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Nine Thousand Miles On A Pullman Train

Milton M. Shaw

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Nine Thousand Miles On A Pullman Train AN ACCOUNT OF A Tour of Railroad Conductors From Philadelphia TO THE Pacific Coast and Return

Nine Thousand Miles On A Pullman Train AN ACCOUNT OF A Tour of Railroad Conductors From Philadelphia TO THE Pacific Coast and Return

By M. M. SHAW Philadelphia Allen, Lane &amp; Scott, Printers and Publishers Nos. 1211-13 Clover Street 1898 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1898, BY M. M. SHAW, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. TO THE TRUE AND LOYAL WOMEN OF OUR PARTY, THE BELOVED AND CHERISHED COMPANIONS OF OUR HEARTHS AND HOMES, THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED....

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INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION.

The writer is not sure that this work will give satisfaction to his many friends who have asked for it; the experience of one is not the experience of all, and many incidents will be remembered, undoubtedly, by different members of the party that are not mentioned in these pages, from the fact that they are unknown to the narrator, not having come under his observation. The difficulty lies in producing an account of our trip from personal notes that will meet the expectation of all. The chief ob

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LIST OF PASSENGERS.

LIST OF PASSENGERS.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. C. E. Wyman , President and Manager . Wm. J. Maxwell , Secretary and Treasurer . George W. Brown , John H. Reagan , Walter W. Terry ....

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SATURDAY, MAY 8th, 1897.

SATURDAY, MAY 8th, 1897.

The hands on the large clock that denotes the standard time in the great corridor of Broad Street Station, Philadelphia, point to the hour 10 A. M.; an unusual commotion is noticed in the mammoth train shed, which in any hour of the day or night is filled with trains loading and discharging their cargoes of human freight, ever presenting a scene of hustling, bustling activity. The unusual commotion referred to is caused by the departure of the Pennsylvania Railroad Conductors’ Excursion to Calif

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SUNDAY, MAY 9th.

SUNDAY, MAY 9th.

Got up early, after passing rather a restless night; did not sleep very well; finished dressing just as the train stops at Richmond, Ind., 5.55 (4.55 Central) A. M. Go outside and find it a lovely morning. Several of the boys are up. Have come 220 miles since I turned in last night as the train left Dennison, Ohio. We are now on the Indianapolis Division of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, which runs from Columbus, Ohio, to Indianapolis, Ind., a distance of 188 miles. U

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MONDAY, MAY 10th.

MONDAY, MAY 10th.

Got up this morning at 6.30 (5.30 Central) and found our train in charge of Conductor H. C. Withrow and Engineer A. B. Archibald, with St. L. I. M. &amp; S. engine No. 375, fired by T. Grifin. Captain Withrow took charge of the train at Poplar Bluff, with instructions to consume ten hours and thirty-two minutes in the run to Texarkana, a distance of 325 miles. Withrow has no brakeman, but is accompanied by a colored porter, J. J. Norris, who performs the duties of a brakeman. We are now in A

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TUESDAY, MAY 11th.

TUESDAY, MAY 11th.

Got up at 6.30 (5.30 Central), and found it raining hard. It cleared up about eight o’clock and the party started out to see the town, it having been announced that our train would leave at 12.15 (11.15 A M. Central) P. M., nothing definite having been learned as to the trouble ahead. Our party received the best of treatment from the good people of the town, and many places of interest were visited. Officer H. C. Town, of the city police, loaded sixteen of the party in a patrol wagon and drove t

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th.

Turned out this morning about the usual time, and found the train standing at San Martine Station, 174 miles east of El Paso. As we move on our way again we find we are passing through a picturesque, but barren country of plains and mountain ranges. A run of 50 miles from San Martine brings us to Van Horn, where we make a halt of forty-five minutes and are entertained by Mrs. M. R. Beach and her son Fred. Mrs. Beach has charge of the station at Van Horn, which is also a supply station for the ra

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THURSDAY, MAY 13th.

THURSDAY, MAY 13th.

Arose about 6.30 and found the morning clear and warm. There are many wonderful, strange, and unusual things in, around, and about El Paso, but one of the most puzzling and perplexing things is its time. Traveling westward you arrive on Central time and depart on Pacific, a difference of two hours, while in the city they use local time, which is a split between the two. Over the river in Juarez they use Mexican time. Visited a barber shop for a shave, then a restaurant for breakfast and got anot

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FRIDAY, MAY 14th.

