switchman, holding that
position for a term of eighteen months or more,
after which he was offered a position as brake-
man on the Central district of the St. Louis divi-
sion, which he accepted. His faithful services
were appreciated by the company, and recognized
by his promotion to conductor on August 29,
1897, which position he fills with credit to him-
self and with satisfaction to the company. Mr.
Redus is identified with Division No. 112 O. R.
C. with headquarters at Centralia, his native
city. He was born in the latter place May 3,
1870. For so young a man he has made great
progress, and a bright prospect seems to be
in store for him.
S. OWEN, engineer on the Amboy
division, Illinois Central Railroad, has
LQ spent his entire service in the employ
of the I. C. R. R., which he entered
as a fireman on the Amboy division, Clinton dis-
trict, January 24, 1887, remaining in that posi-
tion until September 17, 1891, when his services
were rewarded by promotion to engineer, in
which capacity he is now running on the Clinton
district, Amboy division.
Mr. Owen was born in McLean county, Illi-
nois, November 6, 1862,. He was married No-
vember 9, 1892, to Miss Sophie Touve, and has
one daughter, Bertha Virginia. Mr. Owen is a
member of the B. of L. E., Clinton Division No.
315, and also of DeWitt Lodge A. F. & A. M.
No. 84, Goodbrake Chapter No. 59, and Eminent
Commandery No. 66, all of Clinton.
HARLES B. CRAIG, conductor on the
Illinois Central, Freeport division, was
born in West Point township, Stephen-
son county, Illinois, March 28, 1873,
and is the son of Roswell and Lucinda ( Harring-
ton) Craig, the father a farmer living in West
Point township.
Charles B. Craig received his education in
the schools of his native town, working on the
farm in summer and attending school in winter.
His first business position was that of night clerk
in a hotel at Sioux City, Iowa, which he filled
for five years. He entered the service of the
Sioux City & Northern R. R. in 1889, as engine
wiper, and at the end of three months he became
a locomotive fireman on the same road, remain-
ing in that position eighteen months. He then
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
275
came to Freeport and accepted a position as
brakeman on the I. C. R. R. in which capacity he
remained until October 12, 1898, when he was
promoted to conductor and is now serving in
that capacity. Mr. Craig is a member of the
Presbyterian church, and is a young man of good
habits and sterling qualities. He is a member
of the I. O. O. F. and the B. of R. T. His poli-
tical views are democratic.
TTO R. MCCLELLAND who is at
present the oldest man on the list out-
side of a preferred run, entered the
service of the Illinois Central as a
brakeman on the local in 1889, under
Conductor B. C. Michaels. He was promoted
to conductor in 1895, and is now in the freight
service between Clinton and Centralia.
Mr. McClelland was born near the city of
Centralia, Illinois, on August 16, 1869, and is
a member of Weldon Spring Lodge No. 400,
O. R. C. of Clinton, and K. P. No. 26, of that
city.
ETER A. MUHR, conductor, Illinois
Central Railroad, Freeport division,
was born in Freeport, Illinois, Febru-
ary 3, 1864, and is a son of Matthias
Hubert and Regina (Wimmer) Muhr. The
father was a blacksmith, and died in 1889, the
mother is still living. One, son, William G.
Muhr, is employed by the I. C. R. R. Co., as a
switchman in the Freeport yards.
Peter Muhr received his education in the
public schools of Freeport, and also in the Sis-
ter's school of the same city. At the age of thir-
teen he began doing farm work, in which calling
he remained for three years. He was employed
in a glucose factory for a time, and then learned
the moulder's trade with Mr. Frank Taggart of
Freeport. In 1890 he began railroading with
the I, C. R. R., as a brakeman on the Freeport
division, and continued in that position until
promoted to conductor in September 1895, where
he is now serving. June 30, 1898, Mr. Muhr
was married to Miss Maggie Deimer, of Ackley,
Iowa. She is a native of Freeport, and was
born April i, 1875. She was educated in the
schools of Ackley. They have one son, Roy
Peter B. Muhr, born April 10, 1899. Mr- Muhr
has been in several railroad accidents and has
suffered from fractured limbs, but notwithstand-
ing this, is a man of splendid physique and fine
constitution. He is a member of the Catholic
church. He belongs to the O. R. C., and is in-
dependent in politics.
JAMES C. MARTIN, foreman painter at
the Illinois Central shops at Paducah,
Kentucky, began to learn the painter's
trade, October i, 1861, at the age of
fourteen years. February 24, 1872, he entered
the employ of Mr. LeGros in the L. & N. shops
at Louisville. He next went to sign and house
painting on his own account. In 1880 he entered
the employ of the Paducah & Elizabethtown
Railroad as foreman of paint department at
Elizabethtown, Ky., and in September 1884 came
to Paducah to take charge of paint department
of the Newport News & Mississippi Valley
Railroad, which was absorbed by the I. C. in
1896. Mr. Martin's crew often numbers from
twenty-eight to thirty men, all first class coach
and engine painters.
Our subject was born in Louisville, Ky.,
November 7, 1847. His father, W. S. Martin,
died when James was a small lad. That Mr.
Martin was thrown upon his own resources his
record wiH show. Our subject is self-educated
and a self-made .man, highly respected by all
who know him. Mr. Martin was married to
Mary E. Shepard, and has two children, W. F.,
cashier in the freight department at Paducah,
and R. S., holding a responsible position as'
bookkeeper of a large wholesale grocery house.
276
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
The family resides in a fine house which was
built by Mr. Martin on Harrison street, Paducah.
Our subject has been a member of Ingleside
Lodge No. 195, I. O. O. F., of Paducah, for
thirty years, and has filled all the official chairs.
He also belongs to Friendship Lodge A: O. U.
W., and is a member of the master car painters'
association, having attended their national con-
vention for ten years. Mr. Martin is a very pro-
gressive and energetic craftsman, and keeps
abreast of the times in all that pertains to the
trade of which he is a worthy representative.
His long term of service with his present em-
ployers bespeaks the estimate they place on his
services.
COWARD LAWLESS, general foreman
of the Illinois Central machine shops
at Freeport, 111., is a native of that
city, his birth having occurred April
20, 1868. His father, Thomas Lawless, who
was a native of Ireland, died in Freeport January
22, 1895, while the mother, whose maiden name
was Rose Carey, is still a resident of that city.
Of their five children the following is the record :
Julia, deceased ; Edward, the subject of this
sketch; John, a barber of Freeport; Mary, wife
of Winfield Allen ; Thomas F., a journalist on
the staff of the Freeport Daily Democrat.
Edward Lawless received his education in
St. Mary's parochial school in Freeport, and at
the age of fourteen began work in the shops of
the Freeport Machine Company, remaining with
them until June 25, 1890. At that time he en-
tered the shops of the Illinois Central at Free-
port, and in May, less than two years after, was
advanced to the assistant foremanship of the
shops, and June i, 1899, became the chief in
charge of the shops as foreman. His ability as
a machinist as well as his executive ability and
skill in managing men under him, recommended
him for preferment. Mr. Lawless was married
November 28, 1893, to Miss Nellie Brennan, of
Freeport. She was born June 24, 1869. They
are the parents of two children, Edward, born
November 26, 1894, and Mary, born June 9,
1898, and died July 22, 1898. Mr. Lawless is
a member of the Catholic church, St. Mary's
congregation, and in politics is a lifelong Dem-
ocrat. He is well liked by those under his
authority, and stands well in the city where he
makes his home.
\ r-v^RANK WARD, conductor on Freeport
1=^ division, Illinois Central Railroad, was
J 1 born in Galena, Illinois, November i,
1867. His father, Patrick Ward, is a
policeman in Galena. Both parents are living.
They have three sons : John, a brakeman on
the I. C. R. R. ; Thomas, an operator on the C.
& X. W. R. R., and Frank. Our subject was edu-
cated in the public schools of his native town.
At the age of twenty-one he entered the service
of the I. C. R. R., Freeport division, as brake-
man, and filled the position up to October 1895,
when he was promoted to conductor. He is a
worthy young man of steady, sober and indus-
trious habits, and stands high in the regard of
his associates. He is a member of the O. R. T.
In his religious views he is a Catholic, and
politically a Democrat.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
kD. HEGLER is a native of Jackson
countv, Illinois. He entered service
on what was termed the Cairo Short
Line March 2, 1886, as a bridge work-
man and continued two years. Then he began
as freight brakeman for Conductor Joe White,
later on through freight with W. A. Dale be-
tween DuQuoin and East St. Louis, and so con-
tinued until March 1890, when he was promoted
and ran extra until October, when, on account
of his mother's illness he was off the road fifteen
months, and on his return took charge of yard
engine at Pinckneyville, 111., from July 17 to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
277
Dec. 4, and then went back to braking. Feb. 19,
1892, he got a regular run between Pinckney-
ville and Brooklyn. February 1898 he got local
between Carbondale and Brooklyn and has the
same now. Mr. Hegler married Miss Julia
House, and to them have been born four chil-
dren, Bessie, deceased, Fred, Edna and Bert.
January 5, 1888, with Miss Jennie Belle, daugh-
ter of Francis and Caroline (Beidleman) Belle,
and has four daughters : Myrtle, Bessie, Grace
and Mazie. Mr. Lawrence is a member of the
B. of L. E., Clinton Division No. 315. The
father of Mrs. Lawrence is now stationary en-
gineer at Metal Wheel Works, Havana, 111.
A. DEVENY is a conductor in the
passenger service of the Illinois
Q Central, his run being on the St.
Louis division. He entered the
service in 1878 on the Springfield division as
brakeman. Coming to Centralia in 1881, and
accepting a similar position, he was promoted in
the spring of 1882 to conductor. A record of
ten years at this branch of the service, together
with a faithful record, won for him in 1892 his
present position. Mr. Deveny is an Indianian by
birth. Socially he is connected with Division
No. 112, O. R. C., of Centralia.
JR. LAWRENCE, engineer on the Ha-
vana line, Illinois Central Railroad,
Q entered railroad service with the Wa-
bash R. R., where he was employed
about six months. He entered the service of the
I. C. R. R. Sept. 9, '87, as fireman on the Spring-
field division, but in a short time was transferred
at his own request to the Havana line. His first
run was made with Charles Foot, it being Mr.
Foot's first run as engineer. Mr. Lawrence was
promoted to engineer January 22, 1891, and has
since run on the Havana line, with the excep-
tion of a short time during which he operated
a switch engine in Clinton yard on the Spring-
field division, and now has charge of an accom-
modation freight, engine No. 896.
Mr. Lawrence was born in Havana, 111.,
August 19, 1862. a son of Jacob and Priscilla
(Lane) Lawrence. He was united in marriage
EORGE S. ROUGHT, conductor on
the St. Louis division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, is one of its well-
known employes, having entered the
service February 22, 1888, as brakeman on a
suburban passenger train in Chicago. Serving
for a time as extra passenger brakeman and
baggageman, he resigned and went to Centralia,
securing a situation as brakeman in the freight
service in September 1892. His services were
recognized by promotion to conductor October
i, 1899.
Mr. Rought comes of sturdy English stock,
having been born in Hull, England, in 1868. He
was united in marriage on October 24, 1894, to
a daughter of Conrad Bills, who was for many
years in the employ of the I. C. as a painter. Mr.
Bills was one of the best known citizens of Cen-
tralia, being one of the earliest settlers, and serv-
ing his city for a number of terms as alderman.
His death, which occurred May 22, 1891, was
deeply regretted by his fellow citizens. Socially
the subject of this sketch is connected with E.
T. Jeffery Lodge No. 412, B. of R. T., of Cen-
tralia.
FJ. DICKE, a young freight engineer
on the Memphis division of the Illi-
O nois Central, began his railroad ca-
reer at the age of nineteen in the
shops at Paducah, working one year and eight
months, and then served as fireman until 1893,
when he was promoted to engineer and assigned
to engine No. 566 in the freight service, running
278
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
between Paclucah and Memphis. Our subject
has a fine record, not having had any accidents
or injuries.
Mr. Dicke was born in Paducah, and his
father was F. J. Dicke, a respected citizen of Pa-
ducah, who died in 1881. Our subject began to
earn his own living when quite young, which
has developed him into a sober and industrious
man. He is a successful horseman and takes
great pride in several good roadsters which he
owns. He also has an interest in the grocery
firm of Dicke Brothers, one of the largest gro-
cery houses in Paducah. He is a member of
Plain City Lodge No. 238, A. F. & A. M., and
Lodge No. 217, Benevolent and Patriotic Order
of Elks. Of the railway orders he belongs to
the B. of L. F., and Division No. 225, B. of L.
E., of Paducah.
JOHN JOHNSON, engineer on the Illi-
nois Central, Amboy division, was born
in London, England, February 19, 1858.
He is the son of John and Mary (Lynch)
Johnson. The latter is now living in Bloom-
ington, 111. The father, a sailor, came to the
United States in 1871, and located in Blooming-
ton, 111., where he died in 1887. They were the
parents of three children : Our subject ; Wil-
liam, a carpenter, resides in Bloomington ; Mary,
married to Edward Colton, who is now de-
ceased, resides in Bloomington. John Johnson
was educated in the public schools of London,'
coming to this country with his parents in 1871.
At the age of fifteen he began driving a team for
the Cox Milling Co., of Bloomington, and re-
mained in their employ two years. In April
1877 he entered the service of the C. & A. R. R.
as fireman, and remained in that position until
1889, when he was promoted to engineer. He
remained in the service of the C. & A. company
until the spring of 1896, then entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. R. R. as engineer, which position
he still holds and is running on the Amboy div-
ision. In 1883 he married Miss Bridget Dixon,
of Bloomington. She died in 1889, leaving three
children: John, born in 1884; Charles, born in
1886; Stella, born in 1888. All are attending
school. Mr. Johnson is a Catholic. Socially
he is a member of the B. of L. E., and politically
he is a Democrat.
JAMES H. CRAIG, former conductor on
the Illinois Central Railroad, is the son
of Roswell and Lucinda (Harrington)
Craig, and was born December 3, 1866,
on his father's farm in West Point township,
where his youth was spent, assisting on the farm
in summer, and attending school in winter. Oc-
tober 14, 1885, he entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. at Amboy, 111., as a brakeman, and re-
mained in that position for three years. He
then resigned and went to Sioux City, Iowa
where he served the C. M. & St. P. R. R.
as brakeman two years, and as conductor one
year. Being offered a position as conductor on
the Sioux City Rapid Transit Ry., he accepted,
and remained with the company until October
1891. In November of that year he returned to
Freeport and re-entered the service of the I. C.
R. R. in December, as a brakeman, and remained
in that position until 1894, when he went to the
C. & N. W. R. R. at Eagle Grove, Iowa, as
brakeman. After eighteen months service with
that road, he resigned and turned his attention
to farming for one year. He then went to
Dubuque, and on the 25th of October, 1898, was
given employment by the C. & G. N. R. R., and
remained in that position until July 29, 1899,
when he received injuries in a derailing switch
wire which caused him to resign his position.
Mr. Craig was united in marriage, February 13,
1893, with Miss Minnie Armagost, by whom he
has three children : Iva May, born November
25, 1893; J. Harold, born November 22, 1895;
Russell R., born April 3, 1899. Mr. Craig is
a member of the Presbyterian church. Socially
he is connected with the A. O. U. W. In poli-
tics he affiliates with the Democratic party.
ALBERT A. SHARP.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
281
LBERT A. SHARP, superintendent of
//_i \ the Vicksburg division of the Yazoo
/[ \\ & Mississippi Valley R. R., with head-
quarters at Memphis, Tenn., was born
near Atlanta, Georgia, February 14, 1844. He
is a son of William and Mary Hackett Sharp,
the latter living in Atlanta, at the age of seventy-
five years, while the former, a contractor by oc-
cupation, was killed in the army at Olustee, Fla.,
in 1863. Mr. Sharp was educated in the public
schools of Atlanta, and at the age of sixteen
enlisted in the Seventh regiment, Georgia Vol-
unteers, Confederate army, serving there dur-
ing the entire war, and being wounded three
times. He was made a lieutenant in 1863, and
was wounded and captured at the battle of
Knoxville, and compelled to use crutches for
thirteen months. He was also wounded at the
first battle of Bull Run and at the battle of An-
tietam. He was captured and released on parole,
and eleven weeks afterward was exchanged.
Thirty days later he again enlisted, and was de-
tailed on a division battalion of sharpshooters.
Before the battle of Knoxville he had been drill-
master of the sharp-shooters, for two years, and
holds a medal for proficiency in that branch of
the service.
In -February 1866, Mr. Sharp entered the
service of the Western & Atlantic R. R. (now
part of the N. C. & St. L.) as a brakeman, be-
tween Atlanta, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn. He
worked with that company as brakeman and
baggagemaster until October 1868, when he ac-
cepted a position as conductor in the freight ser-
vice of the Edgefield & Kentucky and Evans-
ville, Henderson & Nashville R. R., between
Hopkinsville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., that
road being then under the management of John
B. Brownlovv and General Boyle, of Kentucky.
He was resigned and accepted service on the
Louisville & Nashville R. R. as conductor in the
freight service, at Bowling Green, Ky., but was
obliged to relinquish the position and go to Flor-
ida on account of throat trouble. On learning
of the opening of the Macon & Brunswick R.
R., he applied to George H. Hazelhurst, presi-
dent of the road, and was appointed a conductor
in the passenger service of that road. In 1871
he was promoted to master of transportation,
with headquarters at Macon, and in 1872 was
again obliged to go to Florida for his previous
ailment. In 1873 ne returned to the service of
the same road, accepting his former run as con-
ductor, and serving through the yellow fever
epidemic of 1876. His health being broken
down, he was sent by the management . of the
road to Chicago, as solicitor, where he remained
two years. He was recalled to Macon, Ga., and
promoted to the position of general freight and
passenger agent, which he held until the road
was built from Macon to Rome, Ga., and pur-
chased by the East Tennessee, Virginia & Geor-
gia system. Mr. Ogden then became general
freight and passenger agent of the entire road,
and our subject was made master of transporta-
tion in the same division of which he had been
general freight and passenger agent. He was
connected with that road for thirteen years with-
out losing a day. In October 1882, he was of-
fered the position of superintendent of construc-
tion on the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R.
R. (now the Y. & M. V. R. R.) and after iW
completion took charge of the transportation of
the entire road between Memphis and New Or-
leans, and with the exception of eight months
has had continuous charge of that department
on one or the other divisions of the road.
On June I4th, 1870, Mr. Sharp was united
in marriage to Miss Annie Holtzclaw, of Ack-
worth, Ga., a native of Alabama, born Nov. 2,
1847. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have a family of
four children: Annie, born May 2, 1879, well
educated and residing at home ; Mary Lou, born
October 8, 1880, who received a college course
of four years, also at home ; Earl Hackett, born
August 23, 1885, attending the high school at
Rock Hill, S. C., and John Boyd, born Novem-
ber 7, 1892, who is being educated privately at
home. Mr. Sharp is a Mason, Knight Templar,
Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow and an Elk.
He and his family are members of the Baptist
church, of which they are liberal supporters, and
active workers. In politics he votes with the
national Republican party. As an officer of the
'282
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Illinois Central, and as a citizen of Memphis,
Mr. Sharp merits the highest praise of his fel-
low citizens.
'ILLIAM H. ASHLEY JR., is a na-
tive of Carbondale, Illinois. He be-
gan in 1897 for the C. & E. I as a
brakeman between St. Elmo, Illi-
nois and Marion, Illinois, on local freight and
continued three months, and then went in the
yards at Marion as switchman for eight months.
He then became brakeman on the Merchandise
Express between St. Elmo and Rossville, Illi-
nois. In August 1898, he came to the Illinois
Central as brakeman between Carbondale and
Johnston City on local freight for Alonzo Tem-
ple. In August 1899, he was promoted to con-
ductor and is running the Johnston City local.
Mr. Ashley married Miss Emma Gill, of Marion,
Illinois. His father, William Ashley, came to
Carbondale in 1867 as station agent, and held the
position twenty-seven years, then resigned, re-
fusing a position as traveling freight agent, and
he is now interested in banking in that city.
LEE W. ALBRIGHT, Chief Train Dis-
patcher of the Illinois Central Railroad
at Freeport, was born in Canton, 111.,
March 4, 1864. His father, J. B. E.
Albright, a physician, was born in Berks Co.,
Pa., Aug. 7, 1820, and came to Illinois in 1849
settling in Canton, where he died Sept. 13, 1886.
The mother, whose maiden name was Catharine
Cline, was born in Rockingham Co., Va., Dec.
29, 1827. She is now living in Freeport. The
family consisted of five children — Emma G.
died at ten years of age ; R. Belle, living in Free-
port ; Lewis P. died at the age of four years ;
Carrie V. died at the age of thirteen ; and L. W.,
our subject.
Mr. Albright was educated in the public
schools of Forreston, 111., and at the age of seven-
teen he learned telegraphy at Forreston, In
1 88 1 he secured the position of night operator
at Lee, on the C. B. & Q. R. R. where he re-
mained a few months then went to Forreston
as night operator on the I. C. R. R. In 1887 he
was made train dispatcher at Amboy, 111., but
after two months, was assigned to Freeport.
After one year he was sent to Rockford in the
same capacity and in 1891 was returned to Free-
port where he has remained to the present date.
April 28, 1891 Mr. Albright was married to
Miss Rose Frances Zapf, daughter of Edward
and Elizabeth Zapf, of Freeport. Mrs. Albright
was born Sept. 9, 1867 and was educated in the
Freeport schools. They have three children :
Donald Z., born Feb. 22, 1895 ; Kenneth C., born
April 26, 1896; Alfred Lee born July 23, 1899.
Mr. and Mrs. Albright attend the Presbyterian
church. Mr. Albright is a member of the
Masons, Excelsior Lodge, Chapter and Com-
mandery No. 7, of Freeport, and belongs to the
Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he
is a Democrat.
JAMES LONERGAN, former super-
visor of the Illinois Central, Twelfth
Q section, Sixth division, is a native of
Ireland, and was born in Waterford,
October 15, 1861. John Lonergan, his father,
emigrated to America in 1865, and located in
Eldena, Lee county, Illinois, where he was sec-
tion man on the I. C. R. R. He died in 1884
at the age of 84 years. The mother, Mary
(Tamel) Lonergan, is living in Freeport. Their
sons, John and George, are section foreman on
the I. C. R. R., the former at Polo, 111., the lat-
ter at Rockford.
P. James Lonergan attended the public
schools of Eldena, also the Sister's school at
Dixon, 111. At the age of fifteen he began work
for the I. C. R. R. at Dixon, barking posts, which
he did for a few months, then in 1877, began
working on the section and remained there about
two and one-half years. He then worked for
the C. &. N. W. R. R. at Clinton, Iowa, as a
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
283
stonemason until the fall of 1882, when he went
to Buffalo, N. Y., and was track walker in the
Buffalo yards of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. until
March 1883. In April of that year he was ap-
pointed section foreman on the I. C. R. R. at
Woosung, 111., where he remained until Decem-
ber 1884, when he was transferred to the Free-
port yards, in which position he remained until
August 1886, being at that time transferred to
the C. M. & N. R. R. as track layer and foreman
of construction. In the fall of 1887 he was ap-
pointed supervisor of the twelfth section, sixth
division, with headquarters at Freeport. In
1900 Mr. Lonergan resigned his position, and
now owns a grocery store in Freeport.
October 4, 1893, Mr. Lonergan was married
to Miss Emma Coyle, daughter of Bernard Coyle,
of Freeport, an old employe of the I. C. R. R.
She was born in 1869. They have one child,
James Leo, born January n, 1895. Mr. Loner-
gan and wife are members of the Catholic church.
Mr. Lonergan is independent in his political
opinions.
JG.' TAYLOR, passenger engineer on the
Amboy division of the Illinois Central
O Railroad, began his experience in rail-
road work in the shops of the Northern
R. R. of Canada. He entered the service of the
I. C. R. R., September I, 1865, as a fireman on
the Cairo district, and was promoted to engineer
September I, 1867, running an engine on the
Cairo district one year, then ran a freight engine
on what is now the Clinton district, from Cen-
tralia to Clinton, until 1884, when he was trans-
fered to passenger engineer and now runs engine
No. 1301 on the Clinton district, Amboy divi-
sion. Mr. Taylor's service has been noticeable
for his carefulness and freedom from accidents.
He has never had a collision, either front or rear.
Mr. Taylor was born in Brockville, Ontario,
Canada, in December 1842. In 1871, he was
married to Miss Cordwell, by whom he has had
two children. His son George served for a time
as machinist in the Clinton shops, had fired an
engine, and while serving as brakeman was killed
in an accident at the Wabash crossing, near
Springfield, in April 1898. The second son, Joe,
resides with his parents. Mr. Taylor owns a
pleasant home on E. Main St., Clinton, where he
resides. He has been a member of the B. of
L. E. since 1868, and is also a member of Clinton
Lodge, No. 25, K. of P.
G. HAWKS, conductor on Illinois
Central Railroad, Amboy division,
t Q has spent his entire life in the railroad
service, and has been peculiarly for-
tunate in his career. He is the son of George
W. and Roxana B. (Wood) Hawks. The father
served in the war of the Rebellion as a private
in Co. E, 113 111. Vol. Inf., was color bearer, and
was discharged on account of wounds in Febru-
ary 1863. He was a minister of the M. E.
Church, Rock River conference and died Octo-
ber 30, 1890. The mother died January 5,
1888.
H. G. Hawks received a common school
education in the schools of Palatine, Cook county,
111., attended school in winter and working on
the farm summers. January 14, 1878, he entered
the service of the Racine & Southwestern R. R.
Co., as a brakeman and remained in the employ
of that company one year. He then went to the
C. & N. W R. R. as a brakeman, and after four
years in that capacity was promoted to conduc-
tor in 1881. He left the C. & N. W. in 1883,
and was in the employ of the C. B. & N. R. R.,
as conductor, for two years. He then served
the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba R. R. four
years as conductor, after which, in 1889, he en-
tered the service of the I. C. R. R. and is now
running on the Amboy division.
On the 27th of March, 1879, Mr. Hawks
was married to Miss Ada B. Parker, of Kingston,
111. who was born in Shelbyville, Indiana, August
4. 1857. Mrs. Hawks is the mother of two
daughters: Myrtle, born in Kingston, January
3, 1881, will graduate from the Freeport high
284
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
school in 1900; Lulu, born in Chicago, October
7, 1884, is in the Freeport high school. The
family attends the First M. E. church. Mr.
Hawks is a member of the Masonic fraternity,
the Foresters, and the O. of R. C. He is inde-
pendent in his political views.
J
Jtjtjtjtjtjt
P. GOSSETT is a conductor on the
Springfield division of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral, from Champaign to Clinton, and
Champaign to Decatur, Havana line.
He entered the service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman on the Champaign district in 1868,
serving in that capacity for two years. He then
entered the employ of the Indiana, Bloomington
& Western Railroad as brakeman and was soon
promoted to conductor. When the latter line
was acquired by the Illinois Central he retained
his position.
Mr. Gossett was born in Highland county,
Ohio, his parents, Levi and Isabell (Shield)
Gossett, being natives of the same county. The
father was a potter by trade. Both the parents
were members of the M. E. church. They passed
away the same year, the father dying in Febru-
ary 1894, in Sedgwick, Kansas, and the mother
died the following June in Longview, Texas.
J. P. Gossett was married in 1874 to Miss
M. L. Carnahan, of Blanchester, Ohio, whose
parents, John and Margaret (Crosson) Carna-
han, were natives of the same state, where the
father was a merchant. The mother died when
Mrs. Gossett was only five years of age, but her
father survived until 1885. They were both
members of the Universalist church, -with which
denomination Mrs. Gossett is also identified.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gossett have been born two
daughters, namely, Cora E., now the wife of
Earl Sabin, of Champaign, and Pearl, at home.
Our subject is a member of Division No. i, O.
R. C., of Chicago, but became identified with the
order at Peoria, Illinois, in 1871, when in the
employ of the Indiana, Bloomington & Western
Railroad,
ICHAEL DONOVAN is supervisor
of track, third section, second division
of the Illinois Central, and it may
be said of him, that he grew up with
the company, as he never worked at any other
occupation, nor with any other railroad company.
He is a son of John Donovan, who was for thirty-
five years a faithful employe of the I. C., a con-
siderable portion of the time as section foreman.
Michael Donovan was born in a house on the
I. C. right of way, south of Effingham in 1864,
and entered the service of the company as a work-
man under his father in 1878. He was made
foreman of a fence gang in 1881, and has served
as foreman of fence, section, or extra gang ever
since. He was for six years permanently at
Watson, 111.; as section foreman, and for four
more years held the same position during the
winter months, taking charge of an extra gang
of men during the summer. On October I, 1899,
he received the well-merited promotion to super-
visor of track.
Mr. Donovan is one of the substantial citi-
zens of Effingham, Illinois, and is unmarried.
B. WALKER, agent of the Central
at Patoka, 111., is a native of Jackson,
Q Ohio, born February 25, 1860. Two
years later his parents moved to a
farm near Patoka where Mr. Walker was
reared, attending the common schools until the
age of twenty. His father, Joseph Walker, was
born on Grant's birthday, 1822, near Pittsburg,
and learned the carpenter's and wheelwright's
trades. During the Mexican war he worked on
the wagons that were to transport the munitions
of war, and again during the Civil war he was
similarly employed. He married Miss Josephine
Miles, a native of Webster county, Ohio. Her
father had been a furnace man in Virginia.
At the age of twenty Mr. Walker began the
stud}- of telegraphy and the routine of station
work at Vernon under the instruction of A. G.
Lowe. In February 1881, he was appointed
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
285
agent at Vernon station and remained there until
transferred to Patoka, June 12, 1886, under the
superintendency of Mr. J. C. Jacobs, holding
that assignment to the present time. Mr. Walker
was first married to Miss Nora Jackson, April
8, 1885, and of this marriage three children were
born: Frank, Ross and Ruth. Mrs. Walker
died May 30, 1893, when Mr. Walker's mother
came to keep house for him and hold the little
family together. His second marriage was to
Miss May Taylor, of Newton, 111., occurring
August 9, 1899. She is a lady of fine education,
having presided as principal of the Newton
schools for several years. The family resides in
Patoka, where by good management Mr. Walker
has accumulated a comfortable competency, own-
ing a farm one mile from Patoka. He is a mem-
ber of the Masonic fraternity, holding member-
ship with the Blue lodge at Patoka and the
Chapter at Centralia. The family attends the
Methodist church.
and Cairo. He came to Freeport in 1887, since
which time he has been running on a passenger
engine.
On the nth of February, 1876, Mr. Palmer
was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Albina
Sanford, of Jackson, Mich. Her father, O. N.
Sanford, a painter, died in 1871. Her mother,
Ann (Carter), died in 1883. Mrs. Palmer was
born Dec. 2, 18,57, and was educated in the pub-
lic schools of Jackson, Mich. Her union with
our subject has been blessed with five children :
Frederick A., born March 14, 1878, a machinist
in the employ of the I. C. R. R., is single and
living at home; E. S., born May 30, 1881, is at-
tending the grammar school in Freeport; D. R.,
born July 30, 1885, is a student in the Freeport
high school ; James J., born Jan. 15, 1887, attend-
ing school, and Gladys M., born March 10, 1891.
The family attends the English Lutheran church
of Freeport. Mr. Palmer is a Mason, a member
of the I. O. of M. A., and also of the B. of L. E.
He is a Republican in politics.
D. PALMER, engineer on the Illinois
Central Railroad, was born at Jack-
son, Mich., November 25, 1853. He
is the son of D. R. Palmer, a black-
smith by trade, who lived in Jackson, Mich.,
where he died in 1896. The mother, Abigail
(Wilmouth) Palmer, lives with subject. The
only daughter, Ada, was the wife of George O.
Dickinson, and lived in Jackson, Mich., at the
time of her death in 1895.
E. D. Palmer was educated in the public
schools of Jackson, Mich. In 1874 he entered
the service of the Michigan Central R. R. as a
fireman, and continued in that position for three
years and six months, when he was promoted
to engineer, running a freight engine between
Jackson and Saginaw, where he remained one
year, then ran on the Detroit, Milwaukee &
Grand Haven for two years, after which he en-
tered the service of the Illinois Central and lo-
cated in Chicago, running on the Chicago divi-
sion a short time when he was transferred to
the Centralia division and ran between Centralia
HARLES McFERSON, conductor on
the Amboy division of the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad, was born at Tonica, 111.,
March 31, 1871. His father, George
A. McFerson, is an undertaker residing in Ton-
ica, 111. His mother, whose maiden name was
Maria Underbill, died in 1880. Charles Mc-
Ferson attended the public schools of Tonica,
after which he served an apprenticeship with his
father in the undertaking business. He then
opened an establishment in Ambia, Ind., where
he followed the business of an undertaker for
about three months, then sold out, came back
to Illinois, and accepted a position as brakeman
on the Amboy division of the I. C. R. R., where
he remained until the time of his promotion to
conductor, which occurred in 1898. He removed
to Freeport in September 1899. Mr. McFerson
was united in marriage, June 23, 1895, with Miss
Sophie Westmeyer, of Tonica. She was born
in Peru, 111., January 16, 1874, but removed to
286
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Tonica where she received her education in the
public schools of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Mc-
Ferson are members of the M. E. church. Mr.
McFerson belongs to the Order of Foresters and
the B. of R. T. He is a Republican in politics.
N. WAKEFIELD is one of the well
known conductors in the freight ser-
LQ vice of the Illinois Central, his run
being in the Centralia district on the
St. Louis division. He first entered the service
of the I. C. in 1888, working in the shops at Du
Quoin, 111., where he served four years. In
1892 he began his work as brakeman in the cen-
tral district, and his efficiency was rewarded by
promotion to conductor on December 25, 1896.
He was married December 23, 1892, at DuQuoin,
111., to Miss Ada Weeks, daughter of William
and Elizabeth Weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield
have one daughter, Irene. Mr. Wakefield was
born in Macon county, Tenn., July n, 1869. He
is a member of Division No. 112 O. R. C., of
Centralia.
THOMAS N. CRAIG, conductor on the
Amboy division, Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born at Waddams Grove,
111., September 6, 1869. He is the son
of Roswell Craig, a farmer, and Lucinda (Har-
rington) Craig, both of whom are living.
Our subject, during his boyhood, worked on
the farm in summer and attended school in West
Point township in winter. When seventeen
years of age he went to Sioux City, Iowa, and
was employed as a hotel clerk for five years, then
went to Chicago and worked in the Demming
Hotel for three months. He then came to Free-
port,'and on April 9, 1893, entered the service of
the I. C. R. R. as a brakeman. August 22, 1894,
he resigned his position on the road and went
to Bridgewater, S. Dak., where he remained one
year engaged in farming. The next year was
spent in farming at Oakland, Tenn., after which
he went to Two Harbors, Minn., and secured a
position as brakeman on the Duluth & Iron
Range R. R., where he remained seven months,
then returned to Freeport and re-entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as brakeman, contin-
uing in that position until August 26, 1899, when
he was promoted to conductor, in which capacity
he is now employed on the Amboy division.
On the 22nd day of June, 1897, Mr. Craig
was married to Miss May Armagost, of Wad-
dams Grove. She was born June 2, 1876. They
have one child, Ima, born March 3, 1899. Mr.
Craig and his estimable wife are members of the
First Presbyterian church of Freeport. Mr.
Craig is socially connected with the B. of R. T.,
I. O. O. F., and the Knights of Pythias. In
politics he is a Democrat.
L. HOOPER is one of the represent-
ative conductors on the Centralia dis-
trict of the Illinois Central, having
entered the service of that road in
1884 as brakeman on the local from Centralia to
Cairo, with Conductor Charles Protz. He was
for five years in the freight and passenger service
of the company as brakeman and baggageman,
and in 1889 received promotion to conductor.
He has had his present run since 1893.
The subject of this sketch is a native of
Richview, 111., having been born there March 22,
1865, to the union of A. C. and Eliza (Maxey)
Hooper, natives of Tennessee and Illinois re-
spectively. The father is deceased, but the
mother is still living. Mr. Hooper was married
September 29, 1891, to Miss Gertrude Stebbins,
a daughter of Rev. George and Sarah ( But-
trick) Stebbins. Mr. and Mrs. Hooper have
one son living, Allen Lorrene, who is attending
school. Socially our subject is a member of
Division No. 112, O. R. C., of Centralia. He
is an energetic and progressive citizen of Cen-
tralia, and owns a substantial home on Hamin
Boulevard.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
287
V. HOPKINS, conductor on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy
Q division, is a native of Illinois,
and was born in Morris, July 8,
1877. His parents, Michael and Ellen (Burke)
Hopkins, are living in LaSalle, 111. One son,
James, is a train man in the service of the I. C.
R. R., at LaSalle. W. V. Hopkins was educated
in St. Patrick's school of LaSalle. He began
working as a brick-maker and learned the busi-
ness in all its branches, and remained at the
business five years. In October 1897, he en-
tered the service of the I. C. R. R. as a freight
brakeman on the Amboy division, and remained
in that position until August 12, 1899, when he
was promoted to the position of conductor,
which he now occupies. Mr. Hopkins is a
Catholic. He is a Democrat in politics, and is
connected socially with the B. of R. T. He is a
young man of energy, and bids fair to rise in
his chosen calling.
I HARLES REED, conductor on the Illi-
nois Central railroad, Amboy division,
was born October 17, 1876, at Amboy,
111. Fred Reed, his father, was for-
merly a conductor on the I. C. R. R., and now re-
sides in Chicago. His mother, Annie (Ash)
Reed, is also living. One son, George, is a sten-
ographer in the office of Mr. Keepers, general
freight agent at Chicago.
Our subject, Charles Reed, was educated
in the public schools of his native town, and at
the age of sixteen he began driving an oil wagon
at Amboy, and remained in that position three
years. In 1895 he entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. as a brakeman, and was promoted
October i, 1898, to the position of conductor,
and is now running in the freight service. On
the 28th day of March, 1898, Mr. Reed was
united in marriage with Miss Flora Jeffrey, of
Freeport. She was born in Manhattan, Kan.,
November 15, 1875, and her education was ac-
quired in the public schools of Galena, 111. By
this union Mrs. Reed is the mother of one child,
Frank G., born February 28, 1899. The fami-
ly attends the Second Presbyterian church of
Freeport. Mr. Reed is a member of the B. of
R. T. His political views are democratic.
EORGE GRANGER ranks as one of
the oldest men in the service of the
Illinois Central, having begun work
on the road as a fireman on the
Champaign division in September 1858. He was
promoted to engineer in 1861 and for many years
served in the freight service, entering the reg-
ular passenger service in 1884, in charge of en-
gine No. 965, and is still identified with that
branch of the service.
Mr. Granger was born in Williamson,
Wayne county, New York, November 5, 1837,
and is a son of George and Mary Granger, na-
tives of England, who removed to Michigan
froni New York state when our subject was
very young. He attended the schools of his lo-
cality until sixteen years of age, and remained
on the farm until he was twenty-one, assisting
his mother, his father having died when he was
but seven years old. He left home coming di-
rect to Champaign, where he arrived June 20,
1858, and engaged with the Illinois Central the
following September.
On May 26, 1870, Mr. Granger was united
in marriage to Mrs. Sarah C. (Ball) Rowe, who
was born July 29, 1844, in Ithaca, New York,
and is a daughter of Charles E. and Harriet H.
Ball. To our subject and wife were born two
sons : Guy D. and George E. Socially he is
a member of Centralia Lodge No. 24, B. of L.
E., having been initiated before the lodge was
divided into sections. In politics he is a stal-
wart Republican. Mrs. Granger is a member of
the Congregational church. Industrious and
careful, Mr. Granger is counted as one of the
substantial citizens of Champaign, and owns a
fine residence in that citv.
288
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JAMES H. PURSLEY, engineer on the
Clinton division, is a native of the Prai-
rie State, his birth occurring at Sublette,
in Lee county, December 19, 1858. He
was early thrown upon his own resources and at
the age of twelve went to the country to
work on a farm. Here he remained three years,
attending school when he could, employing his
evenings studying, by which he secured as good
an education as boys that had better advantages
in school. At the age of fifteen he was appren-
ticed to Mr. Edward Lewis to learn the wagon-
maker's trade, but finding the dust and confine-
ment detrimental to his health, he was forced to
discontinue and seek employment again in the
country. In 1880 he secured a position as brake-
man on the Illinois Central, and eighteen months
later was given a place on an engine firing, under
the jurisdiction of J. B. Edams, then master
mechanic. When duly qualified he was exam-
ined and transferred to the right side of an en-
gine, and has been continually engaged in that
capacity ever since, having made a good record
for efficiency and carefulness that holds him
well in the estimation of the officials of the
road.
Mr. Pursley is a son of John and Sophia
(Frink) Pursley, natives of Binghampton,
Mass., who emigrated to Illinois when it was a
comparatively new country. Of their four sons
and two daughters, all living in Kansas, except
our subject, and are engaged in farming, whither
the mother went to make her home after the
death of her husband. She is now deceased.
Our subject was married in Amboy, July
4, 1879, to Miss Alice Petticrew, daughter of
David and Margaret (Roof) Petticrew, natives
of Indiana and Ohio, respectively. The father
is deceased, but the mother is still living. Mr.
and Mrs. Pursley are the parents of two daugh-
ters, Carrie and Ethel, graduates of the Amboy
public schools.'
Mr. Pursley's residence was at Amboy until
the redistricting of the road in 1888, when he
moved with his family to Clinton, his present
home. He was a member of the Amboy Lodge
No. 35, B. of L. F., and on his promotion be-
came a member of Amboy Division No. 72, B. of
L. E. Mr. Pursley is a man who has made his
own way since boyhood, and what he is and what
he has are the result of his own efforts.
B. WILLARD is an engineer in the
passenger service, Centralia district,
LQ of the St. Louis division, of the Illi-
nois Central. Beginning as a fire-
man on the Central District in 1876 he was pro-
moted, in 1880, to engineer in the freight service.
During his term as fireman he worked on the
main line, from Centralia to Clinton for two
years. After serving in the passenger service
as extra engineer during 1891 and 1892, he was
given charge of a regular passenger engine in
1893.
Our subject is a native of Indiana, but came
to the city of Salem, 111., at an early age. On
April 4, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss
M. Louise Allen, at Centralia, 111. and to them
have been born five children, viz : Frederick W.,
James M., Richard A., Brooks and Charles T.
He is a member of B. of L. E., No. 24 of Cen-
tralia, 111., also prominent in A. F. & A. M. cir-
cles. Mr. Willard has a most estimable family
and a commodious home in that city.
EORGE E. WAUGH, conductor on
the Freeport division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, entered the service
of the road on the Amboy division as
freight brakeman, January 29, 1880, making his
first run with D. Zeek as conductor. He was
changed to passenger brakeman and baggage-
master, and in 1886 was promoted to conductor
on the Amboy division. In 1889 he was trans-
ferred to Freeport division and located in Chi-
cago, where he handled trains for the races at
Washington Park and Hawthorne for four
years, and also had charge of the Hawthorne
GEORGE M. BECKER.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
291
freight yards. In 1894 he came to Freeport as
conductor on the Freeport division, and in 1896
took his present run on No. 93 and No. 94, local,
to Dubuque.
Mr. Waugh was born in Washington,
Tazewell county, 111., in 1859, and. is the son of
J. C. and Susan (Zaners) Waugh, of Wichita,
Kansas. In 1892 he married Emma Morris, by
whom he has two children, Bernice and Buda.
Mr. Waugh is Chief Conductor of the O. of R.
C., No. 235, of Freeport, and is a member of
Rinaldo Lodge No. 98, K. of P., of Freeport.
railroad men. They are George, our subject;
Henry, section foreman on the I. C. near Kenner,
La., Joseph, supervisor of tracks on the Wilson
district, of the I. C., and William A., supervisor
of tracks for the I. C. between Memphis and
Dyersburg, Tenn.
George M. Becker, our subject, married
Miss Catherine Schneckerberger, and three chil-
dren have been born to them, viz: William A.,
Walter, and Lena. He resides in Vicksburg,
Miss., and is a valued citizen. Having risen
from the ranks to his present responsible position,
indicates him as an employe of sterling worth
and an efficient railroad man.
EORGE M. BECKER, roadmaster of
the fifteenth division of the Illinois
Central, entered the service of the
company as a laborer on the section
at Kenner, Louisiana, at the age of seven-
teen. From a laborer he was promoted to sec-
tion foreman, after four years work in the former
capacity. As a section foreman he was employed
six years on the road, and resigned to accept a
similar position with the Louisville, New Orleans'
& Texas R. R. He was with the latter road
when it was absorbed by the Illinois Central,
and was then appointed supervisor of tracks
on the Wilson district, which position he held
two years. He was then transferred to Baton
Rouge, La., as supervisor of tracks on the New
Orleans district, remaining on that district four
years. In June 1897, he was sent to Jackson,
Miss., as supervisor of tracks and trains of the
Natchez district, and in August 1900 was pro-
moted to his present position. Mr. Becker is
a native of Kenner, Louisiana, where he was
born on July 29th, 1857, and is the son of
George and Francis (Armbrtister) Becker, both
natives of Germany, who emigrated to America
and settled in the South. Mr. Becker Sr. is one
of the oldest living employes of the Illinois Cen-
tral, having been connected with the road for
over thirty-five years as section foreman, and is
now living retired at Kenner. In the parental
family there were four sons, all of whom became
17
JOHN J. SHAUGHNESSY, who is an
engineer on the Illinois Central, was
born in Amboy, Illinois, April 27, 1869.
His father, P. H. Shaughnessy, is a na-
tive of Limerick, Ireland, and came to this
country when a boy, locating in Montreal, Can-
ada, where he engaged in farming in that vicin-
ity for a few years, then came to the United
States at the age of twenty-five and located in
Freeport, where he engaged in teaming for a
number of years. He was employed by the I. C.
R. R. for about thirty-five years as foreman in
coal shed, watchman, etc. He now resides in
Amboy, 111. His wife, Nora (Matthews)
Shaughnessy, also a native of Limerick, came to
Freeport when young. She is the mother of
seven children : Mary is married to John Flan-
agan, and resides on a farm six miles south of
Dixon, 111., and has three children ; Anna, wife of
Thomas Monahan, died in 1897, leaving two
children ; John J., subject ; William, a railroad
conductor; Elizabeth died at the age of twenty-
two; Daniel is a boiler maker in the I. C. shops
in Chicago; and Frank in school.
John J. Shaughnessy was educated in the
public schools of Amboy. In 1887 he entered
the freight office of the Illinois Central at Amboy
as a clerk, where he remained four years, then
began firing on a freight engine on the Amboy
292
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
division. After four years in this position he
was promoted to the position of engineer in
August 1895, and now runs from Freeport to
Clinton, 111. He has never lost time on account
of sickness or accident. Mr. Shaughnessy is
a member of the Catholic church. In politics he
is a Democrat. Socially he is connected with
the B. of L. E.
]. McDONALD, conductor, Amboy
division, Illinois Central Railroad,
was born in Johnstown, Pa., April
4, 1873. His father, John J., a sailor,
and his mother, Margaret (Balentine), both died
when our subject was quite young. He received
his education in the parochial school of the Catho-
lic church in LaSalle, 111., and began working in
the glass works at Ottawa, when a boy, remain-
ing there about eighteen months. He then
worked for Zimmerman Brothers at the Opera
House in LaSalle for three years, then spent
about two years in the parochial house at LaSalle,
after which he entered the service of the I. C.
R. R. at Freeport in 1895, as a brakeman, and
remained in that position until August 3, 1898,
when he was promoted to his present position of
conductor. Mr. McDonald is a member of the
Catholic church. Socially he belongs to the B.
of R. T. and the O. of R. C. He is independent
in his political views.
JAMES H. LEWIS is the well-known con-
ductor on the "local" in the Centralia
district of the Illinois Central, with
which road he became identified in 1881 as
brakeman, being promoted to conductor in the
freight service in 1888. He was appointed to
his present run in 1897, previous to which he
was on the fast "Manifest" freight for three
years.
Mr. Lewis is a native of Allentown, Penn.,
where he was born February 7, 1861, but came
west to St. Clair county, Illinois, at the age of
seven years, and since 1875 has been a resident
of Centralia. The parents of our subject were
Thomas F. and Eliza J. (Deiter) Lewis, natives
of Pennsylvania, the former of whom is de-
ceased, while the latter is now making her home
in Irvington, 111. On October 13, 1883, James
H. Lewis was united in marriage with Miss
Belle R. Fouts, who is a daughter of David and
Elizabeth (Gudgel) Fouts, of Indiana. To our
subject and wife have been born four children,
three daughters and one son, viz : Prue C.,
Mollie F., Hazel, and Benjamin Harrison. The
family resides in a commodious home on the
Boulevard. Socially Mr. Lewis is connected
with " E. T. J." Lodge No. 412, B. of R. T., of
Centralia.
DSAAC GOODWIN, conductor on the Am-
boy division of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born in LaSalle county, 111.,
December 19, 1856. His father, Godfrey
Goodwin, is a farmer living at Tonica, LaSalle
county, 111. His mother, prior to her marriage,
was Miss Julia A. Acker. Isaac Goodwin at-
tended school at Tonica and worked on his
father's farm until sixteen years of age. At that
age he entered the service of the Chicago &
Paducah Railroad as a brakeman, and remained
in the service of the company two years. He
then entered the shops of the Piano Manufactur-
ing Co., at Piano, 111., where he remained two
and one-half years, after which he returned to
railroading and was brakeman on the C. B.
& Q. about two years. After three years of farm
life, Mr. Goodwin entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. as a brakeman, holding the position
until 1896, when he was appointed conductor
and remains in that capacity to the present time.
On November 20, 1895, Mr. Goodwin was
united in marriage with Miss Mary Allen, of
Freeport. She was born March 31, 1873, at
Amboy, where she graduated from the high
school in 1889. She taught school in Lee
county for five years. Of this union three chil-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
293
dren have been born : Mar}-, born September
23, 1896; Allen, born October 15, 1897; God-
frey, born February 20, 1899. Mr. Goodwin
is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the
B. of R. T.
USTIN HALL, engineer on Amboy divi-
sion, Illinois Central Railroad, entered
the service of the Illinois Central rail-
road as a fireman on the Springfield
division, in 1884, was promoted to engineer in
1892 and commenced running on the extra list
in the Clinton district. He is now in the freight
service on the Amboy division, Clinton district,
and stands first in line of promotion to passen-
ger engineer. Mr. Hall has been remarkably
successful in his career as engineer, owing to
the careful handling of his lever and strict at-
tention to orders.
Mr. Hall was born in DeWitt county, Illi-
nois, June 19, 1858, and was married October 2,
1876, to Miss Lyda Langford, to whom have been
born two sons and one daughter, Lawrence H.,
Albert and Ollie. Mr. Hall is a member of the
B. of L. E., Clinton Division No. 315.
ICHAEL CURRAN, conductor on the
Amboy division, Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born in LaSalle, Illinois.
April 22, 1870 and is the son of
David and Ellen (Carroll) Curran, both living
in LaSalle. His father has been an employe of
the I. C. R. R. for many years, and his four sons
are all railroad employes.
Michael Curran received his education in
the public schools of LaSalle. At the age of
seventeen he began his active career as a mail
carrier to business firms, also acting as messen-
ger, which occupation he followed for three
years. May 27, 1890 he entered the service of
the I. C. R. R.-as a freight brakeman on the Am-
boy division where he remained until November
Marion.
19, 1890. On the 1 8th of December of that same
year he began switching in the LaSalle yards,
but after a short time returned to braking on
the Amboy division. October 15, 1895 he was
promoted to freight conductor where he served
for two years, was yardmaster at LaSalle for
three months, then returned to the position of
freight conductor which he still retains. Mr.
Curran is a member of the Catholic church. So-
cially he is connected with the O. of R. C. In
his political views he is a Democrat,
******
T. GHENT, engineer at Carbondale,
111., began his railroad career on the
Shawneetown & Carbondale Railroad
as a fireman between Carbondale and
In 1880, he crossed the cab and for
two years had charge of the levers. In 1885, he
began working for the Illinois Central company
at Carbondale, and for two years was a fireman
on a freight engine between Centralia and
Mounds, and then served on a passenger engine
on the same division two months. His first en-
gine was No. 234, with " Bill " Platt, engineer,
and the next was No. 188, on which he served
under " Hank " McMullen. In the fall of 1887,
Mr. Ghent was promoted to a seat on the right
side of the engine, and since that date has at
different times been employed on nearly all of
the Illinois Central lines in the southern part of
Illinois. He began as an engineer on a switch
engine in the Centralia yards and then for a
time had charge of an engine between Centralia
and Cairo. At different times he has been sta-
tioned at Pinckneyville and ran both ways out
of that city, but since February 1898, he has been
stationed at Carbondale and held a position at
the head of a train between that city and Brook-
lyn.
Mr. Ghent was born in Chatham count}-,
Tenn., not far from the city of Nashville. He
was married December 4, 1887, at Cairo, 111.,
to Mrs. Lou L. Mahaffey, nee Owen, of Carbon-
dale, 111., and they have become the parents of
294
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
two children, Harry and Bulah. By her first
marriage Mrs. Ghent has one daughter, Edyth
Mahaffey. Mr. Ghent is one of those fortunate
ones who always seem to escape unharmed from
whatever calamity may overtake them. He
has experienced three head end collisions', two in
1886 and one on June 5, 1891, but has never
been injured while at work on the railroad. So-
cially Mr. Ghent affiliates with Division No. 512
B. of L. E. of East St. Louis. Mrs. Ghent is a
member of the Eastern Star Lodge at Pinckney-
ville, 111.
duty. He is a member of the Order of Foresters,
and is democratic in his political views. Mr.
Clancy was married to Miss E. I. Sadler, step-
daughter of Wm. Rieger, Nov. 21, 1899.
ANIEL F. CLANCY, brakeman on the
Amboy division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, was born in Lena, 111., Janu-
ary 17, 1878. He is the son of Martin
and Catherine (Sweeney) Clancy, who now make
their home in Freeport. The father is a former
employe of the I. C. R. R. They have reared a
family of nine children all of whom are living.
Hannah, married Daniel Marker and resides in
Freeport; James, a painter by occupation, lives
in Pearl City ; John, a butcher, resides in Free-
port; Thomas is a physician residing in Nora,
111., Mary, wife of Daniel McNeil, resides in
Belvidere, 111., Martin resides in Freeport and is
blacksmith ; William makes his home in Freeport
and is a fireman on the I. C. R. R. ; Daniel F.,
subject of this sketch ; Nora resides in Evans-
ville, Ind., the wife of Louis Schlauch.
Daniel F. Clancy was educated in St. Mary's
parochial school at Freeport. In 1893 he ac-
cepted a position as call boy for the I. C. R. R. at
Freeport where he remained two years, was then
employed in numbering cars in the Freeport yard
six months, after which he became switch tender
for about five months, and was switchman six
months, being then promoted to assistant yard-
master. In February 1899 he began braking on
freight trains on the Amboy division in which
position he still remains.
Mr. Clancy was born and reared in the
Catholic faith in which he is now a communicant,
and which has instilled in him a strong sense of
rlLLIAM L. MAINE, engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, is a native
of the Empire State, and was born in
Broome county, November 22, 1839.
He is the son of Perry J. and Olive (Miller)
Maine. The former, a miller by trade, died
January 4, 1900, at Amboy at the advanced age
of eighty-five years and two months ; the latter
died in 1896, aged seventy-four years.
When our subject was six years of age the
family moved to Connecticut, and later when he
was fourteen came west, locating at Amboy, 111.
Here he completed his education, commenced in
the district schools of Connecticut. At the age
of eighteen, he arranged with his father to be
allowed his time, and went into the coal and de-
livery business in Amboy, which he followed for
two years. About this time he became interested
in the mining business in the Great West, and
in 1859 started for Pike's Peak, but went as far
as Kansas and then returned to Amboy, bought
back his old business and continued in it for three
years. In 1863 he entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. as a fireman on the Amboy division.
At the end of ten months he was given an engine
in the Amboy yards, where he remained twenty
months and was then given a regular run as an
engineer on the Amboy division, January i, 1866.
From this time until 1871, he ran a freight en-
gine and was then given a passenger run. Dur-
ing his long service of thirty-six years Mr. Maine
has never caused an injury to a passenger or em-
ploye, a record few can parallel.
Mr. Maine was united in marriage, June 12,
1860, to Miss Harriet A. Santee a native of the
state of Pennsylvania. At the time of their mar-
riage Mrs. Maine resided in Missouri, and Mr.
Maine drove 450 miles in going after and return-
ing home with his wife. Mrs. Maine was born
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
295
March 3, 1843. By her union with Mr. Maine,
she is the mother of four living children : Corne-
lius W. is a farmer living near Amboy; May
Belle is the wife of Gilbert Finch and resides in
Amboy ; Anna E. married W. S. Jenkins and re-
sides in Clebtirne, Texas; Florence V. is still
at home with her parents. Mr. Maine, with his
family, attends the Adventist church. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of
the B. of L. E. Mr. Maine is prominent in rail-
road circles, having been President of the Free-
port R. R. Sound Money League in 1896, and
is also President of the R. R. Employes and Tele-
graph Operator's League. While in Amboy he
was alderman for eleven years. Mr. Maine is
a man of remarkable health and vigorous con-
stitution, having required the doctor's services
but once during his entire life. He is a Repub-
lican in politics.
W. EAGLESON, engineer at Car-
bondale, 111., began his railroad
Q career at the age of sixteen years,
at East St. Louis, where he
served as an apprentice for a year and a half in
the shops of the Cairo Short Line, beginning in
1879. He then went to Springfield, Ohio, to
the shops of the Ohio Southern Railroad, fin-
ished his trade in 1882, and then secured a posi-
tion as fireman on the Ohio Southern Railroad
in the passenger and freight service between
Springfield and Jackson. In the spring of 1884
he was given a seat on the right side of the en-
gine, and his first run in the capacity of engineer
was between Bainbridge and Springfield, and in
October 1888, he began work for the Northern
Pacific Railroad between Mandan, N. Dak., and
Glendive, Montana, and retained that position
until the spring of 1894. Mr. Eagleson's next
position was with the Bluff line at St. Louis,
Mo., and the next between St. Elmo and Marion,
111., of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois. At the
last named place he was one of the oldest em-
ployes on the line, helped build the road, and
stood at the head of one of its passenger trains
for two years. Severing his connection with that
company in 1897, Mr. Eagleson entered the em-
ploy of the C. & T. Railroad, now a part of the
Illinois Central system, and located at Murphys-
boro, 111., and in July of the following year,
moved to Carbondale to accept his present po-
sition. His run is on the Johnson City branch,
is eighteen miles in length, and his engine
draws the local freight and coal train.
Mr. Eagleson was born in Chillicothe, O.
He was married at Washington Court House,
of that state, to Miss Nettie Howland, a native
of the same place, and two children, Ruth and
Helen, have been born to them. Socially our
subject affiliates with Division No. 512, B. of
L. E., East St. Louis ; the Masonic fraternity,
Dickinson Lodge No. 32, of Dickinson, N. Dak.,
and also Columbian Chapter No. n, R. A. M.
Mr. Eagleson is a man of marked ability, and in
whatever line of work or business enterprise he
has ventured, he has met with success. His
railroad career has been free from serious ac-
cidents, and from his earnings has built for him-
self and his family a very comfortable home in
Carbondale.
' AMES DARDIS is an engineer in the
freight service in the Centralia district,
St. Louis division, of the Illinois Central.
He entered the service of the I. C. as
fireman on the St. Louis division in 1891, serving
first as fireman on a switch engine at DuQuoin,
111., and later in the same capacity from Centra-
lia to Mounds. Strict attention to duty was re-
warded January 25, 1896, by his promotion to
engineer.
Mr. Dardis was born in Troy, New York,
. and his first experience in railroading was ac-
quired on the Fitchburg Railroad. Leaving the
employ of the latter company in 1891, he came
west and at once entered the service of the I.
C. where he is considered a careful and pains-
taking employe. He is connected with B. of
L. E. No. 24, of Centralia, in which city he re-
296
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
sides with his estimable family. His wife, prior
to her marriage, was Miss Minnie Burns. They
have three daughters, Pauline L., Zera M. and
Freda M.
JB. ANDRUSS, conductor on the Am-
boy division, Illinois Central Railroad,
Q has been in the service for a number
of years. His grand-parents emi-
grated to Illinois from Massachusetts at an
early day. Jay L. Andruss, his father, was a
farmer through life, and died in 1864. His
mother, Ellen (Adams) Andruss, is also de-
ceased. The family consisted of four children :
Lee, a salesman living in Wheaton, 111. ; William,
who will be mentioned more at length elsewhere
in this sketch ; Robert, station agent at Plain-
field for the E. J. & E. ; and our subject.
J. B. Andruss was born in Amboy, 111.,
August 16, 1863. His education was acquired
in the public schools of Binghamton. When
quite young he worked on a farm for about two
years, then drove a delivery wagon at Amboy
for another year. November 25, 1882, he en-
tered the service of the I. C. R. R. as freight
brakeman, running between Amboy and Du-
buque, in which position he remained for eigh-
teen months. At this time he received an injury
to his hand and was made passenger brakeman,
also serving at times as baggage master. In
December 1885, he was promoted to freight con-
ductor, which position he retained until 1887,
when he severed his connection with the I. C.
R. R., and entered the service of the C. & N. W.
R. R. at Belle Plaine, Iowa, as freight brake-
man and switchman, remaining there about three
months when he was re-instated in the I. C. R.
R. and promoted to extra passenger conductor
in 1896, and in 1899 was made passenger con-,
ductor, running on the Amboy division. On
the ist of January, 1884, he married Miss Alice
Binnes, of Amboy. She died in November 1894.
October 8, 1896, he was married to Miss Carrie
Benham, of Elgin. Mrs. Andruss was born
September 7, 1867. She was educated in the
public schools of Elgin, also taking a course in
bookkeeping, and was bookkeeper in the service
of a large publishing company for many years.
Mr. Andruss is the father of one child, Maud
E., born April 13, 1885, who is attending the
public schools of Freeport. Mr. Andruss, with
his estimable wife, is a member of the First
Presbyterian church. He is a member of the
O. R. C. and likewise belongs to the Masonic
fraternity. In his political views he is a Demo-
crat.
William Andruss, brother of our subject,
was born May 3, 1859. He was educated in
the public schools of Binghamton, 111. His
early life was spent on a farm, and at the age of
twenty-one he entered the service of the I. C.
R. R. as freight brakeman on the Amboy divi-
sion where he remained two years, and was then
sent to Waterloo, Iowa, in the same capacity.
He was promoted to conductor in 1883, and re-
mained in the service of the company until June
1898, when he entered the service of the C.
G. W. R. R.
In 1877 ne was united in marriage with
Miss C. Shew, of Amboy. by whom he has two
children, Jay and Charles.
T. CUNNINGHAM is one of the -old
and well-known engineers in the
LQ freight service on the St. Louis divi-
sion of the Illinois Central. He en-
tered the service of the. I. C. in 1869 as a fireman,
working on both the Centralia and Wapella dis-
tricts. In 1873 he was promoted to engineer,
serving three years. Deciding to embark in
business, he asked for and obtained a leave of
absence, and during his first five years in business
often ran as an " extra." In 1887 ne again be-
came an extra, and three years after disposed of
his business and resumed the occupation of a
regular engineer, thus proving that there is an
irresistable charm in railroad work. Mr. Cun-
ningham was born in Marion county, Illinois.
He is a member of B. of L. E. No. 24, and is
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
297
president of the Railroad branch of the Y. M.
C. A. at Centralia. Our subject became a mem-
ber of the Baptist church in 1876 and was super-
intendent of the sabbath school for nine years in
succession.
HARLES BURGESS is a well-known
conductor in the employ of the Illinois
Central. He began as brakeman on
July 1 6, 1884, and received his promo-
tion to conductor July 16, 1889. He is at pres-
ent in the freight service of the Illinois Central,
having charge of a preferred run from Cham-
paign to Centralia.
Our subject is a native of Mattoon, 111. He
is one of the substantial citizens of Champaign,
and owns a fine home on the corner of Neil and
Green streets in that city. Socially Mr. Burgess
is connected with Division No. 112, O. R. C.,
of Centralia, Illinois.
telegraphy, and familiarized himself with rail-
road station work. After six months in the
apprenticeship he became ticket clerk for the I.
C. R. R. at Grand Crossing remaining there six
months, and was then made assistant ticket
agent at the Twenty-second Street station where
he remained four years. The next five years
were spent at Thirty-ninth Street as agent. In
1891 he was given his present position of ticket
agent at Freeport. September 14, 1887, Mr.
Rowley was united in marriage with Miss Susie
E. Wandell, of Battle Creek, Mich. She was
born January 21, 1864. By this union Mrs.
Rowley is the mother of two children, Leon E.,
born August 24, 1888, and Irma May, born
December 27, 1892. The family are regular at-
tendants of the First Presbyterian church. Mr.
Rowley is a member of the Knights of Pythias
Subordinate and Endowment, and the M. W. A.
In his political views he is a Republican.
W. ROWLEY, ticket agent for the
Illinois Central Railroad at Freeport,
111., may truly be called a "railroad
man," having been born at the sta-
tion where his father resided at that time, 'midst
the rumble of wheels and the scream of whistles,
in the town of Loda, 111., November 14, 1864,
and his whole life has been spent in railroad
work. His father, O. F. Rowley, who was sta-
tion agent at Loda for twenty-five years, died in
1874; his wife, whose maiden name was Phoebe
L. Wood, is still living in Freeport. Of their
family of five children, two only are living:
Belle, wife of C. E. Harwood, whose home is
in Chicago, and our subject, second and fourth
in order of birth respectively. Those deceased
are Orlando ; Elipha, married to E. L. Valen-
tine, died in 1897; and Frank, who died in 1892.
H. W. Rowley was educated in the public
schools of Loda, and at the age of seventeen be-
gan work for the I. C. R. R. as a student of
AM HANSON, engineer at Carbondale,
111., began his railroad career as a
wiper and helper in the round house
at Pinckneyville, 111. September 21,
1891, he secured a position as fireman at that
place, running between there and East St. Louis
and also south to Paducah, firing for five years
under Engineer George Adams. His first reg-
ular engine was No. 19, and later he used Nos.
23 and 341. September 9, 1898, Mr. Hanson
was set up to engineer, working first in the
Brooklyn yards on a switch engine from* Septem-
ber 1 1 of that year until February of the follow-
ing year, and then went to Pinckneyville where
he had a run between that place and East St.
Louis, and also south to Brooklyn. April 9,
1899, he came to Carbondale and for a time ran
extra out of that city, but now has charge of
the night switch engine.
Mr. Hanson was born in Rockwood, 111. In
1862 he was married at Tamaroa, 111., to Miss
Nettie Vaughn, of that place, and they have be-
come the parents of a family of four children.
298
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
whose names in the order of their birth are as
follows: Eva, Worth, Ruby and Sam. Social-
ly Mr. Hanson affiliates with Division No. 217,
B. of L. E., of Pinckneyville. He has never
received an injury since he has been on the road,
has made a marked success as an engineer, and
is very popular among his fellow workmen.
1833.
'ILLIAM L. BEALS, conductor on
the Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy
division, is a native of the state of
Maine, and was born at Leeds, July
He is the son of George and Elmira
J. (Luce) Beals. His father, who spent his
life in tilling the soil, was born March 27, 1804,
and died November 16, 1883. The mother was
born October 12, 1809, and died November 4,
1860. Our subject is the oldest and the last
survivor of the family of four children. Those
deceased are: Amos, born May 6, 1835, a fire-
man of the I. C. R. R., was killed by the explo-
sion of engine No. 51, at Pana, 111., November
4, 1864; Emily, born March 8, 1840, died July
27, 1842; Roscoe L., born July 5, 1847, died
February 16, 1852.
William L. Beals received his early educa-
tion in the schools of Leeds, where his boyhood
was spent in assisting his father on the farm.
In 1853, at the age of twenty, he entered the ser-
vice of the A. R. R. as a watchman, serving
six months. In 1854, May ist, he came west,
and at Bloomington, 111., entered the service of
the I. O. R. R. as a brakeman under George C.
Newton, conductor, remaining in that position
about two years, then served as baggageman for
seven years. At this time he left the railroad
and engaged in business in Warren, 111., for two
years, and was also American Express messen-
ger for several months. He then returned to
the I. C. R. R. and held the position of freight
conductor for twelve years, after which time he
was appointed passenger conductor on the Am-
boy division where he is serving at the present
time. In 1863, while in the service, he met with
a serious accident, and was taken up and carried
nine miles, supposed to be dead. On the 3ist
of March, 1862, he was married to Miss Elvira
M. Wheeler, also a native of Leeds. She is
the daughter of Abram Wheeler, a farmer, who
was born May 27, 1800, and died February 12,
1869. Her mother, who was Mahala Mitchell,
was born January 23, 1809, and died April 19,
1899. Mrs. Beals was born January 26, 1835.
Her union with Mr. Beals has been blest with
one son, Mirtal S., born July 4, 1871. He was
educated in the public schools of Freeport and
the business college at Dixon. For seven years
he has been stenographer in the office of traffic
manager of the I. C. R. R. in Chicago. Mr.
Beals is the last of the forty charter members
who organized the Conductors' Brotherhood,
Amboy Division No. i. In Masonic circles he
has taken the thirty-second degree, and is a mem-
ber of Blue Lodge No. 278, of Warren, and is
also a member of the O. R. C. of Freeport. In
politics he is a Republican. The family attend
the First Presbyterian church.
JAMES P. DOOLEY, passenger conductor
on the Amboy division, was born in Am-
boy, 111., February 26, 1868. His father,
James Dooley, formerly in the employ
of the Illinois Central at Amboy, is now living at
Dixon. The mother, Katherine (Cramer)
Dooley, is deceased. They were the parents of
four children, as follows: James P.; John H.,
mail carrier in San Francisco, was formerly ser-
geant in the First Regiment, regular infantry,
and saw service in Cuba, taking part in the
battle of San Juan Hill. He served eight years
in the First and Seventeenth regiments, and took
part in the Indian trouble at Pine Ridge. The
two remaining members of the family are Nellie
and Katie, who are still under the parental roof.
James P. Dooley was educated in the public
schools of Amboy, and in that city learned the
tinning trade, where he worked at it for some
three and a half years. July 21, 1887, he entered
•u
W '
o
HH
w
C/3
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
301
the service of the I. C. R. R. as a freight brake-
man, running on the Amboy division until the
2ist of November, 1891, when he was promoted
to freight conductor. This he held until Aug-
ust 27, 1899, when he was made a regular pas-
senger conductor on the same division. Mr.
Dooley is a Catholic by faith, and a Democrat
in politics. He has for some years been a mem-
ber of the O. R. C.
'ILLIAM F. FLUCK is an engineer
on the Champaign district of the Illi-
nois Central, and comes of railroad
stock. His father, Martin Fluck,
was an engineer on the Chicago division for sev-
eral years at the time of the war, serving also as
night foreman at Champaign for a term of ten
years. He retired on account of ill-health in
1897, and died in 1898. Our subject entered
the service of the I. C. in 1879 as a fireman on
the Champaign division. He was promoted to
engineer in 1886, and worked in the freight ser-
vice until August 1899, when he was promoted
to the passenger service. During his term in
the freight service, he was for four years on the
local. Mr. Fluck was born at Champaign, 111.,
October 2, 1860, and was a resident of Chicago
at the time of the big fire in 1871, but is again
a citizen of his native city. On April 28,
1886, Mr. Fluck was married to Miss Jennie
Miller, who was born February 8, 1865, in
Taylorsville, Indiana, and is the daughter of
Joseph B. and Mary J. (DeShay) Miller.
To Mr. and Mrs. Fluck have been born two
daughters, Nina Mae, born March 17, 1889,
who is now attending school and studying music,
in both of which she is very proficient, and Jessie
Orilla, who died at the age of three years, one
month and nine days. Mr. Fluck has one
brother and five sisters living, viz : Martin J.,
chief clerk in the master mechanic's office of the
Big Four, in Urbana; Augusta, stenographer in
the same office ; Amelia, who is the wife of Frank
H. Moore, an engineer on the Illinois Central ;
Emma, Dara and Rosa, at home. The mother
of this family departed this life May 27, 1899,
the father having preceded her to his final home
February 12, 1898. Mr. Fluck is a member of
Division No. 24, B. of L. E.
S. WEIGEL is a conductor in the
freight service in the Champaign
district of the Illinois Central. He
entered the service of the company
as a switchman in the Champaign yards in 1889,
and on May 28, 1891, was made brakeman on
the Champaign district. Strict attention to duty
soon won promotion, and on November 12, 1892,
he was made a conductor, at present having a
local run from Champaign to Centralia. Mr.
Weigel was born at Danville, 111., December 6,
1868, and there received his education, coming
to Champaign in 1888. June 10, 1891, he was
married to Miss Emma Lange, of Champaign.
They have one son, Harold.- Our subject is a
member of the O. R. C., of Centralia, and B. of
R. T., of Champaign.
,ORNELIUS J. SULLIVAN, mechanic
in the Illinois Central shops at Free-
port, was born in Clinton, 111., May
27, 1874. His father, F. Sullivan, a
former employe of the I. C. R. R., died January
27, 1896. His mother, Catherine Sullivan, is
now living at Clinton. They have reared a fam-
ily of nine children, namely : John, a business
man in Chicago; Daniel, living in Memphis,
Tenn., is timber inspector for the I. C. R. R. Co. ;
Edward, a former employe of the I. C. R. R.,
lives in Clinton ; Mortimer is engaged in busi-
ness in Chicago; Floy, living in Clinton, is a
boiler maker for the I. C. R. R. ; Mary, living in
Clinton ; Cornelius ; Margaret, a dressmaker in
Clinton ; Honora, also living in Clinton. Corne-
lius J. Sullivan attended the Clinton schools until
302
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the age of nineteen, when he entered the shops of
the I. C. R. R. at Clinton, where he served an
apprenticeship of three years. In 1894 he was
assigned to service in the Burnside shops in Chi-
cago, as a boiler maker, and remained there until
October 9, 1898. On the 9th of December, the
same year, he began work in the shops at Free-
port, where he still remains. In his religious
belief Mr. Sullivan is a Catholic, and politically
he is a Democrat. He is a young man of ster-
ling qualities, and is energetic to a marked de-
gree.
THOMAS A. KYLE, engineer on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, Freeport divi-
sion, was born February i5th, 1849.
His father, John Kyle, was a ship-
builder and sailor, and navigated between Eng-
land and the United States. He died at an
early age. His wife, Georgina (Boland) Kyle,
is still living in England.
Our subject was educated in the schools of
England. He began life as a sailor, sailing be-
tween Liverpool and the United States, also mak-
ing trips to the West Indies and South America.
At the age of seventeen he emigrated to the
United States, remained in New York City for
about a year, then came west and located in
Whitesicle county, 111., where he worked on a
farm for three years. At this time he went to
Aurora and entered the service of the C. B. &
Q. R. R. as fireman, and at the end of three years
and six months, in 1873, was promoted to en-
gineer, in which capacity he remained until Feb-
ruary, 1888. He then left the employ of the
C. B. & Q. R. R. and in September of that year
entered the service of the I. C. R. R., and came to
Freeport and worked until January 1889, when
he abandoned railroading for a year, during
which time he was engaged in the dray and ex-
press business in Aurora. Then entering the
service of the B. & O. R. R. as engineer, he re-
mained with them one year and seven months,
then took leave of absence and came back to his
old position with the I, C- R. R., which he still
retains. Mr. Kyle was married on the 22nd of
December, 1870, to Miss Mary B. Elliott, of
Kewanee, 111. Mrs. Kyle was born March 7,
1853. As a result of this union they have four
children: Walter E., born March 8, 1871, is an
engineer in the service of the I. C. R. R., and re-
sides with his parents ; Ralph H., born Sept. 8,
1874, is a fireman on a passenger train on the I.
C. R. R. ; Grace, born November 30, 1879, was
educated in the schools of Aurora, and is
a graduate of the Harlowe Business College of
Freeport; Gertrude, born October 9, 1882, at-
tended the public schools of Aurora. Mr. Kyle
is liberal in his religious views. Socially he is
a Royal Arch Mason, and belongs to the B. of
L. E., and O. of E. S. He is a Republican in
politics.
xOBERT PETRIE, engineer, Illinois
Central Railroad, Freeport division, is
__ _ a native of Herkimer, N. Y., where he
was born January 15, 1853. His
father, Julius E. Petrie, who was an employe of
the C. B. & Q. R. R., died July 4, 1872. His
mother, formerly Mary Keating, died in 1877.
Our subject was the oldest of four children,
having one brother and two sisters, as follows :
Edwin, an employe of the Santa Fe R. R. in
Arizona; Nettie, married to Mr. Blanchard, re-
sides in Aurora, 111. ; Annie, wife of Mr. M.
O'Mailia, lives in Knightstowri, Ind.
Robert Petrie attended school in Aurora,
to which place the family emigrated in 1857.
At the age of fifteen he began working in a
brickyard, but after a short time, August 12,
1868, entered the service of the C. B. & Q. R. R.
as an engine wiper at Aurora, and served in
that position until September i, 1870, when he
began firing on an engine. January n, 1877,
he was promoted to the position of engineer and
remained with the said company until .the 28th
day of February, 1888. August 23, 1888, he
entered the service of the I. C. R. R. at Freeport,
and was assigned a freight run from Freeport
to Chicago, and afterwards was given a run be-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
303
tween Chicago and Dubuque. On July i, 1899,
he was assigned to a passenger run between
Freeport and Dodgeville, Wis., which position
he still retains.
On the 22nd day of July, 1879, Mr. Petrie
was married to Miss Sarah A. Cunningham, of
Aurora, 111., who was born Nov. 17, 1857. By
her union with Mr. Petrie she is the mother of
nine children: Katherine A., born May 8, 1880;
is a milliner and resides with her parents ; Joseph
R., born Dec. 8, 1881, is employed in the I. C.
R. R. shops at Freeport; Lillian N., born Dec.
26, 1883, and Robert E., born March 6, 1885,
are both attending the Freeport schools ; Annie
N. E., born Nov. 26, 1887; Harry, born Aug. 23,
1889; Eddie, born Dec. 4, 1891; John, born
March 31, 1895; Lois, deceased, born March 8,
1899. Mr. Petrie is socially connected with the
B. of L. E. and the A. O. tJ. W. In politics he
affiliates with the Republican party.
G. SPENCE, is an engineer in the
freight service of the St. Louis
Q division of the Illinois Central.
He entered the service of the com-
pany on January 18, 1887, as fireman on the old
switch engine "One Spot," with Bob Jennings as
engineer. His first trip as fireman was on en-
gine No. 232, F. P. Morse, engineer, after which
he was given a permanent position as fireman on
No. 235, with W. G. Welden, now traveling en-
gineer of the St. Louis division of the I. C. He
was promoted to engineer in October 1889, tak-
ing charge of No. 235, the same engine on which
he had done most of his firing.
Mr. Spence, who is a native of Indiana
county, Penn., was married to Miss Mildred
Bicknell, April 23, 1890. She is a daughter of
Samuel G. and Fanny Bicknell. The father was
an engineer for about thirty-eight years, most of
the time on the I. C., and is now retired. Mr.
Spence owns a comfortable home on South Elm
street, in Centralia. Socially he is connected
with B. of L. E. No. 24, of that city.
EORGE W. FARNUM, conductor on
Freeport division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, residing at Madison, Wis., was
born in Pottsville, Pa., July 31, 1856.
His parents removed to Freeport while he was
young and his education was received in the pub-
lic schools of that city. During school days he
worked in summer in a brickyard and attended
school in winter. He worked in a machine shop
at Freeport for two years, then worked a few
months for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
on the section. December 6, 1874, he entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as assistant in freight
office where he remained until July 4, 1875, when
he began working in the yards as switchman,
remaining in that position until 1886; then went
on gravel train as conductor during the summer
of that year. In November 1886 he took a regu-
lar freight train on the road between Amboy
and Dubuque, running until June 1887, when he
was transferred to the construction train on the
Madison line. On the 2ist of December, 1887,
he went back on the main line running a freight
until February 27, 1888, then took construction
work again, this time between Freeport and Chi-
cago, until August 1888, then ran a regular
freight between Freeport and Chicago until No-
vember 6, 1888, and from that time until June
1 8, 1891, took a freight run between Madison
and Freeport. At that time he was given the
milk run from Freeport to Chicago which he
retained up to March 15, 1892, then took the
Dodgeville passenger run for two months, since
which time he has been on a passenger train
running between Freeport and Madison. Dur-
ing these twenty-five years of service Mr. Farnum
has met with no accidents on the road, has never
been suspended nor even reprimanded, has never
missed a pay nor has he ever laid off four weeks.
On the 26th of October, 1881, Mr. Farnuin
was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Sul-
livan, of Lena, 111. They have six children —
Agnes, Isabella, Clement, George, Mark, and
Regina. Mr. Farnum is a member of the Catho-
lic church. Socially he belongs to the O. of R.
C., K. of P., and the M, W, of A., and political-
ly is a Democrat,
304
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JOHN A. ABRELL, conductor on the Am-
boy division of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, first entered the employ of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad as switchman at
Pana, 111., July 16, 1891, and after two years in
that capacity he was made baggageman on the
Diamond Special from Chicago to St. Louis. He
then began braking on the Clinton district of
the Amboy division, and on the 29th of Decem-
ber, 1896, was promoted to conductor.
Mr. Abrell was born March 24, 1872, at
Osage Mission, Kansas, and was married to Miss
Laura Jones, of Salem, 111., October 1898. They
have one son, Donald. He is a member of
State Center Lodge No. 400, O. R. C, and is
likewise connected with the Masonic order.
,RVILLE W. BROWN, station agent
at Centralia, is a native of Irvington,
Illinois, born February 20, 1869. He
began railroad work as operator at
Irvington in 1886, and when competent to man-
age a station served as extra operator and station
agent at various points along the line of the Cen-
tralia district of the Chicago division until 1888,
when he was appointed to serve at Dubois from
which place he was transferred to Anna in 1892.
Three years later he was transferred to DuQuoin,
and to Centralia in August 1899, and placed in
charge of freight and passenger business.
The father of our subject, W. H. Brown,
is a native of Princeton, New Jersey, and, learn-
ing the carpenter's trade, secured employment
in the bridge and building department of the Cen-
tral for whom he worked many years. He was
also in the employ of the Louisville & Nashville
for a time and also the Montgomery & Prattville
road. He is now living in well earned retire-
ment at Irvington, having passed his allotted
three score and ten. His wife, a native of Ports-
mouth, Ohio, has passed the three score mile-
stone of life.
Mr. Brown was married February 23, 1890,
to Miss Minnie E. Strauss, to whom four chil-
dren have been born. The first died in infancy
unnamed, Delos H., Orin O., and Zula May.
Mr. Brown has achieved what he is and has
solely by his own efforts, and by his close at-
tention to the duties of his office has merited the
confidence of his employers. He is a member of
Hiawatha Lodge No. 291, I. O. O. F., also
member of Anna Encampment No. 69, both of
Anna, 111., and member of Centralia Lodge No.
201, A. F. & A. M.
NDREW S. HART, Illinois Central
_ Railroad conductor, on the Freeport
/[ ]\ division, was born in Crawford coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1854.
His father, Amos H. Hart, was a farmer,
and died in 1877, aged forty-eight years. His
mother, Cornelia W. (Foster) Hart is now liv-
ing in Allegan county, Mich., at the age of six-
ty-nine years. The family consists of three chil-
dren : Andrew S., our subject, George A., a con-
ductor on the I. C. R. R., resides in Chicago;
Mary C. married Frank A. Allen, a train bag-
gageman on the I. C. R. R., and resides in Chi-
cago. The family moved from Pennsylvania to
Plainwell, Mich., in 1869. Our subject attended
school in Edinboro and Plainwell during the win-
ter months, and in summer worked on his
father's farm. January 3, 1870, he entered the
service of the G. R. & I. R. R. as freight brake-
man between Kalamazoo and Big Rapids, re-
maining in that position nine months. He
served as brakeman on a passenger train four
months, and as baggageman one year, and then
at the age of nineteen, was appointed freight
conductor, being the youngest conductor, so far
as statistics indicate, that was ever given a posi-
tion of so much importance. On the i6th of
June, 1879, he left the service of the railroad,
and worked on a farm a shor-t time. July 29,
1875 he entered the service of the I. C. R R. as
a switchman at Chicago; in 1879 went to firing
in the general service; in May 1882 took the posi-
tion of freight conductor on the Chicago division ;
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
305
January i, 1886, was appointed trainmaster of
the Rantoul division with headquarters at Ran-
toul, 111., where he remained until May i, 1888,
when he was employed in various capacities un-
til August 1888, when he was transferred to the
C. M. & N., and was made a passenger conduc-
tor, running between Chicago and Freeport,
afterwards running to Dubuque, Iowa. In 1897,
on ac'count of failing health, he temporarily re-
linquished active service and went to Arizona
for the benefit of his health. At the end of seven
months he returned partially restored, and was
given his former run, but found the work was
too exacting and in June 1898, was given a pas-
senger run between Freeport, 111., and Dodge-
ville, Wis., which he still retains. August 18,
1874, Mr. Hart was united in marriage with
Miss Mary E. Kimball of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Mrs. Hart was born Feb. 19, 1855. Her union
with Mr. Hart was blessed with two children :
Herbert E., born Aug. 8, 1876, is a fireman in
the I.C. R. R. yards at Freeport ; Harry E., born
Sept. 9, 1878, is bookkeeper for the DeMund
Lumber Co., of Phoenix, Ari. March 15, 1899,
Mr. Hart married Miss Elizabeth R. Allen, of
Manchester, Iowa. She was born June 25, 1858.
Mr. Hart is a member of Apollo Commandery
No. i of Chicago, K. of P. No. 219 of Chicago,
and likewise belongs to the O. of R C., Chicago
No. i. In his religious views he is a Methodist.
He is a Republican in politics.
ENRY A. BALL, engineer on Clinton
district, Amboy division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, became identified
with the Illinois Central Railroad Aug-
ust 10, 1888, in the position of fireman on the
Clinton district, where he remained until Feb-
ruary n, 1892, at which time he was promoted
to the right side, and took a regular run the fol-
lowing December, being assigned to engine No.
511. He is now in the freight service between
Clinton and Centralia, and has been on his pres-
ent engine, No. 445, three years. He has been
very lucky, as well as capable in his experience,
having never made out a personal injury report
while in service.
Mr. Ball was born May 12, 1855, in Canton,
Ohio, within two blocks of the place where Maj.
McKinley resided at the time of his election to
the presidency. On the I2th of May, 1875, Mr.
Ball was married to Miss Frances Braucher, and
has one son and one daughter. He is a mem-
ber of the B. of L. E., No. 315, and is likewise
connected with Plantagenet Lodge No. 25, K.
of P., of Clinton.
M
D. HOWARD, general foreman for
the Illinois Central at Champaign,
HI- is an honored employe of the road.
He was born in the village of LeRoy,
McLean county, 111., June 26, 1859. After com-
pleting the course of study in the public schools
of that town he entered the University of Illinois
at Champaign, taking a three years' course in
mechanical engineering. It was while a student
at the university in 1880, that our subject first
entered the service of the I. C. in the shops at
Champaign. After working some months he
returned to school, leaving again to accept a
position as assistant chief civil engineer on the
Fort Scott & Wichita R. R. He served in this
capacity for nine months during which period
over one hundred miles of the road were located
and laid out. The road changing hands, our sub-
ject returned to the employ of the I. C. as fireman
under R. D. Davis. He was promoted to en-
gineer in February 1883, serving in the freight
and passenger service until September 1899,
when he was appointed general foreman at
Champaign, with a clear record of nineteen years
on a locomotive.
Mr. Howard is a man of excellent qualities
and keen intellect, honored and respected by his
fellow-citizens, as is shown by the fact that he is
serving his sixth year as a member of the Cham-
paign city council, representing the fourth ward.
306
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ARION MCCLELLAND, conductor
on the Amboy division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, entered the service
of the road as brakeman on the Clin-
ton district of the Amboy division, September
9, 1888, and was promoted to conductor Novem-
ber 20, 1892, serving as extra for a time, and in
1896 took a regular run in the freight service,
running from Clinton to Centralia, where he is
still employed.
Mr. McClelland is a native of Centralia,
where he was born in 1865. He is a member of
Division No. 112, O. R. C., Plantagenet Lodge
No. 25, K. of P., and is a Mason in high stand-
ing, being connected with DeWit Lodge No. 84,
A. F. & A. M., Goodbrake Chapter No. 59, and
Commandery No. 66, all of Clinton, Illinois.
M. FAGG, Illinois Central Railroad
passenger conductor, Amboy division,
is a native of McLean county, 111.,
where he was born November 8, 1857.
His father, Thomas Fagg, a farmer who is now
living in Washington county, Neb., at the age
of eighty-two years, was born in Loudoun coun-
ty, Va. The mother, Susan (Westcott), is liv-
ing, aged seventy-eight. Her father was a na-
tive of England and came to the U. S. in early
life. Our subject is one of a family of seven chil-
dren : Mary E. married A. C. Miller and resides
in Forreston, 111. ; Vina married S. M. Adams
and lives in Washington county, Neb. ; William
B. is a blacksmith and wagonmaker in Birming-
ham, Iowa; Clarence W. is a wagonmaker in
Washington county, Neb.; T. M., our subject;
Frank M. resides in Washington county, Neb. ;
Charles E., farmer, lives in Washington county,
Neb.
After attending the public schools in McLean
county, T. M. Fagg worked on a farm for some
years, and in 1880, entered the service of the I.
C. R. R. as freight brakeman. He served two
years in that capacity and was then made freight
conductor which position he held for sixteen
years. In 1898 he was promoted to passenger
conductor and is now running on the Amboy
division between Freeport and Centralia. He is
a member of the O. of R. C. ; the I. C. Lodge
of Masons No. 178; Freeport Chapter No. 23;
Freeport Commandery No. 7, and Cherry Camp
No. 64, M. W. of A. Politically he is a Repub-
lican.
Mr. Fagg was married on the 29th of April,
1884, to Miss Mollie Boylan, of Blooming-
ton. She was born August 9, 1861. They have
two children : Delia M., born Sept. 8, 1885, is at-
tending the Freeport high school; Lillian F.,
born October 16, 1891, is also in school
JOHN E. HARRINGTON, conductor on
the Illinois Central Railroad, Freeport
division, was born in Waukesha, Wis.,
November 21, 1864. He is the son of
Michael and Mary (Mulhern) Harrington, in
whose family are seven children. The father is
a railroad man. Our subject was educated in
the public and parish schools of Waukesha. At
the age of sixteen he became water boy on the
N. W. R. R., and remained in that position for
one summer, then went to the Grand Pacific at
Chicago, where he remained three years, then
worked for the Rock Island R. R. for two and
one-half years as passenger brakeman. In 1889
he entered the service of the I. C. R. R. as freight
brakeman and worked in that capacity until July
i, 1891, when he was promoted to conductor,
which position he still holds. June 17, 1896,
Mr. Harrington was united in marriage with
Miss Mary, daughter of Patrick Grant, deceased,
and Jennie (Hughes) Grant. Mrs. Harrington
was born in Freeport, 111., September 4, 1874,
and was educated in the public and parochial
schools of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington
have one child, John Grant, born March 15,
1898. They are members of the Catholic church.
Mr. Harrington belongs to the Improved Order
of Red Men, and O. of R. C., and politically
is a staunch Democrat.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
307
P. FREEMAN, conductor on the
Springfield division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, had his first railroad
experience in the employ of the Bluff
Line, which he entered as brakeman in October
1888, running from Springfield to Alton. In
1889 he entered the service of the Illinois Central
Railroad, acted as brakeman on the Springfield
division one year, and was promoted to conduc-
tor in 1890 and is now in the freight service on
that division.
Mr. Freeman, who is a son of Walter and
Sally (Short) Freeman, who were natives of
Virginia, was born at Culpepper Court House,
Virginia, in 1862, and was united in marriage
with Miss Eleanor Chapman in 1885. She is
a daughter of Stephen G. and Sarah (Oder)
Chapman, natives of Indiana and Kentucky, re-
spectively. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman have one
daughter, Delia B. Mr. Freeman is a member
of the M. W. A., No. 333, of Springfield, III,
and the O. R. C., No. 400, of Clinton.
ENRY LUDWIG, one of the younger
of the Central engineers, was born in
Dunleith, now East Dubuque, Illinois,
March 28, 1873. He attended the
schools of his native place until the age of six-
teen, and then began earning his own way, se-
curing a position with a confectionery company
in the city at the other end of the big bridge.
Here for four and a half years he worked faith-
fully, meanwhile attending the night school in
the Bayless Business College, fitting himself for
a higher position in the world. Coming to
Freeport he secured employment in the machin-
ery department of the Illinois Central shops, se-
curing, six months later, a seat in the left side of
a locomotive, September 23, 1893. October 14,
1899, he was examined and promoted to engineer
and started in with fair prospects of a long and
useful career at the throttle and lever.
Mr. Ludwig is an only child of Henry and
Magdalena (Fiene) Ludwig. The father, for
many years a grocer of Dunleith, was born in
Germany, May 19, 1848, and died at Dubuque
December 17, 1893. The mother, also a native
German, was born August 15, 1848, and died
on her fortieth birthday in Dubuque.
Mr. Ludwig was married in Dubuque June
12, 1895, to Miss Lucy G. Taulty, of that city.
Two children have been born to them, Maylou, a
daughter, born April 12, 1896, and Harry, born
June 20, 1897. Our subject is a member of
Union Lodge No. 138, B. of L. F., and of the
fraternal order A. O. U. W., at Elmhurst, 111.
M. STUART, who is a conductor on
I p~>\ the Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy
j [ o division, was born in Normal, 111.,
September 21, 1867. His parents,
C. M. and Catherine (Stevens) Stuart, are both
deceased. The family came from Kentucky in
1860, and located in Normal. There are six
children, our subject being the youngest. Mary
married D. B. Little, assistant auditor of the
I. I. & I. R. R., Kankakee, 111.; George M. is
a passenger conductor on the C. & A. R. R. ;
Alpha is principal of the Jefferson school in
Bloomington, 111. ; Alice married Milvin Stine
and resides near Saybrook, 111. ; Lee is manager
of the Electric Light & Power Co. at Normal.
Our subject was educated at the State
Normal, graduating in 1886, and also took a
complete course in Evergreen City Business Col-
lege. He then accepted a position in the At-
lanta National bank, at Atlanta, 111.,, where he
remained for four years, resigning to organize
the Waynesville bank, of which he was cashier
for three years. Giving up this position, he en-
tered the employ of the C. & A. Railroad as
brakeman, where he remained two years, then
worked three months for the K. C. & P. R. R.
in the same capacity, and was then offered the
position of night ticket clerk at Shreveport, La.,
where he remained one year. In 1898, on ac-
count of the yellow fever epidemic, he left the
south and came to the I. C. R. R. at Blooming-
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ton, August 16, 1898, and was made freight
brakeman. On the 3ist of August, 1899, he was
promoted to freight conductor on the Amboy
division, which position he still retains. Mr.
Stuart was married on the 28th of April, 1891,
to Miss Ella M. Lambert, of Atlanta, 111. She
was born May 15, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Stuart
attend the Christian church. Mr. Stuart is a
Mason, and also belongs to the B. R. T. In
politics he votes the Republican ticket.
I. TAYLOR, a conductor in the
freight service of the Illinois
Q Central, received his first intro-
duction to railroad life as brake-
man on the Short Line division of the L. & N.
R. R. out of Louisville, Ky., commencing his
career in September 1887, and working two
years. He then took a position as brakeman on
the A. T. & S. F., remaining with that company
eighteen months, after which he transferred to
the L. E. & St. L. out of Louisville, Ky. From
the latter place he was sent to the L. S. R. R.,
serving six months as brakeman, and at the end
of that period was promoted to conductor and
transferred to the Marion route, where he re-
mained until September 3, 1892. After working
for a short time on the M. P. R. R., and the
Terminal Association of St. Louis, he entered
the service of the I. C. as brakeman on the
Springfield division. On January 23, 1894, he
was sent to the South end and promoted to con-
ductor December 15, 1896. Mr. Taylor is a na-
tive of Shelbyville, Shelby county, Ky., his birth
occurring Oct. 22, 1865. On February 21, 1899,
he was married at Mt. Vernon, Mo., to Miss
Lydia Jones, whose father was a prominent
druggist of that city, but is now deceased. So-
cially he is connected with DeWitt Lodge F. &
A. M. No. 84, O. R. C. No. 112, of Centralia,
111., Goodbrake Chapter No. 59, and Clinton
Commandery No. 66, of Clinton, 111.
E. GILLEN is an engineer in the
passenger service of the Illinois Cen-
tral on the Chicago division. He
entered the service of the company
as fireman on a switch engine in the Champaign
yards in 1884. In November 1887 he was pro-
moted to engineer, serving first in the freight
service until September 10, 1899. On this date
he entered the passenger service, taking charge
of engine No. 965, and filling the vacancy made
by the promotion of H. D. Howard to general
foreman. During his service as fireman he was
for two years with R. D. Davis, traveling engi-
neer of the Illinois Central.
Mr. Gillen, who is a native of Champaign,
having been born there in 1860, married Miss
Georgeama Jones, who was born February 16,
1873, to H. W. and Olie Jones, natives of In-
diana. Mr. and Mrs. Gillen have one daughter,
Ruth Leone, born May 22, 1899.
LDWARD CURTIN, who is a freight
conductor on the Freeport division of
the Illinois Central Railroad, is the
son of Michael Curtin, a native of Ire-
land, who came to the U. S. in early life and
located near Aurora, 111. He is a farmer, and is
now living at the age of eighty years. The
mother of our subject, Ellen (Hennessey), is
also living.
Edward Curtin was born in Aurora, 111.,
where he received his education. At the age of
twenty-one he entered the service of the I. C.
R. R. at Freeport as a freight brakeman, running
between Chicago and Dubuque. In November
1895, he was promoted to freight conductor,
which position he now holds. November 23,
1893, Mr. Curtin was married to Miss Effie G.
Bradford, who was born in Dubuque, Iowa,
September 12, 1875. She is the daughter of
Charles Bradford, who has been switch tender
for the I. C. R. R. at Dubuque for many years.
Mr. Curtin is a member of the Catholic church.
He belongs to the O. of R. C. and in his political
views is independent.
F. H. SCHERMERHORN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
311
FH. SCHERMERHORN, formerly em-
ployed as locomotive engineer on the
Q Illinois Central Railroad, and resid-
ing in Freeport, 111., was born in Lex-
ington, Greene county, New York, Aug. 6, 1852.
He is the eldest son of Rev. P. V. and Lydia A.
(Williams) Schermerhorn, the former a minister
in the M. E. church, having died in 1898, while
the latter is still living in Stamford, Delaware
county, New York. Their family consisted of
nine children, of whom five are living. Abram,
a brother of our subject, formerly an engineer
in the employ of the I. C. railroad, lives in Free-
port, Illinois.
F. H. Schermerhorn was educated in the pub-
lic schools of eastern New York. At the age of
fourteen years he entered the high school of
Albany, from which he graduated at the age of
eighteen. He then entered the Albany Medi-
cal & Surgical Institute, where he remained
eighteen months, when on account of impaired
health he was forced to abandon the idea of be-
coming a surgeon, and after traveling in the west
for several months, accepted a position in the
freight office of the N. Y. C. & H. R. railroad at
Athens, N. Y. It was during his stay at Athens
that the Merchants Dispatch Transportation Co.
was organized under the management of the
Yanderbilts, and he had the honor of billing the
first car load of freight ever shipped by that or-
ganization. He came west and located at Am-
boy, 111., August 9, 1873, and entered the service
of the I. C. September 22, 1873, as a locomotive
fireman on the north division between Amboy
and Dunleith, where he remained until December .
3, 1879, when he was promoted to the right side
and retained that position until 1893 when he
left the employ of the company.
Mr. Schermerhorn was married February
22, 1873, to Miss Rena R. Johnson, of Jewett,
X. Y., a very amiable and accomplished lady of
strong religious sentiments and high moral
character, uniting with the M. E. church early
in life. She was born April 13, 1849. Of the
three children born to this union, two are living,
viz : John Guy, born in 1878, and Esther Belle,
born in 1887.
18
Our subject was a charter member of Am-
boy Lodge No. 35, B. of L. F., and when pro->
moted joined Amboy Division, No. 72, B. of
L. E., in which he always took an active interest
and was chairman of the Grievance committee
at the time he left the service. In 1888 he was
elected a member of the Legislative committee,
from the Amboy district, and spent the following
winter in Springfield, 111., promoting legislation
in the interest of railroad men. He is a mem-
ber of Excelsior Lodge No. 97, A. F. & A. M.
and of Amboy Chapter, No. 194, R. A. M. In
politics he affiliates with the Republican party.
JOHN R. ROSEBRUGH, former agent of
the Illinois Central at Freeport. The
family of our subject is of Scotch origin,
his grandfather having been a Scotch
Presbyterian minister. His father, John Rose-
brugh, was the first white child born in Grove-
land, Livingston county, New York. He was a
farmer by occupation, and also held many of-
ficial positions, dying at the age of seventy-nine
years.
J. R. Rosebrugh, also a native of the Empire
State, was born in Groveland, Livingston- Co.,
January 5, 1829. He was educated in the pub-
lic schools of New York, and at the Temple Hill
Academy in Geneseo, New York, and at the age
of seventeen he began teaching school in the
district where Senator Charles H. Carroll re-
sided. In the spring of 1848 he went to Te-
cumseh, Mich., and taught in a branch of the
University at that place for three years. He
then embarked in the general merchandise busi-
ness in the same town and remained in the busi-
ness two years. Coming to Freeport September
10, 1856, he entered the service of the I. C. R. R.
as cashier and held the position for one year,
when he was appointed station agent, having
charge of passenger and freight business, and re-
mained there until 1865, when he went to Amboy
and served as clerk in the office of Mr. Jacobs,
superintendent of the Amboy division, for a few
312
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
months. At this time Mr. Rosebrugh severed
his connection with the I. C. R. R., and accepted
a posjtion with Wicker, -Meckling & Co., railroad
contractors, with whom he remained about one
year, then went to Sioux City, Iowa, and assisted
in opening the books and starting the passenger
and freight departments in that place which en-
gaged him nine months. He was then employed
in Chicago by Miner T. Ames & Co., coal mer-
chants, remaining with them about six months,
then became assistant manager of the Otto Gas
Engine Co., which position he retained for two
years. He then went to Ann Arbor, Mich., and
took charge of the management of the hospital
as steward, where he remained seven years. In
1888 he came to Freeport and purchased the
Palace Livery, which business still occupies his
attention. November 8, 1852, Mr. Rosebrugh
was married to Miss Julia E. Taylor, of Tecum-
seh, Mich. They have one son, Henry P., ,born
July 31, 1854. He was for twelve years em-
ployed as brakeman and conductor of the I. C.
R. R., and is now associated with his father in
business. Mr. Rosebrugh is a member of the
Episcopal church, and also belongs to the Ma-
sonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. In politics
he is a Democrat, and is now alderman of the
second ward of Freeport. He has often been
solicited to allow his name to be used in connec-
tion with political positions, but has uniformly
declined.
ARVEY C. REEP, began his railroad
career August 18, 1889, as baggagemas-
ter with Conductor William Beadles.
He then went' into freight service in the
Paducah yards as switchman, until 1894 when he
was appointed general yardrhaster, serving two
years when he went on the road" 'as conductor,
running a local freight betwen 'Paducah and
Newbern. Our subject has a remarkably good
record, having had no accidents to himself -or
his train. His father was A. H. Reep, who died
in 1894. Mr. Reep married Miss Lizzie Clark, of
Youngstown, Ohio, and has a bright boy Clyde,
who is attending school. He is a member of the
Paducah Division of the Order of Railway Con-
ductors, in which he has filled some of the offi-
cial chairs. He is prominent in the Masonic or-
der, holding membership in the Blue lodge.
Chapter, Commandery and Shrine. He also
affiliates with the " Best People On Earth "
known to the outer world as the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Reep's home is
at No. 440 South Sixth street, Paducah, Ky.
JOHN HAYS WILSON, depot master of
the Illinois Central Railroad at Free-
port, was born in Union county, Pa.,
June 8, 1837. H's grandfather, Hugh
Wilson, was one of the judges of the U. S. dis-
trict court. His father, also Hugh Wilson, a
tanner and fanner, was born in Union county,
Pa., in 1792, and died in 1873. His mother,
Jane (Foster), died in April 1879.
John H. Wilson was educated in the pub-
lic schools of his native county and took an
academic course of three years at Mifflinburg
Academy. He assisted on his father's farm until
1857, when the family emigrated to Freeport, then
a town of about 6,000 inhabitants. Here he taught
school one term, and then secured a position with
the I. C. R. R. as clerk in the superintendent's
office at Amboy. He1 remained in that position
thirteen months, when he took a position in the
train service and served five years in that capacity.
He then began making up trains at Amboy,
later clerked in the office at Decatur, and then
returned to Amboy and became one of the yard-
masters. January 21, 1870, he lost his right arm
in the service of the company, after which he
came to Freeport and learned to write with his
left hand. He is now a splendid penman, and
a model of neatness. In 1871 he became yard-
master of Freeport yards and retained that po-
sition for sixteen years, and in 1887 was made
car accountant, which position he held until
1890, when the new depot was erected in Free-
port and he was made depot master, where he
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
313
still serves, attending upon twenty-seven passen-
ger trains daily, from 6 130 A. M. to 7 :oo P. M.
His service for the I. C. R. R. has always been
pleasant. Mr. Wilson's household is made up
of himself and two sisters, Mary and Martha.
The latter has taught school in Freeport for
eighteen years. Of the family, eight are living:
six in Freeport and two in Pennsylvania. Mr.
Wilson is a Prohibitionist, and was one of the
founders of Centennial Lodge of Good Templars
in 1876, and first Chaplain; assisted in organiz-
ing the Independent Order of Mutual Aid in
1879, and has been connected with all the tem-
perance organizations. He is a member of the
A. O. U. W., and one of the charter members of
John H. Adclams Lodge. The family are mem-
bers of the First Presbyterian church of Free-
port.
E. BANKS, a conductor running
between Centralia and Clinton,
Q was born in Kansas September 8,
1857. Owing to peculiar circum-
stances he does not know in what county he first
saw the light. His birth occurred during the
troublous border warfare in which the father
was taken prisoner by one of the factions the day
the boy was born, and the fright killed the
mother the same day. Escaping from his cap-
tors . the father returned, and taking what was
left of his little family, returned to Indiana to
make them a home. On the outbreak of the war
he enlisted, and fell in battle near Nashville,
Tenn., the birthplace of himself and wife.
Mr. Banks grew up without a parent's care,
living on the farm until attaining his majority,
attending the country schools. His first expe-
rience in railroad work was when he joined the
force of the Illinois Central at Centralia, August
15, 1886, as brakeman under the instruction of
Conductor W. Cone, running to Clinton. In
January 1890 he was promoted, and most of the
time since he : has been in charge of a way freight
between the two cities above named.
Mr. Banks was first married at Brownton,
Jackson county, Indiana, to Miss Anna Apple-
gate. Of their five children two are living,
Walter and Eva. His second marriage was
with Miss Anna Gassier, a native of Centralia,
and a daughter of John M. and Mary Magda-
lene (Hockenyas) Gassier, German settlers of
that city. Of the second marriage one child was
born, Cleona. Mr. Banks is a careful and
painstaking operative, enjoying the confidence
of his superiors.
THOMAS J. McKEE, conductor, living
at Centralia, was born a few miles south
of Carlyle, 111., September 23, 1855,
and is the son of J. A. McKee, of
Fleming county, Ky., and Mary B. Huey. At
the age of eleven his parents moved with him to
Centralia where he attended the winter schools
and worked on fruit farms in the summer. In
1873 he secured a place as brakeman on the Illi-
nois Central under Conductor J. D. Williams
on a local freight between Centralia and Wapel-
la. Early in 1880 he was examined and promoted
to conductor running extra until his resignation
in November of that year. For the next three
years he was employed mostly in the southwest.
Worked a short time as car repairer at Little
Rock, going from there to Fort Worth, Texas,
engaging in construction work on the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas and was soon in charge of the
" front " train — the one that carried material
to the front. Leaving that road he secured work
on the Texas Pacific between Fort Worth and
Beard, Texas. After that he worked at various
points as switchman and yardmaster for several
roads as the traffic made a demand for men.
Returning east he secured work for a time in
the Twenty-first St. yards of the Terminal com-
pany at St. Louis, and after another sojourn in
Texas secured work at New Orleans in the yards
on the New Orleans & North Eastern road be-
ing soon promoted to night yardmaster. Janu-
ary 10, 1884, he re-entered the service of the
Central at Centralia braking under Charles Pratz
314
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
on the way freight between Centralia and Cairo,
and seven months later he was promoted and
given a train, the way freight. In 1891 was
promoted to the passenger service having at the
present time a regular run between Centralia
and Cairo.
Mrs. McKee, who is a daughter of Henry
and Barbara (Nullet) Hutchmacher was born
in New Orleans. Of the five children born to
Mr. and Mrs. McKee four are living. They are
F. Edna, Thomas P., Charles E., Amos F., and
James R. deceased.. , . . .
Mr. McKee is one of the most popular con-
ductors on the line.
JOHN A. HOGAN, one of the younger
engineers of the Central system, comes of
railroad stock. His father, Patrick
Hogan, emigrated from the Emerald
Isle when a young man, and made his way to
the west, securing work with the Illinois Central
with which company he remained many years.
For a long period he served as train baggage-
man and later was employed in the boiler room
of the shops at Amboy where he worked until
the shops were removed to other points. He
still resides at Amboy retired from active labor.
He married Eliza Lowrey, who bore him eight
children, two sons and six daughters.
John A. Hogan was born at Amboy, March
17, 1870, and was reared in his native place, at-
tending the public schools until the age of fif-
teen. At that age he entered the boiler shops,
where his father was employed, as a boiler
maker apprentice, remaining three years before
starting out to see the world. He traveled to
Denver to accept a position in the shops of the
Union Pacific R. R. We next find him at
Topeka, Kans., in the employ of the A. T. & S.
F. and from that point he journeyed to Missouri
Valley, Iowa, entering the employ of the F. E.
& M. V. R. R. which he served seven months
and was transferred to their shops at Chadron,
Nebraska, on the Black Hills division, remain-
ing in the west six months. Returning to his
native state he secured work with the C. & A.
at Bloomington, where he was employed until
January 7, 1892, at which time he accepted a
place as fireman on the Illinois Central. Until
1898 he served on the left side of the engine and
after a thorough examination was thereupon
licensed to sit on the other side of the cab. Mr.
Hogan is a thorough, careful man in his craft
and will in time win the recognition of his
superiors. He is a member of the Union Lodge
No. 138, B. of L. F. His present home is in
Freeport.
KNOWLES, a passenger conduc-
tor on the Central, has been in
Q the service since October 16, 1880,
having begun braking on the
Springfield division, between Springfield an'd
Gilrnan, under freight conductor E. Clifford,
where he remained until February 1884. He
was then transferred to the Amboy division be-
tween Clinton and Centralia, under James Mc-
Hugh, and was promoted to freight conductor
on the same division in October 1887, and given
the through "Manifest" run between Clinton
and St. Louis over the tracks of the Big Four,
and held that position until April igth, 1897.
August 4, 1897, he was promoted to the passen-
ger service and given his present run between
Freeport and Centralia.
Mr. Knowles was born at Terre Haute, In-
diana, March 4, 1862, and removed when a small
lad with his parents to Shelby county near the
county seat, when about ten years of age ; he be-
gan his railroad career at the age of eighteen.
His schooling was secured in the public schools.
The father, Daniel Knowles, is a native of New
York state ; the mother, Lydia Anderson, died
young, leaving a family of five children, three of
whom are still alive. Mr. Knowles was married
November n, 1891, to Miss Minnie L. Lillord,
a native of Clinton, Illinois. He is a member
of the O. R. C. and O. R. T. at Clinton, Illinois,
- AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
315
C. MITCHELL, conductor on the
Freeport division of the Illinois
Q Central, was born in Elgin, 111.,
May 23, 1869. His parents,
William and Mary (Dedrick) Mitchell, reside in
Elgin, 111., where his father is engaged in mer-
chandising. Their family consists of three chil-
dren. W. C. ; Ada, forewoman in a garment
factory in Aurora, and Henry, a school boy.
W. C. Mitchell received his education in
Fort Scott, Kansas. He worked on a farm for
his father, and at the age of eighteen entered the
service of the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R,
company as brakeman, running between Anthony
and Beaumont, Kansas, for two years. He then
came to Freeport and commenced braking for
the I. C. R. R., and in 1898 was promoted to
conductor on Freeport division where he is now
running. He has only lost six weeks of service
on account of disability. Mr. Mitchell was mar-
ried on the 7th of October, 1893, to Miss Sophie
Kline, of Elgin. She was born May 24, 1872;
and was educated in the schools of Elgin. Her
father is a carpenter. Mr. and Mrs. Mhchell
have one child, Gladys, born December 19, 1894.
The family are Methodists.
THOMAS CAREY, road supervTsOr,
Sixth division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, was born in Watertowji, N.
Y., February 25, 1859. His father,
James Carey, who came to the 'U. S. in early
life, is now living retired in Scales Mound, 111.
He was section foreman for the I. C. R. R. for
thirty years.- The mother, whose maiden name
was Margaret Quinn, is still living. They have
two children, James, a section foreman of the
I. C. R. R. at Scales Mound, and Thomas.
Thomas Carey was educated in the district
schools of Scales Mound, and at the age of thir-
teen he began working on the section with his
father on the I. C. R. R., attending school in
winter and working on the road in summer for
three vears. He then worked in a stone quarry
one year, and farmed for one season. At the
age of nineteen he returned to work on the sec-
tion for some months, then went to braking on
freight which he did for three months. In May
1 88 1 he was appointed section foreman at East
Dubuque. He remained as section foreman
and was foreman of construction for eighteen
years, then was appointed supervisor of thir-
teenth section, Sixth division, with headquarters
at Freeport, Sept. 6, 1898. On the 23rd of June,
1885, Mr; Carey was married to Miss Alice Mc-
Donnell, who was born May 17, 1864, in Du-
buque, Iowa. They have four children : J.
Donald, born May 28, 1889; John J., born Octo-
ber I,- 1891; Loretta, born September 8, 1893;
Corena M., born September 12, 1895. Mr.
Carey is a member of the Catholic church. •• So-
cially he belongs to K. of P., also Endowment
Rank, and C. O. F. He is independent in. pol-
itics.
JOSEPH A. BLACKMAN, one of ;the
veteran engineers of the Central system,
is of foreign birth. His father, John
Blackman, was a native of England
where he learned the blacksmith's trade. Coming
to America with his family in 1852 he settled
first at Windham, Ohio, and six years later
moved to Dixon, Illinois, and engaged in farm-
ing. Here he died July 17, 1885. His wife,
Martha Cooper, was born at Hilgate, Norfolk,
England, August 12, 1821, and died near Dixon,
January 13, 1899. She was a woman of great
natural refinement. At the time of her death
there were of her children, five sons and three
daughters living.
Jos. A. Blackman was born at Oxlode Down-
ham, Isfe of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, June
21, 1845. Most of his schooling was secured
during the six years the family lived in Ohio.
On coming to Illinois he worked on the farm un-
til attaining his majority in 1866 when he secured
a position as fireman on the Central. Septem-
ber 10, 1873. Mr. Blackman was considered pro-
ficient enough to manage an engine and was
316
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
promoted to the rank of engineer and placed
in that service on the road where he has main-
tained his position ever since with credit to him-
self and satisfaction to his employers.
Mr. Blackman was married December 22,
1873 to Miss Agnes Blocher, of Amboy, and to
them have been born four children as follows :
Henry J., born October 6, 1874, died September
22, 1884; Georgia A., born May 29, 1882, died
aged six days; Estelle Alice, born September
16, 1886; Ruth Agnes, born August 13, 1889.
Mr. Blackman was one of the first to become
identified with the B. of L. E. having held mem-
bership many years with the Amboy Division,
No. 72, joining the order in 1875. He is identi-
fied with the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with
the Illinois Central Lodge No. 178 of Amboy.
Mr. Blackman is popular with his fellow engi-
neers and stands well with his employers.
JL. MAX FIELD, a veteran conductor on
the Central at Centralia, was born at
Q Rome, now Dix, in Jefferson county,
Illinois, June 7, 1853, the eldest of a
family of twelve children all of whom are living.
Mr. Maxfield began railroading at the age of
twenty at the bottom of the ladder. For a few
days he worked on the section in the Centralia
yards under Chris. Davis, and was then
set to work shoveling coal onto the en-
gines in the yards at what was to him then good
wages, a dollar and a quarter a day. When he
was promoted to brakeman by trainmaster J.
W. Seymour, on the run between Centralia and
Cairo, at a dollar and seventy-three cents a day,
he thought he was drawing munificent wages.
After three years twisting brakes, Mr. Maxfield
was surprised one evening to be ordered to UHin
to take charge of a wrecking train and clear up
a wreck.. From that time on he was in charge of
a train having his monthly wages increased from
sixty-six the first to seventy-five dollars the third
year. After about four years in the freight ser-
vice between Centralia and Cairo he resigned
February 9, 1881 and did not re-enter the ser-
vice until August 27, 1886, when he was given a
run between Centralia and Champaign and has
been regularly in that service since, excepting
some ninety days when there was sickness in his
family. During all his service he has not suf-
fered a suspension nor received a demerit mark,
and the two wrecks in which he has been in-
volved have been chargeable to others and not
to him.
Mr. Maxfield was married to Miss Hattie
Morrison. Her mother was born in Gilford
county, North Carolina. Her brother, James
K. Morrison, was for many years an em-
ploye of the Central, and has been engaged
the past seven years as passenger conductor in
the service of the Minneapolis & St. Louis line
below St. Paul. Mr. Maxfield's parents, John
and Charlotte Maxfield, now reside at Farina,
Illinois.
To Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield ten children have
been born, of whom Charles E., the eldest, is
now braking on the Champaign division of the
Central ; Caryol, now Mrs. Maddox ; Ida B.,
James L., C. Harold, Clinton C., Earnest R.,
George W., Marion M., and Raymond V.
W. NALL, a conductor in the freight
service of the Illinois Central on the
Louisiana division, was born in New
Orleans in 1868. He is a son of
Mick Nail, well known all over the I. C. system,
having been in active service for forty years, and
is now a conductor on the Clarksdale branch.
Mr. Nail entered the service of the Illinois
Central in 1888, as operator at Arcola, Miss.,
where he worked eight months. He then en-
tered the train service as brakeman, and had only
been there a short time when he received notice
from J. M. Turner, superintendent, who had
been observing him closely and noticed his adapt-
ability, to take the examination for conductor.
Having successfully passed the examination, he
was, on October 27111, 1891, placed in charge of
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
317
the local freight with Engineer C. J. Swett, and
has since served there satisfactorily. Mr. Nail's
career on the road has been successful. He has
had a few minor accidents, but none -of conse-
quence. Socially he is connected with Division
No. 367, O. R. C., of McComb City, of which he
served as Chief for one year. Mr. Nail is mar-
ried and has two children, Rosemond Inez, aged
five years, and Lawrence Alton, aged two. He
is a popular man on the road, and is recognized
by the officials as a valued employe.
TEPHEN Q. FORD is an engineer in
the passenger service on the Louisi-
ana division of the Illinois Central.
He entered the service of the road on
August I, 1876, as a wiper in the round-house
at McComb City, serving as such for two months,
and afterward working in a boiler shop. In
1878 he obtained a position as fireman with En-
gineer James Greener, but in July of that year
resigned on account of the prevalence of yellow
fever. Returning to McComb City in May 1879,
he was re-employed as fireman, and remained in
that capacity until promoted to engineer. On
promotion he was given charge of a switch en-
gine, and later was with a construction train.
In 1882, he went for a period of five months to
the Southern Pacific R. R. running a switch en-
gine during that time, but returned to the I. C.
and remained for a short time at McComb City
as engineer in the yards there. He then went
back to the Southern Pacific, and was subsequent-
ly employed as switchman and night yardmaster
by the Santa Fe R. R. at Rosenberg, Texas.
Remaining in the latter company, four
months he took a position as engineer on the
Texas Pacific R. R. and afterward on the Inter-
national & Great Northern R. R. where he served
five months. He then returned to McComb
City, Miss., and re-entered the service of the I.
C. as fireman, and after a year was promoted to
engineer in the freight service. In January 1900,
he was again promoted to engineer in the passen-
ger service, since which time he has had a regu-
lar run on engine No. 389, between Canton,
Miss., and New Orleans.
Our subject was born in Sumpter county,
Ala., on August 6, 1859, and. is the son of Dr.
D. U. and Elizabeth A. (Wilson) Ford. Dr.
Ford was a prominent physician, and served as
physician and surgeon for the A. & C. Railroad.
Both parents are now deceased.
Mr. Ford was married to Miss Edith M.
De Chantal, a native of Canada, but residing in
New Orleans, and they have the following
children, viz : Herbert, Donald, Adele, Maud,
Charles, Stephen and Estelle.
Socially, our subject is a member of Magno-
lia Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of McComb
City; where he resides, and is well and favorably
known among the employes of the Illinois Cen-
tral.
ICHAEL KELLY, an experienced and
popular engineer on the Memphis
division, began his railroad career in
1869 on the Paducah & Memphis
R. R., serving as fireman until promoted to en-
gineer in 1879, when he was given engine No.
3, a Rogers, in the switch and freight service.
Soon after he went on the road and was given
engine No. 28, a Baldwin, pulling the pile
driver, and was in this service fourteen years
along the whole line between Louisville and
Memphis. He was then transferred to the
freight department and at present has a "pre-
ferred" run between Paducah and Memphis
During his long experience he has pulled the
throttle of every make of engine produced in
America, including the old time wood burner,
common to the early days of railroading.
Our subject has turned out many good en-
gineers who fired for him, among them J. Mul-
vin and W. Yates. Mr. Kelly has never been
injured in his thirty years of experience, a piece
of good fortune vouchsafed only a few who have
spent so many years of life "on the rail."
318
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Mr. Kelly is a temperate, whole-hearted
man, and is held in highest esteem by everybody.
He was born in Ireland, and came to America
with his parents when he was six months of age,
and has worked his own way up. Our subject
married Miss Mary Erbin, of Mayfield, Ky.,
January 1877, and they have seven chidren liv-
ing and two dead. Those living are Kate, grad-
uated from Paducah high school, Johnny, Nora,
Mary, Berchal, Michael and Martin. Johnny
is employed by the Illinois Central as night
caller. Mr. Kelly is a charter member of Divi-
sion No. 225, B. of L. E., Paducah, Ky., in which
he has held all the official chairs, and is also a
member of Lodge No. 26, of Knights of Pythias,
of Paducah, as well as the Catholic Knights.
He is a man of a very strong will and sterling
character. There is one incident in his life that
needs special mention. During his early career
Mr. Kelly was on too intimate terms with the
liquor habit, and it was predicted by everybody
that he would die a drunkard, in spite of the
persuasions of others and his wife's earnest pray-
ers. About fifteen years ago Mr. Kelly went
into a saloon and ordered a glass of whiskey.
Just as he was about to raise the glass to his
lips he resolved to make a new start. He put
the full glass down on the bar and left the room,
and has never tasted liquor since. His iron will
has saved him.
,HARLES W. HARRELL, a popular
young engineer in the freight service
of the Illinois Central on the Louis-
iana division, is a native of New Or-
leans, La. At the age of seventeen Mr. Harrell
became identified with the I. C. at McComb City,
as a locomotive fireman, in which capacity he
was employed, first in the freight and later in the
passenger service, serving two years in the lat-
ter department. On October I2th, 1894, he was
promoted to engineer and given charge of engine
No. 708. He has been on different parts of the
system during his connection with the road, and
is at present on the north end of the Louisiana
division. Mr. Harrell married Miss Tucker, of
McComb City, Miss., and their union has been
blessed by one child. He is a member of Divi-
sion No. 411, B. of L. F., and of Division No.
196, B. of L. E. Mr. Harrell is a young man
of great capability, attention to duty being his
strong point, and his career has been a very suc-
cessful one, devoid of accidents or injury. He
has a fine record and is in line for promotion.
ATRICK H. GEARY is one of the oldest
and most prominent engineers in the
service of the Illinois Central. With
the exception of twenty-six days, ser-
vice with the Southern Pacific R. R'. lie liafe been
connected with the I. C. since April I, 1866.
Mr. Geary as his name implies, is a native of
the Emerald Isle. He was born at Queenstown,
Ireland, March 21, 1841, and is one of eight chil-
dren born to Michael J. and Mary Geary. Mr.
Geary Sr. was a contractor in the old country,
and coming to America in 1856, took up his resi-
dence in the city of New Orleans, but departed
this life during the same year. On the death
of her husband Mrs. Geary returned to Ireland,
where she died in 1874.
Mr. Geary was educated in the common
schools of his native city in Ireland, and was fif-
teen years of age when his parents came to this
country. He held various positions in the city
of New Orleans until the outbreak of the civil
war, when, in 1861, he enlisted in Company E,
First Louisiana Volunteers, under Col. Vincent
and Brig. Gen. Blanchard. His company was
in the seven days fight at Richmond, and also in
numerous other engagements, but he was never
injured. He was discharged at Richmond in
1863, and returned to New Orleans. In 1866 he
entered the employ of the New Orleans, Jackson
& Great Northern R. R. (now the I. C. R. R.)
as fireman, working in that capacity until 1869,
when he was promoted to engineer in the freight
service. He remained in the latter branch of
ALLEN G. CROCKETT.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
321
the service for two years, when he was promoted
to the passenger service, where he is now em-
ployed on engine No. 1175, between Canton,
Miss., and Xew Orleans. During his long rail-
road career Mr. Geary has had but two accidents,
one in 1870, when the boiler of his engine ex-
ploded, and the other in 1873 when his engine
was overturned. In neither accident was any
one injured. His relations with his superiors
have always been of the most pleasant nature,
he appreciating the many favors the company
has shown him, and the company, in turn, fully
cognizant that in him they have a faithful and
trusted employe.
Mr. Geary was married to Miss Margaret
Herbert, of New Orleans, and of the four chil-
dren born to them only one survives, Nellie, wife
of W. R. Caston, cashier of the McComb City
bank. Mr. Geary is one of the prosperous and
honored citizens of McComb City, residing in
a fine home on North Delaware avenue. He is
popular with all, and with none more so than the
officials of the Illinois Central Railroad.
LLEN G. CROCKETT, a highly es-
_ teemed passenger conductor on the
l\ J_\ Louisville division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in Marion Co., Kentucky,
His father was James G. Crockett, who died at
the age of seventy-three in the year, 1898, and
was a relative of the famous originator of the
saying, " Be sure you're right, then go ahead."
His mother is still enjoying the blessings of life.
Our subject left school when he was ten years of
age, and began train service on the L. & N. rail-
road, being given charge of a freight train in
1878, serving in freight and passenger service
for twelve years on this road. He resigned to
accept a position as conductor on the C. O. & S.
W. under Trainmaster James Ross. He ran a
freight train out of Louisville four years, when
he was promoted to passenger service which po-
sition he has held since 1894. Mr Crockett has
been very successful, in fact one of the luckiest
railroad men on the road, never having any acci-
dents or injury. He is a member of Monon
Division No. 89, O. R. C., being chairman of
the Grievance board for the entire Louisville
division. During his term of office he has had
several good measures put through for the bene-
fit of the men. It was partly through his efforts
that the Greenland pay system was adopted by
the Illinois Central Railroad. Mr. Crockett
stayed with the committee three weeks until it
was put through. The Monon Division should
be complimented for having so able a representa-
tive. Mr. Crockett is a progressive, successful
railroad man. He resides at 1410 W. Broad-
way, Louisville, Ky.
•-T OT ALONZO LOUTZENHISER, one
of the most popular conductors on the
Louisiana division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born at Champaign, III, in
1863, and is a son of Alonzo and Eliza (Weir).
Loutzenhiser. Mr. Loutzenhiser Sr. came of
old German stock. His ancestors had been ex-
iled from Germany for political reasons, and emi-
grated to America, settling in Susquehanna Co.,
Pa. He was in his youth, a great athlete, at one
time making a running jump of twenty-one and
one-half feet. He was employed as a driver on
a canal boat, when fourteen years old, and the
captains of the different boats were in the habit
of pitting their boys against each other when
they met. Alonzo Loutzenhiser was the cham-
pion of his section, and once walked four-
teen miles with his captain to take part in a
"mill." He afterward left Pennsylvania and
moved to Illinois, where he engaged in the tailor-
ing business. He is a veteran of the Mexican
and Civil wars, serving in the latter as lieutenant
of Company F, I25th Illinois Cavalry, having
two horses shot from under him. He also
served fourteen years as deputy sheriff of his
county.
The mother of our subject was of Scotch
descent, received her education at Andover Fe-
322
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
male Seminary, at Andover, Mass., and was a
woman of fine literary attainments.
The subject of this sketch was reared in
the city of Danville, 111., where he attended and
graduated from the high school. He then be-
gan the study of medicine at Rush Medical Col-
lege, from which he graduated with honors. Cir-
cumstances, however, prevented him from prac-
ticing. He began railroad work in 1883 as a
news agent on the C. B. & Q. R. R. between
Rock Island and St. Louis, where he served only
a few weeks, when his money was stolen and he
lost his position. He then applied to P. H.
Houlihan, now superintendent of the Hannibal
& St. Joe R. R., and after a great deal of per-
sistent effort, secured a position as brakeman in
the passenger service of that road. After hav-
ing served fourteen months as passenger brake-
man, he entered the freight service. He was
employed in that capacity only six weeks when
promoted to conductor. He remained with the
C. B. & Q. road until 1889, when he went to the
Chicago & Eastern Illinois R. R. at Danville,
and was with that company about five months.
He then went to Chicago and took a six months'
course at the Chicago College of Pharmacy, re-
ceiving a certificate, and established himself at
Kewana, Ind., where his mother bought him a
drug store.
He managed it successfully for about a year,
but sold out and returned to railroad work. Go-
ing to Champaign, 111., he entered the service of
the Illinois Central, and served in that district
as brakeman for two years, making occasional
trips as conductor. During the World's Fair
he was made train dispatcher of the World's Fair
service, serving with credit. His next position
was as conductor on a suburban express out of
Chicago, where he worked two years, and later
was for eleven months in the freight service on
the Chicago division. He then went to McComb
City, where after a short service as brakeman,
he was promoted to conductor, and has been
serving in that capacity on the Louisiana division
for the past two years.
Mr. Loutzenhiser was married in 1893 at
Waukegan, 111., and has three children : Mae,
born in 1894, Claire, born in 1896, and Annie
Louise, born in 1898. He belongs to Scotia
Lodge No. 272, Knights of Pythias, of Chicago,
and is a member of Division No. 367, O. R. C.,
of McComb City, where he resides. He is a
man of fine literary tastes, a contributor to the
O. R. C. Journal, and is also a finished musician,
having composed several pieces of merit. Being
a well read man, a fluent conversationalist, well
posted on current topics, and a man of easy man-
ners and great affability, Mr. Loutzenhiser has
gained innumerable friends in the south, and
his circle grows larger every day.
JA. WALKER, an engineer in the freight
department of the Illinois Central, be-
Q gan life as a "hustler" in the I. C. shops
at Aberdeen, Miss. After a service of
three and one-half years there, he went as fire-
man on the Lexington branch of the road, and
worked there for four and one-half years. In
1893 he went to McComb City, and after spend-
ing two years as fireman on the Louisiana divi-
sion, was examined and promoted to engineer,
and has since had a regular run on that division.
He has been fortunate in escaping injury and
wrecks during his service. Mr. Walker is a
native of Aberdeen, Miss., his birth occurring
on January roth, 1865. James W. Walker, the
father of our subject, residing at Aberdeen,
Miss., was born in Ireland, but came to America
at the age of sixteen years. He was a shoe-
maker by trade, but was also engaged in mer-
chandising and farming. He is an active poli-
tician, always ready to take part in the issues of
the day.
J. A. Walker was united in marriage to
Miss Rosa McCaskill, of Aberdeen, Miss. They
have two children, John and Alexander. So-
cially he is connected with Division No. 196, B.
of L. E., of McComb City, where he has a com-
fortable home on Broadway, and of which place
he is a valued citizen.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
323
"ILLIAM F. ROGERS,* a young
freight engineer on the Evansville
district of the Illinois Central, was
born in Rockport, Iml., January 4,
In 1890 he entered the service of the Ohio
Valley Railroad watching engines at Princeton,
and in 1892 hegan firing an engine, being pro-
moted to engineer December 15, 1897. He had
a mishap on his first trip, running into an L. &
N. switch engine in Henderson. The L. & N.
man was at fault, being on the Illinois Central
joint track and had no flag or signal out. Our
subject's engine was demolished, and although
he stuck to his engine, applying the brakes, he
escaped injury. He now has a freight run on
the Evansville district. He is a bright, careful
engineer, and makes his home with his mother
at Henderson. He belongs to Division No. 410,
B. of L. E., and Division No. 317, B. of L. F.
"ILLIAM C. LOWRY, a prominent
engineer on the Vicksburg division
of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R., has been an employe of the
company since 1887. He began his career in
the track department of the Natchez, Jackson &
Columbus R. R., but remained there only a short
time, going to the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R.
Leaving the service of the latter road, he entered
the employ of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. as fireman with Engineer Rials, and re-
mained with him for six months. He then fired
two years with J. H. McGuire and was then pro-
moted to engineer, and after serving three
months as a hostler, was given charge of a switch
engine in the yards at -Vicksburg. He occupied
that position only one week when transferred
to the regular freight service between Vicks-
burg and New Orleans, and has since remained
there, having charge at the present time of en-
gine No. 64 on the Vicksburg division. Mr.
Lowry was in a serious wreck on the Grenada
division in 1897, in which the fireman was in-
jured. He has had good success since being on
the road, never meeting with any injuries. Mr.
Lowry was born in Mobile, Ala., on March 12,
1873. His father, John B. Lowry, who is a car-
penter and a farmer, now resides at Terry, Miss,
(jeorge H. Lowry, a brother of our subject, was
formerly an employe in the I. C. shops at Vicks-
burg, but is now in the train service of the South-
ern Pacific R. R. Mr. Lowry was a charter
member of Division No. 460, B. of L. F., and is
now connected with Division No. 281, B. of L.
E., of Vicksburg. He is a popular employe of
the road and ranks high. Being quite a young
man, from the progress he has made, his pros-
pects look exceedingly bright. Our subject is
what may be called a self-made man.
M. DUNN, superintendent of the
Louisiana division of the Illinois
Q Central, residing at New Orleans,
began his railroad career in 1864, as
warehouseman at Brimfield, Ind., for the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern R. R. Acquiring
a thorough knowledge of telegraphy, he was for
a number of years employed as agent and opera-
tor at various places. His first position was at
Sylvania, Ohio, during the years 1869 and 1870,
from which place he went to White Pigeon,
Mich., remaining there until 1872. Entering
the service of the L. & N. R. R. in November of
that year, he was appointed agent at Shepherds-
ville, Ky., and in March 1874, was promoted to
a similar position at Pulaski, Tenn. In Novem-
ber 1880, he was sent to Owensboro, Ky., as
general agent for the O. & N. R. R. (owned by
the L. & N.) and was later, in 1881, tendered
the position of master of trains, for the New Or-
leans division, with headquarters at Mobile, Ala.
In September 1883 he again received promotion,
being appointed superintendent of the O. & N.
division, with Russellville, Ky., as headquarters.
Remaining in the latter position until January
i, 1884, he was transferred to Memphis as super-
intendent of the Memphis division, and in Sep-
tember j 886 was offered and accepted the posi-
324
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tion of superintendent of Southern lines of the
Illinois Central, at New Orleans. This position
being finally abolished by the company in 1894,
he was then appointed superintendent of the
Louisiana division, and New Orleans terminals,
which position he is now filling. The life of
Mr. Dunn, has been a particularly active one,
and faithfulness in the discharge of his duty has
characterized his entire career.
'ILLIAM FLETCHER, an engineer
in the freight service of the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R., began
his career on the road in 1890, at
Vicksburg, Miss., as a fireman, with Engineer
McLaughlin. He was examined for promotion
in 1895, and passing a highly creditable examina-
tion, was given charge of an engine. He has
since served the company in that capacity be-
tween Vicksburg, Miss., and Wilson, La., on
engine No. 93, where he is doing good work.
His ten years connection with the road as fireman
and engineer has been free from accidents or
injury. Mr. Fletcher was born December 28,
1867, at Jackson, Miss., where his father, John
Fletcher, deceased, was a farmer. Socially he
is identified with Division No. 281, B. of L. E.,
of Vicksburg. His home is in that city, where
he enjoys a wide acquaintance, his many good
qualities gaining for him the good will of all.
As a railroad man he is competent and careful,
and is a rising young man on the road.
D. JONES, a well-known and pop-
ular engineer in the passenger
service of the Illinois -Central, is
one of the oldest employes on the
road. He entered the service of the I. C. in
1858, when only a lad of fifteen. His first work
was at Tickfaw, La., where he was in charge of
the water station for several months. He then
worked as engine wiper at Jackson, Miss., and
at New Orleans, and while in the latter city be-
gan an apprenticeship in the 1. C. shops there.
At the outbreak of the war of the secession,
our subject enlisted in the New Orleans Light
Guards, First Louisiana Volunteers, under Col.
Vincent and Captains Dean and Willard. This
company saw service in the seven days fight
at Richmond. He also served for a time with
Gen. Jackson. On June 25th, 1863, Mr. Jones
was wounded in the leg and was for six months
confined in a hospital at Richmond, Va. On his
recovery he entered the cavalry, under Capt.
Harry Gilmore, doing duty for one year, and in
1865 was in the hospital at Charlottesville, Va.,
at the time of Lee's surrender.
Returning to New Orleans, our subject re-
sumed work in the shops of the I. C., where he
remained until July 1870, leaving the shops to
assume a position as fireman on the road. He
worked at this only a few weeks, when he re-
ceived promotion to -engineer in the freight ser-
vice, between Canton, Miss., and New Orleans,
which position he held until 1871. In the lat-
ter year he entered the service of the Southern
Pacific, remaining with that company two years.
The following four years were spent in the ser-
vice of the Texas Pacific R. R., and New Orleans
& Mobile R. R., and in 1877 he returned to Mc-
Comb City, Miss., and re-entering the employ
of the I. C. worked as engineer in the freight
service, until 1885, when he received promotion
to the passenger service, between Canton, Miss.,
and New Orleans, which position he still holds.
Mr. Jones was born May 2, 1844, at Charles-
ton, S. C., and is a son of Edward J. and Cath-
erine M. Jones, of that city. Edward J. Jones
was for many years superintendent of the ship-
yards at Savannah, Ga. He was a contractor
on the N. O. J. & G. N. R. R., and was for twenty
years roadmaster for- the I. C., then known as
the N. O. J. & G. N. R. R. Meeting with an ac-
cident he was obliged to retire from the active
service, and later died at McComb City.
The original of this sketch was twice mar-
ried. His first wife was Miss Harriet M. Chis-
holm, of Charleston, S. C., who departed this life
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
325
in 1882, leaving four children: Harriet, Sam-
uel, Burton and Edward. In 1883 Mr. Jones
was united to Miss Emma A. Burtus, of Bayou
Sarah, La., and they are the parents of four chil-
dren : Archie, Jessie, Florence and Ruth.
Being- one of the oldest men in the service of
the I .C., Mr. Jones is very well known and pop-
ular in railroad circles. He has presented the
Historical Company a time-card of the I. C.,
used on the Louisiana division in 1866, which
appears elsewhere in this work. Socially he is
a member of the Knights of Honor, of McComb
City,, where he resides in a fine home on Vir-
ginia avenue.
G. WHEELOCK is an old and faith-
rful employe of the Illinois Central,
O having been in the service of the road
since 1876. His first experience at
railroad work was acquired in 1866, on the C.
& A. R. R. in the state of Illinois, where he was
employed as fireman on the Chicago division
of that road. After a service of four years with
that company as fireman and engineer, he went
to the St. L. I. M. & S. R. R., working there for
two years as engineer. He then went to the L.
& N. R. R. remaining one year with that com-
pany. He was next employed, for a year, on
the E. P. & S. W. R. R. (now the I. C.) at Eliza-
bethtown, Ky. Coming to McComb City in 1876,
he entered the service of the I. C. as an engineer
in the freight department, and after a faithful
record of twelve years in that branch of the ser-
vice, was promoted to the passenger department
of the road, where he is now employed. He is
in charge of a regular run between Canton, Miss.,
and McComb City, Miss. Since being connected
with the I. C. he has been in two wrecks, escap-
ing injury each time.
Mr. Wheelock is a native of Yates county,
New York, his birth occuring there October 10,
1846. His father was Elias Wheelock, the prcn
prietor of extensive woolen mills there, but who
moved to Illinois and later to Missouri, where
he died at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.
E. G. Wheelock, was married in New Orleans,
to Miss Sarah E. Hanrahan, who departed this
life May 24, 1894, leaving five children: Warren
O., Arthur N., Nellie, Louise, and Gladys. He
is connected with, and is a charter member of,
Division No. 196, B. of L. E., and is also a mem-
ber of Lodge No. 36, K. of P., of McComb City,
where he resides in a comfortable home on Mag-
nolia street, and of which city he is a popular
and useful citizen.
PA. C. FERGUSON, trainmaster on
the New Orleans division of the Ya-
Q zoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., with
headquarters at Vicksburg, Miss., is
a native of that state, born November 13, 1861.
His parents were Carroll and Lucinda (Patrick)
Ferguson, the former a cotton merchant, died in
1866, and the latter is still living, and resides in
the state of Louisiana.
Mr. Ferguson received his early training
in the schools of Burnsville, Miss., and at the
age of sixteen studied telegraphy. He was as-
signed to duty as operator at Corinth, Miss., on
the Memphis & Charleston R. R., where he had
previously served a short time as fireman, and in
the shops of the company at Memphis. After
working for two years at Corinth, he entered
the service of the Illinois Central at Winona,
Miss., as telegrapher, working there seven
months, and at various other places on the road
for a short time. In 1880 he was called to the
general office at New Orleans, remaining there
until April i, 1881. He then went to Houston,
Texas, securing a position in the office of the su-
perintendent of the International & Great Nor-
thern R. R. at that point, and worked there until
June 1881. From Houston he went to Colum-
bus, Texas, and there took a position in the office
of the chief dispatcher for the Galveston, Harris-
burg & San Antonio R. R., where he was occu-
pied until October 1881. He then returned to
Houston and entered the employ of the Texas
326
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
& New Orleans R. R. as train dispatcher, serv-
ing until November 1882, and from that road on
the latter date to the Houston, East & West
Texas R. R. as superintendent of telegraphy and
chief dispatcher, with Houston as headquarters.
Later he returned to the Texas & New Orleans
R. R. as train dispatcher. In October 1883 that
road was absorbed by the Southern Pacific, and
Mr. Ferguson became chief dispatcher under the
new management in June 1885, and held that
position until January 1888. He was then chief
dispatcher successively for the Gulf, Colorado
& Santa Fe R. R. at Galveston, for one year, and
the Texas Pacific R. R. at Marshall, Texas, for
one year. In 1890 he became identified with the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. as train
dispatcher at Vicksburg, Miss., and on October
1st, 1891, was promoted to chief dispatcher, hold-
ing the latter position until his promotion to
trainmaster, on October 1st, 1899. His juris-
diction extends from Vicksburg to Wilson, La.
Mr. Ferguson is a member of Lodge No.
65, K.of P., of Houston, Texas. He is a Metho-
dist in belief, and a Democrat in politics. The
wide experience Mr. Ferguson has had, together
with his natural aptitude, mark him as a man
well fitted for his chosen vocation. His many
excellencies of character win for him the regard
of all with whom business or social relations
bring him in contact.
JAMES ASHTON, popular conductor of
the Illinois Central, residing in McComb
City, Miss., is the son of James and
Lydia (Conway) Ashton, and was born
March 17, 1856, in New Orleans, where he was
reared and educated. In 1868, at the age of
twelve years, he commenced his railroad career
as a newsboy on the New Orleans, Opelousas &
Great Western Railroad (now a part of the
Southern Pacific Railway System), with his
father, who was employed as baggageman. Our
subject remained in this position until the road
was absorbed by the Southern Pacific, when he
was offered a position as passenger brakeman,
which he accepted ; but at the expiration of one
year he was transferred to the freight service
in the same capacity, remaining there but nine
months when he was given charge of a bag-
gage car. This position he occupied fourteen
months when he was placed in charge of a freight
train as conductor and continued in that capaci-
ty for the following ten years. He was then as-
signed to a regular passenger run and remained
there for nine years. After a satisfactory ser-
vice of nineteen years as conductor, he was made
general instructor and examiner of the employes
on' standard rules, and was retained in this posi-
tion for six years. He is recognized as authori-
ty on all rules pertaining to train service. Feel-
ing that he had earned a rest, Mr. Ashton re-
signed from the service and for the next seven
months traveled all over the western part of the
United States for recreation. Returning to New
Orleans he decided not to again engage in rail-
roading, but his desire and the influence of his
old associates getting the better of him, he again
embarked in his first calling. He then presented
his past record and made application for a posi-
tion as brakeman to Mr. R. H. Dwyer, trainmas-
ter of the Illinois Central, at McComb City.
This position he was readily given and held for
eleven days when he was promoted to conductor
in the freight service, where he is at present en-
gaged.
Mr. Ashton is a member of Division No.
367, O. R. C. of McComb City, though he became
identified with the order seventeen years ago
when he joined Division No. 7, O. R. C. of
Houston, Texas. He has served as Chief Con-
ductor of Cresent City Division, No. 108, of New
Orleans, which is conceded to be one of the
largest and most prosperous divisions south of
the Ohio river.
Mr. Ashton has been remarkably success-
ful, never having had a single accident in his
railroad career of thirty-two years. He has been
importuned a number of times by the young rail-
road men of the Illinois Central railroad to start
a class of instructions, but has refrained from do-
ing so on account of it interfering with his other
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
327
business. He has never been known to turn a
deaf ear to any aspirant, and is always ready
ajul willing to counsel and advise young men
as to the sure and proper course to pursue to at-
tain success. Mr. Ashton feels that he owes
much of his success as a railroad man to Mr. W.
F. Owen, superintendent of the Southern Paci-
fic, at New Orleans, who took great interest and
pleasure in giving him useful information and in
elevating him to his present high standing.
Honesty, sobriety, vigilance and fidelity has been
his motto through his long and useful railroad
career.
F. BAKER is a native of Lexing-
ton, Ky., and his father, William
Q A. Baker, still resides in that city.
Mr. Baker, who is now freight
conductor on the Memphis division, began in 1887
as a brak eman, and in 1889 he was promoted to
conductor in the freight service. In 1893 he went
to the Southern Pacific, working as freight con-
ductor until 1895, when he came to Paducah to
work for the Illinois Central. He now has a pre-
ferred run between Paducah and Memphis, and
he is very successful in his work. Mr. Baker mar-
ried Miss Devney, of Evansville, Ind., and. has
one child, a boy three years of age. Our sub-
ject belongs to Division No. 290, O. R. C.
L. McCLURE, supervisor of
bridges and buildings on the Ya-
zoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.,
wkh headquarters at Leland,
Miss., was born near Londonderry, Ireland, on
Oct. 16, 1847. His parents were John and Mary
(Logan) McClure, farmers; the former departed
this life on Aug. 14, 1888, and the latter on Jan. 7,
1889. Mr. McClure arrived in America in 1867,
and settled in Nashville, Tenn. He there en-
tered the service of the Louisville & Nashville
R. R. as a carpenter, and remained with the com-
pany until 1879. He then went to Louisville,
and took charge of a force of forty-three men
engaged in the construction of a bridge being
built by the Ohio River Bridge company, across
the Ohio river at that point, and was occupied
there as superintendent until the work was com-
pleted, a term of two years and ten months. He
then entered the service of the Louisville Bridge
& Iron company, as superintendent of construc-
tion, remaining with that company until August
22, 1872, during which period he superintended
the construction of a bridge on the Owensboro
& Russellville Railroad at Livermore, Ky., cross-
ing the Gum river. He also constructed the
Louisville & Nashville bridge at Danville, Tenn.,
the total length of the latter being about 1939
feet, consisting of eight spans of 208 feet each,
and a draw of 275 feet. On the completion of
that work Mr. McClure was offered, and ac-
cepted, the position of superintendent of bridges
and buildings for the Louisville & Nashville R.
R., and during his incumbency reconstructed
nearly all bridges between Nashville, Tenn.,
and Decatur, Ala. In 1879, he was transferred
to the Henderson division of the St. Louis &
South-Eastern R. R. with headquarters at Hop-
kinsville, Ky., where he was engaged in construc-
tion until September 15, 1881. He then retired
from railroad work, and went into the business
of contracting and building at Hopkinsville, re-
maining in that work until August 1890. On
that date he entered the service of the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley R. R.) as supervisor of bridges
and buildings, with headquarters at Vicksburg,
Miss. For convenience he has been located at
different points on the system, and has his office
at the present time in Leland. Since being con-
nected with the road, Mr. McClure has given
the highest degree of satisfaction, being a man
who thoroughly understands his business, the
long experience in which has so completely quali-
fied him for his position. In 1877 Mr. McClure
was joined in matrimony to Miss Maria E. Cab-
ler, of Columbia, Tenn., but a native of Nashville.
Six children have been born to them, viz : John
328
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
W., aped twenty-one, chief bookkeeper for Tan-
ger & (Company, of Memphis, Tenn. ; Bessie Lee,
aged eighteen ; Eugene A., aged seventeen ; Man-
aged fourteen ; George, aged five ; and Robert
B. aged one year. Mr. McClure is a Master
Mason, being connected with Memphis Lodge
No. 118. His family attend the Methodist
church. Politically he is a democrat.
in 1888.
J. McLAUGHLIN, a competent and
popular engineer in the employ of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.,
entered the service of the company
His first experience at railroad work,
was acquired on the Richmond & Danville, (Va.)
R. R. where he was for a time employed as
fireman, and later was promoted to engineer.
Coming to Vicksburg he at once secured a posi-
tion as fireman on the Yazoo & Mississippi Val-
ley R. R., and in 1890 was given a regular run
in the freight service as engineer on the Vicks-
burg division, and has since remained there in
charge of engine No. 79: On December 6, 1892,
his hand was caught in the drive wheel of his
engine, and he lost four fingers. This is the on-
ly injury he has sustained during his railroad
career. Mr. McLaughlin is a native of Ireland,
born in County Derry, on June 18, 1865. He is
connected with Division No. 281, B. of L. E.,
of Vicksburg, where he makes his home, and
has a large circle of acquaintances and friends.
, OBERT BRENNAX, a popular young
engineer in the freight service of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., has
been with the company since Septem-
ber 1 8, 1896. He was first employed as a fire-
man on the Tennessee Midland R. R. (now the
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis R. R.) where
he served two months. Going to Memphis, he
became identified with the Yazoo & Mississippi
\ alley R. R. as fireman, and three and one-half
years service in that capacity was followed by
promotion to engineer. He was then placed in
charge of engine No. 82 and has since remained
in the freight service of that road. He has at
present a regular run on engine No. 275, between
Memphis and Vicksburg. Mr. Brennan was
born in Nashville, Tenn., on May i, 1870, and
is a son of Cornelius Brennan deceased, who
was a blacksmith in the employ of the Nashville,
Chattanooga & St. Louis R. R. Miss Annie
Lappin of Cincinnati, Ohio, became the wife of
Mr. Brennan, and they have established a com-
fortable home, at No. 158 Florida avenue, in
the city of Memphis, where they have a large
circle of friends and acquaintances.
^ATRICK WHALEN, general yardmaster
of the Illinois Central at McComb City,
has had a railroad experience extend-
ing over more than twenty years. He
first began with the Central at Centralia as brake-
man in 1879 and two years later was made con-
ductor, running between Cairo and Centralia,
which position he held for thirteen years, when
he was made yardmaster at Centralia. One year
later he accepted a position as conductor on the
Cairo Short Line and was thus engaged when
the road was absorbed by the Central. He was
shortly after transferred to Belleville where he
served as yardmaster and conductor some six-
teen months and for a like period in the yards
at Jackson; Miss., when on February 9, 1897,
he was placed in charge of the yards at McComb,
his present assignment. He is well versed in
the duties of conductor and yardmaster, manag-
ing efficiently the force under his charge. He is
a member of McComb City Division No. 367, O.
R. C. In all the years of his railway experience
Mr. Whalen has been involved in but one wreck,
that of a construction train, and came out of
that without injury. He is well liked by all
under his authority and holds the confidence of
his superiors.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
331
I | ^\ B. RUGG, who resides in Ft. Dodge,
riowa, has been an engineer for twelve
O years, and a fireman for four years.
His first work was with the old St.
Louis Railroad, where he worked in the trans-
portation department for two and a half years.
He then began with the Illinois Central as a
fireman, which position he held for four years,
and in September 1887 was promoted to engineer,
his first charge being engine No. 197. He now
runs engine No. 810, and has sat on the right
side of it since 1890. His run is between Fort
Dodge and Cherokee and Sioux City.
Mr. Rugg, a native of Shelburne Falls,
Mass., was born Oct. 22, 1858. He is a son of Joel
Rugg, who is a tanner and shoemaker by trade,
and who resides in Iowa county, Iowa. Our
subject married Miss Kate Kennedy, of Chero-
kee, Iowa, and they have two children, Marie
and Ruth. He is a member of Division No.
226, B. of L. E., and the A. O. U. W., both of
Fort Dodge, Iowa. He was never in any wrecks
of any kind, and never injured. The family res-
idence is at No. 324 North Seventh street, Fort
Dodge, Iowa.
