This file has not been completely proofread, nor have the sources been verified, so use this material with caution.
Collected by Jim Jones, David Flogaus, Kelly Kulp-Bosler, Mike Wolford and Bob Gialanella (Spring 1995). Additional information collected by Daniel Cleary, John Morrison, Scott Harre, and Robert Troutman (Spring 1996); and by Nicole Bowman, Karin Flippin, Mary Kurtak, Kelly McVeigh, Wendy Smoker, and Brian Toombes (Spring 1997). Last edited by Jim Jones (August 9, 1997).
Special thanks to Don Callander of the West Chester Railroad Company for providing notes, photocopies and other materials.
1894/03/03 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 3, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
There was a penny scale at the train station, but it was out
of order. The author asked if this was due to something he
observed some time ago, when a group of small boys put a
single penny in the scale, and then each jumped on the scale
in place of the previous boy before the scale could reset.
In this way, they all got weighed for a single penny.
------------------------
1894/03/28 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 28, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Miller Snare was retired from the PRR by this time. He was
in bad health (and according to the death register, died in
the following month).
------------------------
1894/03/28 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 28, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
William Munshower represented the Union News Company at the
station.
------------------------
1894/05/03 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 3, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
James Wallace, an ex-policeman and ex-employee of the
Customs House in Philadelphia, replaced Miller Snare as the
general assistant and messenger at the PRR station. The
station master was still W. A. McMichael, and other
employees included H. A. Gillingham, Walter Keech, conductor
Edward Miller and baggage master George Guss.
------------------------
1894/05/19 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 19, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
William Gheen was a ticket agent at the PRR station.
------------------------
1894/06/21 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (June 21, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
One train operated with conductor Marsh, baggage master
Frank S. Wetsel and flagman Robert Cunningham.
------------------------
1894/07/11 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 11, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Another train operated under the control of conductor Shaw
and baggage man Isaac Jones. Shaw was replaced by John
Kerwin. Also, George Mendenhall was on sick leave because
his foot was run over by a milk car.
------------------------
1894/07/17 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 17, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Howard A. Gillingham was the ticket agent at the PRR
station. Clark Pyle was the "night operator." This article
also mentioned George Guss, Mrs. Lamborn, and the baggage
master Jesse Wilson.
------------------------
1894/08/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (August 20, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
The workers at the PRR station made preparations for "the
handling of trunks next Monday when the Normalites return."
(Normalites were the students and faculty at the West
Chester Normal School.)
------------------------
1894/09/04 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (September 4, 1894), from the
CCHS clippings file.
The conductor on the PRR Frazer Branch was Joseph Keech, and
the baggage master of the PRR station on Market Street was
Jesse Wilson.
------------------------
1894/10/15 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 15, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
David E. Townsend was the ticket collector at the PRR
station.
------------------------
1894/11/06 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 6, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
George Guss, the baggage master at the PRR station, left to
work for an electrical firm in Philadelphia, after two years
in West Chester.
------------------------
1894/11/08 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 8, 1894), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Mr. Rigg of Clifton briefly served as baggage master at the
PRR station after George Guss, but gave up after a few weeks
due to illness.
------------------------
1894/11/12 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 12, 1894), from the
CCHS clippings file.
E. Harvey Hummell was the new baggage master at the PRR
station on Market Street.
------------------------
1894/11/16 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 16, 1894), from the
CCHS clippings file.
Josiah Burnett was head of the freight warehouse at the PRR
station. He was assisted by Frank Burnett and Isaac Smiley.
------------------------
1894/12/18 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 18, 1894), from the
CCHS clippings file.
The old Pennsylvania Railroad station at Matlack and Gay
Street was no longer in service and stood empty.
------------------------
1894/12/24 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 24, 1894), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR-Phoenixville is only 11 miles long, but it is one of
the most useful lines in the PRR system because it allows
freight to bypass Philadelphia.
------------------------
1895 no. section 36, LAWS OF PENNSYLVANIA (Busch, State Printer,
1895).
No railroad or steamboat or any other type of transportation
shall accept or move a body unless there has been a burial
permit issued by the Board of Health. .
------------------------
1895/03/18 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 18, 1895), from the CCHS
clippings file.
This was a complaint about "colored" boys who loafed at the
train station, used bad language and littered the floor with
peanut shells.
------------------------
1895/03/20 "Last Night Was Rather Cool for Sleeping Out of
Doors" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 20, 1895), from
the CCHS clippings file.
This article contained an anonymous conversation with a
blue-collar laborer from Chester. He took the train to West
Chester and slept outdoors upon arrival. He had heard that
he might get work at a nursery.
------------------------
1895/03/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 27, 1895), from the CCHS
clippings file.
PRR Conductor Milton Shaw. Conductor Marsh and Engineer
John Richards.
------------------------
1895/04/02 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 2, 1895), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Sharp Griffith got a new job at the PRR freight station.
------------------------
1895/05/25 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 25, 1895), from the CCHS
clippings file.