FRIDAY, MAY 14th.

Turn out this morning about 7.30 and find the weather clear and warm. We go to a nearby restaurant for breakfast; mutton chops are one of the items on the bill of fare, and we are pleased, for we are partial to chops—nice, juicy, tender mutton chops; but these chops do not quite come up to our idea of what mutton chops should be—not so juicy nor so tender as we would like; but being hungry we quietly and uncomplainingly devour what is set before us. “Where do you people in El Paso get your mutto

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SATURDAY, MAY 15th.

SATURDAY, MAY 15th.

Turned out this morning about seven o’clock and found the weather clear, with every indication pointing to another hot day. Not feeling very well, I went out in search of “medicine”; met several of the boys out on the same errand; our symptoms are similar, and we conclude that the powder smoke inhaled during the McGinty demonstration is responsible for our indisposition. A visit to Superintendent Martin’s office results in the information that the washout situation remains unchanged. Mr. Martin

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SUNDAY, MAY 16th.

SUNDAY, MAY 16th.

To-day is clear and warm, with a delightful breeze stirring. We avoid the hot glare of the sun by remaining as much as possible on the shady side of the train. There are remarkable conditions of climate here. In the sun the heat is distressing, almost unbearable; in the shade it is more than comfortable, almost luxurious, producing a feeling of exuberant pleasure and vitality that is difficult to express or understand. There was a light thunder shower during the night, which no doubt had a tende

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MONDAY, MAY 17th.

MONDAY, MAY 17th.

Awakened at 2.30 this morning by Brother George Dale, and with Brother Sam Horner go on duty to watch and to wait for morning to come. There is nothing else for us to do; all is quiet outside and around the train as we promenade back and forth on the alert for anything of a suspicious nature. The morning is clear and bright and the air cool and refreshing. Brother Kilgore, who sleeps near the roof in the car “Milton,” is doing some vigorous snoring, and Brother Houston, in the rear of the “Orchi

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TUESDAY, MAY 18th.

TUESDAY, MAY 18th.

Got up this morning about the usual time and found that we had passed Tucson in the early part of the morning and had changed engines at that point. We have now S. P. engine No. 9030, Engineer J. W. Bunce and Fireman J. Weir, who run us to Yuma, a distance of 251 miles. It cannot always be day, nor we cannot always be awake, so when night comes and we sleep we miss much that is novel and interesting. “You have missed much since entering Arizona that is well worth seeing,” I hear Mr. Steere remar

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 19th.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19th.

We are all up bright and early this morning, and after breakfast parties are formed to take in the sights. A number of us have decided to take a tally-ho ride, and Brother Wyman has gone to procure the outfit. In a short time he returns with the information that “the wagon will soon be here.” It is not long until a fine roomy coach, drawn by six white horses, reins up in front of the group, and we clamber in. There is just room enough. We count the party and find there are fourteen, including th

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THURSDAY, MAY 20th.

THURSDAY, MAY 20th.

Arose early this morning and found the weather not very favorable for our contemplated trip to Mt. Lowe, being cloudy and somewhat foggy, but we concluded to go, so after breakfast the party, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Wyman, Mr. and Mrs. Layfield, Mr. and Miss Barrett, Mr. Kilgore, Mr. Sloane, Mr. Haas, Mr. Crispen, Mr. Denniston, two guests—Miss R. Stradling and Mr. A. L. Bailey—George H. Alfalfa Anderson, and myself, under the escort of Brother Ed. Butcher, of Los Angeles Division No. 111, wh

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FRIDAY, MAY 21st.

FRIDAY, MAY 21st.

Awakened this morning about six o’clock by Mrs. S., always an early riser, who exclaims, “Get up! get up! we’re almost there.” “Almost where, my dear?” I sleepily inquire. “I don’t know where, but Mr. Terry, Mr. Brown, Mr. Horner, and Mr. Springer are all up, and they say we are nearly there,” she answers. I turn over, raise the blind, and look out of the window. “And Mr. McDonald says we’re going to have an early breakfast,” she adds, as she retreats down the aisle. That last information she kn

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SATURDAY, MAY 22d.

SATURDAY, MAY 22d.

Arose this morning about half-past six, and after breakfast, accompanied by Leslie Collom, went to the Palace Hotel, where we met Brothers Wyman and Layfield with their ladies. Brother Wyman had planned a trip to San José and was expecting others of the party, but a number of them being exhausted, worn out by an all night’s effort to explore the length, breadth, height, and depth of Chinatown, were still in bed. The others were too much interested in the beautiful city of Oakland and its environ

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SUNDAY, MAY 23d.