,HARLES W. GARDNER, engineer,
has been with the Illinois Central since
February 1882. He first began work
with the company as fireman, and three
and a half years later was promoted to engineer.
Mr. Gardner had worked for the Chicago &
North- Western Railroad before joining the Illi-
nois Central company. He is a native of Lake
county, Ohio, and a son of John Gardner, a
farmer, who in early days was a tanner and boot
and shoe maker, and who came to Fort Dodge,
Iowa, many years ago, and died there. Our
subject married Miss A. D. Stevens, of Humbolt,
Iowa, who has borne three children : Francis ;
John J., who since June 1899 has been in the em-
ploy of the I. C. R. R. as fireman on the Omaha
division ; and Gertrude. Mr. Gardner now runs
engine No. 910, between Fort Dodge and
19
Sioux City. He is a member of Division No.
226, B. of L. E., of Fort Dodge, also the Masonic
order and the A. O. U. W. Our subject's only
wreck was a head end collision, in which he had
a shoulder dislocated. Mr Gardner is very promi-
nent in railroad circles, and is now secretary
of the committee of adjustment, and was chair-
man of the same during the trouble of 1894. He
owns a finely furnished residence at No. 1205
Fifth avenue, south, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
B. CURLEY was born in Alta-
mont, Garnett county, Md. His
Q father, Thomas Curley, died in
1892, being an old railroad man,
having served as section foreman on various
roads for many years. Mr. Curley was educated
in Ohio county, Ky., and at the Catholic Brothers
school in Louisville. He commenced work on
the railroad at the age of fifteen, driving a cart.
He next carried water and then worked on the
section, and in various positions until August
1878, when he began on the Paducah & Eliza-
bethtown Railroad as brakeman, in which place
he served eleven months. Following this he
served as fireman two years and ten months and
was then given an engine on the Elizabethtown
& Paducah R. R., remaining until 1883, when
he secured a place on the L. & N. as engineer.
In 1884 he came back to the C. O. & S. W. R. R.,
running freight and passenger, and has since re-
mained in that service. His present run is be-
tween Louisville and Paducah in passenger ser-
vice.
Our subject is considered one of the Illinois
Central's best engineers. May 9, 1896, with thir-
teen loaded freight cars and engine No. 603,
he made the run from Central City to Louisville,
one hundred twenty-seven miles, in three hours
and thirty five minutes, which has never been
equalled. Mr. Curley has never been seriously
injured in his long service on the road. In 1894
at the time of the strike, he had been on a vaca-
tion, came back and took an engine, not knowing
332
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
of the strike. Somebody threw a switch and the
engine was thrown on the side and cars piled up.
Our subject is a member of L. E. Graves
Lodge No. 485, B. of L. E., of Louisville, being
First Assistant Chief, also a member of the
Catholic Knights of America, to which lodge he
has belonged since 1883. Mr. Curley is a jolly,
goodnatured man, a man of honor and one who
is well liked by the community. He married
Miss Dooley, of Elizabethtown, who is a daugh-
ter of J. Dooley, who has been section foreman
on the L. & N. for the period of seventeen years.
Our subject has a nice, comfortable home in
Louisville. - .
G. NELSON is an engineer in the
passenger service on the Louisiana
Q division of the Illinois Central, hav-
ing a regular run between Canton,
Miss., and New Orleans. He entered the service
of the I. C. in 1880, at McComb City, as a coal
heaver, working as such for two months. He
was then given employment in the shops at that
place, remaining there four years, when he re-
ceived an appointment as locomotive fireman,
at which he worked eight months. On Septem-
ber 13, 1883, after passing a creditable examin-
ation, he was promoted to engineer in the freight
service, continuing there until August 1st, 1898,
when he was promoted to the passenger service.
His entire career as a railroad man has been
spent on the Louisiana division of the I. C., with
the exception of two months in 1890, which were
passed in the state of Illinois working on the
Champaign division of the road. He has been
in two wrecks while in the employ of the I. C.,
the second and most serious of which occurred
on March I ith, 1892. It was caused by the over-
turning of his engine. In this wreck the fireman
lost his life, and our subject was so badly injured
that he was obliged to retire from active service
for sixteen months.
Mr. Nelson is a native of Sweden, where
he was born October 2, 1863. Olaf Nelson, his
father, was a carpenter by trade, and emigrated
to America in 1873, settling in Water Valley,
Miss. He returned to Sweden in 1875 to bring
his family to this country, and is now living a
retired life at McComb City. A _brother of Mr.
Nelson, Frederic M., is a cabinet-maker em-
ployed in the shops of the I. C. in the latter city.
The union of Mr. Nelson and Miss Mattie
Traylor took place at McComb City, and resulted
in the birth of three children : John P., born
June 25, 1883 ; Ruby V., born in 1886, and Ed-
win W., born in 1894. Mr. Nelson is a progres-
sive and prominent resident of East McComb
City, where he owns a comfortable home, be-
sides considerable other property. He is con-
nected socially with Division No. 196, B. of L.
E., of his home city.
'ILLIAM L. OAKLEY, chief train
dispatcher at McComb City, Miss.,
was born at Evansville, Ind., Aug. 24,
1858. His father, W. H. Oakley,
graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute,
as a civil engineer, in 1853, and shortly after laid
out the Vincennes & Terre Haute R. R., serving
as division engineer at the age of twenty. He was
employed successively on the Evansville & In-
dianapolis, and the "Big Four" line between
Marshall, 111., and Vincennes, Ind. After the
war he served for a time as cashier and pay-
master on the Vincennes & Cairo line, since
which time he has not been identified with rail-
road work. He married Maria L. Conant, in
April 1857, at Evansville, where he has continued
to reside most of the time since that event.
William L. Oakley after his schooling had
been secured in the schools of his native town,
began his railroad career in 1874 as news agent,
and in half a year was promoted to brakeman
between Cairo and Vincennes, at which he was
engaged some eighteen months. Having in the
meantime studied telegraphy, he was competent
to take advantage of an opening in that depart-
ment on the St. Louis & South-Eastern, and after
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
333
the road was absorbed by the Nashville, Chatta-
nooga & St. Louis he was promoted to train
dispatcher and was again promoted to chief in
that department when the Louisville & Nash-
ville came into possession of the road. He was
filling this position January i, 1888, when he ac-
cepted an offer of train dispatcher at Cairo for
the Illinois Central, and remained at that point
until October 7, 1892, when he was transferred
to the Louisiana division with headquarters at
McComb, and promoted to chief dispatcher.
Since that date he has been acceptably filling the
position.
The marriage of Mr. Oakley occurred at
McLeansboro, 111., July n, 1882, Miss Ora Sul-
lenger linking her fortunes with his at that time.
Four children have been born to them : Marie ;
Harry, a student of mechanical draughting ; Lela
B. and William N. J. H. Oakley, a brother, has
been in the United States marine service for a
period of seven years, being at present stationed
at Queenstown, Ireland. Mr. Oakley is a mem-
ber of Evansville Lodge No. 136, K. of P., and
of the American Train Dispatchers' Association.
Mr. Oakley has never failed in his trust, and by
his careful administration of his official duties
has merited the continued confidence of his em-
ployers.
'ILLIAM A. TAYLOR, the highly
popular young man who holds the
responsible position of train dis-
patcher for the Illinois Central at
McComb City, Miss., was born at Morristown,
Tenn., in 1875. He began his railroad career
in 1893, on the East Tennessee & Georgia R.
R. (now the Southern R. R.), and from that
year until coming to the I. C. was at various sta-
tions along that road as telegraph operator. En-
tering the service of the Illinois Central, in the
office at Water Valley, Miss., he was soon pro-
moted to dispatcher, and is now on "third trick"
from midnight until 8 A. M. Mr. Taylor served
his country during the Spanish American war,
being a member of Company G, 2nd Miss. Vol.
He was honorably discharged on December 24,
1898. He is a member of Elks Lodge No. 268,
of McComb City, and of the K. of P., of Water
Valley. For a young man, Mr. Taylor has been
eminently successful in life. He is of jovial na-
ture, and to come in contact with him, means
the laying aside of all care, . and enjoying the
present.
JOHN M. McCANN, one of the prominent
conductors on the Paducah district of
the Illinois Central, has a preferred run
between Paducah and Louisville. Our
subject's railroad life began at South Louisville,
on the L. & N., where he was employed a short
time in transferring cars, then for seven months
was switching in the yards, being transferred to
the road where he broke for three years, at the
end of which time he went to the Short Line as
switchman and brakeman, remaining one year
and eight months. After the L. & N. took
charge of the Short Line, he quit braking and
for nearly three years fired on the road. He
then went back to braking and at the end of
eleven months was promoted, in 1884, to freight
conductor, running freights for the following
four years, when he was given a passenger run
between Louisville and Cincinnati and Louisville
and Lexington, holding this position for three
years. Tiring of railroad work he quit the road
and embarked in business in Louisville, but not
meeting with the success he deserved, at the end
of four years returned to railroading, going to
the Air Line as brakeman, but at the end of six
weeks was laid off on account of slack business.
He then went on the Louisville Southern as
brakeman, was afterwards put in the yards as
foreman of an engine, and part of the time acted
as extra night yardmaster, but on account of a
misunderstanding left the Louisville Southern
and returned to the Air Line as brakeman, with
a promise of promotion, which shortly followed,
and he remained with this road for three years,
when he came to Paducah and took his present
334
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
run. In his varied and interesting railroad ca-
reer our subject never had a serious accident,
never burnt a journal off, was never injured,
and was never laid off.
John M. McCann was born May 24, 1859,
in Henry county, Ky., but was educated in Louis-
ville, and on May 24, 1881, was married to Miss
Mattie L. Hook, of Louisville. They are the
parents of four interesting children, as follows:
Alma E., who is bookkeeper and stenographer
for the Tennessee Telephone Co., of Paducah;
Frank E., who is attending the high school ; Em-
ery L. is a vocalist of considerable note, and is
very highly spoken of by those who have heard
her sing ; and Cleo W., a graduate of the schools
of Paducah. Socially Mr. McCann is a member
of Abraham Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M., of
Louisville, also of Wingo Division No. 290, O.
R. C, of Paducah, in which lodge he has held
nearly every office, and in 1899 served as Chief
•of the Division. Throughout his long railroad
career Mr. McCann has been successful, and
there is no better known or more popular conduc-
tor on the Louisville division than the subject of
this sketch.
, OBERT E. ADDKISON accountant for
the Illinois Central at Jackson, Miss.,
entered the service of the company in
August 1894, as a brakeman between
Jackson and Natchez. Serving as a brakeman
until December of that year, he occupied the posi-
tion of bill clerk at Natchez from that date until
March 1897. He next served as ticket clerk
in the same city until April 1898, and as day clerk
at Holly Springs, Miss., until July 1898, when
he was appointed manifest clerk in the freight
department of the I. C. at Jackson, Miss., which
he occupied until April i, 1900, when he was pro-
moted to accountant. Mr. Addkison was born
on August 28, 1874, in Jackson, Miss., where
his father, Andrew J. Addkison, a farmer, still
resides. David E. Addkison, agent for the
American Express company at Jackson, is a
brother of our subject. Miss Emma C. Muller
became the wife of our subject, and one child,
Andrew Joseph, is the result of their union.
They reside in a comfortable home on Pearl
street, in Jackson, where they have a large circle
of acquaintances and friends.
JOHN E. LAWTON, a conductor in the
freight service of the Yazoo & Missis-
sippi Valley R R. on the New Orleans
division, with headquarters at Wilson,
La., is a native of Chesterfield county, West Va.,
where he was born on July i8th, 1854. Dr.
Richard Lawton, his father, was a physician who
moved to middle Tennessee during the childhood
of our subject, and practiced his profession there
until his death in 1878. He was followed to the
grave by his wife, Phoebe (Winfell) Lawton,
who died in 1888. John E. Lawton attended
the schools of Tipton county, Tenn., and spent
his boyhood days on a farm, his father hav-
ing a plantation. At the age of nineteen he
began running a market wagon in the city of
Memphis, and remained at that business a year.
He then worked for five months in the shops of
the Memphis & Charleston R. R., and on June
22nd, 1874, began his active road career as a
fireman, between Memphis and Chattanooga,
where he served three years. Promotion to
engineer followed, in which capacity he served
only two months, when, on account of slack busi-
ness he returned to his former work of fireman,
and continued there for six months. He then
took charge of an engine, and was for six years
in the freight and passenger service of the road,
when in April 1884 he resigned. He then en-
tered the service of the Louisville, New Orleans
& Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley R. R.), at New Orleans, as engineer in
the passenger service of that road, under John
Bradley, superintendent, John A. Grant, builder
of the road, and J. M. Edwards, manager. He
held that position four and one-half years, re-
turning at the end of that period to the Memphis
& Charleston R. R., but remained only two
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
335
months, when he again returned to the Louis-
ville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. His former
position with this road was in the passenger ser-
vice, but on account of the long run, and having
his home at Wilson, La., he, on his return, went
as engineer in the freight service, and was in that
hranch of the service until November ist, 1889.
On the latter date he was appointed foreman of
motive power at Wilson, and held that position
until December 25, 1892. He then resigned from
the road, and retired from active duty, until
August 5, 1893, when he entered the employ of
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as a con-
ductor in the freight service of the road, between
Wilson and Vicksburg, where he is now em-
ployed. The marriage of Mr. Lawton and Miss
Susan B., daughter of Col. W. R. Patton, of
Hunts ville, Ala., occurred on January 17, 1878.
Their union was blessed by three sons : William
P., chief clerk in the office of the trainmaster,
at Wilson ; John E. Jr., and Lee H., attending
school. Mr. Lawton is a member of Division
No. 231, O. R. C, of Vicksburg, Knights of
Pythias, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
His family are attendants at the Presbyterian
church, and politically he affiliates with the Dem-
ocracy. Mr. Lawton has a subtantial home at
Wilson, La., of which place he is a progressive
and worthy citizen.
JOHN H. FUQUA, a competent and
trusted engineer on the Louisiana divi-
sion of the Illinois Central, was born in
1865, at Shelby ville, Tenn. Having been
left an orphan at an early age, he was obliged
to make his own way in life, from youth. He
determined on a railroad career, and found his
first employment in the shops of the Louisville
& Nashville R. R. at Birmingham, Ala. Desir-
ing active service on the road, he obtained a
position as fireman on the Alabama Great South-
ern R. R., where he soon found promotion to
switch engineer. He then went to the L. & N.
R. R. as engineer out of Birmingham. In 1898
he entered the service of the I. C. as engineer,
where he is now successfully serving. He is
in charge of engine No. 749, I. C. build.
Mr. Fuqua had a narrow escape from death
while on the Louisville & Nashville R. R., by
the derailment of the engine. His engineer,
James McKay, the largest engineer in the coun-
try at that time, weighing over four hundred
pounds, being too heavy to jump, was scalded to
death. Of the social organizations, Mr. Fuqua
affiliates with Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of
McComb City. His railroad career covers a pe-
riod of seventeen years of successful work, and
in McComb City, where he makes his home, he is
highly respected.
LLEN C. MARTIN, general foreman
of the car department, is a native of
Covington, La., born July 14, 1851.
He lived under the parental roof until
the age of twenty, and learned his trade under
his father's instruction. Coming to McComb
he worked at his trade for a time, and in April
1874 secured a place in the shops of the New Or-
leans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad. Af-
ter the road was purchased by the Central, Mr.
Martin was retained on the force, and on Feb-
ruary i, 1883, was made foreman of the passen-
ger shops, where he was employed six and a
half years. After a few months in charge of
the car shops at New Orleans, he was ordered
back to McComb December i, 1889, and for five
years was in charge of the freight shops. Since
1894 he has been in full charge of all the wood-
working departments, which have grown to large
proportions.
Mr. Martin was married at McComb in
November 1873, to Miss Emily Easley, and they
have a family of five sons : Albert A. and Warie
W. are machinists in the shops at McComb ; Ed-
ward E. is an apprentice in the boiler shops,
while Robert C. and Archie H. are still in school.
Mr. Martin is far advanced in the Masonic
order, holding membership in Blue Lodge No.
336
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
382, at McComb, Chapter No. 90, at Summit,
and St. Cyr Commandery No. 5, at Water Val-
ley. He is also a member of the Knights of
Honor at McComb. The family are communi-
cants of the Episcopal church. Mr. Martin is
a man well versed in his craft in all its branches,
and has as well excellent executive ability, being
able to get the most possible out of a given num-
ber of men without friction.
R. OLIVER B. QUIN, district surgeon
of the Illinois Central at McComb
City, Miss., is a native of Holmesville,
of that state, his birth occuring Decem-
ber 6, 1857. After finishing the course of the
high school at Summit, whither his parents had
removed, he began the study of his profession
under the tutelage of his father, Dr. D. H. Quin.
The latter attended lectures in the University
of Pennsylvania, after a course in the literary
department of Kenyon college at Cambridge,
Ohio. After reading under his father's instruc-
tion, Oliver B. Quin attended the medical de-
partment of the University of Louisiana, now the
Tulane University, graduating in 1879. He im-
mediately located at McComb City and has been
in constant practice here ever since. In 1886,
after the death of Dr. C. Hoover, then surgeon
of the Illinois Central at this point, Dr. Quin
being recognized as the leading surgeon there,
was offered the vacant position, which he ac-
cepted. Owing to the large number of employes
in the extensive shops and the large number
of operatives resident at McComb, the official
practice reaches many hundred cases every year.
Dr. Quin's jurisdiction extends from Hazelhurst,
Miss., to Amite City, La.
The marriage of Dr. Quin occurred at Vicks-
burg, Miss., December 9, 1880, Miss Sophie
Clark becoming his wife. To them have been
born four children — Madge, Mary, Ella and
Oliver Benton Jr.
Dr. Quin served several terms as selectman
of the city,' and then at the earnest solicitations
of his friends, accepted the nomination of mayor
and was repeatedly elected to that office, serving
in that capacity at the present time. He is a
member of the state board of health and has been
prominent in the financial interests of the city,
having served as director of the bank established
in the city. He is active in any movement to
establish new enterprises in the vicinity where
he resides and in the state as well.
The secret orders have received from Dr.
Quin a cordial support. He is a member of the
McComb Lodge of Masons No. 382, the Summit
Chapter, No. 90, Jackson Commandery No. i,
and Hamasa Temple of the Mystic Shrine at
Meridian, Miss., Myrtle Lodge, K. of P., No. 36,
Good Will Lodge No. 104, I. O. O. F. and Me
Comb City Lodge No. 268, of the Elks. He is
a member of the American Medical Association
and the Mississippi State Medical Association.
Dr. Quin is a man of broad views, a typi-
cal representative of the new and progressive
south, and one whose character leaves its impress
on the locality where he has made his home. He
is a man of culture and refinement, a true son
of the old south. As a citizen and practitioner
none stand higher than Dr. Quin.
LEORGE H. FOSTER, a well known
engineer in the freight service of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., has
been ten years in the service of the
company. He acquired his first knowledge of
railroad work on the Denver & Rio Grande R.
R., where he was employed four years as a fire-
man, between Pueblo and Salida, Colo. He
then served for two years in the same capacity
on the Alabama & Southern R. R., and in 1889
came to Vicksburg, entering the employ of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. After work-
ing six weeks as fireman, he was promoted to
engineer, and has since been employed all over
the road and its branches. He is at present on a
uvular run in the freight service on engine
No. 94, between Vicksburg and New Orleans.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
337
His career on the road has been highly success-
ful. Mr. Foster was born in Chattanooga, Tenn.,
on November ist, 1861. His parents, George
D. and Rachael (Rogers) Foster, were respected
residents of that city, where Mr. Foster Sr. fol-
lowed the occupation of a carpenter, and was a
large property owner. Both are now deceased.
Mr. Foster married Miss Minnie Hoskins, of
Brookhaven, Miss., and with her resides on Bel-
mont avenue, in Vicksburg. Of the social or-
ders Mr. Foster belongs to Division No. 281,
B. of L. E., of his home city. Politically he is a
Democrat, but looks to the qualifications of the
man more than to party.
JFRED HOUSEAL, a young engineer
running as an extra in the freight ser-
Q vice of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. has been with the company since
1891. Beginning as a fireman on the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the Y. & M.
V. R. R.) with Engineer Duffy, he served there
for two years, when he resigned and entered
the University of Tennessee, where he pursued
his studies for one year. In 1891 he returned
to the same road and engaged in the same work,
serving one year, when he was promoted to en-
gineer in the yards at Memphis. He occupied
the latter position for two years, and in 1896 re-
turned to firing for one year. In 1897 he was
examined and promoted to engineer, and was
in the freight service for seven months between
Memphis and Vicksburg. Losing his position
through an accident, he went to his old home in
South Carolina, where he remained one year,
and in September 1898, returned to Memphis.
A month later he went on the road as fireman be-
tween Vicksburg and New Orleans, and in March
1899, agrm took the examination and was pro-
moted to engineer, since which he has been an
extra between Memphis, Vicksburg and New Or-
leans. Mr. Houseal was born at Newberry, S.
C, on January i, 1874. A sketch of John I.,
his father, will be found elsewhere in this book.
On August 17, 1899, he was united in marriage
to Miss Daisy Law, a native of Tracy City,
Tenn., but a resident of Memphis at the time of
her marriage. She is a daughter of P. S. Law,
an engineer on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. Mrs. Houseal is a member of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. They reside at No. 16,
Barton avenue, in Memphis.
E. STUFFLEBEAM, chief clerk in
the office of the roadmaster, for the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. at
Vicksburg, Miss., was born in White
Hall, Washington county, New York, on Octo-
ber 26, 1871. W. G. and Olna A. (Mosher)
Stufnebeam, are his parents, now residing in
Idaho, where the former is an extensive ranch
owner and stockman. Mr. Stufflebeam attended
the schools of his native place, and at the age of
thirteen moved with his parents to Idaho, where
he continued at school four years longer. In
1888 he entered the Ogden Military Academy,
at Ogden, Utah, remaining there three years,
and taking a full classical course. His business
education was acquired at Coleman's business
college, in Newark, N. J., after which he re-
turned to Idaho and became associated with his
father, and remained there until 1897. He came
to Vicksburg, Miss., in that year, securing a clerk-
ship in the office of B. E. Mosher, roadmaster
of the New Orleans division of the Y. & M. V.
R. R., and occupied that position until promoted
to chief clerk, on October 20, 1898. He holds
the latter position at the present time, and is
filling it in a very acceptable manner, being well
endowed with the natural talents necessary to
make a success of his work.
On January 3, 1893, Mr. Stufflebeam was
united to Miss Helen J., daughter of George and
Helen J. Osborn, of Troy, N. Y. This estim-
able and accomplished lady, who possessed those
virtues which make a lovely and lovable charac-
ter, departed this life on May 27, 1899, deeply
338
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
mourned by the many friends who knew and
esteemed her.
Socially, Mr. Stufflebeam belongs to the
Modern Woodmen of the World. He was reared
in the Presbyterian faith, and in politics is united
with the Democratic party.
LANCE L. DAWSON, master mechanic
of the shops at McComb City, Miss.,
has had nearly twenty years experience
in railroad operation. He is a native of
London, England, his birth occurring February
5, 1863. His father, Lance Dawson, emigrated
with his family to the States about 1869, and
after a short sojourn in Chicago, secured employ-
ment in the shops of the Central at Champaign
as a machinist. Here the son attended school,
and when of sufficient age secured a place as
apprentice to the machinist trade in the shops
near his father. Mr. Dawson began his appren-
ticeship in February 1880, and after three years
in the shops at Champaign, served two years in
the Weldon shops at Chicago. After his term
as apprentice he returned to Champaign working
as a journeyman until January i, 1887, when he
was appointed foreman of the Champaign and
Havana line, serving one year. Until January
i, 1889, he was again at work in the shops in
Champaign, and was on that date transferred to
Rantoul, as foreman of that branch, with juris-
diction over the road from LeRoy to West Leba-
non, Ind. December i, 1890, he was appointed
night foreman of the Weldon shops at Chicago,
and July I, 1891, was sent to Champaign as as-
sistant foreman of the shops there, being pro-
moted to the foremanship the first of May fol-
lowing. For nearly five years he was in charge
of the Champaign shops, and January 20, 1897,
he was transferred to Louisville, and promoted
to general foreman. From May 20, 1898, to
December 1st, following, he served as master
mechanic at the Memphis shops, and since the
latter date has served as master mechanic at the
shops at McComb. Mr. Dawson has instituted
many improvements in the shops during his in-
cumbency at McComb. He instituted an air-
brake instruction room in the round house ;
erected separate shops for overhauling pumps ;
built an air engine and equipment for hoisting
iron to the furnace of the foundry ; built a series
of bins for the assortment of scrap iron, and by
saving out hundreds of pounds of supplies that
were in good condition, saved that amount of
new supplies, while the waste iron not fit for use
is on a level of the cars on which it is to be
loaded, thus saving much time and labor in get-
ting it aboard ; had the paint and blacksmith
shops each extended thirty feet; installed an air
hoist in the ice house ; also an air hoist for load-
ing and unloading car wheels; built an air
driven hammer for straightening bolts which had
been done by hand prior to that time ; besides
numerous other minor improvements in various
departments under his jurisdiction.
Mr. Dawson was married at Rantoul, 111.,
July 2, 1895, to Miss Harriet Connor, to whom
has been born a daughter, Marjorie. Of the so-
cial orders, of which Mr. Dawson is a member,
may be mentioned the Knights of Pythias, at
Rantoul, the Court of Honor, at Champaign, and
the National Union, at Louisville. As a pro-
gressive, energetic official, Mr. Dawson holds
high rank. Inventive, ingenious, and of excel-
lent executive ability, it is no secret why he has
succeeded in rising above many who started out
before him with better prospects than his.
JAMES McINTYRE, a well known en-
gineer in the freight service of the Ili-
nois Central, on the Louisiana division,
entered the service of the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas Railroad (now the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.), on February
1 8th, 1888. His first work was as an apprentice
in the shops at New Orleans, but he worked
there only four months when he decided to go
to the regular road service. Securing a posi-
tion as fireman, he served in that capacity until
WILLIAM F. THOMAS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
341
September 1895, when he was promoted to en-
gineer, and appointed to a regular run in the
freight service between Vicksburg and New Or-
leans. In 1899 ne was transferred to McComb
City, and has since remained there. Mr. Mc-
Intyre was born in Kenner, La., on August 9th,
1865. His father was George Mclntyre Sr., a
former employe of the I. C., well and favorably
known. Socially our subject is connected with
Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of McComb City.
He is considered a careful and painstaking em-
ploye, and is very popular.
'ILLIAM F. THOMAS, one of the
oldest and most highly esteemed en-
gineers in the passenger service on
the Aberdeen division of the Illinois
Central, is a native of Baton Rouge, La., but
with his parents moved to Rome, Ga., where he
was reared and educated. Our subject, who has
seen thirty-five years of active railroad service,
began his career in September 1865, in the me-
chanical department of the Western Atlantic
Railroad, where he worked seventeen months.
He then went to the Memphis & Chattanooga
Railroad in the construction service, and in Sep-
tember 1868 was promoted to the passenger ser-
vice and placed in charge of the "Gov. Patton,"
a wood burner. While in the fast passenger
service of this road, Mr. Thomas was given an
engine which seven men. had failed to run, but
his superior knowledge of mechanics enabled him
to remedy the trouble and successfully operate
it. In 1879 Mr. Thomas resigned his position
with the intention of retiring to farm life, and
for two years followed that occupation in Geor-
gia, but a longing for his old work on the road
caused him to again enter railroad life. In 1881
he entered the service of the Selma, Rome &
Dalton Railroad, between Selma, Ala., and Rome
and Cleveland, Tenn. He resigned from the
latter road to accept a position with the Illinois
Central, where he began service on July 2, 1882.
He commenced work at Water Valley, Miss.,
under Master Mechanic White, where, on ac-
count of his superior knowledge of construction,
he was placed in charge of a work train, remain-
ing there from the beginning of the work on that
division until its completion. During that time
he had charge of a large force of men. Mr.
Thomas is considered an expert on track con-
struction, and is noted for his fine connections on
switch work. Old engineers say they can tell
his work on account of its smoothness. About
the time of the completion of the Aberdeen divi-
sion, the railroad found it necessary to secure a
supply of water of their own, as up to that time
they had been getting water from the Aberdeen
Compress. Accordingly they sunk an artesian
well 347 feet deep, and four inches in diameter,
which threw out mud and water combined, and
refused to clear up. Officials 'from Chicago and
other points went to Aberdeen to try and remedy
the trouble, as they must have water that was
free from mud. They seemed unable to remedy
the defect, until, at the request of Mr. Kemp,
the division superintendent, Mr. Thomas sug-
gested that if they would raise the pipe and take
off one section, the water would clear itself in
a short time, as the space between the bottom of
the well and the end of the pipe would then be
so great that the force of the water could not
raise the mud to the pipe. This was done and
the result was entirely satisfactory.
When the Aberdeen division was completed
our subject was placed in charge of the first pas-
senger engine on the division, and has since re-
mained in that branch of the service, with the
greatest success. Mr. Thomas ran engine No.
1,417 two hundred twenty-five thousand miles
with but one general repair, and this engine was
in the yard service at Durant one year with a
mileage of twenty-five thousand miles and the
valve steam packing was never repaired. During
this mileage the piston packing was repaired one
time. This packing was composed of one brass
and two lead rings, with the old style hump
gland. The gland was never tightened when the
steam was on the boiler so the rings could expand,
which is the life of all metallic packing. The
swab on these rods was renewed every thirty
342
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
days. This is the best mileage Mr. Thomas ever
made with metal packing, and Mr. McKenna,
foreman of the Durant shops, says it is the great-
est mileage he ever heard of. Mr. Franklin,
foreman at Jackson, Tenn., repaired this engine.
Mr. Thomas carries in his seat box in the en-
gine a device of his own for holding the balance
valve in case of working steam only on one side,
it taking about thirty minutes to disconnect and
get ready to move engine and train. The en-
gine above referred to was in the passenger ser-
vice on the Aberdeen division, and during round
trips of 216 miles would only burn four tons of
coal. No derailment occurred during this mile-
age. Mr. Thomas has had some very narrow
escapes. His closest call was in 1889 while tak-
ing a theatrical troop on a special from Aberdeen
to Jackson, Miss. He was supposed to have a
clear track, but when within a mile of Canton,
while going at a high speed, he collided with an
engine in charge of E. Redmond, who was in-
stantly killed. Both engines were badly dam-
aged, but Mr. Thomas escaped injury, which was
considered miraculous. He has turned out
many fine engineers, among them D. Longinotti,
Sam Culley, and others, who are successful men
on the road. The Galena Oil company pre-
sented to Mr. Thomas a fine patent oiling can
made of nickel, with patent spring and in three
sections, for using less oil than any engineer on
the Mississippi and Aberdeen divisions. His
name is beautifully engraved on the can. He
keeps this can in his parlor to show his friends
and kindred that he is the most economical en-
gineer on the above divisions.
Miss Ellen C. Murchison, of Rome, Ga., be-
came the wife of our subject, and they have be-
come the parents of three children, all of whom
have received the benefits of a college education.
One of the daughters is now musical instructor
in the public schools of Durant. The son,
Oscar W., received his education in the Missis-
sippi Mechanical College, at Starkville, and is a
fine draughtsman. He is now a locomotive fire-
man on the Aberdeen division. Mrs. Thomas is
a niece of the late Gov. Murchison, of Texas,
and a great niece of Sir Roderick Murchison.
Several brothers of our subject are successful
railroad men.
Mr. Thomas and his family are active mem-
bers of the Methodist church, in which he has
served many years as warden. He is a deeply
religious man, a thorough Christian and very
benevolent, having given largely to charities. He
is a man who deeply believes in the intervention
of Providence to protect him from harm, and
when asked to make a particularly hard run, al-
ways replies, "If God is willing." The first
words of Bishop C. B. Galoway, when he comes
to Durant, are: "How is Mr. Thomas," show-
ing the high estimation in which he is held by
that dignitary. Mr. Thomas is also prominent
in Masonic circles, and is a member of the
Knights of Honor. Being a great reader and
student, our subject keeps abreast of the times
in his work, and now ranks one of the three high-
est in the list of the Illinois Central employes.
He is a substantial citizen of Durant, owning
considerable property, and is a man of whom the
city may well feel proud.
'ILLIAM T. STEWART, a rising
young engineer in the service of the
Illinois Central on the Louisiana di-
vision, was born on April 24, 1871,
at Canton, Miss. His connection with the road
dates from 1891, when he began work as fireman,
in the freight, and was afterward employed in
the passenger service. On November 15, 1895,
he was promoted to engineer, and given a regu-
lar run between McConib City, Miss., and New
Orleans. He has charge at present, of mogul
engine No. 757, with J. D. Harrell as fireman.
His brother, Howard Stewart, is also in the em-
ploy of the I. C. as fireman. The wife of Mr.
Stewart, was formerly Miss Addie Heisser,
whose father was for a long time connected with
the I. C. as foreman of the car-repairing depart-
ment in the extensive shops of the company, at
Vicksburg, Miss. They are the parents of two
bright children, Rachael and Clara F. Mr.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
343
Stewart is a popular member of Division No.
196, B. of L. E., and is also connected with Can-
ton Lodge, No. 74, K. of P. and B. P. O. E.
Lodge, No. 1 68, of McComb City. Being
a young man possessed of more than ordinary
ability and a great student of mechanics, keeping
abreast of the times, Mr. Stewart's future should
be a bright one.
THOMAS A. MOORE, a popular conduc-
tor on the Louisiana division of the
Illinois Central, is a native of Missis-
sippi, and a son of G. W. Moore who
resides at East McComb. In early life, Mr.
Moore learned the trade of a baker and confec-
tioner, becoming an expert in that line. He
traveled extensively in the west and southwest,
and has had a varied experience, especially while
roughing it in the uncivilized districts through
which he traveled. He began his railroad career
on the Southern Pacific R. R. at Vermillionville,
La., and was afterward employed on a steamboat
at Gal'veston, Texas. He returned to the train
service of the Southern Pacific, working eight
months, and resigned to take a position with W.
N. Monroe, a contractor, engaged in road con-
struction. He then went to Mexico, with Major
Thiel, and in 1882 returned to civilization, enter-
ing the employ of the Texas & Mexican R. R.
where he was for fourteen months in charge of
a powder house. His next occupation, was as
driver on a San Antonio street car and afterward
joined a circus as head tent man. While in
this employment, he was severely injured, in a
railroad collision on the Wabash R. R., and was
laid up for some time in the Marine hospital
at Cairo.
In 1884 he entered the employ of the Louis-
ville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad, but re-
mained only a short time, then working for vari-
ous other roads in Texas until December 24, 1891,
when he entered the service of the I. C. as a
hrakcman out of McComb City. In 1894 he was
promoted to conductor on the Canton district,
and is now in charge of a through freight, on
the Louisiana division, on caboose No. 98245,
with A. L. Wright and E. B. Thomas as his crew.
His career on the I. C. has been successful, hav-
ing no injuries or accidents.
Mr. Moore is a member of Division No.
108, O. R. C., of New Orleans, Goodwill Lodge
No. 104, of McComb City, A. F. and A. M. No.
382, Eastern Star Lodge No. 4 and Myrtle
Lodge, No. 36, K. of P., of McComb City. Mr.
Moore was about to depart for the Transvaal
when he met and married his wife, who is a
daughter John S. Erickson, of Canton, Miss.
They have two fine boys. The family resides in
a pleasant home on Broadway, in McComb
City. Mr. Moore is a very pleasant man to meet,
entertaining and full of interesting anecdotes
relative to his extensive travels. He is a popu-
lar citizen of his community and ranks high as
an employe of the Illinois Central company.
AURICE S. WEBB is probably the
youngest conductor on the Louisiana
division of the Illinois Central, and a
rising railroad man. He was born in
1876, at Jackson, Miss., and is not yet twenty-four
y^ars of age. J. A. Webb, his father, was for
twenty-five years a valued employe and official
of the I. C., and held the responsible position of
general freight agent at Jackson, when appointed
secretary of the board of railway commissioners
for the state of Mississippi, with offices in the
capital at Jackson. M. S. Webb began his rail-
road career when a mere boy, in 1884, with the
determination to make a success. He began as
messenger boy at the Jackson office where he
acquired a knowledge of telegraphy, and was
on the Valley road as agent and operator at
Longwood, Miss. He resigned that position,
returned to Jackson, and entered the freight
office there, serving successively as bill clerk,
cashier, and chief clerk. He went from Jack-
son to Memphis, and was in the service of the
I. C, there, He next went to the C. L. & M,
344
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Railroad as baggageman and expressman. In
1897 he entered the train service of the I. C. at
McComh City, Miss., and was in a short time
promoted to conductor.
Mr. Webb married a daughter of Captain
Hoskins, one of the most prominent, and wealthy
citizens of Brookhaven, Miss. One child was
born to them, which died in infancy. Of the
social organizations Mr. Webb is a member of Di-
vision No. 367, O. R. C., and Division No. 264,
B. of R. T., also belongs to Pearl Lodge, K. of P.,
of McComb City. For so young a man Mr. Webb
has made great progress, and being active and
alert the future has much in store for him.
E. MOSHER, roadmaster on the
Fifteenth division of the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley R. R. was born
in White Hall, Washington county,
New York, on October 29, 1857, and is a son of
Benjamin O. and Mary C. (Perry) Mosher.
Benjamin O. Mosher was a tanner by trade, and
served during the war of the rebellion, from
1861 to 1865, as captain of Co. B. 22nd Regiment,
New York Volunteer Infantry. He is living in
Oxon Hill, Maryland, while his wife departed
this life in 1859. The subject of this sketch,
attended the schools of his native town, and en-
tered life as an employe on a steamboat, plying
between New York City and Montreal, Canada,
working about two years in that capacity. De-
ciding on railroad life, in 1879 he entered the
service of the Cincinnati Northern R. R. as a fore-
man and conductor, between Cincinnati and Le-
banon, Ohio. After a two years service on that
road, he went to the New York, West Shore &
Buffalo R. R., doing similar work, and remain-
ing there two years. During the construction
period of the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas
R. R. (now the Y. & M. V. R. R.) he secured
a position as foreman on that road, afterward
serving as conductor and roadmaster, with head-
quarters at Baton Rouge, La., and was in the em-
ploy of the road until 1889. In the latter- year
he became identified with the Texas Pacific R.
R. as roadmaster, with Marshall, Texas, as head-
quarters, and held that position until 1892. He
was in that year appointed supervisor, at Vicks-
burg, Miss., for the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R., acting as such until 1897 when he was
transferred to the Natchez division as supervi-
sor of track and trains. One month later he was
appointed to his present position as roadmaster
of the Fifteenth division. Under his supervision
are 386 miles of main line and branches, forty-
seven sections, four track supervisors, and one
bridge supervisor.
On April I, 1880, Mr. Mosher and Miss Mag-
gie Simmons, of Ethel, La., were united in mar-
riage, and three children came to bless their
home : Carrie, Olive, and William, when the wife
and mother, who was a most estimable woman,
was called hence on February 12, 1894. Mr.
Mosher was united to his present wife on August
18, 1898. This lady was, before her maarriage,
Miss Rein, of LaPlace, La. One son, George,
has been born to them. Socially, Mr. Mosher
is a Knight of Pythias. His family attends the
Catholic church, and in politics he is a Demo-
crat. Mr. Mosher's time is absorbed in attend-
ing to, and discharging his duties, which he does
with that fidelity which has won for him the es-
teem of his superior and the good will of the em-
ployes of the road under his supervision.
HARLES B. SMITH, an engineer in
the yards of the Illinois Central at
Memphis, Tenn., was born in Erie,
Penn., April 22nd, 1866. Merrick
Smith, deceased, his father, was a railroad man,
holding the position of yardmaster for the Erie
system at Erie, Penn., and was at one time, in
the same position with the Canada Southern R.
R. at St. Thomas, and at Windsor, Ontario. Mr.
Smith acquired his early experience in railroad
work, on the Canada Southern R. R. in 1881,
in the round-house at Amherstburg, Ontario,
where he was employed one and one-half years.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
345
He then went on that road, continuing there un-
til November 1893, when he went to Chicago as
hostler in the I. C. round-house. His work in
Chicago embraced a period of over two years,
after which he was transferred to Memphis, and
given charge of engine No. 799, in the yards,
which position he continues to occupy. Mr.
Smith is a Knight of Pythias, and is also a mem-
ber of the B. of L. F., of St. Thomas, Ont. He!
was raised in the Presbyterian faith, and in poli-
tics is devoted to the principles of the Democra-
tic party.
D. BURROUS, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central
Q on the Louisiana division, is a man of
great experience, having traveled ex-
tensively and worked for a number of railroads.
His first work was on the New York & Erie R.
R. as fireman, between Port Jervis and Jersey
City, and he was afterward, in 1880, on the
Pennsylvania R. R. in the fast passenger service
between Philadelphia and Jersey City. He then
went to the Jersey Central R. R., where he was
employed three months as fireman. Drifting to
the south, Mr. Burrous was next actively en-
gaged in the lumber districts of Louisiana and
Florida, having previously spent several seasons
in the Minnesota lumber camps where he ac-
quired a thorough knowledge of preparing lum-
ber for the market. During his leisure hours he
made a study of engineering, and was for a short
time on a steamboat on the Alabama river as en-
gineer, but quit that to enter the service of the
East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia R. R. In
1893 he became identified with the Southern Pa-
cific R. R., serving as fireman there for eleven
months, ard from that road went to Central
America, where he worked as engineer on freight
and passenger trains. Mr. Burrous entered the
service of the Illinois Central in 1895 as switch
engineer on the New Orleans terminals, under
Master Mechanic Baldwin. He was soon pro-
moted to the regular road service, and was sent
to McComb City, having since had a regular run
on the Louisiana division on engine No. 726.
Mr. Burrous is a native of Tennessee. His pa-
rents now reside in Michigan, near Detroit.
He is a member of Division No. 196, B. of
L. E., of McComb City, and is also connected
with the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Or-
der of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
He is married and is the father of four children.
In his travels he has been very observing, is a
fluent talker, and tells many interesting accounts
of his adventures. While in Central America
he made many exploring trips, mastering the
Spanish and native languages. He is also con-
'versant with the French language. When Pres-
ident Garfield was shot in Washington, Mr. Bur-
rous was in the depot, and with the other spec-
tators was shut up there until the crime was fast-
ened on the assassin. Mr. Burrous is a self-
made man, having had to make his own living
since he was old enough to work, and his know-
ledge of books has been acquired by self culture,
which, with his extensive travels, has made him
a well posted man. He is of a splendid phys-
ique, affable and courteous, and has a large circle
of genuine freinds.
JT. PAUL, the capable trainmaster of the
Terminal district for the Illinois Cen-
Q tral in the city of New Orleans, was
born near Maryville, Tenn., October
31, 1854. James A. Paul, his father was a far-
mer, and served during the Civil war as a lieuten-
ant in Thomas' brigade. He is still living at
Huntsville, Ala. His wife, who was Miss Susan
J. Parks before her marriage, died in 1870. In
1866 the family of our subject moved from Ten-
nessee to where Mr. Paul received his early
training, and also afterward attended the schools
of Mossey Creek, Tenn. From the age of nine
to eighteen, he worked on his father's farm in
summer and attended school in winter. At the
age of eighteen he secured a position as clerk in
a general store in Huntsville, Ala., where he re-
346
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
mained one season, returning to the farm for a
time, and later went to Wilson's Point, La., as
manager for the firm of Meyer & Bradford. He
was taken sick in 1875, returned home, and in
March 1876 worked his father's farm on his .own
account until 1879. In the spring of that year
Mr. Paul went to Oregon and led the life of a
cow-boy until November of that year. He
reached Cheyenne with a drove of cattle, and de-
ciding to return to civilization, came to Hunts-
ville, Ala., and in December 1879 entered the
service of the Memphis & Charleston R. R. His
first work was as brakeman between Memphis
and Chattanooga. On December ist, 1880, he
was promoted to conductor in the freight service,
where he remained until August n, 1884, when
he severed his connection with the road. He
then became identified with the Louisville, New
Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mis-
sissippi Valley R. R.), serving as conductor on
freight and work trains until November 1884,
when he was promoted to the passenger service.
He held a passenger run between New Orleans
and Vicksburg from 1884 to 1887, when he was
transferred to the Vicksburg division, remaining
on the latter division until April 15, 1888. He
then went to the Texas & Pacific R. R. as yard-
master at New Orleans, occupying that position
until September 15, of that year, when he re-
turned to his former position with the L. N. O.
& T. R. R. On November 20, 1888, Mr. Paul
was appointed general yardmaster at Vicksburg,
Miss., remaining there until March 1st, 1890.
He then returned to the train service as a passen-
ger conductor on the Vicksburg division and
in September 1890, was appointed trainmaster
between Vicksburg and Memphis, with head-
quarters at the latter city. On September ist,
1895, he was transferred to New Orleans, to his
present position, where his ability is recognized
by the able manner in which he is discharging
his duties. Mr. Paul was, on March 3rd, 1876,
united in marriage to Miss Carrie V. Roper, of
Madison county, Ala., where she was born June
17, 1855. The children which blessed their union
are, Edgar A., born May i, 1877, a stenographer
for the local freight agent, New Orleans; May
E. born April 7, 1879, who received her finishing
education at Oxford Female College; Susie R.
born in September 1881 ; Elinor G. born in Sep-
tember, 1887; John T. born in July, 1892; James
W. born in March, 1895; and Samuel H. born
July 30, 1899.
Mr. Paul is a member of the Masonic Or-
der, (Blue Lodge), and is also connected with
Division No. 231, O. R. C., of Vicksburg. He
and his family are adherents of the Methodist
church, and in politics he votes with the Demo-
cratic party.
A. LEWIS, a prominent conductor in
the passenger service on the Louisi-
'Q ana division of the Illinois Central,
residing in New Orleans, was born
January 26, 1854, in Pike county, Miss. Lem-
uel Lewis, his father, now living at New Or-
leans, was for some time deputy sheriff of that
county, and served during the Civil war in Com-
pany A, 33rd Miss. Regt. His mother, whose
maiden name was Pamelia Rodgers, departed
this life in 1876. Mr. Lewis was educated in
the public schools of Mississippi, and in 1873
went to Brazos county, Texas, and was there en-
gaged in farming for a year. The next year
(1874) he entered the service of the Interna-
tional & Great Northern R. R., and soon after-
ward was employed with a bridge gang on that
road. In March of that year he returned to?
Mississippi, and worked in a brick yard owned
by his father, and the farming season of 1875
was spent on a cotton plantation. September
1876 marked his first connection with the Illi-
nois Central, or, as the road was then called, the
New Orleans, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad.
Beginning as a brakeman between Canton and
McComb City, Miss., he worked in that capacity
until December ist, 1878. He was promoted on
the latter date to conductor in the freight ser-
vice on the same division, and occupied that po-
sition until February 1879. Slack condition of
business caused him to lose the position and re-
turn to his former occupation of brakeman, at
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
347
which he was employed until 1880. He was
then given a regular run as conductor, and re-
mained at that work until 1884, with the excep-
tion of a few months spent at McComb City as
yardmaster. From 1884 to 1890 he was a con-
ductor in the freight and an extra in the passen-
ger service, excepting a part of 1886, when he
was yardmaster at New Orleans. In 1890 he
received promotion to the passenger service and
has been there continuously to the present time-
In October 1874, Mr. Lewis married Miss
Eliza Lard, who resided in Brookhaven, Miss.,
but is a native of Louisiana. They have three
children : Lexie, the wife of J. K. Dunn, of
Jackson, Tenn. ; Sammelia, wife of Dr. G. W.
Robertson, of Magnolia, Miss., and Lelia, re-
siding at home. Mr. Lewis is a member of Cres-
cent City Division No. 108, O. R. C., and of
Alpha Home Lodge No. 72, A. F. & A. M. He
and his family are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church. Politically he is a Democrat.
The successful career of Mr. Lewis indicates him
as a man of industry and great worth.
EORGE L. BARNETT, an engineer in
the passenger service of the Illinois
Central, having a regular run between
Memphis, Tenn., and Canton, Miss.,
has been with the company about thirteen years.
He was first in the employ of the Nashville,
Chattanooga & St. Louis R. R., between Cowan
and Tracy City, Tenn., and after working there
two years he entered the service of the Illinois
Central on the Memphis division, as fireman with
Engineer James Fogarty. A service of two
years as fireman was followed by promotion to
engineer, since which he has had a regular run
on that division. He has charge of engine No.
383 on his present run. During his connection
with the I. C. he has had only one short suspen-
sion in 1890, and although in several wrecks,
has never been injured. Mr. Barnett is a native
of Tracy City, Tenn., and was born on January
24th, 1868. His parents, James and Mary (Lin-
ton) Barnett, are residents of that place. He
has two brothers in the service of the I. C.,
Charles J., an engineer running out of Memphis,
and David, employed as fireman on the I. C. in
the same place.
Miss Mary Hodges, of Aberdeen, Miss., be-
came the wife of Mr. Barnett, and they have a
family of seven children : Mary, Susan, James,
Kate, George, Lottie and Jack. Mr. Barnett is
a member of William Renshaw Lodge, Division
No. 23, B. of L. E. His family attend the First
Methodist Episcopal church, of Memphis, and
they reside on Patton avenue.
W. BRADLEY, a well known con-
ductor in the freight service on the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.,
residing at New Orleans, was born
at Covington, La., December 27, 1852, a son of
James R. and Brunetta (Richardson) Bradley,
both deceased. After attending the district
schools of his native place until thirteen years of
age, he began life as a teamster at fifty cents
per day, working at that for a period of nine
months. He then went to a lumber camp where
he worked a year at seventy-five cents per day.
With a cousin he bought a photographer's out-
fit, and traveled through the different villages
taking pictures. At the age of sixteen he en-
tered the employ of his father, who was a
butcher by trade, and worked for him until twen-
ty-one years old. He then entered the service of
the Illinois Central as a brakeman between Can-
ton, Miss., and New Orleans, and was, in 1877,
promoted to conductor in the freight service,
having charge of the local four years. He re-
mained with that company until 1884, and for
the next five years, or until 1889, was in the em-
ploy of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as
local freight conductor on the New Orleans divi-
sion. He was then given a passenger run be-
tween Vicksburg and Greenville which he held
for ten months. Going from there to New Or-
leans, he was in the freight service of the Yazoo
348
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
& Mississippi Valley R. R. until 1890, when he
resigned to accept a position as conductor in the
freight service of the Texas & Pacific R. R., re-
maining with that company eight months. He
then returned to the freight service of the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R., on the New Orleans
division, and in 1892 accepted a position as con-
ductor of the local on the Louisiana division of
the Illinois Central. The latter position was
held until 1894, when he retired from the road
to become a traveling salesman for a hardware
firm in New Orleans, where he remained until
1896. In that year he returned to railroad work
and has since been in his present position.
On the igth of December, 1876, Miss Ida
Martin, of Wilkinson county, Miss., became the
wife of Mr. Bradley. Four children are in the
family, viz. : Lillie E., Josie Ida, Nettie Lloyd,
and Charles B. Mr. Bradley is a member of
Division No. 108, O. R. C., and Knights of
Pythias, of New Orleans, and the Masonic lodge
of Wilson, La.
S MERCER, a well known pas-
nsenger engineer on the south end of
the Illinois Central system, began work
as a fireman between Elizabethtown
and Paducah, Ky., with Engineer Thomas Dar-
vey. After serving eighteen months as fireman
he was promoted to engineer by Mr. Robb, mas-
ter mechanic at Elizabethtown, and given charge
of engine No. 16. He remained in that branch
of the service two years, and then accepted a
position with the Louisville & Nashville R. R.,
his entire connection with that road covering a
period of five years. Returning to the service
of the I. C. at Paducah, Ky., he has since had a
regular run in the passenger service on engine
No. 389, between Paducah, Ky., and Memphis,
Tenn. He has been in several railroad accidents,
but was never injured himself, nor any of his
crew. Mr. Mercer was first married to Miss
Susan E. Reynolds, who died in July 1895. He
was later united to Mrs. Amanda (Porter) Hull.
Thomas S., a son by his first wife, is a brakeman
on the I. C. between Memphis and Vicksburg.
Mr. Mercer belongs to Pawn River Lodge, No.
244, A. F. & A. M., of Greenville, Ky., and is also
a member of Division No. 225, B. of L. E., of Pa-
ducah. A connection of twenty years with the
I C. has been Mr. Mercer's record, showing
that he discharges his duties in a manner credit-
able to himself, and satisfactorily to his superiors.
While in Memphis he makes his home on Vir-
ginia avenue.
W. STANTON, a conductor of
ability on the New Orleans divi-
Q sion of the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley R. R. residing at Vicks-
burg, Miss., was born in Indianapolis, Ind., on
January 12, 1865, the son of Thomas and Mary
(Walker) Stanton, who followed agricultural
pursuits, and departed this life in 1880 and 1867
respectively. Mr. Stanton acquired his early
training in the public schools of Indianapolis,
afterward taking a commercial course at the
Central Normal College, of Danville, Ind., gradu-
ating in 1886. The following year he went to
Great Falls, Mont., and took up a land claim,
following the life of a ranchman for one year.
He then accepted a position as bookkeeper with
Churchill & Webster, grocers, of Great Falls,
and after a year's service with that firm he clerked
in the dry goods store of Meyers & Co. of the
same place. He next embarked in the restaurant
business in Great Falls, remaining one year in
that business. In 1889 he began railroad life
as a brakeman on the Great Northern R. R.,
between Minot, Dak., and Great Falls, Mont.
After one year on that road he transferred to the
Montana Central R. R. running between Great
Falls and Butte. In 1890 he received promotion
to conductor, continuing in that position until
1896, two years being spent in the passenger ser-
vice of that road, and in the entire six years never
lost a day or a trip. In 1896 he became identi-
fied with the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
M. VAN PATTEN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
351
as a conductor, and with the exception of three
months in the service of the Seattle, Lake Shore
& Eastern R. R., and a short leave of absence in
1897, he has since remained with the road, serv-
ing in a highly successful manner.
On the 1 5th of May, 1897, Mr. Stanton and
Miss Nora Coiner, of Seattle, were married, the
lady being a native of Galway, Ireland, born in
1874, and emigrating to America in 1885. They
are the happy parents of a fine boy, Wallace H.
Stanton, born January 12, 1898. Two of Mr.
Stanton's brothers are prominent citizens of
Montana. George H. an attorney and state sena-
tor, and J. W. Stanton is a prominent attorney
of Butte. Mr. Stanton with his estimable wife
are members of the Christian church. In poli-
tics he votes with the Democratic party. He
possesses abilities of a superior character, and
should make his mark as a railroad man.
VAN PATTEN is a stationary en-
gineer in charge of the main shop
LQ at Centralia, 111. He is an old and
respected employe of the I. C., hav-
ing first entered the service of the company on
February i, 1861, at Centralia, under R. P. Ox-
ley. In 1862 he took a position as head engineer
on a southern packet, plying between Memphis
and Vicksburg. Resigning this position at the
end of six months he went to Chillicothe, Ohio,
working for a time in the machine shops on the
Marietta & Cincinnati R. R. From the latter
place he went to the shops of the Bellefontaine
Railroad at Galion, Ohio. Returning to Cen-
tralia in the fall of 1864, he again took up his
work in the shops of the I. C. there, and on
February i, 1865, was promoted to engineer and
placed in charge of engine No. 32, his run be-
ing on the local from Centralia to Cairo. His
second trip was in the passenger service with
A. N. Putnam as conductor. For thirteen years
and six months our subject ran on the Centralia
district, and on the same engine, No. 32. He
bears the distinction of having run on all tracks
20
of the I. C. south of Chicago and Amboy, and
also made several trips south of the Ohio river.
He ran the first regular engine equipped with the
Westinghouse air-brake and diamond stocks,
also the first regular with an extension front
end, viz. : engine No. 133, I. C. build. He hasj
filled his present responsible position since No-
vember 3, 1893.
Mr. Van Patten is an eastern man, and was
born at Schenectady, N. Y., where he acquired
his first knowledge of machinery in Clute Bros.'
foundry and machine shops, serving an appren-
ticeship in the shops at that place.
M. JONES, chief clerk in the freight
department of the Yazoo & Missis-
iO s'PPi Valley R. R. at Vicksburg,
Miss., was born in Jasper county, in
that state, on May 5, 1861, and is the son of
Rev. Ransom J. and Sarah (Mounger) Jones.
Rev. Mr. Jones is a minister of the Methodist
church, and was presiding elder of the Meridan
(Miss.) district for four years. He was also
for many years chaplain of the state militia. He
and his estimable wife are now residing at Crys-
tal Springs, Miss., where Mr. Jones is still en-
gaged in active work.
The subject of this sketch was educated in
the private schools of Meridan, and attended the
University of Mississippi from 1882 until. 1885.
In the latter year he began the study of law in
the offices of L. N. Dantzler, at Moss Point,
Miss., and pursued his studies nearly two years.
He then felt disinclined to permanently enter
the legal profession, and in 1890 became identi-
fied with the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas
R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R.
R.) as clerk for the store-keeper at Vicksburg.
He remained in that position until March 16,
1893, when he was assigned to a clerkship in the
freight office there. On the I4th of September,
1899, he was promoted to chief clerk, and is
now filling that position with credit to himself
and satisfaction to the company. Mr. Jones was,
352
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
on October u, 1889, united in marriage to Miss
Nettie Rowe, a charming and accomplished New
Orleans lady, who died on March 6, 1893,
mourned by a large circle of sincere friends.
While in the University, Mr. Jones joined the
Delta Si society, and still retains his membership.
He is an active member of the Methodist church,
and affiliates politically with the Democratic
party.
O. KORNBECK, a successful and
popular conductor in the freight ser-
Q vice on the Louisiana division of the
Illinois Central, was born in 1862 at
New Orleans. P. O. Kornbeck Sr., the father
of our subject, sprung from the Danish nobility,
and on account of religious troubles was com-
pelled to leave Denmark. The family was a
prominent one in that country ; one of them, I.
N. Kornbeck, was, in 1784, commander in the
Danish navy. A picture in India ink, of one of
his vessels is in the possession of our subject,
and quite a valuable relic. Mr. Kornbeck Sr.,
at the age of twenty, took command of a sailing
vessel and sailed for America, landing at New
Orleans. On account of his youthful appear-
ance the customs officials refused to permit him
to enter the port, but the matter was finally ad-
justed and he was permitted to land. He after-
wards sent for his parents, and with his father
engaged in the coast trade, having several ves-
sels out of New Orleans. As a citizen of New
Orleans Mr. Kornbeck Sr. is well remembered,
as he was for twelve years cashier of the Mutual
National bank of that city, holding that respon-
sible position at the time of his death in 1884.
When the flags of all nations were presented to
the city of New Orleans, at a celebration, he
was appointed to present the Danish colors,
which he did, delivering one of the finest ora-
tions of the day, the Danes of the city being
justly proud of such a worthy representative.
He served during the Civil war, and with an-
other man safely conveyed several millions of
dollars in Confederate money to Richmond, a
hazardous undertaking. He was a strikingly
fine looking man and possessed of a generous
heart, as he reared and educated several orphans
besides his own family. He died at the age of
fifty-two, respected by all who knew him. The
wife of Mr. Kornbeck Sr., and the mother of
our subject, who died in 1898, was a beautiful
Creole lady, a member of the Desetine family of
New Orleans.
P. O. Kornbeck, the subject of this sketch,
after leaving school entered the employ of the
Shakespeares, cabinet makers of New Orleans,
and served four years there, learning the trade
of a pattern maker. He then became identified
with the Illinois Central, working as a pattern
maker for a few years. Confinement having a
bad effect on his health, he went to the road ser-
vice, and after a short service as brakeman was
promoted to conductor, and is now successfully
serving on a through run on the Louisiana divi-
sion. Mr. Kornbeck is a member of Division
No. 368, O. R. C, of McComb City. He mar-
ried a daughter of Captain Hurst, of New Or-
leans, and they have one child, a daughter. He
is a man of pleasant manners, a fluent conversa-
tionalist, and very highly esteemed among the
employes on the Louisiana division of the road.
March
, LAUDE W. TALIFARO, a rising young
conductor in the freight service on the
Louisiana division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in Lafayette, Ind., on
4, 1872. William Henry Talifaro, his
father, whose parents were natives of France,
is at present a conductor in the passenger ser-
vice of the Denver & Rio Grande R. R., and is
a man of wide experience in railroad work. ( )ur
subject became identified with the Illinois Cen-
tral, September 25, 1891, as brakeman on the
Cherokee (Iowa) division under C. K. Dixon.
In 1895 he was transferred to the Louisiana
division, and received promotion to conductor
in 1896, which position he is filling with satis-
faction at the present time. He has never been
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
353
laid off or discharged. Mr. Tali faro married
Miss Isbell, and they have two children, Irene,
at school, and Bessie, a beautiful child, at home
He is connected socially with Division No. 264,
1!. of R. T., of McComb City. His career with
the road has been highly successful, having never
been injured by accidents. He . discharges his
duties in a creditable and satisfactory manner,
and is considered a rising man on the road.
111. To our subject and his wife has been given
one child, Oliver W., born September 6, 1895.
He is now a bright little chap of five years. Mr.
Ensor is a member of Division No. 460, B. of
L. E., Lodge No. 408. B. of L.F., both of Spring-
field, 111., and is also a member of the Masonic
Order at Marine, III.
'ILLIAM H. ENSOR, a popular
young engineer on the Louisiana di-
vision of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, is a son of James H. Ensor, a
resident of East St. Louis, 111., where he is. car
inspector for the Vandalia Railroad. Our sub-
ject commenced his railroad career in 1882 in
the engine department of the St. Louis & Narrow
Gauge Railroad, ami was employed there until
the fall of 1886, when he entered the employ
of the Cairo Short Line, where he remained un-
til the spring of 1887 when he went to the St.
Louis Transfer company as fireman, remaining
until the fall of 1889. He then commenced fir-
ing for the Merchants 1.5 ridge company, but in
the spring of 1890 went to the Yandalia Railroad
as fireman and was with that company until the
spring of 1893, then fired for the Chicago &
Alton Railroad until May 1893, when he com-
menced work in the machine shops of the Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad and was
employed there until July i, 1893. On July 6,
1893. ne entered the service of what was then
known as the St. Louis & Eastern Railroad as a
fireman, but in the spring of 1894 was promoted
to the right side of the cab and ran extra untif
the fall of 1896, at the end of which time he
was given a regular run, remaining there until
the fall of 1899! He commenced work for the
Illinois Central at McComb City, Miss., Febru-
ary 21, 1900, and is on the extra list.
W. H. Ensor was born July 19, 1868. and
was married July 19, 1894, to Miss Eleanor
Brant, a daughter of George Brant, of Marine.
JOSEPH R. LILLY, a popular and rising
young engineer in the freight service on
the Louisiana division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, began railroad life in 1884. In that
year he entered the service of the I. C. in the
mechanical department at the McComb City
shops, where he served a full term of four years.
He then entered the road service as fireman, and
after two years work in the freight and passenger
departments was promoted to engineer. At
that time firemen were required to serve three
years, but a request signed by the master me-
chanic and others, testifying to his proficiency,
resulted in his promotion after two years' work.
Mr. Lilly has been with the Illinois Central as
engineer for ten years, being in continuous ser-
vice with no lay-offs. He has charge of engine
No. 714, a Mogul, and is in line for promotion.
Mr. Lilly was born in Kemper county, Miss.,
and is the son of Albert Lilly formerly a black-
smith at Hazlehurst, Miss., and now residing
with his daughter, Mrs. Mills, in McComb City.
His brother, Albert A. Lilly, whose biography
appears elsewhere in this work met an untimely
death in an accident in the McComb City yards,
on July 30, 1898.
Our subject was educated in the schools of
Hazlehurst, and was from boyhood of an in-
ventive and mechanical turn of mind. At the
age of twelve he built a train of cars, and at1
fifteen built three four-wheel wagons, which he
sold at ten dollars each. He also built a bicycle
with forty inch wheels, which he rode, it being
the only one in that part of the country. When
fifteen years old he constructed a three-horse
power engine, which was perfect in every detail,
354
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
doing the work at odd times in his father's shop,
and having no patterns and but few tools. His
father strongly opposed this work on account
of the expense, and our subject was compelled
to hide the different parts of the engine. It was
a matter of great difficulty to get the money, to
pay the freight on the material used, but he
finally overcame all obstacles and perfected his
engine. During his connection with the I. C. he
has improved his engines with many devices of
his own invention. Mr. Lilly is a member of
Division No. 196, B. of L. E. In religious mat-
ters he is identified with the Methodist Episcopal
church. He is a man of fine personal appear-
ance, is devoted to his work, in which, through
skill and strict attention, he has been eminently
successful.
1LLIAM D. WORDEN, an engineer
in the passenger department of the
Illinois Central, between Memphis,
Tenn., and Grenada, Miss., was born
at Memphis on March 28th, 1870. He is a son
of Daniel D. and Laberta Worden, residents of
Memphis, where the former is engaged as mana-
ger and bookkeeper at the Edwards livery stable.
Mr. Worden began his career with the I. C. in
February 1891, as fireman on engine No. 196
with Engineer John Ryan, in the yards of the
company at Memphis. He was employed there
over a year, when he was placed in the road
service as fireman on engine No. 1159, between
Memphis and Grenada, Miss. He then went on
No. 734 with Engineer G. L. Barnett, and re-
mained there until his promotion to engineer on
August 12, 1895. Being then sent to the Talla-
hassee gravel pit as engineer, he was occupied
there for two months, when he was given charge
of a regular run in the freight service between
Memphis and Grenada. On November 12, 1899,
he was promoted to the passenger department on
the same run, and is now serving there. Mr.
Worden was united in marriage to Miss Kate
Strale, of Memphis, an estimable young lady of
that city. He is a member of Division No. 23,
B. of L. E., of Memphis. Both he and his wife
are members of the Episcopal church. They re-
side at No. 610 Shelby street, in the city of Mem-
phis.
Tenn.
HARLES J. BARNETT, an engineer
in the passenger service of the Illinois
Central on the Memphis division, was
born February 4, 1872, at Tracy City,
His father, James L. Barnett, a miner
by occupation, still resides there. Two brothers
who were former I. C. employes are now dead.
John, who was killed in a wreck on the I. C. road,
November 6, 1899, and James Scott Barnett, a
fireman, who died during the same year. Charles
J. Barnett entered the services of the I. C. at
Water Valley, Miss., on June i, 1891, as fire-
man with Engineer Long, where he was for
seven months, and later was on a run as fireman
between Water Valley and Jackson, Tenn. On
account of slack business he was then retired
from the service until February 1892, when he
was appointed night watchman in the I. C. shops
at Memphis, Tenn., holding that position until
October of that year, when he returned to the
road service as fireman. On June 17, 1895, he
was examined for promotion to engineer, and
being successful was placed in charge of engine
No. 1367, and later of No. 733, in the construc-
tion department. He was afterward given No.
736, in the freight service between Memphis and
Grenada. He also served for two months on
the Aberdeen division, but was transferred to
his former run, and in November 1899 was pro-
moted to the passenger service, where he has
since remained. During his railroad career he
has only suffered one slight injury, which hap-
pened at the Tallahassee, Miss., gravel pit.
Mr. Barnett married Miss Alma Morit2 of
Tracy City, Tenn., and with her has established
a comfortable home on Preston avenue, in the
city of Memphis. He is a member of Division
No. 23, B. of L. E., of his home city.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
355
H. SMITH, a popular young con-
ductor in the freight service of
Q the Illinois Central on the Louisi-
ana division, is a native of Que-
bec, Can., and is a son of VV. H. Smith Sr. who
died on September 9, 1892, and is survived by
his wife, the mother of our subject, who resides
with him. Mr. Smith acquired his first know-
ledge of railroad work on the Georgia Pacific
R. R., out of Birmingham, Ala., where in De-
cember 1892, he was promoted to conductor. He
remained with that road as conductor in the
freight and passenger service until 1899, when
he resigned to accept a position with the Illinois
Central. He worked as brakeman on the latter
road until January 1900, when he was promoted
to his present run as conductor. His railroad
career has been very successful, having had no
mishaps. Mr. Smith married a daughter of
Captain Lem Sullivan, a well known citizen of
Mobile, Ala. They have two children, Willie,
now five years old, and Grace, aged two. He
became connected with Avondale Division No.
334, O. R. C., at Avondale, Ala., in 1894, and
was transferred to Pearl River Division No.
304, at Canton, Miss., during the last year. Mr.
Smith is an upright, hard-working young man,
who is fast making friends among the employes
of the road.
DRYING C. OLMSTEAD, the affable chief
clerk in the yardmaster's office of the Illi-
nois Central at New Orleans, was born in
that city on May 28, 1877, and is the son
of Irving and Agnes (Hendrick) Olmstead, of
whom the latter survives, and resides in New
Orleans. Irving C. Olmstead Sr., who died in
1878, was for many years connected with the
wholesale grocery firm of Flash, Lewis & Co.,
of New Orleans. Irving C., of this sketch, was
given a good education in the public schools of
his native city, and also took a commercial course
in St. Joseph's business college. After graduat-
ing he followed the occupation of office man,
entering the employ of D. Galdreath, a promi-
nent sugar broker, where he worked for two
years. He then accepted a position with J.
Schwartz & Co., carriage manufacturers, where
he was employed for two years. The following
two years were spent in the office of James
Zuntz, Esq., as clerk and stenographer. On
October I2th, 1896, Mr. Olmstead entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as chief clerk in the
office of Mr. James Morrison, then general yard-
master at New Orleans, and continued in the
same position with his successor, Mr. W. R.
Herbert, and is now holding that position. Mr.
Olmstead is a young gentleman of pleasing ad-
dress and manners, very popular among his fel-
low employes, and being thorough in his work
bids fair to rise to prominence. In his religious
belief he is a Catholic, and in politics upholds
the principles of Democracy.
H. RALPH, a well known conductor
in the freight service on the New Or-
LQ leans division of the Yazoo & Mis-
sissippi Valley R. R., is a native of
Jackson, Tenn., and was born on December 25,
1867. He is a son of A. H. Ralph, who was a
farmer, and served during the Civil war in
Forrest's cavalry, and lost his life in 1868. He
was followed to the grave by his wife, who died
in 1869. Mr. Ralph attended the schools of
Covington, Tenn., and also the A. & M. college
at Henderson in that state. In 1882 he went to
the state of Texas, and engaged in the stock busi-
ness, and was also in that business in several
of the western states and territories. He came
to Vicksburg in 1890, and in the following year
entered the service of the Louisville, New Or-
leans & Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Missis-
sippi Valley R. R.) as a flagman on a freight
train, between Vicksburg and New Orleans,
under Conductor McGuire, the present efficient
yardmaster at Vicksburg. He was promoted
in 1893 to conductor in the freight service, and
has successfully held that position to the present
356
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
time, having a regular run between Yicksburg
and New Orleans. During a term of seven
years he has never lost a run on account of sick-
ness or any other cause.
On December 27, 1892. Mr. Ralph was
united in mariage to Miss Nellie Murphy, of
Yicksburg, but a native of the city of Dublin,
Ireland, who came to America at the age of six
years. Four fine children have been born to
them, viz : Orlena, Alfred Roy, George Dewey,
and Thelma. Mr. Ralph is a member of R. E.
Lee Lodge, K. of P., and Division No. 231, O.
R. C., both of Vicksburg. The family of Mr.
Ralph have always been identified with the
Catholic church, and politically he advocates the
principles of Democracy.
IRAM HILL, passenger conductor on
the Evansville district of the Illinois
Central, is a native of London, Ohio,
having been born there January 5th,
1864. His father, John Hill, who died in 1881,
moved with his family to Kansas where our sub-
ject attended school and at the age of thirteen
began railroading as water boy for a section crew
on the Rock Island Railroad. He continued in
this capacity one year and then took a man's
place, drawing man's wages, for fourteen
months, on the Iowa division at Colfax, Iowa.
After a short time in a brick yard, where his
work was very hard, he quit, and went back to
the Rock Island with an extra gang. June i,
1881, he went to work for the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & St. Paul, and August of the same year he
returned to the Rock Island. September 12,
1883, he was given a train and stayed with that
company until March 15, 1891, when he began
work on the Union Pacific at North Platte, re-
maining until February 1892. In March follow-
ing he entered the service of the Ohio Valley
Railroad as conductor in freight service, and in
1895 he received a passenger run, his present
service being between Evansville and Hopkins-
ville. Mr. Hill has a very fine record, having
never received an injury. He is a self-made1
man. He married a Miss Ogle, of Stewart, la.,
and they have two children, Wayne Ogle and
Martha. Mr. Hill is a member of Howell Div-
ision No. 381, O. R. C., and also belongs to the
K. of P. of Stewart, Iowa, and Tent No. 185
K. O. T. M.
M. FAUQUIER, a trusted employe of
the Illinois Central in the capacity of
train dispatcher, at McComb City,
Miss., is a man of wide experience in
telegraph service. His career began on June 17,
1875, as telegraph operator on the Iowa Central
Railroad, and the following year on the Oilman,
Clinton & Springfield (111.) R. R., now a part
of the I. C. system, where he was employed for
a year. On June 10, 1877, he went again to
the service of the Iowa Central R. R., and re-
mained with that company four years. He then
entered the employ of the Denver & Rio Grande
R. R. as operator in the construction service,
continuing in that position until the road was
completed to Durango, Colo. Returning to the
employ of the Iowa Central, he served that com-
pany until October 1887 as dispatcher, when he
went to the Soo Line, remaining with that com-
pany until July 1888. His next work was as
dispatcher on the Chicago & Great Western R R.,
where he was occupied until December 1890,
when he took a similar position on the Atchison.
Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., on the Chicago divi-
sion of that road. He resigned on August 3,
1891, and immediately became identified as dis-
patcher with the Illinois Central on the Chicago
division between Champaign and Centralia. 111.
On December 17, 1892, he was transferred to
the Louisiana division of the I. C., with head-
quarters at McComb City, Miss., where he is
serving at the present time with eminent satis-
faction, his hours of duty being from 4 :oo P.
M. until 12:00 M., in charge of all work on the
line between McComb City and Canton. His
duties are quite onerous, as in addition to the
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
357
regular passenger and freight trains, he handles
a large number of gravel trains.
( )ur subject is a clear, cool-headed man,
well fitted for his work. He has been a dis-
patcher for twenty years, having a clear record
with no discharges and no railroad property
damaged during his connection with the roads he
has served. Mr. Fauquier is a native of Iowa,
born in October 1856. He was, in December
1877, married to Miss Alice E. Cooper, of Sears-
boro, Iowa, their union being blessed by three
children, Lula, Chauncey and Ray, the second of
whom is an employe in the I. C. store room at
McComb City. He belongs to the Knights of
Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
Elks and Masons. Mr. Fauquier ranks high as
a citizen of McComb City, where he resides and
has a substantial home.
L. JAQUITH is the highly efficient
commercial and local agent, in the
traffic and transportation department,
on the New Orleans division of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., at Vicksburg,
Miss'. He was born in Altmar, in the state of
New York, on September 2gt\i, 1842, and is a
son of John W. and Mary C. (Henderson)
Jaquith, who were prosperous farmers of that
place, and who departed this life in 1874 and
1878 respectively.
Mr. Jaquith received his early training in
the district schools of his native county, and af-
terward attended the Pulaski Academy in that
state. In 1862 he went to St. Louis, Mo., and
there secured a position with the Adams Express
company, as a clerk in the local office at Pilot
Knob, on the Iron Mountain R. R., where he
remained until 1864. He then entered the rail-
way mail service on that road, between Pilot
Knob and St. Louis, and in May 1864, went to
Yicksburg as agent of the Parker Express com-
pany, a line operating between St. Louis and
New Orleans. He was in that position until the
autumn of 1866, and in the spring of the follow-
ing year went into the general commission busi-
ness at Vicksburg, returning to St. Louis in
1868 and entering the service of the Iron Moun-
tain R. R. as clerk at Pilot Knob. He remained
in that position until the summer of 1869, when
he again returned to Vicksburg and was engaged
as clerk in a mercantile house until the fall of
1871. He then became identified with the North
Louisiana & Texas R. R. as cotton clerk at Delta.
La., serving in that capacity until January 1st,
1872. Going from the latter road to the Vicks-
burg & Meridan R. R., he was appointed as-
sistant agent at Vicksburg, Miss., remaining
there until October 1880, when he accepted a
position with the Yicksburg street railway, and
the Mississippi Valley, Ship Island & Pensacola
R. R.. with offices at Vicksburg.
He held the first named position until Sep-
tember 1882, and continued in the latter position,
a large portion of the time as conductor in the
construction service, engaged in building the
road from Vicksburg to Inglesicle, Miss., a dis-
tance of twenty-five miles. During the con-
struction period of that road, Mr. Jaquith filled
various positions, from section foreman to super-
intendent. In the spring of 1882, financial em-
barrassment and the overflow of the Mississippi
river caused the suspension of the road, and ne-
gotiations were then opened with R. T. Wilson,
of New York, through which a sale was effected,
and operations were resumed in July 1882. Mr.
Jaquith still holds the receipt of J. M. Edwards,
the assistant treasurer, for $63.66, representing
the total earnings of the system for the month of
July 1882. From that insignificant sum the
earnings grew to over five million dollars in
1892. The road is now a part of the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley R. R. system. In August
1882, Mr. Jaquith resigned his position on that
road, and took charge of the Vicksburg Cotton
Compress, where he remained until 1883, when
he was tendered his present position. He has
now occupied that position seventeen years, and
it is the only agency on the entire Y. & M. V.
R. R. system where there has not been official
changes in the same period. This is a striking
358
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and complete evidence of the splendid executive
abilities of our subject. Mr. Jaquith is in pos-
session of the first way-bill issued on the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R. (then the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas R. R.), on which the
agent at New Orleans wrote the following lines :
"On this, the first way-bill, we think it but meet,
The New Orleans agency, that of Vicksburgto greet;
May our friendship and mutual interests not be
forgotten,
By the many future exchanges of sugar for cotton."
He has also a souvenir, the first revenue bill
between Memphis and Vicksburg, dated Octo-
ber 22nd, 1884. On the ist of November, 1867,
Mr. Jaquith was happily married to Miss Jose-
phine E. Trowbridge, of Vicksburg, a native of
that city, born in 1845. The children born to
this union are, Ada M. who died in 1871 ; Albert
H., station baggage agent, for the Y. & M. R. R.
at Vicksburg ; Katharine M., at home ; William
L., cashier in the freight department of the Y. &
M. V. R. R., at Vicksburg, and Josephine E. at
home. Mr. Jaquith belongs to the following social
organizations : Magnolia Commandery No. 2,
Knight Templars; Vicksburg Royal Arch Chap-
ter ; Vicksburg Lodge of Masons ; Knights of
Honor; and Division No. 231, O. R. C, of which
he is secretary and treasurer. Mr. Jaquith's
political opinion is independent, voting for the
men and measures, rather than for the party
itself.
„ GORGE E. BENTON, a conductor on
the Louisiana division of the Illinois
Central, residing in McComb City,
was born in Quincy, 111., in 1869. His
father, D. C. Benton, is a well known horticul-
turist of South Memphis, Tenn., who does an ex-
tensive business in his line, to which he devotes
the use of one hundred and forty acres of land.
Mr. Beaton's first railroad work was on the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R., where
in 1888 he was employed as brakeman, and two
years later was promoted to conductor. He has
been in the service of the Illinois Central since
1891, and is at present on a local run. During
the gravel season he takes entire charge of the
gravel bank of the I. C. at Brookhaven, Miss.,
handling forty-five thousand cars of gravel dur-
ing the season, and supplying one-third of the
entire amount of gravel used on the I. C. system.
In 1892, at Memphis, Mr. Benton married
a daughter of J. T. Price, a farmer of that
vicinity. They have one child, Ellen, a bright
little girl, now six years old. He belongs to
Division No. 367, O. R. C., Division No. 264,
B. R. T., having acted as Master of the latter,
which has a membership of 1 10 members. He is
also a member of Dewey Tent, No. i, K. O. T.
M. Mr. Benton is well known on the road, and
is a very popular man.
JAMES J. O'ROURKE, an engineer in the
freight service on the Memphis division
of the Illinois Central, entered the ser-
vice of the company in 1872, as an ap-
prentice at Jackson, Tenn., where he remained
until April igth, 1876. He then went to the
shops at Water Valley, Miss., working there
through the yellow fever epidemic until the spring
of 1879. Entering the regular road service, he
was for two months a fireman, but returned to
the shops. Serving there for two months, he was
promoted to engineer and took charge of a yard
engine at Water Valley, and was afterward in
the construction department until April, 1880.
The summer of that year was spent in the shops
at Water Valley, and in the fall ke resumed work
on the road as engineer in the freight service
between Water Valley and Canton, Miss., where
he was employed until November 1883. On the
latter date he was appointed general foreman in
the shops at Water Valley, acting in that capa-
city until August 1 5th, 1890, when he was pro-
moted to master mechanic at the Memphis shops,
occupying that position until May 15, 1898, when
he was transferred to locomotive service. Since
the latter date he has been in the freight service
w
EH
CO
PQ
Q
J
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
361
of the road as extra freight engineer, on the
Memphis division, between Paducah, Ky., and
and Grenada, Miss. Mr. O'Rourke was born
at St. Louis, Mo., October 22, 1857. His father,
John O'Rourke, who died in 1865, was a veteran
of the Mexican war, and was for some time in
the hotel business at Columbus, Ky. Our subject
married Miss Emma Block, of Water Valley,
Miss. They have five children : James Edward,
Walter Thomas, Mary, Emma, and Minnie. So-
cially he is connected with Division No. 23, B.
of L. E., and with Lochinvar Lodge No. 55,
Knights of Pythias, of Water Valley, Miss. He
resides on Virginia avenue in Memphis, where
he has a comfortable home.
JL. DAVIS is a conductor in the freight
service of the Illinois Central, on the
Q St. Louis division. His career as a
railroad man commenced on September
21, 1876, on which date he entered the service
of the I .C. as a brakeman in the freight service,
being promoted to conductor August 17, 1879.
In the fall of 1883 he was promoted to conductor
in the passenger service, but was laid off in 1891.
He was re-employed by the company as freight
conductor in 1893, and holds that position at
the present time.
Mr. Davis was born in Centralia, 111., on
April 30, 1858, a son of Thomas P. and Wil-
helmina (Real) Davis, and has always made his
home in that city. Mr. Davis was married De-
cember 1 6, 1880, to Miss Mary C. Marsh, daugh-
ter of Richard L. and Catherine (Sherwood)
Marsh. Of this union five children were born :
Thomas M., Ralph R., John J., Harley A., and
Reba C., all living and at home.
His popularity with his fellow citizens is
attested by the fact that he has served them as
a member of the board of education for five
years, and was for several terms elected alder-
man for the Fourth ward. Our subject is a
firm supporter of fraternal organizations, and is
connected with Centralia Lodge No. 201, A. F.
& A. M. ; Centralia Chapter No. 93, R. A. M. ;
Cyrene Commandery No. 23, K. T. ; Oriental
Consistory S. P. R. S., and Medinah Temple,
Mystic Shrine, of Chicago. He is also a member
of Centralia Division No. 112, O. R. C., having
held the office of Chief Conductor for two years,
and serving as Secretary and Treasurer for the
last ten years.
JB. STEWART is a conductor in the
passenger service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral, between Centralia and Freeport.
He first worked in the service of the
I. C. in 1879, with a fence gang at Vandalia.
From there he went to the O. & M. R. R., hav-
ing secured a position on that road as brakeman,
between St. Louis and Vincennes, with Conduc-
tor W. M. Page. In the latter part of 1880,
he began work in the Sandoval, 111., mines, where
he remained until 1886. On the 25th of January
of that year, he entered the service of the I. C.
as brakeman on the local between Clinton and
Centralia, with Conductor B. C. Michaels, which
position he held until November 1887, when he
was promoted to conductor. On August 4, 1899,
he was promoted to the passenger service, which
position he now fills with satisfaction. Our sub-
ject was born October 12, 1860, on a farm near
Murraysville, W. Va., and is one of nine chil-
dren born to Harrison L. and Caroline (Robin-
son) Stewart, descendants of the early settlers
of Virginia. The mother is still living, but the
father is deceased. J. B. Stewart came west in
1869, to Sandoval, 111., where he attended the
public schools, and working at various places
on stock farms, until entering railroad life. Mr.
Stewart was married January 8, 1893, to Miss
Florence I. Scott, of Salem, 111., and their union
has been blessed by a little daughter, Beulah,
now five years of age. Mrs. Stewart is a daugh-
ter of J. D. and Olive (Smith) Scott, natives of
Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively, both of
whom are now deceased. Mr. Stewart's success
362
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
in life marks him as a man of energy and sterling
worth. He has a comfortable home in Clinton,
111., where he has many warm friends, but on
account of promotion was obliged to move to
Centralia, where he is now located.
YRON L. BACOT, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central
on the Louisiana division, is a native
of McComb City, born in 1866. His
father, Robert Bacot, is of Huguenot stock, his
ancestors having settled in South Carolina in the
sixteenth century. Laban Bacot, the grandfather
of our subject, was a pioneer of Pike county,
Miss., settling in that state about the year 1812.
He was a leader among the men of his day, and
held the offices of assessor, tax collector and
sheriff for many years. The first court house of
the county, still stands, crumbling, on the
grounds of his former residence. He was an
honest, whole-hearted man, the friend of all,
caring nothing for money but for the good he
might accomplish with its use. On his retire-
ment from public life he was succeeded in office
by his son, Robert Bacot, who served ten years
as sheriff of his county. Robert Bacot settled
where McComb City now stands in 1860, and
with a man named Harvey were the only in-
habitants of the locality. In 1869, Col. W. H.
Garland sent his agent, Mr. Craig, to buy land
for the Louisville, New Orleans & Jackson R. R.,
and they purchased thirty-five hundred acres in
and around where McComb City now stands.
Soon afterward, J. B. Billings came from Ver-
mont and established a sawmill on Front street,
and later the shops were commenced. Mr.
liacot boarded many of the workmen. From
that on the place grew rapidly, and in two years
was incorporated and called McComb City, in
honor of Mr. McComb, a leading official of the
road. Mr. Bacot Sr. served in the city govern-
ment many years, and declined the office of
mayor for private reasons. He is still an ac-
tive gentleman of seventy-five years, and has
considerable valuable real estate in and near
East McComb. Mrs. Bacot, the mother of our
subject, is a descendant of Andrew Moore, who
emigrated from Scotland, settling in Pottsville,
Pa., about 1612. She is a daughter of John
Passmore, and is connected by birth with some
of the oldest and wealthiest families of Penn-
sylvania.
Byron L. Bacot, the subject of this sketch,
after completing his education, at the age of
nineteen went to Harrisburg, Texas, and there
learned the trade of a moulder. He returned
to McComb City in December 1884, and entered
the service of the Illinois Central in the round
house under Louis Kell. In October 1886, he
began firing on a switch engine at Jackson, Miss.,
and on December 25, 1890, received promotion
to engineer. He has charge at present of en-
gine Xo. 750, on the local run to Brookhaven.
He has had a successful career and was only
once laid up, caused by falling from his engine
and sustaining a broken arm. Of the social or-
ders he affiliates with Myrtle Lodge, K. of P.,
and Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of McComb
City. Mr. Bacot married a daughter of John W.
Curry, of Harrisburg, Texas, and they are the
parents of three children : Ruby Belle, Robert
Curry, and Audrey. He resides on Cherry
street, in East McComb, having lately completed
a fine residence there.
1LLIAM H. WILLIAMS, a trusted
conductor on the Louisiana division
of the Illinois Central, was born in
Merriweather county, Georgia, and
is a son of William Taylor Williams, deceased,
who was a well-to-do farmer, and a prominent
thirty second degree Mason of that place. Mr.
Williams began life as a dry goods clerk, work-
ing at different times in Opelika, Columbus, and
Uirmingham, Ala. At the latter place, in 1888,
he entered the employ of the Louisville & Xash-
ville R. R. as a brakeman, afterward being pro-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
363
moted to conductor, and running out of Birming-
ham, north and south, also serving between De-
catur and Montgomery. In 1893 he entered the
service of the Illinois Central at McComb City as
brakeman, serving eighteen months at that work,
and receiving promotion to conductor in Novem-
ber 1895. He runs all over the Louisiana divi-
sion from New Orleans to Canton, Miss. His
crew consists of Flagman R. L. Rodgers, and
Brakeman C. Q. Lewis, the latter formerly fore-
man in the yards at McComb City. Mr. Wil-
liams has had several close calls during his career.
While making a coupling, when with the Louis-
vi-lle & Nashville R. R., he lost a finger, and in
1899, was knocked down by a cable car and had
two bones in his right leg, near the ankle, broken.
The last accident caused him to be laid up nine-
ty days. Mr. Williams married a daughter of
William I!. Allen, of Midway, Ala., and they
have six children living, viz : Florence, a talented
young lady attending the high school, Henry Gil-
more, William Allen, Lillie, Eleanor and C. T.
Williams. Two children died in infancy.
Socially our subject is a member of Pearl
Division No. 304, O. R. C., of Canton, and of
Myrtle Lodge Knights of Pythias, of McComb
City. Mr. Williams carries a substantial amount
of insurance for the benefit of his family. He
has a pleasant and well appointed home on Live
( )ak street, in East McComb, where he is highly
esteemed as a useful and substantial citizen.
AURICE STACK, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central,
between Memphis Tenn., and Gren-
ada, Miss., has been an employe of the
company for nine years. His first work on
entering the service was as fireman on the
Memphis division, under Engineer P. S. Law,
and later under E. J. Hatch, where he was em-
ployed until December 13, 1893. On the latter
date he received promotion to engineer, and un-
til 1X1,15 was engaged in that capacity in the yards
at Memphis. In 1895 he was promoted to a
regular run in the freight service between Mem-
phis and Grenada, where he remains, having
charge of engine No. 732, and where he is high-
ly esteemed by his fellow employes. His record
on the road has been devoid of accident of any
kind.
Mr. Stack was born at Lawrenceburg, Ind.,
on January 17, 1864, and is a son of John Stack,
who was for a long time agent for the "Big
Four" at that place, and is now deceased. John
Stack, a brother of our subject, is a railroad
man in the state of Texas. Mr. Stack affiliates
with Johnswood Lodge No. 32, K. of P., and
with Division No. 23, B. of L. E., of Memphis,
where he resides at 787 Main street.
B. BACOT, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral on the Louisana division, be-
gan railroad life when fourteen
years old as messenger boy in McComb City.
He worked for Agent Page at the depot, and
went from there to the oil house, where he was
employed eight months. On October 27, 1893,
he began active road service as fireman in the
freight department, under Engineer Boyle, and
was afterward in the passenger service with En-
gineer Jones, and with the late A. A. Lilly.
While running as a regular fireman with Mr.
Lilly, our subject was sent to Chicago as chair-
man of the board of adjustment for the Brother-
hood of Locomotive Firemen, and Jesse Coumbe,
an honorable and popular young man, temporari-
ly filled his position. On returning from Chi-
cago, he was preparing to go out on his regular
run, when his wife persuaded him to go down
town with her. Engineer Lilly and Fireman
Coumbe both met death on that trip. Their engine
telescoped some freight cars that had rolled out
from a side track in the McComb City yards : Mr.
Coumbe being pinned against the boiler, and ex-
trication being impossible, he was slowly burned
to death. Mr. Bacot regards his escape as a
remarkable incident, and almost miraculous.
364
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
He was afterward promoted to engineer, while
serving under Engineer Olaf G. Nelson.
Mr. Bacot was born in McComb City, and
is the son of Robert Bacot, whose biography is
given in connection with that of Byron L. Bacot,
a brother of our subject, and will be found else-
where in this work. In September 1894, Mr.
Bacot married Miss Annie Strevitch, whose
father was at one time connected with the Illi-
nois Central, at McComb City. Mr. and Mrs.
Bacot have two fine boys ; Reginald Meyer, born
July 4, 1895, and Theodore S., born June 9,
1897. Of the social orders, our subject is iden-
tified with Myrtle Lodge No. 36, Knights of
Pythias ; and was a delegate to Chicago as repre-
sentative of Ensign Lodge No. 411, B. of L. F.
Mr. Bacot is a man of courteous and pleasant
manners, winning the friendship and esteem of
all with whom he comes in contact.
EORGE D. McCALLUM, an engineer
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, on the Louisiana division, is
a native of Michigan, where he was
born in 1873. Joseph McCallum, his father, is
an engineer of thirty years' experience, and has
been on the Middle division of the Louisville &
Nashville R. R. for the past fifteen years. Our
subject began railroad life when a young man
of twenty, in Florida, working as fireman and
switch engineer there for two years. He then
came to McComb City and entered the service of
the I. C. as fireman in the freight service, and
afterward worked in the passenger service under
Engineers Bevan, Miller, Bower, and the "Irish
Lord" Pendergast. He was promoted in 1899
to engineer, and is now on engine No. 750, in
the freight service between New Orleans and
Canton.
Mr. McCallum married Miss Raoul, of New
Orleans, who is the daughter of R. G. Raoul,
the well known agent for the I. C. at Osyka,
Miss. Mrs. McCallum's uncle, W. G. Raoul, is
president of the Mexican Central R. R., and
T. S. Moeise, another relative, is superintendent
of a Georgia road. Her brother, R. G. Raoul
Jr., is agent for the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. at Greenville, Miss. Of the social organ-
izations, Mr. McCallum claims membership with
the Modern Woodmen of the World, and Divi-
sion No. 196, B. of L. E., of McComb City, of
which place he is one of the best citizens.
'ILLIAM T. FERGUSON, an ex-
perienced passenger engineer in the
service of the Illinois Central, be-
tween New Orleans, La., and Vicks-
burg, Miss., has been connected with the road
since 1885. He began his career in railroad
work as a wiper for the Memphis & Charleston
R. R., serving in that capacity for five years, and
being then promoted to fireman on the road.
Eight months later he was promoted to engineer
in the freight service, where he was employed
from 1876 until 1882 on a regular run from
Memphis, Term., to Stevenson, Ala. He then
went to the Louisville & Nashville R. R. as en-
gineer in the freight service of that company,
between Decatur and Montgomery, Ala., serving
two and one-half years. From the latter road
he came to the Illinois Central (Y. & M. V. R.
R.), and was in the freight service of the road
only two months when promoted to the passen-
ger service. He is now serving in that depart-
ment between New Orleans and Vicksburg,
where he is doing satisfactory work. His rail-
road record has been a faithful one, having lost
but one month during his fifteen years' service.
Accidents happen to the best of engineers, and
our subject is not an exception. He has been
in several wrecks, and two of his firemen have
been killed. He fortunately escaped with slight
injuries. Mr. Ferguson was born in Tishmingo
county, Miss., on December 19, 1854, and is the
son of Carroll Ferguson, an extensive cotton
planter of that county, who departed this life
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
365
in 1867. F. A. C. Ferguson, trainmaster for
the I. C. at Vicksburg, is a brother of our sub-
ject. He affiliates socially with Division No.
281, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg. Mr. Ferguson
has his home at No. 1638 Poydras street, in the
city of New Orleans, and while in Vicksburg
stops at No. 301 Bridge street. His career has
been an active and successful one, and he is
(kridedly popular among his co-employes.
ARRY J. BROWN, a popular conduc-
tor in the freight service of the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R. on the New
Orleans division, was born in New
Orleans on October 13, 1869, and is a son of
H. O. and Martha (Kelly) Brown. Mr. Brown
Sr. was a steward on the Morgan steamship line
for many years, and died at Vicksburg, Miss., in
1876. He is survived by his wife who makes her
home in New Orleans. Our subject attended
the public schools of Vicksburg, Yazoo City and
New Orleans, and at the age of fourteen was in
the employ of the Singer Sewing Machine com-
pany as office boy at New Orleans, and also
worked as night operator for the National Fire
Alarm company. In 1890 he entered the ser-
vice of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as
a flagman on a passenger train between New
Orleans and Vicksburg, remaining there eight
months. He was afterwards appointed bag-
gageman, and was in that service a few months.
Going to Mexico he secured a position as clerk
and timekeeper in the motive power department
of the Mexican National R. R. at Acambaro,
serving that company nine months. On account
of the illness of his mother, he then returned to
New Orleans, and on her recovery re-entered the
employ of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.
as flagman, remaining in that capacity in the
freight and passenger service until 1894. He
then returned to Mexico, and after a short
period as flagman was promoted to conductor on
the Mexican Central R. R., between San Luis
Potosi and Saltillo. He then brought back to
Vicksburg the body of a friend, who had been
killed in Mexico and was induced to remain in
New Orleans, resuming his former position of
flagman. He continued in that position until
1896, when promoted to his present position, apd
is now running local freights between Vicksburg
and Wilson.
Mr. Brown was married on November 25,
1896, to Miss Zula Mengis, of Vicksburg, and
they have one child, Marian, born December 27,
1898. Socially Mr. Brown is connected with
Vicksburg Division No. 231, O. R. C. Both he
and his wife are members of the Presbyterian
church. Politically he is a Democrat.
RANTLEY B. HARPER, chief clerk
in the mechanical department in the
Vicksburg shops, of the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley R. R., is a native
of Jefferson county, Mississippi, born January
26, 1866. William L. and Anna E. (Coulson)
Harper were his parents. Mr. Harper Sr. was
a prosperous planter, and for many years a mem-
ber of the Mississippi legislature. During the
Civil war he was captain of the Jefferson artil-
lery, famed for its bravery, and at the battle of
Shiloh, on April 4, 1862, he was so severely
wounded as to incapacitate him for duty, and
compel him to retire from the service. He de-
parted this life in 1892. Mrs. Harper was born
and reared in the city of Natchez, and is now
residing on the plantation in Mississippi, to
which her husband brought her as a bride.
Grantley B. Harper was educated in the
public schools of Fayette, Miss., graduating from
the Central high school of that city, and finishing
his education at Jefferson College in Natchez,
from which he graduated in 1883. He imme-
diately made a trip through Texas, but not find-
ing employment of a suitable character, returned
to Mississippi and entered the service of the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. ) as a clerk in
the office of S. D. McNair, agent for the com-
366
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
pany at Harriston. He remained there about
two and one-half years, going from there to
Vicksburg, and entering the road service as
brakeman, and working there one year. He was
then appointed cashier and ticket clerk at Green-
ville, Miss., under George Wheatley. the agent
at that place, and held that position five months.
He returned to the road service as a freight con-
ductor on the Vicksburg division, between Vicks-
burg and Coahoma, and after a service of six
months was transferred to the New Orleans
division, in charge of a mixed train between
Natchez and Harriston, where he remained one
year. Being then offered the position of ma-
terial clerk in the Vicksburg shops, he accepted,
and later was promoted to abstract clerk. In
1894 he was appointed to his present position,
which he is satisfactorily filling. During the
Spanish- American war Mr. Harper was first
lieutenant of Company A, First Mississippi Vol-
unteers, serving until December 20, 1898, and
then resuming his former position with the com-
pany. On January 26, 1887, Mr. Harper mar-
ried Miss Marion Arnette, of Jefferson county,
Miss., and they are the parents of Grantley B.
ami Hazel Harper, two fine children. Mr. Har-
per is a member of R. E. Lee Lodge No. i ,
Knights of Pythias, of Vicksburg, of which he
is Past Chancellor. In politics he votes with the
Democratic party, and religiously he and his
estimable wife are identified with the Presby-
terian and Methodist churches respectively.
Mr. Harper is numbered among the best citizens
of Vicksburg, and is held in high regard by all
who know him.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
nVESON E. SMITH, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central, on
J_[ the Louisiana division, is a native of
McComb City, Miss. He entered railroad
life at that place in 1889, becoming identified
with the I .C., and has since been an employe
of that road. His first work on the road was as
fireman in the freight service, and later he was
in the passenger service until 1895. He was in
the latter year promoted to engineer, and is now
in charge of a through freight on engine No.
707, with T. Simms as fireman. A continued
service of eleven years with the I. C., without an
accident of any kind, is a record of which Mr.
Smith may be justly proud. Our subject is
married and has a nice little family. He is a
member of Division No. 196, B. of L. E., of
McComb City. Mr. Smith resides with his fam-
ily in a pleasant home on Pearl River avenue,
in East McComb, and is a progressive and pop-
ular citizen of that community.
jtjtjtjtjtj*
E. DELANEY/an engineer in the
passenger service of the Illinois
LQ Central, on the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley branch, was born in Lancas-
ter county, Pennsylvania, on January 27, 1863,
and is a son of Michael and Bridget Delaney.
The father was a stone mason by trade, and
moved from Pennsylvania to Macon county, Mo.,
where he died, and where his widow still resides.
Our subject began railroad work on the old
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the
I. C.) as fireman with Engineer "Senator" Jones,
between Vicksburg and Rutland, Miss. He was
later with Engineer William Rowton for ten
months, when he was appointed coal checker for
that road at Cleveland, and continued there for
three months. He was then appointed foreman
and day hostler at the same place, where he was
employed from January until August 1889.
Taking the examination at Vicksburg, he was
promoted to engineer and took charge of the en-
gine engaged in laying the track on the River-
side division. He worked for several months in
the construction and freight service, acting as
conductor as well as engineer, as was required
at that time. He then entered the regular freight
service of the same company between Vicksburg
and Memphis, and in 1894 was placed in charge
of a mixed train out of Greenville, Miss., where
he was for three years. Returning to Vickshurg,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
367
lie entered the freight service; where he was for
one year, and from there to Memphis, in June
1898, where he has since remained, in the regu-
lar passenger service of the Y. & M. V. branch
of the Illinois Central, between Memphis and
Rolling Fork, Miss.
The marriage of Mr. Delaney to Miss Ella
Losson, of Yicksburg, occurred in 1894, and
their union has been blessed by three children :
Ethel, Eugene Emmett and Horace Lawton.
He is a member of Greenville Lodge No. 206,
A. F. & A. M., of Greenville, Miss. ; Leland
Lodge No. 77, K. of P., of Leland, and Division
No. 281, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg. His family
are adherents of the Catholic faith. They re-
side in a pretty cottage on McLemore avenue,
in Memphis, where they are highly respected.
LG. BUCKNER, an engineer in the
freight service of the Illinois Central,
Q between Memphis, Tenn., and Grena-
da, Miss., was born on November 17,
1871, at Parsons, Tenn. He is a son of Edward
Buckner, a mill-wright, who resides at that place.
Acquiring a good education in the schools of his
native place, our subject began life on his own
account on a rock crusher at Parsons, where he
was employed for two years, and later was a
pumper at the same place for the old Tennessee
Midland R. R. for eighteen months. He then
secured work as fireman on that road, with En-
gineer Gus Gideon, where he remained nine
months. Going from there to Memphis, he en-
tered the service of the I. C. as fireman with
Engineer Hatch, where he was occupied until
April 30, 1892. The summer of 1892 was spent
in the state of Texas, and in December of that
year he re-entered the service of the I. C. at
Memphis as fireman, where he remained until
February 7, 1896. On the latter date he re-
ceived promotion to engineer in the yards at
Memphis, and also ran extra until July 1898,
when he was given a regular run between Mem-
phis and Grenada. He was discharged on July
31, 1899, but in November of the same year was
reinstated and resumed his old run, which he
now has, on engine No. 736. A brother of our
subject, O. E. Buckner, is a carpenter in the em-
ploy of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis
R. R. Mr. Buckner is a member of Division No.
23, B. of L. E., and of Division No. 364, B. of L.
F., both of Memphis, where he resides at 787
Main street. He is a very popular young man,
and his future promises to be a bright one.
LOUIS BURRER, an engineer
in the freight service on the New Or-
leans division of the Y. & M. V. R. R.,
was born in Alsace, now a part of
Germany, on November 15, 1844. He was edu-
cated in the schools of his native province, and
in 1865, at the age of twenty-one, went to Paris,
France, and ,fro.m there to Egypt, where he
worked as a machinist on the Suez Canal. On
his return voyage he stopped at the isle of Malta,
an English stronghold in the Mediterranean sea,
where he visited the church of St. John, the lar-
gest church in the world, in the catacombs of
which are the tombs of the Knights of Malta.
Arriving in Paris in 1867, he remained there un-
til the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war,
when he enlisted and was made a lieutenant in
the French army. He was engaged in the de-
fence of Paris during the siege, and at the close
of the war, when the commune was declared,
allied himself with that movement. After visit-
ing England, Germany, Italy, Greece, Belgium
and Switzerland, Mr. Burrer emigrated to Amer-
ica, landing in New York city in September 1871.
He went west to Evansville, Incl., and worked
on the water works there for a short time, and
in 1873 came to New Orleans, taking part in
the riot of September 18, 1874. He entered the
service of the Illinois Central in 1875 as a ma-
chinist, and worked as such with the company
until 1878, during which time he superintended
the building of two steam shovels. In 1878 he
was examined 'for the position of locomotive en-
368
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
g-ineer, and was given a run on the Louisiana
division, between Canton, Miss., and New Or-
leans. He remained in that capacity until May
i, 1883, when he went to the L. N. O. & St. L.
R. R. (now the Y. & M. V. R. R.), assisting in
the construction of that road, and afterward se-
curing a regular run in the passenger service.
He was in charge of the first passenger train
which entered the city of Baton Rouge, La. Af-
ter a career of fourteen years in the passenger
service, our subject was compelled to abandon
his work in July 1898, on account of losing his
sight. At the present time he has happily par-
tially recovered from his affliction, and hopes to
be again ready for active service in about one
year.
On July 15, 1873, Mr. Burrer was married
to Miss Elise Federlein, of New Orleans, a na-
tive of Baden, Prussia. To them have been bom
four children, viz : Anna, Frank J., Louis C. and
Charles B. He is connected with the Masonic
fraternity, Knights of Honor, and B. of L. E.
The family are members of the Catholic church,
and he is a Democrat in politics.
JOHN B. KINKLE, a well known and
popular conductor in the freight service
on the New Orleans division of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., is
a native of Selma, Ala., born in 1855. His
father, A. J. Kinkle, a merchant of that place,
died in 1864, and the mother of our subject,
who was before her marriage Miss Mary
Blevins, died in 1869. Our subject was edu-
cated in a private school in Huntsville, Ala., and
in the schools of his native town. His school
days being over, he began life as a clerk in the
store of B. J. Fort, at Marion Junction, Ala.,
where he worked six years. He then followed
farming pursuits on his uncle's farm at Bowers
Station, Ala., for a year, and later clerked in
different stores at that place. In 1880 he went
to Jackson, and afterward began his railroad
career as a fireman on the Illinois Central R.
R. under Engineer Huston, running between
New Orleans and McComb City. He afterward
served as fireman on a work train, and was also
a hostler at Montgomery, Miss. In 1881, he
went to the Louisiana division of the road as
brakeman, and after working in that capacity
until 1883 was promoted to conductor. He
then went to the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas R. R. (now the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley R. R.) as a brakeman, and after a short
service was promoted to conductor in the
freight service. He served as conductor until
1888, transferring at that time to the Louisville
& Nashville R. R. as conductor on the Birming-
ham division, and working there eight months.
He then returned to the Y. & M. V. R. R. and
was given a position as conductor on a through
freight between New Orleans and Vicksburg,
and is now successfully serving there with good
prospects for promotion. Mr. Kinkle was, on
February 24, 1885, married to Miss Elizabeth
Carthy, a native of New Orleans. He and his
wife are members and supporters of the Episco-
pal church. He affiliates politically with the
Democratic party.
LED. BARNES, an experienced conduc-
tor in the service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral on the Louisiana division, became
identified -with the company on Sep-
tember 2nd, 1886. On that date, being only six-
teen years of age, he entered the foundry of the
McComb City shops as a laborer, where he was
employed two years. On October 8th, 1888, he
went to the road service as brakeman with Con-
ductor W. H. Moales, and was promoted to con-
ductor on Oct. 8, 1890. The rapid promotion is
indicative of good service. His present run is
a through freight, on caboose No. 98269. Mr.
I Sanies was born at Crystal Springs, Miss. He
married Miss Bangston, of Amite City, La., and
has two children, Oneida, aged three years, and
Walter, aged five months. Socially he is a mem-
ber of Division No. 108, O. R. C., of New Or-
THOMAS WHEELOCK PLACE.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
371
leans, and the Elks, Lodge No. 268, of McComb
City. He had a beautiful home in the latter city,
which was just completed when totally destroyed
by fire in May 1899. Mr. Barnes is a very
powerful man physically, a typical specimen of
a man for his work. He is very much esteemed
among a large circle of friends and acquain-
tances.
THOMAS WHEELOCK PLACE. It
is a pleasure for the biographical
writer to meet a man who has risen
from the lowly walks of life to the
ranks of the most prominent citizens of the com-
munity by dint of his own energy and economy.
One whose life furnishes an example of tenacity
of purpose and force of character that sets in
motion a wave of influence that is felt beyond the
immediate vicinity in which he lives, and raises
the standard of society and moral principles.
Mr. Place was born in the town of Acworth,
Sullivan county N. H., January 2, 1833, the son
of Ebenezer and Polly (Dickey) Place. He
was endowed with such educational advantages
as were furnished by the common schools of that
day, and this, together with the discipline of
home, were his only qualifications for his life
work. In March 1850, at the age of seventeen
years, he entered the shops of Parks & Wool-
son, of Springfield, as an apprentice to the ma-
chinist's trade. Two years later, or in 1852,
was employed as machinist in the Boston lo-
comotive works. Having been so conversant
with mechanical railroad work, in 1853 he read-
ily secured employment as fireman on the North-
ern Railroad, of New Hampshire, which is now
a part of the Boston & Maine system. In Janu-
ary 1854, Mr. Place moved to Chicago and en-
tered the service of the Chicago & Aurora Rail-
road, now part of the Chicago, Burlington &
Ouincy system, as machinist, but in April of
the same year he accepted a position of locomo-
tive engineer for the Illinois Central Railroad,
and retained the same until November 1856.
While thus employed he had charge of engine
•NV-°- 53- drawing the first night passenger train
21
from Centralia to Cairo, Thomas White, conduc-
tor. November 13, 1856, he accepted an offer
of the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad, made his
home at Dubuque, Iowa, and was engineer of
engine "J. P. Farley," drawing the first passen-
ger train from Dubuque to Dyersville, May n,
1857, J. S. Northup in charge of train as conduc-
tor. This situation he retained until August
1859, and was then appointed foreman of the
company's shops in Dubuque. In May 1860, he
received a flattering offer from the Chicago &
Alton company of the position of foreman of
the roundhouse at Joliet, 111. This offer he ac-
cepted and was in their employ until September
i, 1 86 1, when he returned to Dubuque as mas-
ter mechanic of the Dubuque & Sioux City Rail-
road, having been re-incorporated from the Du-
buque & Pacific Railroad to Dubuque & Sioux
City Railroad, August i, 1860, and served in
this capacity until the Illinois Central company
leased the line October i, 1867. At this time he
experienced a change only of employers, for the
Illinois Central's officials found him a valuable
man and he was retained in the capacity of mas-
ter mechanic, and moved with the shops to
Waterloo, Iowa, in November 1870.
July 24, 1860, the subject of this life his-
tory was united in marriage to Miss Mary
Josephine Meyers, daughter of one of Dubuque's
oldest and distinguished families. This union
has been blessed by the advent of a family of four
bright energetic sons all of whom have already
attained good positions in life. Augustus M.
and James W. are both engineers at Waterloo,
Frederick E. is general foreman at the Illinois
Central shops at Burnside, Chicago, and Dorrance
M. is employed in the office of the chief engineer
at Chicago. Mr. Place is prominent both in
political and social circles in the city he makes
his home. During the years 1872, 1877, 1879,
and 1880 he was a member of the city council
of Waterloo, also member of school board, East
Waterloo, 1876 to 1885. Socially he affiliates
with the Masonic fraternity, and also Harmony
Lodge No. 2, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
at Dubuque, and has filled all the chairs of the
latter lodge.
372
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JOHN' T. 1',1'RNELL, a popular young en-
gineer on the Louisiana division of the
Illinois Central, was born at Urbana,
Ohio, on May 18, 1867, ancl ls a son °f
John Burnell, a conductor on the Ohio & Penn-
sylvania R. R., well known in those states. - Our
subject began his railroad career as a fireman on
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. out of
Vicksburg, working in that capacity and as extra
until 1896, when he was promoted to engineer.
He was later transferred to the Louisiana divi-
sion, and is now serving there, on a through
freight run, on engine No. 52. Socially Mr.
Burnell is connected with Division No. 196
B, of L. E., of McComb City, where he makes
his home. Mr. Burnell is a bright, sociable young
man, and a general favorite with every one con-
nected with the road.
JF. BEACH, a popular engineer in the
service of the Illinois Central on the
Q Louisiana division, began his railroad
career in the mechanical department of
the Norfolk & Western R. R. He was connected
with that road for some time as fireman, and later
was with the Southern and Soo roads in similar
positions. In 1895, while on the Asheville divi-
sion of the Southern road, he was promoted to
engineer and worked as such for that company
until 1897. In the latter year he entered the
service of the I. C. as engineer on the New Or-
leans Terminal, and after a short service there
came to McComb City, and has, at present, a
through run between that city and New Orleans,
on engine No. 746. During his entire railroad
career he has never been injured, and being a
young man, with a fine record for energy and
steadfastness, has a promising future before
him. Mr. Beach is a native of Georgia. 'His
parents, J. C. Beach and wife, are still living,
Mr. Beach Sr. being a successful merchant, and
a prosperous farmer of Georgia. Mr. Beach
married Miss Annie Moss, whose father is a
machinist in the I. C. shops at McComb City.
Socially he is connected with Myrtle Lodge No.
36, K. of P., and is also a member of Division
No. 196, B. of L. E., of McComb City, where
he resides in a comfortable home on College
Hill.
LOUIS H. KELL, foreman of the exten-
sive machine shops of the Illinois Cen-
tral at McComb City, Miss., bears the
distinction of having held that posi-
tion for the last twenty-four years, serving suc-
cessively with satisfaction under eight different
master mechanics, viz : Greenup, Anderson,
Baker, McKeown, Whittaker, Losuch, Baldwin
and Dawson. Mr. Kell was born in Alexandria,
Virginia, on February 29, 1844. His father,
Nathan Kell, who died in 1897, was a copper-
smith by trade, and an expert in his line. In
his day much copper was used in construction,
and he was connected with the Mobile & Ohio,
and the Mississippi & Tennessee roads for many
years, as a skilled mechanic. At an early age
the subject of this sketch went with his parents
to Columbus, Ky., and afterward to Jackson,
Tenn. It was at the latter place, and at the age
of sixteen, that he began life on his own account,
entering the shops of the M. & O. R. R. as an ap-
prentice. In 1862 he took the oath of allegiance
at Jackson, and on being released went south to
Grenada, Miss., working there for the Missis-
sippi & Tennessee road for two years. He next
worked for the Mississippi Central, and in 1874
came to McComb City as foreman of the machine
shops, where he has since remained. He has
in his department thirty-four skilled machinists,
fourteen apprentices, and ten helpers. Fifteen
engines of various types have been constructed
under his supervision, many of them still doing
good service. His success consists in his abili-
ty to properly handle his force of workmen.
Mr. Kell was married to a New Orleans
lady, and they have an interesting family of six
daughters who reside with their parents in a
commodious home on Railroad avenue in Me-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
373
('omb City. They are Misses Marie, Julia, Lil-
lic, Bella, Helen and Louise; all will be well edu-
cated, and are a bright family of children. In his
social connections Mr. Kell is a Knight of Honor,
and both he and his estimable wife are mem-
bers of the Knights and Ladies of Honor, in
McComb City, of which place they are promi-
nent residents.
DVVARD B. SKILLMAN, a well known
engineer in the passenger service of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley division
of the Illinois Central, has been con-
nected with the company since 1885. He began
his railroad career, on the New York Central
R. R. as a fireman between Syracuse and Buffa-
lo, where he was employed from 1870 to 1876,
and received his promotion to engineer on that
road. He then went to Texas, and entering the
service of the Texas Pacific R. R. worked as
engineer for that company on the accommoda-
tion train between Marshall, Texas, and Shreve-
port, La., for seven months. From the latter
road he went to the New Orleans & Pacific R.
R. for five months, and was in the construction
service of that road when it was being built. His
next work was on a new road being built at
Laredo, Texas, in 1880, and where he had charge
of the first engine to cross the Rio Grande river.
Going from Laredo to Palestine, Texas, he there
became identified with the International & Great
Northern R. R., which was then owned by the
Goulds. He was in the passenger service of
that road, and in charge of the train on which
Jay Gould and Talmage made a tour of the
southern roads, many of which were afterward
absorbed by the Gould system.
In 1885 Mr. Skillman went to Vicksburg
and entered the service of the Louisville, New
Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the I. C.) in the
freight department between Vicksburg and Mem-
phis. He then took charge of the engine ''R.
E. Lee" that carried the pay car special over that
road, and from there to a passenger run between
Panther Burn and Greenville, Miss., and later
between Wilson and New Orleans.
In 1891 he was transferred to Memphis,
since which time he has had a regular all night
run, in the passenger service between Memphis
and Vicksburg. During his service Mr. Skill-
man has made some fast runs, among them a
run of fifty miles in fifty-three minutes, on one
of the old low-wheel freight engines. He has
had several wrecks, the most serious one being
at Rolling Fork, Miss., when his engine jumped
the track and rolled down an embankment. In
this accident both he and his fireman were severe-
ly injured, and he was "laid up for repairs" for
forty-two days afterward. He had other ex-
periences of the kind, but no lives were lost on
any train of which he was in charge.
Mr. Skillman is a native of New York state,
born within a hundred miles of New York city,
on September 27, 1854. He is a son of Daniel
Skillman, wlio was an extensive farmer of that
state, and died there after a retired life of several
years. He married Miss Belle Reid, of New Or-
leans, and they have one child, Claude, a fine boy.
Of the social orders,, Mr. Skillman claims mem-
bership with Kellerstone Lodge No. 154, A. F.
& A. M., of Wilson, La. He is also identified
with Division No. 281, B. of L. E., of Vicks-
burg, Miss. His family are members of the
Methodist Episcopal church. Their home is at
No. 51 Gholson avenue, in Memphis, where they
have the friendship of a large circle of associates,
and where Mr. Skillman is looked upon as a
worthy citizen of the community.
HARLES LINSTROM, master me-
chanic for the Illinois Central with
headquarters at Vicksburg, Miss., is
a native of Sweden, and was born
January 7, 1848. He attended the public schools
of his native country until arriving at his twelfth
year, when he began life as an apprentice ma-
chinist. He learned the trade and worked at
it in Sweden until 1868, when he emigrated to
374
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
America, going to Chicago, 111., where he worked
in a restaurant for a month. He soon found em-
ployment at his trade in the shops on the West
Side, and worked there for two years. In 1870
he went south to Water Valley, Miss., securing
a position in the shops of the Mississippi Valley
R. R. and worked there one year. He then went
to Little Rock, Ark., and remained in that city
one year, and from there to New Orleans. He
there found employment as a locomotive engineer
between New Orleans and Canton, on the New
Orleans & Great Northern R. R., remaining in
the service of that road until 1882. From New
Orleans Mr. Linstrom went to Mexico, working
there about sixteen months, and in 1884 returned
to New Orleans, becoming identified with the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now
the Y. & M. V. R. R.) as foreman in the shops,
which position he occupied two years. He then
went to Vicksburg, and was appointed general
foreman, and in 1893 was promoted to his present
responsible position. Mr. Linstrom was, in
1876, married to Miss Amelia Berrett, of New
Orleans, three children being born of their union.
Charles, aged twenty-two, an engineer on the
Y. & M. V. R. R. at Vicksburg: Armida, who
died on February 28, 1899, aged sixteen, and
Gussie, aged nine. The Masonic organization
claims Mr. Linstrom as a valued member. He
is a Lutheran in his religious connections, and
in politics prefers to be independent.
^ICHARD H. JENKINS, a switch en-
gineer employed in the yards of the
Illinois Central at Memphis, Tenn., has
been in the railroad business for four-
teen years. His first experience at railroad work
was acquired on the Tennessee Coal & Iron R.
R., at Birmingham, Ala., where he worked for
one year as a fireman. He was then for four
years with the Louisville & Nashville R. R. as
fireman, hostler and switch engineer, and from
that road went to the Kansas City, Fort Scott &
Memphis R. R., where in 1894 he received pro-
motion to engineer. He was in the government
service at Memphis as second engineer until
1898, when he entered the switching department
of the Illinois Central at that place, and has since
remained there in the night service. Mr. Jen-
kins was born in the state of Pennsylvania on
June 29, 1872, and is a son of Leroy Jenkins, a
farmer residing in Georgia. He married Miss
Mary L. Mathews, who was born in Cleveland
county. Ark., but at the time of her marriage
was a resident of Memphis. Two children have
been born to them : Virginia May and Amy Eliz-
abeth. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are members of
the Methodist Episcopal church. They reside at
No. 73 Van Buren street, in Memphis, where
they enjoy the friendship and esteem of a large
circle of friends.
ONZANO WEEKS, the capable mana-
ger of the telegraphic department of
the Illinois Central at New Orleans,
is a native of that city. His birth oc-
curred there on June 30, 1862. His parents,
Samuel and Ellen (Taylor) Weeks, the latter
still living at New Orleans, at the age of seventy-
three years, were natives of the state of New
York. Samuel Weeks was an old and trusted
employe of the United States mint at New Or-
leans, and while employed there was seriously
injured by being accidentally caught in the ma-
chinery. He was appointed watchman at the
mint during the incumbency of Dr. Bonzano as
superintendent, and while employed in that ca-
pacity took up the study of telegraphy and col-
lateral branches, soon becoming an expert in
that line. He was then appointed superinten-
dent of fire-alarm telegraph for the city of New
Orleans, holding the position twelve years. In
1876 he was appointed melter and refiner at the
mint by President Grant, occupying that position
until his death which occurred July 28, 1878.
Bonzano Weeks was educated in the public
schools of New Orleans, and also took a course
in lllackman's Commercial College, graduating
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
375
in 1879. He then served an apprenticeship of
three years in a machine shop, giving special at-
tention to steamboat construction and engineer-
ing. In 1882 he was appointed clerk and tele-
grapher for the New Orleans police department,
and in the same year went to the jetties at the
month of the Mississippi as manager of the
telegraph office there. Remaining in the latter'
position two years, he next acted as agent for
the L. N. O. & T. R. R. (now the Y. & M. V.
R. R.) at Kenner, La., but was soon transferred
to the general office of the company at New Or-
leans, where he remained until that road was ab-
sorbed by the I. C. He was at once placed in
charge, as manager of telegraphy, of the first
office established by the I. C., at the corner of
St. Charles and Common streets, in New Or-
leans. After one year's service there, he was
promoted to manager of all telegraphic work for
the company in that city, which position he has
held for more than seven years. Mr. Weeks
was married on July 22, 1884, to Miss Mary L.
McLaughlin, of New Orleans, whose father,
Captain John McLaughlin, is one of the best
known pilots' on the Mississippi river. Four
children are the result of this marriage, viz :
Louis B., Samuel A., Linton J., and Thelma L.
Mr. Weeks is connected with Masonic Lodge
No. 144, of New Orleans, of which he is Past
Master. His family attend the Methodist
church.
B. McINTURFF, a highly esteemed
young conductor on the Louisiana
division of the Illinois Central, is a
native of Woodstock, Va., where his
father, Levi Mclnturff, a farmer, still resides.
The early life of our subject was spent on his
father's farm, and in 1889, being then twenty-one
years of age, he began his railroad career as
flagman on a passenger train on the S. F. & W.
Railroad, serving in that capacity four months.
He then went as brakeman in the freight de-
partment of the Alabama Midland Railroad, and
after a service of two years was promoted to
conductor. He resigned in 1894, and on March
1 1. 1894, entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral at McComb City, as brakeman, where he
remained until promoted to conductor on Octo-
ber ii, 1896. He has at present a regular run
in the freight service, between McComb City and
New Orleans, on caboose No. 98270, and a crew
consisting of L. Mook, flagman, and C. B. Em-
erick, brakeman. On August 19, 1891, Mr.
Mclnturff was united to a daughter of D. D.
Hunt, of Hatchechubbee, Ala. Two children
have been born to them, Ray H. and Lawrence
Owen. He is an officer of Division No. 367,
O. R. C., and is connected with Dewey Tent
No. i , Knights of the Maccabees. He was only
once injured, by being violently thrown against
the caboose door, having his arm broken, and
was compelled to retire from work for over three
months. He is a trustworthy young man, well
liked by his fellow employes, and stands high in
the estimation of the officials of the road.
M. WHEELER, a conductor in
the service of the Illinois Central
Q on the Louisiana division, known
to the boys on that division as
"The Tall Kicker of the Wabash," began his
railroad life in 1869. His first work was on the
Lake Erie & Western R. R. as a laborer on a
work train, between Peru and LaPorte, Incl.,
following which he secured a position as brake-
man on the old Indiana Central R. R., between
Logansport and Richmond, Incl. Acquiring a
good knowledge of the work, he next went to
the service of the Missouri Pacific R. R., Eastern
division, and was a brakeman on that road for
one year, leaving at the time of the Jay Gould
troubles, known in railroad history as "Black
Friday.'' He next entered the service of the
Mississippi Central, and was given a run between
Water Valley and Canton, Miss., later taking a
regular run between Jackson, Tenn., and Cairo,
111. In 1875 he went to Texas, and in 1878 was
in the passenger service of the Southern Pacific
376
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
R. R. (Sunset Route) between San Antonio and
Houston. He took one of the first passenger
trains to the city of San Antonio. Texas was
at that time a rendezvous for desperadoes of all
kinds, and Mr. Wheeler was made a United States
marshal for western district of Texas for the pro-
tection of himself and passengers. He has often
been covered by six-shooters, but his iron nerve
safely carried him through his difficulties. After
working for some time in the Lone Star State, he
went north to St. Louis, and was for a year with
the St. Louis Terminal R. R. In 1881 he went to
the Missouri Pacific R. R., and was in the service
of that company as conductor four years, resign-
ing to accept a position with the Wabash Railroad.
He remained with the Wabash seven years as
a conductor, running out of St. Louis, and from
there to Kansas City. Then going to Arizona,
he was there about a year in the service of the
Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. He then came to
the Louisiana division of the Illinois Central,
and in 1896 became a resident of McComb City,
where he has since remained. His railroad ca-
reer of thirty-one years has been a successful
one, without accidents or injury of consequence.
Mr. Wheeler is a native of Rush county,
Ind. His father, William Wheeler, was a Vir-
ginian by birth, but when a young man moved
to East Tennessee and married Ruth Igo. Not
being in sympathy with the slave-holders, he
moved his family to Indiana. He was a man
of learning, acquired by hard and persistent
study, often sitting the greater part of the night
before a large fireplace, and studying by the light
it afforded. He died at the age of seventy-eight
years. Mr. Wheeler is a member of Division
No. 304, O. R. C, of Canton, Miss. He has
been connected with the order for twenty-two
years, first joining, as a charter member, Division
No. 7, at Columbus, Texas, in 1878, and was
Chief of the Division. He holds a traveling
card dated August I, 1879. He is also a member
of Elks Lodge No. 268, of McComb City. Mr.
Wheeler has a daughter, now a beautiful young
lady of eighteen, who resides in St. Louis. He
is a tall, fine looking man, active and energetic,
and very popular among the employes on the
Louisiana division. He frequently indulges in
literary work, and has contributed articles and
humorous poetry to the St. Louis papers. He
has written several humorous poems showing the
fads and fancies of the boys on his division,
which display much wit and a keen judgment of
human nature.
rlLLIAM J. HELMICK, the accom-
modating and progressive agent at
McComb City, Miss., is a native of
Wheatfield, Ind., born in 1876. In
1891 he entered the employ of the Chicago &
Eastern Indiana R. R. as telegrapher, serving
three months, and from that road went to the
New York, Chicago & St. Louis R. R. He then
returned to the C. & E. I. R. R. as agent and
operator, where he worked for some time. In
1896 he entered the service of the Illinois Central,
at Paducah, Ky., as operator, and was sent from
there to Horse Branch, in that state, as agent.
Following this he acted as relief agent on the
Louisville division, and in 1897 was placed in
charge of the telegraph office at Crystal Springs,
Miss. On August I, 1898, he was appointed
agent at Amite, La., and on December 2, 1898,
was transferred to McComb City as general
agent, succeeding F. W. Beale and G. K. Rey-
nolds, freight and ticket agents, respectively.
Mr. Helmick's position is one of great responsi-
bility, on account of the large shipments of lum-
ber and brick from that point and Fernwood, of
which he has charge. The shipments from the
sawmills and brickyards of J. T. Coney, White's,
and Holmes Brothers, are immense, and it re-
quires a man of ability to handle them properly.
The immense shops of the I. C. at McComb City-
add largely to his work, together with the office
work of the yard master, which is under his
jurisdiction. An ice house of 1,500 tons ca-
pacity, which is located here for the purpose of
icing cars of fruit and vegetables, is also under
the charge of the agent. This ice house is
filled twice per year, and requires a large force of
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
377
extra laborers during the spring months. Mc-
Coinh City is soon to have an extensive cotton
mill, which will add to his duties. The force
under his management consists of H. G. Mackcy,
chief clerk ; Edwin L. McLaurin, and F. L.
Kaufman, yard clerks ; E. J. Wood, night ticket
clerk ; H. L. Eastman, office clerk and John J.
Mclntosh, warehouse man, besides several por-
ters, baggagemen and watchmen.
Mr. Helmick married a daughter of F. H.
Scott, agent for the Chicago & Eastern Indiana
R. R. at Wheatfield, Ind. The rapid promotion
of Mr. Helmick marks him as a young man of
great ability. He is progressive, attentive to
duty, and has a bright future in prospect.
R. HERBERT, general yardmaster
for the Illinois Central at New Or-
leans, La., was born at Dallas
City, 111., July 18, 1861, and is
the son of Thomas J. and Lucinda J. (Fontaine)
Herbert. Thomas J. Herbert, the father, was a
stock dealer in Illinois, and died in 1864; his wife
still survives, and resides at Vicksburg, Miss.
Our subject received his education in the pub-
lic schools of St. Louis, Mo., and at Beachland
high school. At the age of eighteen he was taken
into the employ of John A. Wood & Son, exten-
sive coal dealers of Pittsburg, Pa., as clerk, and
remained with that firm for three years. In
September 1882, he entered the service of the
L. N. O. & T. R. R. (now the Y. & M. V. R. R.)
as supervisor of construction between Vicks-
burg and Memphis, holding the position for
eighteen months. He then received an appoint-
ment as supply clerk, for the same company,
and from that to brakeman, and finally to con-
ductor in the freight service, where he remained
until July 14, 1890. On the latter date he went
to the Queen & Crescent Route as conductor,
but after a short service went to Costa Rica, and
worked for more than a year on the Ferro Caro
de Costa Rica road. He then returned north,
and for two months was with the Texas Pacific
R. R. Becoming identified with the I. C. R. R.
about that time, he worked for nine months as
conductor, and on July 19, 1893, was appointed
night yardmaster at Memphis, which he held
until November 6, 1896, when he was sent to
New Orleans as general night yardmaster,
holding the latter position until March 1897.
He then went to the L. & N. R. R, as night
yardmaster, at Mobile, Ala., and in November of
that year resigned and went north to St. Louis,
working there a few months for the Terminal
R. R. Leaving the latter he worked for a short
-time for the St. L. I. M. & S. R. R., and return-
ing to New Orleans re-entered the service of the
I. C. as assistant yardmaster there. On January
17, 1900, he was promoted to general yardmas-
ter, a position for which his wide experience in
railroad work has well fitted him. On October
6, 1899, Mr. Herbert was united in marriage to
Miss Laura A. Blakely, a native of New Or-
leans, and a most estimable lady. Socially he
is connected with Division No. 231, O. R. C.,
of Vicksburg.
THOMAS J. McCOSKER, a young en-
gineer in the service of the Illinois
Central on the Louisiana division, is
one of the most popular men on the
road. He entered the service of the I. C. in
1883, when only seventeen years of age, as a
caller, at Canton, Miss. In a short time he be-
gan coaling engines, and was afterward appoint-
ed fireman on a switch engine. Having served
'in this capacity for some time, and acquiring a
thorough knowledge of the work, he was pro-
moted to fireman on freight and passenger en-
gines successively. In 1889 he was promoted
to engineer and given charge of engine No. 20,
and later of No. 705, built in Weldon, 111. He is
at present in charge of a "Manifest" run between
McComb City and Canton, Miss., where his ser-
vices are fully appreciated. During his career
of seventeen years with the I. C. he has never
been in a serious accident, and has the remark-
378
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ably clean record of only twenty clays' suspension.
This characterizes him as a man who attends
strictly to his business, and is of itself an indica-
tion that he is certain to rise in his chosen work.
Mr. McCosker is a native of Canton, Miss.,
where he was born August 14, 1866. His father,
Bernard McCosker, who died in 1878, was also
a trusted employe of the I. C. At Canton, Miss.,
Mr. McCosker was married to Miss Mary I.
Riley, a popular young lady of Yazoo City, and
their union has been blessed with three children.
Marie and Xellie Louise are living, and Agnes
Margarette died in infancy. Socially he is a
member of Division Xo. 196, B. of L. E., also of
the Catholic Knights of America, of McComb
City, where he resides in a fine home on Broad-
way.
E. BRIXGLE, a conductor in the
freight service of the Illinois Central
,Q on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
division, began his career on that
road as brakeman on the Riverside division,
where he worked for six months. He then went
to the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. where he was
employed for one and one-half years in a similar
capacity. Returning to Memphis, he re-entered
the employ of the I. C. as a brakeman, and in
1899 was promoted to conductor in the freight
department, since which time he has been in the
regular through freight service, between Mem-
phis, Tenn., and Yicksburg, Miss. Mr. Bringle
is a son of Thomas J. Bringle, a wealthy re-
tired fanner who resides near Covington, Tenn.,
where our subject was born on January 27, 1868.
He has two brothers at that place, one of them an
attorney of prominence, and another engaged in
mercantile pursuits. Mr. Bringle's railroad ca-
reer has been free from accidents of any kind.
He is considered a careful and painstaking em-
ploye of the I. C., well known by every one con-
nected with the road. He resides at 791 Main
street, in Memphis.
JM. AX DREWS, a popular engineer in
the freight service of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral on the Louisiana division, was born
at Phillipsburg, Xew Jersey, in 1850.
He is a son of James Millet Andrews, a promi-
nent engineer, who died in 1869, and who was
for many years with the Lehigh Valley, and the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western roads. Dur-
ing the Civil war, he was in the service of the.
government, carrying troops to different parts
of the country.
J. M. Andrews, our subject, began railroad
life, against the wishes of his father, in his native
town, as bell boy for James Warner, an engineer.
It was customary for engineers in those days to
keep boys to ring the bells. In 1870 he entered
the service of the Central R. R., of Xew
Jersey, at Phillipsburg, as fireman, where he
served four years in the freight and passenger
service. He then went to the Lehigh Valley R.
R. and while with that road was, after two years
work in the freight service, promoted to the pas-
senger service. He resigned November 18, 1893.
on account of a general strike, and went to the
Florida & East Coast R. R., working on that
road through the winter and going to the Great
Xorthern in the spring. He returned to the
Florida & East Coast, and from there went to
the Houston & Texas Central, between Houston
and Fort Worth, Texas. He then worked suc-
cessively on the Florida & East Coast R. R., Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R., and the Mis-
souri, Kansas & Texas R. R. until June 1898,
when he entered the government service as a
locomotive engineer in Florida, carrying troops
near Tampa and Key West. In the latter service
he had charge of a fine new engine, and received
a salary of three hundred dollars per month.
Mr. Andrews tells many interesting stories
of his experience in connection with that service.
In 1899, the Spanish- American war being over,
he entered the Illinois Central service at McComb
City, where he has since remained, in charge of
a run in the freight department. Having traveled
extensively, Mr. Andrews has a fund of experi-
ence that stands him in good stead. He is a man
of great nerve, capable of taking charge of any
ALBERT ARTIC LILLY.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
381
engine. He is a member of Division Xo. 196,
I!, of L. E., of McComb City. While with the
Lehigli Valley R. R. he organized Division Xo.
38, at Sayre, Pa., and was chairman of the
Grievance 1'oard of the entire system. He has
always been an active worker in the interest of
the members. He belongs also to the Masonic
order, being a member of Hornellsville Lodge,
New York state, having taken his father's num-
ber in that lodge. Mr. Andrews organized the
railroad branch of the Young Men's Christian
Association, at Denison, Texas, which is in a
flourishing condition at the present time. He
married a daughter of C. F. Jenkins, a prominent
horseman of Lexington, Ky., and has a promis-
ing son, Joe, a school boy.
LBERT ARTIC LILLY, deceased, one
of the most popular engineers in the
/[ \\ service of the Illinois Central, was
born in North Carolina, but with his
parents moved to Hazelhurst, Miss., when young.
In 1881 Mr. Lilly entered the service of the Illi-
nois Central, as an apprentice in the McComb
City shops, and up to the time of his death had
been in the continuous employ of the company,
working himself up to repeated promotions, until
reaching the responsible position of passenger
engineer. At 9 125 on the evening of July 29,
1898, Mr. Lilly entered the McComb City yards
on engine Xo. 1171, and there collided with some
freight cars which had rolled out from a side
track, telescoping two of them. Mr. Lilly and
his fireman, Jesse Coumbe, were caught in the
wreck, and both died in a very short time. Mr.
Lilly was extricated from his position at once,
but was so badly injured that he lived but a short
time, dying at one o'clock A. M., July 30, 1898.
Mr Coumbe 's position was such that he could not
be extricated, and he died while pinned between
the boiler-head and tender, being horribly crushed
and burned. Albert A. Lilly was for twenty
years a resident of McComb City, and had le-
gions of friends in that city. Among railroad
men, his friends were all who knew him, and
at his old home in Hazelhurst, he was looked
upon as a pure hearted Christian gentleman.
Mr. Lilly was married in 1887 to Miss Palie
Catching, of Georgetown, Miss., who departed
this life, leaving two children, who by his sad
death were doubly orphaned. The remains of
our subject were conveyed to Hazelhurst, on
a special train, accompanied by many sorrowing
friends, and there amid the scenes of his boyhood
he was tenderly laid to rest, after an impressive
sermon at the Methodist church, of which he
was a devoted member. A careful, prudent man,
Mr. Lilly left his little ones well provided for,
besides which, the Illinois Central railroad com-
pany generously paid over to Mr. Joseph R. Lilly,
administrator of the estate, the sum of twelve
thousand dollars, for their benefit. He was a
member of the B. of L. E. and took consider-
able pride in the welfare of the order.
JOSEPH R. SCHULKERS. an engineer
in the switching service of the Illinois
Central in the Memphis yards, is a na-
tive of Covington, Ky., his birth occur-
ring May 6, 1862. He is a son of John R.Schul-
kers. who worked most of his life in a rolling
mill in that place, and died in 1880. The early
manhood of our subject was spent in the same
occupation as his father, in the Covington Rol-
ling Mills, and it was at that place he began rail-
road work. Entering the service of the Ken-
tucky Central R. R. as fireman between Coving-
ton and Lexington, Ky., he worked for that com-
pany three years. He then went to Cincinnati,
Ohio, and was employed in the yards of the
Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. as locomotive fireman,
and finally was promoted to engineer in the
freight service of that road, between Cincinnati
and Russell, Ky, In 1897 he went to Memphis
and entered the employ of the Illinois Central
in the yards, and has since remained there as
night switch engineer, his hours of duty being
from 6:00 P. M, to 6;oo A, M, He was in
382
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
several wrecks while with the Kentucky Central,
but his connection with the I. C. has been devoid
of accidents of any consequence. At Coving-
ton Mr. Schulkers was married to Miss Theresa
Mohlenkamp, of Boonc county, Ky., three chil-
dren being the result of their union, viz : Leona,
Adla, and Bernardina. With his wife he is a
firm adherent of the doctrines of the Catholic
church. He resides at No. 228 Iowa avenue,
in Memphis, of which city he is an honest and
upright citizen.
JAMES A. WILSON, who occupies the re-
sponsible position of depot master for
the Illinois Central at New Orleans, was
born at Smithfield, Va., on January 26,
1855. His parents, James A. and Mary Wil-
son, both departed this life in the yellow fever
epidemic of 1857. Our subject acquired his ed-
ucation in private schools and under private tu-
tors. At an early age he began life on his own
account, working his way in the line of indus-
trial pursuits, and in 1873 entered the service of
the C. N. O. & S. R. R., as flagman between
McComb City, Miss., and New Orleans. He
was transferred in 1875 to tne Water Valley divi-
sion, in a similar capacity, and at the end of one
year was given charge of a run on that division
as freight conductor. In 1879 he was sent to
Jackson, Tenn., and served as conductor in the
freight and passenger service between that city
and Cairo, 111., until 1882. In that year our sub-
ject was promoted to the passenger service on
the Mississippi division, where he remained until
1891. He was then appointed yardmaster at
Jackson, Tenn., and after a short service of six-
teen days, while engaged in superintending
shifting in the yards, lost his left leg. On re-
covery he was appointed night watchman at
Grenada, Miss., and in August 1895 was sent to
New Orleans as depot master, which position he
now fills.
Mr. Wilson and Miss Fannie Elliott, of
Wicklyffe, Ky., were married in 1883, the lat-
ter surviving only about a year after the mar-
riage. He was, in 1888, united to Miss Lula
Bosworth, of Canton, Miss., the daughter of
Mrs. A. S. Bosworth, who is editor of the
. lincrican Citizen, of that place. Mrs. Wilson
is a lady of fine literary ability, and acts as cor-
respondent for various newspapers. To them
have been born three children, James Norman,
Dudley and Marie. Mr. Wilson affiliates with
the Knights of Pythias. His family are mem-
bers of the Protestant Episcopal church. In poli-
tics he gives his allegiance to the Democratic
party.
LL. DAGRON, roadmaster on the
Twelfth division of the Illinois Cen-
Q tral, with headquarters at New Or-
leans, was born in New York city,
January 20, 1862, and is the son of Louis and
Alice Dagron. Mr. Dagron Sr. was a commis-
sion merchant of that city. The facilities of
the metropolis for acquiring a good education
were taken advantage of by the son, and after
finishing there he entered McGill University,
in Montreal, Canada, taking a course in engineer-
ing, and graduating in 1883. He at once entered
upon the active duties of life, securing a position
as draughtsman with the Sanborn Map and Pub-
lishing Company of New York city, where he
remained two years. In 1885 he began work
with the B. & O. R. R. at Baltimore, in the en-
gineering department, and was with that com-
pany until 1892. Entering the service of the
Illinois Central in the spring of the latter year,
in the capacity of civil engineer, he was made
engineer in charge of the Burnside shops. In
April 1896, he came to New Orleans, and took
charge of the construction of the Stuyvesant
docks, erected during that year, and in December
of the same year was appointed roadmaster of
the Freeport (111.) division of the I. C. Serv-
ing there for the following year, he was then
transferred to New Orleans as roadmaster, and
is at present acting in that capacity. He has
charge of two hundred and six miles of main
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
383
line, which with branch lines and terminals, is
increased to nearly five hundred miles. His
jurisdiction embraces forty-six sections, besides
the Xew ( )rleans Terminal. The satisfactory
management of such a large undertaking, shows
him to be a man of great executive ability.
Mr. Dagron was, on October 2, 1889, united
to Miss Blanche McMorran, a member of a pro-
minent family in Pittsburgh, Pa. He is a thirty
second degree Mason, and is a member of the
Protestant Episcopal church.
J. JEWETT, a well known conductor
in the passenger service on the Louisi-
Q ana division of the Illinois Central,
was born at Shreveport, La., Novem-
ber 2, 1843. His parents, Ivers, and Lydia
(Adams) Jewett, both deceased, were natives of
Massachusetts, but came to Louisiana in early
life. Ivers Jewett was a merchant by occupa-
tion. Responding to the call of his country in
the war of 1812, in which he was an officer, he
took a prominent part in it and was in the battle
of New Orleans under General Jackson.
T. J. Jewett was educated in the public
schools of New Orleans, and was from 1855 to
1861 in a private express business in that city
on his own account. Espousing the southern
cause in the Civil war, he enlisted in 1862, as
a private in the I5th Confederate Cavalry and
went to Mobile, Ala. He served during the en-
tire war on the Confederate side, surrendering
in April 1865, at Gainesville, Ala., with the army
of General Joseph E. Johnston. At the_ close of
the war, he returned to Mobile, Ala., and was em-
ployed by the Southern Express company, at
Mobile, Ala., as a messenger on the M. & O.
R. R. between Mobile and Cairo, 111. This posi-
tion was held for four years, when he entered the
employ of the same road as a brakeman, being
in a short time promoted to conductor. He was
identified with the M. & O. R. R. until 1873,
when he entered the service of the I. C. at Jack-
son, Tenn., as brakeman, and later worked as
freight conductor.
In 1874 he went to New Orleans and worked
in the I. C. yards as a switchman for a short
period. He was soon given charge of a freight
train on the Louisiana division, between New
Orleans and Canton, Miss. For a few months
during the year 1875, he was laid off on account
of the slack condition of business, but returned
to work in August of that year, acting succes-
sively as brakeman, conductor on work train,
conductor on freight, and extra passenger con-
ductor; and in 1885 was given a regular passen-
ger run, which he holds at the present time. Mr.
Jewett was, on June 25, 1872, united in mar-
riage to Miss Jennie Robertson, of Citronelle,
Ala. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity of
New Orleans, being a thirty- second degree Ma-
son, also a member of Mobile Chapter, a Shriner
of Jerusalem Temple, of New Orleans, and is
Chief Conductor, Division No. 108, O. R. C.
His family are supporters of the Methodist Epis-
copal church. Politically he is a Democrat.
1LLIAM BEVEN, the white haired
veteran engineer known to all the
employes of the road as " Dad "
Beven, is in the fast passenger ser-
vice of the Illinois Central on a vestibule train
between McComb City, and New Orleans. Mr.
Beven dates his railroad career back to 1868,
when he worked in the shops of the New Orleans,
Jackson & Great Northern R. R., where he was
employed until 1870. In that year he began fir-
ing on a wood-burner with engineer John
Hughes, known to the railroad men of that day
as " Happy Jack ", a whole-souled, popular man,
who died in 1897 in the state of Texas. After
working as fireman in the freight and passenger
service of the N. O. J. & G. N. (now the I. C.
R. R.) for four years, he went to the Louisville
& Nashville R. R. as engineer in the passenger
service, between New Orleans and Mobile, and
in 1879 returned to the I, C. and has since been
384
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
in the employ of that company. He has charge
of engine Xo. 387, Roger's build, with nineteen
and one-half inch cylinder. Mr. Beven met with
a peculiar accident in 1897. While running at
a speed of forty-five miles per hour, he stepped
out on the running hoard to make some repairs,
and slipped to the ground, luckily falling in a
swampy spot between two stumps. After find-
ing that no bones were broken he looked for his
train, which was no where in sight. He then
started to walk, when he perceived the train
backing up, he having been missed by his fire-
man after the train had gone three miles. He got
on his engine and carried the train through to
New Orleans, but the reaction following the
shock obliged him to rest for a time. It was
from Mr. Beven's engine that Master Mechanic
Baldwin jumped and met his death. Mr. Beven
says he had reduced his speed to twenty iniles
per hour, when the fatal red lights of the freight
train were seen, apparently on the main line.
Fireman McCollum jumped, and Mr. Baldwin
followed, striking a switch stand and splitting
open his head, causing instant death. Mr. Beven
stuck to his post and brought the train to a stand
still. The passengers gathered about him, pro-
fuse in their thanks, and wanted to raise a purse
which he gallantly refused, satisfied with the
thought that he had stuck to his post and per-
formed his duty. Mr. Beven's fastest run was
made with a train of nine coaches, covering six-
ty-three miles in one hour, which, considering
the track, is a remarkable run. Mr. Beven is
a native of Xew Orleans and was born August
28, 1849.'
William Beven, his father, was an English-
man, and his mother was a native of London.
The latter died at the age of eighty-six from the
result of a fall.
In 1876 our subject married a Miss Delaney,
a native of New York. They have three chil-
dren : Charles R. who holds a responsible posi-
tion in the freight office of the I. C. at New Or-
leans, and is married to a prominent young lady
of that place; Mrs. T. C. Henry, married to a
son of Col. R. H. Henry, of Jackson, Miss, and
John L., at school. Mr. Beven is Chief of Divi-
sion No. 196, B. of L. E., and has been an officer
of the Division for eight years. He has served
as delegate to conventions at Chicago and at
New Orleans. He is connected with Myrtle
Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and with the Knights
of Honor, of McComb City. Mr. Beven has
served with success under seven master mechan-
ics, and has graduated many competent engineers
from his engine. He is an active man, and
takes pleasure in a boxing contest or other sports
with his younger fellow employes. Physically
he is a fine type of manhood, erect and well-pro-
portioned, and to know "Dad" Beven is to know
one of Nature's noblemen.
'ILLIAM W. WEBB, an engineer in
the switching department of the Illi-
nois Central in the yards at Memphis,
has been connected with the company
since 1894. Beginning on the Canada Southern
R. R. (now the Michigan Central) he worked
for that company in the water and car depart-
ments, and also as a fireman in the freight de-
partment, until January 17, 1889. He was then
promoted to engineer, after examination. The
latter was a , very rigid one. Chief Dispatcher
Babbitt, Assistant Superintendent McDonald,
and Division Superintendent J. B. Morfit, con-
stituting the committee. On promotion he was
in the freight service of that road for some time
between St. Clair Junction and Yarmouth, On-
tario, also Windsor and Buffalo. On October
3, 1891, he became connected with the Toledo,
Ann Arbor & Michigan R. R., and served as
engineer in the freight department of that road
until 1894. In that year he went to Chicago,
and began work for the Illinois Central in the
shops, as hostler, and was afterward foreman.
He remained in Chicago until November 1897.
when Mr. Renshaw sent him to Memphis, where
he was employed in the switching service in the
yards, and was also for six months in the freight
service. He however returned to the yards,
where he has since remained as night engineer.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
Mr. Webb lias been in railroad service fourteen
years, and lias never bad a wreck and was never
injured. Mr. Webb was born in Ontario, Cana-
da, on June 12, 1859, and is a son of John Webb,
deceased, who was engaged there in the nursery
business on a large scale. In the parental fami-
ly there were three sons, all of whom became
railroad men ; first our subject ; then George, who
was a fireman, and is now dead ; and Ernest, an
engineer in the water works at Niagara Falls.
Mr. Webb married Miss Louie Birdsall, of Cana-
da. Socially he is connected with Lodge No.
32, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the
Foresters, of St. Thomas, Canada. He has a
nice home at 106 Florida avenue, Memphis. He
is a very faithful employe of the I. C., paying
strict attention to duty, and stands high in the
estimation of his superiors.
JM.IM.IM
K. WHITE, a conductor in the pas-
senger service of the Y. & M. V. R.
' Q R., was born in Belton, Texas, Feb-
ruary 10, 1864, and is the son of Cap-
tain B. S. and Anna (Kirkpatrick) White. Cap-
tain White was a ranchman in the Lone Star
State when the Civil war broke out, and imme-
diately organized the famous "Texas Rangers,"
being appointed captain of Company A, Sixth
Texas Mounted Infantry. He served with dis-
tinction during the entire war, and moving to
Hinds county, Miss., was for a time deputy sher-
iff of that county. He was killed in 1891 while
attempting the arrest of two burglars. His wife
died in 1893. The educational training of Mr.
White was acquired in the public schools of
Hinds county, Miss., and in 1883 he began learn-
ing the printing business at Raymond, in that
state, remaining at that work nearly two years.
His first work on the road was with the N. J.
& C. R. R. (now a branch of the I. C.), in 1885,
as brakeman in the freight service between Nat-
chez and Jackson. After holding this position
for one year, he came to the L. N. O. & T. R. R.
(now the Y. & M. V. R. R.), and served in a
similar capacity, between Vicksburg and New
Orleans. On September i, 1889, he was pro-
moted to conductor in the freight service, and
in October 1898, his merits were recognized by
the company by his appointment to train master
on the Yicksburg district of the Xew Orleans
division. He retained that position during the
winter months, and in the spring of 1899 re-
sumed his former work in the freight service,
receiving promotion to the passenger service on
the New Orleans division in October 1899, which
he now holds.
On the 25th of September, 1890, Mr. White
was joined in wedlock at Raymond, Miss., her
native town, to Miss Mary Willis, an estimable
young lady of that place. They are the parents
of two bright children, Mary E., born July 4,
1891, and Sterling, born August 14, 1896. He
holds membership in the Masonic order ; Lodge
No. 70, Knights of Pythias, and Division No.
231, O. R. C., of Vicksburg. His family are
attendants of the Episcopal church, and he af-
filiates politically with the Democratic party.
LDWIN C. DUNHAM, a well known en-
gineer in the freight service of the Illi-
nois Central, between Memphis, Tenn.,
and Grenada, Miss., entered the ser-
vice of the company in 1878 as a brakeman be-
tween Chicago and Champaign, 111. After ser-
ving there for five months, he went to the Chi-
cago & Alton R. R. as fireman between Chicago
and Bloomington, 111., where he remained two
and one-half years. His next work was as fire-
man on the West Michigan R. R., between Mus-
kegon and Big Rapids, where, after a service of
four months, he was promoted to engineer in
the freight department of that road, and re-
mained there in that capacity one year and three
months. Returning to the employ of the Chi-
cago & Alton, he was with that road as engineer
for eleven years, running at different times be-
tween Chicago and Bloomington. Chicago and
Roodhouse, Bloomington and St. Louis, Slater,
386
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COAII'ANY
MIL, and Kansas City, and Kansas City and
liootli. He then went to the transportation de-
partment of that road, and was there a conduc-
tor in the passenger service for three years be-
tween Chicago and Roodhouse, and Chicago and
St. Louis. Returning to the Illinois Central, he
entered the freight service of that company as
engineer, and has since remained there on his
present rim. During his long railroad career
he has had few accidents, and never received an
injury. Mr. Dunham was born at Marshall, in
the state of Michigan, on January 8, 1860, and
is a son of Henry Dunham, a photographer of
that city, now deceased. Charles Dunham, a
brother of our subject, is a fireman in the ser-
vice of the Illinois Central.