H. Jesse Wilson was promoted to conductor on the PRR.
------------------------
1895/06/24 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (June 24, 1895), from the CCHS
clippings file.
William Gheen was the assistant to ticket agent Gillingham.
McMichael was still the PRR station master, and two other
employees were named Wallace and Sweney.
------------------------
1898/03/07 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 7, 1898), from the CCHS
clippings file.
Josiah Burnett was an invalid after 25 years working for the
PRR.
------------------------
1898
News (February 28, 1988).
John Frederick Lewis (1860-1932/12/24), a lawyer from
Philadelphia, built a country home near Zermatt station on
the PRR-Frazer just before the turn of the century and
"supposedly named his estate after his ancestral home in
Germany," Morstein. His regular home was at 1914 Spruce
Street in Philadelphia. He served as the first chairman of
the Philadelphia sesquicentennial committee for the
Declaration of Independence, but resigned after a dispute
with city officials. He became known as an art collector,
and left an estate of more than one million dollars when he
died.
------------------------
1899/01/02 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 2, 1899), from the CCHS
clippings file.
The electric trolley from WC to 63rd Street in Philadelphia
started operation, but was delayed by a snowstorm on its
inaugural run. The trolley cost 25› one-way, and departed
roughly once an hour. William M. Hayes was the president of
the West Chester Electric Railway. In a section that
mentions connections to other lines, this article indicates
that the WC-Lenape trolley line was already in operation,
under separate ownership.
------------------------
1899/04/05 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (West Chester, April 5, 1899)
from the CCHS clippings file "West Chester
Transportation, PRR"
Names of men who worked for the PRR: Josiah Burnett (JJ:
probably junior, since Josiah Burnett was an invalid in
1898/03/07) was the "head man," assisted by Millard Snare,
Michael Reagan and John Ryan.
------------------------
1900/01/02 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 2, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file.
According to an advertisement by John Wanamaker of
Philadelphia, the electric trolley from WC to Philadelphia
took 1h48 each way and cost 30 cents each way.
------------------------
1900/01/07 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 8, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
The largest locomotive ever to visit West Chester arrived on
the PRR-Frazer last evening. "The engine which came in was
No. 268, one of the immense new heaps of iron and steel
which were recently placed on the line." The run was made
very slowly so that the crew could test overhead clearances
and bridge weight capacity along the line. There was only a
few inches of clearance at the Gay Street bridge in West
Chester.
------------------------
1900/01/12 "West Chester and Philadelphia, Schedule in
Effect" (Pennsylvania Railroad, November 19,
1899), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
This was the schedule that Chris Sanderson saw around the
time he finished at the West Chester State Normal School.
The Philadelphia terminal was Broad Street station, and
there were 26 trains a day to Philadelphia, and 27 trains a
day to West Chester. Fourteen of the WC-P trains and
thirteen of the P-WC trains ran on the PR-Frazer tracks,
while the rest ran on the "Central Division."
There are connections via Frazer and the Main Line to
Lancaster, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh by express. There were
also seven daily and four Sunday trains to Downingtown. The
last itme shows five daily trains to Phoenixville departing
at 5:54am, 7:35am, 9:14am, 3:13pm, and 4:52pm. JJ: The
schedule doesn't say this, but it looks like the round-trip
from West Chester to Phoenixville and back took about 1:40,
so a one-way trip must have been around fifty minutes. With
that, we can construct the Phoenixville-West Chester
schedule and see how Chris Sanderson and his mom kept in
touch by mail.
------------------------
1900/01/27 "Lockers for Trainmen" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(January 27, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
A space was filled with lockers for railroad workers at the
Market Street Station in West Chester, providing them with a
place to store their individual equipment.
------------------------
1900/02/02 "Arrangements Made for a Reading Room at the
Market Street Depot" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (February
2, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
The PRR began to install a reading room on the second floor
of the Market Street station in West Chester for the use of
off-duty railroad workers. "There has long been talk of the
opening of a branch of the P. R. R. Y. M. C. A. in this
place, there being many railroad men who have their homes
here and many others who are compelled to remain a short
time each day, but on account of the many clubs here the
idea has been found to be almost impracticable and the
reading room will be installed. Later it may develop into a
branch of the organization."
------------------------
1900/02/13 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (February 13, 1900), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR wreck trains were stationed at Parkesburg and Paoli.
(This is a story about a ten-car derailment at Hope's tower
near Pomeroy, involving engine No. 138.
------------------------
1900/02/28 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (February 28, 1900), from the
CCHS clippings file.
John F. Ryan, a railway worker, married Mary Hally of "near
Frazer." The maid of honor was a Miss Geehan and the
groomsman was James Farrell.
------------------------
1900/03/01 "Tickets for Commuters" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March
1, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
The approximately 75 people from West Chester who use
monthly commuter tickets lined up to buy their tickets on
the first day of the month, creating a long delay as the
ticket agent marked their name and destination on the
tickets to two days before the beginning of the month.