SUNDAY, MAY 23d.

Feeling that we need rest, and finding the full enjoyment of our need in the pleasant home of Mrs. Chambers, we do not go out to-day until it is time to leave for the ferry, from which the boat will bear us to Oakland and to our train, which is scheduled to leave this evening at seven o’clock. Willie’s engagements had called him from home in the early morning. Mrs. Chambers, Miss Effie, and Mr. Collom accompany Mrs. Shaw and myself to Oakland and take dinner with us in the “Lafayette”; they are

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MONDAY, MAY 24th.

MONDAY, MAY 24th.

Arose early this morning while it was hardly yet light, not wishing to miss any of the grand scenery that I know we must be nearing. Very few of our people are up, and making my way to the smoker I find the conductor who is running the train. He is a newcomer, an entire stranger, but I find him a very agreeable gentleman. “Where are we, captain?” I inquire. “Well,” he answers pleasantly, “you are on the famous Shasta Route of the Southern Pacific Railroad, bound from San Francisco, Cal., to Port

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TUESDAY, MAY 25th.

TUESDAY, MAY 25th.

Arrived at Portland this morning at 8.00 Eastern (5.00 Pacific) time, and after breakfast we met Morton Young, Esq., of Portland. Mr. Young is a member of Mt. Hood Division No. 91, O. R. C., and an earnest and enthusiastic member of the order, though not in railway service at the present time, having been fortunate in real estate speculation and able now to retire from active business cares. Brother Young kindly escorts a number of our party over the East Side Electric Railway to Oregon City, wh

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 26th.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26th.

Everybody is astir in good time this morning, for we are soon to bid adieu to this great city of the far Northwest, where we have been so kindly treated and royally entertained. The warmhearted brothers of Mt. Hood Division No. 91, O. R. C., along with the officers of the different transportation companies, will long be remembered for their generous manner toward us. “Views of Portland, Oregon, and the Columbia River,” a beautiful pamphlet souvenir issued by Mt. Hood Division, was presented to e

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THURSDAY, MAY 27th.

THURSDAY, MAY 27th.

Getting up this morning about 7.30, I find we are crossing another desert—at least it has that appearance. We have left Ellensburg and are running through a dry, sandy country along the Yakima River. Here and there we pass a ranch where plots of land under irrigation are being cultivated, and from the fertile appearance of these irrigated tracts it would seem that this country needs but plenty of water to make it a blooming paradise. This much I discover by looking out the window while waiting m

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FRIDAY, MAY 28th.

FRIDAY, MAY 28th.

Our arrival in Helena at six o’clock this morning and the announcement of an early breakfast soon has everybody astir. After breakfast we bid adieu to jolly, whole-souled Captain Gilbert and his genial crew, and under the escort of Assistant General Passenger Agent W. Stuart, Assistant General Ticket Agent C. E. Dutton, and Conductor Dodds, of the Northern Pacific Railway, and Messrs. E. Flaherty and H. D. Palmer, of Helena Board of Trade, start out to see the town. Our time is limited, for we a

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SATURDAY, MAY 29th.

SATURDAY, MAY 29th.

Was awakened this morning between two and three o’clock by a jar that almost tumbled me out of bed; thought at first our train had left the track and had run into the side of a mountain; I lay quiet a moment, expecting another crash. It didn’t come, and I realized our train was standing still. “Guess I was dreaming,” I said to myself, as I reach over, raise the window blind, and look out. A freight train is moving past and our train is motionless. Mrs. S. is awake, and my movement informs her th

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SUNDAY, MAY 30th.

SUNDAY, MAY 30th.

We are all astir bright and early this morning, and after breakfast, through the courtesy of the managers of the Saltair and Los Angeles Railway, we are tendered a trip on their line to Saltair, one of the latest attractions on the Great Salt Lake, 10 miles from the city. We leave the Rio Grande Western depot at 9.30 on a Saltair and Los Angeles train with engine No. 2, Engineer A. M. Clayton, Fireman John Little, Conductor Joseph Risley, Brakeman F. T. Bailey. We have a thirty minutes’ pleasant

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MONDAY, MAY 31st.

MONDAY, MAY 31st.