The first wife of Mr. Dunham was Miss
Minnie L. Ferguson, of New York state, who
died. He afterward married Miss Estelle M.
Cushman, of Glens Falls, New York, in which
city he has his permanent home on South street.
His western home is at the Broadway Hotel, in
the city of Memphis. He is a reliable and active
employe, and is held in high esteem by every
one connected with the road.
JOHN G. FORD, an old and appreciated
conductor on the Louisiana division of
the Illinois Central, entered the service
of the company in 1884 as a brakeman
with Conductor Butterworth, and was himself
promoted to conductor on October 10, 1887. His
present run is on a through freight between Can-
ton, Miss., and New Orleans, La. Mr. Ford's
career on the Illinois Central embraces a period
of seventeen years of continued service, during
which time he has had no accidents. He lost
one caboose, which rolled down an embankment
and was demolished, but no blame was attached
to him. Mr. Ford is a Mississippian by birth.
He married Miss Dancer, of Crystal Springs,
Miss., and three children are the result of their
union, viz : Ferol, aged six years ; Wilda, aged
four, and "Diamond Dick," a bright promising
girl. He belongs to Canton Division No. 304.
(). R. C., and to Myrtle Lodge, Knights of
Pythias, of McComb City. Mr. Ford is of
quiet, unassuming disposition, well and favor-
ably known along the Illinois Central road, and
a respected citizen of McComb City.
H
ARRY CHARLTON, a train dispatcher
on the Louisiana division of the Illi-
nois Central, with headquarters at
McComb City, Miss., is a vigilant and
trusted employe of the road, and a very affable
young man. He is a native of Braidwood, 111.,
and a son of C. K. Charlton, now residing at
that place. Our subject began his career in 1894
on the North- Western R. R. in Wisconsin, where
he remained only a short time, going in 1895 *o
the Wabash in Missouri, as operator. In March
1897, he entered the service of the Illinois Central
at Gilman, 111., working successively at Clinton,
111., and Fulton, Ky. In November 1897 he came
to McComb City as operator, in 1898 was promot-
ed to extra night dispatcher, and in 1899 was made
a regular dispatcher, where he is now employed
and serving with great credit. He is at present
on "second trick," his hours being from 4 :oo
P. M. to 12:00 M. Mr. Charlton's district ex-
tends from McComb City to New Orleans, in-
cluding the Y. & M. V. terminals, and he often
has a good many trains to supervise, both pas-
senger and freight. This means a vast amount
of property, to say nothing of the hundreds of
human lives which are literally in his care, while
he is on duty, and is a work requiring great ex-
ecutive ability. Socially he is connected with
the Train Dispatchers' Association, of Chicago,
and the Modern Woodmen of the World. In
1899 Miss Deith, of New Orleans, became the
wife of our subject, and they are comfortably
located on Main street in McComb City. The
rapid promotion of Mr. Charlton speaks vol-
umes for so young a man, he being now only
twenty-six years old, and is a recognition of his
fine abilities and faithful service.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
387
OOWRY G. MACKEY, chief clerk to the
local agent for the Illinois Central at
|_[ \\ McComb City, Miss., is an enterpris-
ing and energetic young man, who be-
gan railroad life as a clerk in the freight office
of Water Valley, Miss. He was afterward
transferred to Jackson, Miss., working there un-
til April 1899. He was then sent to McComb
Citv as day clerk, then promoted to bill clerk,
and afterward to chief clerk, where he is now
serving in the most satisfactory manner. Mr.
Mackey's position is one of much responsibility.
He has a force of clerks under his supervision,
and handles a large amount of office work con-
nected with the yards and station. He is also
in charge of the ticket department, and McComb
City being a coupon ticket office, he handles large
sums of money. Several relatives of our sub-
ject are successful railroad men. One of them,
an uncle, is a prominent employe of the Cotton
Belt road, with headquarters at Texarkana, Ark.
His father,- L. W. Mackey, is a well known and
prosperous grocer of Water Valley, Miss. So-
cially Mr. Mackey is a member of the Knights
and Ladies of Honor, of Water Valley, Miss.,
his home. He is a young man of pleasing ad-
dress and genial manners, and his future pros-
pects are very bright.
DWARD F. CRISP, the ranking engi-
neer at Water Valley began his railroad
career in 1870 in the humble position
of water boy on the section at Durant,
and about a year later went to Goodman where he
acted as section master eight months. Return-
ing to Durant he secured a place as laborer on
the section for a year and then began working
around the depot, at the same time studying tele-
graphy and the duties of station master. During
the two years he was here he mastered the
art of telegraphy and when he resigned he
was assistant station master. During the fol-
lowing six months he was employed by a pri-
vate telegraph company, and then returned to
the employ of the railroad as locomotive fire-
man on the Kosciusko branch near the close of
the construction period, remaining on that branch
some eighteen months. Desiring to fit himself
more fully for the calling of an engineer, Mr.
Crisp entered the shops at Water Valley as an
apprenticed machinist, and continued in that
capacity three and a half years under Master
Mechanic J. E. Becton. Feeling better fitted
for the road, he re-entered the operative depart-
ment and was fireman on a bridge train working
between Water Valley and Canton, under En-
gineer John Dunn, on engine No. 86 of the
Louisiana division. After a few months on the
left side of the engine, he was promoted August
7, 1877, and given a run in the freight service,
between Canton and Water Valley, and in 1882
was promoted to the passenger service in which
he continued until 1894. At this date, at his
own request, Mr. Crisp was given a run on the
construction train and later on the local freight,
on which he was engaged until 1896, when he
was given his present assignment, a preferred
freight on the south end of the division. Mr.
Crisp has had several severe injuries during the
thirty years of his railroad experience. July 3,
1888, he was involved in a wreck on a trestle at
Winona, Miss., and went down with his engine,
and in consequence was off from duty some six
months. Perhaps the most thrilling experience
that has occurred in his career happened about
four o'clock in the morning on April n, 1900,
about three miles north of Canton, along the
banks of Tildabogue creek, after one of the
heaviest rain and hail storms that ever visited
that region. The creek had risen to an unprece-
dented height, flooding the tracks to a depth of
four feet and washing out the grade. This
never having been a danger point, the train came
thundering along and without warning rushed
into the flood, leaving the tracks and burying
some of the crew beneath the wreck. Mr. Crisp,
although he stuck to his engine, was rescued in a
dazed condition, having sustained a severe cut
on the head. It is incidents like this that makes
it the wonder that men of sufficient courage can
be found to operate the thousands of trains that
388
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
daily carry their loads of freight and precious
lives. Mr. Crisp was born in Madison county,
Term. He was married at Water Valley to Miss
Henrietta Lawshea, to whom six children have
been born, four of whom are now living: Clark,
aged 14; Nina, aged u, and Cloud andJEdwin,
twins, aged 8.
As a successful railroad man Mr. Crisp can
feel proud of his record, having never suffered a
suspension nor censure. He is a member of
the Masonic order and the Knights of Honor at
Water Valley, and the local Division, No. 99,
B. of L. E. He is a man of sterling integrity
and one of the most reliable operatives on the
southern division. No one who mentions him
fails to have a good word to say for Ed. Crisp.
jtjtjtjtjtj*
E. READER is one of the best known
conductors in the passenger service
Q of the Illinois Central, running on the
St. Louis division from Centralia to
Cairo, 111. He entered the service of the com-
pany in 1881 as brakeman in the freight service;
then in the fall of 1882 served as baggageman on
a passenger. From the latter position he was
promoted to conductor in 1886, serving in the
freight service seven years, and in 1893 was
placed in charge of a passenger train, which po-
sition he still occupies.
Mr. Reader was born at Clinton, Iowa, Jan-
uary 7, 1861, and is the son of Thomas ]. and
Phoebe (Bevier) Reader, both of whom were na-
tives of the state of New York. On May 25,
1891, our subject was united in marriage with
Miss Anne Parkin, who was employed as clerk
in the agent's office at Centralia. To this union
have been born two children, viz : Emma, who
is now seven years of age, and Chauncey Parkin,
aged four years.
Mr. Reader has in his possession a letter
from Superintendent Sullivan, of which he is
justly proud. In those days freight trains were
not equipped with air brakes, and all brakes had
to be set bv hand. The letter is as follows :
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD Co.,
OFFICE OF DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT.
Cairo, III., April 12, 1886.
A. E. READER, Brakeman, Cairo, 111.
DEAR SIR: — I learn that on the night of the 3rd
inst., at the time of the breaking of the journal under
a car in the freight train, on which you were rear
brakeman, just as the train was descending a heavy-
grade north of Cobden, and during a severe sleet
storm, that, notwithstanding the roofs of the cars were
covered with a coating of ice, you went over the train
setting brakes, passing over the car which was break-
ing down, and finally reached a point where a signal
could be communicated to the engineer and succeeded
in stopping the train before further damage was done.
Your action in this case was highly commendable,
and I desire to express to you my appreciation of it,
believing that it was chiefly through your personal
efforts, under trying and perilous circumstances, that
the train was saved from serious damage.
Yours truly,
A. W. SULLIVAN, Div. Supt.
DR. SWEETS, locomotive engineer on the
I. C., is a native of Bardstown, Ky. He
Q first began railroading in 1879 at Seclalia,
on the Missouri Pacific, as a fireman in
the freight service, and continued there about
two years, when he went to Decatur, 111., and be-
gan firing on the Wabash, where he remained
one year, and was then promoted to engineer
and ran an engine in the freight service between
East St. Louis and Chicago until 1883, when
he went on the T. C. & St. L. (now called the
Clover Leaf route), with his first rim b^tweer>
Delphos and Dayton, Ohio. Later he ran the
engine in the construction work during the lay-
ing of most of the track from Ramsey, 111., to
East St. Louis, and remained with that road
two and a half years. In June 1886, he went
with the Short Line as engineer on freight and
all extra passengers. He pulled the pay car
four years steady, never missing a trip. In 1894
he was given a regular passenger run, and con-
tinued there until the purchase of the road in
1896 by the Illinois Central, at which time he
was running between East St. Louis and Padu-
B
CO
B
cj
o
5
W
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
391
cah. After the purchase he was put on the Dia-
mond Special, but in 1899 he was given the
Creole Spring run and has that at the present
time. Our subject is a member of Egyptian
Lodge No. 512, B. of L. E. Mr. Sweets mar-
ried Miss Edith C. Parrin and has no children.
He owns two residences at No. 804 and 806
Bond avenue, E. St. Louis.
IT. SHAKER, conductor on the Free-
port division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, is a native of the city of
Freeport, and was born June 23,
1870. He is a son of M. W. and S. A. (Hart-
zell) Shafer. The father died in 1894, and the
mother is still living in Freeport. Our subject
had two brothers, both now deceased. John T.
was an employe of the I. C. R. R., and Clinton
was a conductor for the same company. C. H.
Shafer received his education in the schools of
Freeport, after which he served an apprentice-
ship at the carpenter trade. In 1889 he entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as a brakeman and
was promoted to his present position of conduc-
tor in August 1892. On the 26th of September,
1895, he was united in marriage with Miss Hat-
tie C. Skinner, who was born in Warren, Ohio,
March 21, 1865. Mrs. Shafer's parents Abra-
ham DeCamp and Sarah (Rich) Skinner, were
farmers. Mr. and Mrs. Shafer have one child,
a daughter named Alice Rose, born September
14, 1896.
H. DICKINSON, conductor on Illi-
nois Central Freeport division, was
born in Aurora, 111., October 17,
1868. His father, Daniel D., a
carpenter, died October n, 1895. His mother,
Abbie D. (Dan forth) Dickinson, is now living in
West Ridge, N. H. One son, Charles F., was a
brakeman on the I. C. R. R. at McComb City,
Miss., and was killed while on duty. E. H.
Dickinson was educated in the Young's school
at Aurora. At seventeen he entered the service
of a butcher and learned the business, remaining
in that business for four years. At the age of
twenty-one he began his railroad experience as a
brakeman for the C. B. & Q. R. R., and remained
in their service for about three years. On Octo-
ber 15, 1889, he came to Freeport and entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as a brakeman, but was
soon promoted to the position of yardmaster at
East Dubuque, 111., in which place he remained
two years, and in April 1893 was made conduc-
tor and has since that time run on the Freeport
division. On the 3Oth of April, 1889, Mr. Dick-
inson was married to Miss Mary Fisher, of Na-
perville, 111., where she was born July n, 1869.
She was educated in the schools of her native
town. They have one son, Eddie H., born Octo-
ber 12, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson attend
the First M. E. church. Mr. Dickinson is a
member of the O. R. C., and the M. W. of A.
He is a Republican in politics.
DRA A. MANLEY, who has been an employe
of the I. C. for thirty-eight years, is a
native of Herkimer county, New York.
He began his railroad career on the Phila-
delphia & Reading Railroad at Port Richmond,
a suburb of Philadelphia, in 1850, as an opera-
tor and time-keeper, and was there five years.
Then in 1855 in company with others he came to
Illinois and settled on land granted to the I. C.
at what is now called Buckley Station, but
at that time no station. Just before General
McClellan left the road he was waited upon by
a committee, of which our subject was a member,
with a petition for a station, and an order for
the same was given. The station was erected
in 1862, and in August following Mr. Manley
was made agent and continued there until Octo-
ber 1872,. when he was sent to Tolono, 111., where
he served as agent until 1889, one year of that
392
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
time as joint agent with the Wabash. In 1889
he came to Chicago and accepted his present
position at Hyde Park, where he acts as joint
agent for the Illinois Central, Big Four and Mich-
igan Central, having full charge of all the through
passenger and suburban service. When He first
took Buckley Station he only had two passenger
trains a day. His son, G. W. Manley, succeeded
him at Tolono, 111., and is now agent at Ran-
toul, 111. Horace, another son, is clerk in the
Central station, Chicago, which position he has
held since 1889.
M. ADAMS, locomotive engineer on
the I. C. at East St. Louis, was born
LQ in Benton, Illinois. He commenced
railroading in 1879 as a section hand
on the construction of the Eldorado division and
worked in that capacity four years, later in Mur-
physboro and East St. Louis. In May 1884, he
began braking for John Pinkham on freight and
continued until May 1886, and then went on as
fireman, serving as such until 1889. December
20, 1889, he was promoted to engineer and his
first work was between East St. Louis and Du
Quoin and continued running freight to that
place until 1896, when he was given a run be-
tween Pinckneyville and Paducah, remaining here
until April, 1899, w.hen he came to East St. Louis
and was given preferred freight to Paducah
which he has at the present time. He has a regu-
lar engine, Rogers, No. 464.
( )n February 22nd his engine turned over
and again on October 19, 1896, had another tip
over but came out without an injury. He was
examined by P. H. Murphy. Perhaps no engi-
neer has fired for more men than our subject,
among them being the following well known en-
gineers, Nick Ring, John Ash, Michael Mc-
Conery, now retired, John Hendrickson, now
deceased, Ira and Bert Bookstaver, Dave Mc-
.Conachie, Daniel Webster, " Fancy " Jackson,
now deceased, Patsy Tobin, J. C. Patterson, Ira
Sweets and Monroe Crewson.
( )ur subject belongs to Egyptian Lodge No.
512, B. of L. E., and the B. of L. F., also member
of Mitchell Blue Lodge No. 84, of Pinckneyville,
and was formerly a member of the I. O. O. F.
Mr. Adams married Miss Sallie Robertson and
.has six children, Ethel, Mabel, Cecil, Gus, Carl
and Willard.
]• LAW, one of the Water Valley en-
gineers, was born near Tracy City,
O Tenn., and lived there on a farm un-
til his eighteenth year. With the help
of his brother he cleared a forty acre tract and
put it under cultivation, planting twenty acres
in apples. He began railroad work at Tracy
City, Tenn., in the operative department in 1876.
After serving four and a half years in the shops
he went to Marshall, Texas, and secured work
in the shops of the Texas Pacific at that point,
remaining seven months before returning east to
accept a place in the shops of the Illinois Central
at Jackson, Tenn. Working here eight months, he
was transferred to the shops at Water Valley,
where he was employed until starting out on
the road as a fireman three months later. After
six months on the left side of the engine, he was
promoted in November 1882, and began running
on a freight out of Water Valley. Three years
later he was promoted to the passenger service,
and until June 20, 1899, was at the head of a
passenger train. On that date he secured a
preferred run, and has been in that service since.
Mr. Law has had some exciting experiences dur-
ing his railroad career in wrecks and otherwise.
In 1885 a collision at Elliott, Miss., resulted in
injuries that necessitated a thirty-five days va-
cation, and in 1891, at Toone, Tenn., the at-
tempt of a passenger and a freight train to
occupy the same track at the same time, re-
sulted disastrously, though Mr. Law escaped.
His most thrilling experience, no doubt, was tin
the night of December 15, 1888. The north
bound passenger left New Orleans, at seven in
the morning and reached Duck Hill some thir-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
393
teen hours later. In December, it is, at that
hour in the evening, quite dark. As the train
was moving out, Mr. Law and his firemen found
themselves looking into the muzzles of revolvers
in the hands of two desperadoes, who proved
to he the notorious bandits, Rube Burroughs and
Joe Jackson. Ordered to run the engine on a
mile and then stop, there was nothing to do but
gracefully comply — the intruders had the drop
on them. When the train had been stopped, the
engine crew was ordered to dismount and ac-
company the robbers back to the baggage car,
which was looted, and the robbers prepared to
depart. In the fight that ensued, Conductor Wil-
kinson was the aggressor, but to no avail, the
only casualty being the killing of a passenger,
Chester Hughes, of Jackson, Term. This is one
of the most noted train robberies in the annals
of American railroading. Of Mr. Law's first
marriage to Miss Nannie Morgan, no children
were born. Some seven years after her death
Mr. Law was married to Miss Kittie Hogshead,
to whom two sons have been born, Wilton and
Hyer. Mr. Law is a member of the Masonic
order and of Division No. 99, B. of L. E., at
Water Valley. He is the owner of a handsome
piece of property at the corner of Clay and Price
streets. As an operative he has been a very suc-
cessful man, and a favorite with his colleagues
and neighbors.
AVID D. ELLIOTT is a native of Jef-
ferson county, Ky., having been born
near Boston, twenty-five miles north
of Louisville. He commenced ser-
vice on the Illinois Central August 17, 1883, as
freight brakeman on the Jackson district for J.
A. Wilson, now depot master in New Orleans.
He so continued one year and six months when
he was promoted to conductor, and since that
date has never made a trip as brakeman. Up to
November 1885, he ran the local between
Jackson and Water Valley. On that date
he was given a preferred freight, and is
now the oldest man on the Jackson district
running freight. In 1895 he was promoted to
extra passenger and has extra on the Jackson
district. January 3, 1897, he had three fingers
cut off his right hand while making a coupling
at Oxford, Miss. Outside of that he has been
very successful, and has never been suspended
or injured. Our subject is a member of Division
No. 149, O. R. C, also belongs to the Knights of
Honor. Mr. Elliott married Miss Nettie Nicho-
las, of Charlestown, Mo., and has two children,
Dale Lament and Cecil Ray. He erected a fine
residence in July 1892, at m Fairground street,
Jackson, Tenn.
JOHN J. KING, the venerable foreman in
the blacksmith shops at Water Valley,
has seen more changes in the mechanical
equipment of the Central than any man
employed by the company excepting, perhaps,
George Snyder, now in charge of the air-brake
car when in the yards at Chicago. Mr. King
was born in Scotland of Irish parents and came
with them to this country when twelve years of
age. His first work in railroad employ was in
1853 at the Weldon shops at Chicago as black-
smith apprentice, having begun learning the trade
from his father. The entire equipment of the
shops of the road consisited of three small lathes,
a planer and a drilling machine, housed in a
shed-like building with a leanto roof in which the
power was furnished by a small upright boiler.
There was at that time but one engine on the
Chicago division and that a small one running
the gravel train. There had at that time been no
piling driven on the lake front and Mr. King,
helped make the irons that were used in driving
them. He was there when the first master me-
chanic. Mr. Mason, took charge, and was still in
the shops when his successor, George D. Clark,
arrived.
In 1855 Mr. King severed his connection
with the Central and going to LaPorte, Indiana,
secured a place with the Michigan Southern &
394
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Northern Indiana, now the Lake Shore system,
remaining two years. In 1857 he went south
and secured a place at Memphis in the shops of
the Memphis & Charleston road and a few months
later was on his way to Algiers, opposite New
Orleans, where he had secured a place with a
private concern. From here he went to Mobile
for the Mobile & Ohio road and a short time
after went to Pensacola, Florida, where he worked
for the national government two years, building
the men-of-war Pensacola and Seminole. After
closing his work with the government he re-
turned to the service of the Mobile & Ohio, at
Whistler, Alabama, remaining here until 1864,
when Sherman's raids made life unpleasant, so
he moved. Going thence to Vicksburg he se-
cured work in the government employ in the
ordnance department, remaining one year, and at
the end of that time came north again and secured
work at Litchfield, Illinois, in the shops of the
Terre Haute, Alton & St. Louis, now the Big1
Four road. Having the foremanship of the
blacksmith shops of the Mobile & Ohio, at Jack-
son, Tennessee, offered him, he accepted and for
nearly two years he remained there. In 1868
he was offered the same position by the Missis-
sippi Central in the shops at Water Valley which
he accepted and for over thirty-two years he has
been in charge of the shops at that point. His
presence has grown so familiar that the place
will not look natural when the day comes that
his face will be seen there no more. During
these years he has served under twelve master
mechanics, namely: Harry Gibbon, John Bee-
ton, Jack White, Thomas Price, John Ramsay,
J. W. Luttrell, George Dickel, William Hass-
man, F. C. Losey, M. S. Curley, T. F. Barton
and J. G. Neudorfer. Our subject and son
welded a steel tire in the shop at Water Valley
which gave good service for eleven months and
eleven days, a feat that has never been surpassed
as far as known.
Mr. King was married to Miss Ellen Court,
of Chicago, and of their eight children, six are
living. Mr. King has long been a resident of
W'ater Valley, where he owns a comfortable
home, where all his friends find a hearty wel-
come. The life and recollections of one who
has seen a great corporation grow from small
beginnings to one of the large systems of the
country, cannot fail to be of interest and profit
to the younger generation, many of them grand-
children of those with whom Mr. King first
labored when he struck the first blow for the
Central nearly a half century ago.
LW. DEKLE, one of the well known
passenger engineers at Water Valley,
O began his railroad career in 1876 as
a fireman at Savannah, on the Florida
& Western road. When not on the road he spent
his time in the machine shops fitting himself to
be a thorough engineer. For four years he was
thus engaged, and in 1880 he was promoted and
given a run in the freight service. After two
and a half years he was made extra passenger
engineer, and was usually assigned to the train
that was to convey the officers when they passed
over the road. He was considered so careful
an engineer that he was usually given the first
run over a new branch when opened. In 1884
he came to Water Valley and entered the service
of the' Central as freight engineer, running be-
tween there and Jackson, Tenn., until February
1899, when he was promoted to the passenger
service, pulling trains No. 23 and 24 between
Jackson, Tenn., and Canton, Miss., with engine
No. 949. The birth of Mr. Dekle occurred at
Thomasville, Ga., a noted winter resort. His
brother, Robert L. Dekle, is an engineer and in
the employ of the Plant system. The marriage
of Mr. Dekle occurred at Water Valley, Miss.,
to Miss Dollie Montgomery, to whom two chil-
dren have been born, Chauncey W. and Hazel.
Their home is on Clay street, and was erected in
1889. Mr. Dekle first joined the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers at Savannah, Division No.
256, and transferred to Division No. 99 at Water
Valley. He is a member of the Odd Fellows
and of the Masonic order, having taken the de-
grees in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Comman-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
395
dery, of which he is the Captain General. He
has also passed through the ordeals of the Temple
of the Mystic Shrine, at Meridian, Miss. He
has fortunately escaped injury, both to himself
and his engine. On the whole he has had a very
successful railroad career.
J. PAYNE, general yardmaster of the
I. C. at East St. Louis, first saw the
=<7O l'&nt of day in Tiffin, Ohio. He
commenced his railroad service first
in 1880, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, at
Danville, as a freight brakeman, and continued
until 1883, when he was promoted to freight con-
ductor, and ran as such for six months on the
freight between Danville and Chicago. He then
went in yard service for the same road at Chicago
as engine foreman, and held that until the fall
of 1887, and then went back to conductor and
ran freight for two and a half years between
Chicago and Momence, 111. He then resigned
and went to the Wabash at Butler, Ind., as
freight brakeman, and later on the Belt line of
Chicago as conductor, and continued in that posi-
tion for one and a half years, when he went to
the Chicago & Northern Pacific as a transfer
conductor in freight service at Chicago, remain-
ing there two and a half years. Then he ran a
suburban train eight months, and on July 28,
1894, accepted a position with the Illinois Cen-
tral as a switchman in the yards at Cairo, and on
September 24, 1894, took charge of the yards at
night and held that until June 1895, when he
was made day yardmaster, and remained there
until June I, 1899, when he was transferred to
East St. Louis as general yardmaster, which po-
sition he has at the present time. He has twen-
ty-nine men on the pay roll, and has charge of
all the in and out freight cars of the Clinton and
St. Louis district. Our subject is a member of
Division No. i, O. R. C., of Chicago. Mr.
Payne married Miss Minnie Kendall, of Chicago,
and Inns one child, Ida, aged four.
W. KRUEGER is a native of Troy, N.
Y. He is chief clerk of the Illinois
Central freight office in East St. Louis,
and commenced railroad life on the
Cairo Short Line in 1890, as assistant abstract
clerk in East St. Louis, under Agent S. H.
Brown, and held that position until May 1892,
when he was promoted to chief abstract clerk
and held that until November ist, 1893,
when he was appointed assistant to Cashier
Henry Poss, and continued until June i, 1896. At
this time he was promoted to cashier to succeed
Mr. Poss, who was killed in the cyclone of May
27, 1896. Mr. Krueger held that position until
April i, 1900, when he was promoted to be chief
clerk at above station. Mr. Krueger is a mem-
ber of the National Union, and the Railway and
Telegraphers' Political League, of Illinois, of
which he is treasurer, and also a member of the
Masonic order in St. Louis.
RCHIE T. SMITH, an engineer run-
ning out of Water Valley, was born
some fifteen miles south of the town,
and was reared in the county. His
father, Dr. E. W. Smith, was one of the best
physicians in the locality ; the mother survives
and makes her home with our subject. Mr.
Smith began railroading at Water Valley as a
freight brakeman in 1880, under Conductor
Houston, deceased, and after two years' service
in that capacity was promoted and for two years
had charge of a freight train. Resigning, he
went into the stock business on the Big Sun-
flower River in the Mississippi bottoms, but
finding it less profitable than he had anticipated,
discontinued it in some nine months, and re-
turned to the employ of the Central, beginning
at the bottom again, but at the other end of the
train, firing under Jack Kennedy, since killed
in an accident on the line. In 1877, after firing
two years, Mr. Smith was promoted to the right
side of the engine, and given a good freight run
out of Water Valley, north and south. Hi«
396
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
present run is a preferred freight, trains No.
51 and 72. Mr. Smith is prominently connected
with fraternal orders. He was a charter member
of Water Lily Division No. 402, B. of L. F., and
had the honor of naming the Division. He is a
member of Water Valley Division No. -99, B.
of L. E., and of the Knights of Pythias, Knights
of Honor, and the Elks as well. He belongs to
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the
Masonic fraternity, holding membership in the
Blue Lodge, Eastern Star, Chapter, Comman-
clery and Mystic Shrine, the latter at Meridian,
Miss. Mr. Smith has several desirable pieces of
residence property at Water Valley, and is a
thrifty, substantial citizen. He has been for-
tunate in escaping accident in his twenty years'
experience as a railroad man, and has a clear
record of which he may well be proud.
years on local freight and later on the preferred
run. Mr. Muse was married first to Miss Lee
McCabe. who bore one child and died June 16,
1892. His second marriage was to Mrs. Nayler,
whose first husband, a conductor, was killed in
the service of the Central, December 22, 1893.
One child has been born of the second marriage.
Mr. Muse was a member of the Masonic frater-
nity. Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery.
also of the Knights of Honor and Knights of
Pythias. He held membership with Jackson
Division Xo. 149, O. R. C, as well as in Phoenix
Division Xo. 216,' B. of R. T. Mr. Muse ex-
pired in his caboose, while on the run between1
Jackson, Term., and Water Valley, Miss., March
30, 1900.
JP. MUSE, deceased, was a native of
Bradford county, Term., and had a
Q varied railroad experience on the Cot-
ton Belt line, the Central and the Mo-
bile & Ohio railroads. He began on the first
named road in 1881 as car inspector at Jones-
borough, Ark., and a year later was transferred
to Pine Bluff as general car inspector for six
months. November 3, 1884, he secured a place
on the Mobile & Ohio as brakeman, running
between Okolona and Cairo. In June 1885,
he was promoted and ran as extra conduc-
tor and brakeman until February 1887, when he
joined the force of the Central at Jackson, as
switchman under Charles Chandler. For a few
months he was brakeman on the Cairo district,
and in December 1887, returned to the Mobile
& Ohio. After a few months braking, he was
appointed foreman in the engine house at Cor-
inth, Miss., and later transferred to Jackson,
Tenn., and made night yardmaster, serving until
Dec. 17, 1888. Returning to the Central, he was
successively switchman, night yardmaster and
brakeman until Aug. 10, 1890, when he was pro-
moted to conductor and was thus employed three
PL. WALDROX, one of the passenger
engineers at Water Valley, has had
O nearly a third of a century of rail-
road experience over which to look
back, and a record of which he may well be
proud. Born in the town of Yates, Orleans
county, X. Y., he was reared in Michigan, and
there began his railroad career in 1868 at Grand
Junction, on a construction train of the Chicago
& West Michigan road, at a time when there
were only about fifty miles of track spiked down.
After serving as fireman for about eighteen
months, he was promoted and ran on that road
some seven years as freight and extra passenger
engineer. Going south in the fall of 1877, he
secured a position in Xovember on the Chicago,
St. Louis & New Orleans road, on the Water
Valley district in the freight service, and about
1880 was promoted to a passenger run, which is
his assignment at the present time, on engine
No. 948, pulling trains No. 23 and 24, between
Canton and Jackson, Tenn. Mr. Waldron was
married to Miss Anna Strong, who is the mother
of two sons: W. L. is a fireman on the Central,
and F. M. at home. They have a pleasent home
on Robinson street. Water Valley Division Xo.
i/;, 11. of L. E., claims Mr. Waldron's allegiance,
and he has served the order as chairman of the
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
397
adjustment board. The only accident worthy of
mention that has been sustained by him was a
broken ankle while in the service on the Michi-
gan road. Mis long record with his present em-
ployers bespeaks his standing as an operative.
Incompetent men do not remain long in the ser-
vice of any employer.
UGH L. PALMER, a native of Missis-
sippi, has had a railroad experience
extending over nearly thirty years.
His first railroad work was on bridge
construction on the Houston & Texas Central,
and in 1872 he began in the operative department
as brakeman, running, between Hearne and Deni-
son. During his two years' service with this
road, he was promoted to baggageman, running
in that capacity the last year. Joining the force
of the Texas Pacific, he was appointed assist-
ant receiving clerk, serving some five months.
Returning to Jackson, Tenn., he was, in 1875,
given a place as brakeman on the Cairo district,
receiving his promotion to freight conductor in
Sept. 1877, and to the passenger service ten years
later. During this time he lost five months from
a serious case of blood poison, and while in the
service of the Texas Central he had two ribs
fractured, these being the only injuries he has
ever sustained during his long railroad career.
Mr. Palmer was married at Bolivar,- Tenn.,
to Miss Florence Joy, and to them have been
born the following children : Hugh J., Mrs.
J. W. Thomas, • of Shelby, Miss. ; George D. ;
James J., and Aileen. Jackson Division No.
149, O. R. C., has Mr. Palmer's name on the roll
of members. He enjoys the distinction of hav-
ing had charge of the last train transferred at
Cairo by boat, and the first that crossed the
new bridge the day it was opened to traffic. He
has a handsome pin, presented to him by the
I "nil >n liridge company, that constructed the great
bridge.
V. PHILLIPS, conductor on the Illi-
nois Central, was born near Hernan-
Q do, DeSoto County, Miss. He be-
gan on the Illinois Central in 1881 as
a transfer clerk at Grand Junction, and after ser-
ving in that capacity six months, acted as night
watchman one year, and then went into the pas-
senger service as flagman under Conductor M.
Fouche. After serving here about a year and
six months, between Jackson and Canton, he
was given a baggage car and ran it two years
between Jackson and Canton, and then was on
as joint express and baggageman between Jack-
son and Cairo for about a year. February 21,
1889, he was promoted to conductor, and began
running through freight between Jackson and
East Cairo, but at present has a preferred run
between Jackson and Mounds. In 1896 he had
his index finger of his right hand cut off. Mr.
Phillips has a fine record, having lost only twenty
days in twelve years. He is a member of Divi-
sion No. 149, O. R. C., at Jackson. Our subject
married Miss Mollie Steel, of Winona, Miss.,
and has no children. He lives at 210 Institute
street, Jackson, Tenn.
R. MAULDIX, night foreman in the
round house at Water Valley, has
1 Q spent his entire life here, his birth
occurring May 4, 1871. His father,
J. L. Mauldin, served as station agent at Water
Valley from 1871 to 1878. and now resides in
the town, retired from railroad work. S. R.
Mauldin began railroad work in the shops at
Water Valley, under Master Mechanic Price,
serving an apprenticeship of four and a half
years before taking his place at the lathe and
planer as a journeyman machinist. His merit
being recognized, he was promoted September
9, 1899, to the night foremanship of the round
house, having charge of all the shops during the
hours he is on duty, and having under his au-
thority one machinist, one boiler-maker, one in-
spector and twenty-eight laborers on the night
398
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
force. Mr. Mauldin was married to Miss Fewell,
of Water Valley, where since their marriage they
have made their home. He is an energetic, hard-
working man in whatever station he may be
placed, and is probably the youngest man hold-
ing the position lie does between Chicago and
Water Valley.
JA. CUNNINGHAM, a conductor on the
Jackson district, began his railroad ca-
Q reer on the Louisville & Nashville road,
March 18, 1878, at Nashville, as brake-
man, being promoted to conductor within eigh-
teen months. For nearly seven and a half years
he ran a freight on the road, and then resigned
to accept a like position on the Houston & Texas
Central, remaining three years. After some
three months on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas,
under the superintendency of Mr. Hartegan, he
joined the force of the Central Pacific in Utah,
remaining until June 20, 1890, as conductor.
Coming to Jackson, Tenn., he secured a place
with the Mobile & Ohio, running between Cairo
and Okolona, Miss., for about a year. January
26, 1891, he entered the service of the Illinois,
Central as conductor, and has retained his place
to the present time on the Jackson district. He
stands next in line for promotion to preferred
freight. In his experience with different rail-
road managements, he prefers his present em-
ployers to any. Mr. Cunningham was born at
Nashville, Tenn., and married at Shannon, Miss.,
to Miss Mary Talbot, a native of Alabama. For
a number of years Mr. Cunningham has been a
member of the Order of Railway Conductors,
at present enrolled in Division No. 149, at Jack-
son, having transferred from Wasatch Division
No. 124, in Utah. He is a member of the Ma-
sonic order and of the Knights of Pythias, also.
He has been fortunate in escaping serious injuries
and has suffered only fifteen days' suspension
during his whole railroad career, and that prior
to his employment on the Central. Mr. Cun-
ningham has a fine home of his own building
at No. 244 Institute street, Jackson, Tenn.
J. GARVIN, foreman of the round
r house at Jackson, Tennessee, is a
O native of Coldwater, Mich., born in
1867. The family is inclined toward
railroad careers, T. F. Garvin, a brother of our
subject, being a paymaster in the employ of the
Chicago & Erie road, between Chicago and Sala-
manca, N. Y. F. J. Garvin began as an opera-
tive on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
at Elkhart, Ind., under Master Mechanic Stevens,
in 1880, and worked at that place nine years.
Coming to Jackson, Tenn., he went into the shops
as a machinist under M. S. Curley, remaining
here until 1895, when he was made round house
foreman, holding that position until 1898. Be-
ing transferred to the Burnside shops at Chicago,
he served as machinist until December of that
year, when he was sent to Water Valley as en-
gine house foreman, remaining a year when he'
was transferred to Jackson, Tenn.
Mr. Garvin was married at Elkhart, Ind.,
to Miss Nellie Ludlow, of that place. He is
a member of the Ancient Order of United Work-
men, of Jackson, Tenn. He is a man that has
won his advancements by his own unaided ef-
forts, and his ability to manage those under his
charge makes him a trustworthy official in the
stations in which he has been placed.
B. WILKINSON, the oldest passen-
ger conductor on the Jackson district,
Q was born near Richmond, Va. He
commenced railroad service August
1872, on the M. & O. as brakeman between Jack-
son, Tenn., and Columbus, Ky., and Baldwin,
Miss. Then in March 1873, he came to the Illi-
nois Central, then called the Mississippi Central,
as freight brakeman between Jackson and Water
Valley. He continued eleven months and was
then promoted to freight conductor by Superin-
tendent R. N. Calhoun, now deceased, and ran
freight until 1875, when he began as extra pas-
senger and continued until 1882 when he got a
regular passenger run. Since then, with the ex-
GEORGE J. ROBERTSON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
401
ception of two years, ran passenger on Jack-
son district, and since 1886 has been on regular
passenger. He has never been injured and never
had a wheel off the track between stations, no
passenger injured and no serious accident since
he has been in the passenger service.
December 15, 1888, at Duck Hill, Miss.,
Rube Burroughs and Joe Jackson, the former a
noted outlaw, boarded the train and stopped it.
Our subject, in company with a young man, went
out and ordered them back. The young man
was killed but our subject escaped, and the rob-
bers got $2,000 of express messenger. Later
the men were captured.
Mr. Wilkinson is a charter member of
Jackson Division No. 149, O. R. C., the lodge
having been instituted September 31, 1884. W.
R. Wilkinson, a brother of our subject, is now a
resident of Paducah, and is in the employ of
the Illinois Central. Mr. Wilkinson married
Miss Annie Weatherly and has six children, five
girls and one boy. He erected a residence at
1 20 Grand avenue, one of the prettiest locations
in the city of Jackson, Term.
EORGE J. ROBERTSON, foreman of
the paint shops at Water Valley, Miss.,
began life on his own responsibility
in the Illinois Central shops at Cen-
tralia, 111., where he began learning the painter's
trade under Master Mechanic Oxley, in 1857.
Three years later, after completing his appren-
ticeship, he went to Holly Springs, Miss., and
worked in the shops of the Mississippi Central
Railroad until the breaking out of the Civil war
in 1861, and then espoused the Confederate cause
and served four years in the ranks as a private
soldier. After the close of hostilities, Mr. Rob-
ertson worked one year for the Mississippi &
Tennessee Railroad, at Hardy Station, and in
May 1866, he moved to Water Valley when that
place consisted of not more than a dozen houses,
secured employment in the car department of
shops there, and has made that his base of opera-
tions continuously since. In 1867 Mr. Robert-
son was appointed foreman of the paint shops.
Our subject was born in Madison county,
Tenn. He was married at Holly Springs, Miss.,
to Miss Sallic Lynch, of that city, and their wed-
ded life has been blessed by the presence of a
family of four children, namelv : Robert, now
.- J
living in Kansas City ; Stephen ; Clarence, fire-
man for the Illinois Central Railroad at Water
Valley, and Mabel. Mr. Robertson affiliates
with the Masons, holding membership in the fol-
lowing degrees of that fraternity : Ancient Free
and Accepted Masons No. 402, McConnico R.
A. Chapter No. 96, St. Cyr Commandery Knight
Templars No. 6. He is also a member of the
Knights and Ladies of Honor, and the Knights
of Honor. Mr. Robertson is well known about
Water Valley and among the railroad employes,
and enjoys the confidence and esteem of a large
circle of friends.
W. STEWMON, a conductor in the
service of the Illinois Central at East
St. Louis, is a native of Benton, Illi-
nois. He began railroading on the
Illinois Central at Benton, 111., as a messenger
boy, and continued as such one year, when he was
made assistant agent and later was relief opera-
tor. In 1890 he entered train service as freight
brakeman on Short Line for W. A. Dale, now in
the passenger service and living at Paducah. He
was brakeman three years and was then pro-
moted to conductor and ran extra until 1895,
when he was given a regular crew. January
1897 he was made yardmaster at Belleville, and
also ran the Carondelet transfer. In 1899 nc
was given preferred freight run, where he is
engaged at the present time. C. E. Stewmon,
a brother, while discharging his duties as a brake-
man, was killed in 1893 m the yards at Benton.
Mr. Stewmon was never seriously injured, and
is a member of Division No. 3, O. R. C., of St.
Louis, Mo. He married Miss Fannie Horn and
has one child, Mildred, who is a dear, sweet child
of three years of age.
402
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ARRY H. ANDERSON began on the
Illinois Central at DuQuoin, 111., in
1886 as station baggage agent under
Agent S. K. Paynter, and continued
in that capacity eighteen months and then went
to the Short Line as yard switchman and brake-
man, and continued until September 1891, and
then went to the M. & O. at St. Louis as brake-
man, and continued with them one year in that
capacity, and then went switching in East St.
Louis yards for about a year and then was off
the road a short time and on his return he got
a train between East St. Louis and Cairo, re-
mained there about a year and then went with
the Merchants Bridge company and continued
with that company and the Big Four Railroad
company until December 1896. He then returned
to the Illinois Central as a brakeman for two
months, when he was given a regular run be-
tween East St. Louis and Carbondale with ca-
boose No. 98,329, which position he retained
until March 1900, when he entered the employ
of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad as yardmaster.
Mr. Anderson is a member of Division No.
3, O. R. C., of St. Louis.
IRAM COOPER commenced railroad-
ing in 1870 on the Columbus & Hocking
Valley Railroad as a fireman between
Columbus and Athens, and continued
about a year and then went to the Chester &
Tamaroa Railroad at the time of the construc-
tion and fired about two years, when he was pro-
moted and ran an engine there until 1882. He
was on a mixed train, forty-one mile run and
double each day. In 1882 he came to the Short
Line in East St. Louis, as an engineer on extra
freight, and during the time he was on extra list
he ran every train on the road. At the end of two
years he got regular freight run on the Paducah
division, remained there a year and then on the
transfer engine until 1893, when he got yard en-
gine No. 157 in the East St. Louis yards, where he
has continued to the present time. • While on
the Chester & Tamaroa road he went through
a twenty-five foot bridge over Mary's river and
had a narrow escape from death, breaking his
shoulder, and was badly smashed up. Our sub-
ject belongs to Egyptian Lodge No. 512, B. of
L. E. He is also a member of the Blue Lodge,
A. F. & A. M., at Athens, and Royal Arch Chap-
ter at Chester. Mr. Cooper married Miss Sarah
Wildermuth ; she died January 8, 1894.
JC. ASH, a prominent locomotive en-
gineer, was born in St. Clair county,
Q 111. He began his railroad career Sep-
tember 8, 1871, as a local freight brake-
man on the Cairo Short Line between East St.
Louis and DuQuoin, and continued in that ca-
pacity three months and was then made night
watchman of construction engine at Pinkney-
ville for two months. He then went on as extra
fireman for six months and was then made regu-
lar on freight and fired three years steady for
Nick Ring, and then spent a year on a coal train
and was later made night hostler for a year, Mr.
Warren being master mechanic at the time. Then
for two years and some months he was on as
extra runner, conductor, brakeman, and in fact
an all round man. At the end of that time he
was given engine No. 5, and pulled the regular
coal train to Pinckneyville a year and then went
to Belleville for two years and later got the B.
& C. mixed run and the Carondelet transfer for
four years. He was then promoted and given
the through passenger to DuQuoin, and kept
that until 1897, when he took the through pas-
senger to Cairo, but during the summer was on
a night run to Carbondale. Late in 1897 ne
got a through passenger to Paducah, which he
has at the present time, having the best run on
the St. Louis division. Mr. Ash has never been
seriously injured and has never had an accident
that cost the company a dollar, nor has he ever
been suspended. He is a member of Egyptian
Lodge No. 512,. B. of L. E. Our subject erected
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
403
a fine residence at 1105 Tudor avenue, East St.
Louis.
Mr. Ash married Miss Edgar and they
have four children : Bessie, a young lady of
rare musical abilities and a graduate of the Bee-
thoven Conservatory of Music at St. Louis ;
Adele, Jeanette, and Edgar Allen, a young man
of fine ability as a draughtsman.
kRANK T. MOONEY, the efficient gener-
al night yardmaster of the Illinois Cen-
at New Orleans, Louisiana, entered the
service of the company, on December
23, 1883, as flagboy in the yards at New Orleans,
and remained in that position nearly two years.
In June 1885, he was promoted to switchman,
working in that capacity until 1886, when he re-
ceived promotion to foreman in the yards, and on
November 9, 1889, was appointed night yard-
master. He was promoted in March 1893* to
day yardmaster, and again in November 1896, to
general night yardmaster. On account of ill-
health he was compelled to resign the latter posi-
tion in March 1899, and was transferred to Stuy-
vesant Dock, as assistant yardmaster, but soon
thereafter returned to his former position, which
he still holds. Our subject is a native of New
Orleans, having been born there, January 20,
1870. He is the son of James P. and Margaret
(Dunn) Mooney, the former having departed
this life in 1884, at Monroe, Louisiana, while
the latter is still living in the city of New Or-
leans. He acquired his education in St. Joseph's
parochial school, conducted by the Christian
Brothers, and also in the public schools of his
native city.
At the age of eleven years he began to make
his own living, his first employment being in
a saw-mill, and afterward, as water-boy on the
Shaw R. R. He remained with the latter com-
pany nearly two years, part of the time in charge
of the tool-house. He then went as assistant
pilot on the " Fred Wild " running on the new
canal, and remained there until December 23,
1893, when he entered the service of the I. C.
and has since been in the employ of that road.
During his career with the I. C. Mr. Moo-
ney has seen wonderful changes, and a great
growth in the business of the road. When he
began service with the company, the entire force
in the New Orleans yards consisted of three
switch engines, and twelve men ; now there are
thirty engines, and one hundred and thirty-five
men. In those days, a switchman received sixty
dollars per month, and no allowance for extra
time ; now, the same position pays seventy-two
dollars for ten hours per day.
On the 23rd day of December 1888, Mr.
Mooney was united in marriage to Miss Anna
Berens, a native of New Orleans, and their union
has been blessed with four children, May Alice
Frank H., James C., and Mary L.
( )f the social orders Mr. Mooney is a mem-
ber of the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of
the World, and the Masonic order, the latter,
Alpha Home Lodge No. 72, of New Orleans.
He has been master of Crescent City Lodge No.
101, of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association,
and vice-master of Sunnyside Lodge, No. 211,
Brotherhood of R. R. Brakemen of the same city.
In their religious connections the family are
adherents of the Catholic church. Politically,
Mr. Mooney is an unswerving Democrat.
JC. PATTERSON, a locomotive engi-
neer on the Illinois Central, was born in
Q liloomington, Ind., and began his rail-
road career on the Louisville, New Al-
bany & Chicago Railroad, in 1864, as a fireman
from New Albany to Michigan City, and re-
mained in that capacity four years when he was
promoted to engineer and pulled freight five
years. He then went to the Cairo & St. Louis
Railroad and ran an engine between East St.
Louis and Cairo for some time, and later was
in the passenger service. He then went to the
Cotton Belt and pulled freight for two years.
In 1888 he came to the Short Line and began
404
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
pulling freight between East St. Louis and Du
Quoin, and continued until 1896, then on local
to same place, and now runs to Brooklyn on pre-
ferred freight. In his long railroad service of
over thirty-five years, Mr. Patterson has never
been injured. He is a member of Egyptian
Lodge, No. 512, B. of L. E., of East St. Louis.
Mr. Patterson married Miss Ellen Matlock
December 13, 1876 and they have two adopted
children. He has erected a fine model residence
at not Tudor avenue, East St. Louis.
JH. JONES, the accommodating passen-
ger agent for the Illinois Central, at
Q Cairo, Illinois, is a native of Canada,
and was born on a farm near Port Hope,
in the province of Ontario, on October i, 1846.
He is a son of John and Anna Jones, the latter
residing with our subject at Cairo, the husband
and father having died in 1854. In 1855 the:
family of Mr. Jones moved to Geneseo, New
York, where he received his education in the pub-
lic schools, and was afterward engaged in farm-
ing there.
Beginning in 1860, he was for six years at
Avon Springs, New York, in a hotel as clerk.
He went to Cairo, 111., in February 1867, and was
appointed clerk and ticket agent, on the transfer
steamers " General Anderson," and " Illinois,"
then used by the Illinois Central, and Mobile &
Ohio roads, as transfers .between Cairo, Illinois,
and Columbus, Ky. He remained in that posi-
tion until September 1873, resigning to go to
the Mobile & Ohio, as commercial agent for that
road. After a service of one year with the lat-
ter company, he was appointed ticket agent for
the Illinois Central, at Cairo, and from that time
forward has been in that position, a period of
twenty-six years. In 1882 he was made ticket
agent for the " Cotton Belt " Route and in 1899
for the Mobile & Ohio R. R. He is now joint
agent for the three roads, all using the same de-
pot.
On August 4, 1868, Mr. Jones was married
to Miss Ada Lester, a popular young lady of
Columbus, Ky. Their family consists of H. A.
Jones, who is engaged in the clothing business
at Cairo, Jessie May, wife of W. C. Neal, re-
siding at Detroit, Mich., Jennie B., a young lady
of high musical ability, residing in Chicago,
Frank A., at home, William L., who is in the
general passenger office of the I. C. at Chicago,
and John H. Jr., a student, at home.
Mr. Jones and his family are members of
the Protestant Episcopal church, of which he
has been a vestry-man for fifteen years.
In politics he is Republican. He is a well
known and popular citizen of Cairo, and dis-
charges his duties in such a manner, as to win
the confidence of his employers, and the respect
of all who come in contact with him.
G. DAY, superintendent of bridges
and buildings, on the Louisiana
Q division of the Illinois Central,
was born in Magnolia, Mississippi,
April loth, 1873. Michael Day, his father who
departed this life in 1892, was a shoe merchant
at that city. He was a native of Germany and
came to America when a young man, prior to
which he had been a soldier in the German army.
His wife, the mother of our subject, whose maiden
name was Amelia Rhine, is still living at Magno-
lia, she was also born in Germany, coming to
America when a child.
W. G. Day was educated in the public schools
of his native place, and began life as a clerk in a
general store there. In 1889, he entered the ser-
vice of the Illinois Central, as a carpenter. He
remained at that work until 1893, when he was
appointed foreman of a carpenter force, engaged
in building stations. In 1894, he was for a few
months a bridge foreman, receiving promotion in
November of that year, to supervisor of bridges
and buildings, on the Louisiana division, and in
1896 was transferred to New Orleans in a simi-
lar capacity, and is now acceptably filling that
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
405
position. At the time of his promotion, Mr.
Day was the youngest supervisor on the I. C.
system. He has charge of three hundred and
twenty three miles of Main line.
On April 28th, 1898, Mr. Day was united
in marriage with Miss Marie J., daughter of
William and Louise Lannes, natives of Paris
and New Orleans respectively. They have one
child, a beautiful little daughter, Marie J. Day,
born February 19, 1899.
Mr. Day belongs to the Masons, the Elks,
and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His
family attends the Catholic church. In politics
he is independent.
He is a rising young man, possessing the con-
fidence of his superiors, and his genial disposition
has won for him the friendship and esteem of
all his employes.
JOHN T. WILLIAMS, who on December
15, 1899, resigned the position of 'store-
keeper, for the Illinois Central, on the
New Orleans Terminals, was born at
Natchez, Miss., on September, 19, 1842. He is
a son of William J. and Mary T. (Carroll) Wil-
liams, the former departed this life in 1887, at
the age of seventy-five, and the latter in 1889 at
the age of seventy-four years.
Mr. Williams received his educational train-
ing in the public schools of his native city, and
in 1861, at the age of seventeen enlisted in Corn-
pay "A" 1 6th Louisiana Volunteers Infantry,
and was with that company for two years, when
he was discharged on account of disability. He
soon after joined the 28th Mississippi Cavalry,
and was taken prisoner, but escaped and joined
Powell's regiment, the first regiment he came to.
Later was detailed as one of Maj. Bradford's
scouts, where he remained until the close of the
war. During his military service he was twice
wounded. In 1865, after being mustered out
of service, he returned to Natchez, and became a
merchant and planter, following that business for
three years, and then formed a connection with
Messrs Carpenter and Morgan, and was in the
cotton and mercantile business for two years.
The next year was spent as superintendent of
the extensive plantation of Mr. George M. Davis.
In 1879 he went to McComb City, Miss., and en-
tered the service of the Illinois Central, as fore-
man in the yards, and six months later was pro-
moted to assistant storekeeper, remaining until
January 1894 in that position. He was then
transferred to New Orleans, as storekeeper for
the company, which he held until his resignation
December 15, 1899. On the 7th of September
1865, Mr: Williams was joined in marriage to
Miss Susan S. Samuel, of Natchez, who was born
and educated in that place. They are the parents
of five children : Richard I., a machinist ; Mamie
S. at home; Thomas W. ; Albert P. and Hoi-
comb J.
Mr. Williams belongs to the Masonic order,
and is also a member of Lodge, No. 36, Knights
of Pythias, of McComb City. He has been D.
D. G. C. of the latter. The Methodist Episco-
pal church claim Mr. Williams' family as sup-
porters. In politics he is a staunch supporter
of the principles of Democracy.
R. BROOKS, conductor for the I.
C. at East St. Louis, is a native of
Q Cape Girardeau, Mo. He began his
service in 1892 on the Cairo Short
Line as a freight brakeman for J. C. Tedford,
between East St. Louis and Pinckneyville, and
was with him for a few trips and was then with
various conductors on all divisions of the road
and continued until September 1897, when he
was promoted to conductor and ran extra until
Christmas, 1897, when he was injured and was
off the road a year. On this date he was walking
his train when it broke in two and our subject
fell to the ground on the track, sustaining a
fracture of both ankles and had a narrow escape
from death. At the end of the year, in Novem-
ber 1898, he returned and ran extra until the
summer of 1899 when he was given caboose No.
406
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
98.343. and now runs between East St. Louis
and Mounds in the chain gang and also between
Carbondale and Brooklyn. Mr. Brooks married
Miss Clara McLean. Socially he is a member
of Division No. 3, O. R. C., of St. Louis.
JAMES W. KINABREW is a well known
conductor in the passenger service of the
Illinois Central, on the Louisiana divi-
sion. He entered the service of the N.
O. J. & G. N. R. R. (now the I. C. R. R.) in
1871, as ticket and freight agent at Johnstown,
Miss., where he remained two years. Desiring
a more active life, he sought, and obtained a
position in the train service of the road. Begin-
ning as brakeman, at which he served only a
few months, he was promoted to extra conduc-
tor, and a year later was made a regular conduc-
tor in the freight service, between New Orleans,
and Canton, Miss. He was in this branch of
the service until 1878, when he again became
agent at Johnstown. In 1879, he returned to
the train service, as brakeman, and was soon
after advanced to conductor in the freight ser-
vice, and finally, in 1890, was promoted to con-
ductor in the passenger service, on the same divi-
sion, and is filling that position in the most cred-
itable manner at the present time.
Mr. Kinabrew was born in Amite county,
Miss., on November 30, 1850, and is the son of
John G. and Lettie (Montgomery) Kinabrew,
who were farmers of that place, and are now
deceased, the former in 1852 and the latter in
1874. He was educated at the Peabody school
in Summit, Miss. On October 6, 1870, while
walking on the track on his way to school, he
noticed a broken rail, and realizing the danger. to
a passenger train which was soon due at that
point, he ran forward and succeeded in flagging
the train, thus averting a serious disaster. In
consideration of his bravery he was presented
by H. S. McComb, then president of the N. O.
J. & G. N. R. R., with a beautiful gold watch,
bearing the following inscription : "H. S. Mc-
Comb, President of the N. O. J. & G. N. R. R.,
to James W. Kinabrew A token of regard for
your noble effort in saving train, Oct. 6, 1870.
'Spectemur Agendo.' " On Oct. 16, 1874, Mr.
Kinabrew was united in marriage to Miss Aman-
da Alford, of Pike county, Miss. They have two
children, Hattie T., who is the wife of Mr. L.
Williams, of New Orleans, and Lettie, at home.
Socially Mr. Kinabrew is identified with the
Knights of Pythias and the Knights of Honor.
He and his family are members and liberal sup-
porters of the Methodist Episcopal church. In
politics he is independent.
£s\ Kl E. CRANMER, a popular conductor
U running as extra in the passenger
O service of the Y. & M. V. R. R., was
born in New Orleans, October 31,
1862. He is the son of T. E. and Jennie E.
(Allen) Cranmer, both having departed this life
within two months of each other during the
present year (1900), the latter on January loth,
and the former on February 23rd. Mr. Cran-
mer Sr. was for many years a steamboat engineer
on the Mississippi river, and was also in the ser-
vice of the Illinois Central, L. & N. and Y. & M.
Y. railroads.
Our subject was educated in the public
schools of New Orleans, and in 1878, at the age
of sixteen, entered the government service on
the revenue cutter, "John A. Dix," remaining in
the service three years. In 1881 he went to
Mexico and took an active part in the building
of the Sonora Railroad, working there one year.
He then returned to New Orleans and again en-
tered the service of the U. S. government as
registry clerk in the New Orleans post office,
which position he held two years. After a short
clerkship with the L. & N. express company, he
became identified on July 8, 1885, with the L.
X. ( ). & T. R. R. (now the Y. & M. V. R. R.)
as baggage master, running between New ( )r-
leans and Yicksburg, Miss. He was soon of-
fered a position as brakeman on the same division
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
407
for the same road, and accepting it, was, after
two years' faithful service, promoted to conduc-
tor in the freight service. Occupying that posi-
tion until 1898, he then received promotion to
extra passenger conductor, and is at the present
time engaged in that branch of the service.
Mr. Cranmer was, on July 24, 1891, married
to Miss Naomi Powell, who was born in New
Orleans on May 19, 1875. Their union has re-
sulted in the birth of two children, Lula E. and
Ettalee. In politics he is a believer in and a
firm supporter of Democratic principles, and in
religious views is a Protestant.
L. HATCH, a conductor in the
freight service on the New Orleans
Q division of the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley R. R., residing in Vicksburg,
was born in Chenango Bridge, N. Y., on Febru-
ary 3, 1861. His parents were Sylvanus and
Anna B. (Snell) Hatch, both of whom are liv-
ing. The early life of Mr. Hatch was spent as
that of most farmer's boys, attending the dis-
trict school in winter, and working on his fath-
er's farm in summer. At the age of twenty-
two he entered railroad life as a brakeman in
the service of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western R. R., between Utica and Binghamton,
X. Y., and held that position from 1883 until
1888. He was then promoted to conductor on
the same road, remaining in the service until
1896. In 1897 he went south, and locating at
Vicksburg, Miss., entered the service of the Ya-
zoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. as a flagman on
a freight run between Vicksburg and New Or-
leans, continuing in that branch of the service
until 1898. He was, in that year, promoted to
conductor in the freight service, on the New Or-
leans division, and is now employed in that capa-
city, rendering the company excellent service.
Miss F. A. Bailey, a native of Syracuse, N.
Y., educated in the Onondago Academy of that
state, became the wife of Mr. Hatch on March
1 6, 1898. Mrs. Hatch is a woman of fine at-
tainments, and is deeply interested in the work of
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Both are members of the Methodist church. Mr.
Hatch is a valued member of Vicksburg Divi-
sion No. 231, O. R. C. Politically he is a Pro-
hibitionist.
PHILIP H. MURPHY, former superin-
tendent of construction for the Illinois
Central Railroad at Freeport, 111., was
born in New York city in 1832. The
family moved to Detroit, Mich., when ovir sub-
ject was four years old. He attended school
under Ludwig Stanton, and took the regular
course of instruction at that time given in the
public schools, and also took a course in an acad-
emy in which he acquired a knowledge of Latin
and the higher English branches. At the age
of fifteen he entered the service of the Michigan
Central Railroad as an assistant to his father,
who was a railroad constructor running an en-
gine which pulled a supply train over wooden
rails. The family then moved to Elgin, 111.,
where he and his father supplied the old Galena
& Chicago Union Railroad with ties and wood.
He then became agent at Gilbert Station on the
same road, and remained there for a short time.
In 1856 he was appointed cashier for the I. C.
R. R. at Galena, where he remained until 1857,
when, on account of the panic which ensued,
the forces were cut down, and our subject being
the youngest man, was obliged to relinquish his
position. He went to Chicago and worked in
the office of the superintendent of transporta-
tion, and also in the office of W. P. Johnson,
general passenger agent, as extra man. In the
fall of 1857 he was appointed ticket agent at
Freeport, and remained there about one and one-
half years ; was then agent at Warsaw, 111., until
1 86 1 ; then served as agent at Pana for a short
time, after which he was agent at Centralia for
six. months. He then became cashier of the
American Express company at St. Louis, but
after six months was compelled on account of
408
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ill-health to resign. He then returned ty Pana
as station agent for one month, after which he
came to Freeport as agent, and remained in that
position from 1864 to 1886. At that time he
was sent over the route of the Chicago, Madison
& Northern R. R. (now the Freeport division of
the I. C. R. R.) to prospect, and was afterward
instructed to purchase the right of way of the
same. He also purchased the lands for the Free-
port yards, and solicited the location of the Free-
port Malleable Iron Works for the use of the
company. This is now the I. C. R. R. shops.
He was then appointed superintendent of con-
struction and remained in that capacity until the
road was completed, then became station agent
and remained in the service until his death which
occurred March 31, 1889.
On the 4th of June,, 1856, Mr. Murphy mar-
ried Miss Catherine O'Neil, who died September
i, 1899. Of his children, Henry is an employe
of the I. C. R. R. company at Freeport; Daniel
T. is freight house foreman of the I. C. R. R. at
Freeport. Mr. Murphy was a Catholic in re-
ligion. In politics he was a Republican.
E. DUNBAR, a highly esteemed con-
ductor in the passenger service on
tne Louisiana division of the Illinois
Central, residing at Canton, Miss.,
was born in Copiah county, in that state, October
9, 1860. His father, Jackson Dunbar, was a
prominent farmer and horse dealer of that county,
and died in 1890, survived by his wife, who re-
sides in the old homestead in Mississippi. The
educational training of our subject was acquired
in the public schools of his native county, and
at the high schools of Hazelhurst and Beaure-
gard. In early life he was employed as clerk in
a store, at the same time assisting his father in
the livery and sale business. At the age of
twenty he entered the service of the I. C., as
brakeman on a freight train, between New
Orleans and Canton, Miss., and served in that
capacity for two years. He was then promoted
to conductor in the freight service, and after a'
faithful record of eight years in that line, was,
in 1892, promoted to the passenger service, where
he is now employed.
January 4, 1888, witnessed the union of Mr.
Dunbar and Miss Emma C. Bauer, of McComb
City, Miss. They have one child, Charles E.
Dunbar Jr., who was born December 26, 1889,
and is now a fine boy attending the public schools
of Canton. Mr. Dunbar is a member of the
Masonic order, having passed through the K. T.
degree. He is also a Knight of Pythias, K. of
A. A., a member of O. R. C. and " Old Re-
liables," of the U. S. and Canada. His family
attends the Presbyterian church. Politically he
is a Democrat.
B. RIDLEY, a well known conductor
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, on the Memphis division,
entered the employ of the company
in March 1896. He acquired his first knowledge
of railroad work on the Louisville & Nashville
R. R. where he began in 1884, as a brakeman
between Nashville, Tennessee and Decatur, Ala-
bama. After serving eighteen months as brake-
man, he was promoted to conductor in the freight
department and also ran as extra passenger
conductor until 1896, when he left that road and
secured a position on the I. C. under J. T. Hara-
han, whose headquarters are in Chicago. He
has been in the employ of the I. C., as conductor
in the freight service, between Memphis and
Paducah, since 1896, and is a very popular man
on the division.
Mr. Ridley was born near Nashville, Tenn.,
on June 5, 1863, and is a son of Moses McNairy
and Mary E. (Baker) Ridley, both deceased.
Moses Ridley was a farmer and stock raiser of
Davidson county, Tennessee, and the early life
of our subject was spent in work on the farm,
and attending the district schools, but as he left
home at the age of seventeen, the principal part
of his education was acquired after that time.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
411
1 k was afterward employed in a mercantile
house at Nashville, and later opened a grocery
store at Mud Tavern, Term. He was in business
there one year, when he began his railroad career.
Mr. Ridley belongs to the Masonic fraternity,
being a Knight Templar, and is a member also
of the O. R. C., and is democratic in politics.
He is not a member of any church, though his
parents belonged to the Baptist church.
iHARLES FAESSLER, engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Amboy divi-
sion, is a native of Baden-Baden, Ger-
many, where he was born Aug. 5, 1868.
His parents, Rinehart and Ursula Faessler, emi-
grated to America when our subject was still a
child, and coming west located in Amboy, 111.
Here he attended school and later worked on a
farm in that vicinity until twenty-six years of
age. At this time he entered the employ of the
I. C. R. R. as a fireman, and remained in that
position until 1895, when he was promoted to
the right side where he is still engaged, running
a freight engine on the Amboy division, and is
making a record for stability, faithfulness and
industry. On the 2gih of October, 1896, Mr.
Faessler was united in marriage with Miss Kate
McGunigal, of LaSalle, 111. Mrs. Faessler was
born in 1871. By her union with Mr. Faessler
she is the mother of one son, Charles, who was
born August 17, 1897. 'Mr. Faessler is a mem-'
her of the B. of L. F., and B. of L. E. He is a
Catholic in his religious views, and in politics a
staunch Democrat. •• •>
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Jtjtjtjtjtjt
'ILLIAM L. ICKES, engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Freeport
division, entered the service as brake-
man on the Champaign division in
1881. and after three years was transferred to
the Centralia division, served two years and was
23
then promoted to conductor, serving on that divi-
sion as such for one year. He was then trans-
ferred to the C. M. & N. R. R., running between
Chicago and Freeport as freight conductor
one year, and as passenger conductor three
years. In 1891 he began firing on the Freeport
division, making his first run with George Good-
rode, and after three and one-half years in that
capacity was promoted to the right side, in 1895,
running as extra until July 1899 when he was
given a regular run in charge of engine No. 489.
Mr. Ickes was born in Victoria, 111., October 15,
1862. He married Miss Flora Pendergast,
whose father was section foreman at Irvington,
111., and by whom he has four children, William
G., Ralph E., Ferol R. and Irma Irene. He is a
member of Racine Division No. 27 B. of L. E.,
also a member of the Masonic fraternity, having
attained the thirty-second degree.
JA. FRATES, train master of the Fulton
district of the Memphis division, has
Q been in the railroad service since the
age of fourteen. He is a son of Mr.
Anthony and Mrs. Mary (Enos) F rates, and was
born at Forest Hill, California, April 23, 1866,
attending the public schools of his native place.
While still a mere boy he entered the office of the
Southern Pacific at Martinez, California, and
served a year as office boy. Having learned
telegraphy during the year, he was employed as
operator at various points along the line for a
period of three or four years. Removing to
Texas he served as extra operator at a number
of points in the state for several roads for abouf
four years and in 1887 he entered the service of
the Denver & Rio Grande at Leadville, Colorado,
as- train dispatcher remaining here until i88y.
Going to Vicksburg he worked six months as
dispatcher for the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas and then- -went to Water Valley as train
dispatcher for the Illinois Central half a year.
From there he was transferred to Jackson, Tenn.,
in the same capacity, remaining five years, be-
412
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ing promoted to chief dispatcher and assistant
train master. In 1896 he was transferred to
Memphis as trainmaster and has served in that
capacity to the present time. Mr. Prates' mar-
riage was celebrated at Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1887,
to Miss Lulu Buck, daughter of Thomas and
Mattie (Bonell) Buck. Their five children are
Berenice, Joseph, Earl, Clifford and Ramona.
The family attends the Methodist Episcopal
church. Mr. Frates is a high degree Mason
having passed through the rites of the Blue
Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and the Mystic
Shrine. His quick perception and close atten-
tion to business has won him his advancement
to his present responsible position.
ILLIAM WHITE, the former effi-
cient master mechanic at Memphis,
has laid a broader foundation of
learning than is usual in the me-
chanical arts, having taken a full course of law
as well. Born at Ionia, Mich., January 28, 1863,
he was reared in his native place and attended
the common schools until the age of sixteen
when he became an apprenticed machinist in the
shops of the Detroit, Lansing & Northern, at
Ionia. Serving his full term he became a
journeyman machinist at the age of nineteen
and then sought to add to his knowledge the
practical operating of a railroad by becoming a
fireman at which he was engaged some nine
months. Returning to his trade he was thus
engaged until 1884, when he began a course of
law under the tutelage of Hon. J. H. Mitchell,
of Ionia, having decided to adopt a professional
career. After completing the full course, just
prior to his examination for admission to the
bar, he decided to return to his first choice of
a vocation and secured a place in the shops at
Fort Wayne, Ind., in the service of the Penn-
sylvania Railroad, remaining there until April
1889, when he was given charge of the air brake
department which he held two years. Promoted
to assistant general foreman he was transferred
to the shops of the Cleveland & Pittsburg divi-
sion at Wellesville, Ohio, remaining here until
late in the year 1897. December i, of that year
he entered the service of the Illinois Central and
was appointed general foreman of the Freeport
shops remaining at his post until May 15, 1898,
when he was transferred to the Paducah shops in
the same capacity. The first of December fol-
lowing he was appointed master mechanic at
Memphis and discharged the duties there until
he was tendered and accepted the position of
general master mechanic of the L. E. & W. Ry.,
with headquarters at Lima, Ohio, where he is
at present located.
Mr. White's marriage occured at Carson
City, Mich., March 21, 1889, Miss Harriett E.
Trask becoming his bride. Two children have
been born, Genevieve, January 21, 1891, and
Stuart B., October 13, 1892.
Mr. White is the son of William R. and
Lydia A. (Bliss) White. The father is a pat-
tern maker by trade, and at present employed
in the shops at Memphis. E. B. White, a brother
of our subject, is general foreman of the L. E.
& W. R. R., with headquarters at Rankin, 111.
The family are Protestant Episcopal by faith,
and politically are Democrats. Mr. White's ad-
vancement has been solely by his own merit and
efforts. Had not his qualifications been above
the average, and his executive ability of a high
order, he would not have attained a position
above that of a journeyman in his trade.
'ILLIAM L. DAVIS, chief train dis-
patcher for the Vicksburg division of
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R.
R. at Memphis, Tenn., is a native of
Fayette county in that state, and was born Jan-
uary 4, 1839. He is a son of S. W. and Mary
(Brown) Davis, both deceased. Mr. Davis Sr.
was a farmer by occupation, and was an elder of
the Presbyterian church.
William L. Davis received his educational
training in the schools of his native county, and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
413
at the Marshall, Texas, University. In the au-
tumn of 1853 he entered a telegraph office at
Marshall, Texas, and acquiring a knowledge of
the business, was in 1854 sent to Crockett, Texas,
as telegrapher. He taught the business to a man
there, with a view of leaving the place, and turn-
ing the position over to him, which he did, and
went to Rusk, Texas, where he also taught his
successor the routine of telegraphy. Returning
to Marshall, he was soon afterward sent to
Shreveport, La., as telegrapher, but was there
but a short time when he went to Mansfield, La.,
working there six months, and subsequently re-
turning to Shreveport. The sickness and death
of his father called him home at this time, where
he remained six years. While at Crockett,
Texas, he exchanged lessons in telegraphy with
the editor of the Crockett Printer for the privi-
lege of learning the printing business, and ac-1
quired a knowledge of type-setting and other
work connected with a printing office. With a
partner he bought the Hopkins County Tele-
graph, a newspaper published at Bright Star,
Texas, which he published and of which he was
junior editor until the spring of 1861. Mr.
Davis then disposed of his interest in the paper,
volunteered in the service of the Confederacy,
becoming a member of Company I, of the First
Texas heavy artillery, which was stationed at
Galveston, and from which he was detailed until
the surrender of the Confederate forces in 1865.
He then went to the Indian Territory, but was
there only a short time, when he became ill, and
went to Brownsville, Ark., where his mother then
resided. He then went to Little Rock, and se-
cured a position with the Pine Bluff Telegraph
company, assisting in the construction of that
system, and afterward was for a year manager
of their office at Little Rock. His next work
was with the Memphis & Little Rock Telegraph
company, at Fort Smith, Ark., and afterward
at Van Buren. He then went to Princeton, Ark.,
where he took charge of an office, and remained
about one year. Going to Houston, Texas, he
was employed there in the office of the Star
State Telegraph company, remaining six months,
and was then transferred to Galveston as mana-
ger of the office. He was afterward assistant
superintendent. When the Star State Telegraph
lines were sold to the American Telegraph com-
pany, he became their manager at Houston, Tex-
as. Mr. Davis was appointed assistant superin-
tendent at Marshall, Texas, serving there for
about one year. He then went to Memphis, and
for a time was unemployed, but secured a posi-
tion as operator at Grand Junction, Tenn. From
that place he went to Union City, Tenn., where
he finally became agent for the Nashville &
North-Western R. R., occupying that position
until October 1873. He then went to Jackson,
Tenn., as train dispatcher for the Mobile & Ohio
R. R., and was in the employ of that company
until July 1878. In that year he entered the ser-
vice of the C. St. L. & N. O. R. R. (now
the Illinois Central) as train dispatcher, and De-
cember i, 1878, was sent to McComb City, Miss.,
in that capacity, remaining there until September
1883. He then went to Boyce, La., as dispatcher
on the New Orleans, Texas & Pacific R. R., and
from there to Baton Rouge, as chief dispatcher
for the L. N. O. & T. R. R. From Baton Rouge
he was transferred to Wilson, remaining there
as chief dispatcher until May 1885, when two
divisions were consolidated, and he was trans-
ferred to Vicksburg, Miss., as chief dispatcher,
and occupied that position until 1890. In the
latter year, he went to Natchez, as superintendent
of the Natchez and Jackson division where he
remained nearly two years, until the road
changed management. He then went to Vicks-
burg, where he secured the position of train
dispatcher, on the Vicksburg, Shreveport &
Pacific R. R. After a short service there, he
went to the Alabama Great Southern R. R. at
Birmingham, Alabama, as dispatcher, and from
there on November i, 1892, to the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas R. R. at Memphis, Tenn.,
where he has since remained, in his present po-
sition as chief train dispatcher.
Mr. Davis was twice married. His first
wife, to whom he was married in 1868, was Miss
Nannie Hamilton ; she died in 1879, and m 1880,
he was united to Miss Octavia W. L. Carey, who
departed this life in 1889.
414
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
His children by his first marriage are Ivy,
and David W., chief clerk in the roadmas-
ter's office at Memphis. To the second union
was born one child, Mary Davis.
Mr. Davis is a Knight Templar and belongs
to the Old Timers Telegrapher's Association.
He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and
a Republican in politics.
EORGE E. JARMAN, is the capable
and highly popular supervisor of
tracks and bridges, on the Aberdeen
division of the Illinois Central, and
a generous, whole-hearted, self-made man, who
has risen by his own efforts from a poor boy, to
his present responsible position. Mr. Jarman was
born in Monroe county, Mississippi, where his
father was a wealthy planter before the war.
Although a strong upholder of the union, Mr.
Jarman Sr. fought with the people of his. own
state, -and was killed during the Smith raid, be-
ing shot down in the presence of his wife. His
property and slaves were confiscated, leaving the
mother penniless, with a family of twelve chil-
dren. Our subject being a strong, active boy,
hired out as a plow-boy, to assist his mother, pur-
suing his studies at night, under the supervision
of an older sister, who had in their days of afflu-
ence, received the benefits of a good education. At
the age of twenty-two he secured employment as
porter, with the Mobile & Ohio R. R., afterward
assisting with office work, and studying telegra-
phy. He entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, in 1885, as a laborer, on the section, near
West Point, Miss., and from there to the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley R. R. with Captain E. J.
Martin. He next worked successively, as sec-
tion foreman on the Mobile & Ohio R. R. and the
Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R. re-
maining with the latter company four years. In
the fall of 1891 he returned to the I. C, being
appointed section foreman on the Grenada divi-
sion, and worked there until 1897. In the lat-
ter year he was made supervisor of tracks on
the Grenada division, and in April 1898, was
transferred to the Aberdeen division, in his pres-
ent capacity.
His jurisdiction embraces the tracks and
bridges on the Aberdeen division of the Illinois
Central, from Durant, to Tchula, Miss., and the
coal run into Brilliant, Ala. He has a force of
sixteen section-foremen, two extra gang foremen,
one bridge foreman, one hundred and thirty-seven
laborers, and sixteen bridgemen under his super-
vision. Jan. 22, 1880, Mr. Jarman was united to
Miss Maggie Dance. They have one child liv-
ing, 'a bright little girl of eight years, who stands
at the head of her class in school, although the
youngest. They reside in one of Durant's most
beautiful homes. A brother of Mr. Jarman, Ed-
gar, is a prosperous farmer, and a prominent citi-
zen of Oklahoma. By the united efforts of the
family, they have recovered their old home in
Mississippi, where their mother is now residing.
Mr. Jarman is a fine looking man, standing six
feet, four inches, and weighing two hundred and
thirty pounds. He is a man of sterling worth, who
has the confidence and esteem of all, in the com-
munity of which he is a respected member.
F. GALVANI, freight agent for the
Illinois Central at Canton, Miss.,
Q entered the employ of the company in
1888, as brakeman on the Louisiana
division of the road, out of McComb City. After
two years service in that capacity, he was ap-
pointed night yardmaster at the same place, hold-
ing that position three years. He was then pro-
moted to conductor in the freight service, on the
same division, and in July 1893, was transferred
to Canton, Miss., and given his present position.
In the fall and winter season Mr. Galvani is
one of the busiest men in the service, as Canton
is in the center of the vegetable country, of Mis-
sissippi, and hundreds of car loads of tomatoes
and other vegetables are weekly shipped to the
Chicago markets. He has quite a force of clerks
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
415
in his office, among them his brother, Charles,
who is his chief clerk.
Mr. Galvani was born at New Orleans, on
April 25, 1862, and is a son of Charles Galvani,
an artist of note, of that city, who is now deceased.
His wife prior to her marriage to Mr. Galvani
was Miss Mary McElwee, of Amite, La. Two
sons are the result of their union, Ernest and
Beauregard. Socially, he is connected with the
Order of Elks, and is also a member of the O.
R. C., of Canton. Both he and his wife, are de-
voted adherents of the Episcopal church.
AURICE C. MULCONERY, engi-
neer at East St. Louis, began his
railroad career October 27, 1885, in
the capacity of wiper and helper in
the shops of the Cairo Short Line. Six weeks
later he secured a position as fireman, worked in
the East St. Louis yards two weeks, then between
that city and DuQuoin under Engineer William
Ash, and later under his father one year, and for
others, both to DuQuoin and other points from
East St. Louis. July 17, 1888, Mr. Mulconery
was set up to engineer and spent his first fifteen
months in that capacity in the East St. Louis
yards, and later ran extra out of East St. Louis
for a short time. He then moved to Belleville
and worked in that city at different times in the
yards, on transfer eight years, and as extra pas-
senger engineer. In November 1898, our sub-
ject returned to East St. Louis and his present
run is from that city to Mounds, and his regular
engine is No. 507. His runs were 255 and 286.
He is also occasionally called upon to make an
extra run on a passenger train. Mr. Mulconery
was born in Belleville, 111., a son of Michael Mul-
conery, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in
this volume.
In August 1891 our subject was united in
marriage to Miss Maggie Keefe, of Belleville,
111., and their wedded life has been blessed by
the birth of two children, Maurice and Agnes,
the latter of whom died February 24, 1900. So-
cially our subject is identified with Egyptian
Lodge No. 512, B. of L. E., of East St. Louis.
He has been a very successful railroad man, is
an able engineer and has never met with serious
accident since he has been on the road.
,HARLES R. SMITH, a widely known
and valued employe of the Illinois Cen-
tral, is an engineer in the passenger
service on the Louisiana division of
the road. He was born at Auburn, N. Y., and
at the age of seven years moved with his parents
to Ohio, where his father, Daniel G. Smith, was
engaged in the tanning business. When quite
young he entered the shops of the Dayton &
Union road, at Greenville, Ohio, and soon re-
ceived an appointment as fireman. In 1863 he
was promoted to engineer, and going to Mem-
phis, Tenn., in 1865, became identified with what
was then known as the Memphis & Charleston
R. R. He worked for that road as engineer
three years, and from 1868 until 1876 was with
the Alabama Central Railroad as engineer on
different divisions of that road. On December
26, 1876, he entered the service of the I. C. at
McComb City, as engineer under Master Me-
chanic Greener. He remained in the service un-
til 1880, when he resigned, and going to Ohio,
worked for a short time in the service of the Big
Four R. R. Returning to the service of the I. C.
at McComb City, in 1880, he was given a regular
run as engineer in the pasenger service, which po-
sition he retains, and is filling with eminent sat-
isfaction, having charge of engine No. 932, with
George Cutrer as fireman. A brother of our
subject, Edgar Smith, is a prominent engineer
on the Big Four system. Charles R. Smith mar-
ried Miss Davidson, whose father, W. B. David-
son, was employed for a number of years as a
painter on the I. C. Their union has been
blessed with the following children, viz : Glen,
who is in the employ of- Holmes Bros., of Mc-
Comb City ; Addie, a young lady at home ; How-
ard, Geary and St. Clair. Julia May Holt, a
416
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
bright little girl with great musical abilities, is
an adopted daughter. The family reside in a
fine home just completed on Minnesota avenue.
Mr. Smith belongs to Division No. 196, B. of
L. E., and was the first Engineer of the lodge.
He is also a member of the Knights of Honor,
of McComb City, where he is highly esteemed
by all the citizens.
JOSEPH A. DUNHAM, foreman in the
shops at Centralia, was born in the town
of St. Johns, New Brunswick, September
16, 1858, and spent his boyhood in Cana-
da, where he learned the carpenter's trade.
After his removal to Waterloo, Iowa, he learned
the millwright's trade with the firm of Wil-
ford & Northway, afterwards removing to
Laporte, Iowa, and from there to Greene in
the same state. Later he returned to Waterloo
and spent two years in the employ of J. T. Bur-
kett, as journeyman. He then followed general
carpentering until October 14, 1886, when he
entered the employ of the Illinois Central as a
carpenter, and in February 1888, was placed in
charge of the car repairing department and also
of the wrecking gang on the road. On August
i, 1891, he was promoted to the position of fore-
man of the carpenter shops, at Waterloo, and was
retained in that capacity until December I, 1899,
when he was transferred to' the shops at Cen-
tralia. Our subject's father, Joseph Dunham, is
also a carpenter, and is now employed in the I.
C. shops at Waterloo.
December 31, 1883, Mr. Dunham was mar-
ried at Jesup, Iowa, to Miss Eva M. Phillips,
and to this union have been born three children,
, viz : Adelbert, Mary Louise, and one who died
in infancy. Socially our subject is identified
with the following fraternities : Howland
Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W. ; Melchoir Court
No. 8. Tribe of Ben Hur; Degree of Honor,
A. O. U. W. ; Improved Order of Red Men, and
formerly held membership with the Select
Knights, A. O. U. W.
ICHAEL MULCONERY, a retired
engineer living at Belleville, began
his railroad career as a wiper in
the round house at that place in De-
cember 1858. Three months later he secured a
position as fireman in the passenger service under
Engineer Webb Ross, between Belleville and
East St. Louis, a fourteen mile run, and retained
that position until 1861, at the same time making
an occasional run in the freight service. He
then went to Litchfield to accept a position as
fireman between that city and Terre Haute, Ind.,
for the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad.
Being unsatisfied with the place, however, he
remained but two weeks, then secured a run be-
tween Litchfield and East St. Louis which he
retained six weeks, and in the fall of the same
year he went into the Litchfield round house
in the capacity of dispatcher. In March 1862,
Mr. Mulconery was sent to East St. Louis in
charge of old engine No. I, which he used in
the yards during that summer and part of the
following winter, doing some extra work on the
line at the same time, as there were but two
crews on the Belleville branch. After spending
about eight months in the East St. Louis yards,
our subject was placed in charge of engine No.
5, which hauled a coal train, and was thus en-
gaged three years. He then used different en-
gines, retaining each but a short time, until he
took the levers of No. 50, a Norris engine, and
had her until May 1869 on a coal train. At the
last named date Mr. Mulconery was promoted
to the passenger service and given engine No. 3,
a new machine, Hinckley make, and for nine
months she plied at his will between Belleville
and East St. Louis. He then began a career of
about eighteen years on engine No. II, and one
fireman, William Ryan, stood by his side during
seventeen years of that time. In 1888 he got
engine No. 40 for a short time, and later No.
1 1 80, which he retained until he tendered his
resignation in 1890, after thirty-two years of
continuous service on the railroad. Remarkable
as it may seem, this long career was entirely free
from wrecks, and our subject never received
an injury while on the road.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
417
Mr. Mulconery was born in County Tip-
perary, Ireland, and in 1850 came to America at
the age of fourteen years, and brought his sister
with him. He located in Johnstown, Pa., at-
tended school there, and made that his home un-
til 1853, and then went west to Chicago to learn
the moulder's trade. From February to October
of the year 1858, he did construction work on
the Pittsburg & Ft. Wayne Railroad, and then
moved to Belleville, 111., and entered the employ
of the railroad.
Mr. Mulconery was married at St. Louis,
Mo., in 1859, to Miss Mary Gary, and of their
family we have the following record : Mary,
wife of Patrick Quirk, engineer on the Short
Line ; Emma, wife of Michael Hayes, of Detroit,
Mich. ; Margaret at home ; John S., an engineer
at East St. Louis ; Maurice C., whose sketch
appears on another page of this volume ; Kate ;
Michael T., an employe of the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad at East St. Louis, 111. ; William, an em-
ploye in the round house at East St. Louis ; An-
drew, an engineer for the Illinois Central com-
pany at East St. Louis; Rosie and Laura. So-
cially our subject affiliates with Division No. 37,
B. of L. E., of East St. Louis, being one of the
charter members of the lodge, which was organ-
ized in 1863.
EORGE H. STINESPRING, a popu-
lar engineer in the passenger service
of the Illinois Central, on the Missis-
sippi division, between Jackson and
Natchez, became identified with the company as
a laborer in the Natchez shops. He then secured
a position as fireman between Natchez and Jack-
son, under Engineer Rand, where he worked
one year, and then returned to the shops, and go-
ing to Harrison, Miss., when the shops were re-
moved to that point. He worked at Harrison
about one year, returning to Natchez as hostler,
where he served two years. He then took the
examination for promotion to engineer, and be-
ing successful was, on September 27, 1892, given
charge of a work train. He was, after ten
months, promoted to the freight service, and in
1899 Promoted to the passenger service, where he
now has a regular run on engine No. 48. Mr.
Stinespring was born in Winsborc, La., on March
23, 1867, and is a son of Caleb Stinespring, who
died January 22, 1869. Our subject has a
brother, Frank, a machinist in the employ of
the Santa Fe Railroad at Cleveland, Texas. Mr.
Stinespring was united to Miss Broadnax, of
Natchez, and they have three children, Arthur,
George and Frank, all residing with their pa-
rents, in a substantial home on Gallatin street,
in Jackson. Socially he is a member of Divi-
sion No. 281, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg. His
career on the road has been free from serious ac-
cidents, and having risen through his own ef-
forts, his future promises to be a successful one.
'ILLIAM KIRKWOOD, foreman of
the blacksmith shop for the Illinois
Central company at East St. Louis,
began work at this place for the
Short Line in 1888, as a blacksmith, and after
serving three years was promoted to the position
of foreman. At present he has charge of a
force of eight experienced blacksmiths and two
apprentices, but his force is usually larger. Mr.
Kirkwood was born in Scotland in 1841, learned
his trade in the land of his nativity, and pursued
it eight years in Glasgow. In 1879 ne came to
America, located in New Jersey, where he
worked six months for Morris Sinclair & Co.,
and later came west and worked several years
for the Mount Carbon Coal & Railroad company,
at Murphysboro, 111. Upon severing his connec-
tion with the last named firm, our subject spent
some time in traveling from place to place, and
finally found suitable employment with the
"Southeastern" Railroad at Mt. Vernon, 111.
About eighteen months later he returned to Mur-
physboro for a time, then went to Ration, N. M.,
for eighteen months, then returned to the east
and spent five months with the Iron Mountain
418
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Railroad company, then eleven months with the
Missouri Pacific Railroad company, after which
he began work for the Short Line, and continued
in that connection until that line was bought by
the Illinois Central company and he began work
for them. Mr. Kirkwood was married "at Mt.
Vernon, 111., to Miss Anna Yeager, and two
children. Lizzie and William, have been born to
them. Socially our subject affiliates with the
Masonic fraternity, holding membership in Blue
Lodge No. 504 and Chapter No. 196, both of
East St. Louis, and also the Ancient Order of
United Workmen, of East St. Louis. He is an
efficient workman, industrious and trustworthy,
and has a clean record on the books of the Illi-
nois Central company.
to whom were born ; two sons, Walter C. and
Lucius Lamar. Mr. Dlount is the owner of a
well of acid mineral water on his estate eight
miles north-east of Coffeeville, which possesses
unusual curative properties. A development of
the property will make it one of the most effi-
cacious health resorts in the state, and one at
which northern patrons will find an ideal winter
home. Mr. Blount is high up in Masonic cir-
cle's;-holding membership in Valley City Lodge
No. 402, at Water Valley, Coffeeville Chapter
Xo. 33, and St. Cyr Conimandery No. 6, at
Water Valley. He is also a member of the
Knights of Pythias, Lochinvar Lodge, and the
Knights of Honor Lodge, No. 1062, both of
Water Valley. Mr. Blount's chief qualification
is thoroughness, and this, no doubt, is the se-
cret of his unusual professional success.
DSAAC TAYLOR BLOUNT, attorney for
the Illinois Central at Water Valley, Miss.,
was born in Ripley, Tippah county, that
state, December 22, 1846. During the last
year of the war he served in the Trans-Missis-
sippi army in Tappan's brigade, and after hos-
tilities ceased attended the law school of the Uni-
versity of Mississippi, under L. Q. C. Lamar,
graduating and being admitted to practice in
1870. He began the practice of his profession
at Pittsboro, Calhoun county, where he remained
twelve years, removing to Water Valley in 1883.
In 1886 he was appointed to the staff of resident
attorneys by the Illinois Central, and has re-
tained their confidence ever since. During all
his years of service for the company, he has lost
but one case of personal injury litigation, in-
volving only $1000. In fourteen years this is
the entire amount of judgment in personal in-
jury cases that has been secured against the
company in cases in which he has been for the
defense. He enjoys a large practice, and has
appeared on one side or other of every important
case that has come before the courts of Yalo-
busha county since he has been established there.
Mr. Blount was married at Bellefontaine",
Miss., to Miss Susan M. Hubbard, now deceased.
•-px\ORBES DAVIDSON, foreman of the
r=<\ carpenter department of the East St.
Louis shops, began his railroad career
about the year 1868 in the employ of
the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Rail-
road, with whom he spent eleven years. In 1879
he entered the employ of that part of the Terre
Haute & Indianapolis Railroad that has since
been bought by the Illinois Central company,
and after working in the shops as a carpenter
two years, was promoted to the position of fore-
man of that department, and was retained by the
Illinois Central company when it came into pos-
session of the line. As foreman of this depart-
ment Mr. Davidson has charge of a force of
about seventy-five men, and in addition to this
has charge of the carpenter work of several way
stations along the line, practically the entire St.
Louis division. His men do all of the car re-
pairing, the wood work of the engines, and the
repairing of coaches. As a result of many years
of .experience, Mr. Davidson has become a very
efficient workman, and one of the best informed
me'n in the East St. Louis shops. He is very
thorough and systematic in his work, is in good
Z. J. GOODWIN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
421
standing' with the company, and enjoys the good
will of those over whom he has authority and a
circle of warm friends. Mr. Davidson was born
in Davenport, Iowa, and came to East St. Louis
with his father, William Davidson. The latter
was a bridge carpenter and worked for the Iron
Mountain Railroad in 1859. He moved to St.
Louis in 1861 and died in that city in 1863. Our
subject was married in St. Louis Mo., to Miss
Irene C. Hernden, of Audrain county, Mo., and
to them have been born three children, as follows :
Joseph, manager of the circulation of the East
St. Louis Journal, East St. Louis, 111. ; Irene
Helen and Edward. Socially Mr. Davidson is
identified with the St. Louis Railroad Club, the
Knights of Pythias, No. 55, and the Mystic
Workers, No. 217, all of St. Louis.
eighteen months, when he was promoted to bag-
gageman. Four years service in that capacity
was followed by promotion to conductor in the
freight service, which he held about nine years,
or until 1879. In the latter year he was pro-
moted to the passenger service in the Grenada
district, and has since retained that position. Mr.
Goodwin was united in marriage to Miss Ellen
X. Hooper, of Grenada, on January 25, 1870.
Not having any children of their own, this good
couple have reared three adopted children. He
belongs to the Masonic, the Odd Fellows, the
Knights of Pythias, and the Elks organizations.
He is also connected with the O. R. C. The
Baptist church finds iti Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin
valued members. In politics he is a Democrat.
J. GOODWIN is one of the best
known employes of the Illinois Cen-
• Q tral on the Grenada district. He is a
conductor in the passenger service on
the Memphis division, and dates his connection
with the road from 1879. Mr. Goodwin was
born in Lafayette county, Miss., November 30,
1848, and is a son of Crawford and Francis
(Hunt) Goodwin, both living and residing in
Grenada, Miss. Crawford Goodwin was a sol-
dier in the Mexican war, and was also in the
Civil war on the Confederate side, serving part
of the time as an officer. Z. J. Goodwin, after
acquiring his education in the public and private
schools of Grenada, Miss., began life as a sales-
man in a store in the latter city, and remained in
that business until 1861. During the war he
followed the printing business, working on the
Rebel Picket. In 1865 he engaged in the
drug business at Grenada, and was thus occupied
for one year. He then (in 1866) entered the
service of the Mississippi & Tennessee R. R.
(now the I. C. system) of which he was one
of the original employes, and is one of only three
survivors. He served as brakeman on that road
between Grenada, Miss., and Memphis for about
LORETTO H. FOSS, one of the pro-
ficient engineers at Water Valley, Mis-
sissippi, is a native of Maine, his birth
having occurred in the town of Leeds,
Androscoggin county. His father, Uriah Foss,
a farmer, was prominently connected with the
militia of the state, and during the disputed
boundary between Maine and New Brunswick,
was in charge of the state forces during the cam-
paign on the frontier. Mr. Foss was educated
in the common schools of Leeds and in the
Webster University, at Auburn, Me. In 1867
he entered the service of the Michigan Central at
Detroit, and worked in the car shops at Jackson,
Michigan, where he served something less than
two years. Returning east he secured a position
as fireman on the Maine Central, and in eighteen
months was set up and given an engine, running
official and pay car, as well as extra out of
Farmington four years. Coming to the western
metropolis, he secured a position on the Chicago,
St. Paul & Kansas City line for a year, and in
1888 joined the force of the Illinois Central at
Water Valley, under Mr. Price, master mechanic,
running on the Mississippi and Louisiana divi-
sions. At present he has a "manifest" run on
422
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the south end of the Mississippi, one of the best
runs on the line.
Mr. Foss was married in Portland, Me., to
Miss Woodford, and has a son and a daughter
living in Maine, the former an engineer on the
Maine Central, where he has been employed some
twelve years. Mr. Foss is a member of the
Water Valley Division No. 99, B. of L. E.,
which organization he joined in Maine prior to
coming west the last time. He is also a member
of the Masonic order in the Farmington lodge,
and of Madison Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pyth-
ias, at Canton, Miss. In the many years of
railroad life, Mr. Foss has escaped serious in-
jury, but on many occasions by a narrow mar-
gin. He is a living example of the fact that in
the new south the Yankee and Southerner can
live in harmony together.
W. SOMMERS, one of the most ex-
perienced engineers in the service
of the Illinois Central, on the Aber-
deen division, began his railroad
career in 1868, on the Hudson River R. R.
Working as fireman until 1875, he was in that
year promoted to engineer in the freight service,
of that road, and afterward ran on the elevated
road, and out of Brooklyn, for four years. He
then went to the Louisville & Nashville R. R.
working out of Louisville, in the freight and
passenger service, of that road for some months.
In 1884 he was employed on what is now the
Louisville division of the Illinois Central, first
in the freight, and later in the passenger service,
remaining there until 1890. He then accepted
a position with the Norfolk & Western R. R.
"out of Radford, Va., and was with that road
about five years. In 1895 Mr. Sommers came
to the Aberdeen division of the Illinois Central,
and has since remained there, having at the
present time a local run, from Aberdeen to
Durant, Miss., with conductor Humphries. Our
subject is a man of wide experience in his work,
having had charge of different makes of engines,
and made a close study of mechanics. He has
perfected, and patented, a flue or boiler cleaner,
which is pronounced an invention of great worth,
as it saves labor and expense. Mr. Sommers
was very seriously scalded in an accident, while
on the New York Central, and was incapacitated
for duty, for four months, bearing the marks
to the present day. On August 21, 1891, he had
a very narrow escape from death. While on
the Norfolk & Western R. R. his conductor
forged an order, and as he was going down a
mountain with a train of forty-five cars, collided
with another train of forty-two cars. The en-
gines came together with a terrible crash, in a
deep cut, and Mr. Sommers saved his life by
jumping, and climbing a steep bank. Mr. Som-
mers was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and
is the son of Frederick William Sommers, a
native of .Germany. He is married and has
several children ; one of his daughters being mar-
ried and a resident of Brooklyn, another daugh-
ter at home, a son in the I. C. service, and an-
other son an apprentice in the shops at Durant.
Socially, he is connected with Division No. 99,
B. of L. E. Hdf joined Vanderbilt Division in
New York in 1878, and represented Paducah
Division, as a delegate to the National Conven-
tion at Chicago, in 1886, and in New York, in
1887. Mr. Sommers is a very intelligent man,
with a retentive memory, and his reminiscences
of early railroad life are very interesting.
JOHN O'M ALLEY, first began work on
the Illinois Central on the section in the
Chicago yards and worked thirteen
months and then served as switch ten-
der in the same yards eighteen months. He
then began firing on No. 200, with Jack Tansy,
engineer, and was on that two months ; then in
the suburban service for nine months firing on
Xo. 226. He then went into the road service
between Chicago and Champaign as fireman on
the extra list. He was on the road that way
three years and took charge of engine No. 309
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
423
and lias been on the road ever since. Our sub-
ject is a son of Edward O'Malley of Dublin, Ire-
land, who was a farmer and came to America
in 1846 and resided on a farm in Champaign
county, 111., until his death. Our subject
was born in Champaign county, Illinois, Decem-
ber 24, 1866. He married Miss Bridget Campbell
of Ireland, and they have five children, Edward,
John, Mabel, Larry and Katherine. Mr. O'Mal-
ley never had a wreck or a '"smash-up" and was
never injured in any way. He is a member of
Division No. 10, B. of L. E., at Burnside. The
family resides at number 1841, goth street, Chi-
cago.
FRANK C. DALTON, began work for
the Illinois Central Railroad as a fire-
man at Jackson, Tenn., January 14,
1896. He began his railroad career,
however, in March, 1887, in the employ of the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad as a fireman between
East St. Louis and Cairo, 111. Four years later
he was set up to engineer and served that com-
pany in the capacity of engineer about two years
and a half. He then found employment with
the Centralia & Chester Railroad as an engineer
and remained in that capacity until he was em-
ployed by the Illinois Central company at Jack-
son, Tenn. Mr. Dalton's first work on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad was a job of firing under
engineer Edgar Chandler between Jackson and
Mounds. Eight months later he was promoted
to the passenger service, worked one year under
engineer D. R. Staley and later worked with
different engineers in the freight service. His
first regular engine on the Illinois Central was
No. 608, the next No. 949, and the next No. 620.
Our subject was set up to engineer November 11,
1899, made his first trip November 15, of that
year, on engine No. 608, and has since been run-
ning extra out of Jackson, Tenn. Mr. Dalton
was born in Walworth county, Wisconsin, near
the town of Sharon, but moved when quite young
with his parents to Waterloo, Iowa. He was
married in Cairo, 111., to Miss Ella Leahigh,
of that city, and two sons have been born to them :
Clarence, born September 2, 1895, and Raymond,
born January i, 1897. Socially our subject is a
member of Russell Division No. -m, B. of L. E.,
of Murphysboro, 111. Mr. Dalton has never met
with serious accident since being on the railroad.
W. TAYLOR, foreman of the car
shops at Water Valley, Miss., began
Q his railroad career in the shops of the
Mississippi Central Railroad at Can-
ton Miss., in 1865. He worked there until March
i, 1867, and then went to Water Valley and be-
gan work for John Beckton who was then mas-
ter car builder. In 1887, our subject was ap-
pointed foreman of the car shops and a great
many new cars have been built, as well as old
ones repaired under his directions. He has
charge of a force of about ninety-four men. Mr.
Taylor was born in Sunland, Durham county,
England, but at the age of nineteen years he emi-
grated to America, located at New Orleans where
he made his home for a time and subsequently
worked in different places before coming to
Water Valley.
He was married in Water Valley to Miss
Fannie Holcomb of that city, and their home
has been blessed by the advent of a family of
three children, of whom we have the following
record : John, storekeeper at the Illinois Central
shops of Chicago, but for ten years previous he
was time keeper at Water Valley. He married
Mollie Yeager of Water Valley, and two chil-
dren, Fred and Walter, have been born to them.
The second son, W. F., is a machinist in the
Water Valley shops, and Ed is an apprentice in
the shops at Water Valley. In the social circles
of Water Valley, Mr. Taylor is identified with
the Knights of Honor, and the Ancient Order of
United Workmen. He has been quite successful
since he has been in the employ of the railroad
although he met with one quite serious accident.
On November 30, 1872, he had two fingers taken
off his left hand by coming in contact with a
saw.
424
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
H. MURRAY, JR., general foreman of
the car department and engine house
Q for the Illinois Central, at Brooklyn,
began his railroad career fifteen years
ago in Omaha, on the Northwestern as a ma-
chinist's helper, after which he went to East St.
Louis and went to work on the Cairo Short Line
in the laboring gang. He then spent two years
and eight months as a fireman, and in 1889, was
promoted to engineer on the incline at Brooklyn,
serving in this capacity ten years, seven of which
were with the Cairo Short Line and three years
with the Illinois Central ; he was then promoted
to his present position.
Mr. Murray was married to Miss Alma A.
Pell, and they have one daughter Flora, now
attending school. Mr. Murray's father was
Patrick H. Murray, a farmer. Our subject is a
member of Lodge No. 621, I. O. O. F., also of
East St. Louis Division No. 512, B. of L. E. Mr.
Murray has been successful in his chosen calling
and has built two nice residences in Brooklyn.
was not long after this, however, that the corn-
pan}' again took him from the road and made
him foreman of the Weldon shops, but shop work
was not to his taste and after five months of in-
door work, he again resigned and went back to
the line. We can note but one accident in this
sketch, and that one is a head end collision at
Leverett, 111.
Mr. Gepper was born in 1850, near Stras-
burg, on the Rhine, and came to America in
1851. In 1870, he was united in marriage, at
Watseka, 111., to Miss Mary Thompson and they
have reared a family of two sons, Albert, a
fireman on the Illinois Central Railroad, and
Anthony, an engineer on the Chicago Junction
Railroad. Socially Mr. Gepper affiliates with
Division No. 10, B. of L. E., at Burnside, and
also the Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 508, of
Chicago, in the latter of which he has held a
membership since 1871.
ICHAEL GEPPER, an engineer whose
home is at 394 East Sixty-fourth
street, Chicago began railroading
in August, 1872, and served as a
brakeman eighteen months. He began firing
in August, 1874, on engine No. 121, with
Joseph Elwood, now deceased, on the right
side of the engine. In the fall of 1879, Mr. Gep-
per was put in charge of the lever and throttle
of a switch engine for a short time, but was soon
given a freight run north from Cairo.
In 1881 Mr. Gepper left the Illinois Cen-
tral company and worked with the Chicago, Mil-
waukee & St. Paul company until March 1884.
when he returned to the Illinois Central and
operated freight engine No. 179 for three years.
In 1890 he was given a passenger run between
Chicago and Champaign. In 1892 Mr. Gepper
was appointed foreman of the shops at Cham-
paign, but three months later he resigned this
position and took his old place on the engine. It
iHARLES GALVANI, chief clerk in
the freight department of the Illinois
Central, at Canton, Miss., entered the
service of the company in January
1871, as night watchman at Crystal Springs,
Miss. In October 1872 he was appointed agent
for the company at Byram, in the same state,
where he was employed until September 1883.
In the latter year he went to Magnolia, Miss.,
where he was agent and operator, until March 21,
1892, when he resigned. His next work was
at Kenner, La., where he remained only a short
time. From there he went to Bogue Chitto,
Miss., and in 1892, his brother, B. F. Galvani,
being appointed freight agent for the Illinois
Central at Canton, Miss., our subject went to
that place and was made chief clerk of the de-
partment, which position he is now filling. Mr.
Galvani was born at New Orleans, on April 10,
1853. He was married to Miss Sallie Hogg, of
Alabama. They are the parents of the following
children : Ilda, wife of T. J. Martin, of Har-
rison, Miss., Annie, Alma. Charles, Edwin and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
425
Malcomb. Socially Mr. Galvani is connected
with Jefferson Davis Lodge, Knights ot Pythias,
and Sincerity Lodge No. 214, A. F. & A. M.,
both of Magnolia, Miss. He and his wife hold
membership in the Baptist church of that city.
An interesting collection of old I. C. relics, such
as papers, reports, etc., were given to the His-
torical Company by Mr. Galvani.
RED E. PLACE, is general foreman of
the locomotive department at the Burn-
side shops, Chicago. He began his
railroad career in the Illinois Central
shops at Waterloo, la., in the master mechanic's
office, July I, 1883, in the capacity of clerk, ma-
chinists' apprentice and journeyman machinist,
and was then promoted to the office of foreman
of the engine house at Waterloo. Later, Mr1.
Place was made general foreman at Waterloo
until October i, 1895, when he was called to per-
form the duties of the same office at the shops
in Chicago.
JOHN W. REAGIN, a popular young en-
gineer in the freight service of the Ya-
zoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., between
Vicksburg and New Orleans, began his
career on the Tennessee Coal & Iron R. R., as a
fireman out of Birmingham, Ala. He was with
that company eighteen months, when he entered
the employ of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R.
R. as fireman between Vicksburg and New Or-
leans, serving in that capacity from 1893 to 1896.
In the latter year he was examined and received
promotion to engineer, and is now in charge of
the local and through freight, on his old run.
Mr. Reagin was born in Huntsville, Ala.,
on April 9, 1873. His father is Robert Reagin,
a butcher and stock buyer, of Huntsville. On
February 14, 1900, Mr. Reagin was united in
marriage with Miss Louise Lefoldt, a daughter
of Julius and Maggie (Landfair) Lefoldt, of
German descent. He is a member of Division
No. 281, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg. Mr. Rea-
gin's work on the railroad has been successful,
and although in a number of small wrecks, he
has never been injured. He is at present in
charge of engine No. 83, and has made some
pretty fast time with it. On February 6, 1900,
he left Wilson, La., with the wrecking train, at
7 :3<D P. M., arriving at Vicksburg, Miss., at
10:45 P- M., a distance of 112 miles, made in
three hours and fifteen minutes, with a stop of
ten minutes on the trip. Mr. Reagin has many
firm friends on the road, and his worth is ap-
preciated by the company. His promotion is
only a matter of time.
ILLIAM DEWITT DUNNING is
a man whose life affords a splendid
example of what can be accom-
plished by industry, push and strict
attention to business.
"Lives of great men reached and kept,
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night."
Mr. Dunning, during his life, has filled near-
ly every position between the lowest on the line
and the one he holds today; working his way
upward step by step.
The subject of our. sketch began railroading
as a freight brakeman on the Wabash Railroad,
running from Springfield to Danville, entering
the service of this company in August 1867, and
remained with them two years. He next became
a newsboy, generally known as " Peanuts ", on
the Wabash and later entered the service of the
Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, running from
Quincy to St. Joe, in the capacity of passenger
brakeman and as train baggageman until 1871.
After leaving the Hannibal & St. Joe company,
Mr. Dunning came to Chicago and entered the
employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad for
whom he served as passenger brakeman for six
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
months, then assistant dock master for a time,
then assistant yardmaster, train clerk, foreman
of the " in freight " house, from that he rose to
yardmaster and finally was appointed trainmaster
and had charge of the Chicago Terminals for
seven years, making an aggregate of eighteen
years in the employ of the Chicago & Alton com-
pany. Mr. Dunning next found employment with
the Pullman company until Aug. 15, 1890, when
he became trainmaster of the Chicago and Cham-
paign division of the Illinois Central Railroad, and
performed the duties of that office until 1893,
when the Chicago Terminal district was formed
to handle the World's Fair traffic ; he was then
appointed trainmaster of Chicago passenger ter-
minals, having charge of the suburban train ser-
vice, also through passenger business on ter-
minals.
April 25, 1878, Mr. Dunning was married
in Chicago to Miss Isabella Cowan, and their
wedded life has been blessed by the presence of
one son, William N., who has been a student of
engineering in the University of Chicago, and
is now employed in the bridge department of
the Illinois Central company. Socially Mr. Dun-
ning is a member of the National Union, Lincoln
Council No. 68, of which he has been twice
elected president. He is also a member of the
Knights of Honor, and has served this fraternity
in the capacity of Grand Dictator for Illinois for
four years, and also holds a membership in the
Supreme Lodge of the Knights of Honor.
S. JONES, better known as "Scott"
Jones, is one of the oldest engineers
on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley-
division of the Illinois Central. His
first work was with the civil engineering corps
on that division, when it was known as the Louis-
ville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. He was in
that branch of the service for two years, covering
all parts of the road, and was then employed
in the freight department as fireman, where he
remained three years. Promotion to engineer
followed, at Vicksburg, and he was placed in
charge of an engine in the construction service,
at the Hamburg gravel pit. He was then for
four months on a construction train between
Baton Rouge and New Orleans, when he was
sent to the freight service between Wilson and
New Orleans, and later between Vicksburg and
Wilson. In 1897 he was promoted to the pas-
senger service, and now has a run between Jack-
son and Clarksdale. Mr. Jones was born in
Holmes county, Miss., October 27, 1865. He
is a son of Clinton H. Jones, deceased, who was
a merchant and farmer there. Our subject mar-
ried Miss Voinkle, of Vicksburg, and they have
two children, Jessie and Lily. Division No. 281
B. of L. E., of Vicksburg, claims Mr. Jones as
a valued member. He is one of the best known
men on the division on which he runs, and be-
ing a man of genial disposition, he makes friends
everywhere he goes.
AMUEL W. TATE, a well known en-
gineer in the passenger service on the
Memphis division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, entered the employ of the com-
pany seventeen years ago at Jackson, Tenn. His
first work was as clerk in the store room at that
place, where, after working six months, he en-
tered the regular road service as fireman "on a
switch engine under Engineer Alex. Hight, ser-
ving for two and a half years in the construc-
tion and freight departments, between Jackson
and Cairo, and Jackson and Canton. He. was
then promoted to engineer on a bridge train, and
later was on a freight train in the Cairo district
for two months. Going to Water Valley, he
ran on an extra and switch engine for six months,
and July 4, 1885, entered the regular freight ser-
vice on the Aberdeen district. He was employed
there only three months when he returned to
Water Valley, where he remained in the freight
service until the spring of 1886. His next work
was on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad
out of Durant, Miss. In November 1886 he
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
427
returned to Water Valley, and remained there in
the freight and passenger service until June 1896,
when he was appointed to a fast run on engine
No. 382, between Memphis and Canton, which he
now holds. Mr. Tate is a native of Orange
county, North Carolina, and was born February
14, 1858. His father, George W. Tate, a me-
chanic, still resides there. A brother of our sub-
ject is a fireman in the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, running out of Memphis, and another
brother, who held a similar position, is dead.
Mr. Tate married Miss Ida Gifford, of Water
Valley, Miss., and they are the parents of a
bright little son, Wallace. Our subject is a
member of the Knights of Pythias, also of Divi-
sion No. 23, B. of L. E. He has served on the
board of adjustment, and was a delegate to the
convention at St. Louis in 1898, and at Milwau-
kee in 1900. He has just built a fine residence
at the corner of Osage and Preston avenues, in
Memphis.
VHILIP W. BOWERS, a veteran tele-
grapher in the service of the Illinois
Central, at Polo, 111., was born August
14, 1844. His father, John Henry
Bowers, was a stone mason contractor, born at
Lockhaven, Pa., in 1782, and died in 1866. The
mother, Miss Nancy Moffiey, who was born in
1802, and died in 1889. She was a woman of
strong religious nature, a German Methodist,
hardy and thrifty, who besides doing much to
assist in the duties of the farm, reared a family
of fifteen children, eight sons and seven daugh-
ters. The education of our subject was acquired
in the public schools of Freeport, 111., and in
1856 he entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, and the Galena & Chicago Union R. R.
(now the Chicago & North- Western R. R.), and
the Illinois & Mississippi Telegraph company,
as a messenger boy. He acted in that capacity
two years, studying telegraphy during that time.
He then returned to school, continuing his stud-
ies under Professor Frick, and in 1860 went to
Polo, 111., to take charge of the railroad and
commercial telegraph office. He was thus oc-
cupied until June 1864, when he enlisted in the
1 42nd Illinois Infantry. He was detailed from
his regiment in July 1864, and mustered into the
telegraph corps, working as military operator,
until the lines were returned by the United States
government in 1866 to the original owners. Mr.
Bowers then returned to Illinois and again en-
tered the service of the I. C., doing press work at
Freeport, 111., until 1867. He was, in the latter
year, re-assigned to his former position at Polo,
111., and has since held that position. He is the
oldest operator, holding one position, on the Illi-
nois Central system.
In February 1879, Mr. Bowers was united in
marriage to Miss Emma Kling, of Boonesboro,
Iowa, and to their marriage one daughter, Mil-
licent, was born, who is now being trained in
the Chicago Conservatory of Music, after hav-
ing taken a post graduate course at the high
school of Polo, her native town. Mr. Bowers'
long residence in Polo, together with his affable
and courteous manners in the discharge of his
duties, have won for him the sincere regard of
all its citizens.
'ILLARD W. HATFIELD, an en-
gineer in the passenger service of
the Illinois Central on the Mississip-
pi division, dates his connection with
the road from 1882. Beginning as a fireman at
Centralia, 111., with Engineer F. L. Betts, he
worked there until 1884. In that year he was
sent to Water Valley, Miss., working for over a
year as fireman, and on August 27, 1886, was
promoted to engineer, taking charge of engine
No. 271, an old wood-burner. He worked out
of Water Valley until June 27, 1897, when he
went to Memphis, and has since had charge of
engine No. 384, between that city and Canton,
Mississippi.
Mr. Hatfield was born at DuQuoin, 111.,
July 17, 1861, and is the son of David D. Hat-
field, a carpenter by trade, now residing in Colo-
428
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
raclo. Mr. Hatfield was united in marriage to
Mrs. Ida Myers. He is a member of Division
\o. 23, B. of L. E., of Memphis, also of Lodge
No. 83, I. O. O. F., and of the Knights of
Pythias, of Water Valley. He has a pleasant
home at No. 423 Iowa avenue, in the' city of
Memphis.
COLQUHOUN, of Canton, Miss.,
a hardware merchant and dealer
Q in house-furnishing goods and
agricultural implements, is a well
known ex-employe of the Illinois Central. He
entered the service of the company in 1865 as a
brakeman on the Mississippi Central, and one
year later was promoted to conductor in the
freight service. A service of one year in this
department was followed by his appointment to
conductor in the passenger service. He held
the latter position until the road changed hands,
but continued as conductor in the passenger ser-
vice, and held that position until 1889. Resign-
ing from the service of the I. C, he went to the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. as con-
ductor in the passenger service, where he re-
mained until January 6, 1899, when he retired
from -railroad work to embark in his present
business. Mr. Colquhoun was born at Danville,
Ya., on April u, 1845, ar>d is a son of James
Colquhoun, at one time clerk of the United States
court, and afterward engaged in farming, and
who departed this life in 1876. There were
five children in the parental family, our subject
being the oldest. Then came Robert M. and James,
both of whom were with the engineering corps
which surveyed the Mississippi Central (now a
part of the I. C. system) through Canton, Miss.,
under E. D. Frost and Capt. Winchester. Rob-
ert afterward became a conductor on the Missis-
sippi Central, and was for fifteen years division
superintendent, occupying that position at the
time of his death in 1892. James, now deceased,
was also a conductor on the Mississippi Central,
and was for five years station agent at Canton.
Prior to this he was trainmaster and assistant
superintendent for four years. Then came
Clara, wife of S. T. McKee, now sheriff of Madi-
son county, Miss. Lastly Martha, who married
J. M. Randall, a farmer residing near Canton.
The original of this sketch married Sallie
Unthank, of Bolivar, Tenn., granddaughter of
General R. P. Neely. They are the parents
of four children : Mary Belle, Walter, Robert
and Norman. Mr. Colquhoun retains mem-
bership in Division number 175, O. R. C.,
of Memphis, Tennessee. With his wife
he is a member of the Presbyterian church.
During his railroad career Mr. Colquhoun made
hosts of friends, and is greatly missed by his
former fellow employes, who have nothing but
words of praise for him. He is conducting a
large and profitable business, and is classed
among the best citizens of the community in
which he resides.
ANIEL S. BAILEY, superintendent of
the Springfield division of the Illinois
Central, is in point of years one of
the oldest men in the service of the
company. His career as a railroad man began
at Ashley, 111., on January i, 1865, where he was
employed as station baggageman. His unem-
ployed time was devoted to the study of tele-
graphy and on March i, 1865, he was appointed
night operator at Anna, 111. Fiom the latter
place he was sent, June 5, of the same year, to
Champaign, 111., in the same capacity. In De-
cember 1866 he began his work as train dis-
patcher at Champaign, serving there for a num-
ber of years, and being promoted to a similar
position in the city of Chicago in February 1873.
In 1877 he was again promoted to assistant train
master, going from Chicago to Amboy, 111., in
April 1880, as assistant superintendent of the
Amboy division. Leaving this position he was
appointed acting superintendent for the Freeport
division at Rockforcl. 111., in September 1889,
and thence, December i, 1890, to Superintendent
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
431
of the Springfield division with headquarters at
Clinton, 111.
Mr. Bailey is a native of Illinois, having
heen born at Danville, November 5, 1846, and
is a fine example of what industry and presever-
ance will accomplish in the life of a railroad
man.
W. FRISBIE, engineer on I. C. R.
R., was born in Detroit, Mich., April
25, 1866, and is the son of C. H.
and Ruth (Antisdell) Frisbie. The
father, a native of Auburn, N. Y., was an engi-
neer on the Michigan Central R. R., and ran the
first engine that entered Chicago from the east.
He died in Aurora, 111., Sept.. 1898, and at the
time of his death (aged seventy-five years) was
one of the oldest engineers in the U. S. The
mother is a native of New York, and is now liv-
ing at Riverside, 111., aged sixty-seven. Their
family consisted of seven children, as follows :
William, born in Detroit, became an engineer
on the Santa Fe, and was killed in a wreck on
that road Sept. 10, 1897; C. W. is an engineer on
the Santa Fe ; Hattie is the wife of Ben Reynolds,
a passenger conductor on the C. B. & Q. R. R. ;
Jennie married Frank Boomer, an engineer on
the Santa Fe R. R., and resides in New Mexico;
N. W., our subject ; George was a fireman on the
Rock Island R. R., and died in January 1893 ;
Frank lives with his mother, and is employed
by the C. B. & Q. Ry. N. W. Frisbie was edu-
cated in the public schools of Aurora, 111. In
1882 he entered the service of the C. B. & Q.
Ry., as a fireman between Downer's Grove and
Chicago, firing for his father on a passenger
engine. After six years' service in this capacity
he was promoted to engineer. In July 1888 he
entered the service of the Illinois Central, and
has been running freight engine ever since, mak-
ing his home in Freeport.
July 18, 1890, Mr. Frisbie was united in
marriage with Miss Flora Hagadon, of Chicago.
She is the daughter of George and Mary
(Puffer) Hagadon. Her father is a railroad
employe, and their home is in Mississippi. Mrs.
Frisbie was born September 28, 1861. Her union
with Mr. Frisbie resulted in the birth of three
children : George N., born December 29, 1892 ;
Charles H., deceased, born February I, 1895;
William W., deceased, born February 14, 1898.
Mr. Frisbie and wife are members of the Bap-
tist church. Mr. Frisbie belongs to the Masonic
order and the B. of L. E. In politics he votes
the Republican ticket.
ENJAMIN LICHTENBERGER, con-
ductor on the Amboy division of the
Illinois Central Railroad, was born
March i, 1868, in Decatur, Illinois.
His father, George Lichtenberger, who was a
farmer through life, died in 1878, aged fifty years.
The mother, formerly Anna Rucker, died in 1880.
Our subject was educated in the public schools
of his native town. His early life was spent
in farming, and he also worked on a bridge gang
for eight months. In 1890 he entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. R. R. as a brakeman on the Am-
boy division, and remained in that position until
February 16, 1893, when he was appointed con-
ductor, which position he retains at the present
time. Mr. Lichtenberger was united in marriage
with Miss Kate Wheeler, of Ida Grove, Iowa,
January 26, 1891. Mrs. Lichtenberger was born
in Macon county, 111., March 30, 1874, but re-
ceived her education in Ida county, Iowa. This
union has been blessed with four children : Sadie
May, born July 16, 1892; Maggie H., born June
i, 1894; Gladys M., born May 28, 1896; Mildred
L. E., born December 22, 1898. Mr. Lichten-
berger met with a very serious accident which
nearly cost him his life. On the 25th day of
March, 1895, he was walking over his train while
crossing the Illinois River at La Salle, when the
tin roof of a car was blown off, hurling him into
the River bottom, a distance of ninety-four feet.
His left leg was broken in two places, but his
recovery was rapid, and he was only off duty
twenty-two weeks.
24
432
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Canton,
ST. JOHN, an old and faithful em-
ploye of the Illinois Central, is the
' Q accommodating and efficient operator
and dispatcher for the company at
Miss. In 1852, before the I. C. road
was ever commenced, he was a messenger boy.
In 1854 he was a telegrapher in charge of the
office at Port Gibson, Miss., where he worked
for three years. His next position was at Bran-
•don, in that state, where he was agent and opera-
tor during 1 86 1. The following year he went
to Canton, and worked at the key for some time,
but returned to Brandon and was there and in
other small towns along the I. C. until 1864. Re-
turning to Canton, he worked there and at Jack-
son, Miss., for a short time, and in 1865 resumed
his former position at Canton, where he has since
remained. Few telegraphers spend a life time at
the work, and the question has often been asked,
"What becomes of the telegraphers when they
grow old?'' Mr. St. John is an exception to
the rule, and has remained true to his adopted
profession. Although he is now getting along
in years, he is as punctual at work as the strictest
of employers could desire. He has one assist-
ant, Edward W. Stiles, a competent man, who
has been in the service of the I. C. since 1884;
Mr. St. John was a messenger at nine years
of age, an operator at twelve, and manager of
an office at fifteen. He remained faithfully at
his post through two yellow fever epidemics at
Canton, and worked night and day for two
weeks, with only one hour's rest out of twenty-
four. He has always been strictly temperate,
not a drop of liquor has ever been touched, does
not use tobacco in any form, never uttered an
oath, and is not a member of any church. In
his business relations he has never made a mis-
take.
Mr. St. John is a native of Claiborne county,
Miss., where he was born August 23, 1846, a
son of John. H. St. John, an architect and buil-
der, well known throughout the south, but who
removed to California, where he died. The wife
of Mr. St. John was formerly Miss Minerva
Bennett, of Brandon, Miss., whose father, Jo-
seph Bennett, was at one time lieutenant gover-
nor of the state of Mississippi. Three children
have been born to them : Henry, who is an
electrician residing at Yazoo City ; Mamie, wife
of J. W. Norri, of Canton, and Ethel, married to
S. L. North, a merchant of Yazoo City. Charles
St. John Lumlev, a nephew, was also reared in
the family, and is now night operator for the
I. C. at Canton, and although only sixteen years
of age, is considered one of the brightest and
most intelligent young men in the employ of the
road. Mr. St. John affiliates with the Knights
of Honor, the Knights of Pythias and the In-
dependent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife is
a member of the Baptist church, of Canton, and
both are highly esteemed by a large circle of/
friends and acquaintances.
ON. JOHN A. WEBB, a prominent
citizen of Jackson, Miss., who now oc-
cupies the responsible position of Sec-
retary of the Mississippi Railroad
Commission, was born near Lexington, Va., Sep-
tember 16, 1843. He entered the service of the
Southern Express company in 1866 as second ex-
press messenger, under now Conductor Jewett,
between Jackson, Miss., and Mobile, Ala., on the
Mobile & Ohio R. R. He held that position
one year, and in 1867 was made baggagemaster
.between Jackson, Tenn., and Canton, Miss., on
what was then the Mississippi Central R. R. He
was then appointed assistant agent at Canton,
and was a year later transferred to Water Val-
ley, Miss., as clerk in the office of the general
superintendent. He next served in the freight
department at the same place, as freight accoun-
tant, and in 1869 was appointed agent at Vaiden,
Miss., remaining there until 1870. In the latter
year he was sent to Canton, as local agent, and
in a short time was appointed general agent there,
occupying that position until 1872. He was
then appointed agent at Jackson, Miss., acting in
that capacity until December 1882, when he was
appointed traveling freight agent for one year.
He then accepted a position with the Natchez,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
4S3
Jackson & Columbus R. R. as general freight
and passenger agent, and after one year's service
went to the Yicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific R.
R. as agent at Shreveport, La., where he was
stationed for five years. Returning to Jackson
in 1889, he was again agent for the I. C. at that
city until 181)4, when he was transferred to
( ireenville. Miss., in a similar capacity, where he
remained two years. -His next work was as
chief clerk for the I. C. at Jackson, Miss., where
he served until 1898, since which time he has
been secretary of the Mississippi Railroad Com-
mission, with offices in the State Capitol, at Jack-
son. Mr. Webb married Miss Sallie Gordon of
Yaiden, Miss., and they have an interesting fami-
ly of ten children : W. G. conducts a dray line ;
John G., employed as flagman on the I. C. rail-
road: M. S., employed as conductor on the I. C.
railroad ; Lula ; Xina ; Mrs. Bessie S. Hoar, Mr.
Hoar is employed in the civil engineering de-
partment of the I. C. ; Sadie E., Clara B. , Lil-
lian H. and George J. Our subject is connected
with the Masonic fraternity, a member of Pearl
Lodge Xo. 23, also a Knight Templar, mem-
ber of Mississippi Commandery No. I, and be-
longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
all of Jackson. He is at present a member of
the board of aldermen of his native city (Jack-
son). Mr. and Mrs. Webb hold membership
with the Presbyterian church, of which they are
sincere and valued members. A long and active
career, lias gained prominence for Mr. Webb in
railroad circles, and as a citizen, he is held in the
highest esteem, in the community in which he
reskles.
JM. CHANDLER, a capable young train
dispatcher on the Aberdeen division
O of the Illinois Central, at Durant, Miss.,
is a native of Scottsboro , Alabama.
Thrown on his own resources when only a boy,
our subject, through his own efforts, acquired
an education, in the schools of his native place,
afterward studying telegraphy. His first posi-
tion was with the Memphis & Charleston R. R.
as relief operator, where he served some time,
and then entered the employ of the Illinois Cen-
tral, at Grenada, Miss., as night operator and
agent, where he remained twb years. He was
then transferred to Durant, as day operator,
and on May i, 1899 was promoted to his
present responsible position. Mr. Chandler is
a young man of studious and quiet habits, who
has risen through his own energy and ambition.
He is connected socially, with the Knights of
Pythias, .of Grenada, Miss., and the Masons of
Durant, Miss.
F. WARD, an old and experienced
engineer in the freight service, on
the Aberdeen division of the Illinois
Central, is a native of Binghamton,
Xew York. His first knowledge of railroad
work was acquired in the 6o's, when he was a
fireman in the freight and passenger service, and
was later promoted to engineer. He next worked
for the Lehigh Valley R. R. taking charge of a
large double-head engine, with twelve drivers,
requiring the services of two fireman, and one
of the fastest trains on that road. Resigning
from the employ of the latter road, he went to
the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. in the service be-
tween Richmond and Greenville, and afterward
had charge of a passenger run, between Rich-
mond and (jordonsville, and Charlottesville and
Clifton Forge, which he held for six years. He
was also in the passenger service of that road, be-
tween Richmond, Lynchburg, and Clifton Forge,
a distance of 230 miles. Mr. Ward next worked
for the Northern Pacific in Dakota and Montana,
having a run at one time between Livingstone,
Montana, and St. Paul, Minn. While in the
north, he ran over two divisions, on a dark night,
without a pilot, and on a new track, which indi-
cates great skill. Mr. Ward's experience in the
north and west are very interesting. He has
plowed through snow five feet deep in winter,
with the thermometer below zero. At a watering
point, he once offered some men five dollars to
434
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
till the tender tank, which they refused on ac-
count of the severe cold. He bored a hole in the
tank, filled the tender, and plugged up the hole.
In the warm season, the grasshoppers were so
thick, that the track was greased by them so com-
pletely, as to impede the progress of the train.
Mr. Ward returned to Richmond, Va., and
became identified with the Atlantic Coast Line,
working there several years, and resigning to
accept a position with the Illinois Central. He
is at present in the regular freight service of
the latter road, on the Aberdeen division, on
engine No. 1312. Socially, Mr. Ward is con-
nected with the B. of L. E., of Richmond, Va.,
also the Knights of Honor, and Independent
Order of Odd fellows. He is married and has
one son. Being a man of pleasant manners, and
an interesting talker, he enjoys the acquaintance
of a wide circle of friends.
ICHAEL EGAN, an ex-employe of
the Illinois Central railroad, residing
at Amboy, 111., was born in Kilrush,
County of Clare, in the province of
Munster, Ireland, September 26, 1821.
His father, John Egan, a mason contractor
by trade, and his mother Johanna Meskell, were
natives of Ireland, the father dying in that coun-
try, but the mother emigrated to America, living
with her children for many years, and died in
Amboy, 111., December 8, 1880. To this mar-
riage there were eight children born, four sons
and four daughters, two of each coming to this
country, all of whom are living except one daugh-
ter who died in New York City.
Our subject was given every opportunity
possible for an education in the country in which
he was born and he acquired a very complete
course. Leaving school at the age of seventeen
years he went to work with his father, learn-
ing the trade, and continued with him for six
years, when he was married to Miss Ellen Mor-
rissy of the same place. He continued to work
at his trade for about a year and then with his
wife, on February 9, 1846, emigrated to this
country, landing in Castle Garden, New York,
March 12. He worked in the east for twenty
months and then removed to Springfield, Mass.,
where he followed his trade for seven years.
While in Springfield he became a naturalized
citizen of the United States and during this time
he became acquainted with J. B. Wyman and was
induced by him to try his luck in the west and
during the winter of 1852 came to Illinois, ar-
riving at LaSalle in March 1853, and com-
menced work at once for the Illinois Central
railroad on bridges and culverts south of the
Illinois river. He came to Amboy, 111., the fol-
lowing June and began the erection of the rail-
road buildings which he superintended until their
completion in 1855. He continued in the employ
of the company until 1876, when for four years
he engaged in contracting and work on his own
account. In 1880 he again accepted a position
in the employ of the railroad company as pur-
chasing and disbursing agent of wood, coal and
ties, superintending the work in the quarries
in the southern part of the state, near Carbon-
dale, employing two hundred men most of the
time. Mr. Egan in 1885, through over-work
and exposure, became ill with malarial fever
resigned his position and has since given his at-
tention to private affairs at his home in Amboy,
Illinois.
Mr. Egan's record with the company was
in every respect one of commendation and he
was always held in high respect by his superiors,
being entrusted with the handling of many thou-
sands of dollars, the account of which always
balanced to a cent. In 1885 Mr. Egan was
elected Justice of the Peace and appointed No-
tary Public by the Governor of the state in which
capacity he served for twelve years. When
elected to justice he knew but little about law,
but by close application soon became acquainted
with his duties and his decisions were always
considered fair and just. To his marriage with
Miss Morrissy in 1844, and who died January
27, 1869, there were eleven children born, all of
whom except five are living and prominent in
railroad life, a brief mention of wh-ich follows :
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
435
John M., born March 25, 1848, at Spring-
field, Mass,, is president of the Georgia railroad
and resides at Savannah, Ga. Peter Paul, born
June 13, 1851, at Holyoke, Mass., was state boiler
inspector at Denver, Colo., and died October 14,
1898. Francis, born February 26, 1853, at
Holyoke, Mass., is assistant division superinten-
dent of the Union Pacific railroad located at
Denver, Colo. Alfred H., born January 27,
1855, at Amboy, 111., is assistant division super-
intendent of the I. C. R. R. and resides at Evans-
ville, Ind. Joseph, born May 12, 1857, at Amboy,
111., is chief train dispatcher at Winslow, Ari.
Mary, born February 2, 1860, is living with her
father at Amboy, 111., and was formerly clerk
for her brother. Benjamin F., born, April 28,
1862, at Amboy, Illinois, is assistant division
superintendent of the Great Northern and is
located at Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Mr. Egan was again married in 1872 to
Mrs. Helen (Stewart) Barrie and of this union
two children were born, Helen S. and William
A., the latter of whom is now employed by the
Illinois Central railroad in Chicago.
Mr. Egan has held the highest office
(Mayor) in the gift of the city in which he still
lives and has always been a worthy member of
the social and business circles of the community.
In his religious belief he has always been a firm
and devoted member of the Roman Catholic
church.
X DWARD D. COWAN, the accommo-
dating passenger and ticket agent for
the Illinois Central, at Canton, Miss.,
is in point of service one of the oldest
employes of the company. His first connection
with the I. C. was a position as time-keeper at
New Orleans, for the N. O. J. & G. N.
R. R. which he held five years. Going to Can-
ton, Miss., during the civil war, he returned to
the employ of the I. C. as clerk in the freight
office there, which position he held until 1870,
when he was promoted to ticket agent, where he
has since remained. That division of the I. C.
was then known as the New Orleans, Jackson &
Great Northern R. R., and on being absorbed
by the I. C. he was retained in his old position.
Mr. Cowan was born at Wilmington, North Caro-
lina, and is a son of Robert H. and Mrs. S. T.
Cowan, both now deceased. Mr. Cowan Sr.
was cashier of the state bank of Wilmington,
and a man of prominence. Edward D. Cowan
married Miss Drew Campbell, of Canton, Miss.,
and they have four children : John, an engineer
in the yards of the I. C. at Canton ; Kate, wife
of B. B. Ford of the same city ; Drew, wife of
John F. Dinkins, an extensive planter of western
Mississippi, and Thomas, a machinist in the em-
ploy of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R.
In his religious belief Mr. Cowan is a Catholic,
while his wife, a lady of amiable disposition,
who has hosts of friends, adheres to the Metho-
dist church. He is a prominent and popular
citizen of Canton, where his long residence has
made him a familar figure of that city.
C. ELLIS, a conductor in the freight
service of the Illinois Central, on
' Q the Aberdeen division, is a native of
Mississippi. After leaving school,
Mr. Ellis entered a drug store, at West Point,
Miss., and advanced to prescription clerk, but
had determined on a railroad career, and was
waiting for an opening. Mr. Ellis says his first
call to go on the road was made memorable by
the fact that Sam Jones, the famous evangelist,
was to lecture at West Point that night, and he
had taken tickets and arranged to go. However,
when the call came, he was glad of the opportuni-
ty, but found this work rather hard after coming
from a drug store. Perseverance and determina-
tion have much to do with making a success,
and our subject possessed these in abundance.
He was in the service of the I. C. as brakeman,
in the freight and passenger service, for some
years, and was finally promoted to conductor,
where he is serving at the present time. He has
436
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
charge at present of caboose Xo. 98,612, with W.
Deloach, and Lee McComb as his crew. His
career on the road has been free from accidents.
Mr. Ellis married a daughter of W. L. and
A'nn (Moore) Doss of West Point, Miss. W.
L. Doss is a veteran of the Mexican and Civil
wars. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis have four interesting
children, Sidney, Hugh, Annie Moore, and Joe
H. Socially, Mr. Ellis is connected with Pearl
River Division Xo. 304, O. R. C.. of Canton.
Miss. A brother of Mr. Ellis is a graduate of
a Xew York college, and the proprietor of the
leading drug store in West Point, one of the
finest in the state.
AML'EL J. CALHOUN, an experienced
engineer on the Aberdeen division
of the Illinois Central, was born in
Bedford county, Ya. Isaac Calhoun,
his father, is a descendant of the Calhoun fami-
ly, of which John C. Calhoun, the statesman, was
a member. Mr. Calhoun Sr. is a retired farmer,
living at the age of eighty-four. Our subject
began his railroad career on the Chesapeake &
Ohio R. R. in the round house at Huntington,
West Yirginia. After a short service there,
he went to the Richmond & Danville R. R. as a
fireman, running out of Manchester, and working
on that road until 1884. In the latter year, going
to North Carolina, where he remained until 1887.
From 1887 to 1890 he was in the service of the
Louisville & Nashville R. R., with headquarters
at Birmingham, Ala. He then worked succes-
sively with the East Tennessee & Virginia R. R.,
the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. and the Louisville
& Nashville R. R. until 1897. In that year he
entered the employ of the Illinois Central, Cairo
division, and later as engineer on the Aberdeen
division, and has since remained there. Mr.
Calhoun has never been seriously injured during
his railroad career, his closest call being while
with the C. & O. R. R. Considerable damage
was done, in a small collision on crossing at
Low Moor, Ya., but no blame was attached to
him. Several brothers of our subject are suc-
cessful railroad men. They are: W. R. Calhoun,
an engineer for eleven years with the Chesapeake
& Ohio R. R. ; C. T., an engineer on the Northern
& Western R. R. and another brother is a bridge
foreman.
The wife of Mr. Calhoun, was an estimable
lady of Richmond, Ya. Mr. Calhoun believes in
the usefulness of fraternal organizations. He
holds membership with the following: Division
Xo. 99, B. of L. E. of Water Yralley ; Division
Xo. 402, B. of L. F. ; Lodge No. 13, Knights of
Pythias, of Jackson, Term. : Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, of Hinton, West Virginia;
Modern Woodmen of the World, of Durant,
Miss.. Ancient Order of United Workmen, of
Jackson, Tenn., and the Order of Elks, at Water
Valley, Miss. He is a man of wide experience
in railroad work, having been in the service of
different companies, thereby gaining new experi-
ence and ideas. His service with the I. C. has
been satisfactory in every respect, and he is
looked upon by his superiors as a valuable man.
'ILL1AM C. SOUTH WICK, now
farming one mile south of Water
Valley, Miss., is one of the oldest
railroad men in the state. He be-
gan as a machinist in the shops of the New Or-
leans, Jackson & Great Northern in 1856 and a
year later was examined and promoted to en-
gineer, running a passenger train between New
Orleans and Canton, Mississippi, continuing in
this service until the outbreak of the war. Fn-
listing in 1861, in the 2ist Mississippi regiment
in General Lee's army, he served through the
Yirginia campaign, participating in twenty-three
engagements beginning with that of Bull Run.
After being transferred to another company he
was given a furlough, but never returned to the
service. During this long service he escaped in-
jury, coming through the arduous campaigns
without a wound. After the war he returned to
his old place on the railroad, that was then
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
437
known as the Mississippi Central, and after two
years on the south end of the line, was transferred
to Water Valley, on the Mississippi division,
and ran out of there in the passenger service
until 1895, when he was retired from road
service, and given a place in the shops at Water
\ alley as night foreman of the round house.
In 1897 he was transferred to Paducah, Ky.,
working in the shops as machinist, some eighteen
months, until he met with an accident while out
hunting, losing his left hand and fore-arm by
the accidental discharge of his gun in climbing a
fence. Incapacitated from working at his trade,
he purchased a farm of one hundred and eighty
acres, one mile south of Water Valley, and is
now engaged in raising the staples, cotton and
corn. Mr. Southwick is a breeder of a fine
grade of registered animals, and has four blacks
engaged to do the manual labor and attend to
the stock. The parents of Mr. Southwick,
George and Mary ( Pritchard ) Southwick, were
both natives of the state of New York, where
they died on the farm that had for many years
been their home. John Southwick, a brother
of our subject, who resided in New Orleans
during his life-time, was the first conductor on
the road, now a part of the Central system,
having begun during the construction period of
the old Southern Railroad, as it was then known,
under contractor Harris. Charles Cone, a bro-
ther-in-law, was also one of the first conductors
on the line under the early management. Mr.
Southwick married Miss Emma Wellborn, a
daughter of Mrs. Julia Wellborn, deceased, who
owned a large plantation in Mississippi. The
father died when the daughter was very young.
Mrs. Southwick died September 6, 1893, having
been the mother of four children — George
Clifford, is now a traveling salesman for a large
wholesale paint and glass firm in Louisville, Ky. ;
\Yilheltnina died at the age of seventeen years :
Charles died at the age of six months ; Fay,
who was born in 1889, is the light of her father's
household, which is presided over by a sister of
Mr. Southwick, since the death of his wife. Dur-
ing her life-time, the wife was a member of the
Baptist church, while Mr. Southwick is a com-
municant of the Methodist Episcopal faith.
He is a member of the Masonic order, affiliating
with the Water Valley lodge number 33, and
still holds his membership in division number
99 B. of L. E., of WTater Valley. Being one of the
oldest operatives on the southern end of the
system, Mr. Southwick is widely known, and his
friends are numbered by the hundred, not only
amongst railroad circles, but in other walks of
life as well.
J. EVERETT, locomotive engineer
at Water Valley, entered the employ
of the railroad company in the fall
of 1870. at McComb City, where he
operated a stationary engine, sawing wood for
the company for about a year. He then went to
Water Valley and secured a position as carpenter
in the shops under John Beckton, but in 1875 he
returned to McComb City to learn the painters'
trade, and served an apprenticeship of four years.
In 1879 Mr. Everett began work for the T. & P.
Railroad, and fired two years between Goldsboro
and Achafla River, crossed the cab in 1881, and
for the following six months had charge of an
engine on the same run. Our subject then
returned to \Vater Valley and began working
in the Illinois Central round-house, putting in
engine truck springs, driving and tender springs
&c. About a year and a half later he secured a
position as fireman between Jackson, Tenn., and
Canton, Miss., and spent about a year in that
capacity, the most of the time in the passenger
service, but made an occasional freight run.
Subsequently he fired in the summers and ran in
the winters for two years, then ran on local
between Water Valley and Durant for three
years, and the rest of his work has been on, a
chain gang. The number of Mr. Everett's first
regular engine was No. 748, and later he had
Nos. 709 and 268. He had No. 870 in the chain
gang, and later Nos. 864, 499, 874 and the one
he is using now is No. 86 1. Our subject was
badly scalded in September 1895, at Elliott, by
438
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the bursting of a flue, but that is the only time
lie has been injured on the road, and he has
met with marked success as an engineer. Mr.
Everett was born in Summit, Pike County, Miss.
He was married, in the city in which he now
makes his home, to Miss Lillie Cross, and to
them have been born seven children, whose
names in the order of their birth are as follows :
Lillian, James, Thomas, Ira B., Annie, Ruth and
Robert. Socially, Mr. Everett is identified with
Division No. 99, B. of L. E., of Water Valley.
A. HADAWAY, engineer at Water
Valley, began his railroad career
Q at Jackson, Tenn., in the fall of
1878, as an apprentice under J.
M. Keith, in the Illinois Central shops. Com-
pleting his apprenticeship in August 1883, he
secured a position as fireman, served in that ca-
pacity about ten months, and in August 1884, he
was promoted to freight engineer, and given
a run between Water Valley and Jackson, Tenn.,
being located at Water Valley. Subsequently
he served in the chain gang for a time, and in
1889 was promoted to the passenger service until
1893, running between Jackson and Canton,
Miss. Mr. Hadaway's engine pulled the first fast
mail train that was put on between Jackson, Tenn.,
and New Orleans, and he stood at the head of
that train for about a year. From 1893 until
1894 he worked with a chain gang, but since the
latter date, has been in the preferred freight ser-
vice between Water Valley and Jackson, Tenn.
Mr. Hadaway's first engine was No. 323, of which
he had charge about a year, and later he had
charge of No. 304 for four years. In the
passenger service, he operated Nos. 1155 and
1113, and for three years he stood on the right
side of No. 621. His regular engine now is
No. 632. Mr. Hadaway has not been called be-
fore the officials since 1885. He has a very good
record on the company's books, and a reputation
of being a very careful and able engineer. Once,
however, it was his misfortune to become the vic-
tim of another man's carelessness, resulting in
a head end collision, March 28, 1894, near Ox-
ford, between No. 53 and a banana train. Our
subject was badly hurt and was laid up four
months.
Mr. Hadaway was born in Jackson, Tenn.
He was married in Water Valley, Sept. 1888,
to Miss Elizabeth Boydston of that city. Social-
ly he is identified with Division No. 99, B. of
L. E., of which he became a member in 1885.
For two terms he served that body in the capaci-
ty of division chief, attended the convention at
St. Paul in 1894, and the one at St. Louis in 1898.
He is also a Mason, holding memberships in
the Valley City Lodge, No. 402, and St. Cyr
Commandery, Knights Templar No. 6. Mr.
Hadaway bought his present home on Market
street in 1893.
HILLIPS JAY, who holds the responsi-
ble position of claim agent for the Illi-
nois Central at Durant, Miss., is large-
ly a self-made young man. He was
born December 16, 1872, in Clark county, Missis-
sippi, and is a son of Joseph J. and Mary A. Jay,
the latter a member of one of the oldest families
of the state of Mississippi. Phillips Jay, hav-
ing lost his father when quite young, was com-
pelled to earn his own living. He attended the
common schools of Escatawpa, Ala., and began
life as a clerk in the Stonewall Cotton Mills com-
pany, accumulating sufficient funds to carry him
through college, he entered Fairview College
it Binnsville, Miss., and later took the law courso
at the State University at Oxford. He was
admitted to the bar in the fall of 1896, and opened
an office at Lexington, where he practiced his
profession until accepting the position he now
holds with the I. C. He had previously held
various offices of importance, and was the can-
didate of the Progressive party for State Sena-
tor, to fill out the unexpired term of Judge T. A.
Wood of the third district in 1897, but was de-
C. A. MORENO.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
441
fcated by Hon. Dan'l W Heidelberg. Mr. Jay's
territory as claim agent for the I. C. extends
over 135 miles of the Aberdeen division, and
1 1 5 miles of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R.
R., and on the Mississippi division from Grena-
da to Canton, and from Aberdeen to Brilliant,
Ala. His time is about evenly divided between
office and road work. A brother of our subject,
Edward Jay, now twenty-four years of age, holds
a position with the Mobile & Ohio R. R. The
success which has marked Mr. Jay's career, is
very gratifying, and being still quite a young
man, he is certain to make his mark in life.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
A. MORENO, roadmaster on the
fourteenth division of the Yazoo &
'Q Mississippi Valley R. R. residing
in Memphis, Tennessee, was born
in Columbus, Georgia, December I4th, 1862.
His parents, Theodore and Virginia (Anderson)
Moreno, are still living and are residents of
Gainesville, Georgia. Mr. Moreno acquired his
education in the common and high schools of
Gainesville, Georgia, graduating from the latter
in 1880. He then went to the engineering de-
partment of the East Tennessee, Virginia &
Georgia R. R. which was in course of construc-
tion, working there for about two years, and was
afterward in the office of the chief engineer at
Atlanta. In 1883 he entered the service of the
Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R. R. (now the
Y. & M. V. R. R.) locating between Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, and Vicksburg, Mississippi,
where he was engaged in making the prelimi-
nary survey of that road. After the completion
of the road in 1884, he remained in the Engineer-
ing Department until 1886. He then went to the
Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R.
in the capacity of engineer, remaining one year,
and then returned to the Louisville, New Orleans
& Texas road, where he served as resident engi-
neer, during the construtcion of the Branch
Lines, in the Delta, until 1889. During the lat-
ter year, he was supervisor for the same road,
with headquarters at Rosedale, Mississippi. In
1890, he went to Memphis, and entered the office
of J. C. Hutchins, Superintendent of Roadway,
as assistant engineer, which position he held un-
til 1894, when he was promoted to Roadmaster
on the Vicksburg division, of the Yazoo & Mis-
sissippi Valley R. R. His jurisdiction embraces
218 miles of Main track, and 300 miles of branch
lines.
On the 2ist of June 1893, Mr. Moreno was
married to Miss Susie W. Saunders, a native of
Memphis. They are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, and in politics Mr. Moreno
votes with the Democratic party.
JOHN C. JACOBS, who for thirty-six
years served as superintendent of the
Northern division of the Illinois Central,
was born near Chillicothe, Ohio, Novem-
ber 15, 1819, two years later his father with his
family removed to Frederick county, Maryland,
where our subject spent his early boyhood days.
When about thirteen years old the death of his
father made him to a great extent responsible
for the care and support of his mother and four
younger children. Undaunted by his youth he
assumed this responsibility, with the same tena-
city shown to have existed during his after life,
and manfully starting out secured a position on
a farm, where by strict frugality he was not only
able to earn his own living, but to contribute
somewhat to the support and maintenance of the
family. He continued working around on farms
until the year 1837, when he secured a position
on the B. & O. railroad in the capacity of section
hand, for which he was paid 87^ cents per day..
Later he was made brakeman on that road on a
freight train, his run being between Harper's
Ferry and Point-of-Rocks. In 1838 this run
was abandoned and he was thrown out of employ-
ment, nothing else offering he accepted a position
at Harper's Ferry as coal heaver. He remained
in this position a few months, then was given a
position as locomotive fireman on the I>. & O.
442
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and served in that capacity until 1841, when he
was promoted to the position of engineer, where
he remained until 1849, and was then made super-
visor of engines on that road, having entire
charge of the motive power, consisting at that
time of 107 engines. In 1853 the position of
assistant supervisor of trains was added to his
duties, and as such he had special charge of the
movement and working of trains over the heavy
grades of the Alleghenies. Mr. Jacobs remained
with the B. & O. until the fall of 1856, and dur-
ing his latter connection with that company, was
closely identified with the construction of what
was then known as the western end of their line,
and in that year he severed his connection with
that company at the solicitation of John H. Dole,
who was then general superintendent of the I.
C. system. He came west and accepted the posi-
tion of division superintendent of the Northern
division, extending from Dunleith to Centralia,
and entered upon his duties October 8, 1856,
where he remained until his retirement in 1892.
In 1892, having passed the seventy-second
milestone in his journey of life, and finding that
the cares and duties of his position were weigh-
ing heavily on one so far advanced in age, he
deemed it prudent to step aside and let younger
blood enter the service ; and after consulting
with a few of his most intimate friends, under
date of March 7, 1892, tendered his resignation
as division superintendent to President Fish, as-
signing for his reasons for doing so those named
above. Under date of March 9, 1892, Mr. Fish
replied to his letter of resignation, " accepting
the same with regret." To show the high ap-
preciation with which he was held by that gentle-
man, the closing paragraph of his letter will bear
repetition :
"In testimony of the high appreciation in which
you have been, and are still held by this company, and
on account of your long and useful service, and of the
faithful and efficient way in which you have performed
your every duty, I take pleasure in enclosing herewith
check for your salary for seven months, from March 1
to October 1, 1892.
"Rest assured that in leaving the service you carry
with you the best wishes of every man in it for your
continued health and prosperity, and none more so
than of your friend, STUYVF.SANT FISH."
If held in such high esteem by his superior
officers, what shall we say for his subordinates,
many of whom stood shoulder to shoulder with
him in the battle for many years? Our feeble
pen can not do the subject justice, more than
to say that the universal expression among them
was one of sadness and regret.
In token of the respect in which he was
held by the men under him, the officers and em-
ployes of the Amboy division presented to him
and his wife a testimonial of their appreciation
of his service among them, duly signed by many
old employes, and bound in Turkish morocco.
On the nineteenth anniversary of his service
with the Illinois Central the employes presented
to Mr. Jacobs a finely finished cabinet, and to
Mrs. Jacobs' a tea service of thirteen pieces of
exquisite beauty and design.
Mr. Jacobs was married in Middletown,
Conn., November 6, 1846, to Miss Harriet A.
Hough. Of this marriage were born three sons
and one daughter, viz : Mary H., born near Har-
per's Ferry, Va., February 6, 1848, married E.
E. Chase and, died September 29, 1868; John C.,
born at Piedmont, W. Va.. May 29, 1852, died
in infancy ; William F., born at Amboy, Decem-
ber 6, 1859, was for many years connected with
the I. C., serving as train master after a long
service as dispatcher. He now resides at Otta-
wa, 111. ; Charles C., born at Amboy, December
16, 1862, was in the employ of the I. C. as civil
engineer for several years and is at present en-
gaged in the manufacture of steel truss bridges
at Amboy.
In the church Mr. Jacobs always manifested
the true virtues of a Christian, being a member
as well as a regular attendant of the Congrega-
tional church of Amboy, and was for many years
one of its trustees.
Mr. Jacobs died February 27, 1893. Ah
extract from a letter to Mrs. Jacobs from Mr.
Stuyvesant Fish, on that date, says :
"Those of his family who survive him have the
satisfaction of knowing that John C. Jacobs at all
times did his duty, and I know of no higher praise that
can be given to any man."
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
443
' I — -vNOSS W. RHYXE, a jovial and popular
=r-^ conductor in the freight service of the
\\ Illinois Central, on the Aberdeen divi-
sion, is a native of Lexington, Miss.,
where his faille/, D. W. Rhyne, is postmaster.
Mr. Rhyne after acquiring a practical education,
worked in a store for two years, and in 1891
entered the service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman in the freight service, at Jackson, Miss.
He was afterward transferred to Aberdeen, and
promoted to conductor on the Aberdeen division,
in January 1898, which position he is now filling
with success. His caboose is No. 98,111,
with S. H. Kuykerdol and Bud Mathews as
crew. Mr. Rhyne was united in marriage
to Miss Daniels of Durant, Mississippi, and
they are the parents of two children : Lillian,
aged five, and Harris, aged three. Socially, he
is a member of Division Xo. 304, O. R. C., of
Canton, the Masonic fraternity, and Protective
Knights of America, of Durant. Mr. Rhyne is
physically a man of large proportion, with an
equal amount of good nature and practical com-
mon sense accompanying it. He is a popular
citizen of Durant, where he resides with his fami-
ly, on Magnolia street, in a pretty home of his
own.
OLLIE CAMPBELL, a popular engi-
neer in the employ of the Illinois Cen-
tral, on the Aberdeen division, was
born in Chickasaw county, Mississippi.
John Campbell, the father of our subject, is
engaged as hostler in the round house, at Durant,
Miss. John Campbell Jr., a brother, is an engi-
neer on the Aberdeen division, and Joseph Camp-
bell, another brother, is a flagman in the I. C.
service. Mr. Campbell after acquiring a good
common school education, entered the service of
the Illinois Central in 1890, as a fireman, work-
ing in the freight and passenger department suc-
cessively, and as extra engineer until 1897. He
was then given a run in the regular service, and
is now on engine Xo. 261 , where he is doing satis-
factory and successful work. Mr. Campbell
was joined in marriage to Miss Osborn, of
Durant, a young ladv of many excellent qualities.
Socially he is connected with Division No. 99,
P>. of L. E., of Water Valley, and with the
Knights of Pythias, of Aberdeen. Mr. Campbell
is an active, hustling young man, possessing the
good will of his fellow employes, of which he
is justly deserving.
ORACE \YE1R. a conductor on the
Aberdeen division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, is a native of Choctaw count}-.
Mississippi, and is a son of James
Weir, a farmer. The early training of our sub-
ject was acquired in the district schools of his
native county, and he was for several years after-
ward employed in a general merchandise store.
Entering the service of the Illinois Central in
1895, as a hrakeman on the Aberdeen division,
he was, after three years faithful service in that
department, promoted to conductor. He has had
excellent success while in the latter capacity and
is at present in the chain-gang service. A brother
of our subject is in the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, as flagman, out of Water Valley. Mr. Weir
belongs to Division 304, O. R. C., of Canton,
and Division Xo. 331, B. R. T., of Water Valley.
He is a young man of pleasant manners, studi-
ous habits, progressive, and has many friends,
among whom he is popular.
£7|-iKUIOMAS S. PRIESTLEY, the accom-
Uniodating assistant ticket agent and
baggagemaster, for the Illinois Central,
at Canton, Miss., was born February
4, 1869, at Xew Orleans. His parents were
Thomas E. and Delia (Shackelforcl) Priestley.
.Mr. Priestley Sr. who died in 1895, was a promi-
nent planter of the state, and was sheriff of Madi-
son county, Mississippi for a time. The subject
of this sketch acquired his education in the com-
444
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
mon schools, and in 1884, when a youth of fif-
teen, was appointed agent for the I. C. at Cal-
houn, Miss. He held the position for one year,
and then returned to school. In 1891 he entered
the service of the Southern R. R. in the office at
Greenville, Miss., and was afterward successive-
ly baggagemaster, flagman, and conductor on
that road. In 1893 he decided to engage in farm-
ing, and was occupied at that work until June
5, 1898, when he entered the service of the I. C.
at Canton, Miss., as flagman; he was promoted
to baggagemaster in September of that year, and
on February i, 1900, was appointed to his pres-
ent position. Mr. Priestley is a rising young
man, possessing traits of character which make
him a general favorite..
Mr. Mctcalf was married in Winthrop to
Miss Camilla E. Hilclreth, and they have become
the parents of two children, Wayne O. and Camil-
la. He is a member of Sioux Falls lodge, A. F.
& A. M., B. P. O. E. and A. O. U. W. of Sioux
Falls, and the M. W. A. at Waverly. He was
formerly a member of the K. of P.
Mr. Metcalf is an excellent business man,
as is shown by his various promotions. He now
has full charge of the Illinois Central's exten-
sive passenger and freight business .at Sioux
Falls, the largest city in South Dakota.
HERMAN A. METCALF, the genial
freight and passenger agent for the
I. C. at Sioux Falls, S. D., was born
in Epworth, Dubuque county, Iowa,
September 17, 1859, and received his education
at the Epworth Academy and the public schools
of Winthrop, Iowa. After finishing his school-
ing he was engaged in teaching for two years,
then commenced studying telegraphy at Win-
throp, Iowa, and when competent was assigned
to the I. C. office at Independence, Iowa, remain-
ing there about six months. He then accepted
a' position with the B. C. R. & N. railroad and
served at Greene, Vinton and Independence, re-
maining with that company about seven months.
He then resigned and took charge of his father's
lumber business at Winthrop, at which he was
employed until re-entering the service of the I.
C. as station agent at Winthrop, in 1883, since
which time he has been continuously in the em-
ploy of the I. C. serving as station agent in Iowa
as follows : Winthrop, one year ; Delaware, one
year; Waverly, sixteen months; Cherokee, one
year; Sioux City, four years; Fonda, two years
and eight months; LeMars, two and one half
years , and at Sioux Falls since December, 1899.
JERE P. MURPHY is the yardmaster of
the Chicago terminals. Mr. Murphy be-
gan railroading in the summer of 1873
as a switch tender and was thus employed
one year. He then served as helper for one year,
then as engine foreman until 1890, when he was
promoted to his present position as yardmaster
of the terminals. If one will stop for a moment
and consider the thousands of cars that are
handled in these yards every week, they will
realize something of the amount of work that it
requires to keep them moving systematically.
They will appreciate the fact, too, that a man
who can perform his duties to the satisfaction of
a corporation for twenty-seven consecutive years
is worthy of commendation.
Mr. Murphy was born in November, 1853,
near the city of Cork, Ireland, and is the son of
William Murphy. Our subject was married in
Chicago to Miss Mary Hurley, and of the eleven
children that have been born to them, we have
the following record : William, who has served
his apprenticeship and is now a mechanic at the
Burnside shops, John, Jere, James, Helen, Fran-
cis, Theresa, Margaret and Edward are still liv-
ing and two died in child-hood. Mr. Murphy
was formerly a member of the Switchmen's
I 'nic in, but is not now connected with any secret
fraternity.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
445
ISS ANNIE C. MEAD, ticket agent
and operator at Dixon, 111., resides
at Amboy, 111. She was born on a
farm near Greenwich, Conn., was
educated in the country schools of that place
until at the age of thirteen years she came to
Amboy, 111., where she finished her education
in the public schools. After this she went to
Sublette, 111., and learned telegraphy of Miss
Lena Patton, who was operator at that place,
and which position was given to her when Miss
Patton was transferred to Mendota, and
occupied the place for about three years. From
there, she was transferred to Matteson, 111., on the
Chicago division as joint ticket agent and opera-
tor for the Illinois Central and the Michigan Cen-
tral Railroad ; this place she held for over five
years, going to Centralia, 111., for three months,
and then was transferred to Dixon, 111., February
27, 1893, as ticket agent and operator, which
place she now holds. Miss Mead is held in high
esteem by the company for whom she has worked
so long and faithfully, and is much respected
by all who know her, especially by the trainmen
With whom she comes in contact.
AM C. CULLEY, one of the successful
engineers in the freight service of the
Illinois Central, on the Aberdeen divi-
sion was born in Madison county,
Mississippi, and is the son of D. V. Culley, a
substantial farmer of that vicinity. Our subject
entered the service of the Illinois Central, in
1891, as a fireman, under engineer William Mc-
Intyre, and served in that capacity in the freight
and passenger service until 1898, when he received
promotion to engineer. He has at present a
regular run, between Durant and Aberdeen,
Miss., on engine No. 1320. His record on the
road has been a good one, being devoid of ac-
cidents of a serious nature. In 1886 Mr. Culley
married a daughter of J. F, Norman, and they
have three children: Norman, aged thirteen;
Lena, aged eleven, and Beatrice, aged six. He
belongs to Division No. 99, B. of L. E., of
Water Valley, and the Modern Woodmen of the
World, of Durant, Miss. Mr. Culley is a man
who pays strict attention to his work, and is
recognized by the company, as a capable and
worthy man.
H
29,
ARRY D. PRIESTLEY, a retired em-
ploye of the Illinois Central, and a
wealthy and leading citizen of Canton,
Miss., was born in that city on May
1848. His parents, William and Eliza
(Moosby) Priestley, were among the early sett-
lers of that part of Mississippi, and closely iden-
tified with its history. Mr. Priestley Sr. was,
for a number of years, postmaster at Canton, and
was also agent for the old New Orleans, Jackson
& Great Northern R. R. He was a man of
wealth and influence in the community during
his long and busy life. Both parents departed
this life at Canton. Harry D. Priestley began
railroad work in 1867, as clerk for the I. C. at
Canton, and gradually worked his way to a
good position. At that time, there were at Can-
ton, two connecting roads, (now owned by the
I .C.) and Mr. Priestley was appointed " through
clerk " for both roads, at a salary of seventy-five
dollars per month. On the consolidation of the
roads he was made freight agent, at a salary of
one hundred and fifty dollars per month. Recog-
nizing his ability, the company offered him other
important positions, at various times, but he re-
fused them, preferring to remain at his old home.
He acted as freight agent for the I. C. until 1889,
when he retired from railroad work, and has since
been engaged in business as a broker. A brother
of our subject, William Montgomery Priestley,
who died in 1899, was for several years cashier
for the I. C. at Canton. Mr. Priestley married
Miss Rachael Breeding, of Columbia, Ky., a
daughter of George Breeding, deceased, a far-
mer and extensive land owner of Kentucky.
Two children have been born to them, William
446
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
'I'., who married Miss Xola lieaman, and is a
leading cotton buyer of Yazoo City, Miss. : and
Marry I)., engaged in the same business in the
same city. Socially, -Mr. Priestley is connected
with the Knights of Pythias, and the Knights of
Honor, of his home city. Mrs. Priestley is a
devoted adherent of the Episcopal church. They
reside in a beautiful home on Liberty street, in
Canton, and are highly respected by the entire1
community, in which they have so long lived.
among the first to settle at Water Valley, Miss.
He died in 1882. Our subject was married at
Uessemer, Ala., to Miss Alice M. Berglund.
Socially he affiliates with Division Xo. 99, 15.
of L. E., of Water Valley, and has served that
body in the capacity of second assistant, or
treasurer, for two years. He also holds member-
ship in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
of Water Valley. Mr. Ohlson built his present
home on Wagner street in 1891.
(HILSOX, engineer at Water Valley,
began work for the Illinois Central
Q company May 2, 1881, in the shops at
Water Valley, and worked one year
under Master Mechanic J. F. White. In 1882
he secured a position as fireman, running as an
extra for a short time, and then got regular work
under Engineer J. J. O'Rorke, worked with him
eighteen months in the freight service, then with
Henry White about five months, and later under
different ones. August 20, 1883. our subject
was set up to engineer, and served the first year
in that capacity as an extra. He then worked
in a chain gang on a freight until 1886, when
he was promoted to the passenger service and
began working on Nos. i, 2, 3 and 4. In 1892
and '93 Mr. Ohlson worked on a through freight
train, and from the spring of 1895 to the fall of
1896 he was in Memphis, as an engineer on the
local passenger from that city to Canton, Miss.
Subsequently he returned to Water Valley, and
his present runs are on Xos. 23 and 24, between
Jackson, Tenn., and Canton, Miss. Mr. Ohlson
has never been hurt in any way since he has been
on the road, and his record on the company's
hooks is a remarkably good one. Mr. Ohlson
was born in the southern part of Sweden, but
moved from thence to America in 1880, located
in Little Rock. Ark., and worked in the shops
of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad at that
place for a time before he came to Water Valley.
His father was August Ohlson. Mr. Ohlson's
maternal grandfather, Gustav Berglund, was
H. PRICE, foreman of the black-
smith shops at Water Valley,
Q Miss., began his railroad career in
1885, as an apprentice in the
Illinois Central shops at Champaign, 111., under
his father, who was foreman of the shops at that
time. The father located in Champaign when
that place consisted of only a few houses, and
entered the employ of the Illinois Central Rail-
road about the year 1867. He moved to Water
Valley, Miss., in 1886, as a master mechanic,
taking the place of Mr. White, and held that
position until his death, which occurred about
1892. Prior to entering the service, however,
he served in the United States Arsenal at
Harper's Ferry, W. Va., and also worked for a
short time for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Our subject worked in the shops at Champaign
from 1885 until he moved with his father to
Water Valley, Miss., where he has since been
employed. He was round house foreman and
gang boss for a time, then fired for a time, both
north and south, from Water Valley, then served
as gang boss in the shops, and on March i, 1897,
he was appointed foreman of the machinery of
the blacksmith shops, in which capacity he has
charge of a force of about thirty-five expert
workmen and helpers. Mr. Price was born in
Champaign, 111. He was married in \Vater
Valley, Miss., to Miss Rosa Black of that city.
Socially he affiliates with the following frater-
naties : Blue Lodge, Valley City, Xo. 402,
McConnico Chapter; St. Cyr Commandery
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
447
Xo. 6 ; Hammask Medina Temple and Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine. Mr. Price is very popular
in Water Valley, has an unblemished reputation,
and has a good record with the Illinois Central
Company.
ready to advance the religious interests of the
church. A life long residence in Canton, to-
gether with these qualities which go with a kind
hearted man, and a reliable physician, Dr. Priest-
ley may truly be classed as one of the most promi-
nent citizens of the place.
D
R. CHARLES S. PRIESTLEY, district
surgeon for the Illinois Central, resid-
ing at Canton, Miss., is the oldest prac-
ticing physician of that place. Dr.
Priestley \vas born at Canton, his present home,
on September 30, 1847, ancl nas spent his entire
life in that place. His father, Dr. James Priest-
ley, who died of yellow fever, in 1855, was a
physician of great prominence in the early his-
tory of Canton. Before taking up the study of
medicine, Dr. Priestley was, from 1863 to 1866,
in the employ of the Illinois Central, as baggage-
master on the Louisiana division of the road. De-
ciding on the medical profession as his life work,
he entered the University of Mississippi, and be-
gan his studies, but after a time returned to
Canton, and worked as a druggist for ten years.
In 1876, he went to New Orleans, completed his
medical course there in March 1878, and returned
to his native city, participating with great credit
in the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, where he
has since practiced his profession. He now has
a partner, Dr. J. R. Jiggitts, and the firm enjoys
the largest and most lucrative practice in Canton.
Dr. Priestley was the first district surgeon to
be appointed on the Louisiana division. He also
holds the responsible position of health officer
for Madison county, Mississippi, of which Can-
ton is the metropolis. He was united to Miss
Rosa Knight, of Canton, who is a leader in socie-
ty there, and a woman much admired for her
many beautiful traits of character. They are
the parents of three children: Nannie; Leila M. ;
and James D. : all residing at home. Socially,
the Doctor is connected with the Knights of
Pythias, Knights of Honor, and Modern Wood-
men of the World. Dr. and Mrs. Priestley are
members of the Episcopal .faith, and are ever
H
L. MILLER, a popular young engi-
neer in the freight service of the Illi-
n°is Central, on the Mississippi divi-
sion, was born at Water Valley, Miss.,
July 9, 1873, and is a son of Milton C. and Frances
(Harlan) Miller. Mr. Miller Sr., an old and
valued employe of the I. C., was for years an
engineer on the Mississippi division of the road.
He is now dead, survived by his estimable wife,
who resides with her sons at Water Valley. In
1884 H. L. Miller entered the shops of the Illi-
nois Central at Water Valley, as an apprentice
boiler-maker, and served three years. His next
occupation was as fireman on the B. S. & P.
Railroad, with headquarters at Monroe, La.
He then went to Monterey, Mexico, working in a
furnace shop for a few months, and from there
to Chili, South America, where he was for two
years in the employ of an English firm. Return-
ing to the United States, he went to Springfield,
Mo., and was there for a short time, when he
came to his home at Water Valley, Miss., and
re-entered the service of the I. C. as fireman, on
the Mississippi division. A faithful service of
three years in that capacity was rewarded after
an examination, to promotion as engineer, where
he has since remained, a capable and trustworthy
employe. While working as a fireman on the
Mississippi division he was in an accident at
Winona, but escaped injury. A brother of our
subject, Thomas Miller, is a fireman in the ser-
vice of the company, on the Mississippi division,
and resides at their home, in Water Valley.
Mr. Miller was united to Miss Maude Scott,
of Jackson, Tenn., two children being born to
them ; Scott and Paul, two fine bovs.
448
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
lie is identified socially, with Division No.
402, B. of L. F., and will soon become a member
of the B. of L. E., of Water Valley. With his
family, Mr. Miller resides with his mother in a
pleasant home on North Court street, in Water
Valley, where he enjoys the confidence and good
will of a large circle of friends.
THOMAS TATE, retired engineer at
Jackson, Tenn., began work for the
Southern Railroad Association, now a
part of the Illinois Central system, un-
der H. S. McComb, president, as an engineer
running between Water Valley and Canton. His
first railroad work was in the shops of the North
Carolina Railroad, now a part of the Southern
Railroad, at Company Shops, now known as
Burlington, where he began work in 1859
and remained until he became an engineer
in 1865 and for about two years worked
between Charlotte and Goldsboro. His engine
also pulled the pay car, official trains, and
incidentally our subject was called into the shop
for a short time. In 1865 he took Gen. John-
ston on an engine from Company Shops to near
Hillsboro Station to meet Gen. Sherman. After
the close of the war Mr. Tate continued to work
on the road and in the shops until 1868, when he
went to the Northern Central Railroad, now a
part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, for a short
time. Subsequently he secured a position at
the head of a passenger train, between Raleigh
and Wehlon on the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad,
and still later entered the employ of the Northern
Missouri Railroad, and was given a run between
Moberly and Kansas City. About a year later,
our subject moved to Water Valley, Miss., and
in 1872, operated a freight engine for one year
between that city and Canton, and between Water
Valley and Fillmore, on a passenger engine.
Mr. Tate then moved to Jackson, Tenn., and for
twenty-five consecutive years he stood at the head
of a passenger train, retiring in 1897 the oldest
engineer on the Mississippi division by twelve
years. He is now in partnership with Mr. Cur-
tis, doing a plumbing and gas fitting business
in Jackson. Mr. Tate has an excellent record as
a railroad man. For nearly forty years he drew
wages from a transportation company every
month, and in that length of time never met with
serious accident, was never injured in any way
and was never suspended. Mr. Tate was born
near Hillsboro, Orange county, N. C. He was
married at Water Valley, Miss., to Miss Alice
Cook, of that place, and two sons have been born
to them. W. H. is superintendent of the Union
Depot at Pueblo, Colo., and W. Tate is employed
in the passenger department of the Denver &
Rio Grande Railroad at Pueblo, Colo. Our sub-
ject joined Division No. 26, B. of L. E., in 1868,
at Company Shops, but was later transferred to
Jackson Division No. 93. He has served the
latter body in the capacity of chief engineer, and
at another time he was first assistant for about
fifteen years. He is also a Mason, holding mem-
berships as follows : St. John's Lodge, Blue
Lodge, No. 33, Clinton Chapter, and Jackson
Commandery. Mr. Tate is also a member of
the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He
takes a wholesome interest in all matters pertain-
ing to the welfare of the community in which
he lives, and is at present serving as a member
of the City Council.
E. DUNN, engineer at Water Valley,
began his railroad career at the above
'Q named city, October 14, 1881, as a
brakeman and worked in that capa-
city for eleven months, both in the freight and
passenger service. He then secured a position
as fireman on the Mississippi division, in the
freight service, and served under Engineer
Thomas Kennedy, Jucl Smith, Engineer Law and
others, then worked one summer in the shops,
and in December 1884, he was set up to switch
engineer. Three months later, Mr. Dunn left
the yards and worked for some time in a chain
gang. His first regular run in the capacity of
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
451
engineer was on engine No. 301, and since has
used all classes of engines at different times. He
spent fiye years as a passenger engineer, but for
the past five years he has been in the preferred
freight service, and is now using engine No.
856. Mr. Dunn was born in Wake county, seven
miles from the city of Durham, N. C., and made
his home there with his parents until he entered
the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad, at the
age of twenty years. He was married in 1885,
at Water Valley, Miss., to Miss Ella Henry of
that. city, and they have become the parents of a
family of three children : Lucius Claude is an
able artist, and has produced some fine water
colors that have won him quite a reputation in
Water Valley and vicinity. The other two chil-
dren are Eva May and Ella Clyde. Socially
our subject affiliates with the Division No. 99, P>.
of L. E., of Water Valley, and has been the
second engineer of that body for two years. Be-
sides a good position on the railroad, Mr. Dunn
owns a pleasant home at 243 Main street, Water
Valley, which he built in 1890, a valuable Ham-
bletonian stallion five years old and five Jersey
cattle. His record as a railroad man is a remark-
ably good one. He has never met with serious
accident, and has never been hurt in any way
while on the road.
ORACE L. SEAVER, residing at No.
67, 23rd street, Chicago, 111., is the
second in the order of seniority of
the Illinois Central Company's en-
gineers of that city. He began his railroad career
as a brakeman August 24, 1865, and served in
<hat capacity for eight montlxs running from
Chicago to Champaign, with an occasional run
as far south as Cairo. He began firing in July,
1866, under the instruction of Jack Wade on
the old engine No. 4, at a time when there were
not over 150 engines on the entire system. This
position Mr. Seaver retained until July 24, 1872,
when the company considered him proficient and
set him up to engineer of a freight run from
25
Chicago to Champaign, on which he served for
eighteen years. In 1890 there was an opening
on a passenger run and our subject was given
a seat at the head of a passenger train running
south from Chicago. Mr. Seaver was born at
Waukegan, 111., De'cember 24, 1846. His father,
N. Leonard Seaver, was for many years prom-
inently connected with the Illinois Central R. R.,
and served as the company's first land agent.
Our subject was married in Centralia, 111., to
Miss Lulu Robertson, whose grandfather was a
first cousin to Jefferson Davis, the President of
the Confederacy. To this congenial union one
son, Charles L., has been born. Fraternally Mr.
Seaver is a member of Division No. 10, B. of
L. E., of Burnside. Much credit is due Mr.
Seaver for the skill and careful attention to
business that he has exhibited as an engineer.
The fact that he has never been in any wreck is
not due to any lack of difficult and hazardous
runs, for he has several times escaped by a
premonition of danger ahead, and at times has
stopped within a few feet of destruction.
ICHOLAS STUBER, whose home is
at 2843 Emerald Avenue, Chicago,
111., is fifth in the order of seniority
of the engineers in that city in the
employ of the Illinois Central Company. He
is a native of Schabach, Canton Solothurn,
Switzerland, where he first saw the light of day
June 13, 1841. The family came to America in
1852 and settled near the city of Chicago.
Mr. Stuber began firing on the Illinois
Central Railroad July 25, 1862, with engine No.
21, on a work train, but later went onto the road
with engine No. 109. In 1869 ne was made
engineer of a switch engine for a short time and
then went onto the road again until 1884, when
he was given a place at the head of a passenger
train running from Chicago to Champaign. Mr.
Stuber ran the first passenger train from Chicago
to Freeport. From 1893 to '99 his run was to
452
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Kankakee, 111., but since that date has had
charge of a suburban engine.
December 30, 1872, the subject of our sketch
was united in marriage to Miss Mary E.
Deitmeyer, and their wedded life has been
blessed by the presence of a family ef seven
children, of whom we have the following record :
Phillip, a mechanic on the Erie Railroad ;
Nicholas Jr., a mechanic at the Burnside shops;
Lizzie, Eva, Anna, Benedict and Clara. Frater-
nally Mr. Stuber is identified with Division No.
10, B. of L. E., at Burnside. Mr. Stuber was
once scalded by steam in an- accident at Weldon
shops, and from the effects of it was unable to
take his place on the road for about three months,
but aside from this he has not received an injury
throughout his entire career as a railroad
employe.
JOHN McDERMOTT, foreman of the
boiler shops at Water Valley, Miss., be-
gan working for the Illinois Central Rail-
road company in the spring of 1873, and
learned the boiler making trade under Master
Mechanic T. W. Place, and Foreman W. M.
McMullen. He was there until the fall of 1877,
and then went to Memphis, Tenn., and entered
the employ of the Louisville & Nashville Rail-
road, and worked one year in the shops at that
place. Later he spent two years with the Missis-
sippi & Tennessee Railroad, then about six
months with the International & Great Northern
Railroad at Palestine, Texas, and in July 1882,
came to Water Valley and entered the Illinois
Central shops, as a boiler-maker. He also had
charge of the round house at this place for about
ten years, and November 24, 1899, he was ap-
pointed to his present position. He has charge
of a force of thirty-five men, consisting of boiler-
makers, copper and tin smiths and helpers. Mr.
McDermott was born in Scranton, Pa., but moved
with his parents to Waterloo, Iowa, when he
was but two years of age. The father, Patrick
McDermott, was a blacksmith's helper for the
Illinois Central company at Waterloo from 1866
until 1893, and one of his sons is now a black-
smith in the shops at that place. Our subject
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Murdock
of New Orleans, and four children have been
born to them as follows : May, John, Helen and
Hazel. Mr. McDermott affiliates with the
Knights and Ladies of Honor, No. 466, and has
been honored with the office of trustee of the
grand lodge of the state of that fraternity. He
is also a member of the Knights of Honor, No.
1062, of Water Valley, and the Knights of
Pythias No. 55, Lochinvar Lodge. He has also
served the citizens of the Fourth Ward, Water
Valley, in the capacity of Alderman, and three
terms as member of the board of school trus-
tees.
R. STALEY, engineer at Jackson,
Tenn., began his railroad career at
the above named city as a fireman
for the Mississippi Central Rail-
road, with a run between Jackson, Tenn., and
Cairo, (with the exception of a few months,
which he served as a hostler at Grand Junction
in 1876) he retained this position until September
27, 1878, when he crossed the cab, had charge of
the lever and throttle for a short time, and Octo-
ber 2nd of the same' year was taken with the
yellow fever, and was off the road for forty days.
When he was again able to take charge of an
engine, he was given a freight run between Jack-
son and Cairo, but since 1883 he has stood at
the head of a passenger train. Mr. Staley has
but once met with serious accident in his railroad
career. November II, 1891, in a collision of
train No. 21 and a freight, his fireman, Tom
McGuire (colored), was killed, the engineer
Hillman and the fireman, Walter Spencer, of the
freight train were both killed. Our subject was
also so severely injured that six weeks were re-
quired for him to recover sufficiently to resume
his work. With this exception, Mr. Staley has
been very successful, has lost but little time as
will be evidenced by the fact, that from July 4,
1874, until the year 1899, he has drawn some,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
453
money as wages from the Illinois Central com-
pany every month. Mr. Staley was born in
Randolph county, North Carolina. From 1870
to 1872, prior to entering the service of the Illi-
nois Central company, he was brakeman and
conductor at different times, on the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad out of Jackson. Our subject
was first married to Miss Maude Hammond,
of Jackson, Tenn., who died in 1895, and he sub-
sequently was united in marriage to Miss Lulu
F. Pearsy, also of Jackson. Mr. and Mrs.
Staley have one child, Idol Francis. In the social
circles of Jackson, our subject has been a member
of the B. of L. E. since January 1879, and has
held many offices in that lodge. He is also con-
nected with the Knights of Pythias, the Knights
of Honor, and St. John's Lodge No. 332, A. F.
& A. M.
AVID LONGINOTTI, one of the
promising young engineers in the
freight service, of the Illinois Central,
on the Aberdeen division, was born
in 1869, at Genoa, Italy, where his father still
lives, at the age of eighty-four years. At the
age of sixteen our subject emigrated to this coun-
try, landing New York City, and later going to
Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was employed in a
store for about two years. He then went to
Aberdeen, Miss., and 'worked in a machine and
blacksmith shop where he remained two years.
In 1891 he began work as a fireman in the freight
service, on the Aberdeen division, with Engineer
Stanley, and later was with Engineer Blanken-
ship. He was in the passenger service under
Engineer Thomas who predicts for him a bright
future. On April 3, 1899, Mr. Longinotti was
promoted to engineer on a work train, with con-
ductor Butler, and has since served in that capa-
city, witli unvarying success. Mr. Longinotti
was married to Miss Wadlington, of Durant,
Miss., and has two sons, Louis, aged four years,
and Robert D., aged two. He is identified with
Division No. 99, B. of L. E., of Water Valley,
and is connected with the Modern Woodmen of
the World. Mr. Longinotti on coming to this
country knew nothing of the English language,
which he since mastered being a close student.
He is a man who gives the closest attention to
his work, ever on the alert to grasp ideas and im-
prove his knowledge of mechanics. His erst-
while success is in itself a proof, that the future
has much in store for him.
AMUEL HORTON, a well known engi-
neer in the freight service on the Aber-
deen division of the Illinois Central,
was born in Madison county, Missis-
sippi, on the spot where the station at Madison
now stands. His father, Alex Horton, was a far-
mer, and until arriving at his majority our sub-
ject was employed on his father's farm. In 1893
he entered the service of the Illinois Central, at
Durant, Miss., as engine wiper. He was em-
ployed around the shops for about two years,
when he began serving on the road, as fireman.
Working in the latter capacity in the freight and
passenger service, he was on September 23, 1898,
promoted to engineer, and has since successfully
held that position. Mr. Horton had a remark-
able and unavoidable accident happen to his train,
nine miles north-east of Durant. Going at a rate
of twenty-five miles an hour, on a dark night,
his engine struck a cow, was derailed, and con-
tinued on the ties for half a mile, reaching a
trestle and toppling "over "into the river. Mr.
Horton stuck to his engine, and narrowly escaped
drowning. It was considered by every one a
very close call. On getting out, he and his crew
were obliged to walk four miles to send a mes-
sage for help. Mr. Horton married a daughter
of George Gunter, a planter of Durant. Their
union has been blessed by a pretty little daugh-
ter Gladys. The Modern Woodmen of the World,
and Division No. 99, B. of L. E., each find in
Mr. Horton a valued member. He is a great
sportsman, owning a very fine dog, and is con-
sidered a crack shot in this vicinitv.
454
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JHVARD DANKS, foreman for the Illi-
nois Central, at Carbondale, 111., com-
menced life for himself by going to
work in the mines, later working in a
boiler shop for four years. He then went to
work at the Coltness Iron Works, at Newmains,
and from there to the Moss End Iron Works
as general workman. In the spring of 1880 he
came to America and for three months worked
in a machine shop in Philadelphia. He then
came to Illinois and for a few months was em-
ployed in the mines at Murphysboro, afterwards
working in the machine shop. In December
1880 he went to work for the Coal Road, having
charge of the machine shop at Harrison, but at
the end of three years went into the machine
shops at Mt. Carbon, as a general workman,
remaining there until May i, 1895, when he took
charge of the machinery department, holding
that position when the road was purchased by
the Illinois Central in 1897; he was retained in
that capacity and was given charge of the car
department. For the past five years Mr. Danks
•has held the position of foreman of machinery,
with the exception of a short time, when he went
to Kenneth, Mo., as master mechanic of the St.
Louis, Kenneth & Southern Railroad. He now
has charge of the men at Carbondale, Texas Junc-
tion, Grand Tower, East Cape, Creal Springs
and Carterville.
Mr. Danks married Miss Elizabeth Allen, of
Murphysboro, and they have three children,
William, Harry and Janet.
EORGE ALLEN, an engineer on the
Aberdeen division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in 1871, near Durant,
Miss. His father, R. H. Allen, died
in 1885, -leaving a family of small children, the
care of whom devolved to a great extent on the
mother and our subject. His education was
obtained by studying at night, and reciting to
Mrs. Hamlin, of Durant, who greatly assisted
him. He began life on his own account when
only ten years of age, as water-boy, . and after-
ward went with Mr. J. Moring, on a construc-
tion train, on the Aberdeen division, remaining
with that gentleman, who was greatly interested
in him, five or six years. He next worked as a
section hand, where he served two years, and then
secured a position as fireman. He was for seven
years in this capacity, in the freight and passen-
ger service on the main line out of Water Valley,
and on October 3, 1896, his faithful services were
rewarded by promotion to engineer. He is now
in charge of engine No. 253, on a local run, on
the Aberdeen division. His career has been a
very successful one, free from wrecks of any
kind.
Mr. Allen married a daughter of J. A. Har-
rison, a wagon manufacturer of Canton, Miss.
Mrs. Allen is a sister of O. R. Harrison, Chief
of the O. R. C. of Canton, Miss., and of J. R.
Harrison, a popular conductor in the I. C. ser-
vice. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have two promising
sons : James Henry, aged eleven years, and
George Gordon, aged four. He is a member of
Division No. 99, B. of L. E., of Water Valley,
Miss. Mr. Allen resides in Durant, where he
has a good home, besides other property. He
enjoys recreation, and has a fine horse, and
several pedigreed dogs. Being unqualifiedly a
self-made man, Mr. Allen deserves great credit
for the success he has made in life.
A. BOYDSTON, engineer at Water
Valley, began his railroad career at
Q the above named city in the fall of
1879, and spent his first three
months in the capacity of brakeman. Subse-
quently he spent fourteen months in the shops
at that place, and in 1883 secured a position as
fireman on a switch engine. Nine months later
he was transferred to the main line, and worked
for a time under Ed. Stanley and different ones.
Still later, Mr. Boydston went into the round
house as hostler for six months, then returned
to the road for a time, and from December 1885,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
until February 1886, he had charge of a switch
engine in the Water Valley yards before his pro-
motion. February 6, 1886, our subject was pro-
moted to engineer, worked for a short time as
extra, then about three and a half years in a
chain gang, after which he operated a passenger
engine about fourteen months between Jackson,
Tenn., and Canton, Miss., on runs Nos. 45, 46,
i, 2, 3 and 4, until 1891, when he was transferred
to his present run on a preferred freight. His
first engine was No. 347, the next 295, 346, 714
707, and the one he is now using is No. 633. Mr.
Boydston has never been injured in the service
of the railroad. Mr. Boydston was born six
miles south-west of Water Valley. He was mar-
ried in that city November 20, 1887, to Miss Sal-
lie Bartlett, daughter of Joshua and Eliza Sep-
tama (Sitton) Bartlett. The home of our sub-
ject and wife has been blessed by the advent of a
family of five children, four of whom are now
living, as follows : Bartlett Nealey, Cordelia Sep-
tama, Carl Davis, who died May 8, 1896, Mar-
tin Oakley and Elsie Sitton. Socially he affili-
ates with Division No. 99, B. of L. E., of Water
Valley. Mr. and Mrs. Boydston are members
of Missionary Baptist church of Water Valley.
ICHAEL S. CURLEY, master me-
chanic of the Illinois Central's shops
at Memphis, Tenn., began his re-
markably successful railroad career
in the machine shop of the L. & N. Railroad,
May i, 1869, as an apprentice under James Mont-
gomery, master mechanic, and W. A. Adair,
general foreman, working until 1873 when he
went to the St. Louis & South Eastern at Nash-
ville, Tenn., as a machinist under E. M. Hine-
stone, master mechanic. In September 1877 he
went to Water Valley to build an 'engine, worked
here up to 1882, when he was made foreman of
the shop, he then went to Jackson, Tenn., where
he was made general foreman, remaining in that
position ten years, until promoted to the shops
at Centralia, 111., remaining three years. In June
1898 he was promoted to position of master
mechanic at Water Valley shop, where he had
previously served as machinist. In February
1899 he was promoted to master mechanic at
the Illinois Central shops at Paducah, Ky., second
largest shop in the entire system, and remained
here until given his present position as 'master
mechanic at Memphis.
Mr. Curley has had a remarkable career.
He was born at Nashville, Tenn., June 17, 1853.
His father, James Curley, was a poor mechanic
who came from Ireland locating in Nashville,
Tenn. He died when our subject was but ten
years old, leaving a wife and three small chil-
dren. His death caused our subject to be thrown
upon his own resources. His first start in life
was selling papers as news boy on the streets at
Xashville. Mr. Curley says this experience was
what made him a financier, and where he learned
to win the battle of life. He was commonly
known as " Curley Mike " among the other news-
boys. He sold papers with success up to the
age of fifteen years, when he began his railroad
career. He boarded and clothed himself on
sixty-five cents per day, the first year's salary,
seventy-five cents per day the second year, eighty-
five cents the third year and one dollar a day
the fourth year, saving one hundred dollars in
the last year of his apprenticeship. Mr. Curley
educated himself studying whenever possible,
and the most eventful period of his life was when
he was a poor apprentice boy.
Mr. Curley married Miss Boyd, of Water
Valley, and they have three children : Annie,
Charley and Lillie, all attending school. Our
subject is a member of the Knights of Honor
and the Knights of Pythias, both of Paducah.
Mr. Curley has enjoyed a remarkable long tenure
of service with the T. C., covering a period of
twenty-three years. He is justly proud of his
record, few having started in so humble a way
and risen as he has done. What he is and what
he has is due entirely to his own efforts and char-
acter. He enjoys the confidence of his superiors,
and the respect and esteem of those under his
charge. In 1884, when Mr. Curley was general
foreman of the I. C. shops at Jackson, Tenn.,
456
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
occurred a thrilling incident that put his loyalty
to the company to a crucial test : An engineer,
who had suddenly become insane, stole an engine
out of the yards, pulled onto the main line and
started on a wild man's run. As soon as the
fact became known, Capt. J. G. Mann, deceased,
then division superintendent, with headquarters
at -Jackson, ordered an engine out to overtake
the crazy engineer. Mr. Curley volunteered to
go on the hazardous mission, but it was with
difficulty that he secured a companion, a number
of employes declining to incur risk. The crazy
engineer was captured on his stolen locomotive
at Oakfield, seven miles north of Jackson, while
backing in on a siding. The extreme peril of the
icscue made Mr. Curley's volunteer service an
act of rare bravery and a supreme test of loyal-
ty to the company.
JULIAN T. EVANS, a conductor, now in
through freight service, but who was
in construction service for fourteen
months, on the Aberdeen division of the
Illinois Central, is a native of Monroe county,.
Miss. His father, who departed this life on
November the 19, 1899, was Captain J. J. Evans,
state treasurer from 1890 until 1896, and was
railroad commissioner from 1897 until 1899. He
served with distinction in the Confederate Army
in which he was brigadier general during the
entire Civil war, and was a man of much promi-
nence throughout the Southern states. He is
survived by his wife who resides at Jackson,
Miss.
Our subject was educated in the schools
of Jackson, Miss., and also at Jackson Millsaps
College. Desiring a railroad career, at the age
of eighteen, he entered the service of the Illinois
Central, as a brakeman on the Natchez district,
and was afterwards sent to the Louisiana divi-
sion. He came to the Aberdeen division in May
1897, and was soon placed in charge of a train*
as conductor. He has had experience in all sorts
of train work, and is at present in charge of a
coal run between Aberdeen and Brilliant, Ala.,
with a. crew consisting of Joseph Campbell, flag-
man ; Wallace Yasser, brakeman ; on caboose No.
98,497. Mr. Evans affiliates with division No.
304, O. R. C., of Canton, Miss., Modern Wood-
men of the World, of Durant, Knights of the
Ancient Essensic Order, Jackson, Miss. He
resides at Aberdeen, Miss.
LEX. KENNEDY, engineer at Water
Valley, Miss., began work for the Illi-
nois Central railroad at the above
1 named place December 6, 1884. His
first railroad work, however, was in 1864, in the
employ of the Central Ohio Railroad, where he
was employed until 1868. He was then brake-
man for some time, and still later was off the road
for about a year. Mr. Kennedy was then pro-
moted at Zanesville, Ohio, and given a run be-
tween that place, Bellaire and Columbus, and
spent three years in the freight and passenger
service. Later he left that road and went to
Columbus, Ohio, and entered the employ of the
C., H. V. & T. Railroad, where he spent about
fourteen months, and then spent about eleven
months in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, doing construction work between
Auburn and Hicksville. Mr. Kennedy's next
work was at the head of a passenger train be-
tween Garrett, Ind., and Chicago, but after spend-
ing about a year there he returned to the C., H.
V. & T. Railroad, at Columbus, and served as
freight engineer between that city, Straitsville
and Nelsonville. He was then off the road for
ten months, and when he returned he was given
the same run, but later was transferred to the
division between Columbus and Toledo. Decem-
ber 6, 1884, our subject moved to Water Valley,
Miss., and began work for the Illinois Central
Railroad, as a freight engineer between that city
and Jackson, Tenn. In 1890 he was promoted
to the passenger service between Jackson, Tenn.,
and Canton, Mississippi, but his runs now
are on Nos. 21 and 22, and for the past
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
457
three years he has used engine No. 952. Mr.
Kennedy has made a record entirely free from
serious accidents, and has never been injured
in any since lie lias been on the railroad. Our
subject was born in Bellaire, Belmont county,
Ohio. He was first married in that city to Miss
Jane Robinson. She died in 1874, and our sub-
ject was subsequently married in Columbus, O.,
to Miss Mary E. Hennessy of that city. By
his first marriage Mr. Kennedy has a family of
three children, as follows : Lizzie, widow of Wil-
liam Roy, a fireman on the Illinois Central Rail-
road who was killed at Malon Tank, Miss. ; Ir-
vin 1'., an engineer on the Illinois Central Rail-
road at Water Valley ; Edgar W., a fire-
man on the Illinois Central Railroad at Water
Valley. Socially Mr. Kennedy affiliates with
Division No. 99., B. of L. E., has been
chief of that lodge for four years, also chair-
man of the local grievance committee six years
and in 1895 attended the Ottawa convention.
He is also a Mason, holding membership in the
Valley City Lodge No. 402, A. F. & A. M.,
McConnico R. A. Chapter and the St. Cyr
C'ommandery, Knights Templar, No. 6.
B. HIGHT, the oldest locomotive en-
gineer at Jackson, Tenn., began his
LQ railroad career at the above named
city, in the employ of the Mississippi
Central Railroad in 1870. He fired a switch
engine in the Jackson yards until 1874, when
he crossed the cab and has since had a hand on
the lever and throttle. He entered the employ
of the Illinois Central Railroad when that com-
pany leased the Missisippi Central lines, and
from the year 1870 he has worked continuously
in the Jackson yards. Prior to 1870, however,
our subject worked about two years in the shops
of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, at Jackson. Mr.
Hight was born in Jackson, Tenn., and has spent
his entire life in that city. He was there married
in 1876, to Miss Cordelia Sarah White, also of
Jackson, Tenn., and their home has been made
happy by the presence of a family of six chil-
dren, whose names in the order of their birth are
as follows : Maggie, Katie, Johnie, Willie, Robert
and Samuel. Johnie is now in the employ of
the M. Kidd grocery company. Our subject
is well known among the railroad men, and en-
joys the respect and esteem of all. His record
is an enviable one, being free from serious ac-
cidents and one that cannot fail to win the good
graces of the company.
J. RYAN, engineer at Jackson,
Tenn., began his railroad career
July 28, 1884, as an apprentice in
the Illinois Central shops under
M. M. Curley, and served until 1888, when he
began as a fireman on a switch engine in the
Jackson yards, and served in that capacity for
six months, after which he went onto the road,
his first regular engineer being W. H. Long.
This position he retained for about a year when
he was given charge of a switch engine in the
Jackson yards and had a hand on her throttle
about five months before his promotion. In
September 1890 Mr. Ryan was advanced to
engineer, ran extra out of Jackson for a time,
and in January 1897 got No. 610 for a regular*
engine and has since had a seat on the right side
of her cab. His first engine, No. 737, was a
mogul, and his second, No. 473, was also a
mogul, but later he had charge of different en-
gines. Mr. Ryan was born in Whistler, Ala.,
but has spent the most of his life in Jackson. He
was married in 1898 to Miss Martha Brady, also
of Jackson, Tenn. Socially Mr. Ryan affiliates
with Division No. 93, B. of L. E., and also the
Elks, both of Jackson. He began work on the
road when a mere boy, and has since continu-
ously followed that occupation, meeting with
marked success, having never met with an acci-
dent. Mr. Ryan built the house in which he
now makes his home, at 425 East Chester street,
'in 1891.
458
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
H. LOMAX, a popular conductor on
the Louisiana division of the I.
C., entered the service of the com-
pany in 1887 as brakeman with train-
master W. H .Fitzpatrick. He was promoted
to conductor in 1890, and is at present in charge
of a through freight, on the south end of the
Louisiana division. Mr. Lomax was in one very
serious accident. His train struck an open switch,
and he was so severely injured, as to incapacitate
him for duty, for six weeks. Mr. Lomax has
had more unavoidable wrecks on the Louisiana
division than any man in the service ; none of
which were his fault.
Mr. Lomax is a native of Holmes county,
Mississippi, and is a son of Tillman Lomax, who
was from South Carolina. Miss W. E. Easley,
of McComb City, became the wife of our subject,
and they have five children, viz : Warren, Thomas,
Oliver, Kennard, and Oakley. Socially he is con-
nected with the New Orleans Division, O. R. C.,
and is also a member of the Knights of Honor, of
McComb City. He has a beautiful home on Broad-
way, in that city, and ranks high in the estima-
tion of its citizens.
B. F. GOOD, engineer at Jackson, Tenn.,
did his first railroad work at Aurora,
HI-, in the employ of the C. B. & Q.
Railroad in 1879. After serving as
fireman for about six years, he was promoted
to engineer in 1885, and sent to Chicago to take
charge of a switch engine, and later took a run
from that city to Aurora. In the fall of 1888
he severed his connection with the C. B. & Q.
Railroad and came to Jackson, Tenn., to accept
a position as engineer for the Illinois Central
company, in the freight service, between that
city and Cairo. Subsequently he stood at the
head of the local between Jackson and Martin
for two years, and his present run is on Nos.
51 and 52, preferred freight, and on No. 81 south
from Jackson. Mr. Good was born in Ohio, near
the citv of Delaware. He was married in Colum-
bus Grove, Ohio, to Miss Olivia Rake, of Aurora,
111., and two children have been born to them,
as follows: Guy, a machinist in the Illinois Cen-
tral shops at Jackson, and Anita Blanche, who
is still making her home with her parents. Mr.
Good now holds a membership in Jackson Lodge
No. 93, B. of L. E., having been transferred to
that society from the Garden City Lodge No.
253 of Chicago. He is also connected with the
Masonic Order and the Knights of Pythias. Mr.
Good has always been very successful as a rail-
road man, and throughout his career, has never
met with serious accident and has never been in-
jured in any way. He has also prospered finan-
cially, incidentally laying up something for a
rainy day, and in 1892 purchased a home at 274
Deadrick avenue.
,ICHARD C. PENDERGRAST, better
known as the " Irish Lord," is a jolly
whole-souled engineer, on the Louisiana
division of the Illinois Central. He is
a son of M. J. Pendergrast, at one time a well
known manufacturer at Memphis, Tenn., who
died in 1867. At the age of ten years our sub-
ject was sent to Notre Dame College, at South
Bend, Ind., but ran away and returned home.
He was sent back to school, only to leave again.
At the age of twelve he left home, and remained
away for seven years, never writing home or
disclosing his whereabouts. During that time
he traveled all over the country, following various
pursuits and accumulating five thousand dollars.
In 1868, he began railroad life in the shops at
Memphis, and after a service of eight months,
worked on the road for a time as fireman. He
then went to Central and South America, and re-
turning to Texas, worked as engineer on the Gal-
veston, Houston & Henderson R. R. He was
next employed on the Louisville & Nashville R.
R. as engineer, and later on the N. O. J.
& G. N. R. R. as conductor. He afterward
took an engine on the latter road, and in 1875
went to the Mississippi Central ; leaving that road
ED. FULLER.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
461
lie returned to Galveston, and was given the im-
portant position of superintendent of transfers.
He then went to Memphis, and took charge of a
compress machine, and when the season was over,
secured a position as engineer on the Louisville
& Xashvillc R. R. In September 1877 he reen-
tered the employ of the Illinois Central, at Mc-
Comh City, and continued there until 1889, when
he was made general foreman for the road at
New Orleans, which position he held for a time
and then returned to McComb, and now has
one of the best runs on the McComb district, be-
tween that city and New Orleans.
Mr. Pendergrast was, in March 1883, united
in mariage to Miss ' Eliza, a daughter of Judge
Gernon, a prominent citizen of New Orleans.
Their union has been blessed by three children :
Eliza M. at school, Julian Gray and Philip S.
Socially, Mr. Pendergrast is prominent in
Masonic circles, being a Knight Templar, Com-
mandery No. i, of Jackson, Chapter No. 90, and
Blue Lodge No. 123. He was a charter member
of Division No. 173, B. of L. E., but transferred
to No. 196, of McComb City. He is a remark-
able self-made man, possessing traits of charac-
ter which enable him to make friends wherever
he goes.
D. FULLER, a freight engineer on the
Louisville division, is a native of Muh-
lenburg county, Ky. His father, W.
R. Fuller, a mechanic, died April 12,
1879, leaving our subject on his own resources
to support his mother. He first worked at the
blacksmith trade on the Ohio Valley road, after-
ward worked in a saw mill. He then commenced
his railroad service July 8, 1891, as fireman, con-
tinued at this up to December 1896, when he
was promoted to engineer, and has since run
nearly every class of engine on the system. He
has never suffered an injury or had any acci-
dent, is trusty and well liked by all. He has
worked for many master mechanics, and has
given such good satisfaction that he has never
been laid off. His present run is between Pa-
ducah and Henderson. Mr. Fuller married Miss
Mary Abraham, of Gallatin county, 111., and they
have four children : Corclie, a gifted pianist,
George Fuller, Michael and James C. Mr. Fuller
belongs to Division No. 238, B. of L. F., also
Division No. 225, B. of L. E., the Maccabees
and Blue Lodge No. 127, A. F. & A. M., all of
Paducah. While providing for his family he
has, like a dutiful son, made provision for his
old mother, who finds a home beneath his roof.
EORGE McIN-TYRE, a popular young
engineer in the freight service on the
Louisiana division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, is a native of Kenner, La., and is
a son of George Mclntyre Sr., a former well
known employe of the I. C., having been with the
company for about fifteen years. On November
20, 1883, at the age of sixteen, our subject entered
the service of the L. N. O. & T. Ry. (now the Y.
& M. V. Ry.) as a fireman. He resigned from
the service in 1885, and in 1886 entered the em-
ploy of the Texas Pacific Railroad, as a- fireman,
where he remained until his return to the I. C.
and November 22, 1889, was promoted to engi-
neer in the yards at Jackson, Miss. The follow-
ing year he went into the regular service out of
McComb City, and remained there until October
21, 1898, when he was dismissed on account of a
misunderstanding with caller. March 15, 1899,
he went to Lumberton, where he ran an engine
for a time and later a train, but resigned to ac-
cept a position as engineer on the Cincinnati
Southern Railroad, but after remaining there
a few months, returned to the Illinois Central,
at their request. He at present has a manifest
run on engine No. 715, with Thomas Brook,
as fireman.
Mr. Mclntyre married Miss Rosa Ricks,
of McComb City, and they are the parents of
one daughter. Socially, our subject is a mem-
ber of Division No. ^96, B. of L. E., of McComb
City, where he resides and has a large circle of
friends,
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
T. FRANKLIN, general foreman of
the shops at Jackson, Tenn., entered
the employ of the Illinois Central
company in the spring of 1881. His
first railroad work, however, was in the employ
of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad
at Chillicothe, Ohio, as an apprentice under
George Baldwin, and after working there from
1864 until 1867, he went to Texas and entered
the employ of the Houston & Texas Central Rail-
road, worked for a time as machinist in that com-
pany's shops at Corsicana, and was then pro-
moted to the position of foreman of the round
house and served in that capacity until 1881. At
the last named date Mr. Franklin moved to
Jackson, Tenn., served as a machinist under J.
M. Keefer, master mechanic, until May, 1890,
when he was appointed to his present position.
Mr. Franklin has charge of a force of eight ma-
chinists and two helpers, two boiler makers and
three helpers, two blacksmiths and four helpers,
two carpenters and one helper, fourteen car re-
pairers, six coal heavers and fifty-five other
laborers. In 1881 the coal used at the Jackson
shops in twenty-four hours amounted to from
eighteen to thirty tons, and now it is from
one hundred and sixty to one hundred and
seventy-five tons every twenty-four hours.
In 1880 there were twelve freight engines
and four passenger engines on this division,
and now there are about twenty-four freight
and four passenger engines used. Our subject
was born in Germany, but came to America with
his parents when he was quite small and settled
hi Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1848, and was reared
in that city. One of his brothers, F. E. Frank-
lin, is now a coppersmith for the H. & T. C. Rail-
road ; and one brother, Philip, is a coppersmith
for the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad
at Chillicothe, Ohio. One half brother, J. G.
Neudorfer, is master mechanic of the Illinois
Ceritral Railroad, at Water Valley, Miss.
Mr. Franklin was married at Jackson, Tenn.,
to Mrs. Powers, widow of Mr. Powers. She had
one son, C. E. Powers, an engineer for the Illi-
nois Central company at Jackson. Our subject
has one daughter, Mary, wife of A. Norwood,
also of Jackson. Mr. Franklin is a good ma-
chinist, an able foreman and a thorough and
systematic workman. His shop and round house
are among the very neatest and cleanest on the
entire Illinois Central system, and many of the
improvements are the fruits of his progressive
and wide awake nature.
JE. YOUNGBLOOD, conductor at East
St. Louis, began his railroad career
Q at the above named city in the employ
of the Cairo Short Line December 2,
1888, and served as a brakeman under conductor
A. M. Dowell, on a passenger train, between
Pinckneyville and Paducah. He served in that
capacity until April 1889, and was then trans-
ferred to the freight service and served under
Conductor A. L. Copple until 1890. Our sub-
ject was promoted to the position of conductor
in the freight service, and given a run from Pinck-
neyville to Paducah which he retained until 1896,
and was then off the road for five months. When
he returned to work he was placed in charge of
a freight train, from East St. Louis to Du Quoin
and to Mounds, and later served on the local
between East St. Louis and Carbondale. His
present run is from East St. Louis to Paducah
on a mixed train.
Mr. Youngblood was born at Benton, 111.,
a son of F. M. Youngblood, of Carbondale, 111.,
who was attorney for the Cairo Short Line from
the time it was established, and is now attorney
for the St. Louis division of the Illinois Central
Railroad. Our subject was married in Benton,
111., to Miss Nancie Gooch, of that city, and their
home has been blessed by the presence of a fami-
ly of three children, Josephine, Eveline and Fran-
cis M. Socially Mr. Youngblood affiliates with
St. Louis Division No. 3, O. R. C., and is now
serving that fraternity in the capacity of a mem-
ber of the general grievance committee. He has
been a successful conductor and has a good record
on the company's books. His caboose is No.
98,467.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
463
JF. DUNN, engineer at East St. Louis,
began his railroad career as a fireman
Q for the Illinois Central Railroad at Mc-
Comb City, Miss., in 1884, but after a
service of eight months entered the employ of the
firm of Hoskins & Hamilton, Brookhaven, Miss.,
and for fourteen months he operated a stationary
engine in the saw mill. In 1886 he moved to*
East St. Louis, 111., and secured a position as
fireman for the Cairo Short Line Railroad. In
September 1887, our subject crossed the cab and
took charge of the lever and throttle. For eight
years his work was between East St. Louis and
Du Quoin, but later his run was extended toi
.Mounds. His present position is at the head of
a preferred train between East St. Louis and
Brooklyn, but is occasionally called out for extra
work in the passenger service. He is a very skill-
ful engineer and has made a record entirely free
from wrecks and has never received the slightest
injury while on the road. Socially he affiliates
with Egyptian Lodge No. 512 B. of L. E., of
East St. Louis, the Knights of Pythias, Eureka
Lodge No. 81, and the Knigths of Honor. Mr.
Dunn was born in Brookhaven, Miss., Septem-
ber 23, 1867. Three of his brothers have also
been in the service of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, as follows : James, a fireman at East St.
Louis, died in October 1897; Sam, a machinist
in the Illinois Central round house at E. St. Louis ;
and Albert, wiper at the round house at East St.
Louis. Our subject is married to Miss Josie
Wright, of St. Louis, and one son, Frederick W.,
has been born to them.
, OBERT C. JENKINS, a conductor, well
known and very popular with the
traveling public, on the Aberdeen divi-
sion of the Illinois Central, was born
at Emery, near Durant, Miss. Being thrown on
his own resources when a youth of sixteen, he
sought for, and obtained employment in the
freight office of the Illinois Central, at Durant,
serving under H. F. Lawrence, then agent, and
who resigned his position in 1888, to accept the
position of cashier of the bank of Durant. Our
subject was soon found trustworthy and capable,
and was promoted to bill clerk, afterward to check
clerk and also served as night agent for a time.
In 1890 he began regular road work as brakeman,
and was then placed in charge of extras, until as-
signed to his present run, in the passenger service
between Durant and Tchula, Miss. His trains
are Nos. 402, 403, 404 and 401. Mr Jenkins
has worked with his present engineer, Mr. Mc-
Intyre, for ten years, with the best of good feel-
ing and without mishaps or injuries. He is con-
nected with Division No. 304, O. R. C., of Can-
ton, and with the Masonic fraternity of Durant.
In 1891 Mr. Jenkins and Miss Carson, of Yazoo
City, were united in marriage, and they are the
parents of three children : Myrtle Laurine, Robert
Carson and Emerson Mangrum. He has a fine
home of his own in Durant, presided over with
grace and dignity by his estimable wife. Mr.
Jenkin-s is a self-made man; active, energetic and
studious. He is a general favorite, among the
employes of the I. C. and with the traveling pub-
lic there are none who stand higher.
ANIEL WEBSTER, engineer at East
St. Louis, began his railroad career in
this city, as a fireman on the Cairo
Short Line. His first run was from
East St. Louis to Du Quoin and later his run was
extended to Brooklyn and Paducah, serving in all
three years as a freight fireman. He was then
promoted to the passenger service and served
one year under Michael Mulconery and Don
Hendrixson. In 1883 Mr. Webster was pro-
moted to engineer, worked for a short time in the
East St. Louis yards, then his engine did con-
struction work between East St. Louis and Du
Quoin and later he served on a freight engine
until he was promoted to the passenger
service in November 1899, and has since
stood at the head of the Fast Mail between St.
Louis and Cairo, the Dixie Flyer, Nos, 202 and
464
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
203, and also the local passenger between East
St. Louis and Brooklyn. Mr. Webster has had
charge, at different times, of all of the engines
that run out of East St. Louis, but the first one
he used in the passenger service was No. 1181.
He has never been injured in any way and never
met with accident since he entered the service of
the railroad.
Socially Mr. Webster is identified with
Egyptian Lodge No. 512 B. of L. E. of East St.
Louis and has served on the general board of ad-
justing committees and has always taken a whole-
some interest in the welfare of that fraternity.
He is looked upon by his fellow workmen as
a social leader, enjoys the confidence of his em-
ployers and the respect of all who know him.
Mr. Webster was married in June 1883, to Miss
Anna Meyers and four children were born to
them, Edgar, George, Earl and Daniel, deceased.
On March 25, 1897, he was married to Miss
Augusta Wehring, of Belleville, 111., and they
have one son, Clarence Dewey.
£"T[<1HOMAS M. LEONARD, a locomotive
U engineer on the Illinois Central Rail-
road, began his railroad career in June
1886, at East St. Louis, as a wiper in
the shops of the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute
Railroad. One year later he secured a position
a,s fireman and for the following nine months
he stood at the left side of a switch engine. Next,
Mr. Leonard was transferred to a regular run
under Engineer Ira Bookstaver, between East St.
Louis and Du Quoin, which position he retained
until he was set up to engineer four years later,
or in the year 1890. Mr. Leonard's first work
in the capacity of engineer was on a switch en-
gine in the yards at East St. Louis, where he!
spent three years, the most of the time with the
night crew. He was next employed for a time
on extra trains, but since 1896 he has had a,
regular run, but has been transferred several
times. His present trip is from East St. Louis
to Brooklyn. Mr. Leonard has been a very suc-
cessful railroad man, has made a record free from
wrecks and has never been injured on the road.
Mr. Leonard was born in Ireland. He was
married in East St. Louis to Miss Mary Hodder
of that city, and two children, George and
Marion, have been born to them. Socially our
subject affiliates with Egyptian Lodge No. 5I2»
B. of L. E., and also Division No. 44, B. of L. F.,
both of East St. Louis, and at different times
has been honored by both of these fraternities
with offices. He built his present comfortable
residence at 608 Bond avenue, E. St. Louis, in
1898.
L. CHANDLER, locomotive engineer
at Jackson, Tenn.; began work for
the Illinois Central Railroad in 1880,
as a call boy at East Cairo, Ky., un-
der Foreman I. J. Randall. Two years later he
left this position for that of switchman in the
yards at East Cairo, and later secured the posi-
tion of fireman on the incline, which he retained
for about a year. During the following two
years and seven months he performed the duties
of fireman on the main line, between Jackson
and Cairo. In January 1887 our subject was
set up to engineer, and worked in that capacity
in the Jackson yards for about six months, then
ran extra about a year and was then given a
regular run on engine No. 293, a Jack White
make. Eight months later he was transferred
to engine No. 351, later to 751, a Wei don mogul,
then No. 761, after which he was placed in charge
of No. 611, a new engine, and she is still in his
hands. Mr. Chandler had charge of the first
freight engine, No. 351, that crossed the Cairo
bridge, drawing for its load a special Knigths of
Pythias train. Since 1897 our subject has been
in the preferred freight service, between Jackson
and Mounds, but also does a great deal of pas-
senger work. Mr. Chandler was born in Ripley,
Tenn., a son of Carroll A. Chandler of Jackson,
Tenn. The father was also an employe of the
Illinois Central Railroad, beginning his career
with a job of construction work in 1874, and re-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
465
mained in the employ of the company about thir-
teen years. He also worked for the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad at Cairo and East Cairo, running
the transfer boat between those points for
several years, but retired from service in 1892.
He has held many public offices in Jackson, is
now constable, and a candidate for the office of
sheriff of the county. The father married Miss
Mary E. Griggs, of Ripley, Tenn., and of their
family we have the following record : Edgar,
an engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad from
1875 until 1897, died July 28th, of the last named
year ; Millie J., wife of Thomas J. Hunt, of Jack-
son, whose biography appears on another page of
this volume; R. L., the subject of this sketch,
married Miss Maggie McColpin, of Jackson,
and one daughter, Ruth Lee, was born to them
March 22, 1897; Lillie Belle, at home; Callie, an
engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad, married
Claude Pitts, of Jackson, and one son, Eddie,
has been born to them; C. P., an engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, is still single and mak-
ing his home with his parents. Socially Mr.
Chandler affiliates with Division No. 93, B. of
L. E., the Elks, No. 192, and Madison Lodge
No. 16, I. O. O. F., of Jackson.
D. McCONACHIE, a prominent loco-
motive engineer at East St. Louis,
O began his railroad career at the
above named city March 17, 1882,
in the employ of the Cairo Short Line. He
worked for a time in the shops, then fired in the
yards six months with different engineers, then
fired between East St. Louis and Du Quoin with
different ones for a short time, and later served
as a fireman on a coal train.
In December 1886 our subject was set up
to engineer and for the following six months he
had charge of a switch engine in the East
St. Louis yards, and then accepted a run from
Pinckneyville to Brooklyn, which he retained for
seven years, then between Du Quoin and Eldo-
rado, and later between Pinckneyville and Brook-
lyn. In August 1898 our subject accepted a
position at the head of the Creal Springs Local,
and in December of the same year, he was ap-
pointed to runs on engines Nos. 203, 201, 202,
and 204, and later was given the Dixie Flyer
and the Fast Mail. Mr. McConachie was born
in Perry county, 111., near Coulterville. He was
married at Belleville, Illinois, to Miss Mary
Schwender, who was born in Uniontown, Ky.
One daughter, Freddie May, has blessed their
home. Socially our subject affiliates with
Egyptian Lodge No. 512 B. of L. E. of East St.
Louis. He is a fine engineer, very popular among
his fellow, workmen and with one exception
never met with accident of any kind. This one
occurred July 18, 1899, in which our subject re-
ceived serious injuries from scalding and a cut
on his head, but was at his post of duty again
after about three months. Mr. McConachie still
owns his home in Pinckneyville, which he built in
1890.
ILLIAM McINTYRE is a highly
popular engineer on the Aberdeen
division of the Illinois Central. He
was born in St. Louis, Missouri,
but went to Mississippi with his parents when
young. His father was well known on the
Louisiana division of the I. C., having served in
various capacities on that division, and was at
the time of his death a bridge foreman. Our
subject began railroad life in the blacksmith
shops of the I. C. in McComb City, where he
was employed about one year and a half. In
1886 he took a position as fireman, and was four
years in that branch of the service, when he was
promoted to engineer, his first engine being No.
50, I. C. build. He was sent from McComb
City to Durant, in 1890, as substitute for an
engineer who was sick, and has since remained
there, on his present run, in the passenger service
between Durant and Tchula, Mississippi. He
has now served ten years with conductor Jenkins,
in the most complete harmony and best of good
feeling. The career of Mr. Mclntyre has been
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
most successful, not so much as five cents worth
of the company's property being damaged
through any fault of his. His closest call was
three miles west of Durant, where three cars were
thrown over a trestle and three persons were
injured, caused by the spreading of a rail. He
had just crossed the trestle when the accident
happened, and escaped without injury. Mr.
Mclntyre married Miss Langan, of Canton,
Miss., the result of their union being three child-
ren, viz : Annie W., Winifred and Georgie. He
is one of those whole-hearted men of sunny
disposition, whom one takes pleasure in knowing
and cultivating. As an employe of the I. C.
there is probably not a more popular man on the
Aberdeen division, and as a citizen of Durant,
where he resides in a fine home of his own, he
has the confidence of the entire community.
severely scalded and was obliged to discontinue
his work for some time on account of his wounds.
The wreck occurred in Freeburg. Aside
from this he has a good record and has quite a
successful career.
Mr. Krewson was born in Newtown, Pa.
In 1850 he came west and located at Cherry Vale,
Kans., and engaged in the stock business at that
place for three years, before he entered the em-
ploy of the railroad company. In 1893 ne was
united in marriage to Miss Kate Elithorp, of
Paducah, Ky. Socially he affiliates with Egyp-
tian Lodge No. 512, B. of L. E., of East St.
Louis, and also the Masonic fraternity, Blue
Lodge and Chapter No. 183. The last named
lodge he joined in Pinckneyville.
KREWSON, engineer at East St.
Louis, began his railroad career
as a fireman on the Cairo Short
Line, with engineer Henderson,
between East St. Louis and Du Quoin, spent two
years with him and then fired a year and a half
for Engineer Joseph Jackson. In 1880 Mr.
Krewson was advanced to engineer and worked
for a short time in the yards. Later he was
given a run between Belleville and Pinckneyville,
after which he was at the head of a coal train
for a year, then ran a through freight for a time,
was on the paper train four months, and in 1887
was given a passenger run between Pinckney-
ville and Paducah. This run, however, was soon
changed for one between East St. Louis and
Paducah, and the latter for one between Creal
Springs and Murphysboro, and his present run
is East St. Louis to Creal Springs. Mr. Krew-
son's first engine after his promotion was No. 3,
and since that time, he has- occupied a seat, at
different times, on the right side of nearly every
engine running out of East St. Louis on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad. Mr. Krewson has been
caught in one wreck, in which he was quite
EORGE SIMPSON, engineer at East
St. Louis, 111., began his railroad career
with a labor gang, spending, three
months in that capacity, and later
worked three months in the shops as a helper,
and then worked in the store room four months.
He began as a fireman on the " Short Line "
in April 1887, with a run from East St. Louis
to Du Quoin and Brooklyn and an occassional
run over the other Illinois Central lines in
southern Illinois. The first engineer under
whom he worked was Mark Mollenaux and sub-
sequently, at different times, served under Wil-
liam Biffett and John Ash, in the passenger ser-
vice under Ira Sweet, on freight, William Mc-
Creary and others. In 1891 Mr. Simpson was
placed in charge of the levers of a switch engine,
in the East St. Louis yards for about six months,
and was then set back to firing for a time on ac-
count of slack business, and subsequently
served on extra trains until 1895. During that
year he was placed in charge of engine No. 345,
and later No. 879 and his work was extended
over the entire Illinois division. Mr. Simpson
was born in Coleville, Pa. One of his brothers,
William Simpson, is also an Illinois Central en-
gineer at East St. Louis. Our subject affiliates,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
467
socially, with Division No. 512, B. of L. E., and
also Division No. 44, B. of L. F., both of East
St. Louis. He has been a very successful rail-
road man as may be deduced from the above
record and from the fact that he has never been
injured on the road, nor participated in any
serious accidents. Mr. Simpson was married to
Miss Lottie Hardgrove, of St. Louis, Mo., and
their home has been blessed by the presence of a
son, Clarence.
ETER CONATY, engineer at East St.
Louis, began his railroad career at the
above named eity in the employ of the
St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Rail-
road as a fireman, under engineer Charles
Walker. He was employed as an extra until
May 15, 1884, when he was transferred to Belle-
ville as a hostler, and later had charge of the
round house at that place for twenty-two months.
Later he was given a regular run with Engineer
J. C. Ash, on engine No. 4, on the Belleville
Branch, and after retaining that position twenty
months, he was given a place between East St.
Louis and Du Quoin under Engineer Peter Tobin,
engine No. 14, and was thus employed fourteen
months. In September 1888 our subject was set
up to engineer, worked one month in the East
St. Louis yards, then for a time ran extra on the
road and in the yards, was on the road during the
years 1896 and '97, and since that date has had
charge of engine No. 152 in the East St. Louis
yards. In October 1896 Mr. Conaty had the mis-
fortune to sprain his ankle while at work, but
with the exception of this slight injury he has
met with no misfortune since he entered the ser-
vice of the railroad company. He is well known
along the line, is pleasant to meet, jovial and has
a good word anil a story for all. To retain a
fit of the " Blues " in the presence of Mr. Conaty
is next to impossible. Socially he is identified
with Egyptian Lodge No. 512, B. of L. E.
Mr. Conaty was born in the eastern part of
Ireland, a son of Thomas Conatv. The father
was a section boss for the Illinois Central com-
pany for several years, and laid the first steel
bolted switch and frog for the company. He
was on the road from 1865 to 1886, but is now
living at Du Quoin. Our subject was married
at. East St. Louis to Miss Kate Driscoll, of that
city and their wedded life has been blessed by
the presence of a son named John.
Murphy.
H. POPE, engineer at East St. Louis,
began his railroad career in the shops
at this city September 8, 1886, and
worked there under Master Mechanic
He then secured a position as fireman
on a switch engine and was then transferred to
the road service between East St. Louis and Du
Quoin, where he fired for Engineer West E.
Salisbury, and later with Jake Miller. After
serving for some time as a passenger fireman,
Mr. Pope crossed the cab and took charge of
the lever and throttle. In this capacity he worked
on a switch engine for five months, then six
months on an engine doing construction work be-
tween Murphysboro and Metropolis, after which
he ran extra between Belleville and Pinckney-
ville for a time, then served on engine No. 15 be-
tween East St. Louis and Paducah for eighteen
months, and on No. 31, on the same run, then
on No. 25, a Baldwin, for five years between
East St. Louis and Paducah, after that No. 336
for about six months on short local between
Pinckneyville and Carbondale. Later was as-
signed to Nos. 274 and 275 between East St.
Louis and Paducah for seven months, then Nos.
253 and 53 on the I. C. system and then No. 505,
a Rogers, between East St. Louis and Mounds.
Mr. Pope was born in Du Quoin, 111., De-
cember 2, 1867. He was married at Pinckney-
ville to Miss Ethel Trafftz of that city, and four
children have been born to them ; Mable E., Helen
L., died January 6, 1895, Brownie and Harry.
Socially our subject is connected with the fol-
lowing fraternities: Egyptian Lodge No. 512,
B. of L. E., of East St. Louis; the Masonic
4(iH
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
fraternity in which he has attained the Royal
Arch Degree No. 244, at Du Quoin; Eastern
Star No. 242 ; Home Forum No. 1059, at Pinck-
nevville; and the Sons of Veterans. The first
named lodge Mr. Pope has served in the capa-
city of Chief one term and is also now holding
an office in the lodge. As a railroad man he has
been very successful, has skillfully avoided ac-
cidents and made friends among his fellow work-
men and employers.
RTHUR H. MILLS, one of the many
engineers that make Water Valley their
home, began the life of railroad man in
1881 as fireman at Du Quoin, 111., in
the yards and on a freight run between Centralia
and Cairo. About j888 he was transferred to
Water Valley, and a year after examined and pro-
moted to engineer and given a freight run.
From 1896 he was employed in the yards in the
switching service. January 20, 1900, he was ac-
cidently shot, the ball entering his left side and
left lung, and confined him to his room for four
months. On his recovery he was re-instated
on the road, where he has a regular run. Mr.
Mills was born at Grantham, Lincolnshire, Eng-
land, May 25, 1862, coming to America when
eight years of age. His schooling was secured
in his native place and at Du Quoin where he
was reared after coming to the new world. He
was married at Water Valley to Miss E. V.
Freshwater, whose father was a cabinet maker
in the employ of the I. C. shops at Water Valley,
until he was transferred to McCoinb City as fore-
man. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have two children liv-
ing, Charles and an infant son. Mr. Mills is a
member of the I. O. O'. F., and the Water Valley
Division, No. 99, B. of L. E. Prior to the ac-
cident above narrated Mr. Mills had been through
several wrecks and twice went down with his
engine in a wash-out, where the road had been
undermined, but escaped injury. He is con-
sidered a careful engineer by his colleagues and
a good neighbor by his fellow townsmen.
AROLD U. WALLACE, superintendent
of the Freeport division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, with headquarters at
Freeport, 111., was born at Rock Island,
Hi. Mr. Wallace was educated at the Chicago
Manual Training School and Purdue Universi-
ty, at LaFayette, Ind. He began work for the
Illinois Central Railroad, June i, 1894, as as-
sistant engineer ; worked in this capacity until
September 30, 1896; road master of the First
division until February 20, 1898; road master
of the Tenth Louisville division until March i,
1900; assistant superintendent of the Evansville
district of the Louisville division until April i,
1900, when he was promoted to his present posi-
tion.
R. JAMES H. SHOFFNER, the offi-
cial surgeon of the Illinois Central at
Water Valley, Miss., is a native of Car-
roll county, Tennessee, his birth hav-
ing occurred May 27, 1841. His parents short-
ly after moved to Mt. Pleasant, where he was
reared and received his education. He read
medicine with the physicians of Marshall county
and attended the New Orleans School of Medi-
cine, and later the medical department of the
University of Nashville from which he graduated.
The war breaking out, he enlisted in the surgical
department and served the Confederacy during
the entire war from Virginia to Louisiana.
After peace, he located for practice at Mt. Pleas-
ant, Marshall county, Mississippi, where he re-
mained until 1875, he then removed to Coldwater
in Tate county, practicing there some four years.
From 1879 to 1882 he engaged in practice at
Moscow, Term., and during the latter year re-
moved to Water Valley, where he has since re-
sided and built up the largest practice in the city.
In 1886 his skill in his profession was recognixed
by the Illinois Central Railroad, and was re-
quested to accept the position of official surgeon
for the district extending from Grand Junction.
Tenn., to Winona, Miss. Dr. Shoffner was mar-
ried in 1862 in Marshall countv, to Miss Sue
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
471
Ilinton to whom six chidren have been born.
The eldest child, Dixie, died in infancy ; William
F. is station agent for the Central at Water Val-
ley ; Lulu, married O. C. Savage; Emmett is
assistant station master under his brother ; Zola
and Janie are still within the parental household.
The doctor is a member of the Masonic fra-
ternity at Water Valley, and is also a Knight of
Honor. He is official examiner for the New
York Life and the Equitable insurance com-
panies of New York. He is a typical old school
doctor taking an interest in the personal welfare
of his clientele as if they were members of his
own household and is in turn loved by them as
if he were their kin. As a professional man his
ability is recognized as the highest, and it is well
known that he keeps abreast of the times.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
JAMES FITZPATRICK. No engineer in
in the employ of the Illinois Central is
better or more favorably known, both
among the officials and the employes
than our subject. It has been said that he is
one of the most proficient men in the service,
and the fact that he has often been detailed to
pull Presidential and other official trains, vouches
for the above. He is not a man who has reached
the top round of the ladder without beginning
at the bottom. He began as brakeman in 1876
with John Humphrey, but most of his braking
service, which continued for two years, was done
for Bill Stempson. At the end of this time he
went in the yards for one day and then began
tiring on the road for Chas. Draper in the through
passenger service and continued with him for
three years, or until December 21, 1884, when
he was set up to engineer, and his first running
was done in North Cairo yards on No. 22. He
remained there three months, then returned to
Chicago and was in the switch and road service
until February 18, 1886, when he was given
suburban 'engine No. 226 and continued there
two years, then pulled freight until 1893, when
he was put in the World's Fair service. At the
close of the Fair he continued in the suburban
express service until Nov. 1896, when he went
on the road pulling a through passenger train,
where he has remained up to the present time.
He runs No. 969, one of the most modern and
fastest engines owned by the I. C. Co. In Oct.
1898 he was sent to Springfield, 111., with this
engine to bring the Presidential train to Chicago
as the President and party were en route at that
time to attend the Peace Jubilee. During that
trip, Traveling Engineer Davis, and Mechanical
Engineer Rosing rode in the cab. The Spring-
field papers contained very fine notices of the
engine, which was handsomely decorated.
Mr. Fitzpatrick was born in Chicago in
1857. His father, Peter Fitzpatrick, was at one
time in the employ of the I. C. as a watchman in
the car works at 27th street.
Mr. Fitzpatrick married Katie O'Connor, of
Valparaiso, Ind., and has one child, Sarah Lillie,
aged sixteen years. He is a member of Division
No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burnside.
ENRY FOGERTY, a locomotive engi-
neer in the employ of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in Chicago, September
5, 1864, a son of John and Maria
(McAvoy) Fogerty, natives of Ireland and New
Jersey respectively. The father died in 1892,
while the mother passed away in 1895.
Mr. Fogerty entered the employ of the Illi-
nois Central, October 7, 1885, as a fireman on
switch engine No. 136, with Thomas Spales, and
was with him three days, after which he went
on through freight and passenger service, fir-
ing on the former for T. F. Murphy, for two
years and eight months, and in the passenger
service for Frank Rugg. October 30, 1889, he
was promoted to the right side of the cab and
went into the construction service on engine No.
239, remaining there three months, when he was
put on a through freight and served until April
9. 1893, when he went into the passenger ser-
vice on the Chicago division, and for six years
472
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
had charge of engine No. 209. He now runs
engine No. 1409 in the passenger service. He
has never had any serious accidents and has
never been injured. Our subject has two brothers
in the service, as engineers, on the Illinois
Central : Steve C. has been an engineer for four
years and John for one year. Mr. Fogerty
married Miss Annie Mathews, of Chicago, Feb.
6th, 1894. He is a member of division No. 10.
B. of L. E., of Burnside.
in charge of the shops at Twenty-seventh street
as general foreman, but in the fall of the same
year he was transferred to East St. Louis, where
he has since performed the duties of master
mechanic.
Mr. Hatz, was born at Hennepin, 111., June
I, 1867, the son of George Hatz, a blacksmith,
and inherited from his father a taste for iron
work. He was married at Danville, 111., in 1891,
to Miss Josephine Miller, and one son, Herbert,
has been entrusted to their care. Mr. Hatz is
identified with Custer Lodge No. 131, K. of P.,
at Grand Crossing, Chicago.
EORGE J. HATZ, master mechanic at
the shops at East St. Louis, is a man
of wide experience in mechanical
arts, having been employed in several
different localities. He began his trade in 1879,
at the age of fourteen years, in Terre Haute,
Ind., serving an apprenticeship in the shops of
the Vandalia Railroad company. After com-
pleting his apprenticeship, Mr. Hatz worked one
year for the Wabash Railroad at Moberly, Mo.,
and then returned to the Vandalia company at
Terre Haute for about six months. His next
experience was at Marshall, Texas, where he
spent a year with the Texas Pacific Railroad,
after which he spent a few years with various
railroad and manufacturing companies, as fol-
lows : a short time with the Kansas City Frog
and Switch Co., of Kansas City, four years with
the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad at Dan-
ville, 111. ; one year with the Toledo, St. Louis &
Kansas City Railroad at Delphos, Ohio; with
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad at
Raton, N. Mex., a short time as machinist. Mr.
Hatz next went to Chicago to accept a position
as general foreman for the Chicago, Lake Shore
& Eastern Railroad company, but a few months
later he left to take the position of journeyman
for the Illinois Central company at Burnside,
Chicago. After spending a year in this capaci-
ty, and also a year in charge of the machinery,
Mr. Butterworth left and Mr. Hatz succeeded
to the foremanship, and retained that position
for three years. January 23, 1899, he was placed
&TT& M. YOUNG, foreman of machinery
for the Illinois Central, at Jackson,
O Miss., entered the service of the com-
pany in 1892, as a machinist in the
shops at McComb City, where he remained until
November 1898, when appointed to his present
position at Jackson. Mr. Young's career in
railroad work began on the St. Louis & South
Western R. R. at Tyler, Texas, where he was
for nine months in the shops of that road as a
machinist. From Texas he went to Mexico,
where he worked for a short time for the Mexi-
can International R. R., and from there to the
California Southern R. R. at San Bernardino,
Cal. From the latter place he took a position
with the Union Iron Works, of San Francisco,
when, after a short service, he went to LaGrande,
Oregon, working there three months for the
Union Pacific R. R. He next went to Honolulu,
in the Sandwich Islands, but returned to the
United States and located for a short period at
Wadsworth, Nev., working there for the Central
Pacific R. R. From the latter place he came
to McComb City, entering the service of the
Illinois Central, and has since remained with
that company. Mr. Young was born in Pitts-
ton, Penn., in November 1867. His father was
John Young, a native of Scotland, a moulder by
trade, who came to America and worked in Scran-
ton, Penn., for a long time at his trade. Mr.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
473
Young Sr. returned to Scotland in 1874, where
he is now residing, and pursuing his trade of
moulder. Our subject went to Scotland with his
father, and there learned his trade, afterward
returning to the United States.
Mr. Young was united to Miss Belle Pat-
terson, of New Orleans, and they had two chil-
dren, of whom Louise Signe, is living, and Jack,
is dead. The family reside in a comfortable,
well furnished home on Minerva avenue, in the
city of Jackson, Miss., and are highly respected
residents of that place. Mr. Young's career
with the Illinois Central has been a successful
tine, officials and employes alike holding him in
high regard.
JAMES H. DOUGLASS, report clerk in
the freight department of the Illinois
Central, at Jackson, Miss., has been with
the company ten years. He entered the
service of the road at Water Valley, Miss., as
night yard-clerk, and was afterward promoted
to day-clerk, serving there about four years in
that capacity, and as assistant to the agent. He
then went to Winona, Miss., as cashier in the
freight department, serving three months. His
next work was as assistant agent for the Southern
R. R., at West Point, Miss., where he was em-
ployed six months. He then returned to the Illi-
nois Central at Water Valley, as day-clerk, and
on January i, 1897, was transferred to Jackson
as report clerk, where he is now creditably serv-
ing. Mr. Douglass is a native of Water Valley,
where his father was the proprietor of a saw-
mill and an extensive lumber yard. Two
brothers-in-law of our subject are connected
with the I. C. They are, W. F. Shoffner, agent
at Water Valley, and E. Mcllwain, a conductor
in the passenger service, residing at Jackson,
Tenn. Mr. Douglass was united in marriage
to Miss Adine, a daughter of George R. Gordin,
freight agent for the I. C. at Jackson. They
have a pleasant home at number 316 Clifton
street in that city.
ILLIAM T. HENRY, chief clerk in
the freight department of the Illi-
nois Central, at Jackson, Miss., en-
tered the service of the company in
1874 as clerk in the freight office at Jackson, and
was also in the same capacity at New Orleans.
He remained in the employ of the I. C. from
1874 until 1880. In the latter year, he went to
the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R. as chief clerk in
the freight office, at Meridian, Miss., occupying
that position three years. He then retired from
railroad service, and entered mercantile life, at
Bolton, Miss., where he worked as book-keeper
for one firm, for fourteen years. Returning to
Jackson he accepted his present position, under
George R. Gordin, where he has since remained
and is rendering efficient service.
Our subject is a native of Mississippi, born
in January 1855. His father, during his lifetime,
followed the occupation of a book-keeper and ac-
countant. Mr. Henry was united to Miss Anna
B. Bush, and two children are the result of their
union, they are, Allie Philips and Myra Belle.
Mr. Henry, with his estimable wife and children,
occupies a good home on North President street,
in Jackson, of which place he is a highly respected
citizen.
RANK G. MARGADANT, the capable
foreman of the tin shops of the Illinois
J_[ Central, at Waterloo, Iowa, was born
in that city on April 13, 1872. His
early life was spent in acquiring a practical edu-
cation in the schools of his native town, and
after finishing he entered the service of the I. C.
Ry., serving for three months in the machine
shops of Waterloo. He then entered the tin
shops as an apprentice, and served a full appren-
ticeship, finishing on April 13, 1894. Continu-
ing in the employ of the company in the shops,
he was on June i, 1894, promoted to foreman of
the shops, which position he has held ever since
and is acceptably filling.
Mr. Margadant is one of the third genera-
tion of his family to see service with the I. C.
474
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
His grandfather, Florian Margadant, who was
born in 1818, at Tani, Switzerland, was in the
employ of the company from 1861 until 1883
at Dubtique, Iowa. He retired in that year, and
died in 1899. Christian Margadant, the father
of our subject, was born at Davos, Switzerland,
in 1847, and was married to Miss Frederica Loat,
a native of Germany. He emigrated to America
in 1858, and in 1863 entered the service of the I.
C. at Dubuque.
The marriage of Frank G. Margadant and
Miss Mae R. Jackson of Waterloo, Iowa, oc-
curred on May 20, 1896. One daughter, Irene
Mae, now deceased, was born to them. Mr. Mar-
gadant is a member of Helmet Lodge No. 89,
Knights of Pythias of Waterloo, Iowa. Being
a skilled workman, and a man of genial manners,
he is held in high esteem by his superiors and fel-
low employes.
'ICHOLAS SCHILLING began with
the Illinois Central in 1879. He then
worked in the shops with Mr. Renshaw
for six weeks, when he began firing
on freight, he worked as fireman nineteen months
and then went to the Rock Island Railroad as
fireman, remaining for two years. He worked
in Marshall Field's dry goods store in Chicago
in the carpet department two years, in the retail
department, and then for Libby, McNeil & Libby,
of Chicago, until 1890. He then returned to the
Central railroad and began firing on road engine
No. 35, between Chicago and Champaign with
Dennis Kenny, engineer. He then fired for John
Powers, engineer, for one year, and then fired
for " Hank " Smith on engine No. 925 on passen-
ger train on the Chicago division. He fired there
until 1892 and then he took charge of a switch
engine No. 1344 and ran same until May i,
1893. and then went on the road with engine
•\n- 3'5- where he has since been on a regular
run.
Our subject married Miss Sarah Ranee, who
was born in 1865, in Bloomington, 111., and they
have two children, Clarence, ten years old, and
Frank, eight years old. The father of our subject,
John Schilling, died when Nicholas was three
years old. Our subject was born in Chicago, Aug.
5, 1863. He was never injured or in any but
small wrecks. He owns a pleasant home at
2607, 99th Place. Mr. Schilling belongs to Divi-
sion No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burnside, and is
a very prominent engineer.
TEW ART GILKINSON, who was born
in Scotland and saw his first service
in his native country, is today one of
the most trusted engineers in the em-
ploy of the Illinois Central Railroad. He was
born in Glasgow June 23, 1856, and first worked
in the Dubbs Boiler Works. His first railroad-
ing was done in 1869, on the Caledonian R. R.
of Scotland, as a freight brakeman. He con-
tinued as such three years and was then put in
charge of a freight train. In that country at
that time, the order of promotion was from brake-
man to fireman, then to what was called first
brake, same as conductor in this country, and then
to engineer. He continued as first brake two
years and was then set up to extra engineer be-
tween Glasgow and Carlisle, south; north to
Perth, and west to Greenock. He continued as
extra until 1881, when he resigned, and sailed
for America, and on the 3Oth of April began fir-
ing on the Chicago & Northwestern, where he
worked one month, then left the road and took
charge of the engines in the N. W. Taylor build-
ing, Chicago and remained there two years. At
this time he entered the service of the Illinois
Central as fireman on the Chicago division, on
engine No. 16, J. C. Wauser, engineer, with
whom he served one year and ten months, being
in the road service one year and six months of
that time. In Sept. 1886 he was promoted to
engineer and was put in charge of engine No.
12 in the yards on night work for two years and
four months, then went on road service with en-
gine No. 316 which he ran eight years. He now
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
475
has a regular run, pulling freight on the Chicago
division. Mr. Gilkinson has never been injured
and his worst accident was the breaking of the
fender off his engine in July 1899.
Mr. Gilkinson married Miss Sara Neilson,
of (ilasgow, and has two children, Janette and
Margaret Isabelle. He belongs to Division No.
10, B. of L. E., of Burnside, and Division No.
47, B. of L. F., of Chicago. Mr. Gilkinson has
traveled a great deal and has crossed the ocean
thirteen times.
kHOMAS WILSON, locomotive engi-
neer in the Illinois Central Railroad
yards at Burnside, began service in
1888 as fireman on switch engine No.
20, John Sparr engineer, -in the Randolph street
yards, where he remained for six months, then
went on a freight engine with William Rosen -
baum. He worked in this capacity for six years,
and in 1896 was promoted to the position- of
engineer. His first engine was No. 130, but his
only trip in her was from Burnside to Chicago.
He ran an engine in the yards for six months,
when he was sent to Memphis, Tenn., and there
took a switch run in the yards on the Y. & M.
V. division for three months after which he re-
turned to Burnside and has worked in the yards
and as extra road man up to the present time.
Mr. Wilson was born in Chicago in 1857.
JJ. RIGGIN, a prominent and popular
conductor in the passenger service of
O the Illinois Central, on the Natchez
division, who has been with the com-
pany since 1880, began railroad life on a section
on the Raleigh & Gaston R. R. in North Caro-
lina. After a service of three years on that road,
he went to the Wilmington & Weklon R. R. for
one year, returning to the R. & G. as extra fore-
man for one vear. He next worked for the
Norfolk & Petersburg R. R. as section foreman
for two years, after which he was for four years
on the South and North divisions of the L. &
X. as conductor 'on a work train. He next
worked successively with the Mobile & Ohio R.
R. seven years, the North Eastern R. R. two
months, the Alabama & Vicksburg two years,
and the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas, where
he was for a time foreman on a work train, then
foreman of a section, ami finally brakeman in
the freight service. An accident caused him to
lose his position with the last named road, and
he then, in 1886, entered the service of the
Illinois Central, on the Natchez division, and
has since remained there. He now has a regular
run, covering two hundred miles daily. Two
brothers of our subject are rail-road men. One,
an engineer on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., the other
a foreman on the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R.
Mr. Riggin is a native of Warren county, N.
C., where his father was a prominent farmer.
The latter died, a prisoner in Elmira, N. Y.
during the Civil war. Mr. Riggin's estimable
wife was, before her marriage, a Miss Ewing.
They have one child, Gertrude. A career of
fourteen years in the service of the Illinois
Central, has gained for our subject many friends,
and his popularity increases every day.
•ILLIAM D. WEBB, an old and
trusted employe of the Illinois Cen-
tral, holds the responsible position
of cashier in the freight department,
of the road, at Jackson, Miss. Mr. Webb's
career on the I. C. began in December 1876, as,
check clerk, at Jackson, where after three months
service, he was transferred to the ticket office,
serving six years as clerk' and cashier there. In
1885 he went to the employ of the Queen &
Crescent Route, and was two years with- that
company, when he returned to Jackson, to accept
his present position with the Illinois Central.
The native place of Mr. Webb is Lexington, Va.,
and the date of his birth, June 1838. He is a
476
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
son of M. D. Webb, who died when our subject
was young.
John Webb, a brother, is an ex-employe of
the I. C., now secretary of the Mississippi
Railroad Commission, another brother, James H.
Webb, is a prosperous farmer in Virginia. Miss
Mary E., daughter of E. B. Gordin, of Jackson,
Miss., became the wife of Mr. Webb, and they
reside in a well-appointed home on West Capitol
street, in that city. Mr. Webb is one of the
oldest employes of the Illinois Central in the
south, both in years and in point of service. He
has the confidence of the officials of the road,
and the respect and regard of all who know him.
EORGE R. GORDIN, depot master
and station agent for the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Railroad, at Jack-
son, Mississippi, an old and promi-
nent employe of the road, entered the service in
1872, at Canton, Miss., as cashier and chief clerk,
holding that position two years. He then went
to McComb City, as agent and yardmaster, and
at the expiration of six months, returned to Can-
ton, as assistant agent, until being transferred to
Jackson, Miss., where he served as chief clerk in
the office of the I. C. for nine years. His next ser-
vice was with the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R., at
Jackson, Miss., as chief clerk, working for that
road nine months. He then went to the Natchez,
Jackson & Columbus R. R., at Jackson, and was
agent for that company nine years, or until the
purchase of the latter road by the Illinois Central,
when he was appointed station freight agent, at
Jackson, Miss., and is the present incumbent of
that office. Mr. Gordin is a native of Carroll
county, Miss., and was born September 7th, 1850.
His father, Edward B. Gordin, now deceased,
was a merchant of that place. Two brothers of
our subject are in the service of the railroad
company, Walter E. being yard master at Gulf-
port, Miss., and James A. Gordin, a passenger
conductor on the Natchez division. The wife
of Mr. Gordin was formerlv Miss Susan O.
Brock, of Holmes county, Miss. To their union
six children have been born, viz ; Cora May,
Adine Virginia, Myra, Sallie Webb, Georgie
Clingan and Gussie Folkes. Mr. Gordin's duties
are many and arduous. He has a large force of
clerks to supervise, and a large amount of work
to accomplish. The fidelity with which he is
performing these duties are appreciated to the
fullest extent by the company, who value him
as one of their most trusted employes.
ENRY S. WYMAN, locomotive engi-
neer on the I. C. R. R., Amboy, 111.,
was born in New Haven, Conn.-, June
12, 1853, a son of Gen. John B. Wry-
man, who was born in Shrewsbury, Mass., in
1817, and began his early life by being employed
in a general store in his native town, but after
staying a short time went to Worcester, Mass.,
to engage in the wool business where he remained
for four or five years. He then went to Spring-
field, Mass., and entered the employ of Connecti-
cut River R. R. Co. as division superintendent,
where he remained for three years. During this
time took an interest in military affairs to such
an extent that he organized a company, of which
he was captain. He resigned his position to go
to Chicago, 111., to enter the employ of the I. C.
R. R. Co., under the management of R. B. Mason.
During his stay in Chicago he organized a mili-
tary company, the Chicago Light Guards, which
was prominently known for many years. He
was transferred to LaSalle, 111., as division super-
intendent of the division, extending at that time,
from LaSalle to Bloomington, being extended
north to Amboy as soon as track was laid and
the bridge completed over the Illinois river, the
construction of which he had charge ; he also had
general charge of the construction of shops and
buildings at Amboy, the work being under the
supervision of Alichael Egan, and completed in
1855. Mr. Wyman continued with the Company
until he resigned to engage in private business,
building a flouring mill and distillery at Sheldon,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
477
111., (now better known as "Rockyford"), which
he operated until the breaking out of the Civil
war, at which time he engaged in the mustering
in of the troops of northern Illinois, being as-
sociated with such men as Gov. Richard Yates ;
Jessie R. Du Bois, Secretary of State; Adj. Gen.
Mather and others, at the completion of which
he was appointed colonel of the thirteenth Illinois
Volunteers by Governor Richard Yates, all of
which regiment was raised or enlisted in northern
Illinois and going into camp at Dixon, 111., from
which place they were mustered into service, go-
ing to Rollo, Mo., to which point a railroad was
just completed , and being a railroad man of long
experience Col. Wyman was given charge of the
road and was also made commandant of the post,
it being the distributing point of supplies for the
South-west, and where he remained for one year ;
being then ordered to the front via Helena, Arkan-
sas, taking part in the first engagement at Vicks-
burg, Miss., where he was killed on December 28,
1862.
Maria S. (Bradley) Wyman, wife of John
B. Wyman, and mother of our subject, was born
in Worcester, Mass., in 1828. Miss Bradley
was the second daughter of Hon. O. Bradley,
noted as being the first promoter and builder of
railroad cars in the United States, both passenger
and freight.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wyman
were born four sons and one daughter. Three
sons are living, two of whom are in the employ
of the Chicago & North-western R. R. Co., the
other being H. S. Wyman, the subject of our
sketch .
H. S. Wyman, our subject was educated in
Aniboy, Illinois, where his parents located in
1854, and in Shrewsbury, Mass., where he went
to live with his grandfather when he was nine
years old and where he remained until 1870,
when he returned to Bloomington, 111., being
employed by the Holden Milling Company and
with whom he remained until December 1871,
when he entered the employ of the Illinois Cen-
tral R. R. Co. as freight brakeman on the
Northern division under Trainmaster Capt. Wells,
being transferred the following June to passen-
ger service on the Southern division, remaining
until November i, 1872, when he accepted a posi-
tion of locomotive fireman, which he retained un-
til January 19, 1878, when he was promoted to
the right side, which position he still retains, be-
ing in passenger service at the present time. He
is justly proud of his record, no serious accidents
having occurred to him during his long service,
nor are his thoughts disturbed by the memory
of any misfortune befalling those entrusted to
his care.
Mr. Wyman was united in marriage with
Miss Lillian W. Daniels, at Amboy, 111., on Febru-
ary 23, 1876, who was born at Shippings Port,
111. (near LaSalle) in 1854. One son, Harry
W. born October 6r 1877, is now in the employ
of the machinery department of the I. C. R. R.
Co.
Mr. Wyman is a member of the B. of L. E.,
being for a number of years a member of Amboy
Division No. 72; he is also a member of the A.
O. U. W., being a charter member of Palestine
Lodge No. 122 of Amboy, 111. In religious faith
Mr. Wyman is an Episcopalian.
JOSEPH KELLY, who has been identified
with the Illinois Central since 1886, began
railroad life as a fireman at Dundee, Scot-
land, and served in that capacity four
years and was then promoted to engineer and
remained there until 1881, when he came to the
United States and settled in Chicago. For four
years he was employed as stationary engineer in
the Taylor building, 142 Monroe street, then in
the above mentioned year went to the I. C., as
a fireman on the Chicago division and was pro-
moted to engineer in 1888, in the freight service,
but is now located at the Burnside shops. During
his service with the company he has never been
injured.
Mr. Kelly was born in North Scotland,
March 26, 1857, a son of John Kelly, who died
in Scotland when our subject was but one year
old. Joseph Kelly was married in Scotland, in
478
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
1880, to Miss Anna Gilkinson and they have
one child, Belle. The family now reside in a
pleasant home at 9321 Greenwood avenue, Chi-
cago. Socially, Mr. Kelly is a member of the
A. F. & A. M., of Scotland and is also a member
of Division No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burnside.
A. COLLINS, a representative con-
ductor on the Illinois Central, is a
' Q native of Northfield, Vermont. Per-
haps there is no employe of the Illi-
nois Central company who has worked harder to
make a success of his chosen profession than
our subject. He began work for the I. C. in
July 1867 as a bridge watchman at LaSalle, on
the Illinois river, it being the first bridge on the
system changed from wood to iron. He con-
tinued there one year and a half, when he ac-
cepted a position in the yards at the same place
as a switchman and served in that capacity two
years when he was promoted to yardmaster and
served as such for six months. At this time he
determined to become a passenger conductor and
to attain that position he resigned and went to
braking on a freight, on the Amboy. division for
Ed. Williams. After only ten months in that
service he was promoted to conductor at the age
of twenty-one years. The following seven years
he ran freight and was then transferred to the
Chicago division. Prior to this, however, he
was on the Dubuque and Iowa divisions. At
that time thirteen ten ton cars was a big load to
pull out of Dubuque. After coming to the Chi-
cago division he ran freight ten months and was
then promoted to passenger conductor and in
October 1881 went in the suburban service. The
following spring the town of Pullman was com-
menced and he used to turn in as high as two
thousand tickets a day. At this time the Com-
pany experienced considerable difficulty, with the
laborers as the conductor was unable to get the
tickets, but when they put Collins on that train
the trouble came to an end. In 1888 he was pro-*
moted to through passenger service and has con-
tinued there to the present time witli the best
of success. In June 1889 he had charge of a
special train, filled with officials, which made a
twenty-three hundred mile trip on all divisions
north of the Ohio river. As a token of the esteem
that the party had for him, President Fish, who
was a member of the party, presented Collins
with a handsome gold headed umbrella. In
1894, during the strike, our subject was the only
man who ran a train out of Chicago that was
stopped by a mob and after threats on the part
of the mob to take his life he finally got his train
going again and pulled into Centralia with the
same number of coaches he had when he left
the Twelfth street station. At the time the town
of Pullman was opened he ran the special from
Twelfth street, carrying the officials and promi-
nent guests. It was said to be the finest train that
ever left Chicago. Since his first day with the
Company there has only been one month that he
has not drawn pay and then he was on a trip
through the East. He has run a train twenty-
seven years and has never had an accident as the
fault of anyone on his train, and only once in
seventeen years has he had a car off the track.
When our subject was with Engineer Humphrey
Roberts, with engine No. 966, pulling the New
Orleans limited, he made one hundred and twen-
ty-five miles in one hundred and fifty minutes
with ten stops.
Mr. Collins is a member of Division No. i,
O. R. C., and was also a member of the Conduc-
tor's Brotherhood, the first organization of Rail-
wa conductors.
JOHN HOLLY, locomotive engineer on
the I. C. Railroad was born in Chicago.
Mr. Holly began railroading May i,
1 88 1, as a fireman in the yards on the
Chicago division, at Chicago, for Frank Sweeney
and continued in that service about one year and
then fired on a construction train for a time at
El Paso, then in suburban service for William
Leach about six months, when he quit the road
CHARLES K. DIXON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
481
for six months. When he returned he went in
road service and fired for James Sweeney, on
engine No. 176, remained with him about a year
and then went on through passenger with Horace
L. Seaver and Ed. Barker. After this he was
buck on the freight with Richard Ormsby where
ho remained until 1885, when he was promoted
and began running in the yards on engine No.
13, in which service he continued one year and
then took suburban engine No. 221 now No. 201,
then No. 62 now No. 216 and continued in subur-
ban service until 1889, when he was given engine
Xo. 186 in the freight service, later ran No. 388,
then Xo. 446 and then No. 320 which was new
from the Cook works. He was finally given the
fruit express with engine No. 305. In 1893 he
was promoted to through passenger service and
ran to Champaign during the World's Fair, on.
engines No. 928 and No. 301. In the fall of that
\ear he was put in the Grand Crossing Express
service and from that to the Kloomington freight
run which he held for two years. He then went
back to suburban service for over a year and then
to through passenger service in which he has con-
tinued up to the present time and has never in all
his work been injured. He is a member of Divi-
sion Xo. 10, B. of L. E., and is also a thirty
second degree Mason, belonging to the Oriental
Consistory of Chicago.
Mr. Holly married Miss Theresa M. Sulli-
van and they have four children, Elroy, Ethel,
Grace and Viola. His father, Michael, was an
old employe of the Illinois Central and worked
on the Chicago division for a number of years.
He began as brakeman and his last service was
gate tender at the Indiana avenue crossing.
HARLES K. DIXON, superintendent
of the Cherokee division of the Illinois
Central R. R. is one of the veterans of
the system, having begun his railroad
career in 1864, shortly after his return from ser-
vice in the Union army in the civil war. Born
at the village of Granby, Province of Quebec.
July 10, 1847, 'le attended the public schools of
his native place and the academy of Frost Vil-
lage in the same province.
Shortly after reaching Illinois he enlisted
May 24, 1861, in Company H, 15th I. V. L,
the first regiment from the state to enlist for
three years or during the war. Participat-
ing in the battle of Shiloh where he received a
shot through the body, the battle of Hatchie and
the siege of Vicksburg, he was on Sherman's
world famous march to the sea.
At the close of the service he returned to
Illinois and soon after secured a place as assistant
in the office of the Central at Forreston, Illinois,
where he learned telegraphy and served as
operator for a short time when he was assigned
to a key in the dispatchers office at Amboy, was
promoted and served six years as chief dispatcher.
In 1 88 1 he accepted the -position of trainmaster
at Fort Dodge and in 1887 his executive ability
was recognized in his appointment to the position
of division superintendent, since which time he
has had charge of the Cherokee division. As a
railroad man few have a more thorough ground-
ing in the principles of railway construction and
operation than Mr. Dixon. Having begun at the
bottom he has learned all the details of his work
from many years experience, and has a thorough
knowledge of all that pertains to railway opera-
tion and an executive ability to carry it vigorously
into the management of the division of which he
is the head.
On November 2nd, 1881, Mr. Dixon was
married, at Amboy, to Miss Katie A. Beals,
daughter of Henry H. Beals one of the old time
conductors of the Illinois Central system, a
sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
On the beginning of the track laying on the
Omaha branch, Mrs. Dixon drove the golden
spike at Council Bluffs, Iowa, May 25th, 1899,
at which time she made a very appropriate
address, recounting the fact that her entire life
had been connected with the railroad from girl-
hood to maturity.
Mr. and Mrs. Dixon are the parents of five
children: Bruce and Charles Jr., deceased; John
Beals, Ruth Kittie and Faith C- K. Mr. Dixon
482
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
is far advanced in the Masonic order holding
membership in the Illinois Central Lodge at
Amboy, Nathan Whitney Chapter at Franklin
Grove, Dixon Commandery in the jurisdiction of
Illinois and the Kaaba Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Davenport. With Mrs. Dixon he is a
member of the order of Eastern Star.
Mr. Dixon is one of the old timers and has
witnessed wonderful changes in railway operation
and management during the third of a century
and more that he has been engaged in the work.
Many of the younger generation of railway men
have received their first instruction under his
supervision, some of them rising to the heads of
divisions. Superiors, subordinates and patrons
of the line all testify to his uniform courtesy and
consideration.
FT'"
O w
GUITEAU, a prominent conductor
in the employ of the Illinois Central,
was born at Du Quoin, 111., a son
of Benjamin Guiteau, a carpenter by
trade, who erected the I. C. station at Du Quoin
and also built the Big Muddy bridge, near De-
Soto. Our subject began railroading Aug.
28, 1868, at Champaign, on the Chicago division,
as brakeman under John Gibson, now deceased.
He continued in this capacity for about one year
and a half and then went into the through pas-
senger service as brakeman under Charles Gil-
more, remaining about one year ; following which
he ran baggage for John Owen for five years.
At the end of this time he went into the sleeping
car service, running between Chicago and New
Orleans, making one trip a week. At the end
of three years he entered the Illinois Central
suburban service as collector and January 6, 1885,
he was promoted to conductor by Trainmaster
Jones and has since served in that capacity, now
standing at the head of the list, followed by John
Dolan . Our subject has been in one serious ac-
cident; while in the extra baggage service he
was called, as brakeman, to St. Louis, and while
on the return trip the train was derailed and our
subject was caught between the cars and so badly
injured, that he was laid up in St. Luke's hospi-
tal for three months. Socially our subject is
identified with Division No. I, O. R. C., of Chi-
cago.
Mr. Guiteau married Miss Emma Ludington
and they have one daughter, Olive May. They
reside in a comfortable home at No. 257, 79th
street, Chicago.
H. KEMPTON is a native of
Rochester, N. Y., where he was
LQ born in 1854. He commenced rail-
roading December 1871, serving as
an apprentice in the shops at Weldon for four
years, after which he worked as journeymali,
one year, when he began firing in the freight
service remaining there three years and a half.
Among the well-known engineers for whom he
fired was J. J. DeLacy, now one of the city
smoke inspectors of Chicago, and Antone Fortin,
better known as the "wild Frenchman" now
deceased. In the fall of 1879 he began running
in the suburban service when there were only
two engines. After being in that service a short
time, owing to his knowledge of engines, about
eighteen months were spent on different divisions
of the system. At the end of that time he was
given a regular engine in the freight service and
since then there has never been a time but what
he has had an engine including all kinds, con-
ditions and classes. He continued to pull freight
until 1891, when he was promoted to passenger
engineer and he it was who brought the first
Diamond Special from Clinton to Chicago, which
he continued to pull for about eight months, when
he got a through passenger run to Champaign,
with engine No. 968.
At the time of the Atlanta exposition
President Fish had a special train which was
devoted to invited guests and our subject was
chosen to pull it to Champaign. In 1896 our
subject was running No. 962, on which there
was, for a week, nine students and one professor
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
483
from the state University of Illinois. This class
of young mechanical engineers was an experiment
to determine just what that class of engine could
do, and as a token of esteem the class presented
our subject with a fine framed photo of his pet
engine. During the eighteen months already
mentioned he was south to Cairo and west to
Fort Dodge. He was never seriously injured.
He is a member of Division No. 10, B. of L. E.,
having held the office of assistant engineer for
several years. Mr. Kempton came west with his
parents when he was a youth, lived in Michigan
until 1869 and then came to Chicago. In 1877
he married Miss Sarah E. Connor and they have
five children, Charlotte Marie, Edna Maude,
Ollie Ogrita, Mortimer LeRoy and Herbert
Eugene.
EORGE L. HODGE, conductor on the
Illinois Central railroad, residing at
Amboy, 111., was born at Magnolia,
Illinois, March 14, 1853. His father,
a carpenter, was born at Wheeling, W. Va. His
mother, Margaret A. Wilson, was born in Nova
Scotia, April 21, 1819, and is now living at
Wenona, Illinois. The parents were married,
and came west in 1851, locating in Magnolia, 111.,
from which place they removed to Wenona, 111.,
at the time the Illinois Central was being con-
structed. They had four sons and four daugh-
ters, of whom two sons and three daughters are
living.
Our subject was educated in the public
schools of Wenona, 111., left school at the age of
sixteen and accepted a position as brakeman on
the Illinois Central railroad where he remained
for a few months, after which he went to work
for his father in Wenona, learning the carpenter
trade which he followed until March 1884 when
ho again entered the employ of the Illinois
Central as brakeman, being promoted to yard-
master after two years service, working at various
points on the Amboy division until he was pro-
moted, in 1890, to the position of conductor and
has since served in that capacity.
He was married July 23rd, 1880, to Miss
Rosa E. Morris, of Rutland Illinois ; a sister
of Mrs. J. C. Dailey, whose husband is the
present superintendent of the St. Louis division.
To this marriage two sons have been born,
William, born April 13, 1881, and employed in
trainmaster's office at Clinton, 111., and Edward,
born June 14, 1883, still attending school.
ILLIAM B. DAVIS began work for
the 111. Central in March 1872, as
a machinist's apprentice at Weldon,
under James Heap who was foreman
at that time. He served four years and then
worked as a journeyman until the fall of 1879,
during which time he assisted in the rebuilding
of transfer boats on the Ohio, at Cairo. He was
there during the year of 1878, which was the time
of the yellow fever scare. In November 1879 ne
accepted a position as foreman in the shops at
Centralia and remained there until September
1885. As a token of esteem the employes of the
shops at that place presented him with a very fine
gold watch.
He then accepted a position as general fore-
man of the shops at Champaign and remained
there until the fall of 1887, when he returned to
Weldon as foreman of engine house, remaining
in that capacity until August igth, 1889, when
he began running suburban engine No. 202, which
he ran for a short time and then returned to
Champaign and acted as foreman of shops. He
was there three months, then returned to Chicago
and began running engine No. 227, and after
three years he was given engine No. 212, then
No. 214 for one year and in the fall of 1894 he
took engine No. 248, which he ran until Sept.
30, 1899. With this engine he made a record
of seventy-two miles an hour, which is the best
time ever made by a suburban engine. On the
last named date Mr. Davis was promoted to the
position of general foreman of the 27th street
484
1 ILLINOIS' CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
round house, where he is employed at present.
The subject belongs to Division No. 10, B.
of L. E. December 29, 1880, Mr. Davis married
Miss Lizzie Thillman, the eldest daughter of
N. W. Thillman, who is a well known Illinois
Central employe. They had four children, three
of whom are living, Allie, Katie and Lizzie.
Mr. Davis was one of the first to take ex-
amination in air brake service and holds certificate
number one dated January 14, 1895. It is worthy
of mention that Mrs. Davis is an artist of no
mean ability and also a fine musician. Allie,
their eldest daughter, is a graduate of music
under Professor Mathews. Mr. Davis owns
fine property at 11714 State st, Chicago, 111.
JAMES J. ORCHARD, locomotive engi-
neer on the Illinois Central Railroad,
resides at Freeport, 111., and was born in
London, England, March 5, 1856. His
father, James Henry Orchard, was born in Lon-
don, England, November 21, 1831, and was a
ship carpenter by trade. He emigrated to Ameri-
ca in May 1871, located in Amboy, 111., worked
at carpenter work for about a year when he en-
tered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad,
in the car building department, where he remained
until the time of his death August 4, 1892. His
mother, Prudence Hall was born in Limehouse,
London, England, February 18, 1832, emigrated
to America in July 1872, and is now living at
Amboy, 111., enjoying the best of health. They
had two children, our subject and Rebecca Eliza-
beth, born in London, England. She came to
this country with her mother and was married
October 1896, in Amboy, 111., to William Parks,
of Utica, New York.
Our subject was educated in his native coun-
try, but did not have many advantages, going
to work when but a boy. He came to this country
with his father in 1871 and went to work in the
construction department of the Chicago and Rock-
River Railroad, now a part of the C. B. & Q.
system, where he remained for one year and then
apprenticed himself to a blacksmith for three
years. . He continued to work at his trade for
fourteen months and then accepted a position as
locomotive fireman in the employ of the Illinois
Central Railroad, September 26, 1876, holding
this place until he was promoted to the right side
on August 19, 1885, which position he now holds.
Mr. Orchard was married in Clinton, 111.,
on September 8, 1896, to Mrs. Linna Joyce, of
Peru, 111.
S. FARRINGTON who was born in
Donaldson, Ind., began railroading
, Q as a water boy on the Nickel Plate
when that road was being built ;
from that he rose to time keeper, driver and tie
nipper, his father having charge of the tie layers
at the time. Our subject continued on that road
until it was completed and was a brakeman be-
hind the first engine run on that road. Then at
the age of seventeen, in 1881, he commenced as
freight brakeman on the Pennsylvania road, at
Fort Wayne and continued there one year, run-
ning from that place to Chicago. He then be-
gan braking on the Chicago & Alton out of Braid-
wood to Chicago, remaining there four months,
and then went to the St. Louis division of the
Wabash, later coming to the Chicago division
and for three years served as brakeman, when he
was promoted to freight conductor. He continued
as such six months, when he resigned and went
to the International & Great Northern Railroad,
of Texas and ran three ways out of Palestine
as freight brakeman and extra conductor for four
months. In August 1885 he left there and went
to the Grand Rapids & Indiana road and worked
at Grand Rapids and Big Rapids as a switchman
eight months and then on July 9, 1886, came to
the Illinois Central and for one year and one
month was freight brakeman on the Chicago
division. September 19, 1887, he was promoted
to conductor and began running freight. For
three years he was in the " chain gang " and then
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
485
took the way freight between Chicago and Gil-
man, ran that until April 15, 1892, when he was
promoted to suburban conductor and continued
in that service until July 1896, during which
time he ran as extra through passenger man.
On the above date our subject took the Oilman
accommodation and ran that until July i, 1897,
when he was given a through passenger run to
Centralia, which he has held up to the present
time. When he was examined he was the
youngest member of a class of thirteen and is
the only one out of that number on the road to-
day. He has never had an accident to his train
or to himself.
Our subject is a member of the O. R. C.,
Division No. I. He has lived in Chicago since
1882, and owns two fine pieces of property, a two
story flat at 7349 Madison avenue and a hand-
some stone residence at 7350 on the same avenue.
Mr. Farrington married Miss Mary Wood-
worth in July 1887 and they have had five chil-
dren three of whom are deceased.
HARLES R. STROMGREN who was
formerly in charge of the tin shops of
the Illinois Central, at Waterloo,
Iowa, was born in Sweden, in
January 1837. He learned the trade of a copper-
smith in his native country, emigrated to the
United States in 1863, end followed that occu-
pation at various places until 1869. In the latter
year he became identified with the I. C. R. R.
at Dubuque, Iowa, where he was employed in the
shops until 1870. He then went to Waterloo,
Iowa, taking entire charge of the tin shops of
the company at that place, and continued in that
capacity until 1894. Mr. Stromgren was married
to Miss Anne L. Anderson, of Falkoping,
Sweden. Their union has been blessed with
six children : Louis, born in 1861 ; Charles O. F.,
born in 1863; Anna M., born in 1867; Clara
H., born in 1870; Alberta, born in 1872; and
Rudolph, born in 1874; of these the two
eldest are married. All have received the benefits
of a good education. A continuous service "of
twenty-six years with the company marks Mr.
Stromgren as a mechanic of ability as well as
a valued and faithful employe.
JAMES BURNS has been with the Illinois
Central company for fifteen years. He
began in the general offices of the road,
worked there about six years and then
began as fireman on engines in the yard and on
the road, beginning under Joe El wood, engineer,
and was engaged as fireman about five years,
when he took charge of engine No. 322, in the
freight service between Chicago and Champaign.
He now has a regular run.
Our subject was born in the southern part
of Illinois, June 25, 1869, and is a son of John
Burns, a contractor, who was very prominent
with the Illinois Central road for many years,
and built many of the bridges on the road.
Mr. Burns married Mabel Blocksidge of
Chicago and they have two children, William
and Edward. They live at 2575, looth Place.
He was never injured or in any wrecks of any
kind. He belongs to Division No. 10, B. of L.
E., of Burnside, Illinois.
ILLIAM BROWN first saw the
light of day in Covington, Indiana.
About eighteen years ago he began
on the Monon Route at Lafayette,
Ind., as a freight brakeman and then he went to
the Peoria division of the Big Four, (then the
I. B. & W.) He then went to the Clover Leaf as
a freight brakeman, and then to the St. Louis
division of the Big Four Route in the same
capacity. When he came back to the Peoria
division he was promoted to freight conductor,
and he then went to the Cairo division of the
Big Four and for two weeks he served as
brakeman on the Cotton Belt. After this he-
returned to Lafayette, serving in the capacity of
freight conductor and brakeman and then he
went to Birmingham, Alabama, serving as con-
48fi
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ductor on the Louisville & Nashville. His next
post was on the Central division of the Big Four
at Indianapolis, where he was freight brakeman.
Our subject then returned to Peoria as freight
conductor and then went to Monon, Indiana, on
the Monon Route, serving in the capacity of yard-
master. On December 26, 1890, he came to the
Illinois Central and began braking on the freight
for N. S. Farrington and served here until the
following September, when he was promoted to
freight conductor, running the freight until
September 1896, when he was put in the suburban
service and has remained in that until the present
day. He has never been injured, is a member of
Division No. i, O. R. C. and the K. of H., of
Chicago.
Mr. Brown was married to Miss Long of
Boston in 1896. Her father was an old sea
captain.
JE. ZIMMERMAN, is a native of Water-
town, New York. He began railroad-
Q ing when he was eighteen years of age
on the Rome, Watertown & Ogdens-
burg, of New York state, as a brakeman on the
way freight between Rome and Watertown, but
at the end of five days he was hit on the head
by a low bridge, but through the influence of
Roscoe Conkling secured damages. After being
laid up about eight weeks he began work again
and continued braking on freight and passenger
for two years, when he was promoted to baggage-
man and served in that capacity and as extra
conductor for eight years. At the end of that
time he quit the road and located in California
on a potato ranch remaining there two years,
when he sold out and came to Chicago and
secured a position as street car conductor and re-
mained in that position four years when he re-
signed and in 1882 secured a position on the Illi-
nois Central as a brakeman. He then went into
the suburban service under Conductor Mogg and
continued there one year and a half, but during
that time, owing to his former experience, he ran
as extra conductor most of the time. Then he
was on a baggage car a short time, then collector,
running as extra conductor and in 1884 was regu-
larly promoted to conductor and has remained
in that capacity up to the present day. During
the strike in 1894 he ran the military train to
Riverdale. In all these years our subject has
never cost the company a dollar, never been
suspended and has never had a black mark, which
is a record to be proud of. While on the Rome,
Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad our subject
was mixed up in several serious accidents. Mr.
Zimmerman belongs to Division No. I, O. R. C.
LEASANT A. SMITH was born in
Wabash county, Indiana. Before en-
tering the railroad service he learned
the cooper's trade and photography.
He began his railroad work, in 1891, as a fireman
in the yards at Randolph street, with Henry
Fisher on engine No. 9. He continued in yard
service for eleven months and was with the same
engineer nearly all the time. He then went as
extra road fireman and made his first trip with
John L. Gerry on No. 310. He fired on the road
until the spring of '93, and then went into the
W6rld's Fair service, in which he remained until
the following fall, then returned to the road,
where he continued as fireman until Thanksgiv-
ing Day '95, when he was examined and went
on as extra engineer, continuing in this capacity
until Oct. 15, 1898, when he was put on regular.
He now has No. 316 in the road service. On
December 31, 1897, Mr. Smith was sent south
to the Mississippi division at Water Valley, and
ran between Jackson, Tenn., and Canton, Miss.
He remained there until October 12, 1898, when
he returned to Chicago and has been in road ser-
vice since. Mr. Smith was never seriously in-
jured.
He was married to Miss Anna Ihrk, of
Michigan City, Ind., April 18, 1900. He is a
member of Division No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burn-
side, and K. of P., No. 382, of Chicago.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
487
HOMAS F. MURPHY, engineer with
the I. C. since June 5, 1875, began
in the Chicago shops, at welding iron
in the boiler department one year and
then began firing on engine No. 45, with Jno.
Murphy, engineer in the Kankakee yards, re-
maining there four years and four months and
then took charge of an engine and went on the
road between Chicago and Champaign, 111. He
spent five years in the suburban service, when
in April 1899 he gave it up and has since been on
road service.
Our subject has lived in Dauphin Park for
two years and Homewood two years. He is a
son of Patrick Murphy of Ireland and his mother
was Mary Brennen also of Ireland. His father
used to work in the Illinois Central shops. Both
parents are now deceased.
Our subject married Mame Cavanaugh of
Iowa and they have three children, Frank T.,
Robert E., Lillian R., all at home. Our subject
was never injured in any way and never had an
accident while running a train. He is a member
of the Division No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burnside.
A. HUME, an old and valued em-
ploye of the Illinois Central, is
Q an engineer in the passenger ser-
vice on the Grenada division. He
began his railroad career on the Mississippi and
Texas division of the I. C., in 1859, and has since
been with the company, a period of forty years.
When the I. C. bought the Great Western R. R.,
Mr. Hume was sent to that division of the road,
and was for eighteen months there, running be-
tween Springfield and Naples, 111. He was then
transferred to the Grenada division, and served
in the freight department until 1868, when he
was promoted to the passenger department on the
same division, and has since remained there. He
bears the distinction of being the oldest engineer
on the southern lines. Possessed of a sound con-
stitution, his life has been one of incessant in-
dustry and activity. He is even now one of the
most reliable employes of the company, never
absent from his post, and his endurance would
put to the test many a younger man. Mr. Hume
was born in Pike county, Illinois, August 31,
1833. His parents, both deceased, were highly
respected farmers of that part of Illinois.
Miss Elizabeth O'Neil of Springfield, 111.,
became the wife of Mr. Hume, and six children
resulted from their union, viz: William, a ma-
chinist at Memphis ; Elizabeth, at home ; Charles,
a clerk in the freight department of the I. C., at
Memphis, since 1879; Lillie E., wife of W. E.
Howard, a conductor; Frank, a member of the
Memphis police department; and Tabitha, wife
of Walter Moore, of Memphis. Mr. Hume, with
his family, occupies a beautiful home on Rayburn
avenue, in Memphis, of which city he is a highly
esteemed and valuable citizen.
EORGE G. BENNETT, locomotive
engineer, has been in the employ of
the Illinois Central Railroad since
1888. His first railroad work was at
Grand Island, Neb., where he began as caller
in the round house for the Union Pacific Rail-
road. He worked at same six months and then
began as fireman on engine No. 13, on the St.
Joe & Western branch of the Union Pacific Rail-
road, held that position three months and then
began braking on the same road between Grand
Island and North Platte, Neb., remaining six
months and then came to Chicago where he was
engaged as fireman on engines Nos. I and 14 on
the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad, run-
ning four years. In 1888 he began as fireman
on road engine No. 381 for the Illinois Central
company and was soon after promoted to engi-
neer, has a regular run on engine No. 311 on the
Chicago division of the Illinois Central Railroad
company.
Mr. Bennett was born in Herkimer county,
New York, April 10, 1869, and is a son of Hiram
4H8
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Bennett of the same county. Our subject mar-
ried Miss Maggie Keefe of Richmond, Vermont,
and they have two children, Alfred and Mary.
He is a member of Division No. 10, B. of L. E.,
of Burnside and other societies. He was never
in any wrecks, or never injured in any way. He
owns a nice residence at No. 2594 Ninety-ninth
street, Chicago.
THOMAS F. GRACE, foreman in the Illi-
nois Central blacksmith shop at Free-
port, was born in Little Falls, Herki-
mer county, N. Y., March 7, 1848.
His father, John Grace, born in New York City,,
was a horseman by occupation. He died Decem-
ber 18, 1895. The mother, Mary E. (Splann)
Grace in now living at Florence, N. Y. Their
family is as follows : Pierce, division roadmaster
of the N. Y. O. & W. Ry., resides in Oswego,
N. Y. ; Thomas F. ; John E., carpenter and build-
er, resides in Florence, N. Y. ; M. W. is em-
ployed as shaft hammersman in the Delamater
Iron Works, N. Y. City, doing government work.
Thomas F. Grace received his education in
the public schools of Camden, N. Y., and also
took a special course in drafting. When a boy
ht carried water on the Utica & Black River R.
R. At nineteen he was promoted to brake-
man on the same road, first working on a freight
train and afterward was promoted to a passenger
train. In 1868 he entered the service of the Dela-
ware & Hudson River R. R. Co., and learned the
blacksmith trade in their shops at Oneonta, N. Y.,
where he served the company in that capacity
for three years and four months. In 1872 he
was employed by the Remington Arms Co., for
eight months; then worked for the Midland R.
R. Co., at Oswego, N. Y., as a blacksmith one
year; then worked eight months in the shops of
the N. Y. L. E. & W. R. R. at Susquehanna, Pa. ;
then was employed in the Schenectady Locomo-
tive Works, at Schenectady, N. Y., six months ;
then entered the service of the Meredith Iron &
Lumber company, at St. Mary's, Elk county,
1 'a., where he remained two years and six months ;
then went to Ridgway, Pa., and worked for K.
White & Co., for four months ; then entered the
service of the Lehigh R. R. Co., at Sayre, Pa.,
for four years and eight months ; worked in Chi-
cago for the Preston Fire Engine Co. for four
months. December i, 1883, he entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. R. R. at the Weldori shops in
Chicago where he worked building locomotives
four years; then served the Everhard Mfg. Co.
at Cleveland, Ohio, as foreman six months ; then
returned to Weldon on the I. C. R. R. for eight
months ; went to Streator, 111., as foreman in the
shops of the Chicago, Santa Fe & California, for
eight months, and when the shops were moved
to Ft. Madison, Iowa, he also went and remained
three years ; then went to Louisville, Ky., and
worked for the Meredith Coal & Lumber Co.,
four months. In June 1892 he again entered the
service of the I. C. R. R., this time as foreman of
the blacksmith shops at Freeport, 111., where he
still remains.
Mr. Grace was married August 10, 1896,
to Miss Maggie Mervin of Freeport. They have
one child, William Monroe, born September 14,
1897. Mr. Grace is a member of the Catholic
church. In politics he is a Democrat.
OLPH MASON, an engineer on the Illi-
nois Central, was born in St. Johns.
New Brunswick, and is the son of
Christopher Mason, an old time engi-
neer on the C. B. & Q. Our subject started his
railroad life as a fireman in the C. B. & Q. yards
at Aurora, 111., remaining there two years, when
he commenced firing in the road service and re-
maining there five and one-half years, when he
was promoted to the right side of the cab. and
for the following four years served in the road
and switch service. In 1888. Mr. Mason went
to the Illinois Central as an engineer in the freight
service l>etween Jackson, Tenn., and Cairo. 111.
He served there two vears and was then trans-
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
491
ferred to Chicago, where for three months he
pulled a train on the road, when he was placed
in the switch service where he is at the present
time. Our subject has never been injured. So-
cially he is a member of Division No. 10, B. of
L. E., of Burnside.
Mr. Mason married Miss Julia Moysant,
and their union has been blessed with eleven chil-
dren, viz : Joseph, deceased ; Arthur, William,
Bernie, Frank ; Alberta and Bertha, twins ; Ed.
and Alfred, twins, deceased, and George and
Carrie, twins.
C. WAGGENER, superintendent
of bridges and buildings of Evans-
Q ville district of the Illinois Central,
was born near Elizabethtown,
Quaker Valley, Hardin county, Kentucky, where
he was educated. His people are of the best
families of Virginia and Kentucky. At the age
of sixteen he entered the service of the Gulf,
Colorado & Santa Fe road, under Chief Engineer
Temple. He drove a scraper team at twenty-
five dollars a month. Having no use for his
money he left it in the care of the contractor for
whom he was working, and when three months
pay had accumulated the contractor decamped
taking the money and leaving Mr. Waggener
without a penny, with poor clothes and an old
straw hat with a piece of calico sewed over the
top to protect him from the sun's rays. Not dis-
heartened he started out on foot to seek work
and came upon a crew driving piles from Nava-
sota to Navasota Junction and secured a place
with them. He continued with them to the
Brazos river, camping on the river bottom where
the moss hung from trees, a novel experience,
for one who was then but a boy. In June he
got through to Houston, Texas. During this
time the foreman took sick and our subject acted
as foreman some times receiving one hundred
dollars a month. July 1882 the road was com-
pleted from the Navasota river to Brazos river,
and our subject secured a place with the Canton
P> ridge Company at Houston, Texas, built several
27
large bridges, and afterwards went with the Can-
ton Wrought Iron Bridge Company. He quit
and was on a farm for six months, from which
place he entered the service of the L. & N., work-
ing on several bridges, and went south to Alabama
as assistant foreman, helping to build the bridge
over the Alabama river. The crew boarded
eighteen miles from the river on account of the
damp and the fog at Deatsville, the village by
the bridge. Becoming ill he resigned and then
worked for the Louisville Bridge & Iron Com-
pany, on the E. Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia
Railroad, and the N. C. & St. L., the Knoxville
division of the L. & N. also worked on the well
known Jacob's bridge. In 1888 he came south
on the N. N. & M. V., also on the L. & B. and
finally in 1889 he began work on the C. O. &
S. W., when he took charge of a bridge crew
and was soon made conductor of the pile driver,
working irregularly until December 1896, when
the Illinois Central took charge. He then acted
as foreman until May 28, 1899, when he was
made supervisor of bridges and buildings of the
Evansville district with headquarters at Hender-
son, and in addition has charge of the water
supply. He has thirty to seventy men in his de-
partment and three foremen, J. K. Earl, J. H.
Morgan and E. Wellington. Mr. Waggener is a
man of energy and strict integrity and shows by
his advancement what a poor lone boy can do by
perseverance. He married a daughter of Richard
Whittemore of Kuttawa, Ky., and has one child,
four years old. Our subject is a prominent
mason, and belongs to Cumberland Lodge, No.
185, K. of P. He resides at 123 Adams street,
Henderson, Ky.
ARSHAL R. HEDGPETH, an engi-
neer in the yards at Memphis, Tenn.,
became identified with the Illinois Cen-
tral on March 24, 1894, as fireman
on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley division, with
Engineer Frank McLain. He was engaged in
that branch of the service for three years, and
was then promoted to engineer, taking charge of
492
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
engine No. 63 in the Memphis yards, where he
is now employed. While engaged in firing he
was in 1897 in a head end collision, between
engines No. 13 and No. 58, in which Mr. Fletcher,
the engineer, was injured, but he escaped. Mr.
Hedgpeth was born at Springfield, Mo., March
13, 1872. His father, Calvin Hedgpeth, is still
residing there, and is a prominent stockman. He
was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Walson,
and they have three children : Damon, James and
Clara. Mr. Hedgpeth is a member of Division
No. 364, B. of L. F., of Memphis. He and his
family are adherents of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and in politics he is a believer in the prin-
ciples of Democracy.
A. BRADLEY is the obliging store
keeper in the Illinois Central
Q shops at McComb City, and is a
general favorite in the shops on
account of his genial disposition and general good
qualities. He was born in the state of New
Jersey, April 19, 1857, and is a son of Calvin R.
Bradley, who was an attorney of prominence in
the east, and is now deceased. At the age of
sixteen, the subject of this sketch, left home to
carve his own fortune, and going to. Baltimore,
Maryland, worked there for the Southern Ex-
press Company. He was employed at various
points in the east by that company and by the
American Express Company until 1878, when
he went to New Orleans and engaged in the
restaurant business. He continued in that busi-
ness until 1884, when he entered the service of
the Illinois Central at McComb City, as time-
keeper in the railroad shops there. After a ser-
vice of five years as timekeeper he was ap-
pointed bookkeeper in the office of the Master
Mechanic, which position he held three years.
He was then placed in charge of the store room
and has since held that position. His duties
consist in disbursing a general line of railroad
sundries to the employes of the shops, on orders
from the officials and foreman. This office re-
quires ability of no small means and Mr. Bradley-
is filling it acceptably to all concerned.
Mr. Bradley was married to Miss Nettie
Beaman, of McComb City, their union resulting
in the birth of two children, Winston and Gay-
nell.
He is a member of the Knights of Pythias,
and both he and his wife are members and sub-
stantial supporters of the Christian church.
RANK DUNHAM. Amongst the eldest
and most prominent engineers in the
suburban service of the Illinois Central,
our subject stands at the head. He
began in the service in 1869, as a brakeman on
the Chicago division for Al. Bellows, and con-
tinued in that capacity until 1874, although in
1871 he did some running. In 1874 he had his
left hand injured. Wrhile laid off he attended
Bryant and Stratton's business college. After
recovery he went to El Paso and began firing in
the yards. At that time they ran from Chicago
to El Paso and he was engaged in making up
trains. He remained there about seven months
and then went to Oilman where he acted as host-
ler two months, then returned to Chicago and
went to firing No. 191 with Geo. Weatherhead,
Sr., and fired for him five months. At the end
of that time he was sent on the Southern division
and fired No. 188 for Frank Sweeny on freight
from Centralia to Cairo, then returned to Chica-
go and fired No. 200 three years and two months
for Ed. Monroe. During this period No. 200
was in the shops and our subject fired No. 34 for
Frank Jennings. In 1881 our subject was pro-
moted and his first day's run was on No. 54 in*
the freight yards at Randolph street. He con-
tinued in this service nine months and was also
extra road man, as was customary in those days.
He then went into the suburban service and ran
No. 91 for one year, No. 44 two months, and was
then given No. 227, a new engine which he ran
until the latter part of '87 when he got No. 216,
then No. 62 and he now has No. 1416. In the
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
493
summer of '99, when the black smoke question
was being agitated, our subject demonstrated to
smoke Inspector John C. Schubert how the road
could abate the smoke nuisance when it feels so
inclined. We quote from the Chicago Tribune
of August 10, '99.
"The trip was made in the cab of engine No. 216,
with a star crew and a choice supply of coal. The
results of the trip were an object lesson in smoke pre-
vention. No. 216, with Engineer Frank Dunham in
charge and Fireman Smith at the shovel, made a trip
on schedule time that was all that the complaining
patrons of the road could demand. No. 216 ran
south with the gauge indicating 130 pounds of steam,
showing that the fireman was not 'favoring it,' and
this with a minimum of smoke. Inspector Schubert
was accompanied by William H. Quirk, smoke in-
spector of the Illinois Central Railroad. His position
in the cab gave opportunity to see what a competent
and careful fireman can do in the way of preventing
smoke. At the end of the r.un Inspector Schubert
said to Inspector Quirk: 'That was first-rate. If all
your engines were run like that there wouldn't be any
smoke on the lake front.' And Inspector Quirk replied
to Inspector Schubert: 'That's the best crew on the
road and that's the way they do it every time.' " * * *
Mr. Dunham has never been laid out by ac-
cident. He is a member of B. of L. E. and
secretary of insurance, which office he has held
for the past three years. He was born at Charles
City, Iowa, and came to Chicago in 1854. His
wife was formerly Miss Katie Tillman, daugh-
ter of N. W. Tillman, now superintendent of
construction in the machinery department.
BENJAMIN BUSCH, locomotive engi-
neer, has been in the employ of the
Illinois Central for twelve years. He
first began on the C. B. & Q. Railroad
as fireman on No. 222 and fired under Jerry Dee-
gan for two years and then began on the Illinois
Central as fireman under William Perry on engine
No. 470. Our subject fired with him in road ser-
vice for several years and he was also in the pool
part of the time. Afterwards he took charge
of engine No. 329 and now has a regular run in
the freight service.
Our subject was born in Chicago, March
18, 1867, a son of Charles Busch, who was a
cigar manufacturer and is now deceased.
. Our subject married Catherine Young of
Chicago, and they have a nephew, Harry Young,
living with them. Mr. Busch owns a home at
number 2584 One-hundredth street. He has
been in a number of wrecks and was in several
wrecks of great note and was only slightly in-
jured. He is a member of Division No. 10,
B. of L. E., of Burnside and is prominent in
the organization.
HOMAS AMES, a locomotive engineer
in the employ of the Illinois Central,
is a native of England, but came to the
United States when but twelve years
old. His first railroading was in 1873 when he
worked on the Chicago division of the Michigan
Central as a fireman. He began in the freight
service and remained there until December 1876,
when he went into the Kensington yards where
he ran a switch engine for four years. He then
ran between Chicago and Kensington, for two
years, and in 1882 he took a run on the Fergus
Falls division of the Great Northern Railroad,
remaining there for seven months, when he re-
turned to the Michigan Central where he worked
until September 1883, when he began on the Illi-
nois Central. His first work was done on the
Cairo incline, being extra engineer between Cairo
and Centralia. He was there until October 1884,
when he came on the Chicago division running
freight for one year. In 1885 and up to 1887 he
was on the Middle division between Minonk and
Buckingham, then he ran between Amboy and
Dubuque until May 1888, after which time he
returned to the Chicago division on freight until
1892. He next served on a pay car for eighteen
months and then became extra passenger man,
and August i, 1896, he was given a regular pas-
senger run to St. Louis on the Daylight Special
and Diamond Special. On April 28th, 29th and
3Oth he pulled the special Tribune paper train to
494
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Springfield which was one hundred and ninety-
four miles, making the run to Kankakee, fifty-
six miles, in fifty-seven minutes, to Oilman,
eighty-one miles, in eighty-three minutes, stop-
ping five minutes at Kankakee and to. Springfield
at 3 =57-
Our subject is a member of Division No.
10, P.. of L. E. Mr. Ames married Miss Wilce
and they have six children, George, Edith,
Florence, Walter, Raymond and Amy.
He owns fine property at 7025 Kimbark
avenue, Chicago, 111.
LR. VIALL, conductor on the Illinois
Central, is a native of Illinois. He
Q commenced service on the Illinois
Central in 1880 as a freight brakeman
on the Chicago division. His first trip being
made with Joe Jackson. Our subject continued
braking on freight until December 1883, when
he was promoted to conductor and ran freight
until March 1893, when he was promoted to the
suburban service and continued in that service
until 1896, running extra passenger. In that year
he was given his present run, on through passen-
ger to Centralia.
Our subject has never been seriously in-
jured, and has lived in Chicago ever since he
began on the Illinois Central. Mr. Viall was
married to Miss Mary Parker and has two chil-
dren.
JOSEPH H. KIBLER, an engineer in the
freight department on the Memphis divi-
sion, of the Illinois Central, entered the
service of the company in 1885, as fire-
man on the Aberdeen branch, with engineer
Coeshaftner. After serving as fireman three
years, he went to the Kansas City R. R. and
worked there three years. He was promoted
to engineer and had charge of a switch
engine at Kansas City for one year. Re-
turning to the service of the Illinois Central at
Memphis, he worked as fireman for two months,
and then as switch engineer for six months, when
he was appointed to the regular freight service
on the Memphis division, and has since remained
there in charge of engine No. 731. Mr. Kibler
is a native of Stanton, Va., and, was born on May
4, 1866. His father, Joseph W. Kibler, is a
mill-wright by occupation and a respected citi-
zen of that place. Mr. Kibler married Miss Mat-
tie L. Low, of Sardis, Miss. He is a member of
Division No. 23, B. of L. E., of Memphis, his
home city. His wife is an active member of the
Baptist church. In politics, Mr. Kibler is a
staunch Democrat.
AVID GUTSHALL is a native of Ger-
mantown, Perry county, Pa., where he
was born in 1846. In the spring of
1867 he began his service on the I. C.
as a freight brakeman on the Chicago division
and at that time there were only six freight trains
a day, he continued as freight brakeman for about
two years and then was passenger brakeman for
two years for Conductor Patten. At the end of
that time he was promoted to baggageman and
ran a car one year and a half. At this point
he was transferred to what is now the Spring-
field division, was freight brakeman there one
year and a half and then he returned to Chicago
and began braking on freight and continued
about two years. At the end of that time he
took charge of the Pullman work train, the first
year they were building that town and then he
quit the road and went with the Toledo, Peoria
& Western Railroad as freight brakeman for a
year. In the spring of 1881 he returned to the
Chicago division when he was promoted to con-
ductor at once and began running freight to
Champaign and El Paso, and continued nine years
steady with good success as he had no accidents
and never cost the company a dollar. At the
end of nine years he was promoted to suburban
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
495
conductor and continued in that service for two
years when he was promoted to the fast mail'
and has held that run for the past nine years.
Since entering the through passenger service Mr.
Gutshall has been in one wreck though he was
in no way to blame. While passing over the junc-
tion switch at Otto, 111., a freight on the Bloom-
ington branch collided with his engine. There
were nine people injured, but none seriously.
Our subject first began railroading on the
Pennsylvania Railroad between Pittsburg and
Altoona as freight brakeman and flagman. At
the time the call was made for troops and near
the close of the war he enlisted in the Pennsyl-
vania reserves, but was never in a battle. Mr.
Gutshall was married to Miss Ellen Wendt and
they have one daughter, Ruth.
Mr. Stuart was married on the 24th of Octo-
ber, 1876, to Miss Mary Bridgman, of Amboy,
where she was born and raised. Of this union
five children have been born : William H., born
in Amboy, and was educated in the public
schools of that city is now a passenger brake-
man on the Amboy division of the I. C. R. R.,
and resides with his parents at Freeport ; Grace
is the wife of Alonzo Williams and makes her
home in Clinton ; James H., Hying at home ;
Jennie and Catharine, who are students in the
Freeport schools. Mr. Stuart is a member of
the B. of L. E., and politically is independent.
Mrs. Stuart is a Catholic in religion.
HARLES STUART, engineer on the
Amboy division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, and one of the old reliable
men on the road, was born in Illi-
nois, February 28th, 1855. His father, Wil-
liam B. Stuart, was a lawyer by profession and
a prominent man in the city of Amboy where he
held the offices of mayor, justice of the peace,
and for many years city attorney. He died
in 1881. The mother, whose maiden name
was Mary Johnson, died in 1874. In their fami-
ly were the following children : William H., for
many years an engineer of the I. C. R. R., is now
a veterinary surgeon and resides in Amboy ;
James H., deceased, a former engineer of the
"Yazoo Valley ; J. B., now residing in Amboy, was
an engineer on the I. C. R. R. for a long period ;
Frank M. is a locomotive engineer ; Charles ;
Hamilton W. went to California in 1849.
Charles Stuart attended school at Amboy
and at the age of eighteen entered the service of
the I. C. R. R. as a fireman on the Amboy divi-
sion, where he remained in the same position
until 1881 when he was licensed to handle the
throttle which position he holds to date, running
on the Ambov division.
JR. LANGHAM began railroading on
what is now the Monon Route in 1865
O at Lafayette, Indiana, as fireman and
continued as such eighteen months,
when he began braking on freight on the same
road and continued six months when he was
promoted to conductor and ran a train there until
1871, also extra passenger.
In that year he left that road and commenced
running freight on the Wabash between Lafayette
and Fort Wayne, remained there several years
when he resigned and went to the N. Y. L. E. &
W. railroad ; later to the Big Four where he ran
freight and passenger and while there brought
one of the first passenger trains to Chicago. From
that road he went to the I. I. & I. road and from
there he came to the Illinois Central, in 1882,
as freight conductor on the Chicago division and
continued in that service until the Freeport divi-
sion was opened, when he was given a passenger
run between Chicago and Dubuque and has
continued on that division up to the present time,.
For six years he had the Freeport passenger run.
Our subject has never been injured nor had a
passenger injured. He belongs to Division No.
i, O. R. C.
Mr. Langham, who is a native of Auburn,
New York, married Miss Caroline Meek and has
four daughters.
496
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Z>TT^ H. ECCLES was born near Metropolis,
Illinois. He commenced railroading
Q on the Cairo Short Line in 1891, as
a passenger brakeman for A. M.
Dowell between Pinckneyville, 111., and Paducah,
Kentucky. He continued in that capacity a year
and was then promoted to baggage car between
East St. Louis and Paducah and continued in
that capacity six years. He then began braking
on the mixed train between Pinckneyville and
Paducah for J. C. Thetford for a year and then
on September 26, 1899, was promoted to freight
conductor and since then has been braking and
running extra. He has never been injured. He
is a member of the K. of P. at Pinckneyville
and the Railway and Telegraphers' Political
League of Illinois. Mr. Eccles married Miss
Ollie Hollan of Paducah and has one child, Ann
Louise. He is a young man of thrift and is
popular among his associates.
LBERT W. BELLOWS, assistant depot
master at Chicago, began his railroad
career at Delavan, Wis., as office boy
in the telegraph office of the Racine &
Mississippi R. R., which is now a branch of the
C. M. & St. P. Railway. After spending a
year in this capacity, he secured a situation
as brakeman between Racine and Freeport and
was thus employed until 1865. Mr. Bellows
then severed his connection with the Racine &
Mississippi company and from the spring of
1866 until December of the same year he worked
for the Chicago & Alton Company. August 6,
1867, Mr. Bellows began with the Illinois Cen-
tral company, serving as brakeman one year and
a few summers in charge of the gravel pit at
Kankakee, and subsequently served in the capa-
city of conductor from Chicago to Champaign
and from Chicago to El Paso until 1881. Since
the last named date he has been assistant station
master.
January r, 1881, Mr. Bellows married Miss
Chloe E. Fosdick, and their wedded life has been
blessed to them by the birth of one child, Mildred
Alberta. Socially our subject affiliates with
Division No. i, O. R. C., and Camp No. 422 M.
W. A., of Chicago. Twice he has suffered from
the effects of wrecks, in each of which he had
one of his legs broken. The second time that
this occurred .was September 6, 1881, on the Air
Line, his last trip on the road.
JOHN S. WEITZEL, assistant general
freight agent of the Illinois Central at
Omaha, began the life of a railroad man
on the Ohio Central at Corning in the
Buckeye state, as bill clerk in the offices there,
serving some seven months.
Securing a clerical position with Thomas &
Co., railroad contractors, he was in their employ
some two years at points in Georgia. When the
road was completed and opened, as the East
Tennessee, Virginia, & Georgia road, Mr. Weitzel
secured a place as clerk in the general freight
office. In February 1885 entering the service of
the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas road at
New Orleans, he was chief clerk for the general
agent for a time and was retained in his service
when he was promoted to assistant general freight
and passenger agent, and was in this service
when the Illinois Central assumed control on
September I, 1892.
Mr. Weitzel served as clerk for the division
freight agent at New Orleans until November
ii, 1894, when he was made chief clerk for the
assistant general freight agent, Mr. W. D. Hurl-
butt at Memphis. On promotion of Mr. Hurlbutt
to general freight agent for the Mississippi Val-
ley Route at Louisville, Mr. Weitzel was retained
as ch'ief clerk until August i, 1897, when he was
made assistant general freight agent with
head quarters at Evansville, Ind. On December
20, 1899, a further advancement was tendered
and accepted, and Mr. Weitzel was assigned to
his present position on the opening of the new
line to Omaha.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
497
OENRY C. MULLAN, an Illinois Cen-
- tral passenger conductor, residing at
j_[ \\ Sioux City, Iowa, began railroading
in 1873, on the B. C. R. & N. Railroad,
at Cedar Rapids, as a fireman under Engineer
Mike Doud; but at the end of six months quit
the road and returned to his home at Waterloo.
Iowa, and attended school for one term. In De-
cember 1874, he entered the service of the Illinois
Central as bill clerk in the office at LeMars, re-
maining one year. He then secured a place on
the Central Pacific Railroad as a fireman, run-
ning between Ogden, Utah, and Wells, Nevada.
At the expiration of eight months, however, he
returned to Waterloo and re-entered the Illinois
Central employ as a brakeman at Waterloo.
After a service of between three and four years
he was promoted to freight conductor, and in the
spring of 1888 was promoted to passenger con-
ductor and given a regular run on the Cherokee
and Sioux Falls branch. Since 1893 he has held
his present run between Sioux City and Fort
Dodge.
Mr. Mullan was born at Waterloo, Iowa,
November 2, 1850, and was married at Albion,
111., to Miss Mary E. Bunting December n, 1881.
They are the parents of five children, as follows :
Guy, Ivan, Harry, Kenneth and Paul. Our sub-
ject is identified with Cherokee Lodge, A. F. &
A.M.
¥ICTOR LABBE was born near Montreal,
Can., coming to the states at the age of
three months with his parents who
were natives of France. .He began
railroading on the Big Four at St. Anne,
Illinois, learning telegraphy and at the age
of sixteen was able to take the position of
night operator at that place and continued two
months and then went to the Chicago, Danville
& Yincennes, now the C. & E. I., at Watseka,
Illinois, as a ticket agent and operator and held
that position for three years. Then he went to
Chicago and took a position as operator in the
dispatcher's office and held the same two weeks,
when he was promoted to night train dispatcher
and continued until 1881. October 8, 1881,
he came to the Illinois Central and was sent by
the general manager, Edward T. Jeffery to open
a station at South Park and later to 22nd street
where he served as joint ticket agent for the
Illinois Central, Big Four and Michigan Central,
and also had the American Express business to
look after. On December 23, 1899, he was pro-
moted to city passenger and ticket agent at
Council Bluffs. Our subject has not lost a day
in nineteen years and never a day on account of
illness. Mr. Labbe speakes French, Italian and
English.
Mr. Labbe married Louise Grandpre of
Watertown, N. Y., and has three children, Robert
E. aged thirteen, Verna aged seven and Percy
aged four. Mr Labbe is a member of Whittier
Lodge No. 384, Knights of Pythias, of Chicago,
and is past chancellor of the lodge. Of seven
years service as keeper of records and seals he
lost but two meetings of the lodge, which service
was recognized by the body by presenting him a
beautiful emblematical ring.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
A. LOOMIS, conductor on the Illinois
Central, was born in Westfield,
Mass. He commenced railroading
on the Illinois Central in 1863, as
a train boy on the Chicago division and continued
about a year and a half and then began braking
on passenger, where he remained until 1865,
when he went on freight a short time and in
1868 was promoted to baggageman and ran
through to St. Louis. In 1870 he resigned and
went with the Wagner Palace Car Company as
superintendent on the L. S. & M. S., between
Chicago and Cleveland. He remained with them
until 1873 and then accepted a position as freight
conductor on the Missouri Pacific, running out
of St. Louis, continuing there until 1878. He
then went to the Pennsylvania road and ran
freight between Chicago and Logansport, Ind.,
and was there until 1879 when he returned to the
498
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Illinois Central and after making two trips as
freight brakeman, was given a freight run which
he held until 1883, when he was promoted to
the passenger service and given a suburban run
which he held until 1890, when he took the New
Orleans Limited, running to Centralia, he now
runs the Daylight Special between Chicago and
St. Louis. Mr. Loomis was in the Thomasboro
wreck, which was a head end collision between
a passenger and a fruit train. He was running
as baggageman at the time and his car was torn
in pieces and our subject was thrown to the top
of the next car. Our subject is a prominent
member of the O. R. C., he is past chief of his
division, and is now serving as assistant chief.
Mr. Loomis is president of the Freight and
Passenger Conductor's Mutual Aid and Benefit
Association, which is an insurance company for
railroad men. He is a member of Blue Lodge
No. 662, A. F. & A. M., Chapter No. 148, R.
A. M., Commandery No. 35, K. T., and Medinah
Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, all of
Chicago.
RTHUR M. SHAW, roadmaster of the
Omaha division, has risen to his
present position in a remarkably short
period of time. While a student of
civil engineering in Cornell College at Mt. Ver-
non, la., he spent the open season of several years
in the field, gaining practical experience in an
engineering corps, and the winters pursuing his
studies in the college class-rooms. His first ex-
perience in the field was at Cherokee, in 1891,
as chain man in the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral engineering corps and the following summer
was rodman in the same service. The summer
of 1893 he was transit man of the corps in the
service of the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad.