Awakened this morning about six o’clock by Mrs. S. remarking, “I never saw the beat! Who would believe that so much of our country is desert?” I thought she was talking in her sleep, but turning over I find her gazing out of the window at the rapidly-fleeting landscape. We have drifted away from the mountains and rocks and are crossing a level, barren plain. For miles we see no sign of habitation or cultivation, but now in the distance we catch sight of an irrigating canal, with here and there a

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TUESDAY, JUNE 1st.

TUESDAY, JUNE 1st.

Everybody is up bright and early this morning, in anticipation of the promised trip up the mountains to Marshall Pass. After breakfast we board a special train on the Denver and Rio Grande Narrow-Gauge Railroad, and at 8.12 o’clock start on a novel and interesting ride of 25 miles over a road that is a marvel of engineering ingenuity and skill. It requires two engines to make the laborious ascent, which in many places is 211 feet to the mile. Our engines are No. 175, manned by Engineer Sam Roney

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2d.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2d.

All are up about the usual time this morning, and after breakfast Manager Wyman announces that those who wish to make the ascent of Pike’s Peak will take the 8.30 train on the Colorado Springs and Manitou Branch for Manitou, six miles away, where the Manitou and Pike’s Peak railway station is located. The 8.30 train starts with about half of our party on board. It is cloudy and we are afraid the weather will be unfavorable for the trip. When we arrive at the station in Manitou we can see that th

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THURSDAY, JUNE 3d.

THURSDAY, JUNE 3d.

Getting up this morning at six o’clock, I find we are entering Denver. We have engine 570, Engineer Wm. Jenness, Fireman W. C. Lawhead, Conductor I. Larsen, Brakemen Cunningforth and McGinn. Soon as the train stops, Mrs. Terry and Mrs. Shaw strike off in search of the post office, for they are expecting letters from home. Our train is sidetracked in the yard and Brother Terry and I walk over to the station, a short distance away, and look around. It is pretty quiet; the great city has not wakene

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FRIDAY, JUNE 4th.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4th.

Having enjoyed a good night’s rest, we arose about seven o’clock, and after breakfast Mr. Bicking escorted us over his mill, which is only a short distance from the pleasant cottage in which they reside. The time arriving for us to start for the station, we bid adieu to our kind friends and join our party on the train under the escort of F. M. Shaw, traveling agent of the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway, bound for Silver Plume, up the picturesque Clear Creek Cañon, and over the Great Loop

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SATURDAY, JUNE 5th.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5th.

According to our original itinerary this is the day we should arrive in Philadelphia, yet here we are at Denver, in the midst of as disagreeable a spell of weather, we are told, as ever was known here. Each afternoon since we have been here it has snowed on the mountains and rained in the valleys; heavy wraps and overcoats are worn by our people when they venture away from the train. “This is not a sample of Colorado weather,” I hear Charlie Hooper declare, and we are all very glad it isn’t, for

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SUNDAY, JUNE 6th.

SUNDAY, JUNE 6th.

Got up this morning about seven o’clock and found we were approaching McCook, Neb., having crossed the line from Colorado into Nebraska during the night at a point about 80 miles west of McCook. Conductor Bronson and Brakeman Robie are members of Harvey Division No. 95, of McCook. They have intimated that we may expect a reception from the members of that division on our arrival at McCook; this information having been given out last evening, the most of our people are up when the train stops in

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MONDAY, JUNE 7th.

MONDAY, JUNE 7th.

Getting up this morning about six o’clock, I find we are in Illinois, having crossed the Mississippi River during the night at Burlington, where a change of engines was made. We now have C. B. &amp; Q. engine 511, handled by Engineer D. Sullivan and fired by J. Watson. Conductor W. L. Boydston, a member of Galesburg Division No. 83, has charge of our train, whose brakemen are J. M. Forsythe and T. G. White. This engine and crew will run us to Chicago, a distance of 206 miles. Illinois is a r

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TUESDAY, JUNE 8th.

TUESDAY, JUNE 8th.

Getting up this morning about 5.30, I find we are approaching Allegheny City. It is a wet, foggy morning, and the Ohio River, in sight of which we are running, is high and muddy. We had changed engines at Crestline during the night, and now have P. Ft. W. &amp; C. engine No. 288, Engineer Geo. Hood, Fireman F. Eberly, Conductor E. W. Davis, Brakemen E. W. Simpson and J. W. Syms, who take us into Pittsburgh, a run of 188 miles. When we stop in Allegheny City at six o’clock quite a number are

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