At the close of the college year in 1894, he went
into the real estate business at Algona, la., for
a short time and has since been in the service of
the Illinois Central, except for a period of eight
months of 1898, when he enlisted in the govern-
ment service during the Spanish war, serving
as sergeant of the 2nd regiment United States
Volunteer Engineers, being stationed at Montauk
Point and Savannah. On the close of hostilities
in the spring of 1899 he re-entered the service
of the Central and was sent as instrument man
in charge of the work at Crystal Springs, Miss.,
in February 1899. Promoted as assistant engi-
neer in August following he was in charge of
the work at Grenada, Miss. He was on duty
in Alabama when he was selected to serve as
roadmaster of the new Omaha division, March
ist, 1900, with headquarters at Council Bluffs.
Mr. Shaw was born at Lee Center, 111., Decem-
ber 12, 1870. He is a member of the Knights
of Pythias, affiliating with the lodge at Mt. Ver-
non, la., and became one of the early members
of the lodge B. P. O. E., recently instituted at;
Council Bluffs.
EORGE A. CLARK, superintendent of
the Omaha division has been a railroad
man since the age of fifteen, beginning
in 1883 as telegraph operator on the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul system at Casta-
lia, Iowa. The following year he accepted a
position on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis
& Omaha line as station agent at Worthington,
Minn., from which point he was transferred to
the train dispatcher's office at St. Paul. In
1886 he accepted an offer of the "Soo Line" as
train dispatcher at Gladstone, Mich. When Mr.
Shields was appointed general superintendent
of the Chicago & Great Western in 1887, Mr.
Clark was offered position as dispatcher at Oel-
wein where he remained for two years. For &
year following, he served as chief dispatcher at
Larimore, N. D., on the Great Northern line,
and then returned to the service of the "Soo Line"
as chief dispatcher at Minneapolis for two years.
August 15, 1895, he entered the service of the Illi-
nois Central as train dispatcher on the Chicago
division at Champaign, remaining there for two
years. Transferred to Clinton. Illinois, he served
HON. W. (J. COLE.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
501
one year as train master on the Amboy division,
and the following year in the same capacity on
the St. Louis division, with headquarters at Car-
bondale, where he remained until promoted to
his present position as superintendent of the
Omaha division, March 15, 1900.
Mr. Clark was born at Mona, Iowa, June
29, 1869. His father Mr. Clark, a mechanical
engineer, was in the government service's engi-
neering department during the Civil war.
Mr. Clark was married in 1897 at Larimore,
North Dakota, to Miss Phe Eastgate, to whom
one son, Clinton, has been born. Of the social
orders Mr. Clark is a member of only one, the
Masonic lodge at Champaign. As a railroad
man he is thoroughly conversant with all that
pertains to the management of a division, hav-
ing learned it from the foundation up. He is
a man of strong executive ability and is one of
the youngest superintendents on the line.
ON. W. Q. COLE, state auditor of
Mississippi, residing at Jackson, a
man of prominence throughout the
state, is a former employe and official
of the Illinois Central. Mr. Cole entered the
service of the Illinois Central, (then known as
the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans R. R.)
in March 1878, at Durant, Mississippi, as clerk,
under Roadmaster E. J. Martin. In August of
that year he was appointed pumper at the
Kosciusco Junction water tank and remained
there until October 1879, when he was transferred
to Water Valley, Mississippi, as clerk in the
office of the master mechanic. He occupied the
latter position until November of the same year,
when he was sent to Jackson, Tenn., as clerk to
Superintendent J. G. Mann. By request of E.
J. Martin, assistant superintendant, he was in
November 1880 transferred to the latter's office
at Water Valley, as chief clerk, and in February
1882, was promoted to expense accountant for
the road, in the auditor's office, at New Orleans,
under S. B. McConnico, then auditor. When
the Illinois Central took possession of the
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans R. R. he was
sent to the auditor's office in Chicago, under J.
C. Welling. On May 1st, 1883, Mr. Cole was
appointed traveling auditor for the southern lines
of the I. C. which he held until January ist, 1898,
when he accepted a place as bookkeeper for
Jennings Bros, in Water Valley. In 1899 he
was elected auditor of Mississippi.
Air. Cole was born in Holmes county, Miss.,
June 28th, 1856. William F. Cole, his father
was a prominent railroad man in his day. He
was agent for the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
R. R. (now the I. C. R. R.) at Lexington, Miss.,
when the road was first built, and continued there
until 1884, when he resigned. He is now eighty-
two years old and peaceably spending his de-
clining years at the home of his son, in Jackson.
The subject of this sketch has four brothers,
three of them being in the service of the I. C.
at New Orleans. They are : Walter, Jesse, and
Edwin Cole, another brother, Thomas, resides
at Galveston, Texas. Mr. Cole was united in
marriage to Miss Alice West, of Water Valley,
Miss., and they have a family of five children,
viz : William West, Alice, Welling, Eva May
and Wilfred. He is connected with the Knights
of Pythias, Knights of Honor and Order of Elks,
all of Water Valley. With his family he occupies
a spacious residence at 509 north State street,
in Jackson, and has his office in the state capitol
building. Mr. Cole is a man possessed of great
ability, ambition and tireless industry. He is
a prominent figure in the affairs of the state, and
possesses those characteristics which are worthy
of emulation by younger men who are seeking
the road to success in life.
G. YOUNG was born in Chicago,
January 17, 1860. He began rail-
reading on the C. & A. in 1877 as
fireman on the Chicago division and
continued for three years, then went to running
on switch and transfer engines. In 1887 he came
502
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
to the Central and went on suburban engine No.
217, November 23rd of that year and ran that
same engine for eight years, and then by request
of the master mechanic took engine No. 250,
and has run that up to the present time. Peter
Young, father of our subject, was on -the road
forty-eight years ago as a fireman, and was fore-
man in the round-house at Weldon. He is now
retired and has not been on the road for twenty
years. H. G. Young married Miss Minnie
Kunzer by whom he has had two children, one
now living, Miss Julia aged eighteen years. Mr.
Young belongs to Division No. 10, B. of L. E.
He owns a fine three story flat at No. 486, 27th
street, Chicago.
ENGELBRECHT, a native of Bava-
ria, came to this country at the age
°f sixteen and has been with the
Illinois Central company ever since.
It was in the fall of 1875 that he began as an oiler
in the freight yards at Randolph street, where he
worked at oiling, cleaning lamps, etc., until Jan.
3, 1878, when he began firing in the yard service
with John Costello on No. 30, a road engine;
then went on the road making his first trip with
John Fenton on No. 201, which was at that time
a first-class freight engine. Then he fired No.
213, now No. 201, which was the first double
ended suburban engine, for John Blackberry.
After this he was put on the meat run with Mike
McMahan, on No. 74, then with Doc. Israel in
suburban service, on No. 34, and the following
year and eight months with John McAvoy, now
deceased. June 16, 1882, he was promoted to
engineer, but prior to that had done some run-
ning in the yard. His first engine was No. 16.
He continued in the yard service, off and on, for
about a year, and was then transferred to the
suburban, then south and ran out of Buckingham,
after which he was placed on No. 7, and later,
on No. 7°> in the construction service between
Kensington and Maumee, building the double
track. His next run was on a freight for one
year, after which he went into the suburban
service, first on No. 204, an eight wheeler, then
on No. 223, the first suburban engine built by
the I. C. Co., which he ran for one year, next on
No. 60, now No. 215, and ran her seven years
steady. For a time he ran No. 243 and now
runs No. 249 which he has had since 1894. He
has never been injured, and never lost a day from
neglect of duty.
Mr. Engelbrecht- married Miss Emma Den-
ninger and has four sons, all in school, one attend-
ing a manual training school and one a business
college. Mr. Engelbrecht has acquired consider-
able means. He owns a fine piece of property
at 8049 Commercial avenue, also 5° feet in
Dauphin Park. He is a member of B. of L. E.,
and B. of L. F. and also belongs to Home Lodge
No. 508, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Engelbrecht is a
man of untiring energy and devoted to his pro-
fession. During our interview he remarked,
with a smile, that he could not live six months if
he didn't do any work.
H. HILL, a conductor in the freight
service of the Central at Jackson,
LQ Tenn., is a native of Dresden, the
county seat of Weakley county, Tenn.
Mr. Hill's first railroad work was in the construc-
tion department, driving a cart on the grade be-
tween Jackson and Cairo. In November 1878
he entered the train service as brakeman under
conductors Reno and Spragins. At that time
wood burning engines were in service and the
darkey was not so much in evidence in railroad
work, there being only one on the entire Missis-
sippi division. After two years service Mr. Hill
was compelled to resign owing to ill health and
did not return to the service for a year. In Sep-
tember 1883 he was promoted and ran as extra
conductor or brakeman for two years. Since
1885 he has had a regular run in the Cairo dis-
trict, at present between Jackson and Martin,
Tenn., and is second in line for promotion to
the passenger service.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
503
Two of Mr. Hill's brothers have been in
railroad service. Richard Hill at the time of his
death in April 1877 had for six years been a
conductor in the freight service of the Central
and another brother, Charles, is at present brak-
ing on the N. C. & St. L. on which road he had
previously served on the left side of the cab.
He was at one time conductor on the road but
resigning began again at the bottom of the lad-
der. Their father, W. C. Hill, prior to his
death in 1880 was a prominent physician in
Union City, Dresden and Martin, Tenn.
In April 1885 Mr. Hill was married to Miss
Mollie T. Henry to whom were born two children,
Mollie and Raymond, deceased. Her death oc-
curred in 1891. Four years later Mr. Hill was
married to Mrs. Willie V. Booker, widow of
Captain Mat Booker, an old time conductor on
the Central. Of the second marriage a son was
born, Dewitt Johnson Hill.
Mr. Hill is a member of Division No. 149,
O. R. C., of Jackson, Tenn. He has been in-
strumental in building up the city where he makes
his home, having erected two comfortable dwell-
ings at Nos. 142 and 148 East Deaderick street.
N. PECKENS, an old time conduc-
tor on the I. C., is a native of Naper-
Q ville, 111. He commenced work on
the Illinois Central in 1877 as a sec-
lion hand on what is now the Springfield divi-
sion, at Oilman, and worked in that capacity two
years, and in 1879, at the age of seventeen, began
a<^ a brakeman on the Chicago division. His
first trip was made with O. A. Berry, then train-
master. Mr. Berry and our subject brought a
train of stock from Gihnan alone. . Mr. Peckens
continued as brakeman one year and a half on
the Chicago division and was then sent to the
Cairo division and in December 1880, lost two
fingers ; then at request of his mother he left
the road and returned to his home in Oilman,
but in a short time he took up railroading again
and served as brakeman for a year and a half on
the Springfield division, when he was promoted
to freight conductor and ran freight and extra
passenger until 1891, when he was again pro-
moted to regular passenger and came to the Chi-
cago division, at which time the Diamond Special
was put on and he took the first special through
from Chicago to St. Louis. He ran the night
train until 1896 and was then given the day run.
Our subject belongs to Division No. 206, O. R.
C. He has never had an accident, owing to his
fault, that ever cost the company a dollar. Mr.
Peckens married Miss Hanes and they have one
child, May.
OMINIC T. HUMPHREY, yardmas-
ter at Monroe street, Chicago, began
railroading on the Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific Railway, in 1878,
on the Chicago division and was thus .employed
for two years and a half. From there he went
tc the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail-
road and from the spring of 1881 to the fall of
1882 served that company in the capacity of
switchman. Upon leaving the Lake Shore Com-
pany, Mr. Humphrey found employment with the
New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad,
generally known as the Nickel Plate Railroad,
and made up the first passenger train that this
company pulled out of Chicago from Weldon
yards on October 22, 1883. With this company
he remained in the capacity of switchman for
eight or nine months when he became yardmaster,
but in 1887 he retired from railroad work and
for three years was in business in Chicago. In
1890 he returned to his former occupation and
after switching one year for the Stock Yards
Company, secured a similar position with the
Illinois Central company, and in 1892 was ap-
pointed to his present position as yardmaster at
the Monroe street yards.
Mr. Humphrey was born in Chicago, Janu-
ary 12, 1858, a son of John Humphrey. He was
married in the city of his nativity, in 1880, to
Miss Katie Burns and of the ten children that
504
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
have been born to them, we have the following
record : Maggie, deceased ; William, Edward,
Blanche, deceased; Dominic, Harry, Irene, Ger-
trude, Lillian, deceased, and Howard. Mr.
Humphrey is a member of the National Union,
Chicago Council No. 71.
1866.
ENRY M. METZ, representing the
Illinois Central as commercial agent at
Council Bluffs, is a native of Freeport,
Illinois, his birth occurring November
Until 1884 he attended the public
schools of his native city, entering the service of
the Illinois Central, June ist, of that year in the
local freight office, having previously learned
telegraphy. January i, 1888, he was transferred
to the office of Mr. W. R. Bascom, assistant
general freight agent at Dubuque, as chief clerk.
In 1892 he filled a like position in the office of
Mr. Benson, commercial agent in that city, re-
maining until appointed as freight agent at
Freeport, February 4, 1895. When the Omaha
division was opened to traffic Mr. Metz was
appointed commercial agent, December 16, 1899,
with head quarters at Council Bluffs, having
entire charge of the company's business at this
important point.
Mr. Metz was married, at Dubuque, to Miss
Mary Simploe. Two children have been born,
Genevieve, and Russell, deceased. In the
Evergreen Lodge No. 97, at Freeport, Illinois,
Mr. Metz was made a mason and he was initiated
into the mysteries of the Pythian Knighthood in
Orient Lodge No. 210, at Dubuque. On his
removal to Council Bluffs he became a member
of the lodge of Elks No. 531, recently organized
in that city.
Mr. Metz's business ability and thorough
training in the commercial departments of rail-
road work are the secrets of his success in his
chosen calling, and his fitness for the place was
his recommendation when the management was
casting about for competent men to fill the im-
portant positions, in the opening of the new line.
OHN HALL, conductor on the Illinois
Central Railroad, was born at Marshall,
Michigan, and for three years prior to
his connection with the Illinois Central,
acted as baggage agent .on the Michigan Central
at New Buffalo, Lawton and Dowagiac. Otis,
his father, was in the employ of the Michigan
Central for seventeen years as a freight and
passenger conductor. Our subject began work
on the Illinois Central July 17, 1886, as a brake-
man on the suburban train for P. D. Sawin and
then with Ed. Collins until October 1890, with the
exception of three months he was baggageman
for Collins. Then he went into the freight service
and ran with Charles Lehigh for three months,
and then returned to the suburban service as
collector and continued in that capacity until
1892, when he was promoted to conductor by
Superintendent J. C. Jones, and has continued
as such to the present time. He has never been
injured and socially is a member of Division No.
i, O. R. C., of Chicago.
ILLIAM B. ORMOND, chief train
dispatcher on the Omaha division,
began his railroad career in Nov.
1876 at Milwaukee, where he learned
telegraphy in the office of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul lines, and served as operator for five
years at various points in Wisconsin, also in the
general offices in Milwaukee, being promoted to
dispatcher in 1881. When the offices were re-
moved to Chicago, in 1883, Mr. Ormond was
transferred to that point, remaining until 1892,
serving the last five years as chief. In 1892 he
was appointed train master, serving until his
resignation in November 1893, to go into business
with his brother in Milwaukee. He then re-
turned to railroad service some eighteen months
later, accepting a position with the Great
Northern, in the state of Washington, where he
remained one year.
The two succeeding years he served as train
dispatcher for the Colorado & Southern at
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
505
Trinidad, being promoted to chief while in the
service. On the opening of the Omaha division
of the Illinois Central Mr. Ormond was offered
the position as chief train dispatcher of the divi-
sion, with head quarters at Council Bluffs, which
he accepted.
Born in Milwaukee, May I5th, 1859, Mr.
Ormond was educated in the schools of that city,
and in Wales, where he spent two years visiting
his grandmother, when a boy. He was married
at Trinidad, Colorado, in 1898, to Miss Carrie
White. Careful in all his business relations, Mr.
Ormond stands high in his chosen profession.
He is a member of the Train Dispatcher's
Association.
]. DAWSON, a native of Hicksville,
Ohio, began railroading on the
Illinois Central in September 1888,
as a switchman at iO4th street,
Chicago, and continued there about two weeks
when he began braking on a freight for conductor
Green, an old employe of the road, and then for
Bennie Schaffer and later for Frank Woods.
He remained in the freight service two years
when he was set up to conductor and ran extra
about three months, when he was given a regular
car, and held it for six years.
In 1890 our subject, Charles Litchfield,
Frank Allen, deceased, Mr. Trotter, Frank
Adams, Mr. Cooper and Harry Earl, of
Champaign, as representatives of the O. R. C.,
waited upon the company and it was through
their efforts that the standard schedule of wages
was made. At the end of six years he was pro-
moted to his preferred run and remained on that
until November 12, 1898, when he was promoted
to the passenger service and since that date has
been in the suburban service.
Our subject has never received a severe
injury. He is a member of Division No. I, O.
R. C., and in May 1897 he was a representative
to the O. R. C. convention held at Los Angeles,
California. He is also a member of Blue Lodge
No. 140, A. F. and A. M., Chapter No. 50, R.
A. M., both of Champaign, Commandery No. 16,
K. T. and Council No. 19, both of Urbana.
On October 6, 1891, Mr. Dawson was united
in marriage with Miss Lulu Barber, of Grand
Rapids, Mich.
ENRY GARMES is a native of Germany,
having been born near Hanover in
March 1856, and came to this country
when he was seven years of age. In
1873 he began railroading in the yards at
Champaign, as a switchman and continued there
for five years, when he began on the Champaign
division as a freight brakeman, remaining there
about four years, and was then promoted to
conductor in the freight service, remaining until
the spring of 1893, when he came to Chicago and
ran a through passenger until November 1st,
1893, then he returned to Champaign and was
in the freight service until December I2th, 1894,
when he came to Chicago and has since been on
the fast mail to Centralia. In all his years of
railroad service, our subject has never been
injured and during that time he has only been off
the road about six months. Socially he is a
member of Division No. 112, O. R. C.
Mr. Garmes married Miss L. C. Cappis and
they have four children, Gertrude L., wife of
Frank Duncan, of Chicago, Eva C., Arthur
Eugene and Earl D.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
LI CLARK, one of the conductors in the
through passenger service, is a native
of old England, where his birth
occurred in the city of Boston, in the
year 1848. In 1865, with his father, he came
to join two elder brothers who had established
themselves on farms near St. Joseph, Michigan,
after serving through the Civil War. In October
1872 Mr. Clark came to Chicago and secured a
506
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
position as brakeman on the Illinois Central,
serving two and a half years in this capacity he
was promoted to conductor in the freight service
early in seventy-five, and eight years later was
advanced to the passenger service, running at
present in the through service betwee'n Chicago
and Centralia. During nearly thirty years in the
service Mr. Clark has escaped serious accident
and has brought through safely all the passengers
in his charge.
The marriage of Mr. Clark occurred at
White Pigeon, Michigan, in December 1876,
when Miss Millie Bottomly became his helpmeet.
Of their three children all are living : William
H. is a clerk for the Featherstone Manufacturing
Company, of Chicago ; George F. is a fireman in
the Chicago terminal yards of the Central ;
Lottie Mable is a student in the Chicago schools.
Both sons graduated from the Chicago Athen-
aeum. Mr. Clark is a member of Division No.
112, O. R. C., of Centralia.
JA. WHEELER, traveling passenger
agent for the Illinois Central, whose
Q home is at Manchester, Iowa, began
work for this company in July 1881,
as assistant excursion agent under Capt. J. F.
Merry, whose biography appears on another page
of this volume, and was in that capacity until
1883, and since that date has been traveling pas-
senger agent under Mr. Merry. His duty is
to look up and organize excursion parties all over
the United States and to personally conduct them.
Mr. Wheeler was born in Herkimer county,
N. Y., in 1842, and came west with his parents,
Asa and Mary Wheeler, in 1854, at the age of
thirteen years and located in Jackson county,
Iowa. The father was a hotel keeper by occupa-
tion and subsequently moved to St. Charles,
Minn., where he operated a hotel for two years,
but spent the latter years of his life on a farm.
Our subject, in his early life, was a brakeman
on the Illinois Central Railroad for a short time,
and was also engaged in the mercantile business
at Manchester with J. F. Merry, above mentioned.
In 1864 he enlisted in Company F, Forty-sixth
Iowa Volunteer Infantry, as a private and served
six months, but participated in no battles and was
never injured in any way.
Mr. Wheeler was married at Manchester to
Miss Mary N. Cattron, of that city. Their only
child is Dr. Earnest C. Wheeler, of Fargo, N.
Dak.
Our subject affiliates with the Masonic
fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Le-
gion of Honor, all of Manchester.
1856.
HARLES B. FLETCHER, train mas-
ter of the Cherokee division of the I.
C. is a native of southern Illinois, his
birth occurring at Sparta, July 14,
He attended school at Centralia, 111., and
a short time at Jamestown, N. Y., finishing his
education in the printing office of his father, J.
Warren Fletcher, who established the Centralia
Sentinel, the first journal in 'that city. During
the years 1875-6 while in his father's office he
learned telegraphy under the instruction of L.
A. Louis, former superintendent of telegraph,
studying and practicing mornings, noons and
nights. In 1876 he was appointed night operator
at East St. Louis for the Bridge & Terminal Com-
pany. Resigning some three months later, he re-
turned to the case in the office of the Sentinel,
where he was employed until January i, 1877,
when he became night operator at the Relay
depot, East St. Louis, and two months later went
onto the day shift, remaining a year and a half.
Resigning, he accepted a position with the St.
Louis & San Francisco Line as agent and opera-
tor at Pierce City, Mo., but shortly after returned
to his former position at the Relay depot, where
he remained until sickness compelled him to re-
sign. After his recovery Mr. Fletcher again
entered railroad work November 24, 1879. as
night operator, at Clinton, 111., for the Illinois
Central and has been in their employ ever since.
After a few months at Clinton he was appointed
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
507
clay operator at Effingham, serving a year and
the same length of time at Kankakee. His next
assignment was as ticket agent and manager of
telegraph at Carbondale for a few months and
was then transferred to Centralia, where he re-
mained until transferred to Cherokee in December
1887, as day operator. In February 1888 he
was assigned to duty in the office of the division
superintendent, in April of the same year was
made chief clerk and in March 1892 was made
train master, which position he has since filled
to the satisfaction of the management of the road.
Mr. Fletcher was married at Centralia to
Miss Kate Cunningham, to whom have been born
four children, Howard, Annie Jean, Mabel and
J. Warren.
Of the mysteries of Masonry Mr. Fletcher
has learned much, having passed the required
tests and is now a member of Speculative Lodge,
No. 207, Burning Bush Chapter No. 90, and
Crusade Commandery No. 39, of Cherokee, and
has passed over the burning sands in Kaaba Tem-
ple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Davenport.
He is also a member of the insurance order of
the Highland Nobles at Cherokee.
JOHN DOLAN who is a native of Morris-
town, New Jersey, began his railroad
career November 16, 1871, when he be-
gan as a freight brakeman on the Chi-
cago division with' Nicholas Murray, remaining
there two weeks when he was put in the Hyde
Park suburban service. During this time he
served as extra brakeman on freights when he
returned to the regular freight service remain-
ing for about two years, running with Eli Clark
and Chris Bark, now off the road. For the fol-
lowing three and a half years he served as brake;
man in the through passenger service for Conduc-
tor A. S. Patten, now living in Chelsea, Mass. ;
then ran as extra baggageman for two years
when he was made collector in the suburban ser-
vice. In October 1886 he was promoted to regu-
lar suburban conductor where he has continued
until the present day, and he is now number
two on the seniority list. During his long rail-
road experience he has never been injured.
Mr. Dolan was married to Miss Ellen Duffy
and they have six children, John, William, Mary,
Thomas, Kittie and Edward.
H. BAKER, conductor on the Illinois
Central, first saw the light of day
in Mason, (now Clio) Illinois, May
8, 1888, our subject went on the
Illinois Central as a freight brakeman on the
Chicago division for Conductor John Woods
and continued in that capacity until September
4, 1890, when he was promoted to freight
conductor, and ran freight until 1895, when he
was promoted to the passenger service and went
into the suburban service at Chicago, continuing
there until September I, 1899, when he was
given the St. Louis Diamond Special. Several
times he has been called upon to take out
special trains.
He is a member of Division No. i, O. R.
C, also a member of Blue Lodge No. 841,
A. F. & A. M., -Woodlawn Chapter No. 176,
R. A. M., of Englewood, and Commandery No.
59, K. T. Mr. Baker married Miss Gibson, who
is deceased.
AMUEL M. FITCH, a well known con-
ductor in the suburban service, began
his railroad career with the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe, as brakeman un-
der Conductor Jack Roberts, in the fall of 1887
and continued in that capacity for three years.
After promotion to conductorship, Mr. Fitch con-
tinued in the service for a year and then on No-
vember 7, 1891, secured a place with the Illinois
Central in the suburban service. During the
following year he was promoted and has served
as conductor since, having the run between the
508
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
city, Woodlawn and Harvey and one trip a day
to South Chicago. His brother, A. B. Fitch,
is a conductor on the A. T. & S. F.
Mr. Fitch was born at Batavia, Iowa, Aug.
19, 1870, a son of Henry Fitch, a bridge carpen-
ter, who died when our subject was very small.
He was married at Cheltenham October 14, 1896,
to Miss Jessie Westbrook.
Mrs. Fitch is a member of the Ladies' Auxili-
ary of the O. R. C. Mr. Fitch is a member of
Division No. i, O. R. C., of Chicago, in which
he is serving as assistant chief conductor. He
is a member of Invincible Lodge No. 353, Knights
of Pythias, of Cheltenham and of the Golden
Rule Lodge No. 726, A. F. & A. M., of Chicago.
LFRED SANDERSON, who has charge
of one of the suburban engines from
the Twenty-seventh street shops,
Chicago, ranks third in the order of
seniority of the Illinois Central company's engi-
neers in the city of Chicago. Mr. Sanderson
was born in Montreal, Canada, September 25,
1846. He began railroading in 1862 at Point
St. Charles, on the Grand Trunk Line under Engi-
neer Jim Prey. In 1863 he came to Chicago,
111., and after firing for two years, was given
charge of freight engine No. 175, which he
operated eighteen years. In 1883, Mr. Sander-
son was promoted to a passenger run between
Chicago and Champaign, pulling the Big Four
trains as far as Kankakee, where they left the
Central company's lines, until 1893, when he was
transferred to his present position at the head
of a suburban train.
It is a pleasure to meet the pioneers of any
community and hear them recount thrilling ex-
periences amid frontier surroundings. Our sub-
ject is a pioneer railroad employe and his reminis-
cences of early railroad life are very interesting.
When he began as a fireman, wood burning en-
gines were in use and railroad construction and
management were very different from those of
these days. It is a noteworthy fact, also, that
during his entire career of nearly forty years,
Mr. Sanderson has never been in a wreck.
Mr. Sanderson was married in the city of
Chicago, in 1872, to Miss Margaret Clancy. Our
subject's father, Joseph Sanderson, was a farrier
in England.
H. GERRY is another of Chicago's
enterprising and wide-awake bus-
Q iness men who, by his own energy
and faithfulness, has risen to an
enviable position from the lowly walks of life.
The name will be readily recognized by the em-
ployes of the Illinois Central company as that of
the assistant train master at the Randolph street
station.
Mr. Gerry was born at Racine, Wis., June
4, 1858, and began working for the Illinois
Central company June 6, 1883, as a brakeman
on a suburban train at Chicago, under O. A.
Barry, train master. Later he was extra brake-
man in the passenger service between Chicago
and Effingham, but was soon promoted to a
regular run which he held for eighteen months,
under Conductor James H. Claudius. He was
next promoted to train baggageman, but after
following that line of work for five years and
three months, he resigned and went into the
freight service as brakeman. Eighteen months
later the company saw fit to put him in charge of
a freight train, but poor health demanded a
resignation of that position at the end of a year.
After a few months' rest and attention to his
physical condition, Mr. Gerry was again able to
begin work and soon secured a position as brake-
man on a suburban train. From December 1890,
until June i, 1896, he served as brakeman and
collector, but at the last named date, was pro-
moted to the office of regular conductor, and
retained the same until January 3, 1898, when he
was appointed assistant train master under Mr.
Dunning. Mr. Gerry's record is a remarkable
one, in that there is not a mark against him on
his page of the record of train men kept by the
CO
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
511
company. This means that during his entire
career of sixteen years on that line, there has not
heen an error charged to his account.
Not only has Mr. Gerry been successful in
his business career, but he has attained a high
position in social circles, affiliating with the
Apollo Lodge No. 642, Corinthia Chapter No.
69, and St. Bernard Commandery No. 35, all of
Chicago, and also holds a membership in Division
Xo. i. O. R. C. Mr. Gerry was married April
19, 1893, to Mrs. Alma Westney, of Chicago.
DWARD W. GERRY, locomotive en-
gineer, is a native of Racine, Wis.,
where he was born in 1860. On
October 251!!, 1884, Mr. Gerry com-
menced firing a switch engine for Lewis George,
in the Chicago yards and continued in that service
until the spring of 1885 when he began firing
a suburban engine for William McManman, now
deceased, then for Frank Dunham. At the end
of two years he went into the freight service
and fired for George Baltsey, deceased, then for
J. P. Smith, and then in the passenger service
with Charles Draper, also deceased, continuing
until August 26, 1888, when he was promoted to
engineer and given switch engine No. 20, in the
Chicago yards, and was on that until November
19, of the same year. This was prior to his
examination but on the latter date he was ex-
amined and qualified for any service. He
continued as a yard engineer and the extra
freight service until the spring of 1889, when he
was put in the "chain gang" where he remained
until May 1891. During this time he was on
all divisions south to Cairo and west to Dubuque.
On May 31. 1891, he was given suburban engine
Xo. 204. followed by engine No. 210. which he
ran until 1894. when he got his present engine
Xo. 245. Our subject is a member of Division
Xo. to. I!, of L. E.. of Burnside.
Mr. (jerry was married first to Miss Jennie
Railsback and the}- had one child, Edward
Leonard. In 1898 he married for his second
28
wife Miss Frances Westney and they have one
child. Warren Howard.
Thomas Gerry, the father of our subject,
has been in the employ of the Illinois Central
company a great many years working in the
carpenter department, now being employed in
the shops at Burnside.
ERLIN JONES, who has been with
the Illinois Central for twelve years,
began firing in Chicago in the yards
on engine No. 249, with Toney
Pickart, engineer, and was on same three months,
and then went on suburban engine No. 60 for
fifteen months ; later fired on engine No. 458,
between Chicago and Champaign, Illinois, for
one year. He then ran a switch engine for one
year and a half and was examined and promoted
to engineer ; he began in the freight service on
engine No. 320, and has since been in suburban
and freight service. He now runs engine No.
328. on the Chicago division. Our subject was
born in El Paso, September 3rd, 1864. His
father was John B., a tailor in El Paso and
Chicago for forty-five years, and died in the
latter city in 1898. Our subject makes his home
with his mother and sister at 1834, 8gth street,
but owns property in this city. Mr. Jones was
iii a wreck at Danforth, 111., while firing on
engine No. 164, but he was only slightly injured.
Our subject is a member of Division No.
10, B. of L. E., at Burnside, and is also a member
of Blue Lodge No. 765, A. F. & A. M., at Pull-
man.
HOMAS COLLINS, station agent at
Grand Crossing, 111., was born at
Niagara Falls, Ontario, He entered
railroad service as an office boy at
Farina, Illinois, under W. L. Arnold, who was
station agent at the time ; served in that capacity
six months and then went to Peotone as a helper
to his brother, M. Collins, who was agent there,
512
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
remained about two years, learning telegraphy
and station work. At the end of that time he
was sent out as supply agent and operator, and
has worked in nearly all the stations between
Peotone and Centralia. In 1873 he was
appointed night train dispatcher at -Champaign
for the Champaign division, was there six months
and then went back to Peotone and took charge
of the station there for his brother until 1875,
when the latter resigned, and in July 1875, our
subject was appointed to fill the position. He
remained there until November 1884, when he
was transferred to Effingham, remaining until
November 1887, when at the request of Super-
intendent of Telegraph Jones, he went to
Freeport, as assistant to Superintendent Murphy.
This was at the time of the construction of the
road to Dodgeville and Madison. He had
charge of all the trains, construction, etc., and
remained there about one year, or until the com-
pletion of the line. He then went to Dodgeville.
Wisconsin, refusing a position as train dispatcher
at Rockford, Illinois, remained one year, and in
1889, at the request of Superintendent Russell,
he came to Grand Crossing, Chicago, and re-
mained until April 1891, when he was appointed
joint agent of the World's Fair, representing
twenty-two roads and had full charge of all the
freight from the time the ground was broken
until April 15, 1894, at which date the last
exhibit was shipped away. During that time he
handled seventy thousand cars of freight and
about one million dollars in cash. After a short
vacation he was appointed joint agent of the
I. C. L. S. & M. S., M. C., and Nickel Plate,
at Grand Crossing and has held that position to
the present time. He has never been suspended
nor lost a clay on account of illness. Michael,
a brother, was in the employ of the company
from 1865 to 1875, as agent at Peotone: Martin,
another brother, is in Agent Howard's office at
the Park Row Central station at Chicago.
Mr. Collins was married September 16,
1873, to Miss Emma Folke, of Peotone, Illinois.
They have three children, viz : Margaret B.,
\Valter T., ticket clerk at Grand Crossing, and
Howard F.
G. PIERCE, station agent at Man-
chester, Iowa, began his railroad
LQ career at the age of sixteen years,
in the capacity of operator at the
station of which he now has control, and was
thus employed eight years under J. L. Kelsey.
From there he went to Earlville, Iowa, and per-
formed the duties of station agent during the
years 1893 and 94, from there he went to Nashua,
where he was agent for eleven months, and in
February 1895 he went to Manchester to accept
his present position.
When our subject was nine years of age
his father, Lewis W. Pierce, was overtaken by
the angel of death, and he was left to fight the
battles of life on his own responsibility. In 1892
he was united in marriage to Miss Anna E.
Dudley, of Manchester, and their home has been
blessed by the presence of one child, Francis H.
Being left an orphan at such an early age and
obliged to work for his own sustenance, Mr.
Pierce early learned to apply himself closely to
whatever task occupied his attention.. He has
always been a hard-working man and a faithful
employe and commands alike the confidence and
esteem of his employers and fellow workmen.
W. WYLIE, who has been in the em-
p^ ploy of the Illinois Central for near-
) 1 O ly thirty-five years, is a native of
Lebanon, New York. He began
railroad life in 1866, at the age of sixteen
years, as newsboy at Amboy, Illinois, and con-
tinued as such for six months, and in June 1867
he commenced braking and continued four years
on freight and passenger. At the end of the
four years he was promoted to conductor and ran
freight until 1881. During that time he was on
all divisions of the Illinois Central north of the
Ohio river and had charge of a construction
train on the Amboy division between Amboy
and Clinton for five seasons.
At the end of the ten years service running
freight he was promoted to passenger mixed
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
513
train for a while. During the construction of the
Freeport division he was transferred and had
charge of the iron train during that period ; and
later was put in charge of the gravel pit at Cole-
man, and when the road was completed he ran
the first passenger train over the line and is the
oldest conductor on the division. He has continued
here to the present time, running through passen-
ger to Dubuque. Our subject was never seri-
ously injured, nor has he ever had an accident
that cost the company a dollar. He has lived in
Chicago since 1888.
Mr. Wylie belongs to Division No. i, (). R.
C.. and was also a member of the Brotherhood
of Conductors. The (). R. C. lodge at Amboy
was named in honor of Mr. Wylie. though it
has since been transferred to Freeport.
Mr. \Y\lie married Miss Koontz and has
one son.
APTAIX JOHN F. MERRY, in the
best sense of the word is a represen-
tative business man. In his financial
success, unblemished business record,
and steadily increasing usefulness, Dubuque and
l(iwa may well feel a personal pride and interest.
Captain Merry was born in Summit county, Ohio,
March 24, 1844, and at the age of thirteen moved
with his parents to Delaware county, Iowa. In
August 1862 he enlisted at Dubuque, Iowa, in
Company K. 2ist Iowa, and remained with this
regiment until March 1863, when he was dis-
charged for disability. In April 1864 he enlisted
in a company which was mustered into the 46th
Iowa, of which the new speaker. David B. Hen-
derson, was colonel. This company, of which
the Captain was Second Lieutenant, was known
as Company F, 46th Iowa.
In August 1865 the Captain entered the ser-
vices of Conger Bros. & Co., of Manchester, as
clerk in a general store, and remained with them
until 1867. when he went in business for himself.
In 1879 he became excursion agent for the Illi-
nois Central Railroad. In 1881 he was promoted
to general western passenger agent, and a few
years later to assistant general passenger
agent of the D. & S. C. R. R., a part
of the Illinois Central system, and in 1892
was made assistant general passenger agent of
the entire system, a position he still holds.
During all these years of service his headquarters
have been at Manchester, Iowa, until September
i, 1898, when he removed to Dubuque, and in
addition to his duties as assistant general pas-
senger agent, he also assumed the duties of secre-
tary and treasurer of the Iowa Land & Loan
Company, secretary of the Dunleith & Dubuque
1 '.ridge Company, assistant secretary and treas-
urer of the D. & S. C. R. R. Co. and secretary of
the Fort Dodge & Omaha Railroad company.
Captain Merry is a public spirited man and
foremost in everything that tends to popularize
the company he serves, and the community and
state in which he lives. In 1895 he organized
the Vicksburg National Military Park Associa-
tion for the promotion of a National *Park at
Vicksburg, to include the federal and confeder-
ate battle grounds about that historic city, and
through his efforts congress passed a bill author-
izing the establishment of such a park and ap-
propriating a sufficient sum to purchase the lands.
A commission has already been appointed, lands
purchased and work begun on the park, which
is to be one of the most interesting military at-
tractions of this country.
Captain Merry is a Republican, and was a
delegate to the St. Louis convention in 1896
that nominated Win. McKinley for president.
He was unanimously elected president of the
Dubuque Business Men's League during the first
year of its existence, and in every possible way
advertised the ad vantages, and resources of Du-
buque. He is a member of Hyde Clark Post,
<;. A. R.. of Hyperion Lodge K. of P. at Man-
chester, and takes an active interest in everything
looking to the moral as well as material develop-
ment of Dubuque. The Captain is a Metho:list,
and one of the two Lay delegates elected by the
Upper Iowa Conference to represent them at the
General Conference of the M. E. church to be
held in Chicago during the month of May.
514
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
He has also given a great deal of attention
to the development of towns and cities on the line
of the Illinois Central, as well as the country
adjacent thereto. He was a delegate to the Na-
tional Nicaragua Canal convention held at St.
Louis and New Orleans, and was the author of
a motion at the St. Louis convention that a com-
mittee be appointed to draft a concise write-up
of the advantages of the Nicaragua Canal, a
copy of which was to be mailed every newspaper
in the United States having a circulation of 500
and upwards. The Captain was made chairman
of the committee, and through the publication
of this circular a general sentiment was created
in favor of the canal.
moving to Clinton, in the capacity of chief dis-
patcher when the offices were transferred, serv-
ing at the latter point three years. In 1894
Mr. Brown was transferred to Waterloo, serving
as trick dispatcher until October 1899, when he
was promoted to his present position of chief
in the office.
The marriage of Mr. Brown, which united
him with Miss Anna Graham, occured at Spring-
field, 111. Their three sons are named Earl, Ray-
mond and Leslie.
Mr. Brown was formerly a member of the
Pythian order, but owing to frequent movings
has allowed his membership to lapse. He is
one of the more recent members of the Train
Dispatcher's Association of America. Mr. Brown
is a man of. steady habits and gives close and care-
ful attention to the traffic under his charge.
,OLDIN A. BROWN, chief dispatcher
for the I. C. Ry., at Waterloo, Iowa,
has been engaged during his entire rail-
road career on the Illinois Central.
Born at Medina, Ohio, February 17, 1862, his
education was acquired in the district schools of
Wood and Lorain counties in the Buckeye state.
After farming for two seasons with an uncle in
Ohio, Mr. Brown learned telegraphy, and in
1883 accepted a position as agent for the Illinois
Central at Lake Fork, 111., where about the first
message he heard across the wires was the re-
port of a wreck in the gravel pit on that branch.
After some six months at his first station, Mr.
Brown was transferred to the office in the capi-
tal city of Illinois, as bill clerk, where he re-
mained an equal length of time and a like period
he served as operator at Mt. Pulaski in the above
state. For half a year he served as operator at
Manchester, Iowa, where he resigned, remaining
out of service the remainder of the twelve months.
On his return to the service he was sent as agent
to Kumler, 111., and six months later to Gibson,
in the same state, where he remained two years.
Transferred to Springfield a second time, he
served as clerk in the superintendent's office a
few months, and was then appointed dispatcher,
HARLES E. KURD, the oldest con-
ductor on the Chicago division of the
Illinois Central, is a native of Cleve-
land, Ohio. He began railroading in
1863 as a freight brakeman on the Big Four be-
tween Cleveland and Columbus. After serving
there six months he, in the same year, came to
the Illinois Central and accepted a position as
freight brakeman on the Chicago division. At
that time there were only, three trains each way
in twenty-four hours. For the following year
he was brakeman and ran as extra conductor,
but at the end of that time he was given a regu-
lar train and ran freight until 1873, when he was
promoted to passenger service and began running
a suburban train. At that time there was only
one train which ran to Grand Crossing. He
sold his own tickets and made five trips per day,
continuing in that service for six years when he
was promoted to through passenger service run-
ning to Centralia. Later he was appointed super-
intendent of the suburban traffic and held that po-
sition about four months, when he resigned and
returned to the through passenger service. When
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
515
he first went in the through passenger service
there were only two trains each way per day,
and such things as air brakes, etc., were unknown.
After his return to the through service he con-
tinued until September 12, 1899, when he was
given the Daylight Special to St. Louis. Dur-
ing 1871, while the company was building the
round house at Weldon, he had charge of the
gravel train. It was while he was on this run
the Chicago fire took place and our subject
worked pulling cars out of the way.
Our subject is a member of Division No. i,
O. R. C. and was a charter member of the
Brotherhood of Conductors which was formed
prior to the O. R. C.
Mr. Hurd was married to Miss Mary Jane
Conklin and has had three children : Charles,
who died in 1898; Grace and Walter.
ILLIAM CORCORAN, engineer on
the Chicago division of the Illinois
Central, began railroading in 1880
as a fireman at Temple, Texas, on
the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad with
John Moynihan as engineer. August 12, 1886,
he came to Chicago and entered the service of
the Illinois Central company, and after firing
for four years, crossed the cab and has since had
charge of the levers on a freight run from Chi-
cago to Champaign.
Mr. Corcoran was born in Charleston, S.
C., September 21, 1860, and remembers the great
conflagration of that place when he was quite
a small boy. He also remembers Sherman's
march and the shelling of the city by the Union
Fleet. Mr. Corcoran was married in Chicago
to Miss Mary Clark, and three children, Marie,
James and Lyda, have been born to them. Our
subject has been quite successful in his railroad
career and, although he has not followed it as
long as some who have accumulated a great deal
less of this world's goods, he has secured for him-
self and his family, a pleasant residence on Rurn-
side avenue. The only time that he met with
serious accident was when engine No. 310 turned
over on him at Martins, 111.
Socially he affiliates with Division No. 10,
P.. of L. E., of Burnside.
Mr. Corcoran's father was also an Illinois
Central employe, having served in the shops at
Amboy, 111., in 1867, and also in the round house
at Weldon in 1871 and '72.
HARLES CARNEY, track supervisor
at Waterloo, Iowa, has been in the
railway service since the age of twelve,
excepting what time he spent in the
schools completing his education. He began in
the 'summer of 1867 at Dixon, 111., carrying the
tools of the stone masons, building bridge work
under the direction of Frank Egan. The fol-
lowing summer he carried water for the bridge
carpenters and in the spring of 1864, being "a
broth of a boy" by this time, took his place on
the section under his father's foremanship. The
following summer found him in the same position
and in the spring of 1873 he took up the same
work, at which he continued until May 1875,
when he came to Waterloo as foreman of an ex-
tra force working under the direction of Mr.
J. T. Moran. In December he returned to his
old place at Dixon, remaining until July 1876,
when he came to Dubuque to take charge of an
extra gang, repairing a washout on the river
bank at Dubuque until December 1st, and the
remainder of the winter in the quarry getting
out riprap. The following spring found him
acting as section foreman at Epworth, Iowa,
where he remained a year and a half, going thence
to Newell where he was employed till 1881. Af-
ter firing a few months he resumed track work
at -LeMars where he remained until May, 1883,
the date of his promotion to track supervisor
between Fonda and Sioux City. He was sub-
sequently in charge between Sioux City a'nd Fort
Dodge, later between Cherokee and Sioux City
and finallv between Onawa and Sioux Falls, at
516
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the time he was assigned to his present duty July
12. 1895, having now supervision between Fort
Dodge and Waterloo.
Mr. Carney was born at Dixon, 111., May
27, 1855, where he attended the public schools,
supplementing that with a term in the Christian
Brothers school at LaSalle, during the winter of
i86o,-'70, and the following winter at the Chris-
tian Brothers school at Prairie DuChien.
Mr. Carney was married at Dixon to Miss
Mary Hennesy, to whom ten children have been
born : the living are Lillie A.. Marie, Bessie,
Charles. Evangeline, Raymond, Harry, Roy and
Gladys.
Our subject is a member of the Ancient
Order of United Workmen at Fort Dodge. As
a railroad man he is thoroughly versed in the
construction and maintenance of the road-bed
of a great and growing system, and keeps in-
formed on all that pertains to his line of work
in railway operation.
GBERT N. CANFIELD, a freight con-
ductor on the Omaha division of the
Illinois Central, began his railway ser-
vice with the Chicago, St. Paul, Min-
neapolis & Omaha Railroad at Sioux City, as
fireman in 1892, and occupied a seat on the left
side of an engine some two years. Preferring
train service, he resigned in the fall of 1894 and
secured a place as brakeman in the service of
the Illinois Central on the Dubuque division, run-
ning east and west from Cherokee. With a
view to his promotion he was ordered up for ex-
amination in the summer of 1899 and in July set
up to a conductorship and on the opening of
the Omaha division in the close of the year was
given a freight run between Omaha and Fort
Dodge.
Born at Troy, Minnesota, March 29, 1873,
Mr. Canfield has been practically reared on the
railroad. His father, Alvin Canfield, is an engi-
neer in the service of the Chicago, St. Paul,
Minneapolis & Omaha, stationed at Sioux City,
where another son, Eugene, is in the service of
the same company, as machinist in the shops.
Our subject is a member of Division X<>.
171 B. of R. T., at Fort Dodge. The only severe
accident in which he has been involved, occurred
in October 1899, from which he fortunately
escaped unhurt.
ILLIAM D. PATTERSON, station
agent for the I. C. Ry., at Cherokee,
unlike most railroad men has spent
his entire career in the one city.
ISorn at Mt. Forest, Ontario, October 25, 1863,
he received his early education at Listowell in
the same province. While yet a boy he moved
with his parents to a farm on one of the numer-
ous islands in Lake Huron and later worked for
a time on the famous canal at Sault Ste. Marie
before coming to the states in 1881. The same
year he secured a clerkship in the freight office
at Cherokee serving in that capacity four years.
Having learned telegraphy he was for a short
time night operator prior to his appointment as
chief clerk in the freight office. In February
1890 he was appointed ticket and freight agent
at Cherokee, which position, he has since filled,
having entire charge of the large freight and
passenger traffic of the thriving little city.
Mr. Patterson was married in Cherokee to
Miss Elizabeth Patterson to whom four children
have been born : Henry, Ellen, Jean and John.
In the Masonic order Mr. Patterson has
taken a deep interest, having attained the degrees
of Speculative Lodge No. 307, Burning Bush
Chapter No. 90 and Crusade Commandery No.
39, of Cherokee, and the Kaaba Temple of the
Mystic Shrine at Davenport.
His fellow citizens have recognized business
ability in him by electing him to the city council
tc. which he has been returned, by the electors of
the first ward, for a term of six years.
Mr. Patterson believes in learning the ways
of the world by contact and in consequence has
been an extensive traveler, having been within
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
517
the boundaries of forty-three of the states of
the Union and has traveled from ocean to ocean,
from the lakes to the Gulf, from Canada to Old
Mexico and has profited by what he has seen of
the many varied types of mankind making up
the citizenship of the western world.
YRON K. KILBORXE, station agent
for the 111. Central at Cedar Falls, la.,
has been in the service of the com-
pany since January 1881, when he be-
gan as assistant station agent and telegraph
student at Marcus, Iowa, under Division Super-
intendent D. W. Parker. It was during this
period that E. T. Jeffery, then general manager
of the I. C. system, was snow bound and for some
ten days Marcus was the headquarters of the rail-
way. Having mastered the art of telegraphy
in a remarkably short time, Mr. Kilborne was in
September of the same year, appointed station
agent at Meriden, la., where he remained until
April 1883, except two weeks which were spent
at Jesup, la. Serving about a year at Marcus,
he resigned because of ill health, spending the
summer in Canada. In September 1884 be re-
entered the service of the I. C. at Mitchell, la.,
and in August 1888. was transferred to Parkers-
burg where he remained some seventeen months.
From February 1890 until April 1894 be was
agent at Webster City, and on the latter date was
appointed to his present position of freight and
passenger agent at Cedar Falls.
Mr. Kilborne is a native of Ontario, Can.,
his birth occurring at Waterloo, October 21,
1856. He was married at Ayr, Ontario, to Miss
-Margaret Watson, to whom one daughter, Luella
Clare, has been born.
Our subject is a member of the Masonic
Order, holding membership in Acacia Lodge No.
176 and Hope Chapter at Webster City. He
was formerly a member of the K. of P., and since
coming to Cedar Falls has become identified with
the A. O. U. W. Mr. Kilborne is a musician of
recognized ability and is a band leader of more
than ordinary merit. In a number of towns
where he has been stationed he has organized
and conducted a cornet band. At Cedar Falls
he organized and directed, for a time, the A. O.
U. W. Military Band which has developed into
one of the best musical organizations in the state.
His close attention to the interests of his em-
ployers has won for him advancement, from time
to time, as vacancies in better positions have oc-
curred.
1CHOLAS RING, the oldest engineer
on the St. Louis division, of the Illi-
nois Central, began his railroad career
in the employ of the St. Louis, Alton
& Terre Haute Railroad in April 1861. He
served as fireman nine years under different engi-
neers, among whom are the following : Master
Mechanic J. B. Laird, J. M. Seat, George Pomroy,
M. M. McClellen. Dick Cox, J. Hazen, E. C.
Benton, 1!. Warren, A. M. DeClerk, P. H. Mur-
phy, W. J. Stoke, C. T. Barton, A. C. Beckworth
and G. H. Hatz. He was set up to engineer in
the fall of 1870, and his first work in that ca-
pacity was on a switch engine in the yards at
East St. Louis, where be spent six months, and
then he had charge of a freight engine until
1871. At that time he was promoted to the pas-
senger service and given a run between East St.
Louis and Du Quoin, and was thus employed until
Dec. 1897. During the following year he ran from
E. St. Louis to Carbondale, but since 1898 his run
has been between E. St. Louis and Paducah. Our
subject is the oldest engineer in East St. Louis,
and during the many years he has spent on the
road has never had a serious accident, nor been
injured in any way ; he was never suspended
by either railroad company for which he has
worked.
Mr. Ring was born in Loraine, France, in
1846, and came to America with his father in
1849 ancl located in St. Clair county, Illinois,
where the father died during the same year.
Our subject began life on his own responsibility
518
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
at the age of fifteen years as a cigar maker, and
pursued that calling several months previous to
entering the service of the railroad.
He was married at East St. Louis to Miss
Anna E. Painter, of that city, and of the six chil-
dren born we have the following record : Vernie
W., husband of Lillie Garvey, machinist and night
engine inspector for the Illinois Central at East
St. Louis : Sadie M., Charles N.; Sidney W.,
Lottie May and Nellie A. who died at the age
of ten years.
Socially Mr. Ring is a member of Division
No. 512, B. of L. E., of East St. Louis. In
1 88 1, he built his present comfortable home at
No. 417 Market street.
Central as chief clerk at the local freight station
at South Water street, Chicago and in April 1892
was appointed local agent. In April 1893, on
account of ill health, he resigned and was off
the road until December 1893. On his return
he was made agent at Centralia and continued
until July 1894, then during the strike was
transferred to Mounds and Cairo, as assistant
agent and continued there until December 1896,
when he went to East St. Louis as local freight
agent which position he held until April ist, 1900,
when he was transferred to Chicago as freight
agent where he is at present located.
Mr. Lambert was married to Miss Edis
Rucker and has one child. Our subject is a
member of Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Masons.
J. LAMBERT is a native of Crestline.
Ohio, where he was born June 17.
1864. He began his career in 1878
at Fort W'ayne, Indiana, with the
Pennsylvania Railroad company as messenger
and office boy. From that he was promoted to
clerk and in 1883 was promoted to night yard
dispatcher. November 22, 1883, he went to
the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville as
shop clerk in the offices at Fort Wayne and con-
tinued about one year. At this time he quit the
road and for three months devoted his time to
some gold mining business in Montana. On his
return he accepted a position with the
Pennsylvania road at Chicago as yard and
merchandise transfer clerk and continued as
same two years. He then resigned and went to
the Minnesota & North Western, now the
Chicago & Great Western, as chief in-bound
freight clerk and after serving in that capacity
one and one half years, he was promoted to chief
clerk and continued until November 18, 1889,
when he was appointed agent of the Chicago &
Northern Pacific, in Chicago and continued until
January 1891, when he was appointed train
master of the Chicago & Calumet terminal of
that city and held that position until February
1892. On that date he came to the Illinois
AMUEL NORTH, traveling passenger
agent at Omaha, was born near Sim-
coe, Ontario, November 27, 1860, at-
tending the public schools of his native
city and a commercial college at London, Onta-
rio. On leaving the commercial school, he se-
cured a position in the office of a woolen mill in
that province where he was employed until com-
ing to the States in April 1887. Securing a
position in the office of an insurance agency at
Sioux City, he was there employed until Octo-
ber of that year, when he entered the service
of the Illinois Central as a clerk in the freight
department. In 1889 he was transferred to clerk-
ship in the ticket office and in 1890 made station
ticket agent, where he served until September
1898, the date of his appointment as city passen-
ger and ticket agent. Aug. i, 1900, he was trans-
ferred to the Omaha division as traveling passen-
ger agent with headquarters at Omaha.
During the time he has been connected with
the Central, Mr. North has demonstrated his
ability as a railroad man. His affable manners
make him a typical passenger agent, and his
thorough business principles maintain his stand-
ing in the good graces of his employers.
S. S. KERWIN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
521
Mr. North was married at Tipton, la., to
Miss Anna C. Breidinger. He is a member of the
Masonic Order, being enrolled in Tyrian Lodge,
No. 508, Sioux City, Chapter No. 26, and Colum-
bian Commandery No. 18, all of Sioux City, and
of Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Daven-
port, Iowa.
S. KERWIN, engineer on the Illinois
Central Railroad, first began railroad-
' Q ing on the Grand Trunk Railroad in
1876 as an engine wiper, at Port
Huron. Michigan, his native town, and remained
there in the shops three years, working himself
up to engineer. At the end of that period he
engaged in the switch service for about four
years, then went on the road and ran from Port
Huron to Detroit until 1890. He then came west
and ran on the Big Four from Indianapolis to
Springfield in the freight service one year. He
then went to the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and
ran from Danville, 111., to Chicago and Terre
Haute, and was there one year. He then entered
the service of the Illinois Central and was put in
charge of the machinery at the pit assisting Super-
intendent W. W. Wench until he was put on the
road in freight service on the Chicago division.
His first engine was No. 422 with which
lie pulled sand from Knickerbockers in the
construction service, for the new grade that
was being built at that time. He then went
on the road as extra and since 1894 has been
in the yard service, running No. 140.
Mr. Kerwin has never been injured. He
belongs to the B. of L. E., No. 10, of Chicago.
JOHN A. OSBORN, general baggage agent
for the Illinois Central company at Chi-
cago, is one of those men who, whatever
may be their early surroundings, are sure
to make a success in life ; and let their business
career begin with as gloomy prospects as it may.
they will eventually be ranked among the leading
business men of the community in which they
live.
Mr. Osborn began working for the Illinois
Central Railroad company July 15, 1876, at the
Randolph street station, Chicago, where he was
hired to handle baggage. He later served two
years and a half as check clerk. During the fol-
lowing two years, Mr. Osborn served as second
clerk under Mr. Stinson, and in 1881 the latter
died and our subject was promoted to the posi-
tion of chief clerk of the general baggage depart-
ment. January 4, 1897, he was given his present
position, that of general baggage agent.
Mr. Osborn was born in Baltimore, Mel..
September 4. 1853, a son of Owen Osborn. So-
cially he has affiliated with Apollo Lodge, No.
642, since 1893.
DELBERT DILLON, supervisor of
bridges and buildings on the Cherokee
division, is a man who has raised him-
self to his present position by attention
tc the details of work in his department, fitting
himself for a position of authority. He was
born in Hardin county, la., April 3, 1856, and
reared on the farm. In 1876 he secured a place
as laborer with a bridge crew at Fonda, and show-
ing an aptness with tools learned the trade of
bridge carpenter. After a year's service on the
Illinois Central he secured a place as carpenter
in the service of the Dubuque & Dakota road,
and two years later was made foreman of the
bridge crew, serving in that capacity five years.
Resigning he accepted a position of foreman
with the Minnesota & Northwestern and eighteen
months later, in 1887, returned to the service of
the Central as foreman of bridge carpenters.
His appointment to his present position of super-
visor of bridges and buildings, dates from 1895,
since which time he has been at the head of that
department on the Cherokee division. During
the construction of the Omaha branch, Mr. Dil-
lon had charge of much of the work on the north
522
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
end, the big trestle over Coon river coming un-
der his care. Called to a responsible position
in railroad construction, Mr. Dillon has met all
the expectations of his employers, and merits
the confidence they have placed in his ability
as a worker in heavy and light timber. In his
24 years of railroad service he has only been off
duty two months.
On February 13, 1887, Mr. Dillon was united
in marriage with Miss Mary J. Brown, at Iowa
Falls, la. To this union nine children have been
born, seven of whom are living: Allan B., Ar-
thur Leslie, Hattie Alma, Ella May. Mary Agnes,
David and Ruth.
Mr. Dillon is a member of the Masonic Order
at Cherokee, the Ancient Order of United Work-
men and the Modern Woodmen of America.
JAMES T. WHALON, depot master at
Chicago, began railroading in the spring
of 1876. at Peoria, Illinois, serving as
brakeman for the Toledo, Peoria &
Western Railroad Company. After eleven
months, he was promoted to conductor in 1877
and held the latter place until 1881, when he
resigned and came to Chicago to enter the employ
of the Pennsylvania company. There he served
as yard man, doing passenger work until 1886,
when he was appointed assistant station master.
When the Illinois Central company opened their
new station at Park Row, in 1893, they offered
Mr. Whalon the position of night station master,
and he began work in that capacity April 17, of
the same year, continuing until January I, 1896,
when he was promoted to his present position.
Mr. Whalon was born in the town of Chenoa.
Illinois his natal day being March 31, 1858.
September 31, 1886, he was married, in Chicago,
to Miss Margaret McDonald, daughter of
Captain McDonald, a well known citizen of
Chicago. To this congenial union have been
born five children, whose names in the order of
their birth are as follows : Francis, Charles,
Emmett, Leo and Marion. Fraternally Mr.
Whalon is identified with the Royal Arcanum,
Garden City Council, and also of the National
Union. Lincoln Council, both of Chicago.
Throughout his railroad career Mr. Whalon has
had to suffer from but one accident, although
that one was quite serious and kept him from his
work about three months.
HEALY, conductor on the Illinois
Central Railroad, was born in Clifton,
Q 111. He commenced on the Illinois
Central on June 30, 1883, as freight
brakeman on the Springfield division, between
Gilman and Springfield, continuing there two
years, when he was promoted and the following
two years he was on the extra list, then he was
given a regular run. In October 1891 he re-
ceived a regular passenger run and held it three
years in place of another man who waived his
rights. At the end of these years he went back
on freight and continued until August 1896,
when he came to Chicago and was at once put
on the St. Louis run. Diamond Special, which he
has held up to the present time.
He was a member of the Lincoln Division
No. 206, O. R. C, of Springfield, but was trans-
ferred to Division No. i, O. R. C,, of Chicago.
On June 18, 1891, Mr. Healy married Miss
Jennie Fordyce, of Gilman, Illinois. They have
one son, Earl Bernard.
ENRY H. IRLE, conductor on the Illi-
nois Central, was born in Philadelphia,
Pa., January 10, 1855. He began on
the old I. B. & W. at Indianapolis as
a carpenter in 1873, and worked for them three
months; then was off the road until 1879 when
he went on the Indiana, Decatur & Springfield,
working on construction on the east end of the
road. He was there four months and then in
October 1879 lie began on the Illinois Central
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
523
as a freight brakeman on the Champaign divi-
sion. His first conductor was Z. F. Jencks. He
continued as brakeman until August 1883, when
he. was promoted to freight conductor, and his
first running was done in the freight service on
the same division where he remained until Febru-
ary 1885. He then quit and went with the Mil-
waukee & St. Paul and then returned to the Cen-
tral and began running freight, and remained
in that service until August 10, 1899, when he
was promoted to extra passenger conductor on
the Chicago division.
Our subject belongs to Division No. 112,
O. R. C.. of Centralia, of which he has been
chief and also chairman of the Grievance Com-
mittee. He is also a member of Valiant Lodge,
Xo. 130, K. of P., the Western Star Lodge,
Xo. 240, A. F. & A. M., Chapter No. 50, R. A.
M., all of Champaign, and Urbana Commandery,
Xo. 16, K. T., of Urbana.
1LLIAM A. DODDS. a well known
and popular engineer in the pas-
senger service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, between Memphis, Tennessee,
and Cairo, Illinois, dates his connection with the
company from 1883. He began railroad work
on the Mobile and Ohio railroad where he first
served as fireman, and in 1875 was promoted to
engineer. From 1875 until 1882 he was in the
employ of that company as engineer at Jackson.
Term., running north and south on that division
of the road. In May of the latter year he went
to Mexico, and worked as engineer on the
Mexican Central R. R. until February 1883. He
then went to Palestine, Texas, and was with the
International & Great Northern Railroad until
June of that year, when he returned to Jackson.
Tenn., and entered the -service of the Illinois
Central between Jackson and Cairo. Illinois,
remaining there until February 1897. Going to
Memphis he began work on the Fulton division
of the road ; he has since remained there, and
L; now in charge of engine Xo. 377, in the pas-
senger service between Memphis and Cairo. He
has been in two small wrecks during his connec-
tion with the road, one at Mayfield Junction,
near Cairo, and the other at East Cairo, but there
was no one injured in either.
Mr. Dodds was born near Atlanta, Georgia,
December i, 1854, and is a son of Asbury Dodds,
who was a farmer there. P'ive brothers of our
subject became railroad men, three of them are
now engineers in the service of the Mobile &
Ohio R. R., one is a foreman on the same
road, and another brother, now deceased, was
also an employe of that road. Mr. Dodds
married Miss Iva Hammond of Jackson, Tenn.
They have one child, Glynnie.
Socially he is connected with Madison
Lodge, Xo. 16, I. O. O. F. and Knights of the
Maccabees, both of Jackson, Tenn. He is also
a member of the P>. of L. E.. of Memphis.
He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, while Mrs. Dodds is a member of the
Presbyterian faith. They reside at No. 514
Shelby street, in the city of Memphis, where they
have a comfortable home.
S. WILDESON, engineer on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, was born in
De Kalb county, Indiana, October i,
l&57- Jonas Wildeson, his father,
was born in Pennsylvania and is now a farmer
in Indiana. His mother, Elizabeth (Gelwicks)
Wikleson, is deceased. The family consisted of
eleven children : A half brother, George, an en-
gineer on the I. C. R. R. for many years, died in
November 1893; Nancy died at the age of
twenty ; John, a farmer, lives in De Kalb county,
Indiana ; Elizabeth is living at home with her
father : Louisa, wife of Theodore Wyatt, a
farmer, lives in De Kalb county, Indiana ;
Subject ; Sidney, an employe of the L. S. & M,
S., at Norwalk, Ohio ; Sarah married William
Wyatt, a farmer, and lives in De Kalb county,
Indiana: Ida is the wife of Cory Shugars, a
524
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
confectioner, residing at Auburn, Ind. ; Elmer,
a farmer resides in De Kalb county, Indiana.
Clyde, married, is a clerk in Auburn, Indiana.
T, S. Wildeson was educated in De Kalb Co.,
Indiana. He worked on his fathers farm until
twenty-two years of age, then entered the service
of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. as trackman, remained
there for three years, then went on the Wheeling
& Lake Erie, where he remained eighteen
months. In March 1885 he came to Chicago
and entered the service of the Illinois Central
Railroad as a fireman on the Champaign division,
remained in that position until 1888, when he
was transferred to the Chicago division and
moved to Freeport, Illinois. On the nth of
September 1888, he was promoted to engineer
and has remained in their employ on a freight
run up to the present time.
On the first day of May 1889, Mr Wildeson
was married to Miss Amanda Walter of Orrville,
Ohio. She was born December 9, 1859. She
is the daughter of Samuel Walter, a farmer
living near Orrville, O. Her mother, Catharine
(Chreamer) Walter, died October 19, 1894.
Mr. Wildeson is a member of the Odd Fellows,
and the B. of L. E. He is a republican. Mr.
Wildeson and his wife attend the First Presby-
terian Church.
of the Central and began as fireman on a switch
engine August 15, 1886, and a few weeks latei
was assigned to the suburban service where he
remained one and a half years. From this, he
was promoted to the through freight and pas-
senger service until November 12, 1891, wher
he was examined, found competent and promotec
to the other side of the cab. For nearly twc
years he was an extra, running in the switch anc
through freight and passenger service, until he
was placed in the regular suburban service anc
in the spring of 1899 he was given a regulai
freight run between Chicago and P>loomington
one of the hardest runs on the line.
At Clinton Junction, Wisconsin, occurrec
the marriage of Mr. Lindrew to Miss Emrm
C. Andersen, who is the mother of two children
Agnes Isabel and Louisa Katherine. Mr
Lindrew is a member of Division .No. 10, B. oi
L. E., of Burnside and the Chicago Lodge, No
91. A. O. U. W.
During all his railroad career he has provec
himself to be a careful, watchful employe anc
stands well in the estimation of his superiors.
LE L. LINDREW in the Illinois Cen-
tral freight service, was born in the
province of Kongswinger, Norway,
November 22, 1864, and came to
America in the spring of 1883. Proceeding to
Wisconsin, where many of his countrymen had
settled, he rented land and engaged in the rais-
ing of tobacco. Unfortunately the price of that
staple the year he was a planter fell to a small
fraction of the usual market value and his high
hopes were not attained. To add to his troubles
commission men to whom he sent his crop failed
to do as they ought to have done and he lost
heavily again. Seeing no chance for success in
this line, he sought employment in the service
LLIOTT F. WISE, supervisor oi
bridges and buildings of the Dubuque
division, of the Illinois Central, was
born in Washington county, Pa., June
14, 1841. Securing his education in the comnior
schools, he learned the ship carpenter's trade al
which he worked in his native state until the
spring of 1868, with the exception of three years
in the Army. 1861 to 1864, when he shipped a<
carpenter on a steamboat bound for the upper
Missouri. Resigning at Omaha, he was on his
way home overland and stopped off at Dixon, 111.,
for a short visit with relatives from his native
state. The bridge at Dixon was at that time un-
der repair and being offered work on the structure
he accepted, thereby changing his whole career.
His ability was soon recognized and he was made
foreman, at which he served until Tune T. 1868,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
525
when he was made supervisor of bridges. In
i8f>9 he went to Iowa, and after his marriage, in
1871, made his home in Iowa Falls until April I,
1879, since which time he has resided continu-
ously in Waterloo. Of latter years the super-
vision of buildings has been added to that of
bridges, making Mr. Wise's responsibilities
correspondingly greater. His long connection
with the road, a third of a century, bespeaks his
ability to fulfill all that is expected of him by
the management of the great system he has so
long served.
Mr. Wise was first married to Miss Sarah
J . Winn, to whom five children were born, viz :
Carrie E., deceased, Mary W., Edith G., John
Freeman and Sarah A. Of his second marriage
to Miss Hattie H. Brown, two children have been
born, Elliott B. and Leon G. Mr. Wise is
identified with the Masonic order, holding mem-
bership in the Blue Lodge at Iowa Falls.
and in 1878 was promoted to conductor, remained
in the employ of that road until 1892. He then
embarked in the livery business, but sold out
within a year, and returning to railroad life in
1893, became identified with the Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Railroad in October of that
year as a conductor in the freight service, between
Vicksburg and New Orleans, his present position.
Mr. Yearwood was, in 1884, united in
marriage to Miss Jennie A. Walker, of Sweet-
water, Tennessee, a native of that place, born
in 1863. They have three fine children ; Maude,
born in 1885; Faun, born in 1887; and Richard
H., born in 1891.
He belongs to Vicksburg Division, No. 231,
O. R. C, and is also a Knight Templar and a
Knight of Pythias. In religious affairs he
unites with the Baptist church, and is politically
a democrat.
J. YEARWOOD, a conductor in the
freight service on the New Orleans
division of the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley Railroad, was born in Sweet-
water, Tennessee, on August 8th, 1857. His
parents were H. B. and Elizabeth (Scruggs)
Yearwood, the latter still living and residing on
the old homestead near Sweetwater. H. B.
Yearwood, a farmer by occupation, was a Colonel
of Militia before the civil war. He was a
Mexican Veteran, and served as Major of the
Third Tennessee Infantry during the civil war,
but at an early period was appointed on the staff
of General P. T. G. Beauregard, serving until
1864, when he became disabled. He departed
this life in June 1897.
The subject of this sketch was educated in
the public schools of his native place, and in 1874
entered the service of the East Tennessee,
Virginia & Georgia Railroad, as a brakeman
between Bristol and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Soon after he was appointed baggage master.
'ILLIAM W. SAMPSELL, loco-
motive engineer in the employ of the
Illinois Central, dates his connection
with the road from 1885. He be-
gan his railroad life on the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, running from South Chicago to the
city as a fireman under Patrick Ray, and later
served under Mr. McLaughlin, remaining with
the B. & O. two years. He then began with the
Illinois Central, as fireman for L. Sanderson on
engine No. 85, then was on No. 192 for John
Maloney, then on No. 33 for Frank Rugg. He
was then promoted to the right side and was
given charge of engine No. 201 in the road
service between Chicago and Champaign, but
after two trips was given engine No. 382, which
he ran for one year, for the following nine
months he had charge of engine No. 594, and
during the next two years ran No. 332. He was
then in the pool for two years, but for the past
three years he has been in the suburban service
with engine No. 244. Our subject has been in
one wreck but has never been injured.
526
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Mr. Sampsell was born February 24, 1860,
in Snycler county. Pennsylvania, a son of William
H. Sampsell. who was a contractor and plasterer,
and wbo now makes his home in St. Joe county,
Michigan. Our subject married Miss Frances
J. Collins, of Marshall, Mich., and they have two
children. William LeRoy, born June 10, 1892,
at Racine. Wisconsin, and John Francis, born
February 28, 1894. in Chicago. The family re-
sides in a pleasent home at No. 2566, looth street,
Chicago. Socially Mr. Sampsell is a member of
division \"o. 10. B. of L. E., of Burnside.
LONZO R. MEYERS, who is a native
of Missouri, is a son of David L.
Meyers, a prominent lecturer, who
died in 1879. Our subject began his
career in 1882, when but sixteen years of age,
as a clerk in a freight office. He was next made
agent, then clerk in the auditor's office, remaining
until 1890. when he went to St. Louis with the
P. T. & A. Railroad. In October 1890 he was
transferred to Paclucah, as auditor of the P. T.
& A. and remained there until the fall of 1893,
when he was made auditor of the consolidated
P. T. & A. and Tennessee Midland Railroads
and office moved to Memphis. In May 1895 he
resigned his position as auditor of these roads
on account of changes in the management. He
next went to Princeton, Ky.. as agent of the C.
O. & S. W. Railroad, remaining there until 1897.
when he was transferred to Paducah as local
agent. He was in charge of this position until
April 1898, when the commercial agent's office
was abolished and our subject made local chief
clerk with ten clerks in his department and a
great amount of business under his immediate
supervision.
Mr. Meyers married Miss Helen Sinnot, a
daughter of one of Paducah's most prominent
families. Our subject is a man of fine executive
ability and has, by his own merits, won for him-
self a place above what most young men attain
at his time of life.
1"TS^\ H. BROWN, round house foreman
J j for the Illinois Central, at McComb
J \^ss o City. Miss., was born in New Or-
leans in 1864. Daniel Brown, his
father, was a well known engineer in the passen-
ger service of the Illinois Central, where at the
time of his death, he had charge of the engine
known as the "Black Prince". This famous en-
gine was afterward run by another old timer
Cousins, by name, who made that remarkable
run from Canton, Miss., to Xew Orleans, La.,
carrying Governor Warmoth of Louisiana. Mr.
Brown. Sr. died in 1865.
D. H. Brown, of this sketch, began his rail-
road career in 1876 as an apprentice in the shops
at McComb City, serving full time, working
afterward at his trade there and serving as gang-
foreman. While engaged in the shops he served
successively under Master Mechanic Anderson,
McKenna, Whittaker, Losey, Baldwin, and Daw-
son. In 1896 he was tendered the position of
round house foreman, and accepting, has since
successfully filled it. He has charge of quite a
force of men in the shops, yards and round house,
and has a large amount of office work to look
after.
Mr. Brown has invented a patent valve
which is now in successful use on several engines
on the Lousiana division, one having been used
for three years and a half on a passenger engine
without being repaired. Ordinary valves re-
quire to be ground every few months. Engineers
speak in the highest terms of this invention, and
offers from locomotive manufacturers have been
received to apply it.
Several brothers of Mr. Brown have
been connected with the Illinois Central
Railroad Company, one of them familiarly
known as Dick Brown, was a bright young pas-
senger engineer, well known in New Orleans,
who had been connected with the passenger ser-
vice of the road for eight years. This young
man died in the prime of his manhood, from
what was supposed to be spinal trouble, traced
tc an accident while in the service. While com-
ing out of Vicksburg one morning, at a speed of
about fifteen miles an hour he stepped out on
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
527
the running board, "to tap the air pump, which
was not working well. He slipped and fell, but
being active, caught the end of the sleeper, and
passing through the cars reached his engine. On
arriving at New Orleans, he experienced some
pain, ami from that time gradually grew worse,
and finally died despite the best attention of
specialists. He was a very popular member of
his division of the B. of L: E., which defrayed
the entire expense of his illness, amounting to
seven hundred dollars, not permitting his rela-
tives to pay any part of it. Another brother of
Mr. Brown, John S. who died in 1876, was also
a popular engineer in the I. C. service.
Mr. Brown is a member of the Knights of
Honor, and Woodmen of the World. He owns
a spacious residence in McComb City, where he
resides with his wife, their four children, and
his mother, and is a very highly esteemed mem-
ber of the community.
JAMES E. POOLE, better knoon as "Ed".
is a native of Pittsburg, Pa., and is
one of the oldest men in the freight ser-
vice on the Chicago division of the
Illinois Central. January i, 1881, he commenced
firing on a switch engine at Kankakee for the
noted engineer. Peter Eich, who is now on the
middle division. He remained there eight months
and was then promoted to fireman on passenger
tor Stewart Hazlett and George Weatherhead,
between Kankakee and El Paso, in which ser-
vice he continued for ten months being then
transferred to the Chicago division. Our subject
fired a freight and through passenger until 1886,
and for three months prior to his examination
for engineer, he ran a switch engine in the yards
ai Chicago.
On September y, 1886, he passed his exam-
ination and was assigned a freight run on the
Chicago division, where he remained until 1890
and we next find him on the Chicago & North
Western, pulling freight there for six months
and then returning to the Illinois Central in
freight service until 1893. He was then put in
the World's Fair service, having a suburban run
until April 1899, when he returned to freight
service and has since been pulling the St. Louis
Manifest, with engine No. 331. His first engine
was the old twelve spot. Our subject is a
member of the B. of L. E., and has held office of
Guide for a number of years.
Mr. Poole married Miss Davis of Buckley,
Illinois. When he first came to the Chicago
division there were only six freight trains each
way a day. He brought the first stock train over
the C. M. & N. from Freeport to Chicago.
EORGE W. HASSMAN, the affable
and highly competent division fore-
man of the mechanical shops, on the
Aberdeen division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, at Durant, Mississippi, was born in Reading,
Pennsylvania, on July 3rd, 1861.
Louis H. Hassman, the father of our sub-
ject was born at Strasburg, Germany, on August
20. 1817. At the age of fifteen years he became
an apprentice machinist in his native place and
served four years time, completely mastering the
trade. He then travelled through Germany,
France, Switzerland and other countries, and in
1845, emigrated to America, landing in New
York in April of that year. Going to Philadel-
phia, he worked there for a short time, and in
1846 went to Reading, Pennsylvania, securing
a position with a firm of stationary engine
builders. In 1848 he entered the service of the
Philadelphia & Reading R. R. in the shops at
the latter place, serving twenty-eight years as
foreman of the stationary engine department,
and directing the erection of the extensive car
shops and rail mill. This remarkable old gentle-
man, bears the unique distinction of fifty years
service, in the shops of that company, and is
now, at the age of eigthy-three, still on duty
with vim and energy of many a younger man.
He has followed his trade of machinist sixty-
528
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
seven years, a record probably unequaled
throughout the whole United States. For the
last eight years he has been employed in the
locomotive department, fitting up the engine gear-
ing, and cab work. He performs his duties with-
out the use of spectacles, showing what a re-
markably well preserved man he is. He built the
first stationary engine used in a printing office
in the city of Reading, Pa., and did it without the
use of a lathe.
Mr. Hassman married a Miss Wayne, a de-
scendant of the family of Anthony Wayne, of
revolutionary fame. He has seven children, of
whom William Hassman, is superintendent of
motive power on the Vermont Central R. R.
It is needless to say that Mr. Hassman, Sr. is
a respected and honored citizen of Reading, Pa.,
where he has so long lived and been identified
with the leading industry of the place.
George W. Hassman the subject of our
sketch, began railroad life at the age of fourteen
in the Philadelphia & Reading shops, running a
steam hammer for two years at night, which
was in those days considered quite a feat for a
boy. He then served four years in the shops
under his father, being shown no favors but on
the contrary being held to account more strictly
than other boys, who were serving at the same
time. After finishing he went to the Enterprise
Works of Cleveland, Ohio, and later went to
St. Louis, where he was for a time in the employ
of the Iron Mountain R. R. and the machine
shops in that city. He then worked on the
Texas & Pacific R. R., next on the Gulf Coast
& Santa Fe, and then to the Missouri Pacific R.
R. as foreman in Kansas City, Kansas. From
August 1 88 1, to October 1884, he was round
house foreman at Cypress, Kansas. In 1885 he
served in the same capacity at Sedalia, Missouri,
and in March 1886 went to the Richmond &
Danville R. R. at Richmond, Va. His next work
was with the Baldwin Locomotive Works, where
he was employed in 1887, following which he
went to Paducah, Ky., working one year for the
Illinois Central in the round house at that point.
Leaving Paducah, Mr. Hassman next went to
Little Rock, thence to the northwest and New
Mexico. He then returned to Kansas City, Mo.,
and served as round house foreman for the Mis-
souri Pacific there, from 1892 to 1896. Resign-
ing that position he was for one year in the em-
ploy of the Santa Fe R. R. in New Mexico, and
left the latter to accept a position with the Illi-
nois Central, at Water Valley, Miss., where he
was employed until July 1898. In the spring of
1899 he was appointed division foreman for the
I C. at Durant, Miss., where he is now serving
and has charge of the mechanical department of
the Aberdeen division, and Tchula district. His
duties consist in looking after all the repair work
of seventeen engines. He has in his department
sixteen engineers, nineteen fireman, two hostlers,
two machinists, one boiler maker, besides the
• car inspectors, and a force of twenty-seven la-
borers. The shops and round house of the I. C.
at Durant, are considered the most complete of
any, south of the Ohio river.
Mr. Hassman married a beautiful and ac-
complished lady, the daughter of Henry Holmes,
who was a veteran engineer in the service of
the New York Central, and, at the time of his
death, in the employ of the West Shore R. R.
He had been in active service as engineer for
forty years. Mr. and Mrs. Hassman have one
son, Henry Hassman. a bright and promising
boy.
Mr. Hassman is a member of the Knights of
Pythias, of Kansas City. He is a man of more
than ordinary ability, discharging his duties in
the most satisfactory manner, and the officials of
the road recognize in him a valuable and trust-
worthy employe.
DWIN B. LUDWICK, a popular pas-
senger conductor on the Hodgenville
branch of the Louisville division of
the Illinois Central, was born in 1859.
in Mercer county, Kentucky, where he received
his early education. On February 29, 18/8, he
entered the service of the Paducah & Elizabeth-
town -Railroad as freight brakeman. After
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
531
working in this capacity fourteen months he
had his foot run over and was laid up for some
time, after which he resumed work, braking and
ir. 1882 was promoted to conductor. On account
of ill health he accepted a position in a baggage
car in 1888, running between Paducah and
Louisville, having charge of the baggage and
express. He was next promoted to conductor
on the Hodgenville branch. He runs in the
passenger and freight service and has charge
of the business of the branch. He has a good
record and is a thorough railroad man. Our
subject is an enthusiastic horseman, and, like a
true Kentuckian, owns several fine animals.
Mr. Ludwick married Miss Jessie, daughter
of Jacob Hubbard, at one time president of the
H. & E. Railroad. He is a member of the
Masonic order, being identified with the Blue
Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, also a member
of Division No. 89, O. R. C.
T. ARNN, a popular conductor in the
passenger service of the Louisville
' Q division of the Illinois Central, began
his railroad career in the service of
the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad.
In February 1885 he was promoted to conductor,
where he remained until 1892, when he quit and
went to Paducah, securing a place on the
Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern railroad, run-
ning between Paducah and Central City. In
1896 he was given a preferred freight run, be-
tween Paducah and Louisville, and on April 23,
1900, was promoted to the passenger service,
making his home in the latter city. Our sub-
ject's railroad record is a good one, never losing
any time in his long service.
Mr. Arnn was born in 1861 in Conyersville,
Tenn. His father, C. D. Arnn, who is of good
old Virginia stock, is an experienced railroad
blacksmith, and makes his home in Jackson, Tenn.
Our subject has a brother who for the past eight
years has served as conductor with a run between
Jackson and Mounds.
29
Mr. Arnn married Miss Arnn, of Tennessee,
and they have three children, Nettie May, Roy
Elmore and Beauton, all attending school. Our
subject is a member of Division No. 290, O. R.
C. and also of Plain City Lodge No. 449, A. F.
&A. M.
WEN DONNEGAN, or "Sergeant
Donnegan " as he is known, is probab-
ly one of the most interesting charac-
ters on the Memphis division of the
Illinois Central. He was born in Ireland and
came to this "country at the age of fourteen, his
lather dying when he was a small lad. He made
his home with an aunt in Nashville, Tenn., where
he learned the shoemaker's trade and became
expert making ladies' shoes, at which he worked
until 1868, when his mother died. Mr. Donne-
gan is known by everybody and many a joke
and good story is told about him by the older
men of the road. He commenced his railroad
career in 1870, on the section between Paducah
and Trimble, on the old Elizabethtown & Paducah
road, working on the construction one year, when
he quit and began firing with J. Carney on engine
No. 7, an old wood burner, after which he ran
a switch engine at Paducah. After promotion
he was sent out on a work train, hauling ties,
and was afterwards employed on a passenger
train two or three years, running the first train
into Newbern, in 1880. He ran the passenger
train several years when he took a freight run,
and at present he has a preferred run between
Paducah and Memphis. Our subject, in his
long service, has never received any severe in-
jury, but he has had many close calls. At one
time, while on engine No. 27, in the passenger
service, he struck a Paducah local engine No.
ii, and had a head end collision. Mr. Donne-
gan was thrown down a bank twenty feet but
escaped. Both engines were demolished but no
one was injured. At one time our subject was
given an extra to haul a train of vegetables,
called the extra special on train thirteen. The
532
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
train ahead stopped to pack a box and put out
no warning flag. He was going down grade
at a high rate of speed, struck the train, de-
molished his engine and the opposing train's ca-
boose, and was thrown out of cab with such force
as to break his watch, and lay him up one month
with his injuries. Mr. Donnegan, J. L. McGuire
and Pat Grogan are the oldest men on the Mem-
phis division of the Illinois Central. Mr. Donne-
gan came to Paducah, married a daughter of
Pat Kelly, a contractor who built a large part
of the Elizabethtown & Paducah road. They
have seven children, living, Ellen A., an ac-
complished young lady ; Pat T., a machinist ;
Mary C, Maggie C., Katie, Owen and Agnes. Mr.
Donnegan lost four children through death, Pat,
John, Isabelle and Anna Belle. Our subject is
a member of Division No. 225, B. of L. E., being
a charter member of the Division. He also be-
longs to the Catholic Knights of America, and
in 1878 joined the Catholic Knights and Ladies
of America. Mr. Donnegan is well known along
the line as " The Old Reliable." He has one of
the finest residences in Paducah, built from his
own plans, and is possessed of other real estate.
ILLIAM M. FRANTZ, freight and
ticket agent at Fort Dodge, has been
in the service of the company since
1876, having learned telegraphy and
received his first appointment, as operator, at
Charles City, Iowa. In the spring of 1878 he
was transferred to Epworth, where he remained
one month and then returned to Charles City.
In September of that year he was transferred
to Cherokee for a year's service as operator, going
thence to Pomeroy as agent, where he remained
three years. In the fall of 1882 he was appointed
agent at Cedar Falls and a year later was made
joint agent for the Central and the "Omaha"
road, at LeMars. remaining at that station until
the fall of 1891. After a year's service as train
dispatcher at Fort Dodge, Mr. Frantz served the
following year in the office at Cherokee. In the
fall of 1893 he returned to LeMars as freight
ardent where he was employed at the time of
his appointment as chief dispatcher at Cherokee,
in the fall of 1896, and a month later received
his present appointment at Fort Dodge.
Mr. Frantz was born at Olean, New York,
December 25, 1859, and received his education
in the schools of his native place and of Charles
City, Iowa, whither his mother moved after the
death of the father which occurred soon after the
war. The marriage of Mr. Frantz to Miss
Frances P. Price occurred at Pomeroy, Iowa,
in April 1882. Mr. Frantz is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, holding membership in the
Blue Lodge at LeMars, the Chapter and Com-
mandery.at Fort Dodge, and in El Kaher Temple
of the Mystic Shrine at Cedar Rapids. He also
affiliates with the Fort Dodge Lodge of Elks
and the Iowa Legion of Honor.
DSAAC F. BARNES, a popular and trusted
conductor of long service, on the Louisi-
ana division of the Illinois Central, is a na-
tive of Eastern Mississippi. He entered
the service of the I. C., in 1885, as brakeman
under Conductor Weight, and after two years
work in that department, was promoted to con-
ductor, where he has since remained. He has
had charge, during his career, of all kinds of
trains, and now has an extra passenger run on
the Louisiana division. His fifteen years ser-
vice with the company has been free from acci-
dents. He however sustained a painful injury
and had a narrow escape from death in 1898.
by being struck by a mail crane while extinguish-
ing a fire on the side of a cattle car on his train.
Mr. Barnes married Miss Bryant, a native of
Mississippi, and seven children have been born
to them, of whom five are living ; they are, Verna,
fourteen years old ; Henry, aged eleven, Newton,
aged nine ; Earnest, aged five, and Carl, aged
two. An infant, John Hurd, died when only
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
533
three days old. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes also lost
their oldest child, William I., on March n, 1898,
a young man just entering his seventeenth year.
He contracted blood poisoning from an unsuc-
cessful operation, for the removal of a crumb
which had lodged in his throat, and died after an
illness of nine days, despite the best medical at-
tendance. He had just graduated from the
Harris Business College with highest honors,
and had entered a career which promised to be a
bright and successful one, when claimed by death.
His short life was that of an honorable, Christian
youth, idolized by his parents, and loved by every
one.
Mr. Barnes is a member of Division No.
367, O. R. C., in which he has held several offices.
He is a substantial citizen of McComb City,
owning considerable property, and is held in
high esteem, by his many firm friends.
JOHN C. BISHOP, foreman of the car-
penter shops, for the Illinois Central at
McComb City, Miss., has been connected
with the company for thirty-four years.
He entered the service of the I. C. in the old
26th street shops, at Chicago, 111., where he first
worked in the freight, afterward in the passenger
department, finally taking charge of the carpen-
ter department which position he held three years
He then had charge of the passenger equipment,
under Mr. Sullivan, when he was transferred to
McComb City, as general foreman of all the
shops. This position he held for thirteen years,
and when it was abolished he entered the carpen-
ter shop as a workman, has gradually risen and
now has charge of the department. Mr. Bishop
was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April
22, 1859, and is a son of Captain William S. P.
Bishop, a sea-captain, who was engaged in ser-
vice between English and African ports. Both
he and his wife are now deceased.
Miss Mary L. Russell of St. John's, New
Brunswick, became the wife of our subject, and
they are the parents of three children. Mamie,
wife of John Seabey, of Brookhaven, Miss.,
Blanche, wife of Dr. Robertson, a prominent
physician of McComb City ; and Theo., a clerk
in the office of the master mechanic for the I.
C. at the latter place. A service of thirty-four
years in the employ of a company is a record of
which any man might be justly proud. Mr.
Bishop's long connection with the company has
been one of uniform satisfaction, and there is
not a more popular or well known man in the
service.
JH. QUINLAN first entered railroad
service at Dunleith (now called East
Q Dubuque) in 1869 as a messenger
boy etc., for Station Agent C. A.
Beck and continued in that capacity until Decem-
ber, when he quit and attended school that win-
ter. In June 1870 he began as a section hand
at the same place and continued until 1873 as
a laborer. On August u, 1873, he commenced
on construction train as brakeman between Ga-
lena and Dunleith and remained there until Sep-
tember 13, when he began as a brakeman on
freight between Dubuque and Amboy and con-
tinued six years, or until 1879, when he was
promoted to conductor and ran until 1882. He
was then given a regular train and continued
until June 1891, when he was transferred to the
Freeport division and received a regular passen-
ger run which he has held up to the present time.
He has had through passenger to Dubuque all
the time with the exception of one year, when he
ran between Chicago and Freeport. On Decem-
ber 15, 1875, in making a coupling he had his
right hand smashed and was laid up until April
1876. On December 20, 1890, he was jerked
off an engine going thirty miles an hour and was
seriously injured. At the time he began on the
Amboy division there were only three freight
trains each way a day.
He is a member of Division No. 235, O. R.
C., which he has served as chief conductor. He
534
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
is also a member of Lodge No. 294, M. W. of
A., of Dubuque.
Mr. Quinlan married Miss Kinslo and has
three children. T. J. Quinlan, a brother, is also
a passenger conductor running west of Dubuque
on the Iowa division.
NTHONY PICKART, who was born
in Milwaukee in 1858, commenced
service as a railroad employe in the
boiler shops at Weldon in the summer
of 1874 and continued there three years. He
then began firing in the Baltimore & Ohio yards,
where he remained four months. He was next
employed on the Champaign division of the I. C.
for about four months and then returned to the
Chicago division, firing on engine No. 188, for
A. Fortin, the "wild Frenchman", firing for him
two years, he then, by special request, went on
through passenger engine No. 118, for Charles
Draper and continued there until June 1881,
when he was promoted to engineer and began
in the yard service, his first engine being No.
117. He is a member of Division No. 10, B. of
L. E., of Burnside. Mr. Pickart married Miss
Anna Gustin and has four children, Annie,
Arthur J., Merlin L., and Eugene C. He owns
fine property at 2944 Wallace street, Chicago.
JOHN B. STEWART, a native of the sou h
was born at Maysville, Alabama, April
i, 1857. His father, William Stewart,
now deceased, was a merchant ; the
mother, who in maidenhood was Ann B. Barker,
has followed her husband to the great beyond.
J. B. Stewart attended the common schools of
his native county and until 1884 h^d been em-
ployed at farm work in various localities. Octo-
ber 24th of that year he secured a position with
the Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad as baggage
master, serving in that capacity two and a half
years when he was promoted to conductor in
the freight service. In 1892 he was again set
ahead and given charge of a passenger train,
running between Memphis and Grenada, Miss.
The marriage of Mr. Stewart was solemn-
ized on September 12, 1886, Miss Mary R. True,
becoming his helpmate. The two children born
to the.m are Fannie B., and Sallie T. Mrs
Stewart is a native of Gurley, Alabama. The
family are members of the Cumberland Presby-
terian church.
Mr. Stewart has taken three degrees in the
Masonic order and is a member of Division No.
175, O. R. C., of Memphis. In politics he is a
Democrat. Few who begin railroad life at the
age at which Mr. Stewart did rise as rapidly in
the service as he has done.
ZIAS S. MILLER, foreman of the
round house for the Illinois Central
at Canton, Miss., and an old and
valued employe, began his railroad
career in 1863, in the railroad shops at Lake,
Miss. In 1867 he was in the service of the old
Vicksburg & Meridian R. R. as engineer, and
remained with that company from 1863 to 1869,
after which he was, for a short time, with the
Mobile & Ohio R. R. as engineer at Jackson,
Tenn. He then went to Water Valley, Miss.,
and entered the service of the I. C. as engineer
in the passenger department on the Mississippi
division, serving from December 1869 to Febru-
ary 1871. It was while in that position that
Mr. Miller had a very narrow escape from death
in an accident. There was a washout on the road
at Malone, Miss., and his engine ran into it and
was wrecked. He was so badly injured that his
left leg had to be amputated, but being in no
wise to blame the company paid all consequent
expenses and allowed him his salary for the en-
tire two years, he was unable to wo-k. On his
recovery he was appointed foreman of the round
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
535
house at Water Valley, Miss., where he was for
a short time and was then transferred to Canton
in the same capacity, until 1875. He was next
sent to Durant, Miss., and for a short time, was
engineer on the Aberdeen branch of the road.
He was then appointed as engineer on the "Pay
Car and Specials" on the Louisiana division,
of the I. C. and also in charge of the inspection
train, that carried Messrs. Ackerman and Jeffery
on their tour of inspection. Mr. Miller then re-
turned to Canton, and resumed his former oc-
cupation as round house foreman, remaining
there until he was sent to Louisville, Ky., and
to Nashville, Term., to inspect engines that were
offered for sale to the I. C. company, he then for
the third time, returned to the round house at
Canton, and has since remained there. In 1878
during the yellow fever epidemic, Mr. Miller,
being an immune was one of the few men capa-
ble for duty, and in addition to his round house
duties, served as engineer between Canton
and Calhoun, Miss., also between Canton and
Rays Bluff. Mr. Miller was born in Attalla
county, Mississippi, a son of James P. and Dorcas
(Green) Miller. The mother was a descendant
of the Ball family of Washington fame. Mr.
Miller, Sr. was an extensive planter of North
Carolina and also in Mississippi, where both he
and his wife died.
Miss Florence Wallar, of London, England,
became the wife of Mr. Miller, and a family
of seven children were born to them, of whom
six are living: they are, Florence, John C., Ada,
Mary, Ruth, and Robert Lemar. Lucy died
while young.
Socially, Mr. Miller is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, and
the Knights of Honor, all of Canton. While
working as engineer, he was connected with the
Brotherhood, and was a delegate, in 1871, to
the convention at Toronto, Canada, and a1 so in
1872 to St. Louis, Missouri. His family are
members of the Episcopal church, of Canton.
Mr. Miller has been employed, during his
career, on the following roads which have been
absorbed by the I. C., viz: Lessees of Mis-
sissippi Central, New Orleans, Jackson &
Great Northern, New Orleans, St. Louis &
Chicago, and Chicago. St. Louis & New Or-
leans. He was engineer of the special that car-
ried Mr. Osborne and party, when the road was
bought. Captain Miller, as he is familiarly
known, is a man who counts his friends by the
score. His present force of fifty-five men are
handled in a way, that marks him as a man of
ability, all working together harmoniously and
having complete confidence in their foreman.
ILLIAM B. McKENNA, an old
and trusted employe of the Illinois
Central, employed as foreman in the
store room of the company, at
McComb City, Mississippi, was formerly master
mechanic for the Illinois Central at that place,'
and also at Clinton, Illinois. His first service
was with the "Big Four" R. R., where as a boy
of sixteen he worked for that company on a small
salary and remained in the service nine years,
receiving a salary of three and one half dollars
per day, before retiring.
In 1878 he received the appointment of
master mechanic, at Clinton, Illinois, for the
Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad (now the
1. C. R. R.) and held that position seven years.
On the acquisition of that road by the Illinois
Central, he was transferred to McComb City,
Miss., as master mechanic there, where he re-
mained seven and one half years. He was then
sent back to Clinton, resuming his former
position, and remaining there eleven months.
The following six years were spent at Durant,
Mississippi, as foreman of the Illinois Central
shops of the Aberdeen district. In July 1899
he returned to McComb City, where he has since
been employed as foreman in the store room.
Mr. McKenna was born at Manchester, England,
on Aug. 8th, 1839. James McKenna, the father
of our subject, was clerk in one of the large
glass works of England, and emigrated to
America with his family in 1849. Landing at
536
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
New Orleans, they proceeded by boat to Cincin-
nati, where he embarked in the bakery business.
Moving to Indianapolis, lie was in the same
business there for a time, and later moved to
Peru, Indiana, where he died, at the advanced
age of ninety-two years. W. B. McKenna, the
original of this sketch, married Miss Sarah E.
Tver of Indianapolis, Indiana, whose father was
an old railroad conductor. To them six children
were born, viz ; Lida, Catherine, George, Fannie,
Mazzie and Emma.
He is connected with the Masonic order,
being a member of De Witt Lodge, No. 84, of
Clinton, Illinois. Mr. McKenna and his wife
are members and staunch supporters of the
Presbyterian church, of which he is at present
a deacon. They reside in a commodious home
in McComb City, and are old and highly re-
spected residents of the place.
C. CAREY, conductor on the Free-
port division, Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born in Janesville, Wis.,
September 28, 1862, and is the son
of Thomas and Mathilda (Burdick) Carey. The
former, a farmer by occupation, died in 1864, the
latter is living in Belmond, Iowa.
H. C. Carey was educated in the public
schools of Durand, 111., Belmond, Iowa, and the
Janesville Business College. At the age of six-
teen he began herding cattle in Iowa and re-
mained in this employment for five years. He
then went to Wayne, 111., and entered the service
of M. W. Dunham, the largest breeder of fine
horses in the world, where he remained for a
period of six years. He then took a busin-ss
course at the Janesville Business College, and
went to Aurora, 111., where he clerked in the
Hotel Evans for about two months, then went
back to his old employer Mr. Dunham, wi'h
whom he remained about two years. June 8,
1892, Mr. Carey came to Freeport, and entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as a brakeman on
the Freeport division, running between Chicago
and Dubuque, and in March 1897 was promoted
to his present position of conductor.
Mr. Carey was married, March 8, 1893, to
Helen May Hammond, of Wayne, Illinois. Mrs.
Carey was born May 18, 1872. She was edu-
cated in the public schools of Wayne and also
took a course in the Academy at Elgin, Illinois.
Her union with Mr. Carey has been blest with
one child, Marian H., born April 7, 1894. Mr.
Carey is a member of the B. of R. T. In poli-
tics he affiliates with the Republican party.
RANK D. HENNEY, an engineer in the
service of the Illinois Central on the
Memphis division, entered the employ
of the company in August 1890. His
railroad career began on the Wabash Railroad,
as fireman between Danville and Quincy, Illinois,
where he was promoted to engineer in 1871.
He served as engineer in the freight and pas-
senger service, on that run, between eight and
nine years. The following eight years he was
on the Hudson River division of the New York
Central Railroad, between New York City and
Albany. After a service of three years with the
L. & M. C. R. R. between Louisville and
Lafayette, he returned to the Wabash, and was
on different parts of that sysetm until entering the
employ of the Union Pacific Railroad at Kansas
City, Missouri. He worked on nearly all the
branches of the latter road in the states of Kansas
and Nebraska during the two years he was con-
nected with the road, and then went to the
Kansas City Railroad between Memphis and
Birmingham, where he remained four years. He
then entered the service of the Illinois Central
and has since been with that road. Mr. Henney
is a native of Center county, Pennsylvania, born
April 8, 1848. His father, William C. Henney,
was in the water works there, and departed this
life in Green county, Missouri. William C.
Henney Jr.. a brother of our subject, resides in
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
537
Kansas City ; and Burnett, another brother,
resides at Springfield. Illinois, where he has
charge of the electric light plant in the Leland
Hotel of that city. Mr. Henney married Miss
Belle Stanton, a native of Massachusetts, and
three children have been born to them, DeClercq,
Jay S., and Burnett M.
He has been a member of Macon Lodge, No.
8, A. F. & A. M., of Decatur. Illinois, since 1872.
and is connected with Division No. 23, B. of
L. E., of Memphis, but was formerly a member of
Division No. 281, B. of L. E., at Vicksburg,
Mississippi. Mrs. Henney is a member of
Success Lodge, No. 159, Woman's Auxiliary,
B of L. E.
Mr. Henney has seen service on a number
of roads and has been fortunate during his
career to escape wrecks of a serious nature. He
is a popular man on the Memphis division.
and has charge of the tool room of the 27th street
shops and round house, he mastered his trade
by earning a Young Men's Christian Association
scholarship and taking a course in the Chicago
School of Electricity ; John is a graduate of the
Chicago High and Manual Training School, and
also of the Armour Institute, in the latter school
he constructed an engine during his course that
i3 a fine piece of small machinery ; Robert is also
a graduate of the Chicago High and Manual
Training School, where he learned the cabinet
maker's trade and machine work, his work even
while in school was of such high grade that the
professor bought it of him for presents. The
names of the other two children are Bessie and
Mable.
JAMES H. BANTA, whose home is at
7040 Stony Island avenue, ranks second
in the order of seniority among the Illi-
nois Central engineers in Chicago. He
began his railroad career as a brakeman in 1861,
tollowing that line of work for a short time,
and also spent a few months in the boiler shops.
He then served for a time in the capacity of fire-
man, but since October 4, 1865, has held his
position on the right side of the engine. His
first two weeks as engineer were spent on a
switch engine, and then for three years, ran on
the main line from Dubuque, Iowa, to Wapella,
Illinois. In 1872 Mr. Banta was given a run
on an accommodation train between Chicago and
Oilman, and is now in charge of engine No. 906,
on the same line.
Mr. Banta is a native of the town of Mt.
Yernon, Westchester county, New York. Jan.
1 6, 1871, he married Miss Ella McKnight, and
of the eight children that have blessed their
wedded life six are now living, namely: Susan
M.: James Harry is an Illinois Central employe,
ILLIAM F. SHOFFNER, freight
and passenger agent at Water
Valley, was born in Marshall county,
Mississippi, July 3, 1865, a son of
Dr. James H. ShofTner, a sketch of whom appears
elsewhere in this work. His parents moved from
Marshall county and shortly after their locating
at Water Valley he secured employment in the
service of what is now the Illinois Central, as
office boy, being soon promoted to clerk. After
about two years here and in the telegraph de-
partment, he was appointed agent at Ackerman,
Mississippi, where he remained six years and
was then transferred to Durant, serving one year
at that point. He was next assigned to the
freight department at Jackson, Tenn., and on
October i, 1892, was appointed freight and pas-
senger agent at Water Valley, where he has since
been engaged. Mr. Shoffner was married in
Water Valley, December 2, 1898, to Miss Willie
Douglas, and to them have been born two sons,
Douglas and Emmet.
He is a Mason of high degree, holding mem-
bership in the Blue Lodge, No. 145, at Jackson,
Tennessee, in McConnico Chapter, No. 92, and
St. Cyr Commandery, No. 6, at Water Valley,
and Hamasa Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at
538
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Meridian, Miss. The Knights of Honor and the
Elks Lodge, No. 456, of Water Valley, also claim
his allegiance. As a business man he stands
high and as a railroad man is all that could bs
desired by his employing corporation. By his
affability and prompt attention to business he has
made himself popular .with the patrons of the
road doing business at Water Valley.
JAMES SMITH, an old employe of the
Illinois Central, is a car-repairer in the
yards of the company, at Canton, Miss.
He entered the service of the company
in the fall of 1858 as watchman, in the city of
Xew Orleans, and has since remained with the
road in various capacities until the present time.
Mr. Smith was born in Derby, England, on
March 4, 1820, emigrating to America in 1840,
and landing in New Orleans. He was in the
United States army for five years, and is now a
pensioner. He married Miss Dolan, a native of
Ireland, who departed this- life in 1898. Mr.
Smith has two sons in the Illinois Central service ;
James, an engineer at Canton, Mississippi, and
Samuel, a switchman. His long connection with
the road, has made Mr. Smith well known to
the employes.
'ILLIAM S. KING, superintendent
of the Mississippi division of the
Illinois Central, has been in railroad
service since 1878. The first ten
years were in the service of the C. C. C. & St.
L., rising from water boy on the section to sta-
tion baggage master and clerk, and the latter
years as telegraph operator and train dispatcher.
In August 1888 he entered the employ of the
C. & O. Ry. as train dispatcher and rose to the
position of chief dispatcher and train master,
filling that position at the time of his resignation
ir the spring of 1892. March 10, of the last named
ytar he accepted the superintendency of the New
Orleans division of the L. N. O. & T. railroad
and continued in the service of the Y. & M. V.
toad on its succession to the property of the
former line, August 31, 1892, until his transfer
to his present position September I, 1895. Mr.
King is a native of Milford Center, Ohio. Of
his marriage to Miss Mary Vise a son was born,
Eugene W. who died in New Orleans in 1893.
Socially he is a member of the lodge of Elks,
No. 192, of Jackson. He is a railroad man of
wide experience and, having worked his way from
the lowest round of the ladder up, has a wide and
accurate knowledge of every detail of railway
operation.
LOUIE VAUPEL, an engineer on the
Evansville passenger transfer was born
in Evansville, 1871, a son of Henry
Vaupel. Our subject was reared by
his aunt and received his education in Evansville.
When but sixteen years of age he began work in
the mechanical department of the L. & N. shop
at Howell, Indiana. He later went on the Ohio
Valley Railroad as fireman and served all over
the middle division or the old C. O. & S. W.
In 1896 he became regular engineer and ran the
freight transfer engine at Evansville, soon being
promoted to a passenger engine. Mr. Vaupel
has never been injured or received any bad
marks, he is a self made man and be it said to
his credit, has supported his aunt from the time
he was sixteen years of age. He now resides
with her and cares for her at the age of eighty-
two years. He has great talent for drawing,
especially engines, and many familiar "iron
horses" on the line have been depicted with his
pencil and adorn several of the mechanical offices
on the Louisville division of the Illinois Central.
One was in the master mechanic's office and was
pronounced perfect by the engineers and artists.
He is a genius in his way.
Mr. Vaupel is a quiet, unassuming gentle-
man, a general favorite with all. He belongs to
the P.. of L. E. and the P.. of L. F.
JOHN S. WILLIAMS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
541
JOHN S. WILLIAMS, a conductor run-
ning out of Memphis, is a son of Dr.
John S. Williams, a prominent physician
for many years in Arkansas, and a sur-
geon from 1 86 1 to 1865 in the Confederate army.
He died in 1880. His wife, Frances Lawrence,
died September 30, 1870. Mr. Williams has one
brother, W. F. Williams, a prominent physician
in Hazen Station, Ark., and has two sisters in
Memphis. Mrs. J. G. Cooper, and Miss Mollie.
John S. Williams was born in Prairie Co.,
Ark.. September 30, 1867, and attended the pub-
lic schools of his native county until the death of
his father, when he removed to Memphis and
continued his education in the schools of the
city. At the age of eighteen he entered the store
of J. B. Pate & Co., at Water Valley, Miss., as a
clerk, remaining about a year. He secured a
place on the Illinois Central as brakeman, run-
ning between Water Valley and Canton for a
twelve-month, then went to Memphis and for
several months was engaged in the office of the
Memphis Avalanche. Returning to railroad
work he secured a position on the Mississippi
& Tennessee road as brakeman and in 1889 was
promoted to freight conductor running between
Memphis and Grenada. In 1896 he was again
advanced and given a passenger run between the
same points. Miss Clara Kelly, of Coffeeville,
Miss., was the name of the girl that became Mrs.
Williams, and the date of the ceremony was
October 17, 1888. Mrs Williams is a daughter
of J. F. and Emma (Collins) Kelly, natives of
Mississippi, now residents of Memphis, where
Mr. Kelly is and has been jailor for the past four
years. One son, Lawrence K., has been born to
to them. They are adherents to the Presbyterian
faith. Mr. Williams is prominent in fraternal
circles, especially in the Masonic fraternity, being
a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Comman-
dery. Mystic Shrine, and is now a thirty-second
degree Mason. In the Knights of Pythias he has
taken the subordinate and uniform rank degrees.
He has joined the Elks, and is enrolled in the
Memphis Division of the O. R. C. In politics he
is to be found in the Democratic ranks.
C. CLARK, the courteous and ac-
commodating agent for the 111. Cen-
tral, at Polo, Illinois, was born May
27, 1847. His educational training-
was acquired in the public schools of Jamestown,
New York. In 1866 he came west, locating at
Hastings, Minnesota, where he worked at various
occupations until May 1867, most of the time
as a clerk in a general merchandise store. He
then went to Polo, Illinois, accepting a position
as station baggageman for the Illinois Central
and working in that capacity until November
1867. He was then promoted to clerk in the
freight office there, occupying that position for
ten years, when he was appointed agent for the
company at that point and continues in that
capacity at the present time. Mr. Clark was, in
April 1882, united to Miss Ida Shuber, and has
a family of three children. Mr. Clark is a very
accommodating official, having the esteem of
the traveling public at Polo, and his long incum-
bency in office shows him to be an honorable
and straight forward man.
A. RUGG, whose home is at 4218
r Ellis Ave., ranks first in the order
O of seniority in Chicago, being the
oldest engineer on the Chicago divi-
sion. Mr. Rugg's first railroad experience was
on the Michigan Central Railroad, where he
began when very young, as fireman under en-
gineer Ed. Wilcox. He took great interest in his
work and was soon promoted to a seat on the
right side of the cab. March 9, 1863, while still
a young man, he began work in the capacity
of engineer for the Illinois Central Company.
During the following year, he spent a few months
on the Racine & Mississippi Railroad, but on
January 11, 1865, he returned to the Illinois
Central. During the years between May I, 1875,
and December i, 1877, he served as foreman of
the shops at Champaign, and from December i,
1877. until January 22, 1882, as train master
542
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
between Centralia and Cairo. At his own re-
quest, Mr. Rugg then became an engineer again,
with a run out from Chicago.
In 1864 Mr. Rugg was married, in Chicago,
to Miss Aurelia S. Russell, and their wedded life
has been blessed to them by the advent of a
family of three children. Mr. Rugg has affil-
iated with the B. of L. E. for thirty-six years,
holding his membership in Division No. 10, at
Burnside.
neer.' His first and last question was after the welfare
of the passengers and crew. When he knew they were
safe his soul went up alone.
Are all the crew safe and the passengers too?
Yes, you say? Thank God that is clever.
And his soft eyes closed and his pale face smiled
As he whistled down brakes forever."
ILLIAM RUFFIN, one of the best
loved engineers that ever made
Water Valley his home, has left a
tender memory in the hearts of his
associates there. His old friend, Edward Crisp,
since a victim of a similar fate, made especial
request that something of his record be preserved.
William Ruffin was a native of Toone Station,
a short distance south of Jackson, and was reared
in his native place, where he first served the
company as stationary engineer. He secured a
position as fireman about 1881 and four years
later was promoted to the other side of the cab
and given a run in the freight service. The last
three years of his life he was at the head of a
passenger train and was there, on duty, when the
accident that crushed out the life of a hero
occurred. An extract from the Water Valley
paper published at the time voices the sentiment
of his colleagues better than could be written here.
"There was an accident on the Illinois Central
above Water Valley last Monday night and the first
tidings from the scene were horrifying. Later it was un-
derstood that but one life was lost. The engineer while
heroically standing at his post went down with his en-
gine as it plunged through the bridge. His was the
precious life that was lost, yet relaters of the accident
speak of it as not so bad after all — nobody was killed
but the engineer. Only an engineer. Was ever a man
entrusted with a holier, more responsible duty than the
custody and care of human lives? When a man dies in
the fulfillment of such a duty the only thing about him
that is not an angel is his overalls.
Wm. Ruffin was the name of the hero who died at
his post that fateful night, yet he was 'only an engi-
JOHN B. EDAMS, ex-master mechanic of
the Illinois Central Railroad, is a native
of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he
was born on August 7th, 1832. Mr.
Edams was educated in the public schools of
Philadelphia, and at the age of seventeen decided
to become a telegrapher, which art was at that
time in its infancy. He found an opening in an
office, and was put to work every morning with
a broom to sweep out the office, which he did and
did well, but concluded after a short trial that
he was not adapted to that line of work, especially
as the greater part of it seemed to be acquired
by the use of a broom, so he "resigned" and went
fishing. A few days later he apprenticed him-
self to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co.,
to learn the trade of a machinist, and worked for
that company two years. He then secured em-
ployment with J. P. Morris & Co., steamboat
and stationary engine builders, and was in the
shops of that company for two years. Return-
ing to the P. & R. R. R. Co., he was in their
employ six months, and then decided to go west.
He reached Lafayette, Indiana, working there
for six months, and from there went to East St.
Louis, in the service of the Ohio & Mississippi
Railroad, which was then under course of con-
struction. Owing to the sickly condition of the
city at that time he went to Quincy, Illinois,
remaining in the latter city two months. He
then returned to Philadelphia, going thence to
Cumberland, Md. At the latter -place he was in
the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. for
a year, and at the expiration of that time, came
west again, locating in Amboy, Illinois. On
April 2. 1856, he entered the service of the Illi-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
nois Central, at Aniboy, as a journeyman ma-
chinist, being successively promoted to night
foreman, then day foreman of the round house,
from there to general foreman of the machinery
department, and on the 24th day of September
1863, to master mechanic of the northern division.
All of these promotions being in less than seven
and one half years, proved not only the esteem in
which he was held by his superiors, but the
marked ability of the man, which characterized
his many years of service.
Mr. Edams held the position of master
mechanic uninterruptedly from September 24,
1863, until April i, 1893, at which time it was
' decided to make a change at Amboy, and he was
offered a similar position to the one he held at
another point on the system. On account of
illness in his family, he was compelled to decline
the offer. Since retiring from the service Mr.
Edams has been engaged in domestic persuits,
taking a general interest in the city of Amboy,
where he is generally known and has lived so
long. He enjoys the best of health and is as
vigorous and active, apparently, as at any time
of his life.
JB. KEMP, superintendent of the Aber-
deen division of the Illinois Central,
O was born at Milford, Delaware, in
1843, anc' was reared to manhood on
the eastern shore of Maryland. Mr. Kemp's
career as a railroad man began in 1867, on the
Union Pacific Railroad. He entered the service
of the Mississippi Central, (now the Illinois
Central) in 1869, as agent at Canton, Mississippi.
In December 1875 he was appointed superin-
tendent of the Mississippi division, with head-
quarters at Water Valley, Miss. In 1877 he re-
signed from the employ of the road, and in 1878
re-entered the service as agent at Grenada, Miss.,
and remained there until August 1884, when he
was promoted to the office of superintendent
of the Aberdeen division. In December 1888
IK was transferred to Memphis, as superintendent
of the Memphis division, and in April 1898, was
again placed in charge of the Aberdeen division,
with headquarters at Durant, Miss., where he
i.- now located.
As an official of the Illinois Central Mr.
Kemp is a most popular man, discharging his
duties in a highly satisfactory manner.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
ILLIAM HENRY McGRAW, de-
ceased, was an old and popular
engineer on the Amboy division of
the Illinois Central. Mr. McGraw
was born on April 19, 1831, in Schoharie county,
State of New York, and was the son of John
W. and Jane (Chilson) McGraw. In the fall
of 1856 Mr. McGraw, then a young man of
twenty five, went -west locating in Amboy, 111.
He at once entered the service of the Illinois
Central as locomotive fireman, when on July 5,
1859, he was promoted to engineer in the freight
service. Remaining in that branch of the service
for five years, he was then promoted to the pas-
senger service, and for over twenty one years,
was continuously in that position, most of the
time on the same engine, No. 23. His untimely
death in an accident, at La Salle, Illinois, Dec.
23, 1885, was mourned by all, but most by his
devoted wife who still survives him.
RANK WESTCOTT, a retired engineer
residing at Amboy, Illinois, and for
many years a trusted employe of the
Illinois Central, was born in Catskill,
Green county, New York, on August 8, 1830.
He began his railroad career as a fireman, on the
Boston & Fitchburg Railroad, where he served
eighteen months. He then took a similar
position on the Troy & Boston Railroad, re-
maining there about a year. In 1854 he came to
544
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the west and entered the service of the Illinois
Central, stopping at Shippingsport, until the
completion of the bridge over the Illinois river.
He was then promoted to engineer on a con-
struction train engaged in laying track between
Clinton and Decatur, Illinois. When that branch
was completed he had the honor of taking the
first freight train over the division, between
Wapella and Centralia, Illinois. In 1855 Mr.
Westcott was promoted to the passenger service
between Amboy and Wapella, Illinois, where he
remained continuously for thirty-six years. The
manner of his resignation was unique and in
perfect keeping with the man. He took a lay-
off for a fishing trip to the Rock river with a
number of the boys and never again reported
for duty.
Our subject is the only living member of
the original organization of the Brotherhood of
the Footboard, at Amboy, receiving the orginal
work from the organization at Freeport, in 1863.
This Order was afterward known as the Brother-
hood of Locomotive Engineers, in which Mr.
Westcott alwavs takes an active interest.
DGAR W. DANA, general foreman at
Council Bluffs, comes of a railroad
family. His father, E. O. Dana, a
sketch of whom appears elsewhere in
this work, has for years been prominent in the
mechanical department of the Central. The
subject of this sketch was born in Kankakee,
.Illinois, May 25, 1869, and was educated in the
schools of Champaign. He entered the service
of the Central at Freeport in 1889 as clerk in the
office of the master mechanic and later worked for
a time as machinist in the shops ; later he became
foreman and was serving as chief clerk in the
master mechanic's office, when he was appointed,
December 14, 1899, general foreman of the shops
at Council Bluffs on the opening of the Omaha
division to traffic. Since 1889 he has been con-
tinuously in the service of the Central, except
a twelvemonth during 1892 and '93, when he
was under the tutelage of a private teacher
studying higher mathematics, fitting himself for
a broader field in his chosen calling.
Mr. Dana is a member of the Masonic ord.r,
holding membership in Excelsior Lodge No. 97,
and Chapter No. 23, at Freeport, Illinois. He
became a charter member of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks when a lodge of that
order was instituted at Council Bluffs. With
practical experience and special study, Mr. Dana
has laid the foundation for a successful career
as a railroad man.
LWOOD E. BAER, chief clerk in the
superintendent's office at Cherokee,
Iowa, began railroad work at Newell,
la., in 1887, as station clerk. Learn-
ing telegraphy he served for a short time as
operator on the Mason City & Ft. Dodge R. R.,
but soon returned to the Illinois Central as agent
and operator at Barnum, where he served one
year and two months. Transferred to the
superintendent's operator clerk and after two
years and nine months service was appointed
stenographer, having learned that art. April
15, 1892, he was appointed chief clerk to the
superintendent and has since filled that important
position with business tact and judgment.
Mr. Baer is a native of Elkhart county, Ind.,
born January 28, 1864. His parents shortly
after moved to Michigan and thence to Kansas,
where our subject received his education in the
schools of Burlington. On attaining his ma-
jority Mr. Baer engaged in stock farming for
two years at West Plains, Missouri, and then
went to Iowa, where he began his railroad career
on the date above mentioned.
Mr. Baer was married in Washington, D.
C., October 18, 1892, to Miss Edith E. Meyer.
One son, Francis M. has been born of this union.
Our subject is a member of Speculative Lodge,
Xo. 307, A. F. and A. M., Burning Bush
Chapter, No. 90, R. A. M., Crusade Commandery
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
545
No. 39, K. T., all of Cherokee ; and, with his wife,
is a member of the Order of Eastern Star. He
was initiated into the mysteries of. the Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine in Kaaba Temple, at Daven-
port ; also a member of the insurance order
Highland Nobles, of Cherokee. Mr. Baer has
avoided as much as possible all political prefer-
ments, but at the earnest solicitations of his
friends he consented to become a candidate for
the position of treasurer of the school board, to
which he was elected by a handsome majority.
ENJAMIN E. HARRELL, an engineer
on the Louisiana division of the Illi-
nois Central, entered the service of the
company in 1891. He began railroad
work on the Louisville & Nashville R. R. and
was afterward with the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe, before coming to the Illinois Central,
where he now has a run, on the Louisiana divi-
sion, between McComb City, and Canton Missis-
sippi. Mr. Harrell was born on January 21,
1863. in Richmond, Virginia. He was united to
a .Miss Panky, and has five children. Socially,
he is member of Division No. 196, B. of L. E.,
also the Elks organization, of McComb City,
where he resides, and is a respected citizen.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
OO. BRICE, a young and rising con-
ductor in the freight service of the
]_l Ho mi110'5 Central, on the Louisiana
division, was born in Atlanta, Ga.
His father was a scene painter, by profession,
and an artist of great merit, who had studied
abroad. Mr. Brice began his career on the Ala-
bama & G. P. R. R. where he was for two years
assistant yard master. Going to Knoxville, he
was appointed chief clerk to the superin-
tendent, working in that capacity three years,
and from there to the Sea-board Air Line. He
then came to McComb City, and took a position
as clerk, .afterward as switchman, then as brake-
man, and in November 1899, was promoted to
conductor, where he is now serving. Mr. Brice
married Miss Pettigrew, of Wesson, Mississippi.
They have one child, Bessie Lee. He was for-
merly secretary of Pearl River Lodge, No. 264,
of McComb City, and has kindly furnished the
Historical company with the following data:
Pearl River Lodge, No. 264, was organized
on August 28, 1888, with the following charter
members ; W. W. Spurlock, Chief ; J. E. Kelly,
B. T. Brosiel, Z. T. Marsalis, J. M. Cousins, E.
D. Iron, H. A. Robinson, G. E. McCann, I. T.
Barnes, and J. W. Waddell. The Lodge now
has one hundred members, and is in an excel-
lent condition, paying three hundred dollars
monthly to the Grand Lodge. The officers at
the present time are: G. E. Benton, Master; B.
A. Rhodes, Master of Finance ; W. H. Davis,
Conductor ; T. P. Haddock, Secretary, and H.
O. Brice, Collector.
JAMES WOOD, an Illinois Central engi-
neer, whose home is in Dubuque, Iowa,
has been employed on what is now a part,
of the Illinois Central system that crosses
Iowa, longer than any other man in the state.
He began with construction work in December,
1855, under Colonel R. D. Mason, when he was
a mere boy, doing the work of a rodsman under
Civil Engineer Provost. The line was known
then as the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad. The
road was completed as far as Julien in 1856,
but the track was not laid to Independence until
the year 1859. In 1859 Mr. Wood began firing,
running west from Dubuque, but after eighteen
months of this kind of work he went to Nashville,
Tenn., where he was employed by the Govern-
ment as engineer during the war. . Soon after
this, however, he was taken sick and returned
to Dubuque where he spent six or seven years
before he entirely recovered. When he again
546
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
resumed his work, his run was on the divisions
north and south from Centralia, 111., where he
was employed for five months. Just before the
Illinois Central company leased the Dubuque &
Sioux City line, Mr. Place wrote,- our subject
to join him at Dubuque, and since that time he
has been with the Illinois Central company. He
has been identified with railroading in nearly
every stage of its development. He has seen
strap rails in Pennsylvania ; he began firing on a
wood burner and brought the first coal burner
into the state of Iowa.
SLEECK STEARNS, engineer of a
stationary engine at Waterloo, is a na-
tive of the town of Castleton, Rensse-
laer county, N. Y. He first began rail-
roading with the New York Central & Hudson
River Railroad, running between Albany and
Poughkeepsie. Shortly after this, however, he
was engaged on the river boats and from there
transferred to the California trade. In 1854,
he was employed as engineer of the famous
"North Star" that became a part of the govern-
ment fleet during the Civil war, and in this ca-
pacity ran between New York and Aspinwall
for about six months and was in port when the
first train crossed on the Isthmus Railroad.
Later he served on the "Schuyler" and the
"Anna", boats on the Hudson river. In Janu-
ary 1856, Mr. Stearns married and moved to
Iowa where he lived on a farm until early in
1861, and was serving on the United States Grand
Jury when the Civil war broke out. In July,
of the same year, he returned to New York and
operated the engine of the "Corning" until fall
and then served on the "Andrew Harder" until
the river froze over in December. Mr. Stearns
then sent for his family to join him in New
York. When the last named boat was leased
to the government our subject was sent with it
around Hiltonhead, and subsequently served for
a short time on the "Ohio" and the "Austin". In
1873 Mr. Stearns again came west and in
August of that year began work on the Dubuque
division of the Dubuque & Sioux City RaLroad.
Next he served as fireman and hostler for six
years in the round house at Waterloo, then
seventeen years on freight and passenger runs.
Mr. Stearns sat on the right side of the engine
that pulled the first passenger train on the Man-
chester & Cedar Rapids line, but later took a
freight run from Waterloo to Lyle. December
II, 1896, owing to failing vision, he retired from
the line and ran a hoisting engine in the yards
until October i, 1897, and since this date has
had charge of the stationary engine at the shops
at Waterloo. Although Mr. Stearns has spent
many years on the railroad and his engine has
several times left the track and piled up in the
ditch, he never met with a serious injury.
Socially our subject affiliates with Division
No. 114, B. of L. E., of Waterloo, of which he
has been a member since 1884.
Mr. Stearns was married at Castleton, N.
Y., to Miss Mary Elizabeth Munger, and to
them have been born eight children, seven of
whom are living. John Graham, whose home is
at Memphis, Tenn. ; Ida, died at the age of four
weeks ; Frederick Henry, an engineer on the
Waterloo division; Frank P., at Mitchell, S.
Dak. ; Marian, wife of George Barrows, of Chi-
cago; Bessie M., wife of A. W. Gurnsey, of Chi-
cago; Joseph, living in Chicago; and Dollie, who
still makes her home under the parental roof.
IDNEY J. HARPER, the capable and
popular foreman of the Illinois Central
round house, at McComb City, Miss.,
has held that position since 1897. He
entered the service of the Illinois Central in 1887
as an apprentice in the McComb City shops,
and was for a time after finishing, in the employ
of the Southern Pacific R. R. as a machinist in
Texas, and in New Orleans. Mr. Harper was
born in New Orleans on May 22, 1869, and is a
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
547
son of John Harper, whose biography appears
elsewhere in this work. Miss Mildred Burton
of Greensburg, Louisiana, became the wife of
Mr. Harper, and two children have been born to
them ; Russell and Sidney. Both Mr. Harper
and his wife are adherents of the Presbyterian
church. He belongs to the Masonic Order, the
Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor, and
Modern Woodmen of the World.
A force of seventy-five men are under the
supervision of Mr. Harper, keeping him busy.
He is serving in his present capacity with the
best results, and is discharging his duties with
fidelity and promptness.
S. EARNIST, conductor on the Am-
boy division, Illinois Central Rail-
road, was born in Delphi, Carroll
county, Indiana, March 17, 1854.
He was educated in the schools of Butler county,
Iowa, whither the family had moved in 1857,
working on his father's farm in summer and at-
tending school in winter. In 1875 ne entered the
service of the B. C. R. & N. R. R. as a laborer
on a section where he remained one year. In
1880 he began braking on the same road, remain-
ing in that position until the spring of 1882 when
he went to Wadina, Minnesota, and was con-
nected with the Northern Pacific Elevator Co.
for two years. In the spring of 1884, Mr.
Earnist began braking for the Northern Pacific
and in the autumn of the same year was promoted
tc conductor, and remained with the company
until March 1889, when he went to Chadron,
Nebraska, and in September accepted a position
as brakeman on the F. E. & M. V. R. R. of the
Northwestern R. R. system, but at the end of
sixty days his ability was recognized by promo-
tion to conductor which position he continued
tn hold until July 1892. His service with the
I. C. R. R. began in March 1893, when he ac-
cepted a position as brakeman at Freeport, and
in. the following November, was promoted to
conductor, where he remains to date. On the
26th of March, 1899, Mr. Earnist met with an
accident in which he had a narrow escape from
death. While at Dixon, 111., he stepped in front
oi' a moving train, and fell between the rails,
three trucks passing over him without injury.
July n, 1874, Mr. Earnist was married to
Miss Maggie Northfoss, of Greene, Iowa. Mrs.
Earnist was born October 8, 1854. By her union
with Mr. Earnist she is the mother of three chil-
dren : William W., born April 5, 1875, is a con-
ductor on the I. C. R. R. residing in Freeport;
Lester L., born December 17, 1876, at home, is
also a conductor on the I. C. R. R., and makes
his home in Freeport ; Marie V., born June 19,
1881, was educated in the public schools and is
now living at home engaged in teaching music.
The family are regular attendants of the First
Baptist church of Freeport. Mr. Earnist has
been a member of the O. R. C. since 1887 and has
served as an officer several times, is also a
member of the A. O. U. W., and votes the Re-
publican ticket.
JAMES E. LIPSEY, conductor on the
Memphis division, has been in railroad
service since his boyhood and has never
been occupied in any other field of
labor. His birth occurred in Lafayette county,
Mississippi, May 4, 1854. He is a son of A. G.
and L. B. (Marquette) Lipsey, the latter of whom
is residing at Water Valley, Mississippi, while
the former died a short time after the boy was
born. After attending the schools of Water Val-
ley, Mr. Lipsey entered the employ of the Mis-
sissippi Central office as office boy and attending
to the mail. When older he secured a place in
a foundry and for eighteen months was employed
in that department. Securing a position as
brakeman he ran between Canton, Mississippi,
and Jackson, Tennessee, three years and eight
months under Conductor J. W. Rust. On pro-
motion he was given the same run for eleven
years before being transferred to Memphis, on
548
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
which division he ran three years and was then
promoted to the passenger service in which he
has, at the present time been engaged over ten
years. October 16, 1883 is the date of the wed-
ding of Mr. Lipsey to Miss Augusta Hoke who
is a native of Pittsboro, Mississippit-and was a
resident of Water Valley at the time of the wed-
ding. They are the parents of three children,
James E., Wiley Hoke and Ray Gates. The
family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Lipsey is a member of Memphis Divi-
sion No. 175, O. R. C. In his nearly thirty years
in the operative department of the railroad and
over thirty years of service of all kinds, he has
shown himself efficient in every station in which
he has been placed and his steady rise and long
continuance in the train service show that he
is a man to be trusted wherever he may be
placed.
McCOURT, superintendent of the
Chicago division of the Illinois Cen-
LQ tral, began his railroad career in May
1881, as a track man at Williams,
In 1882 he went to Fort Dodge and se-
cured a position as brakeman which he retained
until the fall of the following year when he was
promoted to the position of conductor. During
the following seven years he was in charge of
freight trains in all parts of the Iowa division,
and incidentally took an occasional extra pas-
senger run. During the winter of 1887-8 and
the following spring he did construction work
on the Sioux Falls branch.
In 1890 Mr. McCourt was made agent at
Cherokee, Iowa, and later was appointed train
master of the two branches that radiate from the
main line, at that point, and in April, 1892, was
transferred to the main line. Early in 1896 he
was appointed superintendent of the Amboy
division and located in the city of Amboy, but
in April of the same year, was again transferred
to Carbondale, 111., where he remained as super-
intendent until his promotion to the Chicago
division in the spring of 1900.
Iowa.
Mr. McCourt was born in Glasgow,
Scotland, but came to America with his parents
when he was quite small. He was united in
marriage, at Newell, Iowa, to Miss Eva I. Lee,
of that city, and four children, Grace, Lee T.,
Jennie and Everett, have been born to them.
Socially Mr. McCourt affiliates with the Masonic
fraternity, holding his membership in Lodge No.
38, and has attained the Knight Templar degree.
ILLIAM ALFRED KELLOXD,
assistant general passenger agent
of the southern lines of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, and
oi" the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Com-
pany, with headquarters at Louisville, Ky., was
born at Montreal, Canada, in 1854 and is a son
of Robert Kellond, who is still a resident of that
city; entered the railroad service in March 1870
in the audit office of the Grand Trunk Railway
at Montreal, Canada ; was subsequently trans-
ferred to the mechanical department of the same
line, where he remained until Oct. 1880, when
he was chief clerk of the mechanical department
on the Western division with office at Stratford,
Ontario ; resigned to accept position in the law
department of the Louisville & Nashville Rail
road Company, at Louisville, Ky., in which he
acted as secretary to chief attorney, and sub-
sequently as chief clerk of the law department
until February i, 1885, when he became chief
clerk of the general manager's office, same line ;
was appointed assistant to general manager
March 31, 1887; resigned this position June i,
1887, to become general manager of the pig iron
business of Geo. H. Hull & Co., Louisville : re-
turned to service of Louisville & Nashville Rail-
road Co., January i, 1888, as assistant to vice-
president, a year later was re-appointed assistant
to general manager, and on November i, 1890,
became chief clerk of the second vice-president's
office of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
at Chicago: July i. 1895. appointed to his present
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
SSI
position, assistant general passenger agent
Southern Lines, same company and of the Yazoo
& Mississippi Valley Railroad Company, with
headquarters at New Orleans. On the acquisi-
tion of the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern
R. R., by the Illinois Central, the office was trans-
ferred to the present headquarters at Louisville,
Ky. Under the jurisdiction of Mr. Kellond there
are three division passenger agents, located re-
spectively at Cincinnati, Memphis and New Or-
leans, with a force of five city passenger agents
located at different points in the South, and seven
traveling passenger agents. Mr. Kellond, as
assistant general passenger agent, reports to Mr.
A. II. Hanson, general passenger agent of the
Illinois Central system, whose headquarters are
in Chicago.
Mr. Kellond was married in 1875 to Miss
Fannie J. Lapham, of Montreal, and has six sons
and one daughter. While in Montreal Mr.
Kellond was prominent in Odd Fellow circles
and held the position of grand secretary of the
Lodge of Quebec, which body he was instrumen-
tal in forming.
W. REEVES, one of the most
interesting suburban conductors on
the Illinois Central, began rail-
roading on the Toledo, Ann Arbor
& Northern Michigan in 1886. He first began
as a section hand at Toledo, under roadmaster
Henry Smith, remaining in that service one year,
after which he went into road service as freight
brakeman, running from Toledo to Ann Arbor,
continuing in that capacity the same length
of time.
He then gave up railroading for three yeans
but in 1891 he accepted a position on the Illinois
Central as brakeman in the suburban service,
which he retained for ten months, when he
received a promotion, as all faithful workers will,
to baggageman ; he remained in that capacity
30
for one year, then for the following year
he served as collector, when he was promoted
tc conductor, which position he now holds. In
1896 an accident occured which laid him up for
nine weeks with three broken ribs. He belongs
to Division No. i, O. R. C. Mr. Reeves married
Miss Mary E. McClintock, of Lebanon, Ohio.
LEXANDER BLODGETT, conductor
in the freight service of the Illinois
Central, began his railroad career at
Van Home, Iowa, with the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul line, as brakeman, in
January 1882, remaining in that service ten and
a half years, the latter three years as conductor.
In August 1892 he joined the forces of the
Union Pacific, braking in the freight service eight
months and for the three following months was
in the same capacity with the Chicago & Great
Western. After a short experience in the dray
business at Perry, Iowa, he again entered upon
a railroad career at Moberly, Missouri, with the
Wabash, and eight months later purchased a
lunch counter at New Franklin, Missouri, which
he conducted for a few months. To a railroad
man another career is irksome and August 4,
1894, Mr. Blodgett entered the service of the
Illinois Central. After only ten days service as
brakeman he was placed in charge of a train and
since the fall of 1894 he has had the local run
between Chicago and Bloomington, one of the
hardest runs on the line.
Mr. Blodgett was born at Montour, Tama
county, Iowa, June 3, 1862, and was married
April 18, 1887, at Perry, Iowa, to Miss Lillie
A. Woodward. They are the parents of two
children, Zera and Avelle. He is a member of
the Masonic order, having passed through the
degrees of the Blue Lodge, Mystic Star, No.
758 and Valley Consistory of Chicago. He holds
membership in Amigo Lodge No. 482, Knights
552
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
of Pythias and Division No. i, O. R. C. Mr.
I'.lodgett is a typical railroad man, alert and
active, with a keen sense of his responsibilities
and a determination to do his duty as he sees it.
OENRY A. KNOWLTON, better known
among railroad employes as "Hank"
]_[ \\ Knowlton, is an Illinois Central engi-
neer and makes his home in Dnbuque,
Iowa. He first began firing at Dubuque August
5. 1869, on a switch engine, and first ran on the
road with Ben Wattles for his engineer on No.
132. August 1 6, 1872, he was set up to engineer
of a switch engine which, with the exception
of an occassional run on the line with engine
No. 143, occupied his attention during the fol-
lowing winter. During the summer of 1873,
Mr. Knowlton was given a freight run which he
held until 1885, when he accepted his present
passenger run from Waterloo to Dubuque. Mr.
Knowlton's railroad career has been remark-
ably free from wrecks. Once, however, in May
1896, his engine left the track and ran into the
ditch, but the engineer fortunately escaped with-
out injury.
August 14, 1897, Mr. Knowlton was mar-
ried in Waterloo, to Miss Isabella Saunders.
Socially he affiliates with Waterloo Division, No.
114, B. of L. E.
rj=x\RANK B. HARRIMAN, superintendent
r=<^ of the Dubuque division of the Illinois
J_[ Central, began a railroad career Feb.
12, 1879, when he became an appren-
tice in the civil engineering and bridge depart-
ments, serving until February 1883. From the
hitter date to July 1886 he served as assistant
mad-master and then became transit-man and
resident engineer of the Chicago, Madison &
Northern during the construction of that branch.
In September 1887 he was appointed assistant
engineer on construction of the Cherokee and
Dakota road filling that position until December,
following. Until January i, 1890, he was road
supervisor of the Dubuque division, the follow-
ing year served as trainmaster of the Cherokee
& Dakota branch and the next year in the sai in-
capacity on the Freeport division. From the
first of January to the first of August 1892 Mr.
1 larriman served as secretary to the superinten-
dent of the Freeport division. Promoted to the
superintendency of the division he served in
that capacity until January I, 1895, when the
Dubuque division was added to his jurisdiction.
October i, 1895 the divisions were separated
and Mr. Harriman assigned to the Dubuque divi-
sion which has since been his field of labor. He
has had extensive experience in several depart-
ments of operative railroading, well fitting him
for the duties he is called upon to perform.
H. FENNER, engineer at Jackson
Tenn., has been engaged in rail-
O road work since the spring of 1882,
"when he entered the shops of the
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans road at Jack-
son, Tenn., remaining eighteen months, going
thence to Cairo he worked in the shops there,
fired for a time and ran a switch engine in the
yards, and the engine on the bridge incline.
After six months on the left side of the cab be-
tween Jackson to East Cairo in freight service,
hr was examined at Water Valley and promoted
in the fall of 1886 and was assigned to the main
line north from Jackson. In the spring of
1896 he was given a preferred freight run which
has been his field of labor ever since except when
in extra passenger service. He had the distinc-
tion of handling the first consolidated engine,
No. 603, that was run south of the Ohio on the
Central, on which occasion he pulled many offi-
cials of the road. His only serious accident
was received in the spring of 1896, by jumping
to save himself in a wreck near Wickliffc, Ky.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
553
Mr. Fenner is a native of Tennessee. He
\\as married at East Cairo, to Miss Florence
McDonald. Their four children are: Dixey
( )scar, Fantine, Vivian May and Richard Jones.
Mr. Fenner is a member of Division No.
93, l'>. of L. E. ; the Knights of Honor and the
Knights of Pythias, of Jackson, Term. Mr.
Fcnner lives in a comfortable home at No. 149
West Deadric street, which he built in 1897.
JOHN J. GAVEN, the efficient trainmas-
ter of the St. Louis, Brooklyn and Eldo-
rado districts of the Illinois Central,
entered the service of the company at
Mcndota, 111., in 1872, as a messenger boy and
in June 1873 was made night operator, holding
that position one year when he was sent to Am-
boy as day operator in the dispatcher's office,
continuing there eight months when he was pro-
moted to dispatcher where he served one year.
He was then sent to Champaign where he
served in the same capacity for one year; the
following two years were spent in Chicago as
dispatcher, at the end of which time he was sent
to Centralia. In 1880 he left the I. C. and ac-
cepted a position with the M. K. & T. Ry. re-
maining there until 1894 when he returned to
the I. C. as chief train dispatcher at Amboy,
where he began work as a dispatcher. He re-
mained in Amboy until July 1896 when he was
sent to the St. Louis division as chief train dis-
patcher, but at the end of two weeks was given
his present position. While in the service of
tin M. K. & T. at Denison and Houston, Texas,
he served as chief train dispatcher and train-
inaster. Up to the time he left the I. C. in 1880
he had run trains on all divisions owned by the
road in Illinois. Mr. Gaven was born at Men-
dota. 111., and married Miss Dora Riddell.
I hey have one son, John J. Jr., aged eleven
years. ( )ur subject is a charter member of the
Train Dispatchers' Association which was or-
ganized at Louisville, Ky., in 1884.
T. GARRETT, freight conductor at
Jackson, Term., has had but a short
LQ railroad career, but his rise has been
rapid. He entered the service of
the Central October 28, 1889, as a laborer on
the section at Lamar, Miss., and nine months
later was made foreman at which he was em-
ployed fifteen months. Coming to Jackson, he
secured a place as brakeman on the Jackson dis-
trict under John C. Muse, in the freight service.
Three and a half years later he was promoted
to conductor and for a year ran an extra. His
first regular car was No. 28246 on which he
ran three years and then was changed to No.
98210, his home on wheels. All his service has
been on the Jackson district.
Mr. Garrett's nativity was at Toone, Tenn.,
and it was here he was married to Miss Nannie
Hill. Their one child, Robert was born in 1890.
Mr. Garrett has been successful in his work and
frugal, laying away something for a rainy day.
He erected a fine home in 1893, at No. 286
West Chester street. The only serious injury
sustained by Mr. Garrett was on January 21,
1895, when he was thrown from a car on a
trestle, breaking his ankle from which he was
confined ninety-five days. He is a member of
the Jackson Division No. 149, O. R. C.
W. ROOKER, freight conductor
residing at Jackson, Tennessee,
Q has been a railroad man since
1880. That year he secured a
situation on the Louisville & Nashville as brake-
man running between Memphis and Paris, Tenn.,
and later as switchman in the Memphis yards
until January 1881. Entering the service of the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad in February following
he served as brakeman nearly a year, the last
few weeks on passenger trains, and then was
promoted to freight conductor until December
1883. Coming to Jackson, Tenn., he entered
the service of the Illinois Central and was em-
554
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ployed as a switchman, conductor and yard-
master until 1885, excepting three months he
was with the Iron Mountain road running be-
tween Little Rock and Texarkana. On return
to the Central he served as yardmaster until
promotion to extra freight conductor in Decem-
ber 1888, and in August following was assigned
a regular car in the preferred service and has
filled that position since. Mr. Rooker was born
in Madison county and reared in Crockett Co.,
Tennessee. He comes from a railroad family.
His brothers Andrew J. and Jesse P. Rooker
are conductors on the Louisville & Nashville
road.
The wife of Mr. Rooker was Miss Annie
A. James, of Jackson, and has borne him four
children : Elnora, William Wiggins, Jesse Carl,
and Mary Janie. Mr. Rooker is a member of
Jackson Division, No. 149, O. R. C. He has
always been a very successful man both as an
an operative and in a financial way. He is the
owiier of a comfortable home at 290 Clinton
street.
JAMES A. WOLF, conductor on the
Louisiana division of the Central, has
been railroading for upwards of thirty
years. He began in 1869, entering the
service of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great
Northern as brakeman running between Can-
ton and the southern terminus. After four
years as brakeman he served as baggageman
one year before promotion to conductor in the
freight service at which he was engaged until
the road changed hands in 1883. Going to
Texas he became brakeman on the Texas &
Pacific road for one month, before being pro-
moted to conductor which he held for one year,
resigning on account of ill health. Returning
to New Orleans he took charge of a baggage
car on the Y. & M. V. between the Crescent
City and Baton Rouge and was soon after pro-
moted to be conductor and brought the first
train out of Vicksburg after the road was de-
livered to the company from the hands of tl
contractors. After a year's service here he r
turned to the employ of the Illinois Central
August 1885, and after braking for a short tin
he was promoted to the freight service in whk
he is at present engaged.
Mr. Wolf is a native of St. Helena Paris
La., born February 15, 1853. His fathe
Moses Wolf, a merchant, died in 1897 while tl
mother, Sabrina Moore in maidenhood, died
1865. Mr: Wolf was educated in the schoo
of Amite and Greensburg, La. He is a mer
her of lodge No. 304 O. R. C.
J. CONRATH, foreman of the boil
shops at Waterloo, Iowa, is a nati'
Q of Rheinish Prussia, Germ'y, whe
he was born November 25, 1862, b
was brought to America by his parents in in fa:
cy. He began his trade by serving an appre:
ticeship of two and a half years with the Amei
can Boiler Works, at Chicago, and two yea
more with the New York, Chicago & St. Lou
Kailroad under C. W. Miller. Subsequent
Mr. Conrath was employed two years in tl
Wabash shops, six months with the Filer Boil
Works in Chicago, after which he returned
the American Boiler Works for a short tim
His next venture was with the Missouri Vall<
Boiler Works at Leavenworth, Kan., where 1
remained seven or eight months ; then with tl
C. R. I. & P. Railroad at Chicago for five year
with Swift & Company, Chicago, at the sto<
yards for a short time ; one year and a ha
with the American Boiler Company, of Chicag<
with Porter & Jackson, South Chicago, for
short time; with the Western Indiana Railroa
Eighty-third street, Chicago, for a year and
half; with the Texas Pacific, near Pine Blui
Ark., for about nine months ; after which 1
returned to Chicago and spent one summer i
the shops of the Architectural Iron Works Con
I'.any. March 4, 1894, Mr. Conrath was en
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
555
ployed by the Illinois Central Company as assis-
tant foreman at the shops at Burnsicle, Chicago,
am! March i, 1899, he was sent to Waterloo,
Iowa, to take charge of the boiler shops at that
place.
November 15, 1895, Mr. Conrath was
united in marriage to Miss Mary Thien, a native
of Chicago, and their home has been made happy
by the presence of a daughter, Viola. Frater-
nally, our subject is a member of the Catholic
( )rdor of Foresters.
AMUEL P. JONES, an engineer on the
Y. & M. V. R. R. has been in the em-
ploy of the company ten years. He
first began as a fireman under En-
gineer William Fritz and was engaged in that
capacity for four years. He then served as
hostler for one year, at the end of which time
ht was examined and promoted to engineer and
for the following year ran a switch engine in
the yards at Memphis. He then entered the
freight service and now has a regular run be-
tween Memphis and Vicksburg on the Y. &
M. V. Ry. Mr. Jones is a native of Vicksburg,
Miss., where he was born September 6, 1872, a
son of Rev. John W. Jones. (See sketch of
Carey Jones on another page of this volume.)
Our subject has never had any wrecks nor has
he ever been injured. He is a member of Divi-
sion No. 283, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg. He
makes his home at 821 Main street, Memphis.
]. COUGHLIN, former station
agent for the I. C. at Kankakee,
began his railroad career in 1877
as an assistant to the station agent
at Tolono, and remained there until 1878, when
he was removed on account of his age. He
then went with the American Express Company
as messenger between Tolono and Decatur, but
in July of the same year returned to the I. C.-
at Tolono, where he remained until February
1880, when he began braking on the Wabash;
but at the end of six weeks he returned to his
old place, remaining until 1884, when he was
sent to Kankakee as cashier. In January 1888,
he went to Effingham as agent; in January 1889,
to Kensington and February 9, 1889, back to
Kankakee as relief. In April 1891 he was sent
to Centralia as agent, August 1891, to Cham-
paign ; and in October 1892 returned to Kanka-
kee as agent and remained there until he re-
signed from the service of the road in 1899
to engage in business. Our subject was born
in Tolono, 111., in 1858 and is the father of an
interesting family of six children.
LLENDER R. BRECKENRIDGE,
foreman of the machine shops at
Waterloo, Iowa, began his railroad
career in the employ of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company in the capacity of
office boy in the office of T. W. Place, master
mechanic, at Waterloo, Iowa, February 4, 1888.
His father, Allender I. Breckenridge, had pre-
viously served in the capacity of time-keeper,
and was thus employed fourteen years. Sub-
sequently he entered the machine shop at
Waterloo, as machinist apprentice until Septem-
ber 10, '93, served as journeyman machinist for
three months and January i, 1894, he was made
gang foreman. October i, 1895, he was pro-
moted to his present position of foreman of the
machine shops. Mr. Breckenridge is a man of
more than ordinary ability both as a machinist
and a leader as may be deduced from the above
record. He is intelligent, thorough in all of his
work, rules those over whom he has authority
without friction and grasps every opportunity
to improve his methods of operation and also
improve his situation in life. Socially Mr.
556
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Breckenridge affiliates with the Masonic Fra-
ternity in which he has taken the following de-
grees: Waterloo Lodge No. 105, F. & A. M. ;
Tabernacle Chapter No. 52 ; Ascalon Comman-
dcry No. 25 ; and El Kahir Temple, Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine, at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He
is also a member of Waterloo Lodge No. 290,
Helmet Lodge No. 89, Knights of Pythias,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and
also a member of the Columbia club of Water-
loo, an organization of the prominent men of
the city, which has done much to promote
the growth, and prosperity of the city. He was
born in Brooklyn, N. Y., September 10, 1872.
His brother, Walter W. Breckenridge, is also
a machinist in the Waterloo round house; his
father was formerly an employe of the Illinois
Central Railroad, as previously stated ; and his
grandfather, J. C. Breckenridge, was superinten-
dent of the Meriden Cutlery Company, of Meri-
clen, Conn., until his death.
AREY JONES, the well known pas-
senger engineer on the Y. & M. V.
R. R. has been with the company
since 1884, beginning work as a
watchman in Leland, Miss., where he remained
one year. He then began as fireman with the
well known engineer, "Shorty" Erskins, and
after firing for about four years was promoted
to engineer and began on the old Clinton & Ft.
Hickey Ry. in Louisiana (the oldest railroad in
that state). He worked there four months and
then came to the Vicksburg division of the Y.
& M. V. R. R.-and took charge of an engine on
a work train and was also in the freight service
from 1889 to 1898, when he was put on a passen-
ger engine and since that time has been in the
regular passenger service now having a run be-
tween Memphis and Vicksburg. He is a native
of Yazoo county and was born March 4, 1864,
a son of Rev. John W. Jones, who was an M. E.
minister, and who also served as a major in the
civil war, taking part in all the battles through
out Mississippi. He is now deceased. Oui
subject has a brother who is now foreman on th<
V. S. & P. Ry. Mr. Jones is unmarried am
makes his home at No. 821 Main street, Mem
phis. He is a member of Division No. 281
B. of L. E., of Vicksburg, Miss. He is a char
ter member of Leland Lodge No. 77, K. of P., o
Leland, Miss. He has never been in any seri
ous wrecks while in the employ of the I. C. an<
has never been injured in any way.
W. CRUMM, chief train dispatche
at Jackson, Miss., has had man
'Q years experience in railroad work
He first began as operator for th
Illinois Central at Rosetta, Miss., serving fiv
months when he was transferred to Hays, in th
same state, as agent, remaining two years. Fol
lowing this, he served at Rockwell, Miss., an
Baton Rouge, La. Severing his connectio
with the Central he accepted a position as tn'iu
master at Blacksburg, South Carolina, and late
was made train dispatcher at Charleston, fror
which point he was transferred to Knoxvilh
Tenn., as chief train dispatcher. Returning 1
the Central he served as night operator at Rol
ling Fork, Miss., for a short time and then re
turned to Charleston where after a short time a
operator he was made chief train dispatcher, i
which capacity he served four years. Agai:
entering the employ of the Central he served a
night operator at Leland, Miss., three month
and three months as dispatcher at Vicksburj
when in 1898 he was assigned his present posi
tion as chief train dispatcher at Jackson.
Mr. Crumm, a native of Blosser, Miss
was born May n, 1869, a son of John Crumn
a farmer now residing near Dayton, Miss. -Mi
Crumm was married to Miss Ha McGee, o
Florence, South Carolina. They now reside a
No. no Clifton Terrace, in Jackson.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
557
JAMES S. MADDUX, locomotive engi-
neer, has been with the I. C. Railroad
Company since September 9, 1890, when
lie began as a machinist in the shops
at Memphis, Tenn., and worked in that position
until October 26, 1894, and then began as fire-
man 011 extras serving with Engineers P. S.
Law, C. J. Barnett, Mr. Shipman and others
until September 5, 1897. He was then examined
and promoted to engineer and took charge of
engine No. 82 on the Yazoo division. He has
since run both freight and passenger trains be-
tween Memphis and Canton, Miss., and Mem-
phis and Paducah, Ky., and now runs regular
between Memphis and Grenada in the freight
and passenger service. Our subject was born
in Tate county, Miss., March 23, 1873. He is a
son of Cicero H. Maddux, who was a farmer
of Tate county, but who is now deceased. Mr.
Maddux resides with his mother and two sisters
at No. 253 Rayburn ave., Memphis. He is a
member of William Renshaw Division No. 23,
B. of L. E., of Memphis. Although young, our
subject is a prominent and faithful employe of
the Illinois Central.
DAM R. BIGLEBEN, a very promi-
nent locomotive engineer, with a pas-
senger run between Memphis and
New Orleans, dates his connection
with the company from August 1883. He be-
gan his railroad career in 1872 as a fireman on
the Louisville & Nashville R. R. on the old style
"Dicky North" engine and helped lay track with
the same. After a service of five years as fire-
man he was promoted to engineer, serving as
such four years when he came to Memphis and
entered the employ of the Y. & M. V. Ry. and
was given a passenger run between Memphis and
New Orleans, where he is serving at the present
time, running into Memphis every fourth day.
?ilr. Bigleben was born in Pittsburg, Pa., Aug.
4, 1853, a son of S. Bigleben, a molder by trade
who died when our subject was young.
Mr. Bigleben married Miss Josephine Roh-
nier, of Bowling Green, Ky., and to them have
been born ten children, five of whom are living,
Frank, John, Joe, Mary and Christine. Those
deceased are, Henry, Paul, Louise, Gertrude and
Lawrence. The family has a pleasant home in
Leland, Miss. Our subject owns considerable
valuable property in Memphis. Socially he is a
member of Division No. 281, B. of L. E., of
Vicksburg. He was in a large wreck at White
Oakville, Miss., but has never been injured.
A. REED, general yardmaster at
Freeport, 111., was born at Lockport,
O in that state, November 25, 1856.
His father, Samuel Reed was an old
railroad man having served from 1858 to 1885
as baggagemaster and check clerk at Sandoval.
111., for the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad. He
was born in Indiana in 1824, followed farming
in early life and since his retirement has been
living at Ramsay, 111. His wife, Jenica E. But-
ler, was born at Utica, New York, in 1826, and
died in 1888. Of their family nearly all are con-
nected with railroad work. The first of the
family is the subject of this sketch ; the second
is J. Edward, station agent for the Illinois Cen-
tral at Ramsey, Charles E., a twin brother of
Edward, was formerly in the employ of the Cen-
tral at Sandoval ; Nettie L. married Fred F. Rine-
hart and died in 1889 ; Harry is train dispatcher
for the Central at Clinton, 111. ; Jennie B., died
in 1894. F. A. Reed attended the public schools
at Sandoval, and at the age of fifteen secured
a place as messenger boy in the service of the
Ohio & Mississippi road and during the two
years of his service in that capacity learned
telegraphy. He served in various capacities —
operator, baggageman, brakeman, at Sandoval,
until 1880, when he was appointed agent at
Trenton remaining in the service six months.
January i, 1881 he entered the service of the
Illinois Central as operator at Macon, 111., and a
558
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
year later was transferred to Ramsay as station
agent where he remained a like period. His
next appointment was as train dispatcher at
Clinton, 111., • remaining two years and eight
months. Because of all night work he resigned
and accepted a position of extra conductor until
May i, 1886, when he was made train dispatcher
at Amhoy, 111. Here he remained until in Jnne
1889, the date of his transfer to Chicago as dis-
patcher on that division. In October 1892, he
left the service of the Central to accept the super-
intendency of the St. Louis, Chicago & St. Paul
road at Alton, and in March 1893 became the
general yardmaster for the road at the same
point. In April 1896 he removed to Blooming-
ton accepting a situation with the Chicago &
Alton as night train master. In January 1897.
Mr. Reed returned to the service of the Illinois
Central as yardmaster at Centralia and in October
following was transferred to Rockford in the
same capacity. He was appointed general yard-
master at Freeport in August 1899.
Mr. Reed was married on March 21, 1877,
to Miss Leonora F. Weldon, of Sandoval. She
was born April 22, 1858 and died at Alton, in
1895. Two daughters were born to them, Clara
M., and Jane Ruth.
Mr. Reed is a member of the Masonic fra-
ternity having attained the degree of Royal
Arch Mason, and he is also an Odd Fellow.
He is republican in politics.
LEX. M. STEWART, a locomotive en-
gineer in the employ of the Y. & M.
V. Ry. began railroading in Scotland
as a wiper in the engine house, later
was fireman and afterward promoted to engi-
neer. In 1887 he came to America and began
work as engineer on the Canadian Pacific Ry.
later going to the M. K. & T. Ry. where he
served three years as engineer. He then came
to the I. C. and began work as hostler in the
shops in Chicago, but at the end of fourteen
months was transferred to the Y. & M. V., at
Yicksburg in October 1896. He has since re-
sided in Yicksburg running freight and now has
a regular run on engine No. 41 between Vicks-
burg and Wilson, La. Mr. Stewart is a native
of Scotland where he was born in November
1859, a son of Thomas Stewart, who was a car-
penter by trade and who died there. The re-
mainder of our subject's relatives reside in Scot-
land. Mr. Stewart married Miss Ella McEwen
and they have become the parents of eight chil-
dren, five of whom are now living. Socially
he is a member of Division No. 281, B. of L. E.,
of Vicksburg. He has a comfortable home at
No. 1108 Washington street, Vicksburg. Mr.
Stewart is a man of decided literary tastes and
is a frequent contributer to magazines, papers,
etc.
OWARD COVINGTON, freight en-
gineer on the Y. & M. V. R. R. be-
gan his railroad career with the Texas
Pacific R. R. and gradually worked
himself up to engineer. He entered the employ
of the Y. & M. V. R. R. in 1890 and since that
time has been in the regular freight service run-
ning between Vicksburg and New Orleans. He
is one of the faithful and reliable employes of the
road. He resides at No. 723 S. Mulberry street,
Vicksburg, Miss.
ORACE BAKER, superintendent of the
Amboy division, is a native of St.
Louis, Missouri, born October u,
1859. He began his railroad career
in 1878 as clerk in the supply department of the
Missouri Pacific line, filling various subordinate
positions with the road until October 1885, when
he accepted the position of treasurer and pay-
master of the Havana, Rantoul & Western, serv-
ing until February 1887. From the latter date
PATRICK KEENAN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
561
until December 1890 he served as chief clerk
to the general superintendent of the Illinois
Central and while here received the appointment
of trainmaster of the Chicago district. In Sep-
tember 1891 he was appointed local freight agent
at Chicago and in December following was ap-
pointed superintendent of the Chicago division .
hi the spring of 1900 he was transferred to the
Amboy division with headquarters at Clinton,
111. Mr. Baker is a thoroughgoing railroad man
ami has won his advancement by hard work and
giving close atention to details.
he was put in the suburban service where he has
remained up to the present time, on engine No.
210, now No. 1410. In all his service he has
never suffered an injury.
Mr. Keenan married Miss Elizabeth Mc-
Kenna and they had seven children, four of whom
are living, Patrick, now in the freight office de-
partment, Frederick, Robert Emmet, who is the
champion seven year old cake walker of Chicago,
and Gladys. He is a member of Division No.
10, B. of L. E., of Burnside.
***'.'*- ^ .**-.'*
ATR1CK KEENAN is a native of Ire-
land. He began railroading in 1873
on the Great Northern Railroad of Ire-
land as an office boy in the machinery
department at Dundalk, County Louth, where he
remained about ten months and then went in
the shops and served three years as an appren-
tice, then he was sent to Bundoran as foreman of
a branch road. He remained there ten months
when, owing to his desire for the road and his
failure on account of age to secure a position on
the ( Ireat Northern he resigned and went to Scot-
land, where he secured a position on the Cale-
donian Railroad as a fireman, where he remained
ten months when he returned to the Great
Northern, where he fired five years.
On June i, 1882 he came' to this country
and by June iQth of the same year began on the
Illinois Central as a fireman in yard service for
George Holmes and continued in that service
two years and then was on the road firing a
freight for Sid Hinckley about a year and Dennis
Canney for about one year. In September 1886
he was promoted to engineer and his first five
days running was done in the yards at Chicago,
on the old five spot. When he was examined for
engineer he stood number one in a class of twen-
ty-two.
He then went in freight service in the Chi-
cago and Middle division for fifteen months when
H. MOALES, a conductor on the
Louisiana division of the Illinois
Q Central, was born in New Or-
leans, December 31, 1863, a son
of W. H. and Salina Moales. The father was
a contractor and at one time served as sheriff
of Mobile. The father died in 1863 while the
mother passed away December 25, 1874. Mr.
Moales attended the public schools of New Or-
leans until the age of fourteen when he secured
a place as messenger boy in the service of the
American District Telegraph Company at New
Orleans remaining one year. For five years he
was collector on the French Market ferry,
second district ferry, and then accompanied Cap-
tain Rundlet to Morgan City, La., on the
Southern Pacific road, later he spent some time
carrying the mail with a brother between New
Iberia and Abbeville. Going to Texas he was
engaged some six months in the lumber camps
and then in 1880 began railroad work in Orange
county, Texas, on the L. & W. Railroad as sec-
tion man a short time and then was given a
situation in the round house at Orange. With-
in a short time he was given a place on the left
side of a cab of a switch engine and soon after
was sent over the line in the freight service.
The malarial climate giving him the ague Mr.
Moales was compelled to resign and returned
home. Securing a place in the service of the
Central he fired for a short time between New
562
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Orleans and McComb City when illness com-
pelled him to resign. He later became brake-
man in the same service and was promoted in
1886, and has since been in charge of freight
trains.
December 20, 1887, Mr. Moales married
Miss Harnie Manbell of New Orleans, who died
December 16, 1890. April I, 1892 he married
Miss Alma Eastley of Friendship, La., to whom
have been born four children : William, Charles,
Hazel and Chester B.
Mr. Moales is a member of Division No.
108, O. R. C., of New Orleans. He is a mem-
ber of the Protestant Episcopal church and a
Democrat in politics.
A. SMITH, conductor on the
Louisiana division, of the Central..
LQ is a native of the Crescent City,
his birth occurring September 17,
1864. He attended the public schools of New
Orleans until his sixteenth year when he went
to Texas and became clerk in one of the leading
hotels of Sherman, for one year. In 1881 he
entered the service of the Texas & Pacific road as
brakeman running between Sherman and Tex-
arkana about three years, receiving promotion to
conductor during the latter three months of this
time. Retiring from railroading he accepted a
position as commercial traveller for a Galveston
house which he held some two years resigning
to accept a position in the exposition building of
the. Cotton Exposition at New Orleans. At the
close of the exposition he returned to the service
of the Texas & Pacific road in the capacity of
brakeman remaining some six months. In 1887
he entered the service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman, running between Canton, Miss., and
New Orleans, receiving a promotion to conduc-
tor within eighteen months. Since that date he
has had charge of trains in the freight service
between the two points above named.
On the twenty-fifth of July 1889, Mr. Smitl
was married to Miss Alice Kornbeck, of Ne\
Orleans, the place of her nativity. Two chil
dren have been born to them, Mark C. am
Alwyn.
Mr. Smith is a member of Crescent Cit
Division No. 108, O. R. C. He is a member o
the Presbyterian church, and in politics, ;
Democrat.
N. ARNOLD, a conductor in th
passenger service of the Louisian
LQ division, was born near Hammonc
La., May 25, 1855. Educated in th
public schools, he soon began doing for himsel
ir the lumber woods and afterwards was eti
gaged in the making of cotton-gins and pressei
In July 1875 he entered the service of the 111:
nois Central on the section and on October 8t
began braking on the Louisiana division. Thre
years later he was promoted to the freight sei
vice, running part of the- time on the grave
train. His promotion to the passenger servic
dates from 1891 since which time he has bee
running on the Louisiana division.
On April 16, 1879, the marriage of Mi
Arnold was celebrated* at Amite City, La., Mis
Florence A. Goodrich becoming his bride. Si
children have been born to them.
Mr. Arnold is a Mason an Odd Fellow an
a Knight of Pythias and is a member of th
Order of Railway Conductors.
JA. MORRIS, passenger conductor o
the New Orleans division of the Y. <
O M. V., was born in Atlanta, Ga., Apr
3, 1858, a son of Rev. G. W. and Mar
J. (Atkins) Morris both of whom are livin;
and now reside at Conley, Ga. The father is
minister of the Methodist Protestant church hav
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
563
ing been a very prominent member of the Geor-
gia conference for many years, over which he
has presided four terms. J. A. Morris was edu-
cated in the district schools of his native state
working on farms until the age of eighteen,
when he bought a half interest in a sawmill in
DeKalb county and was engaged in making
lumber for the market for a period of five years.
In 1882 he accepted a position on the Georgia
Pacific as brakeman running between Atlanta
and Birmingham, Ala. Within five months he
was promoted to freight conductor and filled that
"position until 1886. Coming west Mr. Morris
entered the employ of the L., N. O. & T., now
the Y. & M. V., beginning again at the foot of
the ladder. In two weeks he was promoted,
running in the freight service on the Vicksburg
division for one year when he was transferred
to the New Orleans division as conductor of
local freight and remained in that service until
September 1889. On that date he was promoted
t. the passenger service and has since had a run
north from New Orleans making the latter city
his home.
On the 2Oth of May, 1889, Mr. Morris and
Miss Cora Maxwell were married at McDonough,
Ga., the place of her nativity. One son was
born to them, Gurley, his birth occurring Janu-
ary 12, 1892.
Mr. Morris is a member of Vicksburg Di-
vision No. 231, O. R. C. He is a member of the
Methodist Protestant church and in politics is
a Democrat.
G. LEVY, ticket agent for the Illi-
nois Central at Effingham, 111., en-
Q tered the service of the company in
1880 as a helper at the station at
Rantoul, during which time he learned telegra-
phy. In 1883 he went to Cobden, 111., as agent
and operator. He later served as agent and
operator at various stations along the line until
1889, when he was made ticket and freight agent
at Effingham. At the expiration of four years
a freight agent was appointed to Effingham,
since which time he has served as ticket agent.
He is accommodating and courteous to all and
has the respect and confidence of those with
whom he comes in contact. Mr. Levy is a na-
tive of Alabama and was married in Cobden,
111., in 1887.
L. WILLIAMS, a conductor on the
New Orleans division of the Y. &
LQ M. V. road was born in Franklin
county, Ga., July 27, 1860, a son of
Johnson and Sarah (Turner) Williams who
died in 1870 and '71 respectively. A. L. Wil-
liams attended the private schools of his native
county and worked on his father's farm until
twenty-two years of age. In 1882 he entered
the service of the Georgia Pacific Railroad at
Austell, Ga., as time-keeper and assistant fore-
man and part of the time ran a work train.
After four months he became foreman of a
gang clearing off the right of way for a road
bed. Following this he became laborer on the
section and then secured a place as brakeman
in the freight service between Anderson, Ala.,
and Atlanta, Ga., and later had his run extended
to Birmingham. In March 1883 he secured a
similar position on the Richmond & Danville
road and received promotion to a freight con-
ductorship in the fall of that year, running be-
tween Atlanta and Charlotte, N. C., for five
years. In 1887 he entered the service of the
F. R. & N. as freight conductor running be-
tween Fernandina and Tavares, Fla., where for
six months he served through the yellow fever
epidemic. He then joined the forces of the E.
T. V. & G. road, running ' a freight between
Macon and Rome, Ga., until 1889, at which time
he returned to the service of the Richmond &
Danville line in the freight service. In Septem-
ber 1889 he entered the service of the L. N. O.
564
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
& T. as freight conductor between Vicksburg
and New Orleans until June 1899, serving part
of the time as extra passenger conductor. On
the last mentioned date, he was promoted to
the passenger service running between New Or-
leans and Vicksburg.
Mr. Williams was married December 24,
1896, to Miss Kate Duncan, a native of Mobile,
Ala. He is a Mason, having received the de-
grees of the chapter and commanclery, is a
Knight of Pythias and a Modern Woodman of
the World. He belongs to Division No. 231,
O. R. C.
tion at Vicksburg, becoming travelling car-in-
spector on the lines between Memphis and New
Orleans having jurisdiction over 455 miles.
Mr. Winder was married September 7,
1899, to Miss Ida Vandenberg, of Vicksburg.
Mr. Winder is a member of Washington Lodge
No. 4, K. of P., and the Modern Woodmen,
both of Vicksburg. In religion he is of the
Catholic faith and is independent in politics.
JA. WINDER, travelling car inspector
of the Y. & M. V. line, is a native of
Q Kingston, Out., a son of James and
Mary (Burke) Winder. Attending
the public schools until the age of twelve
he entered the shops of the Weer Piano
Company as an apprentice in the cabinet shops.
After serving his four years apprenticeship he
went to Detroit and secured a place in the shops
of Gibson Brothers, carpenters and builders.
Coming to Chicago, he entered the service of
the Chicago & Northwestern road in the car
shops and three years later went to McComb
City, Miss., in the service of the Illinois Central,
remaining seven years. Accepting a position on
the L. N. O. & T., at Vicksburg, he continued
with the new management when the road was
transferred. He was sent to the shops at New
Orleans as foreman in the car department and
two years later was transferred to the Memphis
shops in the same capacity, remaining there two
years. At this time he was appointed joint car-
inspector for all the branches of the system run-
ning into New Orleans and remained there two
years when he was made travelling car-inspec-
tor and transferred to Vicksburg. Two months
later he resigned to accept a position on the
Mexican National road at Laredo, Texas,
but four months later returned to his old posi-
JW. MORRISON, former general yard-
master at New Orleans, is a native of
O the Crescent City, born April i, 1861.
His father, Miles Morrison, served the
Central as round house foreman and in other ca-
pacities until his death August 9, 1898. The
mother, who was Margaret Muldoon, died Janu-
ary 1 6, 1885. After the usual number of years
ir. the public schools of his native city Mr. Mor-
rison began his railroad career February 22,,
1879, as flag boy in the service of the Illinois
Central in the New Orleans yards. He was
soon made switchman and before the year was
out was promoted to foremanship of engines in
the yards. In 1881 he resigned and accepted
the position of night yardmaster for the L. &
N. and in nineteen months was promoted to
be general yardmaster which position he filled
until 1884. During the exposition Mr. Morri-
son had charge of the Central's terminals on
the grounds and in 1885 became general yard-
master for the Central, holding that position un-
til 1889. The following year he served as assis-
tant yardmaster for the Tennessee & Pacific and
then returned to his former position on the Cen-
tral which he held until 1891. Going to Charles-
ton, he secured a place as engine dispatcher on
the South Carolina Railroad, the oldest in the
western continent, remaining some eighteen
months. The climate disagreeing with his fami-
ly he returned to New Orleans and on March 4,
1894, was appointed general yardmaster of all
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
567
the terminals of the Central in the city, resign-
ing- January 17, 1900.
On the 29th of December 1884, Mr. Mor-
rison was married to Miss Margaret Kelly, of
New Orleans. Their children are : Gertrude,
Miles, John T. and Mary. Mr. Morrison is a
member of the Masonic fraternity, the Modern
Woodmen of the World and of the O. R. C.
Division No. 108 and is president of the O. R.
C. social club.
JOHN CRONES, who is a native of Trier,
Germany, came to the United States
when he was twenty-four years old ; he at
once began work on the Illinois Central,
in the machine shops at Weldon, in 1879, worked
there two years and then served as hostler about
a year and then began firing on the road in the
freight and passenger service. His first engineer
was William McManman but he later fired for
Bill Perry, Frank Cook and Sam Edgerly. He
was promoted in 1889 and was given switch
engine No. 104, a new engine at that time. For
the past two years he has run engine No. 158 in
the passenger yards. In 1886 he was seriously
injured in a collision at South Lawn (now
Harvey) and was laid up four months.
Socially our subject is a member of Division
No. 10, B. of L. E., of Burnside.
Mr. Crones was married to Miss Ernest
and has two children, Lucy and John. Prior to
his emigration to this country, Mr. Crones
served four years in the cavalry of the German
army.
EORGE E. PETERS, locomotive
engineer, was born in Chicago. He
commenced his service in 1884 as an
elevator boy in the general offices and
later in the office of Mr. Russ, having charge of
telephone and quoting freight rates to the patrons.
He remained there until June 4, 1886, then re-
signed and began firing, first on a switch engine
number 15, for A. Pickart; he continued in that
service about one year, and then was on the road
in the freight service for William Fluck, now on
the Centralia division. He fired a freight and
passenger until he was promoted July I5th, 1896,
and then went into yard service on engine No.
713; he ran this engine several months, then
several others, until he was given his present
engine, No. 144, which he has had since 1898.
Our subject has never had a serious injury
and belongs to Division No. 10, B. of L. E., of
Burnside.
Mr. Peters married Miss Mary Breit, and
they have one child. Our subject owns a fine
residence, a two story flat, at 6717 Rhodes Ave.
Chicago, 111. •
EOF. W. COLE, a conductor on the
Grenada division, is a native of
Bowling Green, Todd county, Ken-
tucky, born November 18, 1863.
His father, Hudson Cole, was a farmer and died
in 1866 from wounds received in the Confeder-
ate service during the Civil war. The mother
died two years later leaving the boy to be reared
by strangers. He attended the public schools
at Elkton and in August 1884 entered the ser-
vice of the Louisville & Nashville road as brake-
man, serving in that capacity until promotion,
when he was given charge of a train in the
freight service. He remained thirteen and a
half years with the road and in 1898 entered the
service of the Illinois Central at Memphis, was
appointed conductor on the Grenada division
and has been employed there since.
Mr. Cole was married September 20, 1889
to Miss Lena Coleman, of Bowling Green, Ken-
tucky. To them were born four children : Nan-
nie Belle, Nettie J., James K., and Robert S.
The family are of the Baptist faith and Mr. Cole
is, politically, a democrat. He is a member of
568
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the Knights of Pythias order in which he has
taken the endowment rank. As a railroad man
lie is thoroughly posted on all that pertains
to the duties of the department in which he is
engaged and competent .at any time to fill a
place higher in the line as soon as an opening is
offered for his promotion.
J15. WOODCOCK, conductor on the
Springfield division of the Illinois
O Central, began railroading in i88o;
when he entered the service of the I.
B. & W. Ry. as brakeman. He was later pro-
moted to conductor and was retained in the same
capacity when the road was purchased by the I.
C. in 1885. He now has a run between Cham-
paign and Clinton and Champaign and Deca-
tur. Mr. Woodcock is a native of Canada,
having been born in St. John's, New Bruns-
wick. He is married and has two daughters
and one son. The family resides in a pleasant
home on West Hill street, Champaign. Social-
ly our subject is a member of Division No. I,
O. R. C., of Chicago, also a member of Lodge
Xo. 240, A. F. & A. M., Chapter, Commandery
and Eastern Star, all of Champaign.
JOHN F. CROWLEY, locomotive engi-
neer on the Illinois Central, is a native
of Amboy, where he was born December
23, 1858. His father, Timothy Crow-
a native of Ireland, was a painter by trade
was for many years employed bv the I.
C. in the paint shop at Amboy, where he died.,
The mother, who in her girlhood was Rosey
Golegly, was a native of Ireland. She came to
America when young and was afterwards mar-
ried. She and her husband were among the
ky.
and
first settlers of Amboy. In their family were
the following children : Katie, Subject, Mary,
Daniel, an engineer on the I. C., Patrick, Sadie,
Julia and Timothy. Our subject was educated
in the public schools of Amboy. At the age
of thirteen he began to earn his own living, go-
ing to school in the winter and working on a
farm in the summer. He continued thus em-
ployed until 1 88 1 when he went to work in the
car department of the I. C. where he remained
until November 9, 1887, when he began firing a
locomotive on the road and where he continued
until February 20, 1895, when he was promoted
to the right side and has since been employed in
that capacity. He is very popular among the
boys and is considered absolutely trustworthy
by his superior officers. He fired for a long time
for F. H. Schermerhorn, one of the old time
engineers of the system. Mr. Crowley was a
member of Amboy Division No. 35, B. of L. F.,
and when promoted joined Division No. 27, B.
of L. E.
M. EDWARDS, a prominent loco-
motive engineer in the passenger ser-
Q vice of the Illinois Central, between
Centralia and Cairo entered the em-
ploy of the company November 9, 1879, as a fire-
man on the Centralia district. He was pro-
moted to engineer February 19, 1883 and after
working in the freight service for twelve years,
was, in 1895, promoted to the passenger service
where he has since been employed. He is a
member of Division No. 24, B. of L. E., of
Centralia. Our subject was born in Tennessee
but was brought to Illinois when only two and
one-half years of age. He owns a fine home on
South Poplar street, Centralia : is married and
has a family of whom he is justly proud. His
eldest son, Walter, is in the train service of the
I. C. on the Chicago division. James H., the
second son, was for some time in the employ of
the I. C. first in the office of the division superin-
tendent and afterwards in the freight office at
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
569
Centralia. He then entered a business college
in St. Louis where he learned short hand and
typewriting. At the outbreak of the Spanish-
American war he enlisted as a private in the
regular army at St. Louis. It was soon learned
by the officials that he was an efficient steno-
grapher and he was made clerk at regimental
headquarters. He then secured his release from
the regiment and entered actively into the duties
of clerk and stenographer, in which he has made
wonderful progress. He was detailed as clerk
and stenographer to the inspector of the depart-
ment of the East, and in that capacity visited
every station owned by the government between
Maine and South Carolina, forts, navy yards,
arsenals and all government works. After Gen.
Shafter returned from Cuba Mr. Edwards was
made his private aid and correspondence clerk
and copied in type written form all of the
General's Cuban reports. He then accompanied
Gen. Shafter from New York to San Francisco,
i;; the General's private car, as private clerk and
stenographer. He was sent from there to Ma-
nila, where he is at present chief manifest clerk
ir the customs office.
RANK McCOSH, one of the oldest
locomotive engineers, in actual ser-
vice, on the Centralia district of the
Illinois Central, entered the employ
of the company in 1873 as a fireman, being pro-
moted to the right side of the cab in 1877. He
was engaged in pulling freight until 1883, when
IK was promoted to the passenger service be-
tween Centralia and Cairo, where he is serving
at the present time. During his long and faith-
ful service with the company he has only lost
six months. He has been successful in his
chosen calling and now owns a comfortable
country home, southwest of Centralia. He is a
member of Division No. 24, B. of L. E., of Cen-
tralia.
M. YOUNG, who has been in the
employ of the Illinois Central Com-
pany for nearly thirty years, entered
the employ of the company in 1871 as
a fireman, making his trip as such on the main
line from Centralia to Wapella. He was pro-
moted to engineer August 27, 1879, on the Cen-
tralia district and was given his present run on
the "local" from Centralia to Du Quoin in
July 1897. Mr. Young is a native of Ohio, is
married and has a pleasant home in Centralia,
where he is well and favorably known. He
was a charter member of the Firemen's Union,
also a charter member of the B. of L. F. and has
been a member of the B. of L. E. since 1880.
ERBERT B. WATSON, agent for the
I. C. at Burlington, 111., was bom
at Perryville, 111., January 28, 1866.
His parents, Samuel and Susanna J.
(Sharp) Watson, were both natives of England.
In their family were the following children :
Walter, a carpenter of Greene, la., Mary M.
wife of Dr. F. Wylie Nash, of Big Rock, 111.,
Elizabeth, wife of James L. McEvoy, an insur-
ance agent of Ottawa, 111., William, a farmer
residing at Waterville, Kan., Homer D., a
blacksmith, of Winslow, 111., Herbert B. our
subject, Amon C., a farmer, and Samuel N., a
farmer.
Our subject received his education in the
country schools near his home, starting at the
age of seven years. As soon as he was able,
in order to secure a good education and assist
a widowed mother to support a large family,
he worked during the summers and attended
school during the winters until he was fifteen
years old, when he began working by the month
on a farm giving his entire wages to his mother
until he was twenty-one, she buying his clothes.
Then desiring to learn the art of telegraphy
he worked out during the summer on a farm at
twenty-two dollars a month, giving his note in
570
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the fall to his sister for $100, which in addition
to his savings he used in attending a school of
telegraphy in Chicago for three months. This
school proved of but little account and in order
to finish his education he worked for his board,
walking three miles night and morning to the
railroad office in Perryville, where under the
instruction of C. W. Johnson he finished his
course, his first position being for the Illinois
Central at Perryville, while Mr. Johnson was on
a leave of absence. During the remainder of
the summer of 1889 he worked as relief agent at
several places on the Freeport division. Taking
charge at Charter Grove in December 1889
he remained there until August 20, 1891, when
he was sent to Perryville, where he remained
until March 24, 1893, at which time he was
transferred to his present position.
Mr. Watson was married February 11, 1891,
to Miss Nora Dean, of Sycamore, 111., who was
born August 4, 1867. They have one daughter,.
Daphine, born January 6, 1896. Our subject
joined Cherry Valley Lodge, No. 173, A. F. and
A. M., in January 1893, taking his demit to
Hampshire Lodge, No. 443, in July 1899.
JG. CARNEY, passenger conductor on
the Cedar Rapids branch began his
Q railroad career in the service of the
Central as brakeman at Dubuque in
the spring of 1881. Running west out of Dubu-
que for four years he was promoted to conduc-
tor and for nearly six years ran freight between
the river and Waterloo or Fort Dodge. After
his promotion to the passenger service he ran
on the main line for several years and in April
1898 was assigned to his present run between
Manchester and Cedar Rapids. Mr. Carney
comes of a railroad family. His brother Frank,
formerly a conductor on the Central is now hold-
ing office in the city of Dubuque; another
brother, Michael, is employed in the yards of the
same company, in the same city. Their fathe
P. A. Carney moved from the Empire state t
the west while the boys were quite young.
J. 15. Carney was born in Montgomer
county, N. Y. He was married in Dubuque i
December 1877, to Miss Minnie Redman. Thei
children are : Lester, Bessie, Hazel and Hattii
Mr. Carney is a member of Division No. 6j
O. R. C., of Waterloo, and of Howland Lodg
No. 274, Ancient Order of LTnited Workmei
also of Waterloo.
JF. DUNSMORE, supervisor of watc
supply at Waterloo, la., is a native c
Q Scotland, his birth occurring in 183*
Coming to America at the age of si>
teen he worked for a time as a miner and as
stationary engineer.-- His first employment wit
the Central was in 1858, at work digging a tut
nel at LaSalle under John Newell with whom li
remained five years constructing water-work:
For two years Mr. Dunsmore served as superii
tendent of a mine at Peru, 111., and then re-er
tered the service of the Central April 8, 186;
on the water-works at LaSalle and for five year
IK had charge of the water supply between Cer
tralia and East Dubuque. In 1870 he was trans
ferred to the west end and making headquarter
at Waterloo, had charge of the water suppl
between Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Lyle and Ceda
Rapids. He has a thorough knowledge of a
that pertains to water supply, and his long ten
of continuous service, over a third of a centur
with one employer, testifies to his faithfulness t
the duty he has to perform.
Mr. Dunsmore was married at LaSalle t
Miss Catherine McDonald a native of Syracus*
\\-\v York. Of the six children born to ther
the following is the record : George, served a
first lieutenant in the 3rd Kansas Voluntee
Regiment through the Cuban war ; Charles.
conductor on the west end, makes his home a
Cherokee ; John, foreman for the Bell Telephon
C. W. STEELMAN.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
573
Company at Waterloo, served as corporal during
the Spanish war ; Mary, wife of Edward Croke,
a shoe dealer at Waterloo; Nettie, money order
clerk in the Waterloo post office; Maggie, the
youngest, residing with her parents.
Mr. Dunsmore is a member of the Legion
Q{ Honor and Rowland Lodge No. 274, A. O.
U. W., of Waterloo.
his parents to Memphis, Tenn., and about a year
later moved to Humbolt, Tenn. The father,
Joseph Steelman, was a carriage maker. Our
subject was married in Jackson to Miss Maggie
Shelton, of that city, and of the three children
that have been born to them, only one is now liv-
ing, Mabel N. Myrtle B. died in 1892, and
Charles B. died in 1895. Socially our subject
affiliates with Division No. 93, B. of L. E., of
Jackson, Tenn.
W. STEELMAN, engineer at Jack-
son, Term., began his railroad career
'Q June 22, 1882, in Jackson, as fire-
man under Thomas Tate, foreman.
Soon after, however, he secured a position as
fireman on a switch engine, worked in the yards
about a month, and was then given a regular run
on engine No. 296, a Rogers. Six months later,
or in February 1883, he severed his connection
with the Illinois Central company, and for the
following five years served the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad company as a fireman. In 1888 he
returned to the Illinois Central company and
worked as a fireman until September of the same
year, when he was set up as engineer. After
his promotion our subject was transferred to
Water Valley, and for the following three
months ran both north and south out of that city,
returned to Jackson later, and accepted a run
north from the latter city. Mr. Steelman's first
regular engine was No. 754, a Weldon mogul, but
after having control of it about nine months he
was set back to extra work for two years.
His next regular machine was No. 616, a mogul
consolidated engine. In 1892-93, Mr. Steelman
worked between Jackson and Martin, and in
1894 he was in the passenger service between
Cairo and Fulton for a short time. He also
served in the chain gang prior to May 22, 1899,
and since that date has served on the local be-
tween Jackson and Martin. Mr. Steelman has
never been injured in any way since being on
the road. The subject of this sketch was born
in Madison, Ind., and made his home in that
place until six years of age, when he moved with
JF. WHELAN, conductor residing at
Cedar Rapids, began in the service of
O Central in the fall of 1871 at Water-
loo, Iowa, as brakeman between that
place and Dubuque. Six years later he was
promoted and ran over the same part of the
line until resigning to enter the wholesale grocery
business at Dubuque. In 1890 he re-entered
the service of the Central with a run between
Dubuque and Fort Dodge which he held eight
years and was then assigned his present run
between Manchester and Cedar Rapids. Mr.
Whelan was born at St. Louis, Mo., a son of
Daniel and Ella (McGrath) Whelan, natives of
Ireland. The father was a marble cutter by
trade but entered the service of the Central and
was for years foreman of the section at East
Dubuque. J. F., our subject is the oldest of
the family. Of his pther children the following
is the record : John, a contractor of Dubuque ;
William, a grocer of Dubuque ; Frank, associated
with William ; Thomas, employed in a coffee
house at Chicago ; Lawrence, hardware dealer
in Dubuque ; Mary, superior of a convent at
Cedar Rapids.
J. F. Whelan was married in 1880 to Miss
Kate Kane, of Dubuque. Their children are :
Genevieve, Mary, Sadie, Daniel J. and Bernar-
dine. In early life Mr. Whelan learned the
tinners trade. He is a member of Waterloo
Division No. 67, O. R. C. Socially he affili-
ates with Central Lodge No. 185, A. O. U. W.,
of Dubuque.
574
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JAMES W. McNAMARA, an engineer in
the freight service, began his railroad
career on the Louisville & Nashville
road in 1881 as fireman and later se-
cured employment in the same capacity on the
Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern, now a part
of the Illinois Central, firing in the Louisville
and Paducah run. On his promotion to engi-
neer in 1888 he was assigned to engine No.
550, succeeded by other engines until his present
assignment was made, a new Brooks engine
No. 20 on the Memphis run. Mr. McNamara
has always taken an interest in younger men
working to better themselves and has turned
out a number of fine engineers who were fire-
men under his instruction. Our subject was
born at Clarksville, Tenn., January 18, 1863.
Of his marriage to Lona T. Smith three children
were born, Neve, Joel and Mary. He built a
comfortable home on Ninth street, Paducah,
where a hearty hospitality is dispensed. Mr.
McNamara has made his own way in life, hav-
ing started out when a youth to earn his own
living. He drove a team during the construc-
tion of the Paducah and Elizabethtown road and
later worked in a coal mine. Any honest work
was acceptable to him in his earnest endeavor
to get along. He is a member of Division No.
225, B. of L. E.,-of Paducah.
JOHN E. SHEGOG, locomotive engineer
on the Louisville division of the Illinois
Central, began railroading when only
fourteen years of age as a pumper at
Water Creek. At that time the pump was run
by horse power but was afterwards changed to
steam power. He remained here two years
when he was promoted to the yards at Central
City in the train service and as hostler. After
working in this capacity for two years he began
firing with engineer Warren Gray and fired for
various engineers up to 1896, when he was pro-
moted to engineer and placed in charge of en-
gine No. 282. His present engine is No. 24,
one of the new Brooks, which he is now using
011 local freight. Our subject has never been
injured but had a narrow escape while running
a fast freight. As he was rounding a sharp
curve he ran into a train with no flag out, de-
molishing the caboose and several cars, but for-
tunately no one was injured. Mr. Shegog was
born in Hardin county, Ky., a son of R. W.
Shegog, who is now connected with the I. C. at
Central City. Our subject is a member of Divi-
sion No. 225, B. of L. E. and also of Division
No. 239, B. of L. F. He is one of the youngest
engineers on the road.
P. McCORMICK, engineer at Water-
loo, Iowa, began working for the
Illinois Central Company at Water-
loo, November 25, 1881. His first
work was that of fireman on a switch engine
iu the Dubuque yards, where he spent fifteen
months and then after spending fifteen months
with Engineer D. H. Knowlton on a freight
engine on the main line, he was promoted, Janu-
ary 31, 1885, and took charge of a switch engine
in the Dubuque yards. Two and a half years
later, he was sent to Waterloo where he was
engaged in extra road service until 1891.
Since this date he has had a regular run be-
tween Waterloo and Dubuque. Mr. McCor-
mick is a native of Dubuque, and a son of Henry
and Ella P. McConnick. The father was a
contractor and teamster by occupation during his
life, but died in 1864, leaving a family of four
children, as follows : John J., deceased ; J. H.,
of Dubuque; Sarah and T. P., the subject of this
sketch. After the death of the father, the
mother was married to Michael Lavin.
Our subject located in Waterloo, Septem-
ber 7, 1882. He was married to Miss Manic
Whippo, of Galena, 111., and they have become
the parents of a family of four children upon
whom thev have seen fit to bestow the follow-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
575
ing names : Leslie L., Irene H., Harry and
Albert. Mr. McCormick has an excellent record
on the Illinois Central Company's books, be-
ing a competent workman and throughout, his
career he has met with no serious accident.
Socially he affiliates with Division 114, B.
of. L. E. of which he is one of the most zealous
members. He is also a member of Howland
Lodge No. 274, A. O. U. W., of Waterloo.
E. HARVEY, a popular young con-
ductor on the Louisville division of
Q the Illinois Central, began his rail-
road career in 1889 on the Richmond
& Danville railroad as a flagman, and received
his promotion to conductor in 1892. He re-
mained with the R. & D. Railroad until 1898,
when he came to Paducah and entered the em-
ploy of the Illinois Central as a conductor in
the through freight service. His crew consists
of B. Britton and James Price. He has been
fourtunate in having no accidents or injuries
during his railroading. Our subject was born
in Virginia and is a son of G. E. Harvey, a
farmer. He has a brother who is a passenger
conductor in the service of the Southern Rail-
road. Mr. Harvey is a member of Division
No 279, O. R. C, of Water Valley, and is also
a member of Danville Lodge No. 162, K. of P.
He makes his home at 1006 Jefferson street,
Paducah, Ky.
JS. FULMER, a conductor at McComb
City, was born at Bowling Green, Ky.,
Q February 11, 1872. His father, Jacob
Fulmer, residing at Tomotla, N. C.,
was for years in the employ of the I. C. between
Cairo and Jackson, Tenn. The mother died
when J. S. was only three years old. Mr. Ful-
mer was educated in the schools of Jackson,
Tenn., and Asheville, N. C. He began his railroad
career on the Western North Carolina road in
1889 as call boy and later worked six months
in the machine shops. After firing an engine
three and a half years he went to Birmingham,
Ala., and secured a position on the Georgia
Pacific as brakeman running on that line during
1893 and '94. In that year he was promoted to
a conductorship and continued at that until he
resigned in 1898. May 24th of that year he
entered the service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman and served in that capacity until his
promotion June 26, 1899, to through freight run
on a caboose No. 98,640.
The marriage of Mr. Fulmer occurred at
Birmingham, Ala., to a daughter of Mr. J. L.
Lee of Helena, Ala. One daughter has been
born to them, Helen Louise.
Mr. Fulmer was severely injured at Bloss-
burg, Ala., by being crushed between a car and
a wall. His recovery has been complete. He
was for four and a half years a member of the
P., of L. F.
JT. COULTER, freight conductor on the
Aberdeen division, is an native of
Q Kansas City whence his parents moved
to Tennessee while the boy was quite
small. The father is at present in the grocery
business at Martin, Tennessee ; the mother is de-
ceased. Our subject was educated in McKensit
college and at the age of sixteen secured a place
in the dry goods store of Abe Ruble & Com-
pany, at Aberdeen, and remained in their em-
ploy four years. In 1895 he entered the ser-
vice of the Illinois Central as brakeman running
out of Aberdeen with Conductor Stacey. Next
he ran baggage for six months and then was
assigned as brakeman on the local freight until
May 21, 1898, when he was promoted and now
has a freight run on the Aberdeen division.
His caboose is No. 98,611. Mr. Coulter was
seriously injured in 1896 by jumping to the
576
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ground in a wreck. He also sustained injuries
in another wreck in going over a trestle.
Mr. Coulter is a member of Division No.
304, O. R. C. and also of the Knights of Pythias
of Aberdeen.
O. BUTLER, a conductor on the
Aberdeen division, was born in
Q the state of Mississippi. His
father, M. R. Butler, was one of
the leading attorneys at Starkville, Miss., for a
period of fifteen years and for twelve years of
that time served his county as prosecuting at-
torney. His death occurred December 15, 1891.
The mother is living and is a resident of Stark-
ville. W. O. Butler attended the Starkville
Academy and when of suitable age secured a
place as brakeman on the Central. After serv-
ing duly in that capacity he was examined and
promoted May 7, 1898, and assigned to duty on
the work train.
Mr. Butler was married at Starkville to
Miss Maude Staunton to whom one child has
been born. Mr. Butler is a member of Division
No. 304, O. R. C., of Canton. He is also a
member of the Masonic fraternity affiliating
with the lodge at Durant where he resides.
W. KNIGHT, station agent for the
Illinois Central at Dyersville, Iowa,
LQ has been in the service of the com-
pany since the spring of 1887, when
he opened the station at Cheltenham Beach on
the completion of the South Chicago branch.
He was soon after given appointment at
Madison, Wis., where he remained but a short
time before he was transferred to Alden, Iowa,
and then to Manchester and Storm Lake, Iowa,
followed by Galena, 111., and in the fall of 1889
he was transferred to Dyersville, as operator,
and five years later was made station agent at
that place which position he has since credit-
ably filled. Mr. Knight is a native of Fairport,
N. Y., and is a son of Edward and Elizabeth
Knight, natives of London, England, who came
to America with their parents in childhood.
They settled in Laporte county, Indiana, on a
farm. Both are now deceased. Until the local
lodge became extinct Mr. Knight was a mem-
ber of the Knights of Pythias.
J. PATZEN, general foreman of the
freight house at East St. Louis, be-
Q gan railroading in 1875 at Buffalo,
N. Y., on the New York, Lake Erie
& Western, now the Erie line, in the lake freight
department. Some four months later he was
given a more responsible position and in less than
a year was made tally-man, or as it is now known,
check clerk. A year later he was given full
charge of the down freight, employing about
twenty men. For seven years he held this posi-
tion, hiring and discharging the men under his
charge. Resigning he entered the employ of the
Lehigh Coal and Iron Company at West Su-
perior, Wis., as foreman and weigher, and time-
keeper for a gang of 135 men, retaining that
position until the spring of 1887, when he re-
signed and went into the employ of the Western
Minnesota road at the same place, first as check
clerk and later as foreman over 200 men load-
ing and unloading vessels during the naviga-
tion season. During the winter he had charge
of the flour warehouses. He was thus employed
until 1889 when he was appointed assistant coun-
ty clerk of Douglas county for a term of
two years. Three months later he resigned to
accept a position in the public works department
of the city government. A change of admini-
stration caused the loss of his place so he re-
turned to the Western Minnesota road in his
old position where he remained until the spring of
1891 when he resigned. Coming to Chicago he
w
cc
O
u
J
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
579
secured a position in the freight house of the
Illinois Central where in time he was promoted
to a foremanship which he held until transferred
to East St. Louis, November 15, 1896 as general
foreman of the warehouse and yards. Mr.
Patzen was born at Buffalo, New York, in 1861.
lie married Miss Mary Schneller who is the
mother of one child Arthur J.
Mr. Patzen is a member of the Ancient
Order of United Workmen, the National Union
and the Railway and Telegraphers' Political
League of Illinois, of which he was a delegate
to the convention held in 1899 at Chicago.
25, 1887, and ran extra freight engine until April
'88 when he was transferred to Centralia, remain-
ing there a month, then to Champaign, where
he remained until the middle of August '88, then
to Chicago division, running between Champaign
and Oilman six weeks, and then back to his old
place .where he has continued up to the present
time. During the summer of '93, he had engine
No. 1329; was then given No. 305. After that
he had No. 962 in the through passenger service,
between Chicago and Champaign, for ten months.
His present engine is No. 461 in the freight ser-
vice between Chicago and Kankakee.
Mr. Barker married Mrs. Maggie Smythe,
whose maiden name was Maggie Rudowsky, of
Omaha. He is a member of Division No. 10,
B. of L. E., of Burnside.
E. BARKER, who stands among
the best known boys on the road,
Q is a native of Lexington, Mo., was
raised in Lexington, 111., and re-
moved to Chicago Sept. 10, 1880. His service
with the Illinois Central began Jan. I, 1882, as
fireman in the yards at Randolph street, on en-
gine No. 209, with Engineer John Wanzer.
Thomas Ames was also one of his engineers. At
the end of six months he went into the surbur--
ban service with Conrad Englebrect, on No. 223,
and fired for him six months. Then for a year
and eight months was firing for Chas. Draper
on No. 34, in the passenger service, on the Chi-
cago division, then on through freight with
Richard jOrmsby, three months,»on No. 243, and
then with H. L. Seaver on No. 200 for three
months. In August 1885 he was examined,
and the following September began running.
.His first day was on switch engine No. 74 in the
Randolph street yards, and continued on that
engine about one month. After running No.
249 at night for a month, he took No. 62, now
No. 216, in the suburban service for nine months.
His next step was into freight service on the
Chicago division, on No. 402, which he had three
months. Owing to an accident he was laid off
Sept. 10, 1887; he began again at Waterloo, Dec.
L. CROSSETT, a locomotive engi-
neer, began railroading August 16,
1891, on the Illinois Central as a fire-
man on the Chicago division in yard
service for M. J. Huber, and continued there
about nine months, when he was put on the
through freight and fired for Frank Bellows,
continuing until the spring of 1893, when he went
on through passenger to Champaign firing for
James Moran, and Larry Burns, the latter most
of the time; remaining there until December i,
and then went back on the freight until January
1896, when he was examined and promoted to
engineer and ran extra and fired until August,
when he got switch engine No. 104 in the Fordam
yards. He now runs engine No. 305 in the
freight service. During his railroad career of
nine years, he has never been injured. Mr Cros-
sett married Miss Anna Cawrey, and they have
become the parents of three children.
580
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
F. WELDON, engineer at Jackson,
Tenn., began railroading on the Chi-
cago, Burlington & Quincy road at
Aurora, 111., in 1880 as fireman.
After five years on the left side he was examined
and set up to engineer running on all of the
divisions east of the Mississippi river. He had
previously served as engineer, but owing {p
slack times was set back to firing. In 1888 he
resigned and in November of that year entered
the employ of the Illinois Central and was sent
tc Water Valley, Miss., and soon after to Jack-
son, Tenn., running north from that point. The
first regular engine to which he was assigned
was No. 327, followed by 614. After handling
various engines he was given No. 621, his
present charge.
Mr. Weldon is a member of Division No.
93, B. of L. E., of Jackson. His first member-
ship was in No. 32, of Aurora, which he joined
soon after his promotion to the right side of
the cab. He is also a member of the Jackson
Lodge of Elks, No. 192, and of the Knights of
Pythias of the same place.
A. CLARKE the ranking engineer at
Jackson, Tenn., has been in railroad
Q service for over thirty-five years, hav-
ing begun as an apprentice in the
shops of the Western & Atlantic Railroad at
Atlanta, Georgia. After four years in the shops
he was sent out over the line, and in 1869 was
given a regular run between Atlanta and Chat-
tanooga, where he remained until the fall of
1875. September i2th of that year he came to
Jackson and entered the service of the New Or-
leans, St. Louis & Chicago which was later
known as the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans
prior to its becoming a part of the Illinois Cen-
tral system, and was promoted to the passenger
service July 4, 1880. His first work under the
new management was on January 1st running
between Jackson and East Cairo and later in the
freight service between Cairo and Fillmore, K\ .
He was also employed on construction, laying
track, and ran the first engine on the incline be-
tween East Cairo and Grand Junction when tin-
bridge was built. Mr. Clarke is a native of Chat-
tehoochee, Florida. His marriage occurred in
1879, Miss Emily Lee, of the Cherokee Nation
becoming his bride. They are the parents of five
daughters, as follows : Mary, Sarah, Lucy, Addie
and Emily. Walter, a twin of Lucy, died in
1891. Mr. Clarke has experienced the excite-
ment of a hold-up by train robbers, the incident
having occurred in 1892 at Bradwell, Ky., when
three bandits secured some two thousand dol-
lars from the passengers who escaped personal
violence. The only serious injury received by
Mr. Clarke during his railroad career was at
Sharon, Tenn., where his left shoulder was
severely injured retiring him from service some
two months.
Prominent in the B. of L. E., Mr. Clarke
has been connected with this order since March
1871, and is now filling the office of third engi-
neer in Division No. 93 at Jackson. He is on
the board of adjustment at present having filled
other offices during the many years of his mem-
bership. He is a member of Madison Lodge
No. 16, I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 192, B. P. O. E.,
the A. O. U. W. and the Knights of Honor, all
of Jackson. He has never been the cause of
injury to a passenger, nor suffered an hour's
suspension for neglect of duty.
JC. STALEY, engineer at Jackson,
Tenn., struck his first lick in railroad
Q work during the fall of 1888 in the
shops of the Colorado Midland, at
Colorado City, and nineteen months later he
began shovelling coal on a run between that
point and Leadville. He was in this service
until December 1894. In the fall of 1895 he
came to Jackson and secured a situation as fire-
man on the Central running north from Jack-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
581
s HI. August 28th, 1890,, he was examined
;uiil promoted, his first run being between
Jackson and Martin. He is now on the extra
list awaiting his turn for a regular run. Mr.
Staley was born in Randolph county, N. C., but
was reared in Cass county, Missouri. He was
married at Fulton, Ky., to Miss Adaline Collins
of that place. One son has been born to them,
I >uvid Leroy. Mr. Staley is a member of Divi-
sion No. 20, B. of L. F., of Jackson.
'Wilson.
EORGE E. THOMPSON, a well
known engineer on the Omaha divi-
sion entered the service of the Cen-
tral in 1887, across the cab from Sam
In his freight service on the road he
was for four years under the instruction of John
H. Fox and he fired in the passenger service
two years under D. J. Culton. Returning to
the freight service, he was shortly after ex-
amined October 28, 1895, and set up as engi-
neer. Making Cherokee, Iowa, his home, Mr.
Thompson was engaged at that end of the linei
until 1900 excepting two winters he was assigned
to duty in the south with headquarters at Vicks-
bnrg, Miss. On January 26, 1900, he was trans-
ferred to the Omaha division moving his family
to Fort Dodge the summer following and is
now making that city his home. Mr. Thompson
was born at Salt Lake City, Utah, February 13,
1860, during one of the many migrations of the
family across the plains, and during his child-
hood crossed the continent three times and made
two trips by water, once coming around by way
of Cape Horn. His father, James Thompson,
was a Forty-niner and became heavily interested
in mines in the west. The grandfather, James
Thompson, "Sr., was an old Scotchman very much
set in his ways and when he was denied the privi-
lege of taking some of his unnecessary belong-
ings in the wagon, he bought a wheel-barrow and
trudged after the ox team all the way from
\\ aterloo, Wisconsin, to their destination in
Nevada. Our subject secured his education in
the schools of Wisconsin which was the home of
the family when not in the west or crossing the
plains. His marriage occurred in August 1889
at Cherokee, Iowa, to Miss Dora P. Ruge,
daughter of Joachim Rnge, of Aurelia, Iowa.
Four children have been oorn to them, Francis,
Lindsey, Imo and Clare.
Mr. Thompson is a member of Division No.
226, R. of L. E., at Fort Dodge, and of Lodge
No. 197, A. O. U. W. and Tent No. 27, K. O.
T. M.
JOHN MULVOY, supervisor of bridges
and buildings on the New Orleans divi-
sion, is a native of Wheeling, West Va.,
born Oct. 17, 1859. The father, Mar-
tin Mulvoy, a stone mason, died about 1879, the
mother, in maidenhood Miss Margaret Mc-
Darrah, is now a resident of Jackson, Tennessee.
Mr. Mulvoy attended the public schools of Nash-
ville, Tenn., and vicinity whither the family had
moved during his childhood: In 1872 the
family moved to Jackson and the following year
the boy entered the service of the Mississippi
Central, now the Illinois Central, as waterboy
serving the track layers. The next year lie
worked as laborer on a bridge gang between
Jackson, Tenn., and Cairo, 111., occupying the
space of a year. During the year of 1875 he
served as engineer on the pile driver operating
at East Cairo, 111., and Birds Point, Mo. The
year 1876 was spent on the various sections of
that division and in 1877 he became a member of
the bridge and building department and re-
mained in that service about six years. On
January i, 1883, Mr. Mulvoy entered the service
of the Cotton Belt Line as bridge carpenter and
remained in the service nine months when he
returned to his former employers on the Can-
ton, Aberdeen and Nashville division as build-
ing carpenter. November i, 1884 he was trans-
ferred to the main line as engineer on the pile
driver and assistant bridge foreman. He later
582
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
resigned and entered the service of the L. N.
(). & T., now the Y. & M. V. road, in the
capacity of conductor and foreman of bridge
train, working between New Orleans and Vicks-
burg until July i, 1889, when he returned to
the service of the Illinois Central on the Missis-
sippi division in the same capacity until Septem-
ber 15, 1896, the date of his appointment to
road supervisor of the Cairo district with head-
quarters at Fulton, Ky. February 15, 1899, he
was transferred to Vicksburg, Miss., as supervi-
sor of bridges and buildings of the New Orleans
division. His jurisdiction embraces 235 miles
on the main line and ninety-eight miles in the
Natchez district, and forty-two miles of the
Woodville branch and eight miles of the Clinton
branch in all 383 miles.
On October 26, 1881, Mr. Mulvoy was
married to Miss Ella Roach, of Ballard county,
Ky., who was born at Lincoln, 111. The chil-
dren born to them are as follows : Martin, de-
ceased ; Stella, William Hi, John Floyd, Mary
and Marjorie.
Mr. Mulvoy is a member of the Jackson
Lodge, No. 13, Knights of Pythias and of the
Knights of Honor of the same city. He is a
member of the Catholic church and in politics
is a Democrat.
D. KELLY, one of the younger en-
gineers, was born in Grundy coun-
LQ ty, Tennessee, June 22, 1868, a son
of John Kelly who in his lifetime
was a blacksmith of that county. Our subject
began his service on the Central in 1887, firing
under the instruction of James Wamble, working
in the yards most of the time. In 1891 he was
examined and promoted to engineer and was
given a run out on the line as extra engineer.
In 1893 he was dismissed from the service, with
thirteen others, on account of slack work. Dur-
ing that time he was in the employ of the Queen
& Crescent, the old Cincinnati Southern. He was
reinstated and is in the general service as engi-
neer of the I. C. R. R. Mr. Kelly was married
in Somerset, Kentucky, Miss Mattie Elliott be-
ing his helpmate. They now reside at 348 Iowa
avenue, Memphis, Tenn. He is a member of the
Masonic Lodge No. in, at Somerset, Kentucky,
and of the P>rotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
Division No. 218 at Vicksburg.
LISHA B. RUSSELL, trainmaster at
Jackson, Tennessee, has filled that
position since the spring of 1900.
He began railroading at the age of
twelve, in the offices at Jackson under his brother,
Charles F. Russell, who was agent there and who
died while on duty, during an epidemic of yel-
low fever. Mr. Russell of this sketch learned
telegraphy and was sent to Canton as clerk in
the offices there. Later he was appointed agent
and served in that capacity until 1898 when he
was transferred to Fulton, succeeding Mr. A. L.
Foster and remained until appointed to his
present position.
Mr. Russell, a native of Jackson, Miss., born
in August 1873, is married and is the father of
seven children. He is a member of several
fraternal orders and a general favorite with his
fellow townsmen.
, ETER O'ROURKE, a conductor on the
Amboy division, was born at Amboy,
July 29, 1874, a son of Patrick and
Katherine (Lutrell) O'Rourke, na-
tives of Ireland who emigrated to America prior
to their marriage and settled at Amboy. Two
sons and four daughters were born to them,
all of whom are living. Peter O'Rourke at-
tended the public schools of Amboy and when
old enough to work acted as his father's helper
at the masons trade. He was then engaged in
the oil business until July 29, 1893, when he
GEORGE LEMON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
585
entered the service of the Illinois Central as
brakeman on the Anihoy division and continued
at that work until November 21, 1897 the date
of his promotion and since that time he has been
in the freight service.
Mr. O'Rourke was married June 21, 1899
to Miss Katherine La veil of Amboy, who comes
of a railroad family, a number of brothers hav-
ing been in the employ of the Central.
EORGE LEMON, a prominent and
wealthy citizen of Jackson, Mississip-
pi, now living a retired life in that
city, is a former employe of the Illi-
nois Central, well known to all old railroad men.
Mr. Lemon was .born in Belfast, Ireland, on
March 29, 1830, and is a son of James and Mary
Lemon. Mr. Lemon -Sr. was a rope-maker by
trade, following that occupation in his native1
country. He was a resident of Jackson, for a
long time, and departed this life at the home of
his son, in that city, having reached the age of
eighty-seven years.
George Lemon was but sixteen years old,
when his parents came to America, and on arriv-
ing, at once secured employment in the Long
Island rope factories, where he remained until
January 1853. Going to New Orleans in that
year, he entered the service of the old Opelousas
Railroad, and after working there for some
time, as fireman, he went to St. Louis, Missouri,
and was in the service of the Ohio & Mississippi
R. R. (now the Baltimore & Ohio) as fireman
and conductor, respectively, in the freight and
construction departments. He then went to the
Iron Mountain R. R. working there for a time,
as baggagemaster, and later as conductor, in the
passenger service. Retiring from that company,
lie returned to the Opelousas road, at New Or-
leans, but was there but a short time.
The Illinois Central, then known as the New
Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern, was his next
objective point, and T. S. Williams, then Super-
intendent of the Louisiana division, appointed
him yardmaster at New Orleans, which position
he filled until 1862. He was in that year, trans-
ferred to Jackson, Mississippi, as yardmaster,
and held the appointment until 1865, when he
retired from the service to engage in the general
merchandising business. From 1865 to 1890, he
was thus engaged, and in the latter year retired
to private life, on a well earned competency. Mr.
Lemon married Miss Ann Kirkpatrick of Olney,
Illinois, and there has been born to them a family
of seven children : Mary, wife of G. Lewis, a
merchant of Jackson, also supervisor; William
and George, deceased ; George William, who re-
sides in Chicago, and is in the wholesale grocery
business ; James K., a commercial traveler resid-
ing at Memphis, Term. ; Elizabeth J., wife of
L. E. Sugg., a messenger in the service of the
American Express company, and Annie Kirk-
patrick, who lives at home with her parents.
In 1899 Mr. Lemon started a nephew in
the business of manufacturing brick in Jackson,
Miss., in which he is a silent partner, and up to
the present time they have turned out about a
million of brick. Mr. Lemon belongs to the
Knights of Honor, and is a Mason of high stand-
ing. He takes an active interest in politics, be-
ing a staunch Democrat. The esteem in which
he is held by his fellow citizens is testified to
by the fact that he was for eleven years elected
alderman of the city. He held the position of
notary for a long time, and declined reappoint-
ment. He is a director of the Jackson bank,
one of the solid institutions of the state. Mr.
Lemon resides with his family in a spacious
home in West Jackson, where he is highly re-
spected, and the measure of his influence can
hardly be estimated.
ILLIAM M. SCOTT, one of the
conductors of the Springfield divi-
sion living at Clinton, 111., is a na-
tive of Plainfield, Will county, Illi-
nois born September 6, 1866. He attended the
public schools until the usual age for boys to
begin doing for themselves and until twenty-
586
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
three years of age was engaged in various kinds
of employment his hands found to do.
He entered railroad service as brakeman on
the Springfield division in August 1889, and for
five years was thus employed gaining the ex-
perience necessary to the duties of conductorship
to which he was promoted in 1894. Since that
date he has been engaged in the freight service
and at present is running between Chicago and
Springfield.
Mr. Scott was married in April 1890 and
is the father of a daughter. He is a member of
State Center Lodge No. 41, Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen.
transferred to the Louisiana division of the Illi-
nois Central with headquarters at McComb City.
Mr. Love was born at Columbia, S. C,
November 13, 1865, a son of William E. Love
a planter and stock raiser now residing in Boul-
ton, Texas
Mr. Love, of this sketch is a member of the
McComb City division of the B. of L. E. He is
a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, also affiliating with lodge No. 402, of
Houston, Texas.
JC. LOVE, an engineer on the southern
end of the Illinois Central has been but
O a short time with this road although he
is an old railroad man. He began his
railroad career in the service of the Santa Fe
road in the Topeka shops -from which he went
into the train service on the left side of the cab
running between Wellington, Kan., and Pan
Handle City, Texas, remaining one and a half
years. Joining the forces of the Fort Worth
and Denver road he was engaged some eighteen
months in the shops and firing. His next em-
ployment was at San Antonio, Texas, on the
Southern Pacific, where he began as fireman and
was set up November 13, 1890. Until 1897 he
ran in the freight service of that road, leaving
to accept a position at Albuquerque, N. M., on
the Santa Fe Pacific for which he had been work-
ing about four months when he quit railroading
to become one of a company that intended to
mine for gold in the Klondike country. Pro-
ceeding as far as the Canadian Northwest the
company disbanded and Mr. Love returned
to the States and secured a place as engineer
on the A. & V. road at New Orleans and a few
months later entered the service of the Y. & M.
V. road at Vicksburg, and in November was
ILLIAM E. FARNUM, conductor
on the Central living at Freeport, is
a native of Fulton, Illinois, born
June 10, 1868. He is a son of
James and Bridget (Kane) Farnum, the latter
of whom died in 1896. The father, a native of
Ireland lived for a time at Kingston, New York,
removing thence to Fulton, "111., and from there
to Freeport, where he is in the employ of the
Central as car repairer. Thirteen children were
born to them of whom six are deceased. The
living are : Mary, wife of Patrick Burns, George
W., a conductor on the Central ; Elizabeth, wife
of John Smith ; James H., a brakeman on the
Central ; Annie, wife of John Coleman ; William
E., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Farnum was educated in St. Mary's
parochial school in Freeport, and at the age of
fourteen began working for the Central in the
Freeport yards. Two years later he secured
a place in the train service braking until 1888
when he was promoted and has since been run-
ning freight and mixed trains.
October 31, 1896, Mr. Farnum was married
in Freeport to Miss Catharine Cahill who was
born February 16, 1868 and died November 2,
1897.
Mr. Farnum is a member of the Order of
Railway Conductors, is a Catholic in religion
and in politics is a Democrat,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
587
H. DAVIS, an engineer living at
Freeport, is a native of McDonough
Q county, Illinois, born December 14,
1857. He is a son of William and
Susan (Wolgamot) Davis, the latter of whom
died in 1896. The father, now living retired in
Freeport, was for many years a prominent citi-
zen of Champaign county, Illinois, serving as
assessor thirteen years and three years as tax
collector.
Our subject attended the public schools of
his native county working on his father's farm
until attaining his majority, when he began
farming for himself and continued- at that oc-
cupation until 1890 the date of his entrance into
railroad work. Securing a place as fireman on
the Freeport division under Engineer Ingraham,
he occupied the left side of the cab until Febru-
ary 27, 1896, the date of his promotion after a
severe examination. His first trip on the right
side was on engine No. 486, and he has since his
promotion been running regularly on the Free-
port division.
February 13, 1887, Mr. Davis was married
to Miss Emma E. Smith of Chicago, a native of
the vicinity of Marshall, Michigan. One child
has been born to them Mary Estelle, whose
birthday is November 4, 1896.
Mr. Davis is a member of Division No. 27,
B. of L. E., of Freeport.
J. HUBER, an engineer in the yard
service, entered railroad service in
LQ the Weldon shops of the Illinois
Central in 1883, in the machinery
department, working there a year and a half,
firing extra in the yards when his services were
necessary. Becoming a regular fireman, after
a week on a switch engine, he was assigned to
the ca'b of No. 226, under Engineer John Glover,
in the suburban service. A year later he was
sent over the line on the Chicago division in the
freight service, under Frank Sweeney and Dennis
Kennedy and later with A. Sanderson, on engine
No. 185 in the passenger service. In 1888 Mr.
Huber was examined and set up to engineer and
assigned to the yard service, first on engine No.
24 and at present on No. 112 running between
Fordham and Blue Island. Mr. Huber was
never injured in a wreck, but being mistaken for
an engineer who had been instrumental in the
death of an Italian water boy was assaulted and
knocked down with a rock which retired him
from business three weeks.
Mr. Huber was born at Coopers Grove.
A brother, Albert Huber, is in the employ of the
Central working nights at the round house. The
marriage of Mr. Huber occurred at Chicago,
Miss Minnie Morray becoming his bride. Three
children have been born to them : Willard, Alfred
and Marvin.
JOB RANDALL, an engineer on the Louis-
ville division, is a descendant of old
colonial stock that first landed in this
country in the Mayflower. A great
uncle was an officer in the Revoluntionary war
and has handed down in the family to our sub-
ject, a sword he captured in a personal encounter
at the battle of Long Island with an officer of
General Howe's army. The grand father was
a sea captain owning a line of vessels running
out of Providence, and served for a time as
internal collector at the port of New York. He
died in Ohio at the house of his son at the ad-
vanced age of ninety-two. Mr. Randall the
father of our subject came to Athens county,
Ohio, in 1837 where his family was reared. The
family belonged to the nobility and in old Eng-
land whence they came were granted a coat of
arms as far back as 1 527.
Job Randall was born in Athens county,
Ohio, and there grew to manhood. He began his
railroad career on the P. F. W. C. road as brake-
man and later was employed on the B. O. & S. W.
in 1871. He secured- a place as fireman on the
road where he first began and later on the Grand
588
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Rapids & Indiana line, a part of the Pennsylva-
nia system where he was soon promoted and was
employed about seven years. His services were
secured by the Monon route on which he pulled
the fast passenger train. In 1883 Mr. Randall
resigned his position and coming south of the
Ohio river with Master Mechanic McDaniels,
and was given a run out of Paducah. At present
he has one of the choicest runs between Paducah
and Memphis.
Mr. Randall married Miss Goodes of Michi-
gan. Their two sons, Charles B. and Job, Jr.,
are in the service of the Central.
In the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers Mr. Randall holds a prominent place hav-
ing filled all of the official chairs and is at present
chairman of the Local Adjustment Board, and
was on the legislative board four years. He is
well up in masonry, being a member of lodge
No. 449, Chapter No. 30 and Commandery No.
n, of Paducah. He has always taken a great
interest in the upbuilding of the city where he
lives and is a prominent shareholder in a build-
ing and loan association. He assisted in rais-
ing $140,000 to encourage new enterprises to
come to the city. He materially assisted in se-
curing funds to build a $75,000 Methodist church
of which he is steward.
When a boy he raised garden truck to secure
money to pay for his education at the Ohio LTni-
versity and assisted through the same institution
his younger brother, now an employe on the Illi-
nois Central. Mr. Randall is president of the
State Political League and has refused the nomi-
nation of his party for representative in the legis-
lature.
DWARD A. WRIGHT, prominent lo-
comotive engineer in the employ of
the Illinois Central, started in the
shops at Chicago to learn the trade,
in October 1884, and worked there one year and
a half when he began firing as extra, on engine
No. 39, for Engineer Steward Hazlett; later on
engine No. 34 with Frank Rugg; also fired in
the suburban service for Engineer Roley Roger-
son for a year and a half, and then in August
1890, took charge as engineer (car works) of
engine No. 17, but at the end of one week went
into the road service on engine No. 330, his
present engine. With the exception of two years
in the suburban service, he has since had a run
between Chicago and Champaign. He has been
in several small wrecks and was badly scalded
in one of them.
Mr. Wright was born July 28, 1865, at
Rochester, N. Y., a son of Edward H., and
Elizabeth (Everly) Wright, the latter of whom
is deceased while the father resides in Burnside.
Mr. Wright was married December n, 1888,
to Miss Mabel Clark, a native of McLean coun-
ty, 111., and a daughter of John W. and Ella
(Evans) Clark, both of whom reside with our
subject. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have two daugh-
ters, Nettie May and Dottie Elizabeth. The
family reside at No. 1707 Eighty-ninth place,
Chicago.
Socially our subject is identified with Divi-
sion No. 10. B. of L. E., of Burnside.
ILLIAM J. HARAHAN, superin-
tendent of the Louisville division,
has demonstrated by his rapid rise
in railway management his fitness
for executive positions. Born at Nashville,
Tennessee, December 22, 1867, he attended the
schools of his native place and later at New
Orleans, an excellent technical school, fitting
himself properly in the ground-work of a suc-
cessful railroad career. He first entered rail-
way service as clerk and messenger in the super-
intendent's office of -the Louisville & Nashville
road at New Orleans for some three years and
then entered the shops as an apprentice, learning
the construction of locomotives and cars. For
two years he served in the engineering depart-
ment beginning at the lowest and finally had
w
o
1-5
o
ttJ
o
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
591
charge of the surveying force laying out a line
of road. During 1889 and '90 Mr. Harahan
' held the position of engineer of maintenance of
way on the Cincinnati division of the Chesapeake
& Ohio and from that date until 1892 was in
charge of structures for the Baltimore & Ohio
Southwestern. Severing his connection with
that road Mr. Harahan entered the service of the
Illinois Central March 1892 as road and train-
master of the Pontiac district and remained in
that position until April 1895. From April to
October of that year he served as assistant super-
intendent of the Freeport division and as super-
intendent until transferred to the Louisville divi-
sion August i, 1896, where he has since been
employed.
He was married June 10, 1890 to Miss Susan
M. Smith at Nashville, Tennessee, and has five
children.
T. MORGAN, a conductor in the
freight service of the 111. Central,
in the Grenada district, on the
Memphis division, was born at Red
River, Tenn., on December 20, 1860. Richard
Morgan, his father, now retired, and residing
at Earlington, Ky., was a section foreman and
supervisor in the employ of the Louisville &
Nashville R. R. A brother of our subject,
Richard Morgan Jr., is a trainmaster in the I.
C. service at Memphis, Tenn. M. T. Morgan
was educated in a private school at Guthrie,
Ky., and in 1878, at the age of sixteen years,
went to the service of the St. Louis & South-
eastern R. R. (now the L. & N.) as flagman,
for his brother Richard, who was then a conduc-
tor on that road between St. Louis and Evans-
ville, Ind. He was at that time the youngest
man holding such a position on the road. After
serving there eight months, he went with Conduc-
tor Willis, in a similar capacity, where he was
for five months. Going to Pueblo, Colo., he be-
came flagman on the Denver & Rio Grande R.
R., between Pueblo and Salida, and later took
charge of a steam shovel, having three engines,
and engaged in filling the Pueblo yards. Re-
turning to Earlington, Ky., on a visit, he decided
to remain, and entered the service of the Ohio
Valley R. R. as conductor, between Henderson
and Princeton, Ky., remaining nine months in
that position. His next work was as night yard-
master for the L. & N. Railroad at Earlington,
where he served five months. He then went to
Idaho, where he worked for nine months as con-
ductor, on the Short Line of the Union Pacific
R. R., and from there to Needles, Cal., where
he worked as flagman and conductor on the At-
lantjc & Pacific R. R. for nine months. A visit
of some months to his Kentucky home, was fol-
lowed by his return to California and his old posi-
tion. He finally returned east, and entered the
employ of the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern
(now the Illinois Central) and took a position
as conductor between Louisville and Paducah.
remaining there five years. He was then trans-
ferred to the Grenada district, where he is em-
ployed at the present time. Mr. Morgan was
united in marriage on Oct. 6, 1897, to Miss Ella
Conley, who was born in 1870, at Kelly's Station,
Ky. Socially, he is connected with the O. R.
C. He and his wife are members of the Catholic
church. Politically he is a staunch Democrat.
JOHN H. LANE, an engineer in the freight
service of the Illinois Central, residing
at Vickburg, Miss., was born in New Or-
leans, La., and is the son of Enos T.
Lane, a blacksmith by trade, who departed this
life in 1878.
Mr. Lane entered the service of the Louis-
ville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad in 1887, as
a wiper in the New Orleans shops, and was there
for two years. He then entered the road service
as fireman, on a freight engine between New Or-
leans and Wilson, La., with Engineer Christmas.
Serving in the capacity of fireman until Septem-
ber 1894, he was then examined for promotion,
592
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and passing a highly creditable examination, was
given charge of an engine. He has since had
a regular run in the freight service between
Vicksburg and New Orleans, where he is serving
with great credit. Mr. Lane was in a "tail end''
collision near the Mississippi and Louisiana state
line, on August 9, 1899, in which the conductor
was badly injured, but he escaped injury. Miss
Jane Kennedy became the wife of Mr. Lane, and
one child, Anna, was born to them on March 12,
1897. Mr. Lane belongs to Division No. 281,
B. of L. E., and also Division No. 399, B. of L.
F., of Vicksburg. He resides in that city, on
South Mulberry street, where he is comfortably
located, and is a respected citizen of the place.
tion April i, 1900, having charge of all the bag-
gage coming into or going out of the Union
Station at Sioux City.
Mr. Swartwood was married at Silver
Creek, Nevada, in 1879, to Miss Martha Yeo-
man. Their children are : Homer Owens, Beu-
lah Annetto and William Ray.
Mr. Swartwood is a member of the Masonic
fratenity, Lone Tree Lodge No. 36, at Central
City, Nebraska and of Utah Chapter, No. 4 and
of the Royal Arcanum, all of Salt Lake City.
UGH C. SWARTWOOD, baggage
agent at Sioux City, is a native of
Wheeling, West Virginia, born Janu-
ary 16, 1857. After passing through
the public schools, he attended the Normal
school, at Spencer, Indiana, and the State
University of the same state. After teaching
two terms in Indiana and four in Nebraska,
he began railroading at Evanston, Wyoming,
on the Union Pacific as brakeman and was pro-
moted to be extra conductor. November 1887
he was placed in charge of the baggage car run-
ning between Ogden and Cheyenne, and between
the former point and Denver until August 1890.
Placed in charge of the baggage room at
Cheyenne he remained on duty there nearly two
years. When the Ogden Short Line was separ-
ated from the Union Pacific, Mr. Swartwood
was transferred to the station at Salt Lake and
remained until March 1897, when he was ap-
]x)inted baggage agent of the Ogden and Salt
Lake road. In September 1898 he resigned to
enter actively into mining industries in which he
had investments but of which he shortly dis-
posed. Securing a position on the Kansas City
Belt Line in February 1899, he remained in that
service until his appointment to his present posi-
JOHN ADOLPH ANDERSON, foreman
painter at the Waterloo shops is a native
of Stockholm, Sweden, his birth having
occurred August 9, 1853. At the age of
sixteen he came alone to the new world, sailing
from Stockholm and landing at New York. He
came direct to Chicago and soon secured a place
in a large carriage shop where he learned the
painters' trade and worked six years. In 1875
he secured employment with the Illinois Central
at the Weldon shops and in 1880 was trans-
ferred to Waterloo where he remained about one
year. For the following five years he was em-
ployed in the shops of the C. St. P. M. & O. at
Sioux City and in 1886 returned to the service
of the Central at Waterloo and has been in its
employ ever since. On the death of Mr. Turner
in April 1900, Mr. Anderson was acting foreman
until June following, when he was regularly ap-
pointed foreman of the paint department at the
shops there.
Mr. Anderson was married in Waterloo, to
Miss Carrie Adrian, and they are the parents of
one daughter, Lillie.
In the fatherland Mr. Anderson was a mem-
ber of the athletic and singing societies but has
not affiliated with any lodge or society since
coming to America.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
593
ILLIAM A. HEATH, freight agent
at Sioux City, was born in the town
of Grattan, in Vermont, September
1 6, 1852. He was reared on the
farm, attending the public schools of his native
count}-. Coming west he secured a place as clerk
and night ticket agent at Waterloo and was later
made regular ticket agent. In October 1887 he
was transferred to Sioux City as cashier in the
offices serving eleven years as cashier and chief
clerk. He was appointed depot ticket agent serv-
ing nineteen months and was then appointed
April I, 1900 to his present position, having
charge of all in and out freight.
The marriage of Mr. Heath occurred at
Osage, Iowa, to Miss Jane E. Hilton. In the
social orders Mr. Heath has taken a great in-
terest. He is a member of Theron Lodge, No.
508, Sioux City Chapter, No. 26, and Colum-
bian Commandery No. 18, all of Sioux City, and
of Kaaba Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of
Davenport. He is also a member of the Ancient
( )nler of United Workmen and of the Woodmen
of the World, of Sioux City.
HARLES E. ROBERTS, a conductor
in the suburban service at Chicago,
began his railroad life in December
.1874, as a fireman in the freight ser-
vice of the Michigan Central running between
Chicago and Michigan City, Indiana. After one
year in this service he fired a yard engine two
years and then at the age of eighteen was made
engineer and ran a switch engine some six years,
resigning the position in December 1882. In
the summer of the following year he secured a
place on the Chicago & Alton running six months
as extra engineer. Early in 1883 he entered the
service of the Illinois Central and after one week
as fireman was transferred to the other end of the
train and became brakeman in the suburban ser-
vice with Conductor Ed. Collins. Serving in
this capacity for a year and a half, he was pro-
moted and served as baggageman and collector
for four years under Conductor Loomis. On
August 12, 1890, Mr. Roberts was promoted and
has been serving as suburban conductor ever
since. During 1894 he ran the fast express to
Grand Crossing making ten trips a day.
Mr. Roberts is a native of Kankakee, Illi-
nois. He married Miss Lydia Benjamin, a na-
tive of Canada, but reared at Kankakee. One
child has been born to them.
AMUEL B. CHAPMAN, an engineer
on the Omaha division, has been an
employe of the Illinois Central since
September 1877. For seven years
prior to that he had been mate on a river steamer
plying between St. Louis and St. Paul. On en-
tering the service of the Central he served as
fireman across the cab from John Fox until
January 23, 1893, when he was promoted and
assigned to extra duty on the Cherokee division.
When the new division to Omaha was opened
Mr. Chapman was one of those selected to
operate that division and moved to Council
Bluffs.
Mr. Chapman was born in Jo Daviess coun-
ty, Illinois, March 31, 1865. His father worked
at the painter's trade for many years and latterly
became proprietor of the Chapman house at
Cherokee.
The marriage of Mr. Chapman to Miss
Angia M. Butts occurred at Cherokee and four
children have been born to them : Maria, Edna,
Arthur and John.
Mr. Chapman is a member of Division No.
226, B. of L. E. at Fort Dodge and of the A.
O. U. W., at Waterloo. He affiliates with the
Masonic Order, at Cherokee. In a number of
small wrecks through which he has passed he
has never received serious injury.
594
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
K. CLARK, an engineer on the
Omaha division, entered the ser-
Q vice of the Illinois Central, at
Waterloo, on September 6, 1887,
as fireman on the main line making his first trip
with engineer Charles Wahl and later ran with
L. Smith on passenger engines two years. He
fired four years in the freight service under J.
T. Mulkern. He was regularly examined and
set up as engineer' in 1895, but continued on the
left side for a time owing to slack business on the
road. After running extra for a time out of
Waterloo, he was given a regular run in Septem-
ber 1898. When the new division was opened
he was assigned a run on that and moved with
his family to Council Bluffs.
Mr. Clark was born at Cedar Falls, la., a
son of George W. and Fannie F. (Streeter)
Clark, natives of Rochester and Phelps, N. Y.,
respectively. They settled at Cedar Falls in
1845, running a dray line for a time and later
bought a farm. In 1894 he again purchased the
dray line and is now engaged in that business.
Prior to entering the railway service Mr. Clark
was engaged in the dray business at Waterloo.
His marriage occurred at Waterloo. He is
a member of Cedar Valley Lodge No. 30, B. of
R. T., at Waterloo, and Lodge No. 274 Ancient
< Irder of United Workmen.
jtjtjtjtjtjt
ETER SCHLAX, a suburban engineer,
has been in the service of the Central
since 1884, when he entered the Wei-
don shops. Remaining but a few
months he began firing on the road in the freight
service for \V. H. Kempton, remaining under
his instruction two and a half years during which
time they ran over every division of the Central
north of the Ohio river. In 1887 he received
his promotion and after a few months firing on
the pay car under Mr. Kempton, our subject
was assigned to engine No. 79 in the transfer
service and a few weeks later was assigned to
the freight service for a few tri]> and then
placed permanently in the suburban s-vice where
he has since been engaged, his pr«;nt engine
being No. 221. Mr. Schlax is a nave of lias-
sett, Wis., and has been a resident >f Chicago
since 1884. He married Miss K;i Burke to
whom one child has been born, F rants.
.Mr. Schlax is a prominent meiber of the
B. of L. E., and is at present chiei if Divi>inn
No. 10, of Chicago.
ERXARD CURRAX, an ngineer in
the yard service of the llinois Cen-
tral at Chicago first ented the ser-
vice of the road at the \Mdon shops
working a short time during i879and '80, he
next secured work with the Iron Mimtain road
running between Poplar Bluff, Mo and Little
Rock, Ark. Having injured his had he came
home and in 1883 secured work oithe section
of the Illinois Central, continuing ii this capa-
city until 1886, when he began ring under J.
E. Poole. For five years he shoaled coal in
the freight and passenger service md in 1891
was set up to engineer and has sice been en-
gaged in the yard service at Chicav
James Curran, the father ofour subject
worked for many years on the sectin at Clifton
and he had been foreman for a lop time, when
he retired.
Mr. Curran was born in Chic?o December
30, 1858. He was married in Clrago to Miss
Ann Keleher who has borne him ,-ne daughter,
Margaret.
LBERT E. SINCLAIR, freight con-
ductor in the McComl district, was
born at DeKalb, Kemperounty. .Y
November 3, 1875, an< attended the
schools of his native place until thage of twelve
when his father moved to Meridiaj Miss. Here
the bov attended a business collfe two years
HENRY H. BEALS.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
597
and then at the age of fifteen secured a situation
driving' in the service of the Meridian Street
Railway Company where he was employed two
years. Having conceived a desire for railroad-
ing he came to McComb City and secured a place
in the service of the Illinois Central as switch-
man, and four months later was transferred to
the train service as brakeman at which he was
employed until his promotion to freight concluc-
lorship October 10, 1895, by Trainmaster R. H.
Dvvyer, and has since run freight between Mc-
Comb City and New Orleans.
Mr. Sinclair is married, having a family of
two children. He is a member of Division No.
367. O. R- C., at McComb City and of Dewey
Tent, Xo. i, Knights of the Maccabees.
ENRY H. BEALS, one of the early con-
ductors of the Illinois Central, will be
remembered with pleasure by those
who were actively connected with the
road forty years ago. Like many of the early
operatives on western lines, Mr. Beals came from
the New England states, where he grew to man-
hood. Descended from old Puritan stock, the
family has held an honorable position in the east
from about the time of the landing of the May-
flower, filling offices of honor and trust through-
out the eastern states.
Henry H. Beals was born February 6, 1834,
at Brattleboro, Vt., where he was reared, attend-
ing the common schools until about the age of
twenty. About 1854, he followed the tide of
emigration of the energetic youth that set out
for the great and growing west about that time.
Sojourning for a time at Fond du Lac, Wis., he
later appeared at Freeport, 111., and upon the
opening of the Illinois Central for traffic his alert,
active nature was all the recommendation needed
to secure him a position in the operating depart-
ment of the road. Serving a short time as brake-
man, he was soon promoted and became a conduc-
32
tor in the freight service several years before
the war. The conflict of the states increasing
the passenger traffic to a great extent, carrying
the troops to and from the theatre of war, pro-
motion to the passenger service followed soon.
From that time until shortly before his death,
Mr. Beals was in active service, running between
Amboy and Dubuque and between the latter point
and Chicago, over the "Q" connection before their
own line was built. Shortly before his death
which occurred in Waterloo, la., March 15, 1884,
he retired, making his home with his daughter.
His good wife, who was Lydia Reed in her girl-
hood, survived him two years, leaving an only
child, Katie A., now the wife of Mr. C. K. Dixon,
division superintendent of the I. C. at Cherokee,
Iowa.
As a man Henry H. Beals was well beloved
by all his colleagues. The few old timers still
remaining who were young and active in the days
when the great Illinois Central system was new,
speak of him affectionately, recounting his vir-
tues and telling of his genial nature. Few are
left of the old coterie, but there are enough to
convey to the rising generation a knowledge of
what manner of men and gentlemen the older
generation was composed.
AMUEL T. POWLES, a conductor in
the suburban service, first entered rail-
road service in 1869, on the Chicago
& Alton road at Joliet, when the coal
fields at that point were just opened. He twisted
brakes in the freight service for three years and
then was promoted to a conductorship and as-
signed to a coal train by J. G. Hartigan, then
chief train dispatcher on that line. For about
three years Mr. Powles ran coal trains between
Braidwood and Chicago and was then assigned
to through freight running out of Blootnington,
to Chicago, St. Louis and Mexico, Mo. Pro-
moted to the passenger service he ran for twelve
years between Chicago and St. Louis, and then
598
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
resigned to accept a similar position on the Wa-
bash, between Springfield and Grafton, remain-
ing one year. His next employment was on the
Texas Pacific running out of Texarkana and a
year later entered the employ of the Mexican
Central at the City of Mexico as freight and pas-
senger conductor continuing in that country
about a year. Deciding to quit railroading he
returned to Joliet and opened a livery stable
which he disposed of a year later and accepted a
place on the Colorado Midland running freight
between Colorado Springs and Leadville. In
about six months he was promoted to the pas-
senger service between Colorado Springs and
Grand Junction where he continued until Sep-
tember i, 1891, on which date he entered the
service of the Illinois Central. His first assign-
ment was as conductor on a construction train
filling in the yards at Dauphin Park. For a
month he was foreman on construction work in
the yards and was then promoted to night train-
master of the terminals which he held until Sep-
tember 1893, when he was assigned to his present
position in the suburban service.
Mr. Powles was born at Akron, Ohio. He
married Miss Downey of Joliet. He is a char-
ter member of Division No. 87, O. R. C., of
Bloomington.
F. POMEROY, was born in Hancock
county, Illinois, in 1855. From
newsboy to passenger conductor is
the record our subject has, as in 1871
he began on the Rock Island in that capacity,
first running from Bureau Junction to Rock Is-
land and later from Chicago to different points.
In 1875 he began braking on the same road be-
tween Trenton, Mo., and Leavenworth, Kansas,
and continued until December 1877, when he
came back to Chicago and in the spring of 1878
began braking in the freight service of the same
road and continued in that and passenger service
until 1882. Then he accepted a position with
the Pullman Company and remained in that ser-
vice until July 1885. On July 12, 1885, he be-
came brakeman in the suburban service of the
Illinois Central with Conductor John Stone and
remained there until May 1886, when he was pro-
moted to baggageman and ran the baggage until
the spring of 1889, being then promotd to collec-
tor and extra conductor and continued until the
spring of 1892, when he was given a regular run
which he retained until April 8, 1896, being then
promoted to assistant station master at Twelfth
street, Chicago. He remained there until April
8, 1899, at which time he resigned to accept his
former position of passenger conductor in subur-
ban service, being engaged in that capacity at the
present time.
The subject is a member of the Division No.
I, O. R. C., and was formerly a member of the
grievance committee.
He married Miss Sadie E. Smith, of Moline,
111.
, ODNEY DWIGHT DAVIS. The em-
ployes of the entire Illinois Central
will recognize the name that heads this
article, since its bearer has for many
years performed the duties of traveling engineer,
and in the pursuit of these duties, travels over
the entire line each year. When in Chicago, he
makes his headquarters at the Twenty-seventh
street round house.
Mr. Davis learned engineering on the Hou-
satonic Railroad, at Bridgeport. Later he came
west and secured a position on the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad, and irom 1863 to '65, ran a freight
engine, and from 1865 until 1889, had a passen-
ger run with the exception of about ten months,
five months of which in 1888, were spent as pas-
senger conductor from Freeport to Chicago, and
five months were spent performing the duties
of master mechanic at Freeport. In 1889 the
company recognized in Mr. Davis a fitness for a
much higher office than that of engineer and he
was appointed air brake inspector and traveling
engineer for the entire line from New Orleans
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
599
to Onawa. Socially he affiliates with Valiant
Lodge, No. 130, Knights of Pythias, and has
been identified with the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers from the time of the organization
of the fraternity, having joined at Centralia, 111.,
where he still holds a membership in Division
Xo. 24. Like most engineers, Mr. Davis has
had some experience' in wrecks but has been very
fortunate in escaping injury.
The office of traveling engineer is one of
more than ordinary responsibility. In these days
when there are so many trains on the line, and so
many human lives are carried on these trains, it
is next to murder hi run out an engine that is
not in perfect order. With the invention of air
brakes came additional responsibility for the
traveling engineer, for now the man at the lever
stakes everything on the air brake. The fact,
therefore, that one man has retained the office of
air brake inspector and traveling engineer for so
many years is the strongest proof of his mechani-
cal skill and integrity that can be produced.
**»* •*."<•* ^
C. BLTCK, a conductor on the Vicks-
burg division, was born at Quincy,
Tenn., January 21, 1873. His father,
A. Buck, was for many years 'a
merchant at Memphis where he now lives, retired.
The mother, Emma McCloud, died during the
boy's early childhood.
Mr. Buck attended the public schools and
at the age of sixteen entered the establishment
of a wholesale drug house in Memphis and was
with them and other drug firms for a period of
two and a half years. Going to Little Rock he
secured service as conductor on a street car line,
he worked about four months and then went to
St. Louis, where he worked for a firm of produce
commission merchants about a year. Returning
to Memphis, he entered the service of the Y.
& M. V. road in January 1894, as a flagman,
running between Memphis and Vicksburg.
October 10, 1897 he was promoted to conductor
in the freight service and ran on the Vicksburg
division until June 12, 1898, when he was given
a position in charge of the supply train one year.
After a short time off the road he was again ap-
pointed flagman and on December 11, 1899 was
given his present position in charge of a freight
train.
Mr. Buck is of the Protestant faith and is
an independent in politics.
HOMAS F. HALES, a freight conduc-
tor on the Louisiana division, has been
in the service of the Illinois Central
since November 1889, when he began
as brakeman in the freight service. In the short
period of fourteen months he was promoted and
has since had charge of the local freight out of
McComb City.
He is a native of Summit, Miss., born No-
vember 25, 1869, a son of T. B. Hales, for many
years a well known teacher of the public schools
but now retired and making his home at Mc-
Comb City. Another of his sons, William B.
Hales, is in the employ of the Central as brake-
man.
Thomas F. Hales is prominent in the social
orders holding membership in the Masonic body,
the Knights of Pythias and the Elks, all of Mc-
Comb City. He is a member of Division No.
367, O. R. C., in which he is serving as assistant
chief conductor.
DWARD L. FORTIN, an engineer in
the service of the Central at Chicago,
is a native of Kankakee, son of Edward
Fortin, now deceased, for many years
in the employ of the C. L. & C. R. R. on the sec-
tion as foreman. Our subject began with the
Central as switchman in the Chicago yards and
worked in that capacity until the latter part of
600
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
1890, when he went into the operating depart-
ment as fireman, first under John Wonzer and
s:it across the cab from a number of the old en-
gineers as extra fireman between Weldon and
I'.urnside, part of the time having charge of an
engine until February 1893, when he was ex-
amined and set up to engineer. During the sum-
mer of 1893 he had charge of the only compound
engine the Central ever owned. For a number
of years Mr. Fort in ran extra passenger and
freight and part of the time pulled the pay car
on the western lines. He is a member of Divi-
sion No. 10, B. of L. E.
Railroad in the freight and passenger service
until the first of December 1899, when he re-
signed from the service.
Mr. Burns was married on the i/th of No-
vember 1886, to Miss Delia M. Johnson of
Hazelhurst, Miss., born April 17, 1867. One
child has been born to them Edward T., his birth
occurring September 16, 1888.
Mr. Burns is a member of the O. R. C. In
religion he is a Baptist and in politics a Demo-
crat.
E. BURNS, conductor on the Fulton
district, is a native of Madison coun-
ty, Mississippi, born December 23,
1854. His father, Daniel E. Burns,
a relative of Daniel Boone, was a well read
clergyman who occupied the pulpit of the First
Baptist church in Memphis for four years, dying
in the service. He was a mason and was buried
under the solemn rites of that order. The
mother, Talalah E. Slaughter, a Virginian by
birth, died soon after the demise of her hus-
band.
D. E. Burns attended the public schools of
Memphis and after, the death of his father studied
for a time in the colleges at Clinton and Oxford,
Miss., and then returned to the place of his birth
where he ran the farm until twenty years of age.
Entering the service of the N. O. C. & St. L.
road, now the Illinois Central, as baggageman
running between Cairo and Canton, he continued
at that about six months and then became a
freight brakeman, serving in that capacity four
years. Promoted to a conductorship, he ran on
the Water Valley district about three and a half
years when he was transferred to the Louisiana
division running freight and passenger until 1891.
Entering the service of the Queen & Crescent
road he ran freight and passenger trains until
1893, when he secured a place on the Southern
JD. LADD, local freight agent of the
Illinois Central, at Cairo, is a native of
Q Illinois, having been born in Grayville,
February n, 1854, a son of W. H. and
Sarah (Elder) Ladcl, natives of Virginia and
Pennsylvania, respectively. The father followed
merchandising as a vocation.
W. H. Lack! removed to Kentucky when our
subject was an infant, where the latter was raised
and educated, graduating from Mayfiekl College,
May-field, Ky. He learned the business of tele-
graphing and in June 1872 he accepted a posi-
tion as operator with the Paducah & Memphis
Railroad at Paducah, Ky. He held successive-
ly the positions of operator, agent, train dis-
patcher and trainmaster on that line. In 1878
he was sent to Memphis, Tenn., by the P. & M.
Company to take charge of the Memphis station.
In December 1878 he accepted a position with
the .C. St. L. & N. O. Railroad (now the Illinois
Central) as agent at Martin, Tenn., remaining
there until 1884, when he was sent to Cairo, 111.,
as assistant agent. In 1890 he was made agent
and has successfully held that position to the
present time.
In 1874 Mr. Ladd was married to a daugh-
ter of H. S. Stevens, a prominent tobacco
merchant of Paducah, Ky. Our subject and
wife have one living son, John, a lad of twelve
years. Socially, Mr. Ladd is identified with the
K. of P. Order.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
603
(). KENISON, conductor at Water-
loo, began braking for the Illinois
O Central at Waterloo in 1888. under
trainmaster Keepers. He worked a
short time between Waterloo and Dubuque, and
then was with Conductor Frank Fenstemaker
for three years between Waterloo and Fort
Dodge. He also worked on the Lyle branch
with Conductor Ed. Chapman for two years on
a way freight, and eleven months on the Local
on the West End with Conductor Ross. In the
fall of 1892 Mr. Kcnison was promoted to the
position of conductor, spent eleven months in
that capacity on the West End, and has since
run both ways out of Waterloo. Mr. Kenison
was born in Freeport, 111., a son of Stephen and
Lucy Kenison, also natives of Freeport who have
spent their entire lives in the place of their birth.
Our subject located in Waterloo in 1888 and has
since made that his home. The lady who pre-
sides over the household affairs of Mr. Kenison,
was known in her girlhood as Miss Mary Kings-
bury and her early years were spent in New
Hartford. Their home has been blessed by the
presence of two children. Lulu and Elaine. Mr.
Kenison has been a successful railroad man, caus-
ing but little inconvenience or anxiety for his
fellow workmen and superiors, and thus far has
a nice record. During his entire career, he has
never met with severe injury. In the social cir-
cles of Waterloo, he is identified with Division
No. 341, B. of R. T., also the Ben Hur society.
Jessie, a farmer, enlisted at St. Charles, Illinois,
in the nth Illinois Volunteers in 1862, and was
killed at Vicksburg, May 9, 1863 ; Ezra is a far-
mer living at Springfield, Colo. ; Julia A., widow
of William Linsea, resides at Gratton Center,
Mich. ; Welland W., a farmer lives at Greenville,
Mich.; Herbert and Esther died while at Sparta,
Michigan. Franklin Curran was educated in
the schools of Lyon and Plainfield, Mich., in
which vicinity he spent his early life on the farm.
He came to Illinois in 1855 and began work for
the Central as a fireman, which position he filled
two years and then returned to Michigan to enter
the lumber business in the northern part of the
state. In 1865 he returned to Illinois and ac-
cepted a position on the Central between Amboy
and Dunleith, being promoted to the right side
in 1871, which he held continuously until May
10, 1897. For nearly thirty years he was in the
faithful discharge of his duty and has left be-
hind him a record in which he may take just
pride. Mr. Curran was married in Amboy, Ills.,
to Miss Abbie Bell, who was born July 26, 1841,
in that city. Mrs. Curran died July 26, 1882.
To them two children were born : Jesse, born
February 26, 1859, residing at North McGregor,
Iowa, and Flora, born June 24, 1862, who died
September u, 1895. Mr. Curran is now living
retired from active life at Freeport, Illinois, and
although not on the line now he still takes a
lively interest in railroad affairs.
RANKLIN CURRAN, ex-engineer of
the Illinois Central, was born Febru-
ary 12, 1832, and is a son of Levi and
Jane (Gardner) Curran, both of whom
were born near Elmira, New York. The mother
was a strict Methodist and brought up her fami-
ly according to the principles of that faith. Their
children are as follows : Charles is a farmer liv-
ing at Courtland, Kent county, Michigan ; Betsey,
a widow, lives at Mansfield, Ohio ; Franklin ;
JMcCUMSEY, special agent of the
secret service of the Illinois Central,
O is a native of Franklin county, Pa.,
born January 12, 1865. His father,
Jesse McCumsey, is a noted horseman living at
Lancaster, Pa. The mother, Malinda Dull, is
deceased.
Mr. McCumsey attended the public schools
of Chambersburg until the age of fourteen,
when he became a rider of his father's stable and
pulled the reins over the racers -for four years.
604
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
He then became a professional foot racer and
during his career in that, sport was never de-
feated, having a record of gy\ seconds for 100
yards. He then became general foreman for
Thomas Gannon, a contractor for the United
States naval work at Philadelphia, going next
to Pittsburg, he worked for a time for the Wes-
tern L'nion Telegraph Company some six months
and then for a year was a conductor for the
street car line of that city. He next came to
Chicago and drove a team for eight months and
then secured a place on the force of the Pinker-
ton Detective Agency, remaining an equal length
of time. He then accepted a place on the detec-
tive force of the Chicago & Alton road and then
entered the employ of the Illinois Central where
he has since been employed. During this time
he has rendered valuable service to the line,
notably in the case of the bandits that held up a
train at near Bardwell, Ky., November 30, 1894,
securing the conviction of the culprits. During
the World's Fair, Mr. McCumsey arrested and
had convicted forty-three of the worst thieves
that infested the city. He is a member of the
Catholic faith.
LBERT W. SULLIVAN, the general
superintendent of the Illinois Central
and Yazoo and Mississippi Valley
railroads, has spent his entire rail-
road and business life on the great system over
which he now has general supervision. At the
age of sixteen he entered the shops at Chicago,
November 10, 1870, as machinist's apprentice
and served out his full term of apprenticeship in
1875. Desiring tcr better fit himself for higher
positions in railroad circles he began a course in
the draughting department of the road and for
three years was busily engaged with square and
tri-angle and drawing pen. After finishing his
course of mechanical drawing Mr. Sullivan be-
came chief clerk in the machinery department
in 1878, and for four years served in that capa-
city prior to his promotion to assistant superin-
tendent of machinery in which capacity he served
three years. Appointed superintendent of the
Chicago division in 1885, with headquarters at
Cairo, 111., he was promoted two years later and
became superintendent of the lines in Illinois
with headquarters at Chicago. Having demon-
strated his ability as a railroad man in the various
positions in which he had been tried, Mr. Sulli-
van was appointed September 3, 1889, to the
general superintendency of the road which posi-
tion he has filled to the present date.
Mr. Sullivan was born in the city of New
York September 14, 1854.
JT. HARAHAN, second vice president
and general manager of the Illinois
Q Central and Yazoo & Mississippi Val-
ley Railroads, has enjoyed as wide a
range of experience as any head of the operating
department of any of the American railroads,
having begun at the lowest round. After serv-
ing three years in the ranks of the Union army
he entered the government railroad service as
switchman at Alexandria, Virginia, on the
Orange & Alexandria road and subsequently
worked some six months in the shops at the same
place. He later served as engine dispatcher and
engineer on the road at a time when it took a
large amount of physical courage to venture out
on the line, Mosby's raiders having a way of
driving the engineer and fireman to the floor of
the cab or the tender, with a shower of bullets
at most unexpected times. At the close of the
war he served from the fall of 1865 to the fol-
lowing summer as yard master of the Nashville
and Decatur road, at the former place and from
that date until the close of '67 as conductor on
a construction train, for the same management.
During 1868 and part of 1869 he served as con-
ductor on the Clarksville division of the Louis-
ville & Nashville road, and for a year during the
latter part of 1869 and 1870 as yard master and
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
605
conductor on the Louisville, Cincinnati & Lex-
ington line. From 1870 to 1872 Mr. Harahan
was in charge of the Shelby road and in August
of the latter year, returning to the Nashville &
Decatur line, he served as road master for seven
years. In 1879 being offered the superinten-
(iency of the Memphis division of the Louisville
& Nashville road he accepted and in 1881 was
transferred to the New Orleans division where
he remained until December 1883 the date of his
appointment to the general superintendency of
the lines. Serving in this capacity until the first
of July following he was promoted to general
manager and served to the end of the year.
January 1st, 1885 he resigned and accepted the
superintendency of the Pittsburg division of the
Baltimore & Ohio, but three months after was
induced to return to the Louisville & Nashville
as assistant general manager, and promoted in
October following to the head of the depart-
ment, serving three years. During the two fol-
lowing years Mr. Harahan served successively
as assistant general manager for the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern, general manager for the
Chesapeake & Ohio and was serving in the same
capacity on the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas,
when on November i, 1890, he became second
vice president and general manager of the Illi-
nois Central.
Mr. Harahan lacked the advantages of
technical training, gaining his knowledge of
railroad management in the school of practical
experience. Having filled positions in the
lowliest stations he knows well how to look at
matters from the operative's point of view, mak-
ing his decisions with a knowledge of the needs
of both sides of the question. He is possessed
of that necessary attribute of an official, execu-
tive ability, in a marked degree and has the
faculty of turning from one line of thought to
another and give his views without delay. His
sense of justice is large, the most obscure opera-
tive feeling certain of as fair treatment at the
hands of the general superintendent as those far
above him in the service of the road. Through
all the onerous duties of the position he holds
Mr. Harahan preserves a rugged good health,
partly through inheriting a strong mind in a
strong body, and partly by the ability to leave his
business at the office door, when the day's work is
done. His judgment of men seldom fails and
an opinion once formed of a man's capacity sel-
dom needs revision.
L. GARRARD, freight engineer on
the Y. & M. V. line, has been with
'Q the company since 1891, when he be-
gan in the capacity of watchman in
the round house at Vicksburg and continued in
that capacity for eighteen months. He then se-
cured a place as fireman in the freight service
under Engineer Phillips and after only eight
months on the left side was examined and pro-
moted to the other side. After acting as hostler
in the Vicksburg yards eighteen months he was
assigned to the freight service and has since been
thus engaged on the Vicksburg division.
Mr. Garrard was born in Coldwater, Miss.,
November 15, 1875, a son of John H. Garrard,
who, during his lifetime was a merchant at Cold-
water. A brother, John E. Garrard, is an engi-
neer in the service of the K. C. & S. railway.
The only wreck in which Mr. Garrard has
been involved proved to be fortunate in that no
lives were lost. He is not affiliated with any
order or secret society.
ILLIAM G. RANKIN, claim agent
for Cook .county, is one of the many-
citizens of foreign birth who hold
positions of responsibility and trust
on the great American railroads. He was born
near Stratford, Ont., May 3, 1856, and was
reared on the farm, attending the district schools.
On attaining maturity he followed farming for
several years and then came to the states, locat-
606
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ing at Janesville, Wis. Here he attended a
business college learning short hand and tele-
graphy, fitting himself for a railroad career.
When competent to fill a position he secured a
place in the service of the Chicago & Northwes-
tern as stenographer at the Wood street transfer
station January i, 1890, remaining with the com-
pany seven months. September 1st, the same
year he entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral as stenographer in the trainmasters office
under Mr. Dunning, where he continued four
months, being next transferred to the office of
the division superintendent, he was next assigned
to the office of Mr. W. R. Head and served as
assistant and clerk until the appointment of Mr.
Losey as chief claim agent, since which time Mr.
Rankin has served as claim agent for all personal
injuries occurring in Cook county.
Mr. Rankin was married in London, Out.,
December 26, 1885, to Miss Lydia E. Heslop, a
teacher in the schools of the Dominion.. Two
sons have been born to them, Garnet W. and
Roy.
Mr. Rankin is a member of Hercules Court,
No. 892, I. O. F., of Grand Crossing and of
Arcanum Council, R. A., of Chicago. He is a
man well fitted by nature and training for the
responsible position he has to fill.
J. GOOD ALE, general foreman of
round house and shops at Clinton,
IH-; was born in Monroe, Michigan,
1864. Mr. Goodale served for a
time as machinist, and also fired, and ran an
engine on the Kentucky Central R. R., being in
the employ of that company for five years ; was
then round house foreman for the C, N. O. &
T. P. R. R., at Somerset, Ky., for a short time;
served as machinist on the C. St. P. M. & O. R.
R., at Sioux City, Iowa, one year; was foreman
at the Sioux City & Northern R. R. round house
in Sioux City, a short time, and in 1892 did
valve work for the G. T. R. R., at Great Falls,
Mont. On the I3th of January 1893 he entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as machinist, at
Water Valley, Miss., where he worked six weeks.
was then made night foreman in the round house
at liurnside shops, Chicago, remaining in that
position until June 12, 1893, when he became day
foreman at Weldon Station round house. In
1894 he took charge of Weldon Shops round
house as night foreman, where he remained until
Dec. 31, 1896, when he was transferred to his
present position of general foreman of round
house and shops at Clinton. Mr. Goodale was
married in 1890, to Miss Lillie V. Hill, who died
in 1892, leaving one son, Robert Stanley Goodale.
Mr. Goodale is a member of the Knights of
Pythias Lodge, in Chicago. Mr. Goodale was
married January 24, 1900, to Etta M. Slater, of
Sioux City, Iowa.
Jtjtjtjtjtjt
ARTER JONES, an engineer on the
Louisiana division, better known as
"Birmingham Carter," comes of a
family prominent in the business, and
political world as well as in railroad circles.
His father, Samuel G. Jones, deceased, a
civil engineer, was prominent in the construc-
tive as well as in the operative departments of a
number of railroads. He built the roads run-
ning between Macon and Atlanta ; between Mont-
gomery, Ala., and West Point ; the Mobile &
Texas ; and a branch of the N. C. & St. L. R. R.
He was superintendent of the M. & M. R. R.
and president of the Savannah & Memphis, now
a part of the Central of Georgia railway. Of
his nine sons all have won honorable places in
the affairs of the south. Thomas G., attorney
general for the L. & N., served the state of
Alabama four years as governor. Charles P. is
assistant district attorney for the L. & N., at
Montgomery, Ala. Samuel G., Jr., is a profes-
sor at West Point. Edward E. is train dis-
patcher at Birmingham, Ala., in the service of
the L. & N. George M. is clerk in the freight
WILLIAM C. WOOLLFA".
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
609
office of the same road in the same city. Frank
E. is a stenographer in the employ of the navy
department at San Francisco. Edwin F., for-
merly assistant attorney for the government, is
practicing law at Montgomery, Ala. Jackson S.
is in the civil engineering department of the B.
& O. R. R. Company. Carter, the subject of
this sketch, is the ninth of the family.
Carter Jones has been in railway service since
1873, when he began as fireman on the old
A. & C. R. R. at Opelika, Ala., working in that
capacity eighteen months. He then entered the
shops of the M. & M. road at Montgomery, for
a year and a half and then started as an appren-
tice in the shops of the A. & W. P. road at Mont-
gomery, remaining until 1878. After firing
three years on the A. & C. road Mr. Jones was
examined and promoted to be engineer in 1881,
running an engine on that line for a year. In
1882 he entered the service of the P. & A., at
Pensacola, Fla., driving an engine for a year
and a half. His next service was with the L. &
N., at Birmingham, Ala., as engineer in the
freight and passenger service until December,
1885, when he became connected with the A. &
W. P. road running between Atlanta and Mont-
gomery, for a year. Coming to McComb in
1888 he secured a place as engineer on the
Louisiana division and has since been in that
service.
Tune i,
'ILLIAM C. WOOLLEY, ex-agent
of the Illinois Central, resides at 421
Nachusa avenue, Dixon, 111. He
was born in Manchester, England,
1826. His father, Thomas Woolley, a
mason, was born at Rugeley, Staffordshire, Eng-
land, about 1800 A. D. His mother, Mary Cal-
land, was born in England about 1806. They
were married in 1823. To this marriage there
were born three sons and two daughters, of
which the subject of this sketch and his younger
brother came to this country ; the brother lo-
cated in Chicago, 111., after being in the employ
of the Chicago & North- Western Railway com-
pany about eight years at Dixon and Sterling,
Illinois. Our subject was educated mostly in
the private schools of his native city. At that
time the most of the schools were of this kind.
At the age of twelve years he began work with
his father, who was a mason contractor, and of
whom he learned his trade. Our subject emi-
grated to this country March 1853, in a sailing
vessel, landing in New Orleans after a trip of
seventy days, doing his last work of ten years in
his native country for the well known firm of
Sir Elkanah Armitage & Sons, No. 48 Moseley
St., Manchester, England. After landing in
New Orleans he remained there only long
enough to secure a passage on one of the steam-
ers plying between that point and St. Louis, mak-
ing New Albany his point of destination, stay-
ing there three days to secure conveyance to
Lyndon, 111., where he did his first work in this
country, digging a cellar, for which all he got
for his labor was a straw hat. From this place
he walked to Dixon, 111., arriving there June i,
1853, beginning work in the construction de-
partment of the Illinois Central Railroad the fol-
lowing morning just north of what is now North
Dixon. In this capacity he worked in the same
vicinity for nearly two years. The Illinois Cen-
tral was formally opened on February 17, 1855,
and he entered the service in the freight depart-
ment on Monday, February 19, he being ap-
pointed agent of the Dixon station on September
15, 1858, which position he held continuously
until May 28, 1891, when he retired from the
service. During his service the town of Dixon
grew from a small village to a manufacturing
city of much importance, and under his super-
vision the interests of the company, whom he
served so long and faithfully, grew in like pro-
portions. Mr. Woolley was married June 22,
1850, to Miss Mary Webb, of Manchester, Eng-
land, who came to this country with her hus-
band to enjoy his pleasures and share his sor-
rows if any. To this marriage were born five
children, of whom one son and two daughters'
are living, all of them married and comfortably
situated in life.
610
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
PHILBRICK, superintendent of the
Memphis division of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in Bailey ville, Illinois,
on March 7, 1862. Mr. Philbrick
was educated in the public schools of his native
town, and took a course at the University of Illi-
nois, at Champaign, graduating in 1886. He had
been connected with the Chicago & Alton R. R.
during his vacations from 1881 to 1886, and on
February of the latter year, became identified
with the Burlington & Northern R. R. as a
draughtsman, occupying that position about six
months. He then went to the Rock Island R. R.
at Atchison, Kansas, remaining with that com-
pany, two years as draughtsman and district en-
gineer. His next work was with the Chicago
& Alton R. R. acting as assistant engineer with
headquarters at Chicago, and was employed there
until March 1891. His connection with the I.
C. dates from that year. He was first given a
position as assistant engineer at Chicago, and on
January 1st, 1893, was appointed road master
of the Louisiana division, with headquarters at
Now Orleans. He remained there until Novem-
ber 1895, when he was transferred to Chicago,
as road master of the First division, and in Octo-
ber 1896, was sent to Memphis, as road master of
the Memphis division. He occupied the latter
position, until promoted to superintendent of that
division, on April i, 1898, and continues there
at the present time.
J. HARLAN, chief train dispatcher
at Memphis, is a native of Richmond,
^ irginia, his birth occurring Novem-
ber 22, 1869. His parents were R.
J. and Hattie (Stratton) Harlan. The father,
was an extensive owner of canal boats, served
with credit, as an officer in the confederate army
during the war. He died when our subject was
less than a year old. The mother, who in
maidenhood was Lucy Stratton, survived him
but a few years, leaving two sons of whom R.
J. is the younger. Sanner Harlan, the older, is
train dispatcher for the Southern Railroad lo-
cated at Charleston.- R. J. Harlan was educated
in the public schools of Richmond and at the age
of four entered the offices of the Richmond &
Allegheny Railway Company at Lynchburg,
Virginia, having previously learned telegraphy,
and remained there one year, being transferred
to Clifton Forge, Virginia, where he was sta-
tioned six months. The following eight months
were spent in the service at Balcony Falls, when
he resigned and accepted a position with the
Norfolk & Western road at Roanoke, Virginia,
remaining four years when he was promoted in
1888 to dispatcher. Resigning in 1889 he returned
to the Southern road as dispatcher at Selma,
Alabama, where he was engaged some four
months at which time he accepted a position with
the Central Railway of Georgia, as dispatcher
at Savannah, serving there two years. In 1892
he entered the service of the Illinois Central at
McComb City, Mississippi, in the dispatcher's
office and four months later was transferred to
Louisville, Kentucky, where he served one year.
Promoted to chief dispatcher he held the posi-
tion there until 1897, when he was transferred to
Memphis, in the same capacity and has been ac-
ceptably filling the position ever since. On the
eleventh of November 1891, Mr. Harlan was
married to Miss Lucy Elam, of Roanoke, Vir-
ginia. She was born at Liberty, Virginia, Janu-
ary 20, 1872 and was educated in the Liberty
Female Seminary ; she is the daughter of
Joseph H. and Eliza (Vaughn) Elam, natives
of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. Three
children have been born to them, Richard Hous-
ton, born in Savannah, 1893; Edith, born at
Louisville, 1896, and Robert Cunningham, born
in Memphis, December 22, 1898. The family
are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south.
Mr. Harlan is a member of the Odd Fellows
fraternity and is said to be one of the most
courteous and popular officials of the system in
the south, where true southern courtesy is the
rule.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
611
G. TLIRLEY is a popular engineer,
in the passenger service of the Illi-
LQ nois Central, his run being from Clin-
ton to St. Louis. He entered the
service of the I. C. in 1878, as a fireman between
Centralia and Cairo. In 1881 he was transferred
to the Clinton district and promoted to engineer.
Remaining in that capacity in the freight service
for fifteen years, he was promoted to the passen-
ger service, August i, 1896, where he is now
satisfactorily serving.
Our subject was born July 6, 1857, at Clear-
field county, Tennessee, and was married March
4, 1880. He has an interesting family of five
children, two sons, and three daughters.
In social organizations, Mr. Turley is quite
prominent, being local chairman of B. of L. E.,
No. 315, and is also connected with DeWitt
Lodge, No. 84, and Gooclbrake Chapter No. 59,
of Clinton.
His popularity with his fellow-townsmen of
Clinton, is attested by the fact, that he is serving
them for the sixth year, as alderman from the
first ward.
W. P>. Dunn, the subject of this sketch, be-
gan railroading on the Jackson district March
10, 1882 as brakeman under William Neville,
but soon came under the authority of Charles
Harrington under whom most of his braking
was done. He served for some time in the same
capacity on the Mobile & Ohio out of Cairo and
then returned to the employ of the Central.
After braking for a time he was promoted and
ran a train until 1889, when he quit and returned
to the employ of the M. & O. for a short time
since which time he has been in the employ of
the Illinois Central running at present in the
preferred freight service out of Jackson.
Mr. Dunn was born at Raleigh, North Caro-
lina, his marriage occurred at Jackson to Miss
May Lawrence of that place. Mr. Dunn is a
member of Division No. 149, O. R. C., of Jack-
son having served as inside sentinel for years.
B. DUNN, a freight conductor on
the Jackson district, comes of a
Q railroad family. Five brothers
were in the employ of the com-
pany at the same time and at one time were all
employed on the same train. J. K. Dunn, now
in the grocery business at Jackson, began rail-
roading July 29, 1883 as fireman in the yards at
Jackson. In November 1885 he was sent to
run an engine in the yards at Water Valley and
the following year was examined, promoted, and
sent out on the main line running north and south
from Water Valley and latterly on several other
branches. He is a member of the B. of L. E. and
of the B. of L. F. Charles C. Dunn is an en-
gineer on the south end of the road. Two other
brothers are in the service of the M. K. &. T.
in Texas.
UGUST E. G1RARD, engineer on the
Illinois Central Railroad, Freeport
division, was born in Dubuque, Iowa,
March 29, 1864, of French and Swiss
parentage, his father, Hyacinth Girard, having
been born in France in 1833, and his mother,
Sophie (Chevalier), in Switzerland in 1839.
They came to America in 1853, locating for a
few years near Fredericksburg, Ohio, then mov-
ing further west to Dubuque, Iowa, where, in
1856, the father entered the service of the Du-
buque & Pacific R. R. as a fireman and was pro-
moted to engineer in October 1859. He re-
mained as engineer in the service of said road
(now the 1. C. R. R.) until his death, which oc-
curred January 30, 1897. The mother died in
January 1899.
August E. Girard was educated in the pub-
lic schools of Dnbuque and Waterloo, Iowa.
In 1879 he entered the service of the Illinois Cen-
tral R. R., at Waterloo, as a fireman, and on
February 6, 1883, was licensed to handle the
612
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
throttle and lever, in which position he remained
for three years, when he quit the road to engage
in business pursuits for about two years. He
then ran as engineer for the Minnesota & North-
western R. R. for a period of six months, when
he returned to the I. C. R. R., running on the
Chicago division for three years. In 1891 he
was transferred to the Freeport division, where,
with the exception of six months in 1893, he
has run continuously ever since. Mr. Girard
was married November 30, 1893, to Miss Nellie
Buckley, of Chicago. She was born in Toona-
vara, Ireland, September 12, 1863. Mr. Girard
is a member of the Masonic Order, and also of
Division No. 27, H. of L. E.
J( )HN GLOVE first saw the light of day in
England, coming when fourteen years of
age to Champaign, Illinois, where his
parents settled. He began on the Illi-
nois Central in 1872 as a fireman in the yards at
Chicago, for Mr. McElroy in which place he re-
mained about one year and then went on the road
in freight service on the engine with Ed. Barker.
He was in freight service as a fireman for three
years, when he became a fireman in passenger
service for Charles Draper, now deceased. He
was in this service for two years and in 1878
was promoted to engineer.
He then went into the yards for about a
year, running extra on the road during part of
that time and next he was on suburban service,
where he had a regular run, remaining here four
years, when he returned to freight service with
a regular run between Kankakee and Blooming-
ton. Mr. Glove next returned to the Chicago
division where he remained about a year, when
he went on the main line running both ways out
of Amboy. In the spring of 1881 he went on
the Iowa division, running from Dubuque west
and was there three months when he came back
to the Chicago division, remaining in freight ser-
vice up to 1890 and then went on a pay car a
year. At the end of that time he was promoted
to passenger service where he has since been
operating. He first had the fast mail regular
and now he has a through passenger to Cham-
paign. . He runs No. 962 and belongs to the B.
of L. E., No. 10.
Mr. Glove was married to Miss Wallace,
daughter of Michael Wallace who was at one
time section boss at Rantoul. They have one
daughter, Emma.
|OOPER W. CRAKB, one of the popu-
lar train dispatchers for the Illinois
Central, at McConib City, Mississippi,
entered the service of the company
in 1892. His first work was as operator on the
Louisville & Nashville R. R. at South Carrollton,
Kentucky, afterward serving at Evansville, Ind.,
and at Nashville, Tennessee. He then went to
the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad,
as train dispatcher, remaining in the service of
that company for one year, and- in 1892, accepted
his present position with the Illinois Central,
where he is doing day duty. Mr. Crabb is a na-
tive of Kentucky, and was bom June gth, 1866.
He married Miss Ettie Wilson, also of Ken-
tucky. He is connected with the Masonic Order,
Knights of Pythias, and Elks, all of McConib
City. The McComb City opera house is under
the management of Mr. Crabb, and he enjoys the
regard of all with whom business or social in-
terests brings him in contact.
R. H. H. MURRELL, the assistant
chief surgeon of the Illinois Central.
at the hospital of the company, in IV
ducah, Kentucky, was born in Lynch-
burg, Virginia. Dr. J. W. Murrell, his father
was a prominent physician of that place, and a
man well known for his many good qualities.
o
t— ^
<&
EH
W
Q
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
615
Our subject was educated for his profession in the
best medical schools of the south, and was for a
time, demonstrator of anatomy, in the Hopkins-
ville Medical School. He was a successful prac-
titioner, in Louisville, Kentucky, from 1878, un-
til 1888, when in the latter year he accepted his
present position. Dr. Murrell is a fine looking
gentleman, of a kind, warm-hearted disposition,
and skilled in his profession. He is a member
of several medical societies, and a contributor to
medical journals. With his estimable and ac-
complished wife. Dr. Murrell occupies a beauti-
ful borne on Broadway, in the city of Paducah.
RARRICK, engineer at Jackson,
Tenn., began his railroad career at
_.X7Q East Cairo, Kentucky, in December
1887, where he served as fireman on
the incline for eleven months and was then
transferred to the main line between Jackson and
Cairo. The first engine he fired was No. 310,
and later he was given a regular run on No. 308,
then worked for a time in the passenger service
and still later, took charge of a switch engine in
the yards at Jackson, Tennessee. In 1891 Mr.
Rarrick was promoted to engineer and during the
following two years he had charge of engine No.
741, which was then doing construction work.
Later he stood on the right side of engine No.
479 for about ten months, and for the past five
years his regular engine has been No. 605,
although he does a great deal of extra work
on other engines and on all parts- of the southern
•division. Mr. Rarrick has been a very success-
ful engineer, has never received an injury since
he has been on the road and has skillfully
avoided serious accidents.
Our subject was born in Washington county,
Ohio. He was married in East Cairo, Kentucky,
to Miss Maggie Keen of that city, and three
children, Lillian, Edna and Ed., have been born
to them. Socially Mr. Rarrick is identified
with Division No. 93, B. of L. E., and Lodge
No. 45, A. F. & A. M., of Jackson.
force of
ILLIAM DETRICK, night hostler
of the Illinois Central at Durant,
Mississippi, is a popular man and
an efficient employe, having a large
men under his supervision. Mr.
Detrick is a native of Harrisburg, Pa., and was
born in 1864. His father was a truckman by
occupation, and was killed at a railroad crossing
while going to market. In early life our subject
learned the trade of baker, and was also in the!
street car service at F.ort Wayne, Ind., but having
a desire for railroad life, entered the service of
the Wabash R. R. in the mechanical department,
but after a time went to New Mexico, remaining
there one year as car repairer. He then entered
the service of the Illinois Central at Water Valley,
Mississippi, and was later transferred to Durant,
to his present position.
Mr. Detrick has traveled through nearly
every state in the union and has also traveled in
Mexico, Central America and northern South
America. The accounts of his travels are very
interesting and would of themselves fill a good
sized book. He is a close observer and very fond
of reading, these combined with his experience
in travel have made him a thoroughly interesting
conversationalist, and a well informed man. He
is a member of the Knights of Maccabees and
several other social organizations. As an em-
ploye of the I. C. he is giving the utmost
satisfaction and is popular among bis fellowmen.
HARLES A. HOLT, one of the veteran
conductors of the Central, has been
with the company since the eigh-
teenth of May 1863, when he. began
as brakeman under Ben. Howard. At that time
the road had been in operation but about seven
years and the changes in railroad construc-
tion and management witnessed by Mr. Holt
are greater than can be comprehended by the
younger generation of railroad men, whose ex-
perience has extended over very few years. He
(316
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
has known most of the veteran operatives that
have been employed on the northern divisions
of the system, most of whom have now passed
away, or have retired from active railroad life.
After serving two years as brakeman Mr. Holt
was placed in charge of a train in the freight
service where he remained some seven years.
In 1872 he was promoted to the passenger ser-
vice and for twenty-eight years served the com-
pany faithfully and well. During all these years
not a dollar of expense was caused the company
through accidents attributable to him. Of over
two million passengers who have been under his
charge not an injury has occurred while riding
on his train. This is a record of which any rail-
road man may well be proud. It is a record few
can equal or excel. January i, 1900, he was
appointed night station master of the terminal
station at Park Row. Mr. Holt's railroad
career has not been confined to one field.
In 1 88 1 he was appointed trainmaster at Clin-
ton, Illinois, and eight years later was pro-
moted to be assistant superintendent with head-
quarters at Amboy, where he remained three
years. Early in 1892 he was transferred to a
similar position on the Chicago division with
headquarters at Cairo, remaining until the lat-
ter part of that year, when he returned to the
train service to remain until appointed to his
present position on the date given above.
Mr. Holt, a son of Albert and Mary (Ames)
Holt, was born at Pembroke, New Hampshire,
February 10, 1845. He was first married at
Centralia, Illinois, to Miss Addie Sherwood to
whom four children were born. Albert is an
engineer in the Chicago Terminal service;
Charles is on a ranch in Colorado ; Arthur, is a
stenographer in the office of the traffic manager
of the Central ; Belle is the wife of Mr. John
Buslinger and lives in Colorado. Mr. Holt was
married a second time at Massillon, Ohio, to
Mrs. Emma C. May.
Of the social orders, Mr. Holt affiliates with
the Masonic fraternity. He is enrolled in the
Hliie Lodge, Chapter and Council, Clinton, and
is a charter member of the latter body. He be-
longs to Cyrene Commandery, Knights Temp-
lar of Centralia. His membership with the O.
R. C. is at Chicago, in Division No. i.
The reminiscence of one who has been for
nearly forty years in the employ of one corpora-
tion cannot fail of being interesting. Most that
were on the field when he began have passed to
the other side. Some few remain to connect the
present with the past, but it will not be many
years before the last will have passed off the
scene and new hands will be at the helm.
S. SCUDDER is an engineer in the
passenger service of the Illinois Cen-
tral, and is an old and valued em-
ploye of the road. He became iden-
tified with the I. C. in 1864, serving as brake-
man for a year and in 1865, was appointed fire-
man. Three years later, in 1868, he was pro-
moted to engineer in the freight service, and in
1888 was promoted to the passenger service,
where he has since remained. His present run
is between Champaign and Centralia.
He joined Lodge No. 24, B. of L. E. in
1869, and is still an honored member of that
lodge.
RANK JENNINGS is a native of New
Sharon, Franklin county, Maine. His
first service was at Terre Haute, Indi-
ana, where he remained for two months
receiving and shipping stock in the yards. In
July 1865 he came to the Illinois Central and
began firing for Frank Rugg on engine No. 73.
on the Hyde Park suburban train. He then
fired a pay car for Smith Sherwood, now de-
ceased, and from there he went on a freight and
passenger on the Chicago division, from here
to Cairo, Dubuque and Sioux City in the yards.
The subject was later set up and the first days
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
617
he ran in the Chicago yards he ran engine No. i,
fired a wood burner on the pay car, was in yard
service several months and then had a suburban
run, together with freight and passenger on the
Chicago division.
In 1873, two years after the fire, he got a
regular suburban run between Chicago and
Grand Crossing. For three years he had engine
No. 203 and during the World's Fair he had
No. 241. He has never been hurt and never
missed going to a pay car but once, when he broke
his leg, which was done while going into the
house and he was laid up three months, never
been discharged.
Mr. Jennings is a member of the B. of L.
E., No. 10.
JAMES MILLER is the well known engi-
neer in the passenger service of the Illi-
nois Central, running on the "Diamond
Special," between Clinton, Illinois, and
East St. Louis. He entered the service of the
I. C. in 1871, as fireman on the Arnboy division,
being promoted to engineer in 1877, and ap-
pointed to a run south of the Ohio river. In
the fall of 1878 he was transferred to the Amboy
division, running a switch engine in the yards
at Clinton. He was in 1881 given a regular
passenger run on that division, where he has
since remained.
Our subject was born on a farm in Craw-
ford county, Pennsylvania, in 1844, where he re-
mained until 1 86 1. Responding to the call for
volunteers in that year, he enlisted, but was
discharged on account of his youth. However
he succeeded in 1862, in joining the "Army of
the West," under General Grant, and was in the
battles of Missionary Ridge, and Chickamauga.
He was wounded at the battle of Perryville,
Kentucky, and was obliged to remain in the
hospital for some time. After the wound
healed, he went to the heavy artillery, until again
able to go to the front.
Mr. Miller was married in 1867, and has
two children, one son and one daughter. His
son, Fretl, is in the employ of the I. C. as brake-
man. Socially he is connected with B. of L. E.,
No. 315, at Clinton, where he resides.
ITUS HENCHCLIFF is the well known
U engineer on the "Daylight Special," in
charge of engine No. 909, between Clin-
ton and East St. Louis. He entered
the service of the Illinois Central, in 1871, as
fireman, on what is now known as the Freeport
division, from Amboy, Illinois, to Dubuque, la.
Continuing as fireman until 1879, he was in that
year promoted to engineer, under S. J. Hayes,
supervisor of machinery, for the I. C. at that
time. He was then transferred to the Clinton
district, and was in the freight service there un-
til 1891, when he was promoted to the passen-
ger service, taking charge of the "Diamond
Special." During a service of twenty-nine years
with the I. C. our subject has not lost one month
of time. He is justly proud of his record, which
shows that he is a practical and steady man.
Mr. Henchcliff was born in Jackson coun-
ty, Illinois, in 1851, and was married in 1874,
to Miss Lucy Judd. They have a family of
three sons, and two daughters. Socially he is
a member of B. of L. E., No. 315, and Olive
Lodge, No. 98, I. O. O. F., of Clinton, 111.
J. POLAND is the assistant claim
agent on the Amboy division of the
LQ Illinois Central, residing at Clinton.
He has been in the service of the
I. C. at various periods, from 1854, to the present
time. His first work was as train baggageman,
on the Chicago division, to which he was ap-
pointed May 20, 1854, and where he served for
618
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
one year. He was then promoted to conductor
in the freight service, from Galena to Amboy,
holding the latter position until 1856, when he
was promoted to the passenger service, on the
Amhov division, from Ambov to Decatur, and
on the completion of the road to Centralia.
In 1861 our subject asked for and obtained
a leave of absence, and for sixteen months was
in the passenger service of the C. & A. R. R.
from Chicago to St. Louis. He returned to the
1. C. in 1862, and taking a position as extra con-
ductor, he was soon appointed to the passenger
service, and given the run from Ainboy to Cen-
tralia, remaining on that run until January 1866.
On the latter date, he was promoted to train-
master at Decatur, and served there until Sep-
tember 1873, when he was 'transferred to Du-
buque, in a similar capacity, remaining there until
January 1886. On account of failing eye-sight
he was compelled to abandon his work as train-
master and take a vacation, and a much needed
rest, after which he assumed his present posi-
tion.
Mr. Poland is a native of Standish, Cum-
berland county, Maine, where he was born Aug.
12, 1832. He came to Clinton in 1893, where he
has since resided, and is a prominent citizen of
that place.
ILLIAM EGGER, one of the oldest
and best known employes of the Illi-
nois Central, is an engineer in the
passenger service on the Clinton dis-
trict. He became identified with the I. C. in
1857, working as fireman on the Cairo division.
At that time wood was used exclusively as fuel,
and our subject has seen other wonderful
changes, during his railroad career in all branches
of the service.
He was promoted to engineer in 1862, and
took charge of a switch engine in the Centralia
yards, and in 1865 was transferred to the freight
service from Centralia to Clinton. He was pro-
moted to the passenger service in 1871, where he
has since remained.
Mr. Egger is a native of Switzerland, where
he was born in 1838, coming to America in 1847.
He was married in 1862, to Miss Murley, and
has two sons and five daughters. He has a
comfortable home in the citv of Centralia.
JAMES RASBACH, now retired, is one of
the oldest and most highly respected
former employes of the Illinois Central.
He was born in Herkimer county, in the
state of New York, on January 15, 1820, and
came to Illinois in 1856, taking up his residence
at Cairo. He at once entered the service of the
I. C. as baggagemaster, between Cairo and De-
catur, under a brother of Col. Mason, and was
appointed station agent, at Clinton, on July i,
1857. He served the company uninterruptedly
as ticket, freight, and express agent, until re-
tiring in 1892, after an honorable career of thir-
ty-five years.
Mr. Rasbach was married September 4,
1849 to. Miss Eiseman, and they have two chil-
dren living. A residence of such long duration
among the citizens of Clinton, has won for him
the highest esteem of all.
October i ,
ILLIAM R. ARTHUR, former
superintendent of the Chicago divi-
sion of the Illinois Central, became
identified with the company on
1858, as superintendent, with head-
quarters at Centralia. The Chicago division at
that time extended from that city to Cairo. Up-
on the retirement of Mr. Clark in January 1859,
our subject assumed his duties, and on June ist,
of that year, was made general superintendent
WILLIAM RENSHAW.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
621
of the entire system, continuing as such until
February i. 1866. He has served as superinten-
dent of transportation in the passenger and
freight service, superintendent of machinery and
roadway, and introduced the four inch rail, with
improved coupler. He was in the service of the
I. C. when wood was used exclusively as fuel.
ILLIAM RENSHAW, superinten-
dent of machinery for the Illinois
Central Railroad Company, is a na-
tive of Pennsylvania, having been
born in Philadelphia, March 10, 1851. He be-
gan life for himself in March 1863, at the age
of twelve, in the machine shop of the Michigan
Central Railroad, at Michigan City, Ind., re-
maining there until February 17, 1865. He
entered the service of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company, February 18, 1865, as an office
boy in the office of superintendent of machinery
in Chicago, and worked in that capacity and on
mechanical drawing in the drawing room until
February 1869. From October 1869, until
March 1872 he was employed as a machinist
and in the drawing room, when in September
of the latter year he was appointed night fore-
man of the engine house, remaining in this ca-
pacity until he was appointed to the position of
day foreman in the same engine house on Octo-
ber i, 1873. He was made general foreman in
1877; master mechanic of Chicago division in
1884; assistant superintendent of machinery in
1888; and was appointed to his present position
February i, 1893.
On October 15, 1878, Mr. Renshaw was
united in marriage with Miss Delia C. Reeme,
at Tiffin, Ohio. To this union were born five
children, two of whom are deceased. Those
living are Frederick W., born February 26, 1880,
graduated from Yale College, in the class of
1900; William W., born January 30, 1885, and
Charles C., born July 26, 1890, both of whom are
attending Harvard Academy, Chicago.
T3
D. PECKENS is a well known con-
ductor in the passenger service, of
Q the Illinois Central, running from
Oilman to Springfield. He worked
as brakeman and baggageman in the suburban
service from 1873 to 1876, when he took a posi-
tion on the Dakota Southern R. R. Returning
to Illinois in June 1879, he re-entered the service
of the I. C. as brakeman, at which he remained
until September of that year, when he was pro-
moted to conductor in the freight service, on the
Springfield division. He worked in this capa-
city for three years, and then took charge of a
mixed train, holding the latter position for seven
years, and on the establishment of his present
run by the I. C. he was promoted to it.
Mr. Peckens was born at Scranton, Penn-
sylvania, August 9, 1854, and was married to
Miss Alice S. Cooties, November 24, 1880.
Their union has been blessed by two children,
viz : Josie E. and Lucy A.
Socially the subject of this sketch is a mem-
ber of Gilman Lodge No. 591, Watseka Chap-
ter No. 114, Gibson Council No. 72, and Paxton
Commandery No. 38.
ON. C. J. SABIN, mayor of Champaign,
is a widely known former employe
of the Illinois Central. Entering the
service of the company on October
29, 1854, he first served as fireman, at Galena,
Illinois, and on April I, 1855, was promoted to
engineer, between Galena and Freeport, and
took the first engine over the draw bridge at
Galena. In June 1855, he was transferred to the
service between Dunleith and Amboy. In 1857
he was sent to Chicago and placed in charge of
the "Old Union," an engine in the passenger ser-
vice, and remained there for seven months and
was then sent to the Champaign district.
Mr. Sabin was engineer on the first passen-
ger train to enter Dunleith, and was at Galena
when the famous dispute between the citizens,
622
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and the I. C. in regard to the terminus of the
line was settled. He was an engineer in the
freight and passenger service of the I. C. from
April i, 1855, to May 31, 1866. On the latter
date he resigned to enter the farm implement
business, at Champaign, conducting a highly
successful business in that line, until February r,
1898.
In April 1898, our subject was elected
mayor of Champaign, and on his accession to
office, received congratulatory letters from many
old railroad associates and from B. of L. E., at
Centralia, Illinois, with which he was connected
in 1864.
Mr. Sabin was born on June 8, 1831, near
Dunkirk, in the state of New York, and his
first railroad work was on the old Erie R. R.
His success in life is due entirely to his own
merits, and shows him to be a man of extraor-
dinary ability. During his administration as
mayor of Champaign, he has shown the same
enterprise, which characterized him as a success-
ful railroad and business man.
He has resided continuously since 1858 in
his present home.
} AT GROGAN, a jolly, good-natured en-
gineer on the Louisville division of the
Illinois Central, began his railroad
career in the shops at Paducah, as a
stationary engineer in 1872, on the Paducah &
Elizabethtown road. He began firing in 1877.
November 3, 1879 he was promoted to engineer,
running on various parts of the road, just as it
was built from Reed to Tremble, Tremble to
Dyersburg, to Covington and then to Memphis.
At that time the engines weighed but sixty-five
tons, small cars of twelve tons capacity, while
seventeen cars made a train. Our subject has
noticed many changes, can remember when there
was a bathing place for boys near where the
Paducah shops now stand.
Our subject has had many close calls, hav-
ing at one time been seriously injured by a
draw head and laid up three months, requiring
fourteen stitches in the leg. He had a fireman,
Dean, who was killed, a fine young fellow and
brother of George C. Dean, engineer. At one
time a switch was left open and our subject's
train struck an opposing train, tearing a caboose
to pieces and fireman Dean was badly mangled.
At another time he had his head badly injured,
narrowly escaping death.
Mr. Grogan was born in Zanesville, Ohio,
where his father, a large contractor, owning
many teams, died in 1885. Our subject has a
brother, an engineer on the Illinois Central.
Mr. Grogan married Miss Kate Walsh of
Paducah, -and has two children, Nellie and Pat
E. Our subject is a popular member of Divi-
sion No. 225, B. of L. E., having been chief in
1896 and 1897. He has a fine residence in Pa-
ducah, and is a thrifty and progressive citizen
and engineer.
Mr. Grogan is one of your big men, tipping
the beam at two hundred thirty and his nearest
friends say his heart is as big as his body. No
operative along the line is a greater favorite than
Pat Grogan.
ATRICK BOYLE is one of the old time
employes of the Illinois Central, at
present in charge of the fuel depart-
ment in the Champaign yards. He
was employed in 1853, on the first water works
in the city of Chicago, and in 1854 entered the
service of the I. C. as a laborer, and w.as for a
time on a construction train, on the Kankakee
branch of the Chicago division. He rode on
the first engine that crossed the Kankakee bridge,
before that city was built. He next worked as
brakeman, from Centralia to Wapella, and in
1856 was appointed yard master at Champaign,
holding that position until 1891. In the latter
year he was given his present position.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
623
ROBERTS is the well known engi-
neer on engine No. 966, in the pas-
LQ senger service, on the Champaign
district of the Illinois Central. He
entered the I. C. shops at Champaign, in 1867,
when only eighteen years of age. During 1867
he took a position as fireman and in June 1872
was promoted to engineer. He was for several
years in the extra passenger service, but has
been in the regular service for nearly ten years.
Mr. Roberts is a native of Denbighshire,
North Wales, but came to America when young.
He is a member of K. of L. E., No. 24, of Cen-
tralia.
H. LINTON is the well known
train master on the Champaign
Q district, of the Illinois Central,
with headquarters in that city.
His connection with the I. C. dated from July 5,
1878, when he was appointed telegraph operator
at Otto, Illinois. He served as operator, and in
different capacities at various places, until 1884,
when he entered the yard service as switchman
at Ccntralia. He was soon promoted to yard
master at that place, and served there until 1887.
In the latter year he was sent to Champaign, as
train dispatcher, remaining there until October
1892, when he was sent back to Centralia, in the
same capacity. He was transferred to Cham-
paign on May i, 1896, where he now resides.
ENRY LITTLE RHODES, a retired
conductor of the Illinois Central, en-
tered the service of the I. C. in 1856,
as conductor in the freight service.
His first run was from Centralia to Wapella,
which he held for two years. He was promoted
to the passenger service in 1858, and continued
there until 1860. From 1860 to 1866, he held
the position of train master, with headquarters
at Decatur, Illinois. Resuming his former run
in the passenger service in 1866, he continued
in that connection with the I. C. until June 1899,
when he voluntarily resigned, and is now re-
tired. A record of forty-four years of continued
service with the I. C. shows that our subject is a
man of sterling worth.
Mr. Rhodes was born on May 24, 1829, and
is the son of Simeon and Jane Rhodes, who lived
in Port Jervis, Orange county, New York, at the
time of our subject's birth. When only eight
years of age, Henry L. Rhodes, was a driver on
the tow-path of the Erie canal and continued in
the service of that company, being made captain
of a canal boat at the age of eighteen. Railroad
at that time was fast superseding canals as a
means of transportation, and our subject seeing
that a good prospect was in store for a man of
energy, sought service in that line, and rose
step by step, until he became a conductor on the
New York & Erie R. R. which position he held
for seven years, or until 1856, when he became
identified with the I. C.
Mr. Rhodes is one of the progressive citizens
of Centralia. He is held in high esteem by his
fellow-citizens, as is shown by his having been
mayor, of that city for two terms. In politics
he is a strong Republican and has acted as dele-
gate to the county and state conventions. He
was a delegate to the national convention, which
nominated President McKinley.
In early life he married Miss Sarah E.
Smith, of Port Jervis, New York, and three
children have been born to them, viz: George H.
Rhodes, one of the most enterprising business
men of Centralia, Libbie Rhodes, wife of Benja-
min F. Stattermyer, who died several years ago
in St. Louis, and W. A. Rhodes, who died in St.
Paul, Minn., in early life.
Mr. Rhodes Sr. is a thirty-third degree
mason. His family are members of the Presby-
terian church, in which they are prominent, and
also liberal and substantial supporters.
624
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
JOHN P. SMITH, who runs out a pas-
senger engine from the Twenty-seventh
street round house, is one of the Illinois
Central Company's stand-bys. He be-
gan as a fireman for them in 1871, under the
tutelage of his father, Nicholas Smith, on engine
No. 8, one of the old wood burners. He is now
the sixth in the order of seniority.
After firing for five years, Mr. Smith was
set up to engineer on a suburban line, but three
years later was given a freight run which fur-
nished him with employment until he was placed
at the head of a passenger train, running south
from Chicago, in 1892. In all his railroad ex-
perience Mr. Smith has had the good fortune
to never be in any great wreck, nor met with
any serious accident of any kind.
The gentleman whose name appears at the
head of this article was born in the city of Chi-
cago, October 13, 1834. In October 1882, he
was united in marriage to Miss Josephine
Erzinger, and their home has been blessed by the
presence of two children, Emma and Hazel.
Socially Mr. Smith is identified with the follow-
ing fraternities: Division No. 10, B. of L. E., of
Burnside, and the Ancient Order of United
Workmen, Twin City Council of Champaign.
miles from the city of Searberg. He migrated
to America in 1834, and in 1850 settled in the
city of Chicago. Four years later he secured
a position with the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany at the Weldon shops, at Sixteenth street.
From that time until September 1897, Mr.
Snyder occupied a place in the shop without
interruption with the exception of two periods
of two weeks, and one of those was on the ac-
count of sickness. He helped build the first
shops at Weldon, which were shed roof build-
ings and their entire equipments were lathes,
one planer and a drilling machine. His work
then was by one of the lathes and he kept that
place at Sheldon and at Burnside until 1897,
when at the age of eighty-three years he discon-
tinued the pursuit of his trade to accept his
present position. At the old settler's meeting
of Cook county, our subject received a gold
medal for the longest uninterrupted service un-
der one employer.
Mr. Snyder was married in Cook county
to Miss Augusta Strever, and their home has
been blessed by the presence of a family of five
children whose names in the order of their birth
are as follows : Matilda, George, Lizzie, Annie
and Frank.
EORGE SNYDER. The readers of
this work will be pleased to find in it
a biography of the gentleman whose
name heads this article. The men-
tion of a man of his age, enjoying health and the
right use of his faculties is enough to arouse the
attention of most people, but men who are above
the age of eighty-five years and still in the em-
ploy of the railroad company are, to say the
least, very rare.
Mr. Snyder, who is now in charge of the
air brake car, was born Ailgust 5, 1814, in the
district of Saarburg, then in the Rhine Province
of France, his birth place being about eighteen
AVID SLOAN, chief engineer of the
Illinois Central, was born in Belfast,
Ireland, July 4, 1847, ar>d began his
railroad career in 1871 as chainman
on the construction of the Franklin branch of
the L. S. & M. S. From 1874 to 1875 he was
assistant engineer of the Eastern Kentucky road
at Grayson, Ky. In 1877 he was engaged in har-
bor work at Ashtabula, Ohio, for the L. S. &
M. S. From 1883 to 1887 was with the Chicago
& Atlanta Railroad the last two years of which
he served as chief engineer; until 1888 he was
assistant engineer for the C. M. & St. P. ; then
assistant chief engineer of the I. C. until Octo-
ber 8, 1897; since January i, 1898, he has served
the corporation as chief engineer.
w
_J
J
w
•cfl
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
627
'ILLIAM HENRY SMITH, famliar-
ly known as " Hank Smith ", is now
in charge of the stationary engine
in the round house at the Twenty-
seventh Street Station, Chicago. He is also
known as the " veteran engineer ", being the
oldest in the employ of the Illinois Central com-
pany in Chicago. Mr. Smith was a fireman in
Jersey City, New Jersey, when he was a boy,
and when still a young man, he was fireman on
the Michigan Central, at Detroit, Mich., but at
the same time made an occassional run as engi-
neer. April 26, 1856, he was placed in charge
of engine No. 21, on the Illinois Central line,
running from Chicago to Champaign, and for
a time stood at the head of a construction train.
While in this capacity he hauled the stone for the
bridge south of Paxton. Our subject was next
placed in charge of engine No. 76, which was
the first one on the line with sixteen inch cylin-
ders, and ran between Chicago and Champaign.
In the fall of the same year 1856 Mr. Smith
accepted a position at the head of a passenger
train running between these points and retained
it until the fall of 1896, a period of forty years.
Sooner or later Father Time will render the best
of men incompetent, and although our subject
withstood him for a remarkable length of time,
he had to finally bow to the inevitable. After
leaving his passenger run, however, he sat for
a time on the right side of the cab of the shop en-
gine, running from Weldon to Burnside. Since
January I, 1899, he has had charge of the station-
ary engine at the Twenty-seventh street shops.
During these years Mr. Smith has seen a great
many changes in the Illinois Central Road, many
new lines have been built and the old ones im-
proved, the number of cars been mutiplied, and
the little slow running engines have given place
to those several times their size and that will run
at several times their speed, and scarcely a man
who worked with him at the time he began is
now in the employ of the company, to say noth-
ing of the improvement in the shops and manu-
factories and the methods of transacting business.
1 Fe has been very fortunate, and in all of his
career has never been in a wreck.
Mr. Smith was married in Chicago to Miss
Catharine Your, and three children, William,
George, and Catharine, have been born to them.
Socially our subject is identified with the B. of
L. E.
ILLIAM F. KELLEY. The sub-
ject of this sketch is a veteran in
railroading and there are but few
who have a record that will equal
his. From a helper in the round house on the
New York Central & Hudson River Railroad at
Rochester, New York, where he began his career
on September 14, 1864, he has climbed the lad-
der step by step, until now he stands at the top.
It is a pleasure for us to enlighten our readers
as to the ups and downs of our subject, who
after much questioning and drawing out gave
us the dates and which has been added to by the
information secured from his fellow workmen
by whom he is held in the highest esteem. But
we are digressing and will return to the time of
his connection with the N. Y. Central with which
company he remained but two months, when like
many young men of those days he decided to go
west and "grow up with the country" as Greeley
used to say. He located in Akron, Ohio, and
began firing an engine on the Atlantic & Great
Western. In those days each engineer engaged
his own fireman and by a stroke of good luck
he secured a position in road service, and dur-
ing the next four years he devoted his entire
time to mastering his profession. We next find
him on the Hannibal & St. Joe road at Brook-
field, Mo., as an engine house foreman which
position he retained for six months and then
tiring of the work he resigned and accepted a
position as fireman and extra engineer and con-
tinued in that capacity for one year and a half.
At this juncture his health failed and the fol-
lowing year was spent in his native state. Then
he again came west, this time locating at Spring-
field, 111., where he was offered and accepted a
position as engineer in the freight service on
628
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the Wabash, continuing there until August 13,
1874 when he resigned and was at once engaged
by the G. C. & S., now the Springfield division
of the Illinois Central. He took a freight run
between Springfield and Gilman and during the
next four years his became a familiar counte-
nance to the boys along the line, but in 1878,
when trains No. 39 and No. 40 were put on
between Springfield and Chicago, our subject,
owing to his long experience and clean record,
was chosen as the one to pull what was then
called a fine train, but what a contrast to the
present magnificently equipped trains. He had
engine No. 1355 at first and four cars made the
train. This ntn, however, was of short dura-
tion, as in the same year it was discontinued
and our subject returned to freight and extra
passenger service and later pulled passenger
from Springfield to Farmer City for two years.
At this time a through passenger service was
established on the Springfield division and Mr.
Kelley was on that run until 1896, when again,
as the business increased and the demand for
faster time became necessary he was pulled off
the Springfield division and given his present
jxjsition, pulling the Daylight Special the 'finest
equipped train in the service. During all these
years our subject has never received a serious
injury, but perhaps that is a stroke of good luck
as No. 1309 the engine he was running at the
time he was promoted to present- run, was
wrecked the day after he handed her over to
his successor at Salt Creek.
Our subject is an honored and respected
member of Division No. 315, B. of L. E., also
a member of Blue Lodge, No. 333, Chapter
No. i, and El wood Commandery, No. 6, all
of Springfield, 111.
In 1878 he was married to Miss Charlotte
R. Harris, also a native of New York state and
their union has been blessed by the birth of
two daughters, Marchie and Ruby.
JOHN LOCKER HALLAM, M. D., de-
ceased, was for many years district sur-
geon for the Illinois Central, at Centra-
lia. Dr. Hallam was born at Bassing-
ton, Derbyshire, England, in February 1819. In
company with his parents and three sisters he
arrived in America in 1827, and settled in Ed-
wards county, Illinois. Arriving at manhood,
our subject entered the Kemper Medical College
(now the Missouri Medical) of St. Louis, where
he graduated. In 1871 he was appointed dis-
trict surgeon for the I. C. and remained as such
until his death on June 15, 1894.
His son, Dr. John Carter Hallam, is now a
physician and surgeon, at Centralia, and prac-
tices his profession with Dr. E. E. Fyke, the
medical representative of the I. C. at that place.
JOHN KIEFF. This name deserves a
place on the list of the Illinois Central
Company's pioneer workmen, since its
bearer began work as a tinner in the
old Weldon shops in 1856, or at least the sheds
in which the machinery was first installed and
stood on the site of the Weldon shops. At that
time he was the only tinner employed by the
company in the city of Chicago. Others have
come and gone and the company has grown until
it employs eighty tinners in the Burnside shops
alone, to which our subject was transferred
January i, 1899, but he still holds his place, a
record that hardly has an equal in the history
of the railroad. During his forty-four years of
service, Mr. Kieff has lost only two weeks time
and that was during the great strike of 1894, but
this has been more than made up by the over
hours that he has worked. Some months he has
drawn as much as forty-two days wages.
Mr. Kieff was born in Chippawa, Canada,
May 15, 1838. In 1844 the family moved to
Buffalo, N. Y., and two years later, moved from
thence to Chicago. As soon as he had attained
his majority, Mr. Kieff returned to Buffalo to
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
629
learn his trade, and there served an apprentice-
ship of four years and two months with John J.
Smith & Co., which fully prepared him for his
place in the shops of the Illinois Central Com-
pany. In 1864, in the city of Chicago, he was
united in marriage to Miss Annie Humphrey,
and their wedded life was blessed to them by the
advent of a family of six children whose names
in the order of their birth are as follows : Mary
Agnes, William Henry, Albert, also an employe
at the Burnside shops, Annie, Nellie and Emma.
Fraternally Mr. Kieff is a member of the
Masonic Lodge No. 311, of Chicago.
August 4, 1899, when he voluntarily resigned,
and is now taking a much needed rest.
Mr. Wamsley was married to Miss Arabel-
la Catterlin, of Clinton, Illinois, and their union
has been blessed by three children, viz : Eugene,
born November 19, 1872; Maude, born Decem-
ber 8, 1876, and Willie, born December 31, 1886.
A service of thirty-four years in the employ
of the I. C. is a record of which Mr. Wamsley
may be justly proud.
WAMSLEY, a former valued em-
ploye of the 111. Central, residing
Q at Centralia, 111., is one of the thir-
teen children, born to Thomas E.
and Elizabeth Wamsley, natives of Virginia, but
who emigrated to Kentucky, and followed agri-
cultural pursuits.
Our subject was born near Nicholasville, in
the latter state, on February 2, 1841, but came to
Illinois in 1853, with his parents, locating at
Randolph, McLean county. He remained there
but a short time, going to Leroy, in the same
county, where he worked on a farm for five
years, going from the latter place to Atlanta,
Illinois. He was at Hey worth, 111., at the be-
ginning of the Civil war, and there joined the
94th Regiment, U. S. Volunteers, receiving an
honorable discharge at the end of his years ser-
\ices. Returning to Leroy, in 1863 he entered
the service of the Illinois Central, working at
fence building, and in 1866 obtained a position
as brakeman in the freight service, under Con-
ductor Madden, running from Amboy to Wapel-
la. He served in this capacity for two years,
being then promoted to conductor on the same
division, under Train Dispatcher, M. W. Wills.
In 1880 he was promoted to conductor in the
passenger service, serving with fidelity until
FHAFELI is a well known engineer
in the Centralia district of the Illi-
O "ois Central. He entered the ser-
vice of the I. C. in 1869 as brake-
man and fireman on the Centralia division and
on the main line, working there for three years.
In 1874 he went to the Cairo and Vincennes R.
R. (now part of the "Big Four") and worked
for that company six years as engineer. He
re-entered the service of the I. C. as engineer in
the freight service in 1880, and in 1895 was pro-
moted to the passenger service and placed in
charge of engine No. 913, between Centralia and
Cairo, and has since remained on that run, and
in charge of the same engine.
Mr. Hafeli is a native of Switzerland. He
is a member of B. of L. E., No.24.
THOMAS J. WRIGHT was for twenty-
four years a conductor in the passen-
ger service of the Illinois Central, and
has lately resigned his position. He
entered the service of the I. C. as brakeman and
baggageman, in the passenger service on April
27, 1863, running between Dunleith, (now East
Dubuque) and Amboy, Illinois. He served in
this capacity for several months and was then
appointed baggagemaster at Freeport, Illinois.
630
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
From the latter position he returned to his former
occupation of hrakeman, securing employment in
the freight service of the I. C. After serving
five years he was promoted to conductor in the
freight service, between Dunleith and Amboy,
and in 1875 was promoted to conductor in the
passenger service. For twenty-four years, or
until August 1899, our subject held that position,
running between Dubuque, Iowa, and Amboy,
Illinois, and between Freeport and Centralia.
Mr. Wright is the son of John and Mary
(Brady) Wright, and was born in the state of
New York, but came west in early life. He was
from 1863 to 1899, in the service of the Illinois
Central, a record which speaks for itself. He
was married to Miss M. Marylla Nichols, of
Princeton, Illinois, and they have two daughters,
Maude, and Gladys.
Socially he is connected with the Blue Lodge,
Chapter and Knights Templar Consistory, and
is a charter member of O. R. C., No. i, when it
was organized at Amboy, and known as the
"Brotherhood of Conductors." He was the
second chief conductor of the latter organization.
D. OXLEY, foreman of the machine
shops at Centralia, Illinois, entered
the employ of the I. C. in 1854. He
is a brother of David Oxley, who
was master mechanic for the I. C. from 1854 to
1890, retiring on pay, in October of that year
and who died at Centralia, Illinois, in 1897, leav-
ing two sons and two daughters. John Oxley,
a son of the latter worked in the office of the I.
C. as clerk and chief clerk, from 1861 to 1895, re-
signing in the latter year, to accept the position
of superintendent of streets, in the city of Cen-
tralia.
The subject of this sketch has spent the
greater part of his time since 1854 as a foreman
in the machine shops, and has been in his
present position for twenty years. Mr. Oxley
is a native of Schenectady, New York, and served
his time in the shops of the New York Central
R. R.
His son Robert A. Oxley has been in the
employ of the I. C. since 1871, and is now engi-
neer on the Springfield division of the road.
Our subject was married at Saratoga
Springs, New York, to Miss Julia E. Cook, Sep-
tember 4, 1850 and to them has been born one
son, Robert A.
In 1861 our subject was badly hurt in the
fire that destroyed the shops at Centralia, 111.
EORGE MARTIN DUGAN, superin-
tendent of telegraph of the Illinois
Central Railroad, is a native of Ohio,
having been born in Brown county,
December 25, 1835. He began his railroad
career in 1857 as an operator on the Mississippi
Central at Grand Junction, Tenn., and remained
with that road during the war. He then served
as agent and operator for the Southern Railway
Association at Bolivar, Tenn. From 1877 to
1884 he was superintendent of telegraph for the
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad at
Jackson, Tenn., then until March 1893 served as
superintendent of telegraph for the southern
lines of the I. C. and Y. & M. V., on the latter
date being made superintendent of telegraph for
the entire system, which position he holds at the
present time.
J. HUNT, passenger conductor on
the Illinois Central, was born in
Q Madison county, Tenn., ten miles
northwest of Jackson, November
4, 1847. He began railroading in 1871 on the
M. & O. as a freight brakeman between Colum-
bus, Ky., and Baldwin, Miss., and continued one
year when he quit and was not engaged in rail-
THOMAS F. BARTON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
633
reading again until 1878, when he entered the
employ of the I. C. as a freight brakeman be-
tween Jackson, Tenn., and Fillmore, Ky., then
the northern terminal, and at the expiration of
eighteen months he was promoted to conductor
and began running freight on the same district.
At that time all the men were in the chain gang
and our subject continued in the freight service
until 1889, when he was promoted to the pas-
senger service and has continued in that capaci-
ty to the present time, with the exception of
three years, when, owing to lack of travel, he
was put back on a freight run. Most of his
work has been confined to the Cairo district. He
has been fortunate in that he has never been seri-
ously injured. He is married and has three
children, William F., now braking on the St.
Louis division of the M. & O. Railroad ; Clyde,
flagman on the Cairo district, for passenger con-
ductor Morgan, and Mary Ada.
Socially Mr. Hunt is a member of Jackson
division No. 149, O. R. C., and Stonewall Lodge
No. 199, Knights of Honor.
THOMAS F. BARTON, master mechanic
at Paducah, Kentucky, is an example
of what may be accomplished by well
directed efforts backed by a strong
character, even while a man is young. He be-
gan at the foot of the ladder as call boy at
Point Edward, Ontario, for the Grand Trunk
system, July 14, 1880, and remained in that
capacity until February 14, 1882, when he be-
came caller in the machinery department for
about eleven months. January I, 1883, he be-
came an apprentice to the tin and copper-smiths
trade in the railroad shops, but after twenty-two
months decided that he preferred the machinists
trade at which he worked until reaching his
majority. Working as journeyman machinist
until January 12, 1890, he resigned and secured
a place with the Illinois Central three days later
as machinist at the Weldon shops under master
mechanic Charles Clarke. In April 1892, he
was made assistant round house foreman under
Charles Kelley and January igth, following was
made foreman of the round house at the Burn-
side shops when they were opened for business.
The first of May when the World's fair neces-
sitated a large increase in the suburban service
Mr. Barton was selected to serve as foreman of
engines during the continuance of the exposi-
tion and on its close returned to his former
position. On October 18, 1896, he was ap-
pointed general foreman of the Weldon shops
and May 9, 1898, was promoted to master me-
chanic of the St. Louis division and stationed
at East St. Louis. He was further promoted
February I, 1899, when he was assigned to duty
in the shops at Water Valley, Mississippi, where
he remained until April 1900, at which time he
was placed in charge of the extensive shops at
Paducah on the promotion of Mr. Curley to
the Memphis station. Mr. Barton is a man of
fine executive ability and while he exercises his
authority over men on his division firmly he
does so in a way to win their esteem and get the
most out of them with but little friction in
their management. He has the warmest com-
mendations of those working under his authori-
ty, and that he holds the confidence of his em-
ployers is proved by his steady and rapid ad-
vance along the line of his •chosen calling.
JOHN WILFRED HIGGINS, superinten-
dent of transportation of the Illinois Cen-
tral, was born in Newport, R. I., and
entered the service of the I. C. in 1879,
serving as messenger boy until June 1881, then
for a short time worked as a laborer on the track ;
from December 1881 to June 1883 switchman;
to August 1883 telegraph operator; to October
1884 freight and passenger brakeman and bag-
gageman ; to Oct. '89 freight conductor ; to April
1890 chief clerk to the division superintendent of
the Chicago division; to Dec. 1891 trainmas-
634
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ter, Centralia district ; to Feb. 1892 chief clerk to
general superintendent; to June 1892 assistant
superintendent Louisiana division; to Jan. 1893
superintendent Louisiana division; to April 1893
superintendent terminals I. C. and Y. & M. V.
railroads at New Orleans, later served as super-
intendent of Chicago terminals until appointed
to his present position.
GILLEAS, assistant general super-
intendent of the Southern lines of
the Illinois Central and Y. & M.
V. railroads, was born near Dub-
lin, Ireland, October 20, 1844. He entered the
service of the I. C. in 1859, at Amboy, 111., and
served three years as a porter in the superinten-
dent's office, two years as clerk in the freight
office and the four following years in the divi-
sion engineer's office. From May i, 1868 to
May I, 1877, he served in the division engineer's
office in Dubuque, from the latter date to April
6, 1883, he was roadmaster of the Iowa division
and until the following October was acting divi-
sion superintendent and until October I, 1887,
division superintendent; to January i, 1891,
superintendent of the Iowa lines ; to September
1892, superintendent of Western lines, including
all lines west of Chicago; to January i, 1893,
general superintendent of the Y. & M. V. road,
at which time he was made assistant general
superintendent of the Southern lines.
JOHN C. HARTIGAN, assistant general
superintendent of the northern and wes-
tern lines, of the I. C., with headquarters
at Chicago, was born March 25, 1847.
at Swanton, Franklin county, Vt., and received
his education in the Academy of his native town.
He entered railroad service in August 1865,
when he became agent for the C. & A.
at Nil wood, remaining there until April 1866,
when he was sent to Pontiac, 111., where he served
as agent until 1872. He then served in the ca-
pacity of train dispatcher until April 30, 1874;
May I, 1874 to January I, 1880, chief train dis-
patcher; Jan. ist to June I, 1880, manager Madi-
son county Ferry & Transfer Co., at St. Louis,
Mo.; June i, 1880 to July i, 1885, train master
C. M. & St. P. Railroad; to October i, 1886,
division superintendent Missouri Pacific at Deni-
son, Texas; to April 1890 assistant superinten-
dent C. M. & St. P., and six months following
division superintendent of the Chicago division
of the I. C. railroad. From December 1890 to
January i, 1893, superintendent of northern lines
of the I. C. and from the latter date to the present
time as assistant general superintendent of
northern and western lines .
E. CLERMONT, engineer on the
Freeport division, Illinois Central
LQ Railroad, began his railroad experi-
ence with the C. B. & Q. R. R. as
brakeman and yardmaster at Aurora for a short
time and then served the same company as engi-
neer for a number of years. He entered the
service of the I. C. R. R. as engineer on the
Freeport division in 1888, and at present runs
engine No. 918 on a regular through passenger
run from Chicago to Dubuque.
Mr. Clermont is a native of Canada and was
born in 1851. He was married in 1870 to Miss
Leveque, a sister of George Leveque, an engi-
neer in the I. C. R. R. service. Her father was
an engineer on the M. C. & I. R. R., and was
killed in an accident on the road in Nov. 1876.
Mr. and Mrs. Clermont have five children :
Alphonsine, Sylvia, George, Horace and Arthur.
Mr. Clermont is a member of the B. of L.
E., No. 27, Racine division, K. P. No. 98, of
Freeport, and the A. O. U. W., No. 250, also of
Freeport.
JOSEPH E. HOFFMAN.
DAMOS E. SHELL.
JOHN HAYS WILSON.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
637
JOSEPH E. HOFFMAN, deceased, was
formerly an engineer on the I. C. R. R.,
Freeport division, and born in Pleasant
Valley, Jo Daviess county, 111., Novem-
ber 15, 1870. His father, Adam Hoffman, is a
retired farmer living in Chadwick, 111. His
mother was Miss Mary B. Sachs, and is still liv-
ing. Our subject received his education in the
public schools of Apple River, 111., finishing in
the high school of the same place. While at-
tending school he spent his summers at work
on the farm. In 1888 he came to Freeport and
secured a position in a grocery store, where he
remained one year, then clerked in a gents' fur-
nishing store until 1894. At that time he entered
the service of the I. C. R. R. as a night watchman
in the shops, where he remained until August
4, 1894, when he became a fireman on the Free-
port division and served in that capacity until
September 10, 1898, being promoted at that time
to the position of engineer. Mr. Hoffman was
married to Miss Carrie V. Wise, of Freeport,
June 14, 1893. She is a native of Stephenson
county, and was born in Buckeye township, Octo-
ber 27, 1872. She has one child living — Carl
J. Hoffman, born November 6, 1896, and lost
the first born, Russell, at the age of ten months.
Mrs. Hoffman is a member of the United Evan-
gelical church to which church her husband also
belonged. Mr. Hoffman was a member of the
B. of L. F., and B. of L. E. He died at his post
of duty, March 9, 1900.
chinery, and H. Schlacks, master mechanic, of
Chicago, and after one year of successful run-
ning, was given a certificate as engineer under
the I. C. R. R. system, running freight until
March 1893, when he was transferred to the
Diamond Special, and is now^running^on both
the Daylight and the Diamond Special from Chi-
cago to Clinton — two of the best runs on the
road. On all examinations Mr. Shell has passed
first-class. He was examined on color and eye
sight in 1879, in a special car sent over the sys-
tem, and again on eye-sight and color percep-
tions in the fall of 1897. May 7, 1891, he was
examined by A. J. McEvoy on book of rules,
and March 2, 1895, on air brake practice, by R.
D. Davis, in his air car. Mr. Shell has been in
the service continuously for twenty-eight years,
and during that time has made a fine record for
ability, steady nerve, and attention to duty. Mr.
Shell, who is a son of John and Sabina Shell,
the latter being deceased, was born near Harris-
burg, Dauphin county, Pa., in 1857, and was mar-
ried in 1883 to Miss Minnie Medland, whose
parents were John and Priscilla (Jackman) Med-
land, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Shell
have two sons living, Fred and Arthur, and two
daughters dead — Daisy and Gertrude. They
are members of the Presbyterian church, in which
Mr. Shell holds the office of deacon. He is a
Republican in politics, is serving his second term
in the board of education of Clinton, is socially
connected with Division No. 315, B. of L. E.,
DeWitt Lodge No. 84, A. F. & A. M., Goodbrake
Chapter No. 59; Clinton Commandery No. 66,
and with his wife is a member of Myrtle Chapter
of the Eastern Star No. 131, at Clinton.
MOS E. SHELL, engineer on Spring-
field division of the Illinois Central
Railroad, began his career as a railroad
man, in June 1872, on what is now the
Springfield division, but at that time was the
Gilman, Clinton & Springfield R. R., and was pro-
moted to -the right side in 1879, under the old
system. In January 1880 he was examined on
time card by T. J. Hudson, and in the machinery
department by S. J. Hayes, superintendent of ma-
JOHN HAYS WILSON, depot master of
the Illinois Central Railroad at Free-
port, was born in Union county, Pa.,
June 8, 1837. His grandfather, Hugh
Wilson, was one of the judges of the U. S. dis-
trict court. His father, also Hugh Wilson, a
638
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tanner and farmer, was born "in Union county,
Pa., in 1792, and died in 1873. His mother,
Jane (Foster), died in April 1879.
John H. Wilson was educated in the pub-
lic schools of his native county and took an
academic course of three years at Mifflinburg
Academy. He assisted on his father's farm until
1857, when the family emigrated to Freeport, then
a town of about 4,000 inhabitants. Here he taught
school one term, and then secured a position with
the I. C. R. R. as clerk in the superintendent's
office at Amboy. He remained in that position
thirteen months, when he took a position in the
train service and served five years in that capacity.
He then began making up trains at Amboy,
later clerked in the office at Decatur, and then
returned to Amboy and became one of the yard-
masters. January 21, 1870, he lost his right arm
in the service of the company, after which he
came to Freeport and learned to write with his
left hand. He is now a splendid penman, and
a model of neatness. In 1871 he became yard-
master of Freeport yards and retained that po-
sition for sixteen years, and in 1887 was made
car accountant, which position he held until
1890, when the new depot was erected in Free-
port and he was made depot master, where he
still serves, attending upon twenty-seven passen-
ger trains daily, from 6 130 A. M. to 7 :oo P. M,
His service for the I. C. R. R. has always been
pleasant. Mr. Wilson's household is made up
of himself and two sisters, Mary and Martha.
The latter has taught school in Freeport for
eighteen years. Of the family, eight are living :
six in Freeport and two in Pennsylvania. Mr.
Wilson is a Prohibitionist, and was one of the
founders of Centennial Lodge of Good Templars
in 1876, and first Chaplain; assisted in organiz-
ing the Independent Order of Mutual Aid in
1879, and has been connected with all the tem-
perance organizations. He is a member of the
A. O. U. W., and one of the charter members of
John H. Adams Lodge. The family are mem-
bers of the First Presbyterian church of Free-
port.
P. SKENE, land commissioner of the
Illinois Central and Yazoo & Missis-
Q sippi Valley railroads, was born
October 16, 1854, in Salem, Mass.
He entered railroad service in 1872 as a clerk
in the New York office of the Illinois Central,
remaining there until 1887, when he was made
assistant secretary of the Dubuque & Sioux City
Railroad and served in that capacity until Janu-
ary i, 1891, when he was made land commis-
sioner of the Illinois Central and in October
1892, he was made land commissioner of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad.
JOHN F. WALLACE, assistant second
vice-president of the Illinois Central,
was born at Fall River, Miss. He en-
tered railroad work in 1869 as rodman
on the Carthage & Quincy road, serving one
year; from 1870 to 1871 he was assistant engi-
neer on the surveys of the Q. A. & St. L., and
assistant engineer of office work of the R. R. I.
& St. L. road; 1871 to 1876 he was assistant
engineer in the U. S. engineering corps; 1876 to
1879 engaged in private practice; 1879 to 1882
chief engineer and superintendent of the Peoria
& Farmington road ; 1882 to 1883 superintendent
Central Iowa road in Illinois ; 1883 to 1886 mas-
ter of trains for the Iowa Central; 1887 to 1889
bridge engineer for the Santa Fe; 1889 to 1891
resident engineer of Chicago terminals for the
Chicago, Madison & Northern and the A. T.
& S. F. railroads ; 1891 to March 1892 engineer
of construction for the Illinois Central ; March
i, 1892 to Aug. 1897 chief engineer of the same
road. Resigning in Aug. 1897, he was on Jan.
i, 1898 elected assistant second vice-president of
the road which position he occupies at the present
time. He is president of the Engineers and
Maintenance of Wav Association.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
641
V. MARKHAM, engineer on the
Springfield division of the Illinois
Central Railroad, was born in Ann
Arbor, Mich., February 4, 1847,
a son of Vincent and Marietta (Gorton) Mark-
ham. He served time as fireman, and ran as
engineer on the C. J3. & Q. R. R. for over seven-
teen years, and entered the service of the Illinois
Central Railroad Sept. 17, 1888, as engineer on
the Springfield division, where he has since
remained and is now running a local freight. He
has been a member of the B. of L. E. since 1871,
and is at present connected with Clinton Division
No. 315. Mr. Markham was married in 1875
to Miss Mary Otten, daughter of John and Eliza-
beth Otten, and is the father of one son and two
daughters : Frank O., Maud and Florence, all
at home.
'ILLIAM and THOMAS GLAVIN
Jr., brakemen in the service of the
Illinois Central, come of a railroad
family and have grown up in the
atmosphere of the track and train. Their father,
Thomas Glavin Sr., has for many years been in
the employ of the road in section work, and is
now road supervisor over the district between
Decatur and Centralia. He is a man thorough
in his line of work and is one of the best informed
men in track construction on the system. He
married Catherine Gaffney, who is the mother of
eight children, as follows : William, Thomas
Jr.. Joseph, Mary, Agnes, Bernard, Lizzie and
Jennie. William was born May I4th, 1878, at
Aniboy, and attended the Amboy schools. He
secured a place on the section at Amboy, and
after a few years was advanced in rank and
made boss of the section for two years. He then
went into the operating department as brakeman,
in December 1898, and is in line of promotion to
conductorship.
Thomas Jr. was born at Polo, 111., November
26, 1879, and was reared in Amboy where he
received his education. In 1897 he entered the
service of the Central as a section hand at Am-
boy, and in 1899 accepted a position as brake-
man in the freight service, running between Free-
port and Clinton. By faithfulness and close at-
tention to business, Mr. Glavin confidently ex-
pects to rise in the service of the road.
HOMAS J. HUDSON, traffic manager
of the Illinois Central, was born Janu-
ary i, 1846, in Ireland. He entered
the service of the C. & A. road in
1864 as a clerk in the freight office in Spring-
field, but after one year in this capacity was
made freight agent and served as such until
October 1871, at which time he became general
agent for the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield
road, then general passenger and freight agent
until November 1875, from the latter date until
July 1877, he served as superintendent and
general freight and passenger agent of the same
line. He was then appointed superintendent of
the Springfield division, at Springfield, serving
until July 1881, when he was transferred to the
Chicago division as superintendent, then served
as superintendent of the Illinois and Iowa lines
until August i, 1887, at which time he was pro-
moted to his present position as traffic manager
of the entire system.
AMUEL GRANT ELROD entered the
service of the Illinois Central March
6, 1886, as brakeman on the Amboy
division, Clinton district. His first
run was made with Conductor J. D. Williams,
leaving Centralia, 111., at 5 A. M. on local run
No. 10 on the above date. He was transferred
to the Springfield division in 1888, and promoted
to conductor in 1891, having been examined by
642
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Superintendent Bailey on the old book of rules.
At present our subject is on the merchandise run
between Chicago and Clinton, giving eminent
satisfaction to the company.
Mr. El rod was born August 13, 1867, near
St. Louis, Mo., in a one and a half story log
house, built by General U. S. Grant. He is proud
of the distinction of being a second cousin of
the distinguished General, his grandfather on
his mother's side having been a brother of
General Grant's mother. He was married on
November 25, 1893, to Grace Hagerman. Soci-
ally our subject is a member of Forester Lodge,
Court DeWitt, No. 3163, of Clinton, Illinois.
RED S. JAMES, chief train dispatcher
of the Cherokee division of the Illi-
nois Central, is a native of Wiscon-
sin where his birth occurred at Bran-
don, July 6th, 1866. His ancestors were
from the New England states, both of his great
grand-fathers having fought side by side in the
Revolutionary war. His parents were natives
of .New York state but removed to Wisconsin
in 1845, where the father, S. G. James, success-
fully engaged in the lumber business until 1873
when he removed to Aurelia, Iowa, residing there
until his death in 1895. Members of the family
have been prominently connected with the pro-
fessional and social life of the east. An .uncle
of our subject, Hon. A. B. James, was for twen-
ty-three years judge of the supreme court of
New York. He died while filling his second
term in congress from that state. His son, E.
C. James, is one of the most prominent attor-
neys of New York City, being private counsel
for Russell Sage and was also counsel for Jay
Gould prior to the latter's death. Our subject
received his education in the common schools and
at the age of fourteen began learning the art
of telegraphy at Aurelia, Iowa, and a few months
later was proficient enough to serve as extra
operator and agent, being stationed during the
two following years at Marcus, Fonda, Alta.
Aurelia and Cherokee for longer or shorter
periods. In 1883 he was assigned a key in the
train dispatcher's office at Ft. Dodge and two
years later was made extra train dispatcher serv-
ing both at Ft. Dodge and Waterloo. In 1887
he was made trick dispatcher in the office at
Ft. Dodge and three years later made chief
dispatcher, in which capacity he served until
consolidation of the offices in 1893. Trans-
ferred to Cherokee, he served as trick dispatcher
until the spring of 1896, with the exception of
two months in 1895, when he worked at Centra-
ha, 111., during the shortage of train dispatchers
at that point. He was then called to the Chicago
division and stationed at Kankakee as trick dis-
patcher. In October following he was again
transferred to Cherokee and made chief dis-
patcher of the division where he has since re-
mained.
Mr. James was married in Cherokee, De-
cember 24, 1894, to Miss Alice Maude Holden,
daughter of C. B. Holden, a prominent business
man of Cherokee, Iowa. Their little one, Mar-
jorie, died at the age of three years in the spring
of 1900. Mr. James is a prominent member of
the Train Dispatchers' Association of America,
joining the association in 1889, and for three
years has been a member of the executive com-
mittee and has been a delegate to nine of their
annual meetings. At the Train Dispatchers'
Convention, which was held at Indianapolis, in
June 1889, Mr. James was the youngest dele-
gate in attendance, it being one of the best and
largest conventions the association has ever held,
delegates being present from nearly every state
in the union as well as Canada and Mexico. He
is also a member of the association of Railway
Telegraph Superintendents and is identified with
Sioux City Lodge, B. P. O. E. No. 112. There
is a saying that dispatchers, like poets, are born,
not made, and only those of exceptional merit
rise to the position of chief, or retain the posi-
tion when once attained.
FRED S. JAMES.
PART III.
RAILROAD FRATERNITIES.
RAILROAD FRATERNITIES.
THE BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.
BY C. L. SALMONS, EDITOR B. OF L. E. MONTHLY JOURNAL.
ETER M. ARTHUR, Grand Chief En-
gineer of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers, was born in Scotland,
and came to America when ten years
of age, going to live on a farm with an uncle in
New York. At the age of seventeen he went
to Schenectady, N. Y., where with money he
had saved, purchased a horse and wagon and
started a small jobbing business. When eigh-
teen years old he was employed as a wiper in
the engine house of the New York Central
Railroad at Schenectady. He rose rapidly to
fireman and engineer. He was early attracted
to the organization of his craft and in February
1874, was chosen to its highest office and has
since that date been annually re-elected to Chief
Engineer, with headquarters at Cleveland, Ohio.
His policy of using all conciliatory means
in the settlement of difficulties, before resorting
to strikes, has brought him into wide and favor-
able notice everywhere ; under his administra-
tion there have been but few serious strikes,
and these occurred mostly in the early part of
his incumbency ; he possesses, in an unusual
degree, the confidence of the Order over which
he presides ; his public addresses have become
noted for their vigor of language and plain
speaking.
34
,HIRTY-SEVEN years ago last April
a few engineers in the employ of the
Michigan Central Railroad Company
conceived the idea of forming an as-
sociation to promote the welfare and interest of
their profession and elevate their standing and
character as men. With these objects in view,
they assembled at the house of one of their num-
ber, in the city of Marshall, Mich. The result
of their deliberation was the issuing of an in-
vitation to the engineers employed on the ad-
jacent roads to meet in the city of Detroit on the
fifth day of May. In response to the invitation,
at the appointed time ten delegates assembled,
who, with but little formality in their organiza-
tion, entered upon their duties, and, with the
assistance of a few engineers residing in Detroit,
a constitution and by-laws were presented and
adopted, embodying the fundamental principles
of our present organization.
The necessity of something further on the
part of engineers than the common consent to
become and remain members of the association
so long as suited their own convenience became
apparent to the minds of the delegates, and an
obligation, as a bond of union, was formulated
and unanimously adopted, and on the 8th day
of May 1863, twelve engineers joined hands and
648
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
hearts, pledging themselves to support the con-
stitution and by-laws, assist the needy and main-
tain the right.
Officers were elected, and Detroit Division
No. I, Brotherhood of the Footboard, stood
forth as the pioneer in the great work of refor-
mation and elevation of the locomotive engineers
of this continent.
The work of organizing sub-divisions soon
began, and in a short time there were twelve
divisions formed, and, in accordance with pre-
vious arrangements, a call was issued for each
division to send a delegate to meet at the hall
of Detroit Division No. i, on the i8th of August
of the same year.
The result of their deliberation was the
forming of the Grand National Division,
Brotherhood of the Footboard ; electing as the
Grand Chief, William D. Robinson.
Like many other associations in their in-
cipiency, many important points were lost sight
of, for the want of experience.
During the first year of its existence, forty-
four sub-divisions were organized. On the i7th
of August 1864, the first convention was held
in the city of Indianapolis, Ind., with forty-four
division representatives, at which time the name
and title of the organization was changed to
its present one, making it international in charac-
ter, so that all locomotive engineers, regardless
of nationality, would be eligible.
The organization has been in existence, as
a society, thirty-seven years, and during that time
iias gradually increased in numbers and im-
portance; emerging almost silently from its
original obscurity, until they now have 559
sub-divisions, comprising a membership of nine-
tenths of the best locomotive engineers on this
continent ;• and they have gained an enviable
jiosition by a strict adherence to their mottoes:
"Sobriety, Truth, Justice and Morality," "Vigi-
l«-.nce, not Violence," and "Do unto others as ye
would that they should do unto you, and so
fulfill the law." They stand aloof from all poli-
tical bodies and sects and ignore all questions
of creed and race, and look only to the improve-
ment and protection of the locomotive engineers
and their families.
At the convention held in the city of Boston,
in November 1866, the publication of a monthly
journal, to be devoted exclusively to the interests
of the profession, was authorized, and the first
number was issued in January 1867, composed
of 16 pages; it now has 112 pages and has at
the present time a circulation of nearly 37,000,
including among its subscribers residents of
Europe and India. It contains a list of all sub-
divisions, together with the names of the officers
and where they are located.
On the 3rd of December 1867, there was
established an insurance association, which pays
to the heirs of deceased members, or to a mem-
ber who is unfortunate enough to lose a hand,
arm, limb, or eyesight, the full amount of the
policy or policies held. Policies are for $1,500,
and a member may carry one, two or three, mak-
ing $1,500, $3,000 or $4,500. The cost of carry-
ing one policy of $1,500 is from 23 to 25 dollars
a year. In the aggregate, the sum of over
$8,000,000 has been paid to injured brothers and
heirs of deceased members, besides disbursing,
out of their earnings, thirty-five to forty thou-
sand dollars among the widows, orphans and
needy of the order at every convention.
A large number of the divisions have a
weekly indemnity insurance, each having their
own law, which vary in the amount of dues and
indemnity. The weekly indemnity is usually
about twelve dollars.
The organization has contracts with 107
Railroad Companies, which include nearly all
the great trunk lines. These contracts embody
rates of pay and rules and regulations govern-
ing overtime, treatment of the employes and for
the prevention of unjust discharge or suspen-
sion.
Through the instrumentality of this orga-
nized effort, the remuneration for services has
been greatly increased, overtime allowance
properly adjusted, and the character of those
who comprise it elevated and educated, and
peace and harmony maintained between the em-
ployer and employe.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
649
The following are the places of meetings
and dates thereof, of the conventions that have
been held since the organization at Detroit:
1. Indianapolis, Ind., August, 1864.
2. Rochester, N. Y., September, 1865.
Called meeting at Rochester, N. Y., June, 1866.
3. Boston, Mass., October, 1866.
4. Cincinnati, Ohio, October, 1867.
5. Chicago, 111., October, 1868.
6. Baltimore, Md., October, 1869.
7. Nashville, Tenn., October, 1870.
8. Toronto, Canada, October, 1871.
9. St. Louis, Mo., October, 1872.
10. Philadelphia, Pa., October, 1873.
Called meeting at Cleveland, Ohio, Febru-
ary, 1874. Charles Wilson resigned the posi-
tion of Grand Chief Engineer and the present
incumbent, P. M. Arthur was elected.
11. Atlanta, Ga., October, 1874.
12. New York City, N. Y., October, 1875.
13. Detroit, Mich., October, 1876.
14. Boston, Mass., October, 1877.
15. Indianapolis, Ind., October, 1878.
16. Kansas City, Mo., October, 1879.
17. Montreal, Canada, October, 1880.
18. Baltimore, Md., October, 1881.
19. Louisville, Ky., October, 1882.
20. Buffalo, N. Y., October, 1883.
21. San Francisco, Cal.j October, 1884.
22. New Orleans, La., October, 1885.
23. New York City, N. Y., October,' 1886.
24. Chicago, 111., October, 1887.
25. Richmond, Va., October, 1888.
26. Denver, Col., October, 1889.
27. Pittsburg, Pa., October, 1890. At
this convention the date of meetings was changed
from the second Wednesday in October to the
second Wednesday in May, making 19 months
between this and the 28th meeting.
28. Atlanta, Ga., May, 1892. At this
meeting the conventions were changed from an-
nual to biennial sessions.
1st Biennial — St. Paul, Minn., May, 1894.
2i\ Biennial — Ottawa, Can., May, 1896.
3d Binnial — St. Louis, Mo., May, 1898.
4th Biennial — Milwaukee, Wis., May, 1900.
650
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
, diameter.
• k." • •
: v : :
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
651
THE GRAND INTERNATIONAL AUXILIARY
TO THE B. OF L. E.
,HE idea of the Grand International
Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Loco-
motive Engineers was first suggested
by Mrs. W. A. Murdock at the annual
meeting of the B. of L. E. held in Chicago in
1887. It met with approval and a call was
it-sued. The first meeting was held in the Pal-
mer house parlors, October 14, 1887, with fifty-
five ladies present. Besides those who were
residents of Chicago there were but nine who
represented other cities. They were as follows :
Mrs. C. H. Bissell, Bearclstown, 111.; Mrs.
George Stofft, Galesburg, 111. ; Mrs. Andrew
Erhardt, Rochester, N. Y. ; Mrs. S. A. Randall,
Springfield, 111. ; Mrs. John Cochrane, Port
Huron, Mich. ; Mrs. C. L. Grosscup, St. Joseph,
Mo. ; Mrs. Mary C. Orr, Peoria, 111. ; Mrs. M.
McDowell, Burlington, la. ; Mrs. A. Strong,
Butler, Ind. ; Mrs. M. Kircher, Garrett, Ind.
At the first meeting Mrs. W. A. Murdock
was elected Grand President, a position she has
ably and satisfactorily filled ever since, having
been re-elected at each session of the Grand
Division. The following ladies constituted the
first grand officers elected to represent the G. I.
A. to the B. of L. E., Mrs. W. A. Murdock,
Grand President, Chicago; Mrs. M. C. May-
nard, Grand Vice-President, Chicago; Mrs. G.
M. Brown, Grand Secretary, Chicago; Mrs.
Charles Thorpe, Grand Treasurer, Chicago;
Mrs. Mary C. Orr, Grand Chaplain, Peoria,
111. ; Mrs. A. Strong, Grand Guide, Butler, Ind. ;
Mrs. S. A. Randall, Grand Sentinel, Spring-
field, 111.
At the second annual session, held in Chi-
cago, September 8, 1889, the present Grand
Secretary Mrs. Harry St. Clair was elected and
has held the office continuously ever since. She
has the entire confidence of the order she has
so ably assisted in upbuilding.
The association was formed for the pur-
pose of elevating and ennobling the railroad
people, as well as to render assistance in time
of need and trouble.
The insurance feature of the order, known
as the Voluntary Relief Association of the G. I.
A., although not compulsory, only members in
good standing in the G. I. A. being eligible, is
the first insurance order which was operated
and controlled entirely by women. The officers
in charge of the insurance branch are Mrs.
George Wilson, of Allegheny, Pa., President
of Insurance ; and Mrs. Mary L. Robertson, of
Toledo, Ohio, General Secretary and Treasurer.
The Board of Trustees, to whom quarterly re-
ports are made, and all questions of sufficient
importance are submitted, and who audit the
books of the V. R. A. once each year, are as
follows : Mrs. Chester Durnell, Ft. Wayne, Ind.,
Mrs. F. G. Boomer, Raton, N. M., and Mrs. M.
C. Orr, Peoria, 111. When a member of the V.
R. A. dies each member in the association is
assessed twenty-five cents, and at the end of
sixty days the beneficiary receives $500, the limit
of the policy. All over that amount is placed in
the surplus fund to pay the second policy, as
members may take out two policies for $500
each, both of which will be paid in full. Since
652
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
the organization of the V. R. A. in 1890, there
has been paid in beneficiaries over $yo,ooo.
March 31, 1900, there were in force 4,015 poli-
cies.
At the biennial session held in Milwaukee,
Wis., commencing May 9, 1900, it was deemed
advisable to adopt a law to elect four assistant
grand vice-presidents. The Grand Vice-Presi-
clent, Mrs. Mary E. Cassel, of Columbus, Ohio,
being editress of the Ladies' Department of the
B. of L. E., it was thought necessary to have
assistants elected from different localities who
could be called upon to organize new Divisions,
or visit old ones when necessary, to attend union
meetings and to create an interest in the order
in their respective localities. The following
were elected for this purpose : Mrs. Byron
Baker, First Assistant Grand Vice-President,
Ottawa, Canada; Mrs. William W. McNeil,
Second Assistant Grand Vice-President, New
Haven, Conn. ; Mrs. John Spruell, Third Assis-
tant Grand Vice-President, Montgomery, Ala. ;
Mrs. John Gregory, Fourth Assistant Grand
Vice-President, Missoula, Mont.
Connected with the association is a Relief
Fund, to which the sub-divisions are required
to donate a small amount each year for the pur-
pose of assisting the widows and orphan chil-
dren of the members of the B. of L. E.
There are now 247 divisions, with a total
membership of 6,650. The divisions are lo-
cated in every state and territory in the Union,
with several divisions in Canada. The growth
of the order has been remarkable and demon-
strates the fact that ladies possess executive
ability of a high order.
At the biennial meeting held in St. Louis
in 1898 it was decided to call the literary society
the G. I. A. Study Club, the officers to be called
Director and First and Second Assistant. The
object of the club is to stimulate intellectual and
moral development and to promote goo:! fel-
lowship among its members. The motto of
club is "Good Books, Our Best Companions."
The meetings of the order have been held
as follows : The organization was effected in
1887 and until 1891 the meetings were held in
Chicago. In 1892, at Atlanta, Ga. ; 1894, St.
Paul, Minn.; 1896, Ottawa, Canada; 1898, St.
Louis, Mo.; 1900, Milwaukee, Wis. — (The above
article was prepared from data furnished by
Mrs. W. A. Murdock, Grand President and Mrs.
Harry St. Clair, Grand Secretary.)
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
653
ORDER OF RAILWAY CONDUCTORS.
E. CLARK, the efficient Grand Chief Conductor of
the Order of Railway Conductors in America, was
born at Lima, Livingston county, N. Y., Feb. 18,
1856. His father dying when our subject was but six
years old, he was reared and educated by his mother and accom-
panied her upon her removal to Minnesota in 1872. Here they
began life on a farm and he was thus engaged for the following
two years. In 1874 he began his railroad life by entering the
employ of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad
as a brakeman, remaining there only a few months, however,
when he went to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul system in
the same capacity. In 1876 he resigned and started west, look-
ing for a broader field, with the result that he entered the em-
ploy of the Central Pacific railroad, at Ogden. Utah, as a brake-
man, in the latter part of 1876, and continued in this capacity
until his promotion to conductor in the early part of 1880. From
July, 1882, to July, 1883, he was employed as passenger con-
ductor on the Utah & Northern division of the Union Pacific
Railroad and as passenger conductor on the Montana division of the Northern Pacific Railroad
from August, 1883, to August, 1884. In the early part of 1885 he served for a few months as
conductor of a freight train on the Rio Grand Western Railroad, and as passenger conductor from
that time until June, 1889, when he resigned to accept a position with the Order of Railway
Conductors. At the convention in Denver, in 1889, he was elected Grand Senior Conductor, or
Second Vice-President, and at the convention of the Grand Division held in Rochester, New York,
in 1890, was elected to his present responsible position, which he has since filled with credit to
himself and to the entire satisfaction of the members of the order.
E. E. CLARK,
GRAND CHIEF CONDUCTOR.
OME time during the spring of 1868
the conductors employed by the Illi-
nois Central Railroad at Amboy, Illi-
nois, organized themselves into an
association which they called the " Conductors'
Union," and conductors employed on the Chica-
go, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, at Galesburg,
hearing of it .concluded to organize also. Ac-
cordingly Messrs. Joseph Packard and William
Wier, after consulting in the matter, placed on
the " bulletin board " a notice requesting the con-
ductors interested to meet on the evening of June
1 7th, for that purpose. At the appointed time
Messrs. Joseph Packard, Scott Dewey, E. A.
654
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Saclcl, Henry Evans, Peter Clark, George Mcln-
tosli, Ed. Russell, J. Ereeman, H. F. Dodd, Frank
Hughes, Peter Kelley and Daniel Elliott met,
effected an organization, calling themselves
" Galesburg Division, No. 2, of the Conductors'
I nion," and elected the following officers: Presi-
dent, Joseph Packard; Vice-President, E. A.
Sa«ld; Secretary, Daniel Elliott; Treasurer, Hi.
Evans; Guide, Scott Dewey. A Constitution
and By-Laws were adopted and Joseph Packard
selected to confer with the Amboy organization
in regard to consolidation.
At a meeting held June 2oth, the following
were made members: Charles Main, A. C.
Richardson, Wm. Collins, J. C. Coleman, George
Merrill, Emery D. Young, H. L. Angevine, H. C.
Bristol, H. McKean, Neal Ruggles. At the meet-
ing held June 25th, James Working was made
a member. Richard Love, Fred Nance and
Edward DeGroot became members at the last
meeting the Division ever held, September 28,
1868.
The result of the conference between Mr.
Packard and the members of the " Conductors'
l/nion " at Amboy was an agreement for a meet-
ing at Mendota, 111., of three delegates each
from Amboy and Galesburg. This meeting was
held July 6, 1868. The delegates from Amboy
were Capt. S. G. Comstock, J. W. Seymour and
Josiah Purinton ; from Galesburg, C. A. Main,
J. C. Coleman and Daniel Elliott, and by them
the Conductors' Brotherhood was formed, a Con-
stitution and By-Laws adopted, and the follow-
ing Grand Officers elected : Grand Chief Conduc-
tor, J. C. Coleman, Assistant Grand Chief Con-
ductor, S. G. Comstock ; Grand Secretary, Daniel
Elliott; Grand Treasurer, E. A. Sadd; Grand
Sentinel, J. W. Seymour. C. A. Main and
Joseph Packard were appointed a Committee
on Printing. Subordinate Divisions were or-
ganized, No. 2 at Galesburg, during August;
No. i at Amboy, September Qth ; No. 3 at Aurora,
during August; and No. 4 at Centralia, Sep-
tember 29th.
Grand Secreta'ry Elliott was killed while in
discharge of his duty as a conductor on the Chi-
cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and the
records of the Brotherhood up to that time were
lost and have never been recovered.
In October 1868, Mr. Robert Harris noti-
fied conductors employed on the C. B. & Q. Rail-
road, of which he was then Superintendent, that
members of the " Brotherhood " would not be
continued in the employ of the company, and in
consequence Mr. Joseph Packard and Brother
E. D. Young left the service of the company
and others withdrew from the association, and
in consequence Divisions Nos. 2 and 3 became
defunct. The Divisions at Amboy and Centra-
lia struggled along for some time but finally
gave up. Just what time they ceased to work
is unknown, but the charters were declared for-
feited by the Grand Division, Centralia in No-
vember 1871, and Amboy in November 1876.
During the month of November 1868, and
but a few months after the organization at Men-
dota, the following circular was issued :
To all the Railroad Conductors in the United
States and the British Provinces :
We, the conductors on the P. F. W. & C.
Railway, request you to join us in a 'convention
in the city of Columbus, Ohio, Dec. I5th, 1868.
for the purpose of forming a Brotherhood of
Conductors. The object being to protect our-
selves and families in case of sickness, accident
or death.
For a long time we have felt the necessity
of an organization of this kind, and knowing
your dangers and necessities are parallel with
our own, we feel confident this move will meet
your approbation. We, therefore, call upon you
to send one or more delegates from each division
of your respective roads.
In behalf of the conductors of the P. F.
W. & C. Railway, we respectfully subscribe
ourselves,
A. G. BLACK,
G. Z. CRUZEN,
This convention was duly held, delegates
from the original Conductors's Brotherhood par-
ticipating, a revised constitution adopted, Grand
Officers elected, and the Mutual Insurance
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
655
Association instituted, and from this time our
connected record of proceedings begins.
The following is a list of the Grand Chief
Conductors, from the organization, at Mendota,
to the present time:
J. C. Coleman, Galesburg, 111., July to
December 1868; A. R. Church, Fort Wayne,
Ind., December 1868 to October 1869; A. G.
I'.lack, Fort Wayne, Ind., October 1869 to death
August 23rd, 1870; C. S. Moore, Martinsburg,
West Virginia, succeeded by death of A. G.
P.lack to November 1871 ; I. N. Hodges, Welles-
ville, Ohio, November 1871 to November 1872;
J. W. Sillsbee, Scranton, Pa., to November 1873 ;
G. Z. Cruzcn, Crestline, O., to November 1875,
at which time he was expelled by the Grand
Division ; Wm. L. Collins, Hornellsville, N. Y.,
to October 1878; John B. Morford, New York
City, to October 1880; C. S. Wheaton, Elmira,
N. Y. to June 1890; E. E. Clark, Ogden, Utah,
to the present time.
The first convention .of the Conductors'
Brotherhood, called to order at Columbus, Ohio,
Tuesday, December 15, 1868, was in session
two days, during which time it perfected an
organization and adopted a constitution and
by laws.
The first regular session convened at
Chicago, June 15, 1869, and concluded the bus-
iness of the order on the third day. The Con-
ductors' Association of the New York & Erie
Railway was admitted to membership, a badge
of mourning and an emblematical pin were
adopted and a committee appointed to arrange
for a journal to be published in the interests of
the order.
The second regular session met at Buffalo,
in October following, concluding its labors in
two days, having appointed a committee to pre-
pare regalias for the use of the order.
The third session, held at Philadelphia,
October 6, 1870, adopted a plan of insurance
during its two days sittings.
Cleveland, Ohio, entertained the fourth
session, November I to 3, 1871, at which the
regalia recommended by the appointed committee
was adopted.
The fifth session convened at Indianapolis,
November 6, 1872, during the four days of which
only routine business was transacted.
At the sixth session, at Pittsburg, November
4 to 6, 1873, nothing of general interest was
considered.
At Baltimore, the seventh session convened
for a three days' sitting, November 3, 1874, at
which the Grand Chief Conductor was made
editor of the journal.
The eighth convention was held at Atlanta,
November 2, 1875, remaining in session five days,
at which the Railroad Conductors' Brotherhood
Magazine was chosen as the title of their
official organ.
The ninth session at Omaha, lasting five
days, convened November 7, 1876, at which only
routine business was in order.
The tenth, an important session, held at
Elmira, N. Y., October 2 to 6, 1877, enjoined
temperance on the members and promulgated
an order prohibiting the members from engaging
in strikes and a resolution passed to adopt the
name of the Conductors' Association of the
United States and Canada.
The eleventh session held at Chicago, Octo-
ber i, 1878, lasted seven days at which it was
decided to change the name of the organization
to the Order of Railway Conductors, the new
name to be in force after the first of January
following. A movement was set on foot to
establish a home for sick and disabled members.
The twelfth session, the first as Order of
Railway Conductors convened at New York City,
in a four days session, October 7, 1879, at which
it was decided to admit conductors of the ele-
vated roads to membership in the order and fur-
ther provision made to support a journal of the
order which to this time had a struggle for ex-
istence.
The thirteenth convention of the order as-
sembled at St Louis, for a four days session Octo-
ber 19, 1880, and among other business transacted
adopted the Railway Age as the official organ for
the ensuing year.
656
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
A special session was held October 26, the
same year, at Texarkana, to dedicate Alamo Hall
to the uses of the organization.
The order was entertained a second time
in Buffalo in their fourteenth regular session,
October 4th to 8th, 1881, at which a new consti-
tution was adopted and insurance laws of the
order adopted.
A four days session, the fifteenth was held
at St. Paul, beginning October i/th, at which
it was decided to pay a salary to the Grand Chief
Conductor and Grand Secretary as their work
had been very much increased with the growth
of the order which now numbered ninety three
Divisions.
The sixteenth session, of four days duration,
was convened at Kansas City, October 16, 1883,
The Railway Conductors' Monthly was estab-
lished and a new declaration of principles pro-
mulgated — " Truth, Honor, Sobriety, Capabili-
ty and Brotherly Love."
The seventeenth session, lasting five days,
convened at Boston, October 21, 1884, and a
movement was set on foot to establish permanent
headquarters for the organization and the maga-
zine.
The eighteenth, at Louisville, was a session
of six days, beginning October 20, 1885, at which
Chicago was chosen as the official headquarters
and the Grand Chief Conductor relieved of the
editorship, as his duties had grown to be too
numerous and exacting to admit of his dividing
his attention. Incorporation of the order under
the laws of the state of Illinois was ordered1
and an effort made to establish a uniform code of
signals and rules for all the railroads of the con-
tinent.
The nineteenth session at New Orleans, con-
vened May 10, 1887, and lasted seven clays. In-
corporation under the laws of Iowa was effected
and the offices removed to Cedar Rapids.
The twentieth session, which met at Toronto,
May 8, 1888, for nine days session, considered
as the principal subject the attitude of the officers
of the order in connection with, the engineers'
and firemans' strike on the Burlington line. The
proposition to approve and assist in the organi-
zation of the Ladies' Auxiliary was laid on the
table.
The twenty-first session was called to order
at Denver, May 14, 1889, lasting seven days. The
authorized organization of a stock company to
erect a building for the order at Sioux City, la.,
fell through later, for lack of support.
The twenty-second session, at Rochester,
convened May 13, 1890 lasting eight days,
adopted a protective policy for the organization
and released all members from their obligation
not to engage in any strike of railway employes
under any circumstances. This policy had been
advocated for several years but had not, until
this time, enough friends to make a majority.
The twenty-third session, convened May 12,
1891, at St. Louis, lasted eight days. The insur-
ance laws were thoroughly revised, a plan of
biennial sessions adopted, the office of editor
abolished and the Grand Secretary appointed to
act in that capacity
The twenty-fourth session, held at Toledo,
began an eight days meeting May 9, 1893, dur-
which approval was given the action of the board
of directors in making an agreement with the
Brotherhood of Railroad Conductors by which
that organization became merged into the Order
of Railway Conductors and approved the action
of the officers in withdrawing the application for
membership in the supreme Council.
The twenty-fifth session, lasting ten days,
convened at Atlanta May 14, 1895, at which only
routine business was transacted.
The twenty-sixth session at Los Angeles, be-
gan on the eleventh of May, 1897, and lasted
seven days with nothing of especial interest trans-
acted.
The twenty-seventh session of eight days,
convened at Detroit, May 9, 1899, made the
Grand Junior Conductor a salaried officer and
appointed him organizer and instructor.
The study of the growth of the order is in-
teresting. The earlier sessions were short and
an analysis of the proceedings shows they were
groping in the dark seeking the light. Later
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
657
the proceedings indicate that they had got their
hearings hut were having a difficult task in keep-
ing to the course they had laid out. The latter
sessions show that not only were they certain
of the policy to he pursued but that they were
keeping on the main line with all sidings locked
and a clear track ahead. The magazine, that
at first was a lone orphan, bound out from year
to year, has been regularly adopted by the order,
given a permanent home and become a credit
to its promoters not only for its official features
but for its general literary merit as well. The
insurance department that at first had a struggle
for existence has grown to magnificent proper
lions. The reports ending July i, lyoo, show
403 Divisions, with 24,500 members. The total
amount paid to disabled members and to the fami-
lies of deceased members amounts to $4,087,-
467.00, a record of which any organization may
well be proud.
[The above brief History of the order was
prepared some fourteen years ago by Mr. W. P.
Daniels, who had at that time been serving over
eight years as Assistant Grand Chief Conductor.
Subsequent events have been added from the most
reliable obtainable sources. — Editor.]
658
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ORDER OF RAILWAY CONDUCTORS' TRAVELING CARD.
all Hi!
Uirt ,
Exact reproduction of O. R. C. traveling card. Supposed to be the oldest in existence.
NOT TRANSFERABLE,
Granted
/ f
months pom date. Al jn-tbctif
i f i-
year.
Reverse side of the above.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
659
LADIES AUXILIARY OF THE O. OF R. C.
BY MRS. JOHN H. MOORE, GRAND PRESIDENT.
HE early history of the Ladies' Auxiliary
to the Order of Railway Conductors
is incomplete on account of the records
not being carefully preserved. In
February 1888, in response to a call from Mrs.
A. P. Jackson, the wives of members of Wayne
Division, No. 119, O. R. C. of Ft. Wayne, Ind.,
met in the O. R. C. hall for the purpose of or-
ganizing a social club to work in harmony with,
and for the benefit of Wayne Division, No. 119,
O. R. C. On the 2nd of March a second
meeting was held, Mrs. Edd Erickson acting as
chairman. A corps of officers were elected and
by unanimous vote it was decided that the name
of the club be "Ladies of our Royal Club." A
few months later a constitution and by-laws were
adopted and the club reorganized as an Auxiliary
to the Order of Railway Conductors, with an
obligation and prayer (written by Mrs, Edd
Erickson) which served as the ritual.
Wayne Division, No. I, was instituted and
known as the Grand Organizing Division. Mrs.
Edd Erickson was chosen Worthy President
and Grand Organizer. Five divisions were insti-
tuted by the Grand Organizer, No. 2, at Creston,
Iowa; No. 3, at Columbus, Ohio; No. 4, at
Elkhart, Indiana, and No. 5 at Philadelphia.
The first Grand Convention was held in
Ft. Wayne, Indiana, in June 1889. A more com-
plete constitution, by-laws and a ritual, prepared
by Mrs. Charles E. Ragon, of Columbus, Ohio,
were adopted, and Mrs. Charles E. Ragon elected
Grand President. From the first Grand Conven-
tion the founding of the Ladies Auxiliary to the
Order of Railway Conductors was perfected.
In the days of the order's early history strong
opposition faced those in authority, not only from
the conductors' wives, but from the Order of
Railway Conductors. Faith in justice and the
rights we believed ours urged those early workers
on. From June 1889 to June 1890 no divisions
were added.
The second Grand Division meeting con-
vened at Elkhart, Indiana, in June 1890 and was
composed of the representatives of the five or-
ganized divisions. Mrs. Charles E. Ragon was
re-elected Grand President.
On Oct. 9, 1890, Banner Division No. 6, of
Toledo, Ohio, was instituted and from that
(iate to June 1891, when the Grand Conven-
tion met in Columbus, Ohio, Divisions No. 7,
8, 9, 10 and n had been instituted. Just
previous to this meeting of the Grand Division,
Sister Ragon had addressed a communication,
containing a copy of our laws, to the Grand Divi-
sion of the Order of Railway Conductors, in
session in St. Louis, Missouri, asking that body
to recognize us as an Auxiliary to the Order of
Railway Conductors. • Previous attempts by
conductors, who favored the Auxiliary work, for
our recognition had failed. The only consider-
ation ever given was to "table" everything
pertaining to the Auxiliary work. A committee
was appointed to examine our laws and report.
To the surprise of all, this committee reported
favorably and recommended "recognizing them
as an auxiliary to the Order of Railway Con-
ductors, and that we, the Order, give them our
moral support." A motion was made that the
report be accepted and the recommendations be
concurred in. This motion was carried.
660
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
At the third meeting of the Grand Division,
Mrs. Charles E. Ragon was re-elected Grand
President. From June 1891 to June 1892 nine
divisions were added and the Grand Convention
held in Philadelphia was the largest and most
successful ever held up to that time. At this
convention Mrs. J. H. Moore asked that the
next Grand Convention be held in Toledo, Ohio,
at the same time as the convention of the Order
of Railway Conductors, in May 1893. This re-
quest was granted. At this convention a new
design for the charter was presented (by Banner
Division, No. 6, of Toledo, Ohio,) and adopted.
Mrs. J. H. Moore, of Toledo, Ohio, was elected
Grand President.
At the fifth Grand Convention it was de-
cided to change the annual sessions to biennial
meetings and to meet at the same time and place
as the Order of Railway Conductors. Mrs. J.
H. Moore was re-elected Grand President. -
The sixth convention, and first biennial
session, met in Atlanta, Ga., in 1895. The great
increase in number, not only of members but of
divisions, and the most complete success of the
first "biennial" proved the wisdom of those pro-
posing the change from annual to biennial
sessions, and the time and place to correspond
with the time and place of the meetings of the
( )rder of Railway Conductors. Each year has
brought an increasing measure of success. We
have endeavored to keep pace with the advancing
times. The laws have been revised and new ones
added to meet new conditions. The ritual has
been perfected and a beautiful floor work added.
We have grown from a social to a beneficiary
association. All of these new features are the
work of the members. The floor work was
presented by Erie Division, No. 16, of Hunting-
ton, Ind., in 1893. The plan of our insurance
was formed and presented by Sister J. M. Sewell,
now president of "White City" division, No.
too, of Chicago, in 1895.
Our membership has grown from 400 mem-
bers, in 1891, to 4000 and despite all opposition
(some still exists) we stand at the dawn of the1
new century, stronger and better able to cope with
this opposition than ever. At our inception our
rights needed to be asserted ; where they are still
disputed 'we aim by honest and upright means to
overcome all prejudice. Our Grand Conventions
have grown to be a power, and are composed of
our representative women, of whom we are
proud ; and we are positive we need not be second
to any order of a similar character in the world.
All issues have been met, the arduous labor
necessary to our formative period has been done,
and we propose to continue the work until no
differences remain to be adjusted. I appreciate
the honor conferred upon me and will aim, as
I have ever done, to place the standard of our
order on a high elevation, that will distinguish
us as co-workers for the elevation and advanc-
ment of our class.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
661
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN.
HISTORICAL SKETCH BY W. S. CARTER.
kWENTY-SEVEN years ago, to be exact,
December i, 1873, eleven men, eleven
firemen of the old Erie road, pledged
a mutual, enduring friendship. That
that friendship has been enduring is materially
manifest. One year after the institution of
Lodge No. i, B. of L. F., at Port Jervis, N. Y.
representatives of twelve lodges assembled in
Hornellsville, in the same state, at the first con-
vention. We learn from our records that they
convened, elected officers; organized a life insur-
ance association, passed a vote of thanks to the
11. of L. E. for " the kind and courteous manner
in which they received us," and then adjourned.
It will thus be seen that at the very beginning
cordial relations existed between the two orders
of enginemen , and we find that a year later the
Grand Chaplain of the B. of L. E. asked the1,
blessings of our Creator on our delegates as-
sembled in Indianapolis, Incl., at the second con-
vention. At this convention were forty-six dele-
gates, representing twenty-nine lodges. Nine
hundred members were reported. It was at this
convention that the protective features of the or-
ganization were first developed.
At St. Louis, Mo., in September 1876, forty-
one delegates represented fifty lodges. Probably
the most important work of the third convention
was agitation of the adoption of an official organ.
The matter was referred to a popular vote of the
members and their action was affirmative. At
this convention the Grand Secretary and Treas-
urer and the members of the grievance commit-
tee were complimented "for securing an increase
of wages on the I. B. & W. road." This may
be accepted as the first of the many wage benefits
which the locomotive firemen of North America
owe to the B. of L. F.
The fourth convention was held in Indiana-
polis, Ind., in Sept. 1877, to which city the head-
quarters of the Brotherhood had been removed
from Galion, Ohio, the former home of the Grand
Secretary and Treasurer. The order had not
increased in membership as in the preceding year ;
only forty-nine delegates were reported. Trouble
was brewing for the young organization. Dele-
gates were cautioned against spies. The recent
strike had its effect, and many members had been
thrown out of employment and blacklisted.
Lodges had gone down by the opposition of rail-
way officials. In the face of threatened disrup-
tion, with 1000 delinquent members, these men
bravely looked' to the future for relief. Several
years previous to the institution of the first lodge
of the Brotherhood, there was organized the In-
ternational Firemen's Union, which was strictly
a trade union with little or no fraternal or insur-
ance features. It had never taxed its members,
except for strikes, and these generally had proven
quite disastrous, although in several instances
increases in wages had been obtained. It was
at the fourth convention that an effort was made
to consolidate the International Fireman's Uniort
with the' 'Firemen's Brotherhood, and a resoliu
tion was adopted inviting local branches of that
organization to become lodges of our order, with-
out incurring the expense of initiation
A short time previous to the '77 strike, some
members of the B. of L. E. had advocated the
institution of an annex, or second degree, to
662
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
their organization to be composed of firemen.
This question was discussed at our fourth con-
vention and it was decided that no amalgamation
with the Engineer's Brotherhood was desired, but
the B. of L. F. would gladly co-operate with
the B. of L. E. A committee was appointed
to visit the B. of L. E. convention to seek recog-
nition, but not annexation.
Buffalo, N. Y., was the city selected for the
fifth convention (1878). The Brotherhood had
lost both in members and lodges, on account
of the violent opposition of railway officials, and
the impecunious condition of the members.
Thirty-eight delegates represented fifty-one
lodges. At this meeting it was considered ex-
pedient to place an organizer in the field.
The sixth convention was held in Chicago
in 1879 and the financial affairs of the Brother-
hood had gone from bad to worse ; but notwith-
standing the depleted treasury, the order had
taken on a new growth. Shortly after the fifth
convention the local Divisions of the International
Firemen's Union had cast their lot with the
Brotherhood; besides, the Grand Organizer and
several active members had been in the field.
Seventy-six lodges were reported, sixty-five of
which were represented. The opposition of
railway officials was causing lodges to disband
and members to withdraw in some sections of
the country, and in order to have peace the pro-
tective features of the organization were elimi-
nated and a resolution was adopted "ignoring"
strikes. Here is the beginning of another epoch
of our history. ******
The seventh convention (1880) was also held
in Chicago, and Grand Ma'ster Arnold had re-
moved Sayre, Grand Secretary and Treasurer,
from office and the Grand Lodge to Terre Haute,
Ind. This took place on July 16, a few weeks
prior to the convention. E. V. Debs was ap-
pointed by the Grand Master to that position
until the delegates should meet and approve his
action and fill the vacancy by election. Mr.
Debs was unanimously elected to this position.
The Brotherhood had, during the preceding year,
made great progress, although only fifty-eight
delegates were in attendance. * * *
The eighth convention met in Boston in 1881,
where, although fifty-one lodges were repre-
sented, the official reports showed an increase of
18. The membership was reported as 2,998.
Terre Haute, Ind., was the place of holding
the ninth convention in 1882; ninety-four lodges
were represented with a membership of 5,125.
Denver, Colo., (1883) tenth convention.
There were 130 lodges represented with a total
membership of 7,337.
Toronto, Canada, (1884) eleventh conven-
tion. Number of lodges represented, 116; num-
ber of members, 12,246. It was at this conven-
tion that the question of classification of wages
was discussed and a movement started, which
in the end resulted in the Brotherhood again be-
coming a labor organization in the true sense.
Up to this time the word " white " had not been
incorporated in the qualifications of membership,
but now this became a part of the law.
The twelfth convention met in Philadelphia
in 1885, and here began the third epoch of the
Brotherhood's history. After six years of "ignor-
ing" strikes, it returned to the original policy
and became a " labor " organization. That this
pronounced reversal of principle came from be-
low, from the rank and file, and in direct opposi-
tion to the officers, the proceedings of the conven-
tion give ample proof. Greetings were sent to
organized labor and the assertion was publicly
made that the B. of L. F. would henceforth be
counted with those who demanded justice and
were willing to fight for it if it need be.
In 1886, the thirteenth convention met in
Minneapolis, Minn., with 256 lodges represented,
out of a total of 331. There were reported"
16,196 members. Advance in wages and de-
tails of adjustment of grievances were interest-
ing parts of the Grand Master's report at this,
our first great " labor " convention. Previous
to this convention the Locomotive Firemen's
Magazine had been sustained by individual sub-
scriptions. A law was now enacted that re-
quired the Magazine to be sent free to each mem-
ber.
The thirteenth convention was the last an-
nual, and the first biennial was held in the city
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
663
of Atlanta, Ga., in 1888. A concise history ofi
the intervening two years would fill a large
volume. Hundreds of contracts and agreements
were made with the railways which terminated
classification, and in many instances, increased
• wages were secured. The Brooklyn elevated
railroad strike was closely followed by the great
strike on the C. B. & Q.
The second biennial convention was held in
San Francisco, Cal., in 1890 and the third bien-
nial in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1892. On the latter
occasion Eugene V. Debs refused to longer serve
in the capacity of Grand Secretary and Treasurer,
and Frank W. Arnold was elected to that posi-
tion. Upon the earnest solicitation of the dele-
gates, Mr. Debs agreed to act as editor of the Lo-
comotive Firemen's Magazine, but to have no
other official connection with the organization,
which conditions were agreed to.
In 1894 the fourth biennial convention was
held in Harrisburg, Pa. The Pullman strike
had seriously affected the B. of L. F. While the
latter organization had no official connection with
the American Railroad Union, thousands of
Brotherhood men were drawn into the strike,
resulting in a loss of membership which equalled
about twenty-five per cent. Mr. Debs resigned
his position as editor, the resignation to become
effective at once, and William S. Carter, of Lodge
No. 263, San Antonio, Texas, was chosen to fill
the position.
The fifth biennial convention was held in
Galveston, Texas, in 1896. The most important
changes in the laws were the merging of the
beneficiary and general funds, and the provision
for the election of officers of local lodges by popu-
lar vote of the membership. Previous to this
change all local elections had been controlled
by those members who were in a position to at-
tend the meeting at which the election took place,
but thereafter, each and every member was
granted the right and opportunity of expressing
their choice for officers of subordinate lodges
through a written ballot, " the candidate for office
receiving the highest number of ballots by proxy
and otherwise " to be elected.
The sixth biennial, or nineteenth convention;
of the Brotherhood, was held at Toronto, Onta-
rio, in 1898.
The twentieth convention was held in Des
Moines, la., in 1900.
The following given by Grand Master Sar-
gent shows that there are 564 lodges in good
standing, with a total membership of 36,789.
Joshua A. Leach is the recognized founder
of the organization ; it was he who instituted the
first twelve lodges that were represented at the
first convention. He remained Grand Master
of the organization, by re-election, until the third
convention, when he declined longer to serve.
It may be of interest to the members of today
to state that his only reason for no longer serving
as Grand Master was that he had been promoted,
and he believed that a fireman should be at the
head of a fireman's organization. His successor
was W. R. Worth, of Lodge No. 44, of Brook-
field, Mo., who did not attend the fourth conven-
tion on account of severe illness of members of
his family. F. B. Alley, of Lodge No. 23, of
Louisville, Ky., was chosen for the position in
1877. He was succeeded a year later by W. T.
Goundie of Lodge No. 75, of Philadelphia, Pa.
At the sixth convention, F. W. Arnold, of Lodge
No. 9, Columbus, Ohio, was placed at the nomi-
nal head of the organization. He served until
the twelfth convention, a period of six years,
when the present Grand Master, Frank P. Sar-
gent, of Lodge No. 94, Tucson, Arizona, was
elected to the responsible position.
35
664
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
665
THE LADIES' SOCIETY OF THE B. OF L. F.
BY MRS. F. P. SARGENT, GRAND PRESIDENT..
BT was in Arizona that the Ladies Society of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
first saw the light of day, in the city of
Tucson. In the month of April 1884, ten
women, wives of locomotive fireman, met at the
home of F. P. Sargent, then a locomotive fire-
man in the employ of the Southern Pacific Ry.
Co., and formed the first society. Little did
these sisters think that the work hegun by them
would be the beginning of the present Ladies
Society. They looked upon it only as a local
institution, never dreaming of it becoming an
international organization as it is today. Of the
ten pioneers who laid the foundation of the
present organization, Mrs. F. P. Sargent, the
present Grand President, is the only one that is
left who still retains her membership and who
has witnessed the good work accomplished from
day to day since 1884.
The second lodge was established in Strat-
ford, Ontario, and when the lodge at Tucson was
disbanded, by the members moving from the city
and for other causes, Mrs. Sargent became a
member of Good Endeavor Lodge at Stratford,
where she remained until the institution of Hazel
Lodge No. 3 at Peoria, Illinois, when she with-
drew and became a member of the same. The
second lodge was not organized without many
drawbacks, and very little encouragement was
offered from the wives and families of the fire-
men. Only five became charter members, and
that after five months of hard work. But those
five faithful women labored with a will and
through their efforts the Ladies Society was con-
tinued.
From 1884 to 1890 were dark days for the
Society. The members worked hard in 1886 to
have a grand lodge instituted, but failed. It
was not until the convention of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen, held at San Francisco,
Cal., in September 1890, that the Ladies Society
was officially recognized by the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen. This recognition was ac-
corded through the untiring efforts of Grand
Master Sargent, who ably supported the claims
of the Society as an auxiliary to the Brother-
hood ; and from that time on the Society has
been encouraged by the members of the Brother-
hood. At this convention (San Francisco) the
charter was ordered, prepared and presented to
the Ladies Society, which at that time was com-
posed of fourteen lodges, with a membership of
one hundred and eleven. It was at this time
that Mrs. E. A. Ball, of Stratford, Ontario, was
appointed Grand President, and Mrs. M. E.
Moore, of the same place, Grand Secretary and
Treasurer. The appointments were made by
Grand Master Sargent. These sisters at once
went to work on the plan mapped out for them,
and as a result only six lodges came in under
the charter. How slow and discouraging was
the work at that time none but those appointed
to carry it on will ever know.
Up to this time there had been little or no
printing done. All rituals and by-laws were
copied with pen and ink. When the first conven-
666
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tion was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1892, two
new lodges had been added to the list, and the
membership was then three hundred. Nine dele-
gates answered the roll call. All work was done
gratis, and all grand officers paid their own ex-
penses to the convention. At this convention
(Cincinnati, Ohio) the Grand President and the
Grand Secretary and Treasurer were each voted
a salary of $50.00 per year. A resolution was
adopted providing for a full set of books for the
Grand Secretary and Treasurer. Grand Master
Sargent very kindly offered to get up the forms
for the books, and also to have the rituals and
by-laws printed. His offer was gratefully ac-
cepted, and he assisted the Society in every pos--
sible way, making himself almost indispensible
to the grand officers and the members at large.
The Society continued to grow slowly but
steadily. During the year 1899 thirty-five new
lodges were organized, with a total membership
of over two thousand. During the same year a
new insurance plan was adopted, and the number
of members participating in this insurance fea-
ture is over two (2000) thousand. The sum of
$100.00 is paid to the beneficiary of the deceased
members. During the time since the insurance
system has been established the sum of $1190.00
has been paid in death claims. There are many
of the lodges that pay a weekly sick benefit. The
present membership of the Society is nearly 3000,
with 132 subordinate lodges.
The blessings that have come with the Ladies
Society should need no reference at my hands.
The help and encouragement that has been given
to the brothers and their families is well known
to all. When we look back and mark the pro-
gress that has been made since those ten women
laid the foundation of the Society in 1884, we
have every reason to feel proud of its growth.
The Society has ever made it an aim to cultivate
a spirit of harmony, to promote sociability, and
to draw into friendly relationship the lady mem-
bers of the families of the brothers of the Brother-
hood. They have adopted as their motto, Friend-
ship and Charity ; both of which are fully exem-
plified in its daily work. The motive which
prompted the organization of the Society by the
ten women at Tucson was founded upon the
conditions which surrounded the firemen and their
families at that time; and ever since it has been
the cardinal principle of the order, whose mem-
bers are ever ready to extend a friendly and help-
ing hand to the firemen and their families.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
667
BROTHERHOOD OF RAILROAD TRAINMEN.
D. L. CEASE, EDITOR RAILROAD TRAINMEN'S JOURNAL.
THE Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
dates its organization from September
23rd, 1883, but the Organization was
actually started several months prior
to that time, when the brakemen and switchmen,
employed at Albany, New York, by the Delaware
and Hudson, organized the Capitol City Aid
Association, having for its purpose the payment
of benefits during the period of sickness or in-
jury of its members, and the train and yard men
at Oneonta, New York, being taken with the idea
started an organization of the same character,
but through a misunderstanding with the parent
organization at Albany, they resolved to go it
alone, and during the month of July 1883, they
organized Oneonta Lodge, of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Brakemen. This organization was
intended as a purely local 'affair, but news of it
went out through the press and so many letters
of inquiry were received by the men at Oneonta,
that they resolved to make the organization a
national one and accordingly on September 23rd,
1883, they organized the Grand Lodge of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Brakemen and the lodge
at Oneonta became Lodge No. I of the Organi-
zation.
The railroad men of Canada became in-
terested and on November 29th, 1885, the first
lodge, No. 1 68, was organized in the Dominion,
at Moncton, N. B. Since that time the Organi-
zation has been doing business in the United
States and Canada as the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Brakemen and after the change of name,
as the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
In 1889 the convention changed the name
of the Brotherhood to the one it now bears, for
the reason that the old name was not considered
comprehensive, or representative, enough for the
different vocations of the members of the Organi-
zation, some of them being conductors, baggage-
men, switchmen, trainmen and others being in
other departments, the name was changed to meet
their wishes.
The insurance feature of the Brotherhood
became effective October ist, 1883, and at that
time the amount payable at death, or total dis-
ability, was $300.00. This amount has varied
at different times, having been advanced by the
different conventions, until now the insurance
is of the graded order and the policy can be car-
ried by the member for either $400.00, $SoD.oo,
or $1,200.00, and the amount is payable in the
event of death or total disability.
The protective feature, or the grievance ma-
chinery as it is sometimes called, is responsible
for the betterment in conditions that has marked
the progress of the Organization. The material
welfare of the men in train and yard service has
been marked by a decided progression and in
every respect, concerning wages and conditions
of employment, the men have been benefitted.
At the present time the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen has a membership of 40,000, and
bank account of close to $350,000.00 and is enjoy-
ing a season of contented prosperity within itself
and a satisfactory condition of affairs with its(
employers. — (From the Locomotive Firemen's
Magazine, August, 1900.)
668
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
669
LADIES' AUXILIARY TO THE B. OF R. T.
BY MRS. RAY N. WATTERSON, GRAND MISTRESS.
REAMBLE:— To unite the families of
the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen ;
to promote their welfare socially, moral-
ly, and intellectually, and to encourage
them in all things pertaining to the good of the
Brotherhood, this auxiliary has been organized.
Convinced that it is for the good of the
Brotherhood in general and our own welfare,
that a mutual good feeling should, at all times,
exist between both organizations, it shall be our
constant aim and endeavor to create and main-
tain the same. Such are the aims and intentions
of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen.
To Sister Sophia Granger is due the honor
of first conceiving the idea of the organization of
the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of rail-
road trainmen.
To this end a petition was circulated by her
among the families of trainmen at Fort Gratiot,
(now North Port Huron) Michigan.
At the biennial session of the Grand Lodge,
Brotherhood of Railroad- Trainmen, held at Co-
lumbus, Ohio, in 1888, this petition for permis-
sion to organize an auxiliary was presented to
that honorable body and permission was given
to organize the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Brother-
hood of Railroad Trainmen. Accordingly, Janu-
ary 23, 1889, the Grand Lodge was organized
with twenty-five charter members. The growth
of the Order during the first three and one-half
years was very slow, thirty-one lodges being
organized during that time. At the present time
there are'igi lodges, with a membership of about
5,000.
Through our beneficiary department we have
been the means of relieving much distress and
with the kind hand of sisterly love have smoothed
the dark hour of bereavement in many homes.
Since our organization we have paid out,
in beneficiaries alone, $43,415.00. Our Order,
after nearly twelve years of earnest work, is in
a prosperous condition. We have passed the
epoch in which an organization of women is
considered with disfavor and we feel confident
that our efforts which have been of a character
productive of a financial and moral benefit, are
appreciated by our parent organization, the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
670
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
671
ORDER OF RAILROAD TELEGRAPHERS.
*
H. B. PERHAM, EDITOR RAILROAD TELEGRAPHER.
THE Order of Railroad Telegraphers was
organized at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on
June 9, 1886. For the first five years
of its existence it was a fraternal asso-
ciation designed to bring the railroad telegraphers
into closer relationship and curb the indiscrimi-
nate teaching of telegraphy which was proving to
be a great detriment to the business.
At the sixth annual convention, held in St.
Louis, Mo., in 1891, it adopted a protective fea-
ture similar to that of other railway labor organi-
zations. The growth of the order in comparison
with other railway labor organizations has been
slow on account of the telegraphers being scat-
tered over the country and the difficulty in get-
ting any number of them together. Railroad
telegraphers are mostly employed at points where
only one man is necessary to transact the busi-
ness. In the early days the order met with stren-
ous objections from the officials who considered
telegraphers as men employed in a confidential
capacity, but the telegraphers came to the con-
clusion that a man who would be loyal to his
employer must first be loyal to himself and join
the organization of his class. During the four-
teen years of the Order's existence, it has been
instrumental in shortening the hours of labor,
increasing the rates of pay and establishing the
rights of its members on all the important lines
of railway in the United States and Canada. It
has placed the business of telegraphy on a higher
plane than it ever occupied before, by insuring
just treatment and continuity of employment.
On January 1st, 1898, the Order, by referen-
dum vote, adopted a Mutual Benefit Department
plan providing death benefits for all members
initiated after that date, and any others of the
old members who might wish to participate there-
in. This department issues certificates in three
series of $300, $500 and $1000 each.
During the year 1899 the new department
paid out $17,700 in death claims. The Order is
in a flourishing condition. — (From the Locomo-
tive Firemen's Magazine, of August, 1900.)
PART IV.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTER.
TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENT.
A concise article showing the evolution of Locomotive Development and growth of Transportation
Facilities.
BN no other field of activity is the progress of
the Nineteenth Century better typified than
in the improvements which have taken place
in the means of transportation. One hun-
dred years ago travel and traffic were nearly all
confined to the road and natural waterway. The
first turnpike company in the United States was
chartered in 1790, and between 1792 and 1794
constructed a turnpike between Philadelphia and
Lancaster, though the building of these improved
roads in the United States was hardly begun until
the nineteenth century was nearly twenty years
old. In Great Britain the construction of turnpike
roads was carried on during the last quarter of
the eighteenth century.
The earliest idea of steam locomotion of
which there is any authentic information, was
advanced by Isaac Newton in 1690. His device
was a very primitive and clumsy affair, consisting
of a carriage, surmounted by a spherical boiler,
with a steam pipe projecting straight backward,
the re-actionary force of the steam issuing there-
from upon the atmosphere pushing the carriage
ahead. The steam was controlled from the front
by a handle and cock.
For about eighty years after the . Newton
engine was made there was no appreciable pro-
gress in this line of inventions, when in 1769,
Nicholas Cugnot, a French artillery officer,
through an appropriation made by the French
war department, made an engine of the high
pressure class, with cylinders and pistons calcu-
lated for rotary force. After a few unsatis-
factory experiments it was abandoned.
The earliest experiments of this character
in the United States, were in 1790, when Nathan
Read, of Salem, Massachusetts, made a machine
to be' propelled by steam. This was called the
'' Read." To Mr. Read belongs the honor of
contriving the vertical boiler and fire box of many
tubes.
In 1800, Richard Trevithick, of London,
constructed a road engine which he called the
" Trevithick." This engine was put into use
between the years 1802 and 1804 on the Penycla-
wan Tramway, in South Wales. It sometimes
attained a speed of from four to five miles an
hour on a level surface. This is the earliest
practical use, on record, of an engine on any rail-
road in the world. It is claimed to have been
the earliest high pressure engine, no condensa-
tion of steam being required. It weighed about
five tons and consumed two hundred pounds of
coal in drawing five loaded wagons nine miles in
four hours and five minutes. A model of this
engine is in the South Kensington Museum, of
London.
In 1808, Mr. Trevithick built the "catch
me who can," which weighed about eight tons
and was the first locomotive used on rails in the
676
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
city of London. It was exhibited on a circular
track in Euston Square, but was finally derailed
and abandoned.
The next locomotive known to have been
used successfully was called the " Blenkensop,"
and was built in 1811, by Matthew Murray and
John Blenkensop. It weighed five tons and drew
a load of ninety tons at the rate of three and one-
half miles an hour.
THE "NEWTON."
Model in Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 111.
Following this came the " Puffing Billy,"
iu 1813, which was the work of William Hedley,
of England. In this engine were several im-
provements over those previously mentioned. •
It had two vertical cylinders, with piston rods
connected to beams, centered at each end — a con-
trivance which was styled the " Grasshopper."
The "Brunton" was built in 1813, by William
iSrunton, it being called the "Mechanical Tra-
veler," or "Horse-Leg Locomotive," from the
fact that it was propelled by the motion of two
legs which extended to the ground in the rear.
The first locomotive to be successfully used
for a period of time was built in 1814, by George
Stephenson, and was run over a year on the Kil-
lingworth colliery roads, in England, and drew
thirty tons, four miles per hour.
Locomotive building, as a commercial enter-
prise, was founded by George Stephenson, who
built a second engine in 1815 and a third in 1816,
which was furnished with steel springs. On this
engine was used for the first time in locomotive
building, a chimney provided with a blast fur-
nace.
One of the most rapid strides in the advance-
ment of locomotive development was when Marc
Seguin, of Paris, in remodeling one of Stephen-
son's engines, in 1828, changed the boiler, which
was of cylindrical shape, with a single tube run-
ning lengthwise through it, into a multi-tubular
boiler — the first of the kind ever used. He
greatly increased the draft by using a fan, and
demonstrating the fact that small tubes running
from the furnace to the chimney increased the
power of evaporation by the engine.
George Stephenson, "the father of rail-
ways," was born at Wylam, Northumberland,
England, June 9, 1781, the son of a poor colliery
laborer. Accident gave him an opportunity of
putting in motion a steam engine which needed
repairs, and in 1812, he was made engine-wright,
at Killingworth Colliery. He originated the '
steam blast, which was introduced into his second
locomotive, built in 1815. The first railway
built by him, opened in 1822, eight miles long,
was so successful that in the next year he was
appointed engineer of the railway authorized to
be constructed between Stockton and Darlington,
and in 1825 of the Liverpool & Manchester line,
which was begun in 1826. He had in the mean-
time set up an establishment for the manufac-
ture of locomotives, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
On October 6, 1829, his engine, the Rocket at-
tained an average speed of fourteen miles per
hour, and a short distance was driven at the rate
of twenty-nine miles per hour. He died August
12, 1848.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
677
The Rocket was completed in 1829. It was
a multi-tubular boiler engine, weighing five tons,
and was pronounced by mechanical experts the
most perfect locomotive in existence.
The first patent granted in the United States
for a locomotive engine was issued in 1828 to
Dr. Howard, of Baltimore. The design was
never realized in construction, but the invention
marks the initial effort of its kind in the United
States.
The first locomotive ever used in the United
States was the " Stourbridge Lion" its front be-
ing ornamented with a lion. It was built by
Foster Rastrick & Co. at Stourbridge, England.
It is said that the earliest use of an engine on
this coYitinent, was when this engine made an
experimental trip August 8, 1829, at Honesdale,
Pa., on the tracks of the Delaware & Hudson
Canal Co., which ran from the Honesdale mines
to the terminus of the canal.
The first locomotive built in the United
States and the second engine used in this coun-
try, was made at West Point Foundry, in New
York, in 1830, for the South Carolina Railroad,
and was called the " Best Friend," of Charleston.
It arrived in Charleston, S. C, October 23, 1830,
and was placed on the road November 2, 1830.
1 he second locomotive was made by the same
company and for the same railroad. The third
engine was also made by the same company for
the Mohawk & Hudson railroad, in 1831. It
weighed three tons.
The "Atlantic" (see illustration page 70) was
designed and built by Phineas Davis, of York, Pa..
and the first of the "Grasshopper" class. This
is the oldest American locomotive in existence
and the only pioneer engine on American roads,
cither of American or foreign construction, now
in original form. In actual service sixty years,
a record unparalleled by any locomotive in any
part of the world. The "Atlantic," which was
the Davis perfected construction following the
" York," was placed in service on the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad in the summer of 1831, and un-
ti1 withdrawn for the purpose of exhibition in
the spring of 1893 was never off duty. No ma-
terial changes were made in the engine as the
years went by. It was after a time relegated to
switching service and finally found place in the
yard company's shops at Mount Clare, where
for a long number of years it was constantly
under steam, proving especially advantageous up-
on short curves and in and out of shops, where a
large engine could not be used. A cab and tank
were the. main improvements, and they were re-
cently removed in order to restore the locomo-
THE "SEGUIN."
Model in Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 111.
tive to its orginal form. The "Atlantic " was a
great improvement upon the "York" in all re-
spects. Its weight was six and one half tons,
and being geared by its spur and pinion so as to
make two revolutions of the road wheels to one
of the cranks, its speed was proportionately great
for which its tubular boiler and fan blast for its
anthracite coal fuel offered abundance of steam.
It was designed for speed in propelling passen-
ger trains, hence only one pair — as drivers, and
on which pair nearly two-thirds of its weight was
made to rest. The "Atlantic" averaged from
678
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
twelve to fifteen miles per hour against an extreme
grade of thirty-seven feet to the mile and a curve
of four hundred feet radius. The "Atlantic" is
today as orginally constructed thus enabling a
study of progress of the period and consequent-
ly of value, historically. (This engine can be
seen in the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago.).
The "Hercules," (see illust. page 68) was de-
signed and built by Eastwick & Harrison, of
Philadelphia, and was the first locomotive in
the world with equalizing frames and levels.
Andrew M. Eastwick, in successfully solving the
problem of the distribution of weight upon driv-
ing wheels made possible the operation of locomo-
tives of a much more powerful build than any
known up to 1837; in fact brought into being
the father, it might be said, of the mighty hun-
dred-ton engines of today. The "Hercules" was
the wonder of its time and its then enormous
weight of fifteen tons was regarded with grave
skepticism by most builders. Doubts were free-
ly expressed that it would not turn curves or
go into switches without trouble owing to its
weight. The road it was built for, the Beaver
Meadow, in Pennsylvania, had a flat rail but
five-eights of an inch thick and two and one half
inches wide, laid upon continuous string pieces
of wood with mud sills underneath. The " Her-
cules " when placed in service was an undeniable
success and marked the commencement of a new
era in locomotive history. Eastwick introduced
under the rear end of the main frame a separate
frame, in which two axles were placed, one pair
above and one pair behind the fire box. This
separate frame was made rigid and vibrated up-
on its center vertically. The weight of the engine
rested upon the center of the sides of this separ-
ate frame through the intervention of a strong
spring above the main frame, the separate frame
being held in place by a pedestal bolted to the
main frame, the centers of the main frame vibrat-
ing upon a journal sliding vertically in this
pedestal. Shortly after the completion of the
'Hercules" it was seen that a more perfect
equalization of the weight on each of the driving
wheels would be obtained if a separate and inde-
pendent equalization lever was placed on each
side of the engine. This was an improvement
invented by James Harrison, Jr. The equali-
zation frame of the " Hercules " was at once
altered by making the two sides of the frame
two independent beams and discarding the end
connections. (Full size working reproduction
constructed from original drawings and data
furnished by the sons of both inventors, may
be seen at the Field Columbian Museum, Chi-
cago. )
The "Mount Clare" (see illust. page 72) was
designed and built by James Murray, of Balti-
more, in 1845. I'1 writing of the " Mount
Clare," Mr. Murray said : " This engine was de-
signed by me and built in the B. & O. Company's
shops. The object being to remedy certain de-
fects relative to the valve gear and to the posi-
tion of the spur and pinion wheel of the Winans
geared locomotive at a time when we still had
but little else than two and one-quarter by five-
eighth inch flat bar rail on a wooden string piece
between Baltimore and Harper's Ferry and feared
to introduce larger wheels and greater spread
of wheel base than had previously been deter-
mined practicable. The cylinders were placed
inside and immediately under the smoke box,
the wheel having a diameter of thirty-five inches
and the gearing so proportioned as to make them
equal to fifty inches in diameter. The valve
gear did not embrace 'cams,' as this was the fault
in the Winans geared engine which I intended
to avoid. The valves had considerable lap on
the induction sides and there was an arrange-
ment on the backs of the valves by means of
which the steam could be cut off at about half
stroke." Mr.Murray designed and constructed
at Mount Clare the first round house in the world
for the protection of locomotives, with a turn
table in the center. (Full size working repro-
duction constructed by detailed drawings made
by Mr. Murray, may be seen at the Field Colum-
bian Museum, Chicago.)
"The Dragon," (see illust. page 74) was de-
signed and built by M. W. Baldwin, of Philadel-
phia, in 1848, and is one of the oldest examples
of the Baldwin Locomotive Works extant. Iii
October 1847, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
679
Company advertised for proposals for four en-
gines to burn Cumberland coal and the order
was taken and filled by Mr. Baldwin with such
number of his eight-wheel connected machines.
This was the first one which was delivered and
is shown just as taken out of the service in the
yard of the company's rolling mill at Cumberland,
after forty-five years continuous duty. Baldwin,
in the early years of his work, had the usual
ups and downs which characterized the estab-
lishing of a great business. He was not an im-
pulsive man, on the contrary, he was most de-
liberate and he had to satisfy himself pretty
thoroughly tljat the innovation was one that would
stand the test of hard usage before he would
adopt it. His first flexible truck engine was com-
pleted in 1842 and had six wheels connected.
This plan of construction was modified and im-
proved until 1844 when the six-wheel connected
engine had become so successful as to enab'.e
the increase of size up to eighteen and twenty
tons weight. Within a year or two eight-wheel
connected engines were built, two for the Phila-
delphia & Reading railroad weighing up to twen-
ty-five tons. These were the first upon which
Baldwin placed sand boxes and also the first on
which roofs were introduced over the foot-board,
up to this time simply a rail being the only pro-
tection afforded the engine man. The latter
added curtains at the sides and front, but by the
time the " Dragon " was built, Baldwin had in-
troduced the cab with sides and roof, sash and
glass. In the " Dragon " he also introduced an
innovation in the shape of a grate with a rocking
bar in the center, having fingers on each side
which interlocked with projections on fixed bars,
one in front and one behind. It was operated
from the foot-board.
The "Perkins" (see illust. page 76) was de-
signed by Thatcher Perkins, of Baltimore, and
was built by the B. & O. at the Mount Clare
shops, in 1863. It is the first of the type of the
heavy ten-wheel locomotives. This engine pos-
sesses a very great interest for its various sym-
metrical and graceful lines throughout. It is the
earliest example of a type of locomotive now in
36
general use for heavy passenger trains running
upon fast schedules.
The B. & O. "600," 1876, (see illust. p. 78)
was regarded as representative of the highest
type of American locomotives twenty-five years
ago.
It is generally conceded that the first rail-
road for passenger traffic in England was the
Stockton & Darlington line, fifteen miles in
length. This road was projected by Edward
THE "BRUNTON."
Model in Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 111.
I'ease and executed by George Stephenson.
Koyal assent was given April 19, 1821, and the
first rail was laid with considerable ceremony
at a point near St. John's well, in Stockton, May
23, 1822, and it was completed and opened for
traffic September 27, 1825.
The first freight line, in England, on which
steam was used was the Hutton railway, a short
track of eight miles, built from the Hutton Col-
liery to the docks at Sunderland, on the banks
of the river Wear. This was opened November
680
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
18, 1822. Stephenson was the engineer of this
line and used five locomotives of his own design.
They were called " iron horses " by the people
in the neighborhood.
The Liverpool & Manchester railroad, thir-
ty-seven miles long, was commenced in 1826,
and opened to the public September 15, 1830.
The gauge was four feet, eight and one-half
inches. The surveys for this road were made
in the face of strong opposition, the surveyors
sometimes being mobbed by those interested in
coaches, etc.
From this small beginning grew the present
immense railway system of Great Britain, con-
sisting of over 18,000 miles and costing $3,750,-
000,000 or over $200,000 per mile.
The earliest railroad built in this country
was a tramway, constructed in 1826, from the
vicinity of Bunker Hill monument to a point at
tide-water for the purpose of hauling, by horse
power, the material used in rearing that historic
shaft.
In 1827 another road was constructed from
the Mauch Chunk mines to the Lehigh canal.
The charter for the present Baltimore &
Ohio railroad was secured in 1827, and July 4,
1828, the first shovel full of earth, in connection
with the laying of the tracks, was turned by
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, the only survivor
of the Signers of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. When he took the initial part in the cere-
mony, he was ninety-four years of age, and in
common with all witnesses of the act, contem-
plated only animal power as the means of loco-
motion.
In 1829, the laying of rails began in Balti-
more, and on May 22, 1830, the road to Ellicott's
Mills, a distance of thirteen miles, was opened.
Washington and Baltimore were formally con-
nected by railroad on Tuesday August 25, 1835.
The charter of the South Carolina Railroad
was granted December 19, 1827, and the road
was begun January 9, 1830, and was completed
in 1833. The distance was 135 miles and was
the longest railroad in the world. This was the
first corporation to apply locomotive traction to
the operation of its line; and it was on this road
that the first continuous run of 100 miles was
ever made. This was also the first railroad to
carry the U. S. mail.
The construction of the Mohawk & Hudson
railroad (now a part of the New York Central)
was begun in 1830 and completed in 1831. It
extended from Albany to Schenectady and the
STEPHENSON'S "ROCKET," 1829.
Model in Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 111.
''DeWitt Clinton," with its train of three coaches
made its first regular trip from the former to the
latter city on the 9th of August 1831, attaining
on this trip a maximum speed of fifteen miles per
hour. This was the first steam railway train
in the state of New York.
The Boston & Worcester railroad was opened
for business on Saturday, September 20, 1834,
from the former city to West Hopkinson, a dis-
tance of twenty-four miles, though thirteen miles
of this road were in operation prior to this time.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
681
On September 23, 1834, the Portsmouth &
Roanoke railroad, between Portsmouth and Suf-
folk, Va., was opened. November following,
the Philadelphia & Trenton railroad, twenty-
cight miles in length, commenced operations.
Two trains daily were placed in service on this
line, one being provided with locomotive power
while the other was drawn by horses.
The Boston & Providence railroad, which
had been completed from Boston to Canton, fif-
teen miles, in September 1834, was finished the
following year, and the first train passed over
the entire line on Tuesday, July 27, 1835. The
Wilmington & Susquehanna railroad was opened
to the public June 27, 1835.
The first national legislation in this country,
pertaining to railroads, of which there is any
authentic information, originated in the United
States Senate, April 23, 1828, when a bill was in-
troduced and subsequently passed, authorizing
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company to im-
port iron for the purpose of building their pro-
jected line. The Pennsylvania railroad company
imported from England the first steel used in the
country for railroad construction. The first T
rails made in the United States were rolled at
Montour Rolling Mills, at Danville, Pa., in Octo-
ber 1845. The Bessemer steel process was
originated in 1855, but the manufacture was not
fully established until 1867. Twenty-five hun-
dred and fiftv tons of steel rails were made in
the United States in 1867, the price being $120.00
per ton.
That vast area, which during the early part
of the nineteenth century was known as the
" Great American Desert," and which knew no
railroads and a very scant population, now fur-
nishes the restless scene of some of the chief rail-
road enterprises of this country. A recent com-
parative statement of railway mileage and trans-
portation facilities shows the relative mileage of
the following states in the order in which they
come : Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Kansas,
Iowa, Ohio and New York. To the evolution
of the railway is due the wonderful transforma-
tion of the great middle west from an unin-
habited, almost unknown region, to one of the
most fertile spots in the world. The transporta-
tion facilities have been such as to enable those
living in the far western states to engage exten-
sively in the world's trade, and to multiply a
hundred fold the value of the entire country
through these means. These vast railways,
girding the globe, have changed the condition
of mankind, by bringing widely separated people
into direct contact with each other, and by afford-
ing a speedy and convenient exchange of the
products of the world. The increase of trans-
portation facilities marked a new era in the his-
tory of our country — an era of better under-
standing and closer and more amicable relations
between the commercial, agricultural and indus-
trial interests of the United States.
682
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
683
LAND .. GRANTS.
BY STUYVESANT FISH.
\
ZxTrx^he first act of congress granting lands in
aid of a railroad was not that of Sept. 20,
*•* 1850, and that act neither mentions nor
refers to the Illinois Central Railroad Co., which
at that time did not exist. Nor was the policy of
granting public lands in aid of internal improve-
ments even then a new one. It dates back at
least to the earliest days of government under
our present Constitution. From the beginning
the public lands were freely used by congress
for all sorts of public purposes. They never
have been, and it is hoped never will be, held
as a private owner might well hold his lands —
for the sole purpose of getting the uttermost
farthing out of their sale.
At the outset, one thirty-sixth of every
township in the public domain was given for
school purposes. Increased population created
demand for transportation, and our early statutes
are full of large grants in aid of turnpikes and
canals. Having, many years before, granted
lands to the State of Illinois in aid of a canal,
the congress on March 2, 1833, amended its
previous act so that those lands might be used
and disposed of by the state
"For the purpose of making a railroad in-
stead of a canal, as in said act contemplated,
and that the time for commencing and complet-
ing said canal or railroad, whichever the State
of Illinois may choose to make, be and is ex-
tended five years."
The state, however, chose to build a canal
and not a railroad.
GRANT TO IOWA TERRITORY.
A grant was also made by congress in 1846
to the then Territory of Iowa in aid of the navi-
gation of the Des Moines River. It became
the subject of contention and of legislation by
the State of Iowa, which was finally settled by
the act of congress approved Aug. 12, 1862, un-
der which the grant was in part diverted to rail-
road purposes. While it is fair to assume that
other acts prior to that of Sept. 20, 1850, may
have granted lands in aid of railroads, I doubt
if any land had up to that time actually passed
thereunder. It may therefore be said that the
first lands actually conveyed by the federal
government in aid of a railroad were those de-
scribed in the act of Sept. 20, 1850. But that
law was entitled :
"An act granting the riglit of way, and mak-
ing a grant of land to the states of Illinois,
Mississippi and Alabama, in aid of the con-
struction of a railroad from Chicago to Mobile."
The states named were, of course, free to
accept or decline this grant. They were equally
free to build and own the railroad themselves,
or to delegate that hazardous work to others.
The only obligation assumed by them through
its acceptance was "that if the said railroad
shall not be completed within ten years, the
684
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
said state * * * shall be bound to pay to the
United States the amount which may be received
upon the sale of any part of said lands by said
state, the title to the purchasers under said
state remaining valid, and the title to the
residue revesting in the United States."
BUILDING OF ILLINOIS CENTRAL.
That act defined the termini and the general
course of the railroad to be built in Illinois,
fixing two points in the interior of the state, La
Salle and Galena, one on its northeastern bor-
der, Chicago; another at its extreme southern
end, Cairo, and required it to reach Dubuque,
Iowa, which is opposite the northwestern cor-
ner of Illinois. That act also prescribed the
order in which the several parts of the railroad
in Illinois should be built.
It provided, among other things:
"That the lands hereby granted shall be ap-
plied in the construction of said road and
branches respectively, in quantities correspond-
ing with the grant for each, and shall be dis-
posed of only as the work progresses, and shall
be applied to no other purpose whatsoever."
The only reference in that act to the other
states is contained in the final section, which
reads :
"And be it further enacted, That in order to
aid in the continuation of said Central Railroad
from the mouth of the Ohio river to the city of
Mobile, all the rights, privileges and liabilities
hereinbefore conferred on the State of Illinois
shall be granted to the states of Alabama and
Mississippi respectively for the purpose of aid-
ing in the construction of a railroad from said
city of Mobile to a point near the mouth of the
Ohio river, and that public lands of the United
States to the same extent in proportion to the
length of the road, on the same terms, limita-
tions and restrictions in every respect, shall be
and is hereby granted to said states of Alabama
and Mississippi respectively."
ROAD PLANNED TO REACH MOBILE.
You will not fail to observe that nothing is
said as to the location in Mississippi or Alabama
further than that the railroad should reach Mo-
bile. Reference is made to this difference be-
cause, in the charter granted February 10, 1851,
by the State of Illinois to the Illinois Central
Railroad Company, further and more specific
provisions were inserted as to the location of
the railroad, which, with those contained in the
act of congress, entailed vast outlays in the
construction and a continued and great expense
in the maintenance of the line. Especially is
this the case in the city of Chicago, where a
different location was in vain sought for by the
company in order to avoid such expense. The
act of congress further provided that the alter-
nate sections of land within six miles of the
railroad, which were reserved to the United
States,
"Shall not be sold for less than double the
minimum price of the public lands when sold."
Those lands were then, and had long been,
unsalable at the minimum price. The fact that,
upon the building of the railroad in Illinois, all
the lands near it reserved by the government
were promptly sold at and above double the
minimum price, demonstrates that in the mere
matter of money the federal government gained
more than double what it gave. It exchanged
one-half of an unsalable asset for more than the
price at which it had in vain been offering the
whole. Indeed, it fared even better by selling
vast quantities of land more than six miles from
the railroad at good prices.
The Illinois Central Railroad was com-
pleted within six years of the passage of the
act of September 20, 1850, in exact compliance
therewith, and with the even more precise re-
quirements of the charter. That other acts of
c,0
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
685
congress granting lands to or in aid of railroads
were more loosely drawn is undoubtedly true,
but in this they did not follow the model act of
Sept. 20, 1850, under which alone has the
Illinois Central, even indirectly, ever received
any public lands.
The total amount of public land ever re-
ceived by the Illinois Central was 2,594,115
acres. The Illinois Central never received
any part of the grant of lands made for the
railroad from Dubuque to Sioux City, 326.58
miles, embracing, 1,226,063 acres. It is true
that the Illinois Central is operating under lease
the railroad from Dubuque to Sioux City, and
that it owns nearly all of the stock of the
Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Company,
but the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Com-
pany and the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Rail-
road Company disposed of their lands many
years before the Illinois Central owned a single •
share or had any control over the affairs of
either of those corporations.
Now, as to the value of the lands granted
by congress to the State of Illinois through the
act of September 20, 1850, you assume that our
last sales were at $6.50 per acre (which is not
borne out by the facts), and apply that value to
the whole, including therewith the lands granted
for the railroad from Dubuque to Sioux City.
It has been shown above that the lands
were at that time and had long been freely but
in vain offered at the minimum price, which was
$1.25 per acre.
There were then great quantities of Mexican
war bounty scrip afloat, which was difficult and
slow of sale at from 40 to 50 cents on the dollar.
There are thousands of acres of land in Illinois
which were thus bought in and about 1850 at
from 50 cents to 62/4 cents per acre in cash.
The value of the 2,594,115 acres received by
the Illinois Central was therefore somewhere
between $1,297,057.50 and $1,621,321.87. As
the act of September 20, 1850, provided that
the railroad —
"Shall be and remain a public highway, for
the use of the government of the United States,
free from toll or other charge upon the trans-
portation of any property or troops of the
United States," and that—
"The United States mail shall at all times be
transported on the said railroad under the direc-
tion of the Postoffice Department, at such price
as the congress may by law direct."
GOVERNMENT AMPLY REPAID.
And as these provisions, in substance, also
apply to the railroad from Dubuque to Sioux
City, it is far within bounds to say that, in the
carriage of troops, munitions of war and the
mails and in other transportation for the federal
government at reduced rates, the Illinois Cen-
tral has long since allowed much greater sums
to the United States than the value of all the
lands granted to the State of Illinois to aid in
its construction. Moreover, it continues under
like obligations for all time.
From a national and particularly from a
military point of view the value of the Illinois
Central during the civil war in bringing to Cairo
the armies of the West and in keeping them
supplied and equipped during four years is past
calculation. The all but exclusive use thus
made by the federal government of the railroad
during those years not only prevented the earn-
ing of legitimate revenues, but thereafter sub-
jected the company to reclamations by shippers,
for which hundreds of thousands of dollars were
subsequently recovered against and paid by it.
The lands granted by this same act of Sept.
20, 1850, to the states of Mississippi and Ala-
bama were by them turned over to the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad. Those lands are now
686
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
"estimated to be worth 55 cents per acre, not
including town lots," although they lie near to
a railroad which has been in operation for fifty
years and carries freight at the lowest average
rate per ton per mile of any in the south. In-
deed, the average rate per ton per mile charged
by the Mobile and Ohio during the year ended
June 30, 1899, was 5 83-100 mills, or somewhat
less than that charged by the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad, which was 5 9-10
mills. As the act of September 20, 1850, clearly
shows, the recipients of the government's
bounty thereunder were the states of Illinois,
Mississippi and Alabama.
How ILLINOIS HAS FARED.
Let us see how Illinois has fared since, on
February 10, 1851, it incorporated the Illinois
Central Railroad Company. The charter, in
addition to requiring that the governor of the
state for the time being shall forever be one of
the thirteen directors of the corporation, re-
served to the state, in lieu of taxes, 7 per cent,
of the gross receipts of the railroad to be built
thereunder. The charter also said that —
"In case the persons incorporated by this
act shall fail or neglect to accept the provisions
of the same and comply with its conditions
within the time and in the manner herein pre-
scribed, then the same may be accepted by any
other company which shall be approved by the
governor, auditor and treasurer of this state."
Those conditions embraced, among other
things, the deposit, with the treasurer of the
state, of —
"Three hundred thousand dollars of regis-
tered canal bonds, or funded internal improve-
ment bonds of the State of Illinois, or $200,000 in
specie, or $200,000 of 6 per cent United States
stock"—
as security for the completion of at least fifty
miles of said railroad and the indemnification
of the state of Illinois against all claims of the
United States government for the proceeds of
sales of lands. This is mentioned merely to
show that the charter was in no sense a largess
or favor to the individuals therein named, but
simply the Creation of a corporation destined
to carry out the long-cherished dream of the
state — the construction of a central railroad
through its trackless prairies. In February,
1837, an act had been passed by the legislature
providing for the building of such a railroad
by the state, and the sum of $3,500,000 was
appropriated for that purpose. The money
was to be procured by the sale of state bonds.
Bonds to a large amount were actually issued
and sold by the state. With the moneys thus
borrowed the state entered upon the construc-
tion of an extensive system of internal im-
provements.
EFFECTS OF PANIC OF 1837.
The financial panic which swept over the
country in 1837 and 1838 brought these enter-
prises to an abrupt close. The borrowed money
was exhausted and the state was compelled to
suspend the payment of interest on the public
debt. The bonds of the state were discredited
and it was not until 1850 that the revenues were
found to be sufficient to even meet the current
demands upon the treasury for ordinary state
expenses, exclusive of the interest on the debt.
That debt, to the amount of $16,000,000, was
then and had long been in default for non-
payment of interest.
The gross sum received by the state out of
the earnings of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company down to April 30, 1899, was $17,652,-
930. In the six years ended April 30, 1899,
these contributions to the revenues of the
state amounted to $3,856,929.35, or an average
of $642,821.56 per year. Thus we see that the
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
687
State of Illinois has also been well paid, and
will be for all time. How is it with the people
living on and near the railroad ?
The railroad built under the charter granted
February 10, 1851, traverses twenty-nine of the
102 counties in Illinois, among them Cook
county, in which Chicago lies. In population
the twenty-eight counties other than Cook
served by that railroad show an increase from
1850 to 1890 of 370.55 per cent, which is nearly
double that of the seventy-three counties not
served by that railroad (186.69 per cent), and
decidedly greater than that of the state at
large, including Cook county (349.38 per cent).
In assessed values those twenty-eight counties
show an increase of 673.79 per cent, which is
also about double that of the seventy-three
counties (341.70 p5r cent), and much greater
than that of the state at large (574.81 percent),
even though there is included therein Cook
county, with 2,857.93 per cent of increase.
INFLUENCE ON COUNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT.
The proportion of the population and of the
assessed values of the whole state in those
twenty-eight counties has increased perceptibly
since 1850 notwithstanding the growth of Cook
county, to which the railroad has contributed
as much as any one cause, while in the seventy-
three counties it has fallen from being nearly
three-quarters to less than one-half of the
whole.
It is unnecessary to allude to the vast public
service performed by the railroad in the car-
riage of passengers and freight, to the low
rates charged therefor, to the value of that ser-
vice, to the increased value thereby given to
land and other matters which are common to
all railroad history. That all of the other
grants made by congress in aid of railroads
were not as well safeguarded or as honestly
administered must be admitted. While this is
to be regretted, a like comparison of conditions
prevailing in the locality at the time those
grants were made with present conditions will
in every case bring out a good showing.
With these facts before us as to the results
of the first effective railroad land grant, should
we not rather extol the memory of Stephen A.
Douglas, who was chiefly instrumental in pas-
sing the act of September 20, 1850; of Clay
and Seward, of Benton and Shields and the
others who aided him in bringing about,
through the granting of lands then valueless,
the upbuilding of our western civilization ?
Eight generations of our fathers served to
bring Christianity, civilization and commerce
to the Mississippi River. Since liberal grants
of land began to be made in aid of railroads
we have seen those blessings carried to the
Pacific in a lifetime.
On reflection, you will, I feel sure, agree
with me in thinking that it is not for us who
enjoy the fruits of their labors to question the
acts of those who did this work, even though
we may somewhere see motes and specks in it.
The above appeared in the United States Investor,
(by whose permission it is reproduced), in reply to an
article appearing in that journal September 2, 1899,
assaulting land grants in general and that to the Illi-
nois Central in particular.
688
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
689
A SKETCH OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL AND ITS TRAFFIC.
BY MR. J. P. MERRY, ASST. G. P. A.
Huong the railroads that for nearly a. half
century have been identified with the
commercial and industrial develop-
ment of the United States, none is more wide-
ly known nor enjoys more fully the confidence
of the general public at home and abroad than
the Illinois Central.
Other lines have been conspicuous in their
respective localities, but the Illinois Central, to
which attention is invited, was not only one of
the pioneer lines of the West, but it came into
existence during the early days of the great
state whose name it proudly bears, and for
nearly half a century it has been so intimately
connected with the nation's commerce that it
has become a part of the warp and woof of its
commercial fabric.
After nearly twenty years of discussion re-
lating to governmental aid by land grants,
which was participated in by some of the ablest
men in the nation, congress, in September
1850, made a grant of land to the State of
Illinois to aid in the construction of a railroad.
This grant was subsequently transferred by the
state to the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
which was chartered on the 10th day of Feb-
ruary 1851. The charter provided for the con-
struction of 704 miles of road, extending from
the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
at Cairo to Dubuque, Iowa, and also a branch
line to the city of Chicago. It is quite evident
that the original founders of this great system
contemplated it would become, eventually, the
great thoroughfare between the North and the
South, that would afford rapid transit and ex-
ceptional facilities for the handling of inter-
changeable products between the two sections.
The charter referred to provided for a land grant
of 2,595,000 acres, most of which was black,
rich alluvial soil, and to one acquainted with
the present value of Illinois lands, it would
seem that this land grant, of itself, would have
furnished ample capital for the construction and
equipment of 700 miles of road. Had there
been no consideration on the part of the com-
pany other than the construction and operation
of the road, the charter might justly, perhaps,
have been considered a one-sided affair. But
time has demonstrated that the provision of the
charter that the company should make annual
payments of 7 per cent, of its gross earnings to
the state was a far-sighted and wise one, and
one that from 1855 to June 30, 1895, has con-
tributed to the state treasury of Illinois no less
than $17,315,607.44. It should also be remem-
bered that the population of Chicago at that
time was but 40,000, and of the entire state of
Illinois only 851,470. The country generally
throughout the state was sparsely settled.
Towns and villages were few 3nd far between.
690
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Over 11,000,000 acres of Illinois public lands
were unsold. Not a mile of railroad had been
constructed west of the Mississippi river, and
only 11,000 miles were completed or in process
of construction in the United States. At the
end of 1854 the Illinois Central had completed
300 miles of road. The earnings, however,
were insufficient to pay operating expenses, not
to speak of the interest on the bonded indebted-
ness which was soon to become due. Then
followed an entire crop failure, when the far-
mers had nothing to ship and no money with
which to purchase lands or to pay for what had
already been purchased. Following these dis-
couraging conditions came the panic of 1857,
when everything would have been lost but for
the stanch character of the men who composed
the Illinois Central directory. To-day it re-
quires but little effort to secure millions of
money for any legitimate business enterprise,
but it was not so from 1851 to 1857. Business
men of the East were skeptical as to the future
of the West. Much of the country was unde-
veloped. Farmers, as a rule, were poor, and
the immediate prospects of large earnings from
the new pioneer railroad of the West were any-
thing but flattering. These were times that
tried men's souls. The Illinois Central board
of directors, however, was equal to the occa-
sion, and, like thousands of people in the early
days of Illinois, it believed in the future of the
state, and it was willing to risk money and
reputation in the construction of what was
necessary to its further development.
Following the panic of 1857 came an era
of prosperity. Every wagon road from the
East was lined with covered wagons from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and New York state. The reports
of the fertility of Illinois soil had reached be-
yond the Alleghanies. Railroad lands were in
demand at advanced prices. Crops were good.
New towns were springing up all over the state.
Earnings were showing a steady and decided
increase, and the Illinois Central Railroad, ex-
tending from Dubuque to Cairo, and from
Chicago to a junction with the main line near
Centralia, 111., was no longer an experiment.
Then followed the war of 1861 to '65, when the
company was taxed to its utmost capacity to
handle government troops and supplies from
the northwest to the junction of the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers on the south.
This is but a single chapter from the early
history of one of the most important transpor-
tation lines in the United States. It has, under
strong, but honest and conservative manage-
ment, continued to grow in wealth, usefulness
and extent until it now reaches directly one-
fourth of all the states in the Union. It tra-
verses the corn belt and wheat sections of the
Northwest, the dairy sections of the North, the
fruit and lumber sections of the central, and
the cane and cotton belts of the extreme South;
and this great system, organized in 1851 under
unfavorable conditions, now owns or controls
lines aggregating 4,615.01 miles.-
Reference to the Illinois Central Railroad
map, gives one a comprehensive idea of the
magnitude of the country reached by this great
system, and the further fact that, by reason of
its location, it has advantages for the handling
of interchangeable products between the northern
and southern states possessed by no other line.
It will also be interesting to note the population
of the states traversed by the Illinois Central
Railroad as it appears in the following table:
Illinois 4,680,902
Iowa 2,058,000
Wisconsin 1,937,915
Minnesota 1,574,619
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
691
South Dakota 330,975
Indiana .2,192,404
Arkansas 1,500,000
Missouri 3,250,000
Kentucky 1,985,000
Tennessee 2,000,000
Mississippi 1,289,600
Louisiana.. 1,118,587
Total 23,918,002
From the above it will be readily seen that
this continuous line of road, reaching from the
lakes and the Missouri river to the gulf, and
traversing twelve of the best agricultural states
in the Mississippi Valley, with an aggregate
population of 23,918,002, or one-third of the
entire population of the United States, is in a
position to handle a large percentage of the
grain, packing-house and dairy products of the
North, and the lumber, sugar, rice, cotton,
vegetables and fruit of the South. It is also a
significant fact that the states producing the
staple agricultural products of this country are
traversed by this line. Iowa and Illinois, with
a corn crop in a single year amounting to 565,-
000,000 bushels, are the great corn-producing
states of the Union. South Dakota and Minne-
sota excel in the growing of wheat. Wisconsin,
Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa are fore-
most in dairy products. Mississippi ranks
. among the great cotton states of the South,
while Louisiana, in a single year, produced
sugar to the value of $35,000,000.
Not only has the Illinois Central excep-
tional facilities for an interchange of domestic
products between the northern and southern
states, but it has acknowledged superior advan-
tages in the handling of grain for export through
the port of New Orleans.
To one who has not given the matter close
attention, it is a matter of great surprise to
know how the fruit and vegetable industry has
grown within the past ten years at points adja-
cent to the line of the Illinois Central Railroad
throughout West Tennessee, as well as through-
out Mississippi and Louisiana, and this busi-
ness, during the winter as well as summer
months, amounts to thousands of cars, and in
order to handle it in the best possible manner
and with the least possible loss and delay, the
company has constructed in close proximity to
the fruit commission district of Chicago a large
fruithouse, having a frontage of 106 feet on
.South Water street, and extending south 700
feet. The structure is of brick, with iron
trusses and slate roof. Every facility is afforded
for the loading and unloading of cars within
the house. A battery of three 125 horse-power
boilers, with smoke consumers and other
modern improvements, has been provided,
which insures a temperature, even during the
coldest winter months, in which fruit can be
handled without danger of being frozen. The
construction of the building is such that fruit is
not only protected from, cold in winter, but
from sun and heat in summer. The building is
lighted by electricity, and all heating by steam
controlled in such a manner as to have different
degrees of temperature in the various apart-
ments, as the character of the fruit handled
may demand. Large ventilators are placed
along the roof to open or close at will. This
great Illinois Central fruithouse, costing $90,-
000, with a capacity of fifty-six cars, is only
another indication of the enterprise of the com-
pany in providing the best possible facilities for
handling business.
In no branch of the service, however, are
the improved conditions more manifest than in
the passenger department. Large engines
capable of handling a dozen or more cars, have
692
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
taken the place of the smaller ones. Vestibuled
trains of elegant sleepers, chair cars, cafe
dining cars, coaches, baggage and mail cars of
the standard olive color are now run on fast
time between all commercial centers on the
system, and by reason of these greatly im-
proved conditions and facilities for handling
business, the Illinois Central ranks as one of
the leading, first-class passenger roads of the
country.
As a passenger route this line is highly
favored in having thirteen prominent terminal
cities, with an aggregate population of 3,147,-
499, as follows:
Chicago 2,698,575
St. Louis 575,237
New Orleans 287,104
Louisville 204,731
Memphis 112,000
Dubuque 36,297
Sioux City 35,000
Cedar Rapids 25,000
Madison 16,000
Springfield 35,000
Helena, Ark 10,000
Sioux Falls 10,000
Omaha 102,555
That this line has become popular as a pas-
senger route is evidenced by the fact that the
annual report shows that from June 30, 1897,
to June 30, 1898, this company carried one
mile 263,336,693 passengers, or more than
three and one-half times the entire population
of the United States.
One of the great lines that has and is now
contributing so much to the development of
Memphis is che Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
Railroad, a part of the Illinois Central system
extending from Memphis to New Orleans, which
runs through the most fertile sections of the
South, and is now attracting the attention of
farmers and mill men throughout the North-
west -who are judges of good soil and good
timber. Between Memphis and Vicksburg the
land is especially adapted to the growing of
cotton and corn. Indeed it is not an unusual
crop to harvest sixty to seventy-five bushels of
corn or a bale of cotton per acre, without the
use of an ounce of fertilizer. The Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Railroad Company owns
nearly 500,000 acres of the finest hardwood
timber land in the United States located within
two to fifteen miles of its line. This land is
now being sold by the land commissioner at
nominal prices to actual settlers, and thus is
being developed tributary to Memphis an area
of country that has no equal in the fertility of
its soil, and the variety of products to which it
is adapted.
The tonnage forwarded and received from
the Memphis station of the Illinois Central and
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroads from
1895 to 1898 inclusive, aggregating no less
than 7,095,934,000 tons, and showing a
steady yearly increase, is the best possible in-
dication of the growth and development of
Memphis and the country tributary to the Cen-
tral Road.
Few people have any conception of the
facilities required in order that such an enormous
freight business as above indicated may be
properly handled. Already 87,086 square feet
of warehouse, and 47,650 square feet of plat-
form room is in use, and yet this must be in-
creased to accommodate the freight traffic of
this great company. The present warehouse of
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad at
Memphis, used for the delivery of sugar, mo-
lasses and carload freight alone, is 308 feet in
length by 46 feet in width, with an annex 122
by 40. At Beale street is another 400 feet by
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
693
50, with a covered platform annex 200 feet long
by 70 feet wide at one end and 40 at the other,
devoted exclusively to the delivery of package
freight. At Calhoun street the Illinois Central
freight house is 500 feet long by 75 feet wide,
with no less than eighteen receiving doors and
six tracks side by side with a capacity for storing
108 cars. Here is done the day loading of
merchandise, under precisely the same system
as in use at Chicago. For the handling of cot-
ton, platforms of large dimensions are in use,
one of which is 650x50 feet, another 120x40,
and still another 150x75. To accommodate this
immense traffic in freight it requires fifteen
freight trains daily in and out of Memphis, 213,-
783 feet of track room sufficient to handle 4,000
cars has become a necessity, and in addition to
the above, this company is now expending
$150,000 in the construction of a convenient and
modern freight yard at South Memphis.
Improvements are also being made at the
Poplar Street Passenger Station in order to
furnish ample and excellent facilities for the
handling of the great passenger traffic of this
company, which amounts to $350,000 annually,
from the sale of tickets, and which requires
eleven passenger trains daily in and out of
Memphis. It is generally conceded that the
persistent and continued efforts of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company has done more than
all other agencies combined to turn the export
trade of the Mississippi Valley from its unnatu-
ral but long continued route across the Alle-
ghany Mountains, to the natural and easy course
by the way of the Gulf ports; and in this Mem-
phis has not suffered. Indeed, every through
train contributes to the sum total of the growth
and development of the city. To the 975
employes connected with the Illinois Central
and Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroads, now
permanently located at Memphis, many others
will be added; and in every possible way this
company will continue to manifest a genuine
interest in everything that tends to the growth
and expansion of Greater Memphis. — From
Memphis Scimitar, April 1899.
694
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Scene in the Yazoo Delta.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
695
AT NINETY MILES AN HOUR.
Saving; a Day Between the Atlantic and the Pacific. — Experiences on Racing Locomotives in
Record-Breaking; Runs.
BY CLEVELAND MOFFIT.
tj** t£* (& V ™ (I?* V™
THEY call it a race for a million, but that
gives small notion of what has been
going on these recent months between
Chicago and the Missouri river, ever
since the great mail-hustling order was sent out
by long-headed managers on the first day of
1899. Huge locomotives, tearing through the
night faster than locomotives ever before were
driven ; rival engineers keyed up beyond what
human nerves can bear, but bound to "get there,
or smash something;'' superintendent's, train-
dispatchers, and their kind lying awake of nigths
figuring out how the schedule may be shaved
down ten minutes — all this is exciting enough ;
but the struggle now on between the Chicago
& Northwestern and the C. B. & Q., or rather the
struggle that each one of these roads is making
against all records in the world, stands for much
more than any paltry million-dollar mail contract
that may be awarded from Chicago to Omaha.
It stands for a business day saved in crossing the
continent. It means that tons of mail from the
Atlantic coast now reach California and Oregon
so that bankers and business men there receive
their drafts and other money papers before three
o'clock on a certain day, instead of at noon on
the following clay. It means a day saved in
steamer connections for China and the Orient.
And a very cl.eVer statistician were needed to say
what that is worth.
17
Thanks to courtesies of railroad officials and
post-office authorities, we may now watch the
carrying of this transcontinental mail in the hot-
test, maddest part of its sweep between the
oceans; we may journey with it across Illinois
and Iowa, where level ground and keenest com-
petition offer such a spectacle of flying mail ser-
vice as has not been seen before since letters and
engines came upon the earth.
It is 8 130 P. M., any night you please, and
for miles through the yards of East Chicago
lights are swinging, semaphore arms are moving,
men in the clicking signal towers are juggling
with electric buttons and pneumatic levers, tar-
get lights on a hundred switches are changing
from red to green, from green to red ; everything
is clear, everything is all right ; the Lake Shore
Mail is coming, with eighty tons of letters and
papers in its pouches. Relays of engines and en-
gineers and firemen, the picked men of the road
and the pet locomotives, have brought these
messages, this news of the world ' thus far on
their journey. Up the Hudson they have come
and across the Empire State and along the shores
of Lake Michigan, nearly a thousand miles in
twenty-four hours, which is not so bad. Former-
ly this same mail reached Chicago at midnight,
and did not go on again until three in the morn-
ing. Now we shall see it start for Omaha in a
single hour, and before that, it must be unloaded
696
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and piled into vans and hauled across the city,
then loaded again. Only a local transfer here;
hut watch it if you would have some idea of the.
hurry involved in this business.
Outside the station ten of the largest mail-
wagons wait, drawn up like fire-engines, two big
horses for a wagon. The platform crew work
like circus men packing the big tents away.
There is a rumbling of trucks, a bumping and
thudding of leather, and presently off go the
horses west on YanBuren street, north on Pa-
cific avenue, then, swinging into Jackson Boule-
vard (where no other heavy traffic is allowed),
they make a dead run for the river, with the
same right of way that ambulances have ; and the
drivers cease not to ply their whips as they near
the bridge : they know that a city ordinance
holds the draw for the passage of this mail.
So six wagons reach the Burlington station
at Canal street, with horses in a lather. Mean-
while the others have dashed through Sherman
street and Fifth avenue to the Wells street station
of the Chicago and Northwestern. This latter
is the longer journey by some five minutes, but
the Northwestern vans make a compensating
gain in backing right up to a platform near the
waiting train, while the C. B. & Q. pouches
must be slid down a chute, then handled on
trucks. This whole operation of transfer is ac-
complished in half an hour, more or less (as the
mail is heavy or light) ; and it is a thing to re-
member, like some giant foot-ball game, the way
these steady-legged, quick-handed men send the
pouches flying out of the vans and into the cars,
dragging and tossing and spinning them through
the air, until all are stowed away.
And now begins the effort of steam and
brain and skill of the hand ; now start the trains.
Perhaps some distant eye far above can watch
them speed to the west, two fire-spots creeping
through the darkness in pursuit of the setting
stars, one might fancy. Side by side they go,
with slight divergence, the Burlington keeping
a little more south-ward ; side by side they cross
the Mississippi ; then come together as the sun
is rising, and pause on the Missouri's banks, this
stretch over. Both trains cover the 500 miles
in about ten hours, including stops, slow-downs,
and delays of every kind : which means that both
attain a velocity at times of eighty, ninety, or a
hundred miles an hour ; some claim as much as
120 miles an hour for short distances, but this
cannot be verified, since no instrument has yet
been devised that will make reliable record of
these great bursts. The Northwestern route is
ten miles shorter than the Burlington (489.9
against 500.2 miles). On the other hand, the
Northwestern flyer leaves Chicago at ten o'clock,
while the Burlington train leaves at 9.30.
By schedule time the two reach Omaha at
about eight in the morning (the Northwestern
at 8.15, the Burlington at 7:55), and no man can
say that one is better or faster than the other.
Yet this is true, that both do more than has ever
been done by any other train in the world run-
ning daily.
It is a fine thing to know the men who
drive the engines on these trains ; just to see them
is something, and to make them talk (if you can
do it) is better business than interviewing most
celebrites you have heard about.
To this end I set out one evening early in
January for the great round-house, of theNorth-
western road. that lies in the outskirts of Chi-
cago. A strange place, surely, is this to one
who approaches it unprepared; a place where
yellow eyes glare out of deep shadows, where
fire-dragons rush at you with crunching and
snortings, where the air hisses and roars. It
might be some demon menagerie, there in the
darkness.
To this place of fears and pitfalls I came an
hour or so before starting time, and here I found
Dan White, one of the Northwestern crack-a-
jacks, giving the last careful touches to locomo-
tive 908 before the night's hard run. In almost
our first words my heart was won by something
White said. I had mentioned Frank Bullard of
the Burlington road, a rival by all right's, and im-
mediately this bluff, broad-shouldered man ex-
claimed : "Ah, he's a fine fellow, Bullard is, and
he knows how to run an engine." White would
fight Bullard at the throttle to any finish, but
would speak only good words of him.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
697
"Tell me," said I, "about the great run you
made the other night." From a dozen lips I
had heard of White's tremendous dash from Chi-
cago to Clinton, Iowa.
"Oh, it wasn't much ; we had to make the
time up, and we did it. Didn't we Fred?"
This to the fireman, who nodded in silent
assent, but said nothing.
"Yon made a record, didn't you?"
"Well, we went 138 miles in 143 minutes;
that included three stops and two slow-downs.
I don't know as anybody has beat that — much."
By dint of questioning fv dreiw from this
modest man some details of 'his achievement.
The curve-bent stretch; of seventeen miles be-
tween Franklin Grove and Nelson-j they did in
fourteen minutes, and a part of this, beyond
Nachusa, they took at an eighty-mile pace. They
covered five miles between Clarence and Stan-
wood in three minutes and a half, and they made
two miles beyond Denison at over a hundred
miles an hour. As the mail rushed west, word
was flashed ahead that a hair-raising run was
being made, and crowds gathered at the stations
to cheer and marvel. Lights burned late that
night in farmers' houses, and at every signal
station along the way a group of eager men
were waiting.
"There must have been 500 people on the
platform at Dixon," said White, telling the story,
"and they looked to me like a swarm of ants, just
a black, wriggling mass, and then they were
gone. We came on to a bridge there after a
big reverse curve with a down grade, and I guess
no one will ever know how fast we were going
that night, as we slammed her around one way
and then slammed her around the other way.
It was every bit of ninety miles an hour. You
got all you wanted, didn't you, Fred ?"
The fireman looked up, torch in hand, -and
remarked in a dry monotone: "Coin' through
Dixon I said my prayers, and hung on, stretched
out flat. That's what I done."
"Fred and I," continued White, "both got
letters about the run from the superintendent.
I fere's mine, if you'd like to read it."
The pleasure of the two blackened men over
this graciousness of the superintendent was a
thing to see. For a bit of crumpled paper such
as that White showed me I believe they would
have taken the Mississippi at a jump, engine
train and all. Superintendent's orders, superin-
tendent's praise, there is the beginning and end
of all things for them.
It was only a short ride I took this night
in the cab of 908, five miles through the yards
to the Northwestern station, where the mail-cars
were waiting. But I felt the power of the great
creature, and thrilled with the throbbing of her
brave heart. What splendid courage she has,
I thought, as we moved along swiftly among
the shadows. How kind she is to us, poor puny
men !
As we lay by the platform waiting for
orders, White took me down on the tracks, and
explained how the switches are operated by com-
pressed air from the towers.
"Listen !" he said ; "you'll hear it hiss as the
rail moves over. Look out for your feet ; it
would take one of them clean off if the jam
caught it. And it's no fun to lose a foot ; I
tried it once with this one."
He held up his right foot.
"What's the matter with it?" said I.
"Nothing, only it's half gone. Shoe's
stuffed with cotton. Engine driver rolled over
it."
Then he told how a few years before he had
been working under his locomotive when she had
suddenly started forward (a cylinder cock not
carefully closed), and how he managed to escape,
all but his right foot.
"I was laid up for a good many months,
but the company stood by me nobly ; that's the
way they always treat disabled men, and here
I am to-day as sound as a dollar. Well, good-
bye, sir."
Five minutes later they are off for the West,
with various Northwestern officials waving en-
couragement. White's effort and the strength
of 908 will take the train's 250 tons one third
of the way to Omaha. Then a second engine and
engineer and fireman will do a second stretch ;
698
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
then a third relay will finish the run. Three
engines, three engineers, and three fireman —
these are needed by. either road for the journey
one way.
The first long ride on one of these splendid
locomotives was with the Burlington flyer, with
590 at her head and Frank Billiard at the throttle.
It is said that the Baldwin Locomotive Works
These words to me from Bullard, first-class
engine-driver of the C. B. & Q., a long, loosely
joined man with the eye and build of a scout.
As he spoke they were coupling us to the mail-
cars, in preparation for the start. In overalls
and sweater I have come, with typewritten
authority to make the run that night. This was
in the first week in January, the second time
Drilling Machine used in Shop Work.
never turned out a faster 'engine than this 590.
The man must be a giant. whose head will top
her drivers, and for all her seventy tons, there
is speed in every line of her. She is a young
engine, too. only four years old, and Bullard
swears he will back her in the m'atter of getting
over rails to do anything that steel and steam
can do. "She's willing and gentle, sir, and easy
running. You'll see in a minute."
Bullard had drawn the throttle for Burlington
on the new fast schedule. Burlington lay off
there in Iowa, on the Mississippi, with all the
night and all the State of Illinois between us.
Xow the train stands ready, three mail-cars
and the engine, not a stick besides. No Pull-
man comforts here, no bunks for sleeping, no
man aboard who has the right to sleep. Every-
thing is hustle and business. Already the mail-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
699
clerks are swarming at the pouches, like printers
on a rush edition. See those last bags swung
in through the panel doors! Not even the presi-
dent of the road may ride here without permit
from the government.
Billiard takes up a red, smoking torch, and
looks 590 over. He fills her cups and prods a
two-foot oiler into her rods and bearings. Dan
Cleary, the fireman, looks out of his window on
the left, and chews complacently. Down the
track beside him locomotive 1309 backs up, a
first-class engine she, but 590 bulks over her as
the king of a herd might over some good, or-
dinary working elephant. As she stands here
now, purring through her black iron throat, 590
measures sixteen feet three inches from rails to
stack-top. Both engines blow out steam, that
rolls up in silver clouds to the electric lights.
• Bullard climbs to his place at the right,
and a hiss of air tells that he is testing the
brakes. Under each car sixteen iron shoes close
against sixteen wheels, and they stay there.
Down the length of the train goes the repair man
with his kit, and makes sure that every contact
is right. He then pulls a rope four times at the
rear, whereupon four hissing signals answer in
the cab. Bullard shuts off the air.
"It's all there is to stop her with," says he,
"so we take no chances with it. She's got high-
speed brakes on her, 590 has — no pounds to
the inch. Twenty-four, Dan," he adds, and
snaps his watch. "We start at thirty."
Dan chews on. "Bad wind to-night," he
says ; "reg'lar gale."
Bullard nods. "I know it; we're fifteen
minutes late, too."
"Make Burlington on time?"
"Got to; you hit it up, and I'll skin her.
Twenty-six, Dan."
Four minutes to wait. Two station officials
come up with polite inquiries. The thermome-
ter is falling, they say, and we shall have it bit-
ter cold over the plains. They reach up with
cordial hand-shakes. I pull my cap down, and
take my stand behind Bullard. Our side of the
cab is quite cut off from the fireman's side by a
swelling girth of boiler, which leaves an alley-
way on either side wide enough for a man's body
and no wider. Bullard and. I are in the right-
hand alley-way, Bullard's back and black cap
just before me. Dan with his shovel is out on
a shaky steel shelf behind, that bridges the space
between engine and tender. This is where he
works, poor lad ! We are breathing coal dust
and torch smoke and warm oil.
"F-s-s-s-s-s," comes the signal, and instant-
ly we are moving. Lights flash about us every-
where, green lights, white lights, red lights, a
phantasmagoria of drug-store bottles. The tracks
shine yellow far ahead. A steady jarring and
pounding begins, and grows like the roar of battle.
The cab heaves with the tugging of a captive bal-
loon. Our speed increases amazingly. We seem
constanly on the point of running straight
through blocks of houses, and only escape by sud-
den and disconcerting swayings around curves
that all lead, one will vow, straight into black
chasm under the dazzle. Whoever rides here for
the first time feels that he is ticketed for sure de-
struction, understands that this plunging engine
must necessarily go off the rails in two or three
minutes, say five minutes at the latest ; for what
guidance, he reasons, can any man get from a
million crazy lights, and who that is human can
avoid a snarl in such a tangle of bumping
switches? I am free to confess, for my own
part, that I found the first half hour of my ride
on 590 absolutely terrifying.
Thus, at break-neck speed, we come out of
Chicago, all slow-going city ordinances to the con-
trary notwithstanding. We are chasing a trans-
continental record schedule, • and have fifteen
minutes to make up. I breathe more freely as
we get into open country. We are going like
the wind, but the track is straighter, and the
darkness comfortable. I begin to notice things
with better understanding. As the lurches come,
I brace myself against the boiler side without
fear of burning : that is something learned ; I
find out later that I owe this protection to a two-
inch layer of asbestos. I catch a faint sound of
the engine-bell, and discover, to my surprise,
that it has been ringing from the start ; indeed
it rings without ceasing all the way to Burling-
700
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ton, the rope pulled by a steam jerking contriv-
ance, but the roar of the engine drowns it.
Deep shadows enwrap the cab, all the deeper
for the glare that flashes through them every
minute or two as Dan, back there on his iron
shelf, stokes coal in at the red-hot door. Two
faint lights burn for the gauges — a jumping
water column in front, a pair of wavering needles
on the boiler. These Bullard watches coolly,
and from time to time reaches back past me to
turn the injector cock, whereupon steam hisses
by my head. For the most part he is quite still,
like an Indian pilot, head forward at the look-
out window, right hand down by the air-brake
valve, left hand across the throttle lever, with
only a second's jump to the reversing lever that
rises up from the floor straight before him. As
we race into towns and roar through them, he
sounds the chime whistle, making its deep voice
challenge the darkness. At curves he eases her
with the brakes. And for grades and level
stretches and bridges he notches the throttle up
or down as the need is. Watch his big strong
grip on the polished handles ! Think of the
hours he spends here all alone, this man who
holds life and death in his quick, sure judgment!
Now he catches the window frame and slides
it open. A blast sweeps in like an Arctic hurri-
cane. Bullard leans out into the night and seems
to listen. "Try it," he cries, but his voice is
faint. I put my head out, and come into a rush
of air billows that strangle like breakers.
"Greggs — Hill — three — miles — long. Let —
her — go — soon." He closes the window. And
now, as we are clear of the grade, begins a burst
of speed that makes the rest of small account.
Faster and faster we go, until the very iron
seems alive and straining underneath us. I am
tossed about in hard pitches The glow of the
furnace lights up continuously. There is no
sense of fear any longer. It is too splendid what
we are doing. Of course it means instant death
if anything breaks. Let the massive side rod
that holds the two drivers snap, and a half-ton
knife sweeping seventy miles and hour will slice
off our cab and us with it like a cut of cheese.
Did not an engineer go to his death that way on-
ly last week on the Union Pacific run ? After all,
why not this death as well as any other? Have
we not valves and tubes in our bodies that may
snap at any moment?
"How — fast?" I call out.
"Eighty — miles — an — hour," says Bullard
close to my ear, and a moment later pulls the
rope for a grade crossing. " "Ooooo — Ooooo —
Oo — Oo," answers the deep iron voice, two long
and two short calls, as the code requires. "Year
— ago — killed — two — men — here," he shouts as
we whizz over the road. "Struck — buggy —
threw — men — sixty — feet." I wonder how far
we would throw them now.
In the 206 miles' run to the Mississippi we
stop only twice — for water, at Mendota and at
Galesburg — nine minutes wasted for the two,
and the gale blowing harder. Our schedule
makes allowance for no stops ; every minute
from our actual going is so much "dead time"
that must be fought for, second by second, and
made up. Drive her as he will, with all the cun-
ning of his hand, Bullard can score but small
gains against the wind. And some of these he
loses. At Mendota we have made up seven
minutes, but we pull out thirteen minutes late.
At Princeton we are fifteen minutes late, at
Galva fourteen minutes, at Galesburg eight
minutes, but we pull out twelve minutes late.
Then we make the last forty-three miles, includ-
ing bridges, towns, grades, and curves, in forty-
four minutes, and draw into Burlington at 1.22
A. M. — on time to the dot. This because Bul-
lard has sworn to do it ; also because the road
beyond Galesburg runs west instead of south-
west, and it is easier for a train to bore straight
through a gale, head-on, than to take it from the
quarter. But be sure of this, that whoever covers
forty-three miles of railroad in forty-four con-
secutive minutes travels much of the way at an
eighty or ninety-mile pace.
We took the big, steady curve at Princeton,
a down-grade helping us, at a hundred miles an
hour, so Bullard declares, and what he says about
engine-driving I believe. Indeed, these great
bursts can be measured only by the subtle senses
of an expert, since no registering instrument has
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
701
been devised to make reliable record. Across
the twin high bridges that span the Bureau creeks
we shot with a rush that left the reverberations
far back in the night like two short barks. And
just as we rounded a curve before these bridges
I saw a black face peering down from the boiler
top, while a voice called out: "Wahr — wahr —
wahr — wahr." To this startling apparition Bui-
lard, undisturbed, replied: "Wahr — wahr — wahr
—wahr." Then the head disappeared. Dan
was telling Bullard that he had seen the safety
light for the bridges, first visible on his side, and
Bullard was answering something about hitting
it up harder. How these men understand one
another in such tumult is a mystery to one with
ordinary hearing, but somehow they manage it.
Half way between Kewanee and Galva a
white light came suddenly into view far ahead I
knew it for the headlight of a locomotive com-
ing toward us on the parallel track. Already
we had met two or three trains, and swept past
them with a smashing of sound and air. But
this headlight seemed different from the others,
paler in its luster, not so steady in its glare. The
ordinary locomotive comes at you with a calm,
staring yellow eye that grows until it gets to be
a huge full moon. But it comes gradually, with-
out much jumping or wavering. This light
danced and flashed like a great white diamond.
I watched it with a certain fascination, and, as
it came nearer and nearer, realized that here
was a train of different kind from the others,
coming down on us at terrific speed. And Bul-
lard shouted : "Number — Eight — with — the —
mail." Then added as she passed like the gleam
of a knife: "She's — going — too."
And going she certainly was, as I learned
the next day at the company's office in Burling-
ton. For sixty-two minutes they had held her
at Council Bluffs, this train No. 8, this East-
bound flyer, waiting for the Union Pacific mail.
She had started for Chicago one hour and two
minutes late — and she made the time up. Her
last relay from Burlington was done by big loco-
motive 1083, Sam Dove driving her, and they
ran the 206 miles in 213 minutes, stops, slow-
downs, everything counted ; or 206 miles in 200
minutes actual running time. So when these
sister trains came in sight, there near Kewanee,
they were hurrying together at an easy rate of
180 miles an hour. No wonder the headlight
danced !
At about half-past one this memorable night,
with the Mississippi river at my back, I entered
a little hotel that faces the Burlington station.
My head rang as if I had been swinging on some
great church bell. And when the night clerk
saw me, he nearly laughed in my face, for I
was black with smoke and coal dust. Here was
a change of plan. I had thought to go straight
through with the run to Omaha; but Bullard's
personality, the charm and the mystery of it had
tempted me to linger for a talk with him. It
was plain I might ride a lifetime on 590 and learn
nothing for all the chance of conversation there
would be : as well try to converse with an officer
leading a charge of cavalry.
But the next day, with comfortable rocking
chairs to sit in, and cigars to smoke, and a row of
hotel windows before us, Bullard and I found
time for a chat, and I was well content. First
1 asked him about putting his head out of the
cab window there at Greggs Hill — and else-
where. "Was it to see better ?" said I.
No, said Bullard ; "it was to hear better and
to smell better !"
"Hear what? Smell what?"
"Hear the noises of the engine. If any
little thing was working wrong, I'd hear it.
"If there was a wear on a bearing I'd hear it."
Why, if a mouse squeaked somewhere inside
of 590, and the mouse didn't belong there, I
guess I'd hear it."
Then he went on to explain that the ordi-
nary roar of the engine, which drowned every-
thing for me, was to him an unimportant back-
ground of sound that made little impression and
left his ears free for other sounds.
"I get so accustomed to listening to an en-
gine," he added, "that often up home, talking
with my wife and child, I find myself trying to
hear the sounds from the round-house. And
often, after a run, I talk to people as if they were
deaf."
702
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
"You spoke about smelling better."
"That's right. I can smell a hot box in a
minute, or oil burning. All engineers can..
Why, there was —
This led to the story of poor Giddings,
killed on 590 three years ago, through this very
necessity of putting the head out of the cab win-
dow. Giddings had Dullard's place, until death
came, and he was one of the most trusted men.
in the Burlington employ.
he put his head out to hear and to smell, the
way I've explained it.
"There must have been a post set too near
the track, and anyway 590*3 cab is extra wide;
so the first thing he knew, and he didn't know
that, his head was knocked clean off, or as good
as that, and there was 590, her throttle wide open,
tearing along, with a fireman stoking for all he
was worth, and a dead engineer hanging out
the window.
Device for Inserting and Removing Driving Box Brasses.
"You saw last night," said Bullard, "how
the boiler in 590 shuts off the engineer from the
fireman. And probably you noticed those posts
along the road that hold the tell-tale strings.
They're to warn crews on freight-car tops when
its time to duck for bridges. Well, Giddings
was coming along one night between Biggsville
and Gladstone — that's about ten miles before you
get to the Mississippi. He was driving her fast
to make up time, sixty miles an hour easy, and
"So they ran for eight miles, and Billy
Maine — he was firing — -never suspected anything
wrong, for of course he couldn't see, until they
struck the Mississippi bridge at full speed. You
remember crossing the bridge just before we
pulled in here. It's 2,200 feet long, and we always
give a whistle of extra warning before we get
to it, and then slow down. That's the law," he
added, smiling, "and besides, there's a draw to
look out for. When he heard no whistle this
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
703
lime, Hilly .Maine jumped around quick to where
Giddings was, and then he saw he had a corpse
for a partner."
Another question I asked was about stop-
ping a train at great speed. "I've done it," said
liullarcl, "in 950 feet, pulling five cars, that were
making about sixty-two miles an hour. I don't
know what I could do with this new train, only
three cars, and going ninety miles an hour.
That's a hard proposition."
"Would you reverse her?"
"No, sir. All engineers who know their
business will agree on that. I'd shut the throttle
off, and put brakes on full. But I wouldn't re-
verse her. If I did, the wheels would lock in
a second, and the whole business would skate
ahead as if you'd put her on ice."
Then we talked about the nerve it takes to
run an engine, and how a man can lose his nerve.
It's like a lion-tamer who wakes up some morn-
ing and finds that he's afraid. Then his time
has come to quit taming lions, for the beasts
will know it if he doesn't, and kill him. There
are men who can stand these high-speed runs
for tens years. But few go beyond that term,
or past the forty-five year point. Slow going
passenger trains will do for them after that.
Others break down after five years. Many en-
gineers, skilled men, too, would rather throw up
their jobs than take the run Bullard makes.
Not that they feel the danger to be so much
greater in pushing the speed up to seventy,
eighty, or ninety miles an hour ; but they simply
cannot stand the strain of doing the thing. And
even a man of Bullard's stoical temperament
comes down from his cab so exhausted after a
run like ours that he must rest entirely for twen-
ty-four hours before he can make another one.
Thus an engineer of this special class draws
full pay — $185 a month — for working on alter-
nate days. And for the three relays between Chi-
cago and Omaha, six engineers are required to
take the flyer West, and six engineers to take it
East, twelve men, the flower of the road, for a
round trip of a thousand miles, and twelve fire-
men to help them.
"This doubling up is what breaks my heart,"
said Bullard. "Since they've put on their new
schedule, I have to divide 590 with another fel-
low. John Kelly takes her on the fast run East
while I wait here and rest. And so I've lost my
sweetheart, and I don't feel near as much in-
terest in her as I did. You see, she ain't mine
any more. And between you and me," he added
confidentially, "I don't think 590 likes it much
herself ; you see, engines are a good deal like
girls after all."
We talked next of the coal and water con-
sumed between Chicago and Burlington, seven
tons of the one, and 5,000 gallons of the other.
Then summing it all up, I asked Bullard what
he really thought of the new fast schedule and
the speed they have to make.
"It isn't for me to think," said Bullard;
"but I'll tell you this, it's the hardest game I
ever got up against. My wife says she hopes
for just one thing : that they won't start me off
some night too far behind time."
"What do you mean ?"
"Why," he answered with modest hesita-
tion, "my wife knows that if they do, I'll — I'll
— why, she knows I'll make it up. And even
as it is, she don't sleep any nights until she hears
my long whistle over the bridge."
Good luck to Bullard, I say, and all men of
his kind.
That night, in workmen's garb again, I
made my way to a gloomy round-house, ready
for the run to Omaha. I was to ride the second
relay, as far as Creston, on locomotive 1201,
with Jake Myers in the cab, so I had been in-
formed. Being hours ahead of time, I saw
something of round-house life.
First, I followed a gaunt, black-faced Swede,'
with stubby beard, through his duties as locomo-
tive hostler ; saw him take the tired engines in
hand, as they came in one after another from hard
runs, and care for them as stable hostlers care
for horses. There were the fires to be dropped
in the clinker pit, coal and wood to be loaded in
from the chutes, the water-tanks to be filled,
sand-boxes looked after, and, finally, there was
the hitching fast of the weary monsters in empty
704
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
stalls, whither they were led from the lumbering
turn-table with the last head of steam left over
dead fire-boxes. And now spoke the Swede :
"Dem big passenger engines can werry
easy climb over dem blocks and go through the
round-house." This from Gus Andersen, as he
showed me past a great semi-circle of cold en-
gine-noses, ranged along not two feet from the
brick wall.
Later on, in the dimly-lighted locker-room,
I listened to round-house men swapping yarns
about accidents, and to threats of a fireman
touching a certain yardmaster set apart by
general consent for a licking.
Finally an Irishman came in, James Byron,
and for all his good-natured face he seemed in
ill humor. It turned out that he had just re-
ceived a hurry order to take 1201 out in Myer's
place.
"Jake is sick," said he, "and .they've sent
for me. But I'm sick, too. Was in bed with
grip. Just took ten grains of quinine. Say, I
ain't any more fit to run an engine than I am to
run a Sunday-school.
Then he began pulling on his overalls, while
the others laughed at him, told him he was
"scared" of the fast run, and said good-by with
mock seriousness.
But Byron showed himself a good soldier,
and soon was working over 1201 with a will,
inspecting every inch of her, torch in hand, and
he assured me he would take her through all
right, grip or no grip.
And take her through he did. At 1.16 A.
M., my old friend, locomotive 590, brought the
flyer up from Chicago, six minutes ahead of the
schedule. Kelly had done himself proud this
time. And six minutes later, on time to the
minute, we drew out behind 1201, with Byron
handling her, and seventy tons of mail following
after.
Our fireman was named Bellamy. He wore
isinglass goggles against the heat, and, in his
way, he was a humorist, as I discovered present-
ly, when he came near me (we were running at
a sixty-mile gait) and, grinning like a Dante
demon, remarked slowly : "Say — if — we — go —
in — the — ditch — will — you — come — along?"
The first feature of this run was some
trouble with a feed pipe from the tank, which,
brought us to sudden standstill in the open night
with a great hissing of steam.
"What is it?" I asked of Bellamy, while
Byron, grumbling maledictions, hammered under
the truck.
"Check-valve stuck ; water can't get into the
boiler."
"How did he know it?"
"Water-gauge."
"What if he hadn't noticed it?"
Bellamy smiled in half contempt. "Say if
he hadn't noticed it for fifteen minutes, we'd have
been sailing over them trees about this time —
in pieces. She'd have bust her boiler."
Five minutes lost here, and we were off
again, running presently into a thick fog, then in-
to rain, and, finally, into a snow storm. Never
shall I forget the illusion, due to our great
speed that the flakes were rushing at us hori-
zontally, shooting upward in sharp curves over
the engine's headlight. And, as we swept on,
the shadow of 1201 advanced beside us over the
stretch of white snow as smoothly and silently
as the tail of an eclipse. The engine itself was
a noisy, hurrying affair, but the engine's shadow
was as calm and quiet as a cloud. And I recall
that the swiftness of our rush this night caused
in me neither fear nor any particular emotion.
Yet this was practically the same experience that
had stirred me so the night before on 590.
We reached Creston on time, as Byron said
he would, and of what happened during the last
relay from Creston on, or what engine drew us,
or who the engineer was, I have no knowledge,
for I passed the early morning hours in troubled
sleep, curled up on a pile of pouches in the rear
mail-car. I may add that my sleep was troubled
for good and sufficient reasons : first, because
there was need of changing my hard couch at
intervals so that the crew could handle what I
was sleeping on ; also because the motion here*
is even more violent than on the locomotive.
There were double curves in western Iowa that
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
705
made those mail-cars look like a battlefield. It
was bundles of newspapers flying through the
air, and poor devils of mail-clerks stretched on the
floor hugging the iron racks. Any one who, as
a boy has indulged in the noble sport of "crack-
ing the whip'' will understand why the mail-car
at the tail of a train gets more swing on a hard
fast curve than the engine at the Jiead. And as
for danger, there is really much more here than
anywhere else, for the mail-cars rest light on their
trucks, compared with the great mass of a loco-
motive. Besides that, a locomotive's weight is
low while the tons of pouches in the mail cars,
often piled nearly to the roof, lift the center of
gravity high.
Not on this ride, then, but on subsequent
ones, both on the Burlington and the Northwes-
tern, I got an idea what duty it is a man under-
takes in choosing the career of railway mail clerk.
And frankly, I can think of no occupation that
puts harder tax upon mind and body. To begin
with, the mail crew, during their "on days,"
which alternate with "off days," are called up-
on to work sometimes seventeen hours in twen-
ty-four ; one set of men, for instance, begin hand-
ling the mail at 3 P. M. in Chicago, and keep
at it steadily until they reach Omaha at 8 A. M.
the following day. Furthermore, they must re-
member and have literally at their fingers' ends
such a mass of names, places, railroad routes,
etc., as would cause the despair of a lightning
calculator. Each clerk on this run must know
the precise location of 1,079 separate post-offices
in Nebraska, of 1,904 in Iowa, of 1,800 in Ohio
(only a part), of 1,100 in Michigan (only a
part), of 1,200 in Missouri (only a part), of
720 in Colorado, of 660 in South Dakota,
705 in Illinois (only a part), of about 1,000 in
Pennsylvania, and so on for Indiana, Wisconsin,
and all the western states.
In addition to these separate places, amount-
ing to about 18,000 in all, each mail-clerk must
know, and be able to say instantly, how any
particular letter will reach its destination by the
quickest and best connection ; that is, must have
an intimate knowledge of a labyrinth of large
and small routes, spreading over the whole
region. To test his readiness of information,
I took up a handful of letters from one of the
pouches and read off the towns to one of the
men, who answered thus, in mail-clerk jargon :
Elk Creek — "Columbus and Atch. Lincoln
south."
Nelson — "Neb. City and Superior. Num-
ber two."
Ainsley — "Lincoln and Bill. Train forty-
one. Number two."
Liberty — "K. C. and Ox. Wymore east."
Carleton — "St. Jo and Grand Island, via
Jotown."
Julian — "Omaha and K. C. Train ten.
South of Neb. City."
Rock Bluff— "Goes to Plattsmouth (Dist.)
no office.
Oak — "Lenwood and Superior. Seward
east."
Friend — "Peajack and Denver. No. one."
And so on for letters and papers without
end, all dealt out swiftly, hour after hour, through
the night, into some 500 pigeon-holes, in ten
letter-cases (this for a single car), and some
1 20 pouches packed in neatly through the car's
length, with mouths held open by iron frames.
And the head man of the crew (six in all)
must see to it that the mail is so assorted and
classified that the Galesburg pouch for Santa
Fe connections will be ready to throw off at
Galesburg, and the two Burlington, pouches
ready to throw off at Burlington, and the five
( htumwa pouches ready at Ottumwa, and so on,
the work being done stage by stage, as the flyer
rushes west-ward. And every man of the crew
must stand for his own mistakes — at the throat
of each pouch being placed, before it is closed
the name of the clerk who filled it. No wonder
these young men require four or five "days off"
after a like number of "days on" for the work
of studying and memorizing. And right well do
they earn their wages, which vary from $900 to
$1,300 a year, and which stop (perhaps this is
worth noting) on the very day when one of
them is killed in the discharge of his duty, for
the pension system of our government has never
been extended to these obscure heroes of the
706
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
pouches, who, nevertheless, are called upon to
expose their lives constantly.
So, every clay of the year now, with weary
clerks, but well-assorted mail, these wonderful
rival flyers of the Northwestern and the Burling-
ton draw into Council Bluffs at about eight
o'clock in the morning, as their schedules re-
quire. Before January I, 1899, this mail would
have reached Council Bluffs at 2.45 P. M., near-
ly seven hours later, the start having been five
hours and a half later. And within half an hour
of its arrival at Council Bluffs it is carried to
Omaha, shifted from train to train at the Union
Pacific transfer, and is rushing westward once
more, with fresh locomotive, engineer, and mail
crew. And so it advances in its course, from
relay to relay, from state to state, from railroad
to railroad, until the through pouches land in
San Francisco ninety-eight and one-half hours
after their departure from New York, which is
a gain of from fifteen to eighteen hours over
any previous mail record. Even so, this gives
a transcontinental average of less than thirty-
five miles an hour, counting all the time spent,
which shows what a fine achievement it is in
practical railroading, this run from Chicago to
Omaha at a fifty-mile rate, counting everything.
Were the same effort put forth all the way, we
should have a regular three days' mail service
between the oceans. And that is sure to come !
[Reprinted by permission of S. S. McClure
Co.]
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
707
A RELIGIOUS RAILWAY.
N the road once more, with Lebanon
fading away in the distance, the fat
passenger drumming idly on the
window pane and the cross passen-
ger fast asleep. To me comes the brakeman,
and perching himself on the arm of the seat,
says: "I went to church yesterday." "Yes?"
I said, with that interested inflection that ask
for more, "and what church did you attend," I
hazarded. "Well," he said, "I don't like to run
on these branch roads very much. I don't often
go to church, and when I do I want to run on
the main line, where your run is regular and you
go on schedule time, and don't have to wait for
connections. Good enough, but I don't like it."
"Episcopal?" I guessed. "Limited express,"
he said, "all palace cars at $2.00 extra a seat;
fast time, and only stop at the big stations. Nice
line, but too expensive for the brakeman. All
train men in uniform; conductor's punch and
lantern silver-plated, and no train-boys allowed.
Then the passengers are allowed to talk back
at the conductor, and it makes them too free and
easy. No, I couldn't stand the palace cars.
Rich road, though. Don't often hear of a re-
ceiver being appointed for that line. Some
mighty nice people travel on it, too." "Univer-
salist?" I suggested. "Broad gage," said the
brakeman, "does too much complimentary busi-
ness. Everybody travels on a pass. Conduc-
tor doesn't get a fare once in fifty miles. Stops
at all flag stations, and won't run into anything
but a union depot. No smoking car on the train.
Train orders are rather vague, though, and the
train-men don't get along well with the passen-
gers. No, I didn't go to the universalist, though
I know some good men on that road." "Pres-
byterian?" I asked. "Narrow gauge, eh?" said
the brakeman, "pretty track, straight as a rule;
tunnel -right through a mountain rather than
go around it; spirit level grade. Passengers
have to show their tickets before they get on
the train. Mighty strict road but the cars are
a little narrow ; have to sit one in a seat, and no
room in the aisle to dance. Then there's no
stop over tickets allowed ; got to go straight
through to the station you're ticketed for, or
you can't get on. When the car's full, no extra
seats, cars built at the shop; hold just so many,
and nobody else allowed on. But you don't
hear of an accident on that road ; it's run straight
up to the rules." "May be you joined the Free
Thinkers?" I said. "Scrub road," said the
brakeman, dirt road-bed and no ballast ; no time
card and no train dispatcher. All trains run
wild, and the engineer makes his own time just
as he pleases. Smoke if you want to; kind of
go-as-you-please road. Too many side tracks,
and every switch wide open all the time, with
the watchman sound asleep, and the target lamp
dead out. Get on as you please and get off
when you want to. Don't have to show your
tickets, and the conductor isn't expected to do
anything but amuse the passengers. No, sir, I
was offered a pass, but I don't like the line. I
don't like to travel on a line that has no terminus.
Do you know, sir, I asked a division superinten-
dent where the road goes to and he said he hoped
to die if he knew. I asked him if the general
superintendent could tell me and he said they'
didn't have a general superintendent and if they
did he didn't know anything more about the road
than the passengers. I asked him who he re-
ported to and he said 'Nobody.' T asked a con-
708
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ductor who he got his orders from and he said
he didn't take orders from any living man or
dead ghost. And when I asked the engineer
who he got his orders from, he said he didn't
like to see anybody give him orders ; he'd run
the train to suit himself, or he'd run it into the
ditch. Now you see, sir, I'm a railroad man.
and I don't care to run on a road that has no
time, makes no connections, runs nowhere and
to the next station. Every train lamp shines
like a headlight. Stop over checks given on all
the through tickets ; passengers can drop off the
train as often as they like, do the station two or
three days and hop on the next revival train that
comes thundering along. Good, whole-souled,
companionable conductors. Ain't any road in
the country where the passengers feel more at
home. No passes ; every passenger pays full
BlRDSEYE VIEW OF ILLINOIS CENTRAL STATION AT WATERLOO, IOWA.
has no superintendent. It may be all right, but
I've railroaded too long to understand it." "Did
you try the Methodists ?" I said. "Now you're
shouting," he said with some enthusiasm. "Nice
road, eh ?" Fast time and plenty of passengers.
Engines carry a power of steam, and you don't
forget it; steam gauge shows one hundred, and
enough all the time. Lively road. When the
conductor shouts 'all aboard' you can hear him
tariff rate for his ticket. Wesleyan-house air-
brakes on all trains, too. Pretty safe road, but
I didn't ride over it yesterday." "May be you
went to the Congregational church?" I said.
"Popular road," said the brakeman, "an old road
too, one of the very oldest in the country. Good
road bed and comfortable cars. Well managed
road, too. Directors don't interfere with divi-
sion superintendents and train orders. Road's
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
709
mighty popular, but it's pretty independent. Let
see, didn't one of the division superintendents
down east discontinue one of the oldest stations
on the line two or three years ago? But it's
a mighty pleasant road to travel on ; always has
such a splendid class of passengers." "Perhaps
you tried the Baptist?" I guessed once more.
"Ha, ha!" said the brakeman, "she a daisy, isn't
she? River road; beautiful curves; sweep
around anything to keep near the river; but it's
all steel rail and rock ballast, single track all
the way and not a side track from the round
house to the terminus. Takes a heap of water
to run it, though; double tanks at every station,
and there isn't an engine in the shops that can
pull a pound or run a mile with less than two
gauges. But it runs through a lovely country,
these river roads always do — river on one side
and hills on the other ; and it's a steady climb up
the grade all the way, till the run ends where the
fountain head of the river begins. Yes, sir, I'll
take the river road every time for a lovely trip,
sure connections and a good time, and no prairie
dust blowing in at the windows. And yester-
day when the conductor came around with a
little basket punch, I didn't ask him to pass me
but I paid my fare like a little man, twenty-five
cents for an hour's run and a little concert by the
passengers thrown in. I tell you, pilgrim, you
take the river road when you want" — but just
here the long whistle from the engine announced
a station and the brakeman hurried to the door
and shouted : "Zionsville ! this train makes no
stops between here and Indianapolis !" — Bob
lUirdette in Burlington Haivkcyc.
710
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD. COMPANY
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AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
711
ILLINOIS CENTRAL TEST CAR.
t.™ L ™ t. ™ t™ <i* t."
The railway test car whose description
follows was built at the Burnside shops of the
Illinois Central Railroad at Chicago. It is
owned and operated jointly by the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad and the railway mechanical engi-
neering department of the University of Illinois,
the car being built by the former and the appa-
ratus and other equipment by the latter. It is
designed for general railroad experimental
work and will be adapted to the following pur-
poses, for each of which it has its special
equipment :
1. Measurement of train resistance.
2. Autographic track inspection.
3. Locomotive road tests.
4. Air brake tests.
5. Station tests.
Hydraulic transmission of the pressure and
motion has been adopted for both the appara-
tus for dynamometric work and for track in-
spection; the latter, however, is not being at
present installed.
The car was designed under the direction
of Mr. William Renshaw, superintendent of
machinery Illinois Central Railroad; Prof.
L. P. Breckenridge of the department of me-
chanical engineering of the University of Illi-
nois, and Edward C. Schmidt, instructor in
railway mechanical engineering.
The car itself was specially designed for
this work and is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
It has been built particularly heavy, in order to
withstand the usage it will receive in the heavi-
est freight service.
It is 45 feet 4 inches in length and 40 feet
over the end sills, which is as long as is com-
patible with the necessary stiffness and rigidity.
It is 8 feet 4-Hi inches wide inside, 9 feet IjMi
inches outside, with an extreme width of 10/4
feet over the observation windows. About 15
feet in the rear end is occupied by the berths,
lockers, closets and toilet room, leaving 25 feet
of working space, in which are placed the
tables and instruments.
The lookout shown in the rear of the car
affords facilities for observing the handling of
the train, and in it are placed the push buttons
controlling the signals to the operators below,
also the pens which mark on the dynamometer
record the location of mileposts, stations,
curves and grades. The projecting windows at
the front end also provide a means of watching
the train and engine.
38
712
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ILLINOIS CENTRAL EMPLOYES' HOSPITAL, AT PADUCAH, KY.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
713
THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL EMPLOYES' HOSPITAL.
This Hospital located at Paducah, Ky., is
one of the finest institutions of its kind in the
South, was founded on January 15th, 1884, by
the Chesapeake, Ohio & South Western R. R.
The orginal building, was an old farm house,
located near the site of the present beautiful
structure, and was in charge of Dr. J. W. Thomp-
son, as Chief Surgeon and President, with J. A.
Dew, Secretary, and board of directors, consist-
ing of Frazier Briggs, John L. McGuire, and
others.
The new hospital buildings, costing about
$30,000, were completed in April 1896, and with
the fine lot on which they stand, valued at
$25,000, were the gift of C. P. Huntington, of
New York, with the stipulation, that they should
be forever used for hospital purposes.
The hospital is located on Broadway, one
of the principal thoroughfares of Paducah, and
stands in the center of a beautifully laid-out park,
dotted with shade trees, and with a fountain of
elegant design, on which is carved the I. C.
monogram.
The buildings are of the most modern de-
sign, having fine offices, laboratories, operating
rooms, and reception rooms ; besides the wards
and private rooms for patients willing to pay,
and are equipped with all modern conveniences ;
steam heat, gas and electric lights and elevators.
The hospital has a capacity at the present
time, of forty-five patients, with separate wards
for the whites and blacks, and cares for all I. C.
employes from Memphis, Tennessee, to Louis-
ville, Kentucky, a district composed of 54 local
surgeons.
It is sustained by assessments taken monthly
from the salaries of the employes, on the follow-
ing basis.
Employes receiving $40 per month or
under - $ .40
Employes receiving $40 to $75 - - .50
Employes receiving $75 to $90 - - .75
Employes receiving $90 to $100 and over 1.00
The total receipts for the year 1899, were
$24,308.65; expenditures, $18,441.90. Surplus
on hand Jan. i, 1900, $15,096.18.
The following is a comparative statement
of the number of patients treated for the past
three vears.
1897
Whites.
. . . . 173
Black.
169
Total.
342
1898
370
309 . . .
679
1899..
. . 492. .
..393..
..882
Besides the 882 patients treated in 1899,
there were 7547 cases treated, termed outside
patients, of which 5141 were white, and 2406
black. Of the 882 patients treated in 1899, only
eleven died, which speaks volumes for the effi-
ciency of the management.
Everything from basement to garret is kept
exquisitely neat and clean, and the highly com-
petent physicians in charge, together with the
corps of assistants put forth every effort to allevi-
ate the suffering of those to whom they adminis-
ter. The hospital is an institution, of which the
officials and employes of the Illinois Central, are
justly proud.
714
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
GIDEON HAWLEY,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
715
OLDEST OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.
IDEON HAWLEY, who runs an ac-
commodation train on the Lake Shore
Railroad from Conneaut, Ohio, to
Cleveland, is the oldest engineer in
active service in the United States. Mr. Haw-
ley, who is 73 years old, has been fifty-two years
at the throttle. He began railroad work as a
fireman in 1846, when one of his duties was to
stand at the front of the cabless locomotive to
sprinkle sand on the tracks from a wooden pail
provided for the purpose. The wooden pail was
filled from some bank here and there along the
route, as time was not a matter of importance.
In the 4o's twenty miles an hour was considered
good speed for a passenger train, while the
freights made only seven miles,
The first place obtained by Mr. Hawley was
on the Michigan Central. The wheels of the
tender were then set by brakes, the only ones
by the way on the old-time trains, and it was the
duty of the fireman to operate these brakes.
He found that his labors were varied and exact-
ing, but after four years of service he became
an engineer, entering the service of the Lake
Shore road in 1852.
The engineer then had many responsibili-
ties that are not now put upon men who operate
the great locomotives. Headlights were not
used, and it was risky work to run an engine in
the darkness, especially when the single tracks
were in use and the railway companies did not
maintain their own telegraph lines. The cow-
catcher, however, was one of the first appliances
although the primitive invention was of very
different pattern from those in use today.
Trains made their way from one station to
another depending on flagmen who were em-
ployed in great numbers. These flagmen man-
aged to obviate the need of dispatches, except
in cases of emergency, when messages were sent
at regular rates. There were regular sidings,
at which the trains pulled out to allow those
coining in an opposite direction to pass. Mr.
Hawley remembers that he spent many anxious
hours when he was compelled to run his engine
on in the hope that he would make the next
station before a delayed train left it.
While employed on the Michigan Central
Railroad, Mr. Hawley visited Chicago, which
was a flourishing country town. After leaving
the Michigan Central, he obtained a position
on the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad for
a short time, and he ran his train through a
wilderness that was sparsely settled.
The Lake Shore Railroad, in addition to
employing the oldest engineer now actively en-
gaged, has the distinction of having the oldest
conductor on its payrolls. He is Edward Page,
of Cleveland, and he has charge of the fast mail
trains. He was conductor of the train that car-
ried President Lincoln to his inauguration and
also of the train that carried the President's
body home from Washington. George Martin,
who died recently in Cleveland, was the engineer
on both these memorable occasions. — Inter
Ocecw,
716
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
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T. S. WILLIAMS, Gen'l Sup't.
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Passenger trains must not b
ted at a Station must be report
Tugaloo. Passenger Train No.
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ak
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
717
SKETCH OF RAILROADING, IT'S JOYS AND ITS DANGERS.
BY L. A. LOUTZENHISER.
ERHAPS at no time in the career of a
railroad man is the seriousness of life
brought home more forcibly than when
he hears of the sudden death of one
who but an hour before had greeted him pleasant-
ly and had then passed on to his doom.
A few months ago it was Mabry; a few
weeks ago it was Nagle ; now it is Sinclair —
and not a moment's warning nor a single word
of love for those who are bereft of friendly
counsel, husbandly solicitude and fatherly care.
Oh ! how inadequate an elegy must be
framed for those we love.
Bright with hope, strong and happy in the
'knowledge that wife and children are pro-
vided for by his personal labor, kissing his hand
at the corner and waving a fond farewell he
goes to work with never a thought of impend-
ing peril. Down among a tangle of murderous
tracks, lamp on arm and train book in hand he
goes about his calling singing a lullaby that
speaks of all he treasures most.
To me there comes a knowledge
In the watches of the night,
Born in hours that swiftly vanish
From the dusk till day's broad light,—
When toil and cares weigh heavy
And there seemeth naught to gain,
You are waiting for me, darling,
For to ease away all pain.
The train is checked up and bills received
at the office where stories go the round amid the
loud laughter of hearty men who keep the gossip
going and who say "goodbye" and high ball the
conductor out of town, with many a parting ban-
ter of good will.
"Bad night, old boy ; take keer o' yer sel'."
"Same t' you, old head. Well, so long." Out
he goes buttoned up to the chin against the storm,
singing again as he climbs the slippery ladders
and picks a treacherous pathway along the run-
ning boards :
When the dreary hour of midnight
Settles on the world outside,
And the fierce wind shakes the casement
With a chill that ills betide,—
You are thinking of me darling,
And it thrills my heart to know
That for me through miles of coldness
I can feel your heart's warm glow.
Mile on mile and station after station is
left behind ; trains are met, work is done, and
wearily the night wears on. Back in the caboose
sits the conductor listening and alert to the jar
and roll and rumble of the cars, alive to the
"feel" of the train as the slack runs up against
the engine in the dips and straightens out over
the knolls, while he sings as he nears the jour-
ney's end :
For your love is with me ever,
E'en though danger lurketh near,
And it turneth into gladness
AH my hours of grief and fear;
And from cold and care and hunger,
From the snow and sleet and rain
I am coming to you, darling,
Coming, faithful heart, again.
The trip is finished in safety ahead of a
special and a passenger train that he has hustled
and schemed to beat into the terminal, and with
the weight of the trip off his mind he plods
along towards the office with a bundle of bills
718
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
and a present or two for friends and family,
singing gaily —
I am coming with the many
Whose brave hearts never quail,
Who face danger and destruction,
• Life and love upon the rail; —
Unconsciously he steps over on the main
line, thinking he is still on the siding. Swiftly
up behind him comes the limited express slip-
ping over the wet rails without a sound. They
have whistled for town and are rolling up
through the yards to the station. In a mist o.f
rain a few yards ahead is a man walking rapid-
ly, singing : —
I am coming to you, darling,
Coming home to love and rest;"
Coming home aweary, weary,
To the heart that I love best.
Then his quick ear catches a sound directly
behind him and he casts a glance over his
shoulder to realize too late his awful peril.
"Almighty God ! My wife ! My child !"
A wild leap aside but all in vain; the pilot
beam strikes him in the back and hurls him head-
long.
Yet ere the eyes glaze in deatht the spirit of
that beautiful soul hovers o'er the body a
moment in its flight to eternal rest, while the
lips murmur gently —
Coming home aweary, weary,
To the heart that I love best.
Modern Hydraulic Punch and Shear.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
719
FAST RUNS.
THE present is truly a rapid age. We are
daily whirled through space at a speed
that would have made our grandfathers
dizzy and our sires of revolutionary
clays would be thrown into a panic, could they
come to earth for an hour and be carried over
sixty to seventy miles of space during that brief
period of time. Civilization can be measured
by the speed of its transportation and this, the
closing year of the nineteenth century has wit-
nessed the shattering of records as no year has
ever done before. In the matter of ocean travel
the great German flyers have brought the old
world and the new within but a few hours over
five days apart and ere the year closes even those
few units of time may be wiped out. But it is
in railroad traffic that the most wonderful bursts
of speed have been witnessed. Record has fol-
lowed record to the shades of obscurity at such
a rate that we can but stop to wonder where it
will all end.
In considering and comparing the speed of
railroad trains they naturally group themselves
into two classes, special runs of greater or longer
distance and the regular schedule trains that for
days, months — at a time fly across the country
at the speed of the eagle.
In taking up the subject of special runs, for
convenience we will divide them into three divi-
sions, very short bursts of speed ; longer runs not
greater than the endurance of one engine; and
runs which require one or more changes of mo-
tive power for their accomplishment.
Of the first class, one of the earliest
astonishing runs occurred in 1884, over the B.
& O., when six miles were covered at the rate
of 90 miles an hour, which, allowing for possible
errors, can not be far wrong. This speed was
not approached for six years, when the Philadel-
phia & Reading Company sent a four car train
over four and one tenth miles at the unprece-
dented rate of 98.4 miles an hour. In 1892 the
Central Railroad of New Jersey had an engine
pull a train of equal size one mile at the rate
of 91.7 miles an hour and another mile
at 97.3 miles per hour. The following year saw
a still greater breaking of records in the per-
formances of the New York Central's famous
World's Fair Flyer, No. 999, which covered five
miles at the rate of 100 miles an hour, one mile
at 102.8 and one at 102 it is said and allowing
for slight errors there can be no doubt that at
that time no conveyance had ever moved so
swiftly through space. In 1895 on the Balti-
more & Washington branch of the Pennsylva-
nia a train ran five and one-tenth miles at the
rate of 102 miles per hour; in October 1895 the
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern attained a
speed of 92.3 miles ; in September 1897 the Pitts-
burg, Cincinnati & St. Louis is said to have
covered a mile at an even hundred rate. In Octo-
ber of the same year, the Pennsylvania line,
over the same stretch of track that the run in
'95 was made, ran a train of two cars fifteen and
one-tenth miles at a speed of 100.7 and six and
nine tenths miles of this was done to the tune
of 103.5 and repeated this performance in June
1899. One of the most remarkable runs ever
made when the weight of the train is taken into
consideration was over the lines of the same road
near Philadelphia when one of its monster en-
gines drew a train of ten cars over a stretch of
track nine and seven tenths miles long, at the
rate of 72.6 miles an hour, But the fastest
720
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
speed ever attained by humanity was clone by
two of the leading lines running west from Chi-
cago. On January 2, 1899 the North western's
fast train covered the fourteen miles between
Siding X and Arion, la., in seven minutes, a speed
of 120 miles per hour. The Burlington, how-
ever claims the world's record, a run of 2.11
miles in one minute and twenty seconds, a speed
of 130 miles an hour. There was no speed in-
dicator attached to this train, but four stop
watches gave the same time.
When the distance is so great that a change
of engines must be made the speed of necessity
drops materially. The Lackawanna road has a
record of 197 miles, at the rate of 60.64 miles
an hour while the Santa Fe made a run of 204.4
miles at 56.7 miles an hour. Of the longer runs
of this class the performance of the Lake Shore
"Special" in 1895 is by far the best. The dis-
tance between Chicago and Buffalo, 510 miles
was traversed at the rate of 63.61 miles an hour
and 181.5 miles of the distance were done at a
rate of 68.67 miles an hour, 86 miles at a speed
of 72.91 ; 33 miles at a 80.6 rate ; 8 miles at
85.44 and one mile at a 92.3 rate. In 1897 the
Union Pacific made a run of 519 miles at the
rate of 55.7 miles an hour, 291 miles at 63.49
and for 261 miles the speed attained was 65.6
miles an hour. The same year a Burlington
train made the run between Chicago and Denver,
1025 miles in 1047 minutes, at a speed of 58.74
miles per hour, exclusive of stops, the world's
record for such a distance. The same line sent
some fast trains over the road in 1899; some of
the best runs are, 197.3 rniles at the rate of 64.3
miles ; 206 miles at 59.4 miles and 500 miles at
the rate of 53.1 miles an hour. On December
18, 1899, one of their trains leaving Burlington
thirty-six minutes late reached Chicago on time,
running 206 miles in 209 minutes, including
stops, 83 miles were made in seventy-six minutes
and 46 miles in thirty-nine minutes and the en-
tire run was made against a stormy head-wind.
Deducting time for mail and water, the average
speed was above eighty miles an hour. The
same year the Wabash made a run of 181.1 miles
at a speed of 64.9 miles an hour. The New
York Central and the Lake Shore roads ran a
train between New York and Chicago, a dis-
tance of 964 miles at an average speed of 48.2
miles an hour.
Two famous transcontinental runs were the
Cheeney and Peacock specials. In the former,
made some years ago, Mr. B. F. Cheeney, Jr.,
travelled 2267 miles to attend a meeting of the
board of directors of that road, of which he was
a member, covering the distance in three days,
seven hours and two minutes, a speed that would
have been better had not washouts caused de-
lays. The second, an unprecedented run, oc-
curred in the latter days of March 1900. Mr. C.
R. Peacock, vice-president of the Carnegie Steel
and Iron Company, desired to attend a meeting
of the board, notice of which he received after
the departure of the limited express. A special
was made up for him consisting of a Pullman
sleeper and a combination car. Leaving Los
Angeles at ten o'clock on the morning of March
27, they were landed in Chicago fifty-seven
hours and fifty-six minutes after, later by four
hours, twenty-four minutes than they would have
been had it not been for delays. No such run
was ever made before.
Of middle distance special runs a high speed
has been attained. The West Shore road sent
a train over the line for 36.3 miles at a seventy-
two mile rate in 1886. Nothing to compare
with this occurred until 1893, when the Pitts-
burg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis passed
forty-two mile posts at a speed of 72 miles. The
next year the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
ran forty-two miles at a seventy mile rate, while
the Pennsylvania line ran an engine with one
car, on the Camden and Atlantic branch, 24.9
miles, at a speed of 83 miles. In 1897 the Union
Pacific ran a train for forty-two miles at a 70
mile rate, and on the Philadelphia, Wilmington
& Baltimore branch of the Pennsylvania lines
a speed of 72.3 miles was maintained by an en-
gine pulling two cars for a distance of 31 miles.
The Philadelphia & Reading road has a record
of 26 miles at a rate of 85.4, made in 1898 by a
train of six cars. The year 1899 witnessed some
remarkable bursts of speed. The Northwes-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
721
tern's fast mail ran 138.1 miles at a rate of 58.8
miles, and 51.3 miles at 69.9 miles: the Atlantic
trains of the Pennsylvania lines ran 24.9 miles at
an 83 mile rate and for 30.6 miles attained a
speed of 81.6 miles an hour.
Of the longer special runs within the limits
of a single engine, the performance of the Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, made what for the
time, 1896, was a creditable performance, cover-
ing 74 miles at the rate of 54.2 miles an hour,
while the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
sped over 118 miles at a 66.1 miles rate of speed.
In 1897 the Empire State Express ran for a dis-
tance of 148 miles averaging 68.2 miles. The
Wabash made a record of 66.1 miles for a dis-
tance of 71.6 miles in 1898 and the following
year fell but one tenth below that speed for a
distance of 105 miles ; all records that would
have seemed impossible thirty years ago.
The Lehigh Valley has a record of 43.96
miles at the rate of 80 miles an hour. After
seven years endeavor to secure a trial of his
sheathed train Frederick U. Adams at last suc-
ceeded in the summer of 1900 and demonstrated
the correctness of his theory. A sheathed train
on the Baltimore & Ohio between Baltimore and
Washington made the following astonishing
records :
il/2 miles in i minute 24 seconds, or 64.3
miles an hour .
3.4 miles in 3 minutes i second, or 67 miles
an hour.
5.7 miles in 4 minutes 55 seconds, or 70
miles an hour.
6.6 miles in 4 minutes 58 seconds, or 80
miles an hour.
5 miles in 2 minutes 55 seconds, or 103
miles an hour.
20 miles in 15 minutes, or about 80 miles
an hour, while the forty miles between stations
was made in thirty-seven minutes.
When it comes to regular schedule runs
the American railroads are far in the lead. Of
the fourteen trains running a mile a minute and
upward ten are American, two are French and
two English and of the six trains making six-
ty-one or better, five are American and one
French. The fastest scheduled trains in the
world are between Philadelphia and Atlantic
City. After ferrying they make the run
from Camclen at the rate of 66.6 on the
Philadelphia & Reading and at the rate of 64.3
miles per hour on the Pennsylvania lines. For
a period of fifty-three days in the summer of
1898 they made the run at a speed of upwards
of seventy miles an hour. The Pennsylvania
road runs trains between New York and Wash-
ington, a distance of 227 miles at the rate of
forty-six and forty-seven and two-thirds miles
per hour.
The Empire Express covers the distance
between New York and Buffalo, 440 miles, mak-
ing four stops, at the average speed of 53.4 miles
per hour.
The Lehigh Valley road has trains making
the distance between Jersey City and Buffalo,
a distance of 450 miles at the average speed of
46.4 miles per hour. The Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul road has trains between the first
named points that average 44.3 m. h., while the
Northwestern sends trains through from Chi-
cago to St. Paul a distance of 408 miles at the
rate of 40.2 miles per hour. The Chicago, Bur-
lington & Quincy road has a train running from
the lake to Omaha, a distance of 499 miles at a
speed of 43.8 miles, as far as Creston, 396 miles,
at 44. miles, and to Galesburg, 162^ miles at
an average of 52.3 miles an hour. Another of
their trains the fast mail, makes the distance at
a rate from four to five miles an hour better
than this.
Of foreign trains of high speed may be
mentioned, the East Coast train, from London
to Edinburgh, which covers the 400 miles be-
tween the cities at a speed of 50 miles an hour ;
and the West Coast train, from London to Glas-
gow, runs at a rate of 50.18 miles per hour for
the 401^-2 miles between the cities. In France the
Sud Express runs between Paris and Bayonne,
486^4 miles, at the rate of 54.13 miles an hour,
while trains on the same road between Mor-
722
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ceatix and Bordeaux cover the 67.15 miles in-
tervening at a speed of 61.6 miles an hour.
These are the fastest trains abroad. When the
weight of train is considered, in runs of the same
class, it will be found that the American roads
far excel anything abroad. Whether for short
or long special runs, or for the regular scheduled
trains, America is far in the lead.
Modern Hydraulic Shear used in Shop Work.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
723
"PIONEER" IN THE "BONEYARD.'
First Sleeping Car Built by George M. Pullman, Condemned and Retired from Service — Has Traveled
Forty Times the Earth's Circumference.
DINGY old sleeping car of primitive
pattern, its sides battered and its in-
terior woodwork cracked and warped
by age and hard usage, stands on a
sidetrack in a corner of the main inclosure at
Pullman, known as the "boneyard." With a
dozen of its fellows, all in advance stages of
dilapidation, it has been condemned. It has
made its last trip, and whether it is to be torn
down and its material used in the construction
of more modern rolling stock, or "pensioned"
and allowed to exist to illustrate the progress
that has been made in car building since its
early days, will depend upon the will of the
company. As yet no orders touching its dis-
position have been issued.
Unusual interest attaches to this antiquated
coach, by reason of its being the first of its kind.
It was the first sleeping car built by George
M. Pullman. Constructed in 1861, it was given
the prophetic name of "Pioneer," and in gilt
letters, badly chipped and scaled, this name still
appears upon its sides. Its experiences — if a
sleeping car may be said to have experiences
— have been many and varied. In 1865 it was
sent East to return with the funeral cortege of
Abraham Lincoln. At least ten Governors of
the State of Illinois have ridden in it, and it
has transported many other people prominent
in professional, political, or business lines.
RETIRED FIRST IN if
This is the second time the "Pioneer" has
been retired to the "boneyard." In 1889 the
company decided to give it a long rest, and it
was backed into the scrap heap, only to be resur-
rected and placed on exhibition during the
World's Fair. It was supposed that this would
be its last appearance in public, but an unlooked-
for emergency came on in the form of the
Spanish-American war, calling into use for the
transportation of troops all the available rolling
stock of the country. Again the "Pioneer" was
oiled up and pressed into service. Since then it
has been in constant usage until a few days ago,
when it was returned from San Francisco and
was condemned.
Those who have grown old in the employ
of the Pullman company feel a sort of fellow-
ship for this primitive coach and take pride in
preserving traditions concerning it. One of
these men, refreshing his memory by aid of a
scrap book, gave this account of the car and of
the events leading up to its construction :
"When George M. Pullman made his ride
over the New York Central in the late 4o's
he spent one night in what was termed a sleep-
ing car. The use in each section of three berths,
one above the other, gave it the appearance of
the hold of a canal boat. The roughness of the
road caused a jolting of the berth so severe that
724
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
.Mr. Pullman could not sleep, and he spent the
night in thinking of a possible remedy. The
idea that later was developed into the modern
sleeping car came to him, but he did not have
the opportunity to use it until 1858, when he
transformed several day coaches belonging to
the Chicago and Alton road into sleepers. They
were not satisfactory. The jolting, though les-
sened, was still so great that it was incompatible
with a good night's rest.
BUILDS THE "PIONEER."
"Then Mr. Pullman risked his fortune on
his judgment. Securing the services of a mas-
ter mechanic, he went to work, in the same shops
in Bloomington in which he had been building
makeshifts, and there constructed a car that cost
between $18,000 and $20,000. So expensive
was this innovation that practical railroad men
thought Mr. Pullman's idea impractical. It was
decided to charge $2.00 for a berth. As the
price of a berth in the cheaper cars was only
50 cents, this was thought exorbitant.
"The first trip out, however, proved that
the venture would be a success. The 'Pioneer'
was filled, and the passengers found it so de-
cided an improvement over the 'rattlers,' as the
sleepers then in vogue were contemptuously
styled, that Mr. Pullman felt encouraged to
build others of similar pattern. This was the
turning point in his fortunes.
TYPE OF MODERN SLEEPER.
"Aside from the improvements in work-
manship, convenience, and comfort the car con-
tained in an elementary form' the ideas still in
use. When it was retired, in 1889, it was
polished up and employed to make plain the
contrast between workmanship as seen in the
earliest and latest sleepers. Mr. Pullman took
special pride in showing it himself.
"The 'Pioneer' has undergone several over-
haulings since it was first turned out of the shop.
In its earliest form it contained sixteen sections,
with two berths in each. Then a smoking
apartment and other comparatively modern fea-
tures were introduced, and to make room for
these four of the sections were removed. Be-
neath the car at first were trucks with sixteen
wheels. Later trucks with but twelve wheels
were substituted. The weight of the super-
structure now rests on springs of a pattern far
in advance of those used when the car was built.
The seats were upholstered with plush, and mir-
rors were set opposite each berth."
ITS RECORD OF TRAVEL.
It is estimated that the average mileage of
the "Pioneer" has been 50,000 miles a year,
most of which travel has been over the Chicago
and Alton road, between Chicago and St. Louis.
In the opinion of a representative of the Pullman
company, the car has been in use not less than
twenty-five of the thirty-eight years of its life.
"Cutting this in half," he added, "and al-
lowing the car to make one trip between Chica-
go and St. Louis every other day, it has traveled
over forty times the circumference of the earth —
a record that no other car used in the passenger
service of any road can surpass." — Chicago
Tribune.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
725
A RIDE ON THE PIANO.
The Old Locomotive Engineer's Story Suggests Rubinstein, but it is Pretty Vivid, all the same.
(Times Democrat.)
"I was loitering around the streets last
night," said Jim Nelson, one of the old locomo-
tive engineers running into New Orleans. "As
I had nothing to do, I dropped into a concert and
heard a sleek-looking Frenchman play a piano
in a way that made me feel all over in spots.
As soon as he sat down on the stool I knew by
the way he handled himself that he understood
the machine he was running.
"He tapped the keys way up one end, just
as if they were gauges, and he wanted to see
if he had water enough. Then he looked up,
as if he wanted to know how much steam he
was carrying, and the next moment he pulled
open the throttle, and sailed onto the main line as
if he was half an hour late.
"You could hear her thunder over culverts
and bridges, and getting faster and faster, until
the fellow rocked about in his seat like a cradle.
Somehow I thought it was old '36' pulling a
passenger train and getting out of the way of a
'special.' The fellow worked the keys on the
middle division like lightning, and then he flew
along the north end of the line until the drivers
went around like a buzz saw, and I got excited.
"About the time I was fixing to tell him to
cut her off a little he kicked the dampers under
the machine wide open, pulled the throttle way
back in the tender, and how he did run ! I
couldn't stand it any longer, and yelled to him
that he was pounding on the left side, and if
he wasn't careful he'd drop his ashpan.
"But he didn't hear. No one heard me.
Everything was flying and whizzing. Telegraph
poles on the side of the track looked like a row
of cornstalks, the trees appeared to be a mud
bank, and all the time the exhaust of the old
machine sounded like the hum of a bumble bee.
I tried to yell out, but my tongue wouldn't move.
"He went around curves like a bullet, slipped
an eccentric, blew out his soft plug, went down
grades 50 feet to the mile, and not a controlling
brake set. She went by the meeting point at a
mile and a half a minute, and calling for more
steam. My hair stood up straight, because I
knew the game was up.
"Sure enough dead ahead of us was the
headlight of a 'special.' In a daze I heard the
crash as they struck, and I saw cars shivered in-
to atoms, people smashed and mangled and bleed-
ing, and gasping for water. I heard another
crash as the French professor struck the deep
keys away down on the lower end of the southern
division, and then I came to my senses.
"There he was at a dead standstill, with
the door" of the fire box of the machine open,
wiping the perspiration off his face, and bowing
to the people before him. If I live to be 1000
years old I'll never forget the ride that French-
man gave me on a piano."
726
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
COURTESY OF WATERLOO COURIER
View of the Cedar River near Waterloo, Iowa.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
727
CHICAGO TO OMAHA VIA ILLINOIS CENTRAL R. R.
Features of Northern Illinois and Iowa as seen from the Car Window.
DT IS said of President McKinley that when-
ever he travels he loves to watch the pass-
ing landscape, and that what he sees from
a car window is to him as the pages of
a book. So undoubtedly it is with the majority
of the traveling public. The sights and scenes
by the way are matters of entertainment and in-
struction which become to the observer (if the
coinage be allowed) "car-window -books-of-
travel." Volumes of wide scope and of vary-
ing degrees of interest they are; ranging from
those which, as in the case of the rugged Rockies,
suggest mighty thoughts "like strains of mar-
tial music," to those picturing some quiet val-
ley whose peacefulness has "power to quiet the
restlessness of care."
Somewhat betwixt these two extremes are
the scenic attractions of the great Mississippi
Valley. That it has such attractions is well known
by those who have seen its vast rolling prairies,
its timbered stretches, its mighty rivers and their
innumerable tributaries, its sparkling lakes, its
wide valleys, its picturesque bluffs and its weird
outcropping rock formations. Then there are
its gorgeous sunsets, the play of sunlight and
shadow over its waving fields of grain, its forest-
like fields of stately corn, and its interesting
cities and towns. Many of the latter are unique-
ly picturesque, and the most of them (particu-
larly those on the Illinois Central's western
lines) that have attained any considerable size
are characterized by a quiet beauty and home-
like air born of an age that caused their develop-
ment to be accomplished along advanced lines.
A view of these features will be a revelation to
those who have never traveled in the great Mis-
sissippi Valley, and whose erroneous impression
of it is that as a whole it is "simply broad and
flat." Along the line of the Illinois Central be-
tween Chicago and Omaha these physical char-
acteristics will not only be brought out, but the
trip as a whole will develop, for the tourist, into
one of the most interesting of those car-window-
books-of-travel.
From Chicago the very outset is auspicious,
starting as the Central's through trains do, from
Central Station, beautifully located at Park Row
and the Lake Front, just off Michigan Avenue
and over-looking Lake Michigan, the Lake Front
Park, the famous Michigan Boulevard and the
attractive eastern boundary of the heart of the
city. Immediately on leaving the station the
trains cross the network of tracks forming the
Central's lines to St. Louis, Memphis, New Or-
leans and the south, and begin a curved ascent up
on to its elevated roadbed recently constructed
in connection with that marvel of engineering
skill known as the Sixteenth Street elevation,
by which the handling of the traffic of nine
steam railroads, a street car line and a busy city
street, formerly all crossing at the same grade,
was made safe and expeditious. From thence
they continue on out through the western limits
of the city, over the "Clyde Viaduct," under
which are the C. B. & Q. tracks and beyond
which in the distance on the left may be seen
attractive suburban settlements; past the long
line of high-piled earth (also in the near dis-
728
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
tance on the left) that bounds the famous drain-
age canal ; on and out into an open rolling coun-
try marked with the characteristics of a fertile,
prosperous agricultural region.
Mark the features of interest by the way,
too numerous to be mentioned in detail, while
skimming across the northern section of the
great State of Illinois. One of the potent fac-
tors in the development of the country will ap-
peal to the attention in the form of numerous
railroads crossed under, over, or at grade. Thir-
ty-nine miles out, just before reaching the little
station of Coleman, the Fox River is spanned
by a long high bridge, in passing over which a
beautiful landscape is to be seen. On the right
a distant view of South Elgin forms the back-
ground of a pretty river scene ; on the left the
river, with the accessories of graceful hills and
foliage, disappears around a bend — to be seen
again amid equally pretty surroundings a mile
farther on. The long line of track running un-
der the Central's bridge and disappearing over
the crest of yonder long high hill is the electric
line between Elgin and St. Charles and Geneva.
In passing the station of Genoa, some twenty
miles farther on, it may be of incidental interest
to look back on the right-hand side of the train
and note the picture made by the town as it
lies half hidden by foliage, some distance back
from the station, and to remember that it is
located in one of the best dairying districts of
the country.
The approach to Rockford station, eighty-
seven miles from Chicago, is made by first cross-
ing a six span bridge over the Rock River, the
latter divided where the crossing is made into
two considerable streams by a wooded island.
Rockford, located on both sides of the river, is
a manufacturing city of 40,000 inhabitants, and
on account of its great wealth of foliage that
has been set out and developed supplementary
to the natural timber still remaining, is called the
"Forest City." It is in the full sense a "pretty
city," but it is not so situated as to enable one
to get much of an idea of it from a passing train.
There can be seen from the left-hand car win-
dow, however, directly opposite the station, a
typical scene of beauty in the tree-embowered
Swiss cottage nestling on the edge of a low lime-
stone cliff, the latter worn precipitous by the
waters of Kent's Creek, which runs along its
base, and' over which a vine-bedecked suspen-
sion bridge connects the station and cottage
ground. This cliff, by the way, is but the be-
ginning of similar out-cropping rock forma-
tions that will be frequently seen in one pic-
turesque form or another along the route.
Twenty-seven miles farther on and Free-
port is reached. It, too, is a manufacturing city,
and it has a population of 15,000. It is also
the trade center of a fine surrounding agricul-
tural country. Like Rockford, the pleasing
characteristics which Freeport possesses cannot
be seen from the train, but, as for a few miles
the latter follows the Pecatonica River (on the
right), one can get an idea of the natural beau-
ties of site which the city had for its upbuild-
ing.
Continuing on, the typical wayside country
towns of Lena, Nora and Warren, the latter but
three-quarters of a mile from the Wisconsin state
line, may excite a momentary interest in passing;
but at about three miles beyond Apple River
station a point will have been reached from
which the scene begins to change. It is the
highest point on the line between Chicago and
the Mississippi River, it having an elevation of
1,042 feet above sea level. Chicago being at an
elevation of 589 feet, it will be seen that, with
minor intermediate ups and downs of grade, a
steady upward run has thus far been made,
which from now on changes and becomes for a
while a somewhat sharp decline, the grade drop-
ping in the next eighteen miles to an elevation of
60 1 feet at Galena. In that distance, however,
will be seen some exceedingly picturesque coun-
try, for at about Scales Mound station, reached
shortly after crossing the highest point west-
ward, the road begins to follow the east branch
of the Galena River (which in time, near Galena,
blends into the Galena River proper) down
through the Galena Valley. This valley is
bounded by a high rolling country on either side,
and is for the most part so narrow that the cul-
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
729
tivated levels of the bottom lands look like toy
gardens in comparison with the broad stretches
that have heretofore been encountered. This
brings the variegated landscape, with here its
groups of symmetrical foliage dense and of wide
extent and there scattering or in clusters, with its
open stretches of ever-changing form, with its
occasional outcroppings of rock, with its ravines
and gullies, and with ever the little stream at
one side — this brings the landscape to a close
range, and shows a scenic beauty that never fails
to please the observer. Shortly before reaching
Galena, in one of the many turns that are made
in following the water course through the hills,
suddenly a short valley is opened up on the right,
across the end of which a first and partial glimpse
of the unique and interesting City of Galena is
disclosed, which view, as the train rounds an-
other curve, is lost in a few minutes, only to
have the city burst into full view again on the
final turn being made that leads to the station.
The compact, historic and picturesque City
of Galena, located on its amphitheater of hills
and terraces, with the river running through it,
lies in kaleidoscopic view from the train win-
dows, its business and most thickly settled por-
tion to the right. Galena now has a population of
7,000, and is historically interesting on account
of its early importance in connection with the
steamboat trade. The river is still open to navi-
gation, by means of a government lock, to the
light steamers of the Mississippi. By the side of
one of the tall church spires seen a little to the
right and projecting from one of the higher
terraces, is the modest brick house from which
General Grant answered his country's call. This
house is not visible from the train, but, on the
left, just as the train crosses the carriage road,
on stopping at the station, a distant glimpse can
be had of the residence presented him by citizens
and in which he lived after his return to Galena.
It is a plain square brick house with flat roof
and white trimmings, setting on a distant hill
and largely obscured by foliage. From about
the same point of view, by looking back in the
direction from which the train has come, a view
can be had of the Grant monument in the park
of the same name, and one of the boundaries of
which is the stone wall on the left that has been
followed by the train. Do not mistake the plain
granite shaft, that can also be seen in passing,
for the Grant monument. The latter is a full
length figure of the General standing on a granite
pedestal.
Immediately on leaving the station the train
crosses the river (from which point another view
of the city can be had) and continues down the:
valley for three miles to Portage, at about which
point the road ceases to follow the Galena River
and skirts the inward waters and across the bot-
tom lands of the Mississippi for about thirteen
miles to East Dubuque. This little piece of
country between Galena and East Dubuque is
exceedingly picturesque in its ever-changing
panorama of hill and vale, of outcropping fan-
tastic rock formations, of timber growths and
of water scenes. At East Dubuque, if circum-
stances admit of a glance ahead, the huge ledge
of rock through which the train is to pass will
augment one's idea of the geological nature of
the country just run over, and at the same time
the eastern portal of the Illinois Central's Du-
buque tunnel may be seen, after passing through
which the journey across the State of Illinois
will have been completed.
The tunnel is short, but 835 feet in length
and from it the train emerges on to the long
bridge across the Mississippi River, from which
will be seen grand views up and down the wind-
ing bluff -bound stream, and also a view of the
City of Dubuque with facades, roofs and towers
peering one above the other in promiscuous
array, as the sites on which its buildings are
located recede from the bottom lands to the crest
of the hills beyond. Paralleling -the railroad on
the left as the river is crossed is the so-called
"High Bridge" for carriage and foot passen-
gers.
A most interesting and picturesque city to
visit, from a tourist point of view, is Dubuque.
Acquiring considerable wealth and standing as
a "steamboat town" in the earlier years, it kept
pace with the times when the commercial condi-
tions changed, and is to-day still prosperous as
730
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
;> jobbing center and a manufacturing city. Its
present population is about 46,000.
Leaving the "Key City," as Dubuque is
called, for the trip across the length of Iowa,
the road runs south for about a mile between the
river on the left and the foot of a long line of
high, wooded bluffs on the right. During this
time the view of the river and the distant well-
timbered hills and shore line is simply grand.
By looking back, or up river, from the left-hand
side of the train, a beautiful picture is also had
of the city (showing particularly its irregular
contour) and of the upper river, the long bridges
and the rolling country of the Illinois shore.
A long sweep to the right, passing through
"Rock Cut," and the ascent of Catfish Creek
Valley, by the side of the small stream of the
same name, is begun. Note particularly on the
left the stone monument marking Dubuque's
grave that sits so prominently on the top of the
opposite bluff; also the pretty composition of
cliff, rugged country and man's abode disclosed
on the right as the curve is rounded.
A few miles farther on the "Three Brothers"
will be passed, also on the right. They are but
one of nature's fantastic whims in leaving rock
forms of their proportions projecting solitary
and alone above the surface. They suggest,
however, the mighty force in the ages gone of
the waters that have washed through this val-
ley, wearing away all opposition but that pre-
sented by these now lone sentinels. The en-
tire ride through this valley, which speedily
broadens out until it and its stream are lost in
the blending with the rolling country beyond,
is characterized by many a fair scene ; sometimes
of ridges in the near distance and then so near
that the road cuts through them, and sometimes
broad and heavy ridges in the middle and far
distance rolling up and intersecting into minia-
ture mountain formations, with heavy timber
stretches and open country in about equal pro-
portions.
At the little station of Farley, twenty-three
miles from the Mississippi, the road has attained
an elevation of 1,110 feet from a height of 606
feet at Dubuque, and from thence on, the grade
with intermediate fluctuations, gradually drops
to 852 feet at Waterloo, seventy miles beyond.
From the allusions to elevations that occur in
this description it must not be imagined that on
their account the traveler will realize any percep-
tible difference in the continuous smooth running
and average high rate of speed of trains of the
Illinois Central's Chicago-Omaha Line. Fluc-
tuating grades such as these elevations create
are common to all western roads, and are here
mentioned partially because they may be interest-
ing as facts, partially to aid the observer to un-
derstand some of the reasons for the change's of
scene, and partially for the information of those
mentioned earlier in these pages who hitherto
have labored under the impression that all of the
great Mississppi Valley is "simply broad and
flat."
Westward from Farley the country as a
whole becomes more open, and its undulations
longer and less pronounced. In fact, now has
been entered the region of rich fine black acres
and broad pastures, the "immensity of the space"
of which deeply impresses those noting it for the
first time. Do not think, however, that it be-
comes monotonous. It is quite the contrary.
There are the almost ever present timber patches,
either in the distance, the middle foreground, or
close at hand; sometimes of natural growth,
and sometimes the artificial windbreaks of the
farm buildings. The latter, by the way, often
are interesting features of the landscape, and
it is worth noting in connection with them that
there will probably not be a moment in the jour-
ney across the state, notwithstanding the con-
secutive miles and miles given up entirely" to
grazing or planting, but what at least some one
group of farm buildings will be visible at some
point within the horizon, except when the road
passes through a cut or some piece of woodland.
Then there are the quiet but growing country
towns, passed through at comparatively frequent
intervals, the list of which is too long to be men-
tioned as well also as the larger towns and cities.
Finally there are the numerous rivers and streams
crossed or followed, views along which add
variety to the scene. For instance at Dyersville
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
731
the road crosses the north fork of the Maquoke-
ta River, and eighteen miles farther on, at Man-
chester, it crosses the Maquoketa proper.
Manchester, a city of about 3,000 inhabi-
tants, lies to the right and back from the station,
so that the rustic beauty of its residence part is
not visible from the train. The picture made
by the bridge, the mill, the stream and the water-
fall, seen on the right as the river is crossed just
before reaching the station, is, however, a sug-
gestion of the beauties that exist there. From
Manchester a branch line of the Illinois Central
extends south to Cedar Rapids.
Fourteen miles beyond, at Winthrop, Buffa-
lo Creek is crossed and nine miles still farther
on the Wapsipinecon is crossed at Independence.
Independence is a fine active trade center of
5,000 inhabitants. It is rather compactly built
and in its physical characteristics is a very at-
tractive place. The center of its business and
residence district is located about three-quarters
of a mile from and to the left of the station.
On the right, immediately on leaving the station,
the river broadens out into the semblance of a
lake, the waters of which, with its numerous
islands, make a charming landscape feature.
On approaching Waterloo, the next town of
importance, and situated 276 miles from Chica-
go, the train follows for a little distance the Red
Cedar River, on both sides of which river th£
city is located. The Red Cedar, as followed on
the approach, is on the left of the train, from
which can be seen in pictorial effect the connect-
ing bridges, the dam and some of the mercantile
establishments that are located across the river
on the so-called "West Side" of the city. Just
before reaching the station, on the right-hand
side of the train, the main retail business street
of the "East Side" is crossed, giving a view of
that feature of the city. It is unfortunate,
however, that the practically level site of Water-
loo precludes one from getting more of an idea
of it than is thus seen from the train, for with
its wide well-shaded streets and its extensive
array of beautiful and comfortable homes it is
one of the comeliest cities of its size in the state.
Its present estimated population is 12,000, and
with its score of busy industries it enjoys an
enviable prosperity. The trains of the Illinois
Central for Waverly, Charles City, Osage and
Lyle make their southern terminal at Waterloo,
although the branch diverges from the main line
at Mona Junction, five miles farther on.
The altitude of Waterloo is 852 feet, from
which it follows that in the seventy miles just
gone over there has been, with the usual inter-
mediate variations, a drop of 258 feet. West
from Waterloo, to anticipate for a moment, the
average grade is on the ascent for the next seven-
ty miles, the altitude at Blairsburg being 1,227
feet, or a rise in the distance mentioned Of 375
feet. From the latter point on to Fort Dodge,
a short stretch of twenty-nine miles, another de-
scent is made, the altitude of Fort Dodge being
1,022 feet.
Continuing on from Waterloo and but six
mile distant, Cedar Falls is reached. It is a neat,
thriving town of about 6,000 inhabitants, and
is also located on the Cedar River. It lies hid-
den to the left of the train, just over the bridge
that can be seen on crossing the highway. From
the right of the train, immediately on leaving the
station and just before reaching the bridge on
which the train will cross the river, can be seen
a picture of foliage, river and other accessories
worthy of the brush of a landscape artist. Some
distance beyond the station, after rounding the
curve, by looking back from the left a distant
view of the Iowa State Normal School build-
ings, located at Cedar Falls, can be seen outlined
against the sky from their elevated site.
Iowa Falls, having a population of 3,200
and located in the bend of the Iowa River on a
high rolling plateau, is the next place to attract
particular attention en route, although the inter-
vening towns of Parkersburg and Ackley are
from a commercial point of view of importance
as trade centers for their surrounding country.
At Iowa Falls the river has cut its way deep
through the rock strata underlying the region
thereabout, with such picturesque effect as to
make the locality famous for its scenic attrac-
tions. Among the most noted of the latter is
"Rock Run," a densely wooded, rock-bound,
732
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
<krp ravine about a mile in extent, through
which a small tributary to the river makes its
way, and lies hidden from all view except to
those who wander through its winding passage.
Its river entrance is under the eastern end of the
long bridge over which the train passes immedi-
ately after leaving the station. In crossing this
bridge a -scene breaks into view as beautiful as
unexpected. On the right, looking up the river,
are the wooded sides of a deep gorge through
which the river winds ; while on the left, still
more wild in aspect, can be seen the precipitous
face of the rock ledge through which the
water has eaten is way. On rounding the
curve after crossing the bridge at Iowa Falls
there can be seen on the right the beginning of
a new growth of the city across the river; and
about three-quarters of a mile farther on, by
looking back from the right, there also may be
seen an attractive picture of its roofs and
sjeeples above the foliage, the city having hither-
to been hid by the rolling contour of its site.
At Blairsburg the elevation of grade pre-
viously mentioned is attained, and the onward
rush of the locomotive soon causes Webster
City to be reached, the crossing of the Boone
River being made at its outskirts. Webster
City is an active, growing place of about 6,000
inhabitants. The street that is seen from the
left of the train, although one of the city's
several business thoroughfares, is not the main
business street, the latter running parallel to the
tracks a few blocks away.
The run from Webster City to Fort Dodge
is made in about thirty-five minutes, and when
approaching the latter point one will be well
repaid to watch from the left of the train for
the landscape that will be brought to view.
About a mile out from Fort Dodge, as a cut is
cleared at the crest of a hill from which the run
is made around an easy curve down into the sta-
tion yard, there bursts upon one a charming vista
of the Des Moines Valley, showing the river of
the same name, the wooded hills, and the dis-
tant towers and steeples of the city in the back-
ground, emphasized by the little out-skirting
homes and a sprinkling of foliage effects in the
middle and near distance. Fort Dodge is 375
miles from Chicago, has 13,000 inhabitants and is
considerable of a business mart. The center
of its settlement is up over the hills to the right
of the station, a peep at which can be had over
the tree tops as the train crosses the deep ravine
immediately on leaving the station to continue
the western journey. Crossing the Des Moines
River soon after and following for a few miles
up the Lizard Creek, Tara is next reached in the
short distance of six miles.
At Tara the Central's main line to Sioux
City and to Sioux Falls diverges from its main
line to Omaha. The latter continues in a
general southwesterly direction, passing through
Rockwell City and Dalkeith down into the pret-
ty Boyer Valley. After passing Rockwell City
the country begins to assume a rougher aspect,
especially in the vicinity of the crossings of the
Camp Creek and of the Coon River Valley, a
considerable fill and a long trestle being neces-
sary for the spanning of the Coon River.
From Fort Dodge the grade has again been
ascending, the elevation reaching 1,271 feet a
few miles before reaching Dalkeith station, the
highest point on the line between Chicago and
Omaha. This highest point marks the divid-
ing line of the watersheds of the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers ; all water courses hitherto
passed or crossed since leaving Chicago eventu-
ally finding their outlet in the Mississippi, while
the Boyer River and its tributaries, to be im-
mediately in evidence, empty into the Missouri.
From Dalkeith, after running for a while
over a high plateau, the first of several crossings
of the Boyer River will be made, at a point
about five miles beyond the station. From this
first crossing the river is followed down and
through the valley. The latter, broad and not
particularly noticeable as a valley at first, gets
narrowed down by about the time Deloit is
reached, from which locality on the marked rol-
ling features of the country enclose the scene
to attractive near views of sunny slopes, inter-
vening plateaus, and clustering shrubbery and
timber growths. The opposite railroad that
parallels the Illinois Cental more or less from
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
733
now on in to Councils Bluffs is a part of the
North-Western system.
From the station at Denison the roofs of
the center of that town can be seen in the direc-
tion of the road leading up to it from the left.
After leaving the station, however, and clearing
the end of the ridge on which the town is lo-
cated, by looking back from the left of the train
a panorama of Denison is disclosed. It is a
picturesque place of 3,000 inhabitants and a
trade and shipping center for a prosperous out-
lying region. In the broad pasture extending
out from the foot of the town ridge the cele-
brated herd of Black Poll Angus cattle may pos-
sibly be seen as the train passes.
The road still follows the fair Boyer Val-
ley until the latter blends into the Valley of the
Missouri, passing in the interval Dow City, Dun-
lap, Woodbine and Logan, and making an over-
head crossing of the North-Western both at
Woodbine and at Rode. It will be noted that
the country becomes bolder as the broad Mis-
souri is approached, and when about five miles
from the Council Bluffs station, from a point
known as "The Narrows," the road begins to
follow a long line of bold, picturesque bluffs
running as high in some places as 300 feet and
over.
With the Missouri River on the right and
the train running a sufficient distance away from
the bluffs on the left to give one a fair view of
their striking features, this last run of about five
miles from "The Narrows" to Council Bluffs
will be one of unusual scenic interest.
It would be a matter of amazement could
one, on a clear day, but stand on the edge of
"Grand View Ridge," the crest of yonder highest
bluff, and overlook the broad Missouri Valley
with the river coursing through it. There one
can trace for miles not only the present line of
the river, but its many "cut-offs" and past shiftl-
ings of channel. Omaha can be seen in the dis-
tance, spreading out over its hills and valleys,
and with its tall buildings outlined against the
sky. It is also an impressive sight to look up
and clown the bluff line on which one is standing
at the rugged picture that is formed by the sum-
mits and ridges. In short, so immense and
varied in scope and so bright and sparkling in
character is this scene from "Grand View Ridge"
that it can only be designated as one of grandeur.
From the train, however, the view is also
impressive. Omaha "can be seen in the distance
across the river. Also, in addition to the bluffs
on one side, on the other side is clearly defined
the broad sweep of the valley, including not only
the present course of the river, but many inlets,
lakes and cut-offs where it formerly ran. The
body of water over which the train passes on the
long trestle is one of the so-called lakes, which
at one time was the river.
At Council Bluffs the trains stop at the Illi-
nois Central's handsome pressed brick station,
which for the purpose it serves is, in harmony
and beauty of design, unsurpassed by any sta-
tion of its size in the west. It is of renaissance
style of architecture. Council Bluffs at the Illi-
nois Central station is 987 feet above sea level,
or 398 feet higher than Chicago. Its present
population is about 35,000, which it is claimed
is on the increase. The site of the city is about
two miles back from the river, at the mouth, in
the intervening valley, and on the sides of a gap
between the high bluffs that practically encom-
pass it. It is, however, fast fringing out across
the bottoms toward the river. Owing to this
character of its site, the physical beauties of the
city can not be realized from the train.
From the station at Council Bluffs the train
continues on across the river over the tracks and
bridge of the Omaha Bridge and Railway Ter-
minal Company ; the Chicago-Omaha line of the
Illinois Central terminating, 516 miles from Chi-
cago, in the elegant new union station at Omaha.
From the latter can be taken the transcontinental
trains of the Union Pacific or the Chicago^ Rock
Island & Pacific railways, while those of the Bur-
lington can be taken from the station of that
road, located but about fifty yards away.
How about Omaha? It is a city having in
the neighborhood of 150,000 inhabitants, and a
city which its people take pride in designating as
the "Gate City." It faces the sun-rise on a mag-
nificent slope that sweeps up from the Missouri
734
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
River to Capitol Hill, on the crown and sides
of which are massive public and commercial
buildings. With its business mart in the fore-
ground and its homes stretching up and over its
varying surface, it is a city "that stands sharply
outlined against the western sky," and "a
metropolis that any state might be proud of."-
Froni ///. Cent. Folder.
Scene in Cotton Field partially picked, Yazoo Valley, Mississippi.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
735
MODERN RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.
Old-Time Railroad Collisions Now Practically Impossible.
JOHX BARRY, an Englishman of wealth,
found himself in New York City early
last June, desirous of reaching San Fran-
cisco in three days. It was imperative
that he should make steamship connections at
the Golden Gate the night of June loth, and this
was the morning of June 7th. Regular railway
travel between New York City and San Fran-
cisco is rapid in these days, but not as fast as
Mr. Barry desired to travel. He made inquiry
at the New York Central, Delaware and Lacka-
wanna, Pennsylvania and various other offices,
and ascertained that if he choose to pay for it
he could engage a special train which, barring
extraordinary accident, would bring him to the
Pacific Ocean within the desired time. After
some financial transactions, not necessary to men-
tion here, Mr. Barry was provided with a train
consisting of an engine, a baggage car, diner and
sleeping car, and left New York at 2 o'clock
the afternoon of June 7th over the Delaware and
Lacka wanna Railway for Buffalo ; thence he was
to be whirled to Chicago via the Lake Shore,
be delivered to the Chicago and Northwestern
for carriage to Omaha, and by it be given to
the Union Pacific, and at Ogden to the Central
Pacific for safe conduct to San Francisco. He
made the journey within the prescribed time,
often traveling at the rate of sixty and seventy
miles an hour. He crossed over 25,000 switch
points, several thousand interlocking systems,
by innumerable signal towers and semaphores,
and at no time was in as great peril of his life
as he would be in making an ordinary street
crossing in a crowded city.
* * * *
This imagined story of Mr. Barry's trip is
used for the purpose of telling the greater story
of how American railways protect human life
in these days of rapid transit. A public impres-
sion existed for a long time that railway corpora-
tions had no particular objection to taking human
life. But granted that the railways have many
faults which might be corrected, investigation
leaves no doubt that from president to fireman
of the speeding locomotive there is a constant,
strenuous effort to save life and avoid accidents.
Draw upon -your imagination long enough to be
either in the Grand Central station of the New
York Central or at the Hoboken station of the
Lackawanna road. A train has been made up for
its journey westward. The engine is coupled to
the heavy sleepers and parlor cars. The engi-
neer and fireman are examining all the exposed
parts of their machine. An inspector is looking
after the condition of the wheels of the cars.
Another is examining the air apparatus. Out-
side of the train shed track walkers are going
down the main line looking after switchboards,
the condition of spikes, rails and ties. The train
dispatcher sits in his room watching a chart
which shows him the location of every moving
car on the entire system. He gives a few orders
and the track is ready for the limited, which is
about to leave for the West. Corporate wealth,
736
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
corporate ingenuity, corporate necessity have
provided against every kind of an accident pos-
sible, barring a flaw in material and the weak-
ness of human nature itself. These two con-
tingencies cannot be guarded against.
* * * *
Contrast this starting of a modern railway
train on a journey from New York to San Fran-
cisco with the starting of a railway train thirty
or fifty years ago, either from New York to
Albany, or from Chicago to Elgin. They say
that in the old days old Commodore Vanderbilt
was wont to take a lantern in his hand and go
out on the road-bed of the ancient Harlem and
Hudson road and give the proper signals by
which two trains could safely pass.
On the Galena division of what is now the
Chicago and Northwestern road the great peril
of travel was cows and young calves which made
the track their resting place, or often inserted
their legs through culverts and lay there and
bellowed until either released or run down. One
of the trials of early conductors and brakemen
was the stopping of the train and chasing cattle
off the track. They were the cow-catchers in
those days, and not the pilot.
Trains were not equipped with air, engines
did not have emergency brakes, auxiliary air
cylinders were not on every coach, semaphores
were unknown, signal towers unheard of
and interlocking switches not invented. The
telegraph systems were crude, roadbeds imper-
fectly made and all signaling of a train done by
use of a whistle and the hand. In proportion to
the number of miles of railway in operation
the amount of human life killed in railway ac-
cidents then was four times greater than that
taken now. There probably never will come a
time in which absolute safety can be secured.
Absolute safety does not exist anywhere.
* * * *
The engineer of the modern locomotive
which is to take the train of this story into the
West is protected by a system of mechanism
before which the old-time engineer would go
crazy. To begin with, his engine is equipped
with air brakes, as is also every car of his train.
His trucks are of steel. His brake shoes are
a combination of hard and soft iron evenly dis-
tributed. His head-light is equipped with an
electric light which makes the way ahead as
bright as day. His bearings are adjustable un-
der all conditions and prevent strains on wheels
and rails. His couplers are of the latest
standard. The conductor may communicate
with him at any time either by means of a bell,
a steam whistle or the use of air. His engine
weighs in the neighborhood of 160,000 pounds,
and has a driving wheel base of fifteen feet.
The cylinders are 20 by 28 inches. The driving
wheels have a diameter of over sixty inches, with
centers of cast steel and flange tires on all driv-
ing wheels.
The boiler is made for a working pressure
of 200 pounds. The fire box is 112 inches long
by 42 inches wide, and there are 275 tubes each
fifteen feet long. The heating surface which
the fireman must take care of is 2,000 square
feet, and the grate area is 32.6 square feet. The
tender has thirty-three-inch wheels of cast iron,
with a wheel base of fifteen feet four inches.
The tank has a water capacity of 6,000 gallons
and a coal capacity of ten tons. There are
Tower couplers, Westinghouse brakes, Hancock
injectors, Nathan triple lubricators, Crosby chime
whistles, Ashton safety valves, Leach sanding
devices, Jerome piston and valve-stem packing,
Coffin toughened steel driving axles; Kewanee
tender brake beam and Mclntosh pneumatic
blow-off cocks.
* * * *
Such an equipment as this was not to be
found on the locomotives of forty years ago,
and the danger in handling them or being hauled
by them was correspondingly great. And
though the improvement in locomotives has
been remarkable, that in roadbeds is as great.
The roadbed in the early history of railroading
was about as precarious a pile, as treacherous
a mass of earth and sand as could well be thrown
together.
To-day the whole aim of track construction
and maintenance is to provide a smooth and even
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
737
surface for the wheels of the train, for which
purpose the rails must be held as nearly as pos-
sible in absolute surface and line, while the
weight which they carry must be distributed over
a large area of the roadbed or subgracle. A
cross-tie system has been introduced which places
from fourteen to eighteen independent supports
under each thirty-foot rail. Another system
adopts a concrete platform, while still another
provides that each rail shall be supported on a
longitudinal sill or beam of concrete, built up
of blocks ten feet long, and so connected as to
form continuous and practically jointless beams.
Anchor bolts are molded into the concrete,
but in the chances of derailed wheels breaking
the bolts, a renewable attachment is being
sought. Additional improvements sought for
roadbeds and now being provided are those
which do away with dust, metal ties, tie preserv-
ing process, switch frogs and frog substitutes,
unloaders and the like.
* * * *
It is absolutely certain, then, that the train
which is coming west over the Central, the
Lackawanna, the Pennsylvania or any other of
the great trunk lines, is equipped, both as to en-
gine and car mechanism, with the best of human
inventions, and is to pass over a roadbed that
the skill of man is constantly watching.
The conductor gives the signal to start.
There is a gasp from the locomotive, a slight
spin of the drivers — no pulling and jerking of
couplings, but an easy transition from inertia to
motion, and the train is away. How many
switch points — the place where a switch comes
in contact with the main line track — the train
passes over in leaving the yards of any of the
companies centering in New York City it is im-
possible to say.
They run into the thousands, but are crossed
with so little noise or jar that passengers in the
dining car do not realize where they are. The
misplacing of one would derail either the entire
train or part of it and cost many their lives, but no
chances are taken on misplacement. The switches
are controlled either by hand power and locked
when not in use, or operated from towers by
hand levers and electricity or compressed air,
and the approach of a train to them is protected
by semaphores. The switches also carry at
night signal lamps which show whether they are
open or closed.
The train speeds through the yards in this
fashion. As it approaches the first tower in
which there is a signal man, the engineer ob-
serves that a wooden arm, projecting from a
high pole and extending over the track his train
is on, is down — that is, instead of standing out
at right angles to the pole which upholds it —
and which means :
"Danger stop."
It is down, parallel with the pole, a sign of:
"Track clear. Go ahead."
The train sweeps by the tower and the sig-
nal man above touches an electric button in his
little coop. This signals to the next tower,
which may be a hundred or a thousand feet be-
yond, that the main line is occupied with an
oncoming train for which he must give either a
"clear" signal or one of "danger," and hold it
until all chance of peril is passed. This second
signal man passes the train on to a third and so
on until it is out of the yards, in the open coun-
try, and where block signaling and protection
is less complicated.
* * * *
How elaborate this protection described is
for trains in the yards where constant switch-
ing is going on may be shown by the adoption
by the Northwestern road of a system of switch
guarding, independent of the signal lamps used.
By the old system, an engineer on an approach-
ing train knew whether the switch ahead was
open or closed by the color of the light placed
upon it at night or the position of its target by
day. Often, though, when these showed "safe-
ty" he would dash down upon the switch only
to find when too late that the signals were right
but the switch wrong and a wreck ensued.
To prevent just this thing happening the
Northwestern has connected its switches with
a semaphore placed 1,000 feet from the switch
738
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
itself. If the switch is closed its target or lamp
must show this, and also the semaphore, for the
switch cannot move without the semaphore do-
ing so also, and vice versa. Thus the engineer
is warned 1,000 feet away from the switch as to
its condition and has every opportunity to bring
his train under control if anything is wrong.
Full conception of this new protection can-
not be appreciated until it is understood that the
slow yard speed of former years enjoined upon
trains no longer exists, and that it is not unusual
for a passenger train to pass through the yards
at the rate of forty and fifty miles an hour.
Especially is this the case of suburban trains
like those of the Burlington, the Rock Island,
the Milwaukee and St. Paul and the Illinois Cen-
tral. A Burlington train recently went through
the Aurora yards at the rate of seventy miles an
hour, and the passage was as safe as though the
"trick" were done outside of town and where
switches were few.
The Western Indiana system protects its
switches by a safety device for block signaling
invented by the late F. C. Doran, the designer
of the Sixteenth street track elevation. This
device consists of the application of a lock be-
tween the signal arms of a double semaphore
and the switch points governed thereby, operat-
ing in such a manner that when the switch is
set for the main line the signal for the siding is
locked in danger position and vice versa.
* * * *
As if all these precautions against accidents
to a train were not enough, devices have come in-
to use by which the engine itself sets danger
signals in the rear of the train it is hauling and
drops them when out of the block in which they
are necessary. This automatic setting is done
by electricity. The drivers of the engine, com-
ing in contact at a certain point with an electric
current, complete a circuit, this in turn sets a
semaphore in the rear of the train and keeps
other trains from approaching. When the train
which has set the signal is a safe distance away,
the drivers release the signal and the main line
is open again. Still another device is that by
which the engine on passing a certain point sets
a bell to ringing in a box placed close to the
track on a standard. This bell rings for a cer-
tain length of time, long enough to let the train
proceed some distance ahead. While ringing it
can be heard by the engineer of a second train
approaching, and he is warned that the way is
not clear.
It would seem impossible with all of these
protections that an accident could occur in rail-
road yards, but they do and are usually trace-
able to the fault of a human being. The mind
grows tired and the hand weary, and then the
harm comes. No invention in the patent office
at Washington can prevent this.
But the transcontinental train is out of the
yards safely and speeding toward the first sta-
tion west of New York. Apparently it is not
under the guardianship of any official of the road
save the engineer or conductor, but to think
so is a mistake. Before it had cleared New
York City the train dispatcher at that point had
wired the first station west :
"No 15, west bound, left i p. m."
As the time it is due at the station thus
warned is 1:20 p. m. the operator" at that point
marks on his time-table board :
"No 15 on time."
He waits contentedly for the approach of
the limited, because under the rules of the road
he knows that it is the only train between his
station and New York on the west-bound track
—in other words, it is the only train in the block
formed between New York and this station and
no other can enter until it has passed out. This
is called "blocking by telegraph.' Where this
system does not prevail a system of towers will
be found between stations in which there are
signal men, who give the train as it draws near
the signal to proceed and after it has passed
display a signal that no other train can pass un-
til it has entered the next block.
* * * *
This is not the only way in which the train
is protected. There are a great many grade
crossings to be gone over and at these teams,
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
cattle and pedestrians are liable to be met. Col-
lisions with them are not only feared, but are
usually expensive to the company. To avoid
these collisions large sign posts are put up at
the crossings on which is painted :
"Look Out for the Cars."
Or,
"Look. Listen. Danger."
The latter signal carries with it an electric
bell, which the approaching engine starts to
ringing when it is yet 1,000 feet away. The
bell rings until the train is fully over the cross-
ing.
Another protection is a device for signal-
ing to the engineer in his cab warning of his
approach to a station, with reference to which
he may have special orders requiring attention.
One of the officials of the Rock Island road de-
signed this new device. The device consists
essentially of an order holder or clip in an elec-
tric circuit, in which is also included a circuit-
closer in connection with a striking rod extend-
ing below the cab in position to be struck by a
lifting block attached to the ties at any con-
venient distance from the station.
It would seem, in view of all these precau-
tions, these myriads of inventions for life pro-
tection, that serious accidents would be next
to impossible. But they do occur, and how they
occur is illustrated by the accident of last July
loth, on the Southern Pacific, at Newman, Cal.
The road is one which adopts extra precautions
against accidents.
At Tracy, thirty-seven miles north of the
place of collision, four trains received copies
of the following order :
"Monday, July 10, 1899. — Ow. July 10,
1899; 241, 245, ex. 1725, 1721, Ac. O. K. D.,
O. K. F. A. P., 12 :os a. m. Eng. 1725 and Eng.
1721 will run extra Tracy to Mendota. Will
pass No. 241, Eng. 1717, and No. 245, Eng.
1403, when overtaken."
Train No. 245, a regular freight, was due
at Newman at 2:34 a. m., and arrived on time.
On entering the station it was protected in the
rear by a semaphore signal, displayed by a sig-
nal man in the tower. The freight took water
and received no orders. Extra 1,721, carrying
teachers to the Los Angeles convention, ap-
proached the semaphore signal a little later at
high rate of speed. It whistled and then slowed
down to a speed of twenty or twenty-five miles
an hour. The signal man in charge of the sema-
phore signaled ''no orders" and the special
dashed on, into the freight, and was wrecked.
Two women were killed and many injured.
Investigation showed that the signal man
should have displayed his red light and stopped
the special before it reached the semaphore. His
plea of justification for not doing so is that the
special should have been under control when it
approached the station and prepared to meet the
freight. However this may be, the accident is
an illustration of where men fail, a failure rail-
way companies have been trying to avoid ever
since they were first put into operation.
* * * *
If the Southern Pacific had been equipped
with a semaphore system, by which the freight
train in entering the station had automatically
set its own danger signal, the special would have
stopped and the accident been avoided. But
passing this by the trans-continental train, which
has been trying all of these various safety guards
between Buffalo and New York, up through the
beautiful Scranton Valley and back of engines
that give forth no smoke, has reached Buffalo
and is in control now of the Lake Shore for the
run to Chicago.
Aside from semaphores and signal lights
in switch yards, the Lake Shore protects through
the system of blocking trains from station to
station by telegraph. This is also done by the
Milwaukee and St. Paul and most of the prin-
cipal trunk lines. But the trans-continental
train, which is hastening toward the Pacific, if
perfectly guarded by the systems named, has
dangers to avoid in coming in contact with a
few great railway systems, where old-time
methods prevail and old-time accidents are fre-
quent. It is not necessary to specify, but here
is the language of a capable coroner's jury in
740
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
regard to an accident on one of the principal
roads in the East.
"We hold the railway company primarily
responsible for the accident, for the reason
that it has never established a modern and ade-
quate system of communication by telegraph be-
tween all signal stations and the main office.
Had this system been in vogue the accident, in
our judgment, could have been avoided."
That verdict aided in not only costing the
negligent company $275,000 in settling dam-
age and death claims, but also led to the incor-
poration in its system of the modern methods of
blocking and signaling in use on the North-
western, the Burlington and other first-class
roads.
The trancontinental train in passing through
Chicago passes over the largest and greatest com-
bination of switch tracks and main lines in the
United States. It also passes the next to the
largest, if not the largest, interlocking switch
lever house in the country. This is the one
operated by compressed air at Twenty-second
street on the Western Indiana system. Sema-
phores protect all approaches to this house and
its tracks, and compressed air exerted by means
of lever opens and closes the track.
* * * *
When delivered to the Northwestern the
train is protected to Omaha by electric signals,
tower houses and the manual block, the auto-
matic block, and blocking by telegraph from
station to station. It runs over double track to
Ames, and flies as if on a ballroom floor. Track
walkers have inspected the way and train dis-
patchers have opened it. The transfer of the
train to the Union Pacific brings it to the most
tedious and beautiful portion of the journey,
the long but thrilling climb over the mountains.
The protection given in the mountains is
of that character that covers a train from station
to station, such distances often being a hundred
miles or more. The semaphore system in the
unsettled portions is useless, and the nerve and
wit of the train dispatcher and the telegraph
operators must serve in place of automatic ap-
pliances.
The combination of both at certain portions
of the line brings the modern signal system to
as near a state of perfection as it can be in this
day and age. Both the Northwestern and the
Burlington have made world records on their
tracks under such methods of blocking. The
wonder is not that so many accidents have oc-
curred but that so few happen.
As a veteran railroader puts it :
"The odds that any train will meet with
even the slightest mishap in these days is 1,000
to i, if it is operated on a first-class road."
(Cliicago Times-Herald.)
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
741
CURLEY AND HIS ENGINE.
This was in St. Louis. A woman walked
into the Union station and said :
"My husband is dying in Chicago. How
quick can I get there?"
"Eight hours," said the gateman. So this
woman, who was reduced to a bundle of nerves
and many half-choked sobs, took the Illinois
Central limited that left just after 12, and seated
herself in the rear of the buffet car and looked
out of her glass inclosure at the disappearing
city on the Mississippi. The train was just the
ordinary, comfortable American express kind,
with a good many places to be easy in, and the
usual curious American way of getting over the
rails at a high rate of speed without seeming to
be moving very fast. That's a trick Curley can
. tell you all about. The woman had been mar-
ried to this man that was dying about twenty
years, and their life had been of the agree-al-
ways kind. If the man had been in the railroad
business his associates would have called him
"a double compound" and the woman "a pusher."
The train seemed all too slow to the woman as
it slipped out of East St. Louis and headed for
Decatur.
* * * *
The engine was No. 911 and the engineer a
man by name J. Curley, otherwise known as
the "Comanche Indian." This title has come
to him through his manner of holding his head
high and of running his engine at extraordinary
speed when occasion demands. His run to Clin-
ton, where his division ends, is a fast one under
the most ordinary circumstances. When a few
minutes' time is lost it becomes the duty of Cur-
ley to make it faster and to always keep on time.
Monday he knew nothing of the woman back in
the buffet car, nor of her passionate eagerness to
reach home swiftly, and if he had it is doubtful
if he could have done more than he did. For
some unexplained reason after he left Alton he
lost ten minutes in time, and Clinton 127 miles
away with about eight stops to be made. The
woman in the buffet car noted the loss of time
and suffered correspondingly. In time a gentle-
man who knew her came and sat by her side,
and to him she lamented over the delay.
"It is nothing," said he. "We are travel-
ing now a mile a minute."
They took out their watches and timed the
mile posts.
* * * *
The roadbed is one of these high-graded,
ballroom-floor affairs; the train, vestibuled and
solid. There was no swaying or jarring as
Curley knocked off his mile every minute. In-
side the car, unless one timed with a watch, the
speed did not seem greater than forty miles an
hour. The man with the woman suddenly said :
"This last mile we've traveled in 57 sec-
onds."
She studied her own watch, occasionally
looking up to watch the gyrations of the rolling
ball of dust in the rear of the train. Suddenly
she called out :
"And that mile in 51 seconds."
This was near Nokomis. The dust ball in
the train's rear grew larger and larger and re-
volved more rapidly. The little stations, em-
bowered in trees, became but dots of green up-
on the plain. The "Comanche Indian" was mak-
ing up time. Now came ten swift miles — the
first in 59 seconds, the second in 57, the third
in 54, the fourth in 50, the fifth in 49, the sixth
742
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
in 47, the seventh in 50, the eighth in 48, the ninth
in 47 and the tenth mile in 45 seconds. Some-
how this safe, easy swing through space was
comforting to the woman in the buffet car. She
wished the engineer in front on the flying ma-
chine could just understand how much she ap- ,
preciated what he was doing. Every mile gone
was one nearer the man who was awaiting her
in Chicago — the man who was going on an-
other and still more swiftly journey.
The "Comanche Indian" has a curious but
skillful way of handling his throttle. He coaxes
it as a mother -leads on a child. He draws it
on easily, gently, without jerk or jar. So he
handles his air, giving all the leeway in the world
for the application, but calculating with such
nicety his distances and the necessity for a stop
or slow-up that the train is at a standstill before
the diminishment of speed i^Jj noted or felt.
There are engineers that handle their air and
throttles rudely, and every passenger knows by
the unpleasant sensations just what is going on
in the cab. But the hand of Curley is as vel-
vet covering steel, and so he brings 911 onto
Clinton. The woman kept checking off the miles
and the companion with her aided. The train
shot over the brow of a hill and out into the open.
There was fury and furies in its wake, the at-
mosphere rushed into a whip that beat the bal-
lasted wav and swirled the leaves and dust into
a tornado of rage. The woman clapped her
hands gleefully, exclaiming:
"That mile was traveled in 40 seconds."
And so it was — 5,280 feet in two-thirds of
a minute. The speed but shows the possibili-
ties of American steam railway equipment upon
a perfect roadbed and in the hands of tried men.
Curley was doing only what his duty called
upon him to do when time was to be made up.
He was coming up the historic way where the
slaves of fifty years ago found the underground
railroad and a chance for freedom. He was
chasing miles in forty and fifty seconds in ter-
ritory where Logan and Lincoln, and long be-
fore them Pierre Menarcl and the Jesuit fathers
had made history with saddle and horse or the
slow canoe of Indian days.
* * * *
A mile in 41 seconds, another in 45, an-
other in 50, one more in 55 seconds and 911 came
into Clinton on time. The woman in the buffet
car coming to the man waiting for her in Chi-
cago laid back her head on the pillow of her chair
and said :
"I can sleep the rest of the way."
But of all this 911 and the "Comanche In-
dian" knew nothing.
H. I. CLEVELAND.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
743
THE RAILROAD MAN.
NE of the most excellent products of
the latter half of the nineteenth cen-
tury is, undoubtedly, the railroad
man. In the earlier years of his de-
velopment he was little known and little re-
spected. From a trade his occupation has grown
into a science. His numbers have increased un-
til now he is as the sands of the sea. He has
penetrated the wilderness and in few spots of
civilization is he unknown. Much of the in-
ventive genius of the age has spent its best
thought in the development of the craft and the
railroad man is himself a frequent and practical
inventor. He comes from all the walks of life,
the high and the lowly, from the country, the
village, the town, the city, but from whatever
place he emanates life on the rail has leavening
effect and moulds him into a type distinctively
his own.
He is usually a man of portly mien and
whether it be from the sedentary life of the office
or the jostle of the train he takes on flesh. It
may be the effect of the ozone evolved in swiftly
moving through space, but be what it may his
form in time is rounded out into the full lines
of the alderman, which frequently he is in the
thrifty cities where he makes his home. He will
oft times advance and serve his fellow citizens
in the mayor's chair and again he may enlarge
his constituency and represent his district in the
legislative halls as a stepping stone to the highest
executive office in the state, or become the coun-
sellor of the government as head of some of
the more important departments in the admini-
stration of the affairs of his commonwealth.
Nor are the activities of his brain confined to
the borders of his state alone ; his voice is to be
heard in the halls of the national congress in the
40
senate as well as the house, and it need be no
surprise if at no very distant day the chair of the
chief servant of the nation at the White House
be filled by a railroad man. The breadth of
knowledge, the width of experience, the execu-
tive ability required to successfully manage the
affairs of a great modern railway system is as
great as that required to guide the ship of state
of the great nations of the earth.
His brain is alert and he is keenly alive to
the events that are transpiring in the busy world
of which he is a part. While at his post of
duty his whole attention is concentrated to the
work in hand, but in his hours of leisure he
turns as heartily to the world of sport. He has
his favorites in the race for the pennant in the
national game and can give an opinion on the
relative merits of the leading exponents of the
manly art of self defense. He has a fondness
for the theater and has seen the foremost actors
in their best known plays ; he has heard the lead-
ing singers in their favorite roles and can hum
snatches from the popular operas and the latest
songs of the day.
The railroad man frequently rises above the
material world and invades the field of music,
art and literature, supplying the current maga-
zines with articles of as great interest and merit
as that of writers who have made a profession
of the pen. His prose has a local color, in writ-
ing tales of the rail, that is lacking in one who
is not to the manor born and his verse whether
set to music or not, sings itself into the hearts of
people.
As a ruling force in the world the railroad
man is as yet unconscious of his power. His
name is legion and between the contending par-
ties he holds the balance. Should he unite his
744
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
forces there is nothing to prevent his ruling the
western world.
In his family he takes great pride and the
evenings around the fireside with music and song
are his happiest hours. His daughters have had
the benefit of the best training in art and music,
and his sons the advantage of the best of schools.
While he, himself, may have completed his edu-
cation in the little log school house, the coming
representative of the family is given the best
opportunity in Harvard or Yale.
The railroad man is eminently a social be-
ing and in addition to the Brotherhood to which
his occupation would naturally draw him he
is a member of one or more of the orders which
find attraction for his fellow-men. He knows
a good thing when he sees it, and has endured
the terrors of the mystic rites of ancient tribes
and clans. He feels the full import of the three
links and acts upon the square, knows in what
sign we conquer and has crossed in his pilgrim-
age the hot sands of the desert. Come from
where he may, from humble cottage or more
pretentious home, life on the rail rubs off the
rough corners and puts a polish on the diamond
in the rough, making in every situation a genial
courteous gentleman of the Railroad Man.
PHOTO OF G. E. WAUGH, FREEP^RT, ILL.
Entrance to tunnel between Monticello and Bellville, Wis,, on the Madison branch of the Illinois Central.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
745
AMERICAN PASSENGER SERVICE.
THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
"Not only the best but the cheapest pas-
senger service in the world is given by the rail-
ways of the United States," said Vice President
Morton of the Santa Fe system.
"In this country," continued Mr. Morton,
"with very few exceptions — the 'limited' trains
between New York and Washington and Chica-
go— the second and third-class passenger travels
on the same train as the first-class passenger,
thereby covering distances just as rapidly. In
Europe the second and third class passengers
not only have to travel in inferior cars, but usual-
ly on much slower trains. On many railroads
in America, especially throughout the West, re-
clining chair cars are run without extra cost to
passengers. These cars have chairs that make
very comfortable seats during the day and can
be tipped back at night for reclining purposes,
and take the place of the faittenil compartments
on European trains, for which an extra charge
is made, which is not less than the Pullman
tariffs in America. None but first-class passen-
gers can use the compartment cars on the con-
tinent, while in the United States second-class
passengers have the right to use reclining chair
cars, and without extra cost.
"The passenger fares on the continent are
very much higher than they are in America.
For example, take the $100 round-trip passen-
ger rate from Chicago to California and return,
good for nine months. This covers a distance
of over 5,000 miles, going and coming, and the
passenger has the option of going out via one
line and returning by another. The round trip
rate from London to St. Petersburg, a distance
of 1,636 miles, is $96.44; to Constantinople, a dis-
tance of 2,144 miles, is $139.38, and the single
fare from London to Brindisi, a distance of
1,460 miles, is $61.80. There are no distances
on the continent where there is any considerable
travel that seem to compare with the long routes
much traveled in the United States, but the
round-trip rates from London to St. Petersburg
and Constantinople, two important points in
direct communication, demonstrate how much
cheaper travel for long distance is in America
than it is on the continent.
"The first-class fares for short distances on
the continent will compare as unfavorably with
American rates for short distances. The first-
class passenger rate from Chicago to any Mis-
so_uri river point, a distance of 500 miles, is
$12.50. The fare from Paris to Geneva, Switzer-
land, a distance of less than 400 miles, is $14.00.
Rates east of Chicago as a rule are lower than
in the West.
"In addition to the fact that the rates of
themselves are much higher in Europe than
America, the supplementary charges are much
more excessive. For instance, .one is charged 4
francs from Paris to Calais, a ride of five hours,
in addition to the regular fare, merely to occupy
a car containing toilet facilities. This car has
nothing more than is to be found in every coach
on American railways. For the money that is
charged for riding in a continental coach con-
taining the most common toilet arrangements
one could ride nearly all day in this country in
Pullman cars containing every convenience and
comfort, not to say luxury.
746
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
OUR SLEEPERS BETTER AND CHEAPER.
"Sleeping-car rates, as a rule, are more than
twice as high on the continent as Pullman rates
in this country, and the accommodations there
are inferior. From Paris to Calais, a ride of five
hours, the charge is $3.60 for a fauteuil lit, which
is nothing more than a single seat that draws
out, not at all like a Pullman berth, but more
like our reclining-chair cars. In such a com-
partment they furnish neither soap, brushes,
towels, nor attendance — in some cases not even
bedding. That charge is for a single seat, while
in this country the Pullman rates are all for
double berth, which will accommodate two per-
sons. The regular sleeping-car rate from Chi-
cago to New York, for example, is $5.00, the
distance being 980 miles. The rate from Paris
to Monte Carlo, a distance of 500 miles, for sleep-
ing-car, is $16.00.
"In European sleeping cars there is no
porter to dance attendance to your wishes, and
the conductor is obliged to make up all berths
and look after all passengers. There is no
separate toilet-room for ladies, and the one used
by both sexes is very small, and is not supplied
with the conveniences to be found in every Pull-
man car.
"Still another extra charge increasing the
cost of travel on the continent, as contrasted
with America, is the baggage tariff. In many
countries in Europe you are allowed no free
baggage except that which you can carry in
your hand. In France you are allowed only
fifty-six pounds, while in the United States
every passenger is entitled to have 150 pounds
of baggage transported free. Baggage charges
in Europe increase the cost of travel on an aver-
age 25 per cent.
"Another marked evidence of the liberality
of American railways, as contrasted with Euro-
pean customs, is the tariff for children. Here
all children under 5 years of age travel free,
and between the ages of 5 and 12 years are
charged half rates. The railroads are quite
liberal in their constructions of this rule, and I
think accurate figures would show that a majori-
ty of the children under 7 years of age travel
free. In Europe children from 3 to 6 years old
are charged half rates, all over 6 paying full
adult fares. While there children under 3 years
are carried free, in most cases the railroads have
rules that such children cannot occupy seats,
but must be held by parents or nurses unless
all persons paying fare are comfortably seated."
— Chicago Inter Ocean.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
747
THE AMERICAN TRAIN DISPATCHER.
Mr. W. S. Glover, chief train dispatcher of
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, speaking
at the meeting of the St. Louis Railway Club,
gave some scraps of the early history of train
dispatching in this country. The first railroad
telegraph line was erected in 1847-8 on the Erie
Railroad, under the supervision of Ezra Cornell,
the founder of Cornell University. Clias. Minot,
then general superintendent of the Erie road,
being convinced of the value of the telegraph,
persuaded his directors to authorize its adoption.
In 1851, after the matter had been discussed by
the stockholders, officials and employes for four
years, the latter were most emphatic in denounc-
ing the undertaking and were unanimous in re-
fusing to obey orders making meeting points
between trains by wire, but instructions were
issued, and train men were forced into compli-
ance. In the West the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy was the first road to move trains
by telegraph, in the early part of 1863. Mr.
C. H. Chappell, now general manager of the
Chicago and Alton, was the train dispatcher,
and Mr. F. C. Rice, now superintendent of the
Illinois lines of the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy, the operator. Mr. Robert Pitcairn,
now superintendent and general agent of the
Pennsylvania at Pittsburg, is among the early
dispatchers, having moved trains by wire in 1855
and 1856. He was the first person to introduce
the duplicate order system in Pennsylvania and
Virginia, in the early 6os. He had charge of the
movement of government troops and munitions
of war.
From the crude, unsatisfactory manner of
thirty to forty years ago, with a large per cent
of train accidents chargeable to the dispatcher,
train dispatching has improved until to-day the
per cent of accidents is brought down to a mini-
mum. With the old telegraph register used in
receiving it took thirty minutes or more to make
meeting points by wire. The train orders were
written upon any kind of paper and rewritten
several times, being sent to one office at a time.
Each would in most cases get a different word-
ing, and frequent were the collisions from a lap
order. During the prevalence of the single
order, the dispatcher spent about one-third of
his time checking up his orders to see if he were
going to have a collision, and at about what
point on the line it would occur. But today
dispatching stands in the front ranks, made so
by the American Railway Association, on whose
train rule committee are superintendents and
managers who have spent years at the dis-
patcher's table. The result of their deliberations
is the standard code, making the labor of the
dispatcher less and his work more accurate and
perfect, and taking away that terrible strain on
his mind that prevailed under the old single
order system.
748
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
ENGINEERS PROVE FAITHFUL.
To the engineer belongs the most hazardous
and at the same time the most responsible task
of any of the men who run the train, and the
passengers on one of the great flyers as they loll
back in their seats reading the most recent work
of fiction or gazing placidly forth at the scenery
scarcely ever give a thought to the fact that
ahead of them is a dust and oil begrimed man
who, for the time being, literally carries their
lives in the. hollow of his sweaty hand, and to
whose watchful and alert eyes and .unflinching
nerve they may owe their escape from a horrible
death.
But so it is, and this man the engineer,
usually of humble origin and meager education,
is a man for all that, and one of force, and with
the power and will, to do and to die in the pur-
suit of his duty should the occasion arise. It
is extraordinary how few cases there are where
engineers have been found derelict in the mo-
ment of trial. There have been innumerable
wrecks since railroads were first introduced into
the country, but the record of the number of
engineers who have failed when the crucial test
came is infinitesimal. It should be remembered
that there is no way in which the courage of an
engineer can be tested, and only by actual par-
ticipation in a wreck can he receive his baptism
of fire.
When once danger appears in front, an en-
gineer's duty is, first, to close the throttle ; sec-
ond, to apply the air brakes ; third, to reverse
the engine — that is, to throw over the reversing
lever, which enables the engine to run in the
opposite direction from which it had been going ;
fourth, to reopen the throttle.
To do these four acts calls for but a frac-
tion of time, but where wrecks result the dan-
ger is usually so imminent as frequently not to
leave even sufficient interval to accomplish them,
and often when ruins have been cleared away
the body of the faithful guardian has been dis-
covered with his hand on the throttle, reverse
lever, or brake, and bearing silent witness as to
how far he had got toward the accomplishment
of that duty which he had yielded his life to
perform.
THE CAR INSPECTOR.
Importance of his Work and the Great Watch-
fulness Needed.
It is interesting to watch the trained car
inspector examining a long freight train which
has rolled into the yards. He moves along the
side of the cars and notes off the wheels, brake-
beams, bolsters, rods, etc. He uses no ham-
mer, but has his eyes open for defects. He will
stop suddenly, look carefully at a wheel and fol-
low the faint lines of a crack running, perhaps
from the flange to the center. Such a wheel is
condemned at once, and the car is shunted off
until a new pair of wheels can be placed under
it. If there is a flat place on a wheel which
measures more than two and one-half inches
across that wheel must go, too. Then there may
be a sharp flange, and that must be looked after.
A coupling may have faults, a brake rigging
may have given out, and all these things the
inspector must take note of.
He must be an honest man, as thousands
of dollars' worth of property and many lives
might be sacrificed in case he neglected some-
thing. Box-car doors he looks at carefully.
They are dangerous things if they are loose.
Many an engineer and fireman has met his doom
by having the cab strike a loose car door. It
may be hanging in place in the yard, but when
it reaches a point where a strong wind catches
it, out it goes, and the passing train strikes it.
In such cases there is a shower of splinters, a
broken cab, and it is lucky indeed if there is no
one killed. Engineers have a dread of loose
doors, and are always glad when a freight train
is past them when they are running at full speed.
Another thing the inspector must watch is
the hopper-bottom dump car. If the fastening
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
749
gets loose and lets a load of ore or limestone
dimii on the track while the train is in motion
it means a bad wreck.
Taking all things into consideration, the
car inspector is a very important man in the rail-
way service, and efficiency on his part comes on-
ly from long experience and careful training.
A MECHANICAL MARVEL.
What Sixty Miles an Hour Means to the Loco-
motive.
It all sounds simple in the recital. The won-
der of the things comes into view only when one
reflects on the speed and nicety with which cum-
brous parts are made to do their duty. The
piston and connecting bar of a modern locomo-
tive weigh some 600 pounds. When the speed
is 60 miles an hour, these parts travel back and
forth five times a second. Ten times a second,
at the end of every stroke, the piston head is
at rest. It must pass from this condition to a
velocity of 1,800 feet per minute in one-twentieth
of a second. The drive wheels measure more
than a rod at every revolution, but when going
60 miles an hour they must turn more than 300
times a minute.
Sixty miles an" hour is the merest common-
place to the mind of the up to date railroad man,
but means other things besides those described
that are wonderful to the outsider. It means a
steam pressure blow of 20 tons on each piston
head every tenth of a second. It means that up
in the cab the fireman is throwing into the fur-
nace two-thirds of a ton of coal every hour.
No. 900 burns coal faster than ten men can mine
it. It means two quarts of oil every hour to
keep her journal boxes greased and everything
running smoothly. It means that the engine
with its half dozen cars and load of human
freight is moving through space with twice the
power of a shot from a 100 ton gun. It means
that the engineer has worked her up to the
point where she can use every ounce of steam,
that he is coaxing her as a jockey urges his mount
in a fierce race, and yet it means that he is ready
at a second's notice to move the reversing lever
and apply the air-brakes that will stop the mighty
avalanche within the distance that it covers as
it stands on the tracks. — Earl W. Mayo in Ains-
lee's.
750
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Cotton Field in the Yazoo Valley, Miss.
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
751
A BUNCH OF RAILROAD INCIDENTS.
A LIBERAL GIVER.
It will be remembered that brakeman Roy
I ekes of Freeport saved the life of a deaf old
gentleman at Galena. The engine was backing
up and the old gentleman did not hear it ap-
proaching. It was within two feet of him when
Mr. Ickes snatched him out of harm's way at
considerable risk to himself. The rescued in-
dividual is said to be worth in the neighborhood
of $75,000. He evidently felt grateful, for
he hunted up Mr. Ickes and reaching down in
his pocket drew out two quarters which he
solemnly presented to his rescuer. He accom-
panied the gift with the remark that he hoped
Mr. Ickes would not spend the money for drink-
but buy with it something to wear in memory
of him. Mr. Ickes, of course, was overwhelmed
at this extraordinary munificence.
ARMOUR AS A BRAKEMAN.
George A. Sheldon, depot master of the
Lake shore station at Adrian, Mich., who died
October 23, after 46 years of continuous service
with the Lake Shore company, was a veritable
encyclopedia of railroad incident, and his well-
told tales, if repeated in his own select phrase,
would rank as classic literature. His narrations
were confined to actualities, thus giving them
a real value, says the Detroit News. He was
for many years a conductor and among the best
of the incidents he related the following :
"One day there stepped aboard my train
a well dressed, business appearing man, who, as
he tendered his fare, remarked :
" 'I see you are still on the road, Mr. Shel-
don.'
"Yes, I am still at it," I replied, "but I am
not certain that I remember you, though I think
I have seen you."
" 'Yes you have seen me before,' emphasized
the passenger, 'and while you doubtless have for-
gotten it, I still remember that you once did me
the greatest favor of my life. Come to my se?t
when. you get time and I'll tell you about it.'
"When I had finished collecting fares 1
dropped into the stranger's seat, and he con-
tinued : 'Years ago I was four days brakeman
on your train. At the end of the four days
you took me aside and remarked in a tone of
sympathy : "I'm sorry to have to tell you so, but
the fact is, young man, you are too much of a
fool to ever make a good railroader. Take my
advice and quit." I took your advice and went
into other business and the result is I have made
a fair fortune. I thank you, Mr. Sheldon, for
your wise counsel.'
"What is your name?" I asked.
" 'Phil D. Armour, of Chicago,' replied my
ex-brakeman, 'and I shall always remember your
kindness. I was a stupid railroader and you
advised for my good.':
"Until this interview," added Mr. Sheldon,
"I never suspected that Phil D. Armour, the
packer, was the brakeman I discharged years
before."
752
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
HOW SHE GOT HER MONEY'S
WORTH.
Mr. and Mrs. Mellish recently moved to
Chicago from an eastern city and rented a house
in Hyde Park. Mrs. Mellish made her first
downtown shopping trip a few days ago, and
it was rather late in the afternoon when she
had finished looking at things she didn't want
to buy. Then she went over to the Van Buren
street station, handed out a quarter and asked
for a ticket to Hyde Park. The agent pushed
out 15 cents in change and a perforated piece of
cardboard.
Mrs. Mellish is a careful woman. Once she
heard of a man who bought a railway ticket,
put it in his pocket without examining ft, and
when he got on the train found that it would
take him only about half way to the place for
which he had started. So she has made it a
practice always to be sure that she is getting
what she wants when she buys a ticket of any
kind.
"Here," she said after she had carefully
read what was printed upon her piece of card-
board, ''this is a ticket to Woodlawn. I want
to go to Hyde Park."
"It's all right, madam," replied the man at
the window; "that will take you to Hyde Park.
Woodlawn is farther out. You can leave the
train at any station this side."
"But I don't want to pay for a ticket to Wood-
lawn when I'm not going that far," she de-
clared.
"The fare is the same to both places," she
was told. "It would cost you 10 cents if your
ticket read Hyde Park instead of Woodlawn.
All passengers for Hyde Park have Woodlawn
tickets. Step aside, please and don't keep others
waiting."
Mrs. Mellish put the ticket in her purse and
went out to the platform, where she interviewed
a number of people on the subject to make sure
that she was not being victimized.
When Mr. Mellish got home that night his
wife was not there. Dinner time came, and still
she had not arrived. Finally, along about 7
o'clock, the lady appeared, with her arms full
of bundles and weary.
"Why, my dear, you look as if you had
walked home," he said.
"I have, from Woodlawn," she replied.
"What have you been doing at Woodlawn ?"
he -asked.
"Do you suppose," she answered, "that I'm
going to pay for a ticket to Woodlawn and get
off at Hyde Park? No! It's perfectly out-
rageous the way these railroad companies scheme
to get the best of the people !"
THE ENGINEER'S STORY.
"To run over a man — perhaps that's the
only thing of all that shakes me. To see him on
the track within 10 or 20 feet of you, to know
that you can't stop to save him, to feel the wheels
of the engine go over his body, crunching out
his life — a man don't want to experience that
more than once in a lifetime.
"It's worse with a child. There was an
old mate of mine in the west when I was rid-
ing in the Union Pacific — never mind his name :
he's dead now — as good an engineer as ever
stood in a box, cool, nerve like steel, had been
through three wrecks, a holdup and a fire. Well,
one day Jim was a little behind his schedule
and made like anything for the next stop. There
was a crossing right in front of him. He saw
that everything was clear, as he thought, and
went right ahead, when all at once out of a clump
of trees there ran a little golden haired fairy-
right in front of the engine. It was all over
in one instant, and when the train stopped Jim
dropped like a log. It was two months before
he crept back again to work. But he could never
come to that crossing but he saw the little girl
with her hair fluttering in the wind running out
from the trees. And one day he just got off
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
753
his engine, turned it over to the second man
and walked away, never to be seen again until
bis body was found in the river. — Leslie's
Weekly.
SETTLED FOR THE CALICO
DRESS.
No Claim was made by the Farmer for his Wife's
Broken Limbs.
"Just settled the strangest claim for dam-
ages that I ever had" laughed the railroad claim
agent. "I was called down the road the other
day to look up an accident that we had. We
had run into an old farmer's wife, breaking
both of her legs and an arm and using her up
generally. I received orders from the general
manager to go post haste to the point of the
accident and settle for it, on the best terms I
could get.
"Just before I left the manager handed me
a letter and said with smile that I had better
look into that, too, while I was about it, as it
would not take me out of my way. When I
was settled for the journey I took the letter out
of my pocket and looked it over. It was a claim
for five yards of calico, with the threat that if
we didn't settle for it immediately suit would
be commenced to compel us to. The claim was
very vague, no reason being given why we should
pay for five yards of calico, and I resolved to
look the matter up to satisfy my own curiosity
if nothing else.
"However, the other case was more serious
so I looked that up first, and as I entered the
house the old man, whose wife had been nearly
killed, said grimly :
' 'So you're here te'r settle that thar claim
fer damages? Will, it is mighty lucky that ye
have come, fer I wuz goin' ter start suit agin ye
right away. My wife hadn't worn that thar
dress more'n twice an' it wuz jes' ez good ez
new.'
"Like a flash it dawned upon me that the
two claims were identical. I managed to settle
with the old man without falling dead, and when
1 left he shook hands with me cordially and said
that he guessed all this talk about robber rail-
roads was mostly newspaper gas for political
effect. — (From the Detroit Free Press.)
WOES OF THE TICKET SELLER.
Carelessness and Crankiness of the Traveling
Public Tend to Make his Life a Burden.
"Do you ever have any troubles?" asked a
ticket seller of the I. C. R. R. The cause of his
question was that a few minutes before he had
sold a couple of ladies tickets to a near-by village.
In a short time up came a long, lank, ungainly
countryman and bought two tickets for the same
village. He walked directly over to the ladies
who had already purchased tickets, and, after
half a minute's conversation, rushed back to the
ticket window and demanded the return of his
money. There was blood in his eye, and he told
the ticket man what his opinion of him was,
and it was not flattering. He also informed the
ticket seller that it was the duty of the ticket
seller to have told him that the ladies had pur-
chased tickets. His money was refunded.
Another case happened a short time ago,
when a Western Congressman was on his way
through this city. He was riding on a Western
Union pass, and, by the way, if there are any
impertinent passengers they are some of those
who ride on passes. While his train was stand-
ing at the depot he rushed into the station and
wanted the operator to send a telegram for him.
Just at the time he came in the agent was giving
orders to the conductor and when a man is giv-
ing train orders he is not supposed to do any-
thing else. He courteously informed the Con-
754
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
gressman that he would wait on him in a
moment, knowing that the man had plenty of
time before the train left. The fellow was im-
patient, and when the agent went to take his
message he explained that he was giving the
conductor his orders and could do nothing else.
The Congressman let out an oath and -said he
didn't look as though he could attend to one
thing at a time, let alone trying to do two. His
language was decorated around the edges with
swear words that would have been the envy of
a Texas ranger.
One other incident occurred when the late
VV. H. H. Adams was President of the Wesleyan
University. Mr. Adams came to the depot to
get a ticket. He had a clergyman's permit and
of course his ticket was half price. As it hap-
pened an angular farmer wanted to go to the
same place and got to the window in time to
see what the minister paid for his ticket, and
when the agent asked the farmer twice as much
as he did Mr. Adams the farmer made a dread-
ful howl. The agent pleasantly explained that
the other gentleman had purchased a minister's
ticket. "Well, give me a minister's ticket, too,
then. A minister's ticket is good enough for
me."
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
755
RHYME OF THE RAIL.
JOHN G. SAXE.
S inging through the forests,
Rattling over ridges,
Shooting under arches,
Rumbling over bridges,
Whizzing through the mountains,
Buzzing o'er the vale, —
Bless me! This is pleasant,
Riding on the rail!
Men of different "stations"
In the eye of Fame,
Here are very quickly
Coming to the same.
High and lowly people,
Birds of every feather,
On a common level
Traveling together!
Gentleman in shorts
Looming very tall;
Gentleman at large,
Talking very small;
Gentleman in tights,
With a loose-ish mien;
Gentleman in gray,
Looking rather green.
Gentleman quite old,
Asking for the news;
Gentleman in black,
In a fit of blues;
Gentleman in claret,
Sober as a vicar;
Gentleman in Tweed,
Dreadfully in liquor!
Stranger on the right,
Looking very sunny,
Obviously reading
Something rather funny.
Now the smiles are thicker,
Wonder what they mean?
Faith, he's got the KNICKER-
BOCKER Magazine!
Stranger on the left,
Closing up his peepers;
Now he snores amain,
Like the Seven Sleepers;
At his feet a volume
Gives the explanation,
How the man grew stupid
From "Association!"
Ancient maiden lady
Anxiously remarks,
That there must be peril
'Mong so many sparks!
Roguish-looking fellow,
Turning to the stranger,
Says it's his opinion
She is out of danger!
Woman with her baby,
Sitting vis-a-vis;
Baby keeps a squalling;
Woman looks at me;
Asks about the distance,
Says it's tiresome talking,
Noises of the cars
Are so very shocking!
Market-woman careful
Of the precious casket,
Knowing eggs are eggs,
Tightly holds her basket;
Feeling that a smash,
If it came, would surely
Send her eggs to pot
Rather prematurely!
Singing through the forests,
Rattling over ridges,
Shooting under arches,
Rumbling over bridges,
Whizzing through the mountains,
Buzzing o'er the vale;
Bless me! this is pleasant,
Riding on the rail!
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
MISSOURI IKE.
The story of Missouri Ike,
Is a native of the County Pike;
A railroad man he fain would be,
And went to work with C. R. I. & P.
That road he left in '94,
And went out to the Golden Shore.
From there to Tennessee he went,
In Memphis his last dollar spent.
"I'm on the bum again," quoth he,
"I'll go to work for the Y. and M. V."
He went to work with S. K. White,
That high ball run — it was all right.
There he stayed for thirty days;
He then thought he would change his ways.
To Wilson town he went to lodge,
And went to work with Joseph Bodds.
Joe is the son of Erin's Isle,
But I thought he would stay awhile;
Until one day in early spring,
A flagman by the name of Emrich came and
took his job away.
Now in the South Ike would not stay,
But went to the land where they raise long hay.
Three months he was in Omaha;
Then went to Cameron to see his pa;
There he did not tarry long,
And says, "I will be moving on."
Back to the "Sunny South" he comes,
And goes with Stanton on a chain gang run.
Now, Missouri Ike as a railroad man,
Is excelled by few in all the land,
But accidents are sure to be;
Ike left Vicksburg on 3-83.
It was a very foggy night;
He could not see the brake-man's light;
He left Port Gibson an hour late;
They will make that up as sure as fate.
As there is nothing on the line,
They will go to Wilson killing time.
But no! that was not to be.
The train was parted— let me see —
It was just five cars from the caboose,
Where that knuckle was broken loose.
Missouri Ike with link and pin,
Prepared to couple up again.
The way John Farr came back, it beat the band,
And mashed Missouri Ike's right hand.
One finger gone— that is not bad;
Ten was all he ever had.
The company's doctor — his name's Quin,
Will make him good as new again.
"Go North, my boy, your folks to see,
At the expense of the old 1. C.,
And when the summer sun is set,
Come back and work with Bruce Monette."
Ike stayed with Monette for a month or two;
Business got dull when they pulled off the crew.
It is work that Ike wants, as you all know;
So with this little tale of woe,
Straightway to the train master he did go.
Mr. Bellows looked wise, and said with a smile,
"I'll attend to your case after awhile."
Ike loafed around Wilson for a day or two,
Then rolled Tom Gardner off John Lawton's
crew .
Lawton is an old-timer, and he likes Ike, I
know,
For back and forth through the hills they go.
They are just as contented as they can be,
In their little red caboose No. 98943.
Now, kind friends, this story is true —
To prevent exaggeration I will bid you adieu.
WHAT THE CAR WHEELS SANG.
[FRANK L. STANTON in Atlanta Constitution.]
i.
With a scream of the whistle our farewell said,
And into the blackness of night we sped
On and on
To meet the dawn;
Under the sky where the stars burn red; .
Past hills that stood where the snows were shed,
Ghostly white as the shrouded dead;
On and on
To meet the dawn;
True hand at the throttle and hope ahead!
The steel rails ringing —
The swift wheels singing;
"To kith and kin, O hearts that roam —
In vine-wreathed cot, and marble dome,
Over the world we bear you home!"
Whirled through the dark where the black steed
drives
Are joys and sorrows of human lives;
Laughter and weeping,
And children sleeping
On the breasts of glad mothers; and wistful wives;
The clang of chains and the grip of gyves!
On and on
To meet the dawn
AND REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYES.
757
Where Light the soul of Darkness shr ves!
The steel rails ringing —
The mad wheels singing:
"To gloom or gladness, O hearts that roam —
To darkened dwelling or marble dome
Over the world we bear you home!"
There are hearts that listen with hope and fear
For the signal thrill of the engineer;
That throb and thrill
At that signal shrill,
Does it bring them the rose or the rue to wear?
The song, the sigh, or the burning tear?
On and on
To meet the dawn —
The black night dies, and the hills stand clear!
"What are you bringing, .
O swift wheels singing —
O daisied meadow and dew-sweet loam?"
"The hearts that hunger — the hearts that roam-
Over the world we bear them home!"
Old friends, old lovers, in rapture wild —
Kiss of the mother and clasp of the child;
The night is gone —
We have met the dawn;
Never so gladly the sweet sun smiled!
Never the spirit of Night beguiled
The hand so true,
That the throttle knew—
Bearing the burden of mother and child
On and on
To the joy of the dawn!
With ever that song to the hearts that roam
"To vine-wreathed cot and marble dome
Over the world we bear you home!"
FLANNIGAN AND FINNIGAN.
St. Louis is a great town. A great many great
things emanate from St. Louis. They write poetry
among the other things they do so well — even the rail-
road men drop into poetry sometimes, and then it is
truly great. The authorship of "The Beautiful Snow"
and the "Junius Letters" has never been discovered,
and the same fate is in store for this idyllic effusion
from St. Louis, entitled "Flannigan and Finnigan":
Superintindint wus Flannigan;
Boss av the siction wus Finnigan.
Whiniver the kyars got offen the track
An" muddled up things to the divil and back,
Finnigan writ it to Flannigan,
After the wrick wus all on agin.
That is, this Finnigan
Repoorted to Flannigan.
When Finnigan furst writ to Flannigan,
He writed tin pages, did Finnigan.
An' he tould just how the smash occurred;
Full many a tejus, blunderin' wurd
Did Finnigan write to Flannigan
After the kyars had gone on again.
That wus how Finnigan
Repoorted to Flannigan.
Now, Flannigan knowed more than Finnigan —
He'd more idjucation, had Flannigan;
An' it wore him clane and completely out
To tell what Finnigan writ about
In his writin' to Muster Flannigan.
So he writ back to Finnigan:
"Don't do sich a sin agin;
Make 'em brief.— FLANNIGAN."
When Finnigan got this from Flannigan,
He blushed rosy red, did Finnigan;
An' he said, "I'll gamble a whole month's pa-ay
That it will be minny and minny a da-ay
Before Sup'rintindent, that's Flannigan,
Gets a whack at this very same sin agin.
From Finnigan to Flannigan:
Reports won't be long agin."
Wan day on the siction of Finnigan,
On the road sup'rintinded by Flannigan,
A rail gave way on a bit of a curve
An' some kyars went off as they made the swerve.
"There's nobody hurted," saz Finnigan,
"But reports must be made to Flannigan."
An' he winked at McGorrigan,
As married a Finnigan.
He wuz shantyin' thin, was Finnigan,
As minny a railroader's been agin,
An the shmoky ol' lamp wuz burnin' bright
In Finnigan's shanty all that night.
Bilin' down his repoort was Finnigan.
An' he writ this here: "Muster Flannigan,
Off agin, on agin,
Gone agin.— FINNIGAN."
INDEX.
HISTORICAL.
A Ride on the Piano 725
Act Incorporating an Illinois Central Rail-
way 13
American Passenger Service 745
American Train Dispatcher, The 747
Amount Paid by the I. C. into the Illinois
State Treasury 34
Armour as a Brakeman 751
Arthur, Peter M .- 647
"Atlantic," The 677
Ayer, Benjamin Franklin 60
Banks, Gen. Nathaniel P 36
Bellville & Southern R. R 117
Bessemer Steel Process 68 1
"Best Friend," The 677
Bill to Incorporate the Illinois Central 274
Biographical 128
Blackstone, Timothy B 61
"Blenkensop," The'. 676
Boston & Providence R. R 681
Boston & Worcester R. R 680
Brayman, Gen. Mason 36
"Brunton," The 676
Building of Illinois Central 684
Bunch of Railroad Incidents, A 751
Burnside, Gen. Ambrose E 36
Cairo Bridge 31
Cairo City & Canal Co 13
Calhoun, John B 29
Car Inspector, The 748
Carroll, Charles, of Carrollton 680
41
Carson, Irving W 37
Cedar Falls & Minnesota R. R 1 18
Cedar Rapids & Chicago R. R 1 18
Charter of the B. & O. Railway 680
Cherokee & Cedar Rapids R. R 1 18
Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern R. R 1 18
Chicago Harbor & Improvement Co 37
Chicago, Havana & Western R. R 117
Chicago, Madison & Northern R. R 117
Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans R. R 1 18
Chicago to Omaha via I. C. R. R 727
Chicago & Texas R. R 1 18
Clarke, E. E 653
Clarke, Leverett H 58
Class and Traction Power of Engines 119
Completion of Main Line 33
Cost of Great Britain's Railways 680
Cost of Rails 30
Curley and his Engine 741
"DeWitt Clinton," The 680
DeWolf, William 37
Directors of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company no
Disposition of Granted Land 25
"Dragon," The 678
Dubuque & Sioux City R. R 118
Dunleith & Dubuque Bridge 118
Early Estimates of Cost 33
Effect of Panic of 1837 686
Engineers Prove Faithful 748
Engineer's Story, The 752
760
INDEX.
Everett, Charles W 37
Exports from Galena 31
Fast Runs 719
First Contract for Grading 1 16
First Line to Apply Locomotive Traction. . .680
First Line to Carry U. S. Mail 680
First Locomotive Built in the U. S 677
First Locomotive Used in the U. S 677
First National Legislation in the U. S. Per-
taining to Railroads 681
First Patent Granted for Locomotives in the
United States 677
First Purchase of Rails 30
First Railroad Built in the U. S 680
First Railroad for Passenger Traffic in Eng-
land 679
First Round House in the World 678
First Steam Freight Line 679
First Steam Railroad Train in New York. . .680
First Steel Used in Railroad Construction in
the United States 681
French, Gov. Augustus C 25
Galena 31
Great Western Railway Company 16
Gridley, Ashael 26
Government Amply Repaid 685
Grant to Iowa Territory 683
Havana, Rantoul & Eastern R. R 117
"Hercules," The 678
Hey worth, Hon. Lawrence 25
Historical Biographies 65
History of the Illinois Central R. R. Co 1 1
Holbrook Charter 13
How Illinois has Fared 686
How She Got Her Money's Worth 752
Hughitt, Marvin 61
Illinois Central Employes' Hospital 713
Illinois Central Test Car 711
Incorporation of Illinois Central R. R. Co. ... 22
Incorporators of the Illinois Central 27
Indiana & Illinois Southern R. R 117
Influence on Country's Development 687
Kankakee & Southwestern R. R 117
Kirkland, Maj . Joseph 37
Lake Front Act of 1869 37
Lake Front Act.
39
Land Commissioners 23
Land Grants 19
Land Grants, Stuy vesant Fish 683
Laying of Rails in Baltimore 680
Liberal Giver, A 751
Lincoln Car, The 121
Lines Opened for Traffic 116
Litchfield Division 118
Liverpool & Manchester R. R 680
McClellan, Gen. George B 36
Mason, Roswell B 28
Mechanical Marvel, A 749
Memorial for Charter 25
Mileage and Equipment of I. C 113
Mileage in Various States ,116
Mileage Y. & M.V. R. R 116
Miscellaneous Matter 673
Mohawk & Hudson R. R 680
"Mount Clare," The 678
Ninety Miles an Hour 695
Number and Classification of Cars Owned by
the Illinois Central 119
Number of Locomotives owned by the I. C. . 1 19
Ohio Valley Railroad 1 18
Oldest of Locomotive Engineers 715
Old N. O. J., & G. N. Time Card 716
Omaha Division, Completion of 1 18
Organization of First Engineering Party... 1 16
Organization of the Land Department 22
Peoria, Decatur & Evansville R. R 119
"Perkins," The 679
Personnell of the Management 123
Philadelphia & Trenton R. R 68 1
Pioneer in the Boneyard 723
Portsmouth & Roanoke R. R 681
Pre-Emption of Lands 18
Presidents of the I. C. R. R. Co 95
Railroad Man, The 743
Railway Signal System 735
Road Planned to Reach Mobile 684
Rails Used by the Illinois Central 120
Railway Connection with the South 48
Railway System of Great Britain 680
Ransom, Gen. Thomas E. G 36
Religious Railway, A 707
Revenue Freight Cars 119
Revenue Per Mile Operated 120
Right of Way Bill 16
INDEX.
761
Riots of July, 1877 46
Robinson, Gen. H. L 37
"Rocket," Stephenson's 677
Securing Right of Way 27
Settled for the Calico Dress 753
Sketch of I. C. and its Traffic 689
Sketch of Railroading, its Joys and Dangers. 71 7
Sleeping Car Contract 47
South Carolina Railroad 680
South Chicago Railroad 117
State Appropriation Under Act of February
27, 1837 13
Stephenson, George 676
Stuart, Col. David 37
Stuy vesant Docks 688
Surveying Parties 29
"T" Rails. First made in U. S 681
The "600". 679
Total Grant of Land 23
Transportation Advancement 675
"Trevithick," The 675
Tucker, Col. James T 37
Tucker, Joseph F 59
Turchin, Gen. J. B 37
Visit of Foreign Delegates 44
Welling, John C 60
Wentworth, Hon. John 19
Wilmington & Susquehanna R. R 681
Woes of the Ticket Seller ................. 753
Wyman, Gen. John B ..................... 37
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R ........... 1 18
RAILROAD FRATERNITIES.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers ...... 647
Grand International Auxiliary to the B. of
L. E ......... ..' ....... ." ............. 651
Order of Railway Conductors ............. 653
Ladies' Auxiliary to the O. R. C ........... 659
Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman ....... 66 1
Ladies' Society, B. of L. F ................. 665
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen ......... 667
Ladies' Auxiliary to the B. of R. T ......... 669
Order Railway Telegraphers .............. 671
POETRY.
Rhyme of the Rail ....................... 755
Missouri Ike ............................ 756
What the Car Wheels Sang ............... 756
Flannigan & Finnigan .................... 757
762
INDEX.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Abbott, J. North 198
Abrell, John A 3°4
Ackerman William K I41
Adams, A. M 392
Adams, Oscar E 147
Addkison, Robert E 334
Albright, Lee W 282
Albright, Lewis 146
Alderman, William 176
Alford, Robert S 253
Allen, George .• • • 454
Alsop, Joseph W 84
Ames Thomas 493
Anderson, Harry H 402
Anderson, John A 592
Andrews, J. M 378
Andruss, J. B 296
Armistead, R. L 211
Armstrong, George H 178
Arnn, E. T 531
Arnold, M. N 562
Arthur, William R 618
Ash, J. C 402
Ashley, William H. Jr 282
Ashton James 326
Aspinwall, William H 87
Ayer, Benjamin Franklin 60
Bacot, Byron L 362
Bacot, W. B 363
Baer, Elwood E 544
Bailey, Daniel S .428
Baker, E. H 507
Baker, Horace 558
Baker, W. F 327
Ball, Henry A 305
Banks, Gen. Nathaniel P 36
Banks, Thomas Allen Jr 206
Banks, William E 313
Banta James H 537
Barker, W. E 579
Barnes, Isaac F 532
Barnes, L. Ed 368
Barnett, Charles J 354
Barnett, George L 347
Barr, William N 177
Bartlett, William H 202
Barton, Thomas F 633
Beach, J. F 372
Beals, Henry H 597
Beals, William L., 298
Beanland, William G 224
Becker, George M 291
Bellows, Albert W 496
Bennett, George G 487
Benton, George E 358
Benwell, Harry C 227
Beven, William 383
Bigleben, Adam R .557
Bishop, John C 533
Blackman, Joseph A 315
Blackstone, Timothy B 61
Blades, Harry W 233
Blodgett, Alexander 551
Blount, Isaac T 418
Bonds, William P 243
Boone, Jacob W 262
Bornschein, Joseph J 247
Boston, F. W 168
Bowers, Philip W 427
Boydston, B. A 454
Boyle, Patrick " 622
Bradley, C. W 347
Bradley, W. A 492
INDEX.
763
Branner, F. M 248
Brayman, Gen. Mason 36
Breckenridge, Allender R 555
Brennan, Robert 328
Brewer, Samuel H 212
Brice, H. O 545
Bringle, N. E 378
Bristow, Sidney D 155
Broas, Albert E 211
Brooks, L. R 405
Brown, D. H 526
Brown, Harry J 365
Brown, J. Wesley 225
Brown, Orville W 304
Brown, Roldin A 514
Brown, William 485
Byrant, C. A 176
Buck, R. C 599
Buckner, L. G 367
Burgess, Charles 297
Burhyte, A. D 136
Burnell, John T 372
Burns, D. E 600
Burns, James 485
Burns, Luther 213
Burnsides, Gen. Ambrose E 36
Burrall, William Porter 99
Burrer, Frank L 367
Burrous, P. D 345
Busch, Benjamin 493
Butler, W. 0 576
Caldwell, Eugene B 251
Calhoun, Samuel J 436
Calkins, C. C 194
Cameron, D. C 234
Camp, H. E 188
Campbell, A 217
Campbell, Hollie 443
Canfield, Egbert N 516
Carey, H. C 536
Carey, M. F 155
Carey, Thomas 315
Carney, Charles 5rS
Carney, J. G 570
Carson, Irving W 37
Chandler, J. M 433
Chandler, R. L 464
Chapman, Samuel B 593
Charlton, Harry 386
Chevalier David L 156
Chevalier, Henry L 176
Clancy, Daniel F 294
Clark, Eli 505
Clark, George A 498
Clark, S. C 541
Clark, W. K 594
Clarke, James C 107
Clarke, Leverett H '. . . 58
Clarke, R. A 580
Clermont, A. E 634
Cobourn, W. D 2^5
Cole, Geof. W 567
Cole, Hon. W. Q 501
Collins, E. A., 478
Collins, Thomas 511
Colmesnill, William T 203
Colquhoun, W 428
Conaty, Peter 467
Conrath, P. J 554
Conwell, William A 268
Cooley, F. R 147
Cooper, Hiram 402
Corcoran, William 515
Coughlin, M. J 555
Coulter, J. T 575
Covington, Howard 558
Cowan Edward D 435
Coyle, Bernard 184
Crabb, Cooper W 612
Craig, Charles B 274
Craig, James H 278
Craig, Thomas N 286
Cranmer, T. E 406
Crisp, Edward F 387
Crockett, Allen G 321
Crones, John 567
Crossett, E. L 579
Crowley, John F 568
Crownover, George M 143
Crumm, S. W 556
Crutchfield, Ed. W 264
Culley, Sam. C 445
Culton, David J 241
764
INDEX.
Cunningham, H T 296
Cunningham, J. A 39$
Curley, Michael S 455
Curley, W. B.. 33*
Curran, Bernard 594
Curran, Franklin 603
Curran, Michael -. . . 293
Curtin, Edward 308
Dagron, L. L 382
Dahl, A. 0 242
Dailey, Eugene 137
Dalton, Frank C 423
Dana, E. 0 265
Dana, Edgar W 544
Danks, Edward 454
Dardis, James 295
Davidson, Forbes 418
Davis, G. H 587
Davis, J. L 361
Davis, Rodney D : 598
Davis, W. A 265
Davis, William B 483
Davis, William L 412
Dawes, Robert 257
Dawson, A. J 505
Dawson, Lance L 338
Day, W7. G 404
Dean, George C 264
DeBolt, Cornelius B 146
Dekle, L. W 394
Delaney, M. F 366
Detrick, William 615
Deveny, W. A 277
DeWolf, William 37
Dicke, F. J 277
Dickinson, E. H 391
Dillon, Adelbert 521
Dietrech, H. W 273
Dietrick, J. W 267
Dixon, Charles K 481
Dodds, William A 523
Dodge, J. W 245
Doherty, John 157
Dolan, John 507
Donoghue, Edward 235
Donnegan, Owen, 531
Donovan, J. T 243
Donovan, Michael 284
Dooley, James P 298
Douglas, James H 473
Douglas, John M 105
Driscoll, E. A 263
Dunbar, C. E 408
DuBois, J. M 192
Dugan, George M 630
Dugan, John G 194
Dunham, Edwin C 385
Dunham, Frank 492
Dunham, Joseph A 416
Dunn, C. E 448
Dunn, J. F 463
Dunn, O. M 323
Dunn, W. B 611
Dunning, William DeWitt 425
Dunsmoor, Charles H 138
Dunsmore, J. F 570
Duvall, Reginald 262
Eagleson, W. W 295
Earnist, A. S 547
Earnist, William W 273
Eccles, T. H 496
Edams, John B 542
Edwards, T. M 568
Egan Michael 434
Egger, William 618
Eich, Henry C 207
Elliott, David D 393
Ellis, C. C 435
Elrocl, Samuel G 641
Engelbrecht, C 502
Ensor, William H 353
Erickson, H. T 252
Estey, H. P 156
Evans, Frank, ' 143
Evans, Julian T. 456
Everett, Charles W 37
Everett, R. J 437
Faessler, Charles 411
Fagg, T. M 306
Fairburn, A. J 163
Fairburn, L. W 138
INDEX.
765
Farnum, George W 303
Farnum, William E 586
Farrington, N. S 484
Pass, Louis J , 221
Fauquier, H. M 356
Ferguson, F. A. C 325
Ferguson, William T 364
Fenner, D. H 552
Fern, C .0 164
Fern, Frank E 182
Fern, R. M .' 173
Fish, Stuyvesant 131
Fitch, Samuel M 507
Fitzpatrick, James 471
Flanagan, M. G 162
Flickinger, D. M 144
Fletcher, Charles B 506
Fletcher, William 324
Fluck, William F 301
Fogerty, Henry 471
Foote, Lewis C 166
Ford, John G 386
Ford, Leon 228
Ford, Stephen 0 317
Forsythe, William S 258
Fortin, Edward L 599
Foss, Lorretto H 421
Foster, George H 336
Fox, Benjamin F 193
Fox, John H 138
Fraley, Andrew J 254
Franklin, A. T 462
Frantz William M 532
Prates, J. A 411
Freeman, C. P 307
Frisbie, N. W 431
Fuller, Ed 461
Fulmer, J. S 575
Fuqua, John H 335
Galvani, B. F -.414
Galvani, Charles 424
Gardner, Charles W 331
Gardner, William 256
Garmes, Henry 5°S
Garvin, F. J 398
Garrard, S. L 605
Garrett, A. T 553
Gates, H. F 172
Gaven, John J 553
Geary, Patrick H 318
Gepper, Michael 424
Gerry, Edward W 511
Gerry, W. H 508
Ghent, Z. T 293
Gilkinson, Stewart 474
Gilleas, M 634
Gillen, C. E 308
Girard, August E 61 1
Glavin, William and Thomas Jr 641
Glove, John 612
Godwin, Robert A 237
Good, J. B. F 458
Goodale, R. J 606
Goodwin, Isaac 292
Goodwin, Z. J 421
Gordin, George R 476
Gorman, John R 132
Gossett, J, P 284
Gould, D. R 186
Grace, Thomas F 488
Graney, John 201
Granger, George 287
Gray, Oscar D 196
Gregory, E. T 163
Greig, Charles D 147
Griffin, J. R 168
Griffin, Philip R 183
Griffith, R. M 168
Grinnell, Henry 89
Griswold, George 68
Griswold, John N. A 101
Grogan, Pat 622
Guiteau, F. T 482
Gunther, James C 238
Gutshall, David 494
Hackett, G. W 177
Hadaway, W. A 438
Hafeli, F 629
Haines, A. G 172
Hales, Thomas F 599
Hall, Austin 293
Hall, John 504
766
INDEX.
Hall, W. C 224
Hall, William F 166
Hallam, Dr. John L 628
Hancock, William G 246
Hanson, John W 158
Hanson, Sam 297
Harlan, E. R .238
Harlan, R. J 610
Harms, Arthur, 251
Harahan, J. T 604
Harahan, William J 588
Harper, Grantley B 365
Harper, John 225
Harper, Sidney J 546
Harrell, Benjamin E 545
Harrell, Charles W 318
Harrell, J. D 195
Harrington John E 306
Harriman, Frank B 552
Hart, Andrew S 304
Hartigan, John C 634
Harvey, G. E 575
Harwood, Fred H 266
Hassman, George W 527
Hatch, O. L 407
Hatfield, Willard W 427
Hatz, George J 472
Haven, Franklin 83
Haviland, William J 148
Hawks, H. G 283
Hayes, P. L 201
Haynie, W. C 234
Healy, P. 522
Heath, William A 593
Hedgpeth, Marshal R 491
Hegler, Ed 276
Helmick, William J 376
Henchcliff, Titus 617
Henney, Frank D 536
Henry, William T 473
Herbert, W. R 377
Herring, Ben 228
Hildreth, Charles F 155
Higgins, John W 633
Hight, A. B. 457
Hill, A. H 502
Hill, Hiram 356
Hill, Martin 167
Hixon, McHenry 207
Hodge, George L 483
Hoffman, Joseph E 637
Hogan, John A 314
Holland, Jerry W 266
Holland, J. M 134
Holly, John. . .' 478
Holt, Charles A 615
Hooper, A. L 286
Hopkins, W. V 287
Horton, Samuel 453
Hoskins, James M 261
Hoskins, W. T 218
Houseal, John 1 191
Houseal, J. Fred 337
Howard, H. D 305
Huber, M. J., 587
Hudson, Thomas J 641
Hughitt, Marvin 61
Hume, W. A 487
Humphrey, Dominic T 503
Hunt, Wilson G 107
Hunt, W. J 630
Hurd Charles E 514
Hutchison, J. R 272
i
Ickes, William L 411
Trie Henry H 522
Jacoway, B. J 235
Jacobs, John C 441
James, Fred S 642
Jaquith, A. L 357
Jarman, George E 414
Jarvis, C. C 208
Jarvis, John F 181
Jay, Philips 438
Jeffery, Edward T 151
Jenkins, Robert C 463
Jenkins, Richard H 374
Jennings, Frank 616
Jewett, T. J 383
Johnson, John 278
Jones, Carey 556
Jones, Carter 606
Jones, Charles E. 145
INDEX.
767
Jones, C. S 426
Jones, H. M 351
Jones, John A 213
Jones, J. H 404
Jones, John G 222
Jones, Merlin 511
Jones, Samuel P 555
Jones, W. D 324
Jordan, Charles L 217
Jordan, George 237
Jorgenson, Allen J 257
Joyce, P 158
Keenan, Patrick 561
Keirce, Michael J 223
Kell, Louis H t 372
Kelly, A. D 582
Kelly, Joseph 477
Kelly, Michael 317
Kelley, William F 627
Keloncl, William A 548
Kemp, J. B. 543
Kempton, M. H 482
Kennedy, Alex 456
Kennedy, Matthew 205
Kenison, F. 0 603
Kerwin, S. S 521
Kibler, John H 244
Kibler, Joseph H 494
Kieff, John .628
Kilborne, Byron K : . . .517
Killoran, W. T 188
Kinabrew, James W 406
King, John J 393
King, William S 538
Kinkle, John B 368
Kirkland, Maj. Joseph 37
Kirkwood, William .417
Knight, H. W 576
Knowles, W 314
Knowlton, Henry A 552
Kornbeck, P. 0 352
Krewson, M 466
Krueger, J. W 395
Kurth, William 136
Kyle, Thomas A 302
Labbe, Victor 497
Ladd, J. D 600
Lambert, E. J 518
Lane, John H 591
Langham, J. R 495
Law, A. J 392
Lawless, Edward 276
Lawrence, Benjamin T 223
Lawrence, H. J 253
Lawrence, J. R 277
Lawton, John E 334
Lemon, George 585
Leonard, Thomas M 464
Levy, F. G 563
Lewis, James H 292
Lewis, S. A .' 346
Lichtenberger, Benjamin 431
Lilly Albert Artie 381
Lilly, Joseph R 353
Lincoln, George A 267
Lindrew, Ole L 524
Linstrom, Charles 373
Linton, W. H 623
Lipsey, James E 547
Lischer, Edward P 145
Lock wood, Judge Samuel D 91
Lomax, J. C. . . . 205
Lomax, K. H 458
Lonergan, P. James _ 282
Long, Thomas A 232
Longinotti, David 453
Loomis, C. A 497
Lord, Grant 0 258
Loutzenhiser, Lot A 321
Love, J. C 586
Lowry, William C 323
Lucllow, Thomas W 89
Ludwick, Edwin B 528
Lud wig, Henry 307
Luscombe, Henry 1 34
Luttrell, James W '. 171
McCallum, Geo. D 364
McCann John M 333
McCarthy, Chas. H 137
McClellan, Gen. Geo. B 36
McClelland, Marion 306
768
INDEX.
McClelland, Otto R 275
McClure, W. I , • 327
McConachie, D. D 465
McCormick, T. P 574
McCosh, Frank 569
McCosker, Thos. J 377
McCourt, H ,- • • .548
McCoy, Geo. B 252
McCumsey, J 603
McCune, E. P 187
McDermott, John 452
McDonald, C. J 292
McFarlane, W. W 146
McFerson, Chas 285
McGraw, Wm. H 543
McGuire, Jno. L.. 215
Mcllwain, Ephraim 271
Mclnturfr, R. B 375
Mclntyre, George 461
Mclntyre, James 338
Mclntyre, William 465
McKay, Robert C 205
McKee, Thos. J 313
McKellip, David 241
McKenna, Wm. B 535
McKillop, A. J 273
McKinley, W. D 174
McLaughlin, B. J 328
McMurtrie, J. D 214
McNamara, James W 574
McNamara, John J 198
Mabey, Silas B 175
Makey, Howry G 387
Maddux, James S 557
Maine, Wm. L 294
Manley, Ira A • 391
Margadant, Frank G 473
Markham, G. V 641
Martin, Allen C 335
Martin, I. H 206
Martin, James C 275
Mason, Dolph 488
M ason, Roswell B 93
Mauldin, S. R 397
Maxfield, J. L •. 316
Mead Miss Anna C 445
Meinzer, Leo 183
Mercer, Ambrose E 247
Mercer, Thomas 348
Merry, Capt John F 513
Metcalf, Sherman A /|/|/|
Metz, Henry M 504
Meyer, J. William 196
Meyers, Alonzo R 526
Mifler, G. 0 165
Miller, H. L 447
Miller, James 617
Miller, Ozias S 534
Miller, S. S 244
Mills, Arthur H 468
Mitchell, W. C 315
Mixon, O. F 218
Moales, W. H 561
Mooney, Frank T. 403
Moore, C. H 211
Moore, John 90
Moore, Thomas A 343
Moran, J. T 142
Morgan, M. T 591
Morgan, Richard 197
Moreno, C. A 441
Moreno, Theodore Jr 252
Morris, Gouverneur 80
Morris, J. A 562
Morrison, J. W. 564
Mosher, B. E 344
Morthland, David C 226
Muhr, Peter A 275
Mulconery, Maurice C 415
Mulconery, Michael 416
Mulhall, Joseph H 236
Mulkern, J. F 144
Mulvin, John 228
Mulvoy, John 581
Mullan, Henry C 497
Mullan, J. W 133
Muller, J. G 197
Mullinix, G. F 213
Mtmn, W. L 226
Murphy, Jere P 444
Murphy, Philip H 407
Murphy, Thomas F 487
Murray, P. H. Jr. 424
INDEX.
769
Murrell, Dr. H. H 612
Muse, J. P 396
Xall, S. W 316
Neal, Capt. David A 85
Nelson, Lewis P 143
Nelson, O. G 332
Newell, John 106
Niman, George 131
Norman, Fred C 134
North Samuel 518
Oakley, William L 332
Ogden, Vincent E 242
Ohlson, P 446
Olmstead, Irving C 355
O'Malley, John 422
Orchard, James J 484
Ormond, William B 504
Ormsby, Richard W 164
O'Rourke, James J 358
O'Rourke, Peter 582
Osborn, John A ' 521
Osborn, William H 101
Owen, A. S 274
Oxley, R. D 630
Palmer, E. D 285
Palmer, Hugh L 397
Patterson, J. C 403
Patterson, W. D 516
Patzen, P. J 576
Paul, J. T 345
Payne, E. J 395
Peckens, E. D 621
Peckens, S. N 503
Pendergrast, Richard C 458
Perkins, Eli W 221
Peters, Geo. E 567
Petrie, Robt 302
Pettingill, Jesse D 214
Philbrick, A 610
Phillips, R. F 397
Pickart, Anthony 534
Pierce, H. G 512
Pimm, T. J 193
Place, Fred E 425
Place, James D 161
Place, Thomas W 371
Plumb, Wm. G 185
Poland, A J 617
Polmyer, Wm. R 173
Pomeroy, A. F 598
Poole, James E 527
Pope, E. H 467
Powles, Samuel T 597
Price, H. L 202
Price, W. H 446
Priestly, Dr. Chas. S 447
Priestley, Harry D 445
Priestley, Thomas S 443
Pursley, James H 288
Quiggins, Chas. J 222
Quinn, Dr. Oliver B 336
Quinlan, J. H 533
Ralph, A. H 355
Randall, Job 587
Rankin, Wm. G 605
Ranson, Gen. Thos. E. G 36
Rantoul, Robt. Jr 71
Rarrick. E 615
Rasback, James 618
Reader, A. E 388
Reagin, John W 425
Reames, Samuel M 238
Reardon, Daniel J 162
Redus, W. E 274
Reece, J. P 154
Reed, Charles 287
Read, F. A 557
Reep, Harvey C 312
Reeves, S. W 551
Renshaw, Wm 621
Rhodes, Henry L .623
Rhyne, Ross W 443
Richter, Frank 268
Richter, Lewis 268
Ridley, H. B 408
Rigfgin, J- J 475
Ring. Nicholas 517
Robbins, R 148
Roberts, Chas. E 593,
770
INDEX.
Roberts, H 623
Robertson, Geo. J 4O1
Robinson, Gen. H. L 37
Rogers, Wm. F '. 323
Rooker, W. W 553
Rooney, Henry 135
Roper, L. E --I57
Rosebrugh, John R 311
Rought, Geo. S 277
Rowley, H. W 297
Ruffin, Thomas D 236
Ruffin, William 542
Rugg, F. A 541
Rugg, F. B ; 331
Russell, E. P 582
Ryan, W. J 457
Sabin, Hon C. J 621
Sampsell, Wm. W 525
Sanderson, Alfred 508
Sanford, John FA 77
Schermerhorn, F. H 311
Schilling, Nicholas 474
Schlax, Peter 594
Schulkers, Joseph R 38 1
Schuyler, Robert 97
Scott, John A 257
Scott, William M 585
Scudder, E. S 616
Searles, H. G 185
Seaver, Horace L 45 1
Shafer, C. H 391
Shannon, Thos. F 231
Sharp, Albert A 281
Shaughnessy, J. J 291
Shaw, Arthur M 498
Shea, W. J..... 254
Sheahan, D 248
Shegog, John E 574
Shell, Amos E 637
Shoff ner, Dr. James H 468
Shoffner, William F 537
Shull, E. H I?8
Sights, Preston A 246
Simons, C. J 135
Simpson, George 466
Sinclair, Albert E 594
Skene, E. P.. . . 638
Skillman, Edward B 373
Sloan, David 624
Smith, Archie T 395
Smith, Charles B 344
Smith, Charles L 157
Smith, Charles R 415
Smith, Henry A 174
Smith, Iveson E 366
Smith, James 538
Smith, John P 624
Smith, Lucian 183
Smith, M. A 562
Smith, Pleasant A 486
Smith, William H 627
Smith, W. H 355
Snycler, George 624
Sommers, C. W 422
Southwick, Wm. C 436
Spence, W. G 303
Stack, Maurice 363
Staley, D. R 452
Staley, J. C 580
Stanton, W. W 348
Stearns, Esleeck 546
Stearns, Fred H 186
Steelman, C. W 573
Stewart, Alix M 558
Stewart, John B 534
Stewart, J. B 361
Stewart, Wm. T 342
Stewmon, A. W 401
Stinespring, Geo. H 417
St. John, C 432
Stovall, Edgar F 232
Stromgren, Chas. R 485
Stuart, Charles 495
Stuart, Col. David 37
Stuart, F. M 307
Stuber, Nicholas 451
Stufflebeam, B. E 337
Sturges, Jonathan 67
Sullivan, Albert W 604
Sullivan, Cornelius J 301
Sullivan, J 184
Swanson, Carl F 263
INDEX.
771
Swartwood, Hugh C 592
Swerts, I. R 388
Tait,J.T 175
Talifaro, Claude W 352
Tate, Samuel W 426
Tate, Thomas 448
Taylor, E. A 145
Taylor, Fred B 133
Taylor, F. W 423
Taylor, J. G 283
Taylor, M. M 171
Taylor, Robert 272
Taylor, William A 333
Taylor, W. 1 308
Thomas, William F 341
Thompson, Geo. E 581
Tracey, J. J 265
Tucker, Joseph F 59
Tucker, Col. James T 37
Turchin, Gen. John B 37
Turley, A. G 61 1
Turner, Geo. P 142
Van Patten, M 351
Van Rensselaer, J. F 166
Van Vleck Lawrence 192
Yaupel, Louie 538
Viall, L. R 494
Waddington, Wm 181
Wagner, Frank G 136
Waggener, W. C 491
Wakefield, A. N 286
Waldron, F. L 396
Walker, J. A 322
Walker, T. B 284
Wallace, Harold U 468
Wallace John F 638
Wamsley, W 629
Ward, Frank 276
Ward, G. L 132
Ward, T. F 433
Watson, Herbert B 569
Waugh Geo. E 288
Webb, Hon. John A 432
Webb, Maurice S 343
Webb, William D 475
Webb, William W 384
Webster Daniel 463
Weeks, Bonzano 374
Weigel, D. S 301
Weir, Horace 443
Weitzel, John S 496
Weldon, T. F 580
Welling, John C 60
Westcott, Frank 543
Whalen, Patrick 328
Whalon, James T 522
Whelan, J. F • 573
Wheeler, B. F 233
Wheeler, Frederick R 255
Wheeler, J. A 506
Wheeler, W. M 375
Wheelock, F. G. 325
White, S. K 385
White, William 412
White, W. 0 227
Wildeson, T. S 523
Wiley, Leroy M 69
Wilkinson, P. B 398
Wilkinson, Wm. R 256
Willard, M. B 288
Williams, A. L 563
Williams, Jesse D 266
Williams, John S 541
Williams, John T 405
Williams, William H 362
Wilson, James A 382
Wilson, John Hays 637
Wilson, Thomas 475
Winder, J. A 564
Winters, Frank 258
Wise, Elliott F • 524
Wolf, James A 554
Wolfe, John L 167
Wood, James 545
Woodcock, J. B 568
Wooley, Wm. C .609
Worden, Wm. D 354
Wray, W. L 255
Wright, Edward A 588
Wright, Thomas J 629
Wright, Wm. Z 158
772
INDEX.
Wylie, F. W 5^
Wyman, Henry S 47^
\Yvman, Col. John B 37
Yeardwood, R. J 525
Young, B. M 569
Young, H. G 501
Young, T. M 472
Youngblood, J. E 462
Zanone Frank J 212
Zimmerman, J. E 486
INDEX.
773
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Frontispiece — Central Station, Chicago.
PORTRAITS.
Ackcrman, William K 140
Arnn, E. T 530
Barker, W. E 578
Barton, Thomas F 632
Heals, Henry H. 596
Becker, George M 290
Blodgett, Alexander 55°
Cole, Hon. W. Q 5°o
Crockett, Allen G 320
Crones, John 566
Crossett, E. L 578
Culton, David J 240
Curran, Franklin 602
Davis, J. L 360
Detrick, William 614
Dickinson, E. H 390
Dixon, Charles K 480
Donnegan, Owen 530
Faessler, Chas 410
Fitzpatrick, James 470
Fish, Stuyvesant 1 30
Fluck, William F 300
Fogerty, Henry 470
Frisbie, N. W 430
Fuller, Ed 460
Gardner, Charles W 330
Gerry, Edward W 510
Glavin, Thomas A. Jr 640
Goodwin, Z. J 420
Graney, J 200
Harms, Arthur 250
Hawley, Gideon ." 714
Hayes, P. L. 200
Hedgpeth, Marshall R 490
Hoffman, Joseph E.; 636
Hoskins, James M 260
Houseal, John 1 190
I ekes, William L 410
James, Fred S 643
Jarvis, John F 180
Jeffery, Edward Turner 150
Jones, Merlin 510
Keenan, Patrick 560
Kelley, William F 626
Kenison, F. 0 602
Kerwin, S. S 520
Lane, John H 590
Lemon, George 584
Lichtenberger, Bejamin 430
Lilly, Albert Artie 380
Luttrell, James W 170
Mcllwain, Ephraim 270
McKellip, David 240
Markham, G. V 640
Moore, C. H 210
774
INDEX.
Moreno, C. A 44O
Morgan, M. T 59°
Perkins, Eli W 220
Peters, George E 566
Place, James D 160
Place, Thomas Wheelock 370
Rarrick, E 614
Reeves, S. W 55o
Renshaw, William 620
Robertson, George J 400
Rugg, F. B 330
Schermerhorn, F. H 310
Seaver, Horace L 450
Sharp, Albert A 280
Shell, Amos E. .636
Shaffer, C. H 390
Shannon, Thomas F 230
Smith, William Henry 626
Steelman, C. W 572
Stewart, J. B 360
Stuber, Nicholas 450
Thomas, William F 340
Van Patten, M 350
Waggener, W. C 490
Weigel, D. S 300
Williams, John S 540
Wilson, John Hays ' *. . .636
Wooley, William C 608
GENERAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
Air Brake Instruction Cars 668
Air Brake Instruction Cars. .682
Baggage Checks 20-21
Bridge over Missouri River 90
Cedar River, near Waterloo, la 726
Centrifugal Snow Plow 100
Clark, E. E 633
Coon River Trestle 117
Cotton Field, Yazoo Valley, Miss 734
Cotton Field in the Yazoo Valley 750
Device for Inserting and Removing Driving
Box Brasses 702
Drilling Machines 698
Effects of a Collision 56
First Railway Bridge in Corea 670
"Freight Conductor En Route" 98
Gideon, Hawley 714
Hydraulic Punch and Shear 718
Hydraulic Shear 722
Illinois Central Employes' Hospital 712
Illinois Central Test Car 711
Lincoln Car, The 121
Oldest of Locomotive Engineers 715
O. R. C. Traveling Card 658
Scene in Yazoo Delta 694
Stuyvesant Docks, New Orleans 688
Test Car of the I. C. R. R 710
Train with Electric Locomotive 670
Tunnel, Monticello, Wis 744
Water-power Dam at Waterloo, la 35
Wrecked Locomotive 56
LOCOMOTIVES.
"Atlantic," The 70
"Brunton," The 679
"Camel-Back," A 82
Camel-Back, Line Engraving 84
"Dragon," The 74
"Hercules," The 68
Largest Locomotive in the World 28
"Mt. Clare," The ' 72
"Mogul," First Passenger 78
"Newton," The 676
No. "640," the largest in the world 28
No. "18," freight 41
No. "942" 47
No. "245," Suburban 59
No. "144," Switch 80
No. "383," Passenger 86
No. "638," Freight 88
No. "i 156," Passenger 92
No. "223" 104
INDEX.
775
"Perkins," The 76
"Seguin," The 677
Stephenson's "Rocket" 680
LOCOMOTIVES, FOREIGN.
Egyptian State Railways 664
French State Railway 650
Great Northern of England 656
STATIONS.
Cherokee, Iowa 108
Chicago, Park Row Frontispiece
Fort Dodge, Iowa 106
Freeport, 111 102
Memphis — Poplar street and Main and Cal-
houn streets 17
New Orleans, La 53
Sioux City, Iowa 44
Waterloo, Iowa 708
SHOPS.
Burnside, 111 14
Freeport, 111 62
McComb City, Miss 50
Paducah, Ky 32
Water Valley, Miss 38
Waterloo, Iowa 24
APPENDIX.
At the request of many patrons of this work we have added
the following blank pages that a future record may be preserved.
It will be found very desirable for the purpose of entering data
of deaths, accidents, promotions, or any events pertaining to those
whose life record is herein portrayed.
APPENDIX. 779
APPENDIX.
780
APPENDIX. 781
?82 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 783
784 APPENDIX,
APPENDIX. 785
?86 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
?88 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 789
?90 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 791
792 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 793
APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 795
APPENDIX.
796
APPENDIX. 797
APPENDIX.
798
APPENDIX. 799
APPENDIX.
800
APPENDIX. 801
802 APPENDIX.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA
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