------------------------
1900/03/07 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (February 7, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A new Bell Telephone booth was placed in the waiting room of
the West Chester PRR train station at Market Street
yesterday, and this morning at 4am, Louis Wagner made the
first call.
------------------------
1900/03/08 "Railroaders Will Open their Reading Rooms To-
Morrow Evening" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 7,
1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
The reading room at the PRR station on Market Street in West
Chester opened in the evening. "The rooms have been
handsomely fitted up for the use of the men by the railroad
company, and everything needful in a modern club room is to
be found there, including a choice assortment of papers and
magazines, with other works, which will interest the
readers. The rooms are finely finished in hard wood, and
the floor is neatly carpeted, while easy chairs, divans, and
other pieces of furniture are placed about the room. At the
opening to-morrow evening there will be a literary
entertainment given by the employees for the amusement of
their friends. There will be music, and after the programme
has been rendered the guests who have been invited will be
tendered a lunch."
------------------------
1900/03/08 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 8, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
This is a lengthy editorial that praises the PRR for opening
"The Employees' Reception Room" at the MArket Street station
in West Chester, which the author called "the beginning of
an organization for the welfare of of the employees of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company and their families, whose
interests are in West Chester, which the promoters hope will
be supported by the progressive and thinking element among
the men, aided, where possible, by the sympathy and concern
of the traveling public."
------------------------
1900/03/14 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 14, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
By accident, a west-bound freight trained pulled by three
locomotives sped through a site near Malvern where a track
crew was at work. "The train plunged into a truck laden
with railroad ties and scattered them in all directions,
none of them falling beneath the wheels. Italians ran for
their lives, every one escaping."
------------------------
1900/03/21 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 21, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
This article describes turntables and the facilities for
storing locomotives overnight on the PRR on the lower track
in West Chester. It has room for four locomotives, and
there are usually four parked outside, plus another four or
five on the north side of town in the yard near North
Matlack Street.
Care of the engines is supervised by Al Hamilton at night
and Thomas Finegan in the daytime, "both old hands at the
business."
"Some of the Neighbors": The nearest roundhouses to West
Chester are located at Wawa, Oxford, Lamokin, Downingtown
and Paoli. The largest and most interesting roundhouse is
at Powellton Avenue, which is always busy. "One after
another of the locomotives come in from Wilmington,
Balitmore, New York, Pottsville, West Chester and
Harrisburg. They are turned, they take their places, they
are carefully rubbed down, like so many sprinters, and are
prepared for the track. There is no confusion, no loud
talking among the men, but all is in thorough order. A
mistake there might mean a loss of a minute, and minutes
count in the railroad business."
"When Troubles Come": The worst problem faced in turntable
operation occurs when a blizzard fills the pit with snow,
preventing the table from turning. To prevent the engines
from becoming trapped in the roundhouse, the railroad
workers run them out onto the track in the order they will
depart before the blizzard strikes.
------------------------
1900/03/26 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 26, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR was trying to buy land south of the Gay Street
bridge and north of the Market Street station in West
Chester in order to landscape the approach to the station.
------------------------
1900/03/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 27, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Residents of West Chester take a shortcut to the PRR station
at Market Street by climbing the embankment next to the
railroad bridge at East Barnard Street. There used to be
steps on the west side of the tracks, but the PRR removed
them to discourage people from walking along a dangerous
part of the tracks. This morning, a dozen or more
passengers climbed the bank, and one of them said "It saves
us about three blocks."
------------------------
1900/04/04 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 4, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
PRR railroad officials, including Superintendent T.
Bechdolt of Media, General Superintendent E. F. Brook of the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balitmore Railroad, Civil
Engineer Alonzo Feldpauche of Philadelphia, and J. G. Ruth
of Media, Superintendent of the Middle Division, arrived by
special train (locomotive No. 99 and parlor car No. 2803)
for a brief surprise inspection of the Market Street station
and surroundings. The author of the article reported that
no one knew for sure, but there was speculation that the
company wanted to enlarge the railyard to provide more room
for separate freight and passenger stations, and perhaps to
straighten the curve under Gay Street. The article mentions
that the property west of the railroad and south of Gay
Street was owned by Charles H. Willis.
------------------------
1900/04/07 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 7, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Workers on the PRR were engaged in "sprucing up" the North
Matlack Street yard where the majority of freight arrived in
WC, because the circus was due to arrive soon and it was
expected that many people would go to the railyard for a
first look at the animals.
------------------------
1900/04/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (West Chester, April 20, 1900)
from the CCHS clippings file "West Chester
Transportation, PRR"
A passenger train was forced to make an unscheduled stop at
Union Street shortly after leaving the station, because a
small boy decided to run on the tracks in a footrace against
the engine. The engineer stopped to avoid running over the
boy. "Just as the locomotive reached the end of the train
shed the lad sprang upon the track in front of it and made a
spurt down the track. The engine was close upon him, but he
did not falter. It was a race with the iron machine, and he
was in it to win. Such running as that boy did the engineer
declares he never saw, but before he reached Union street
crossing the locomotive was gaining to such an extent that
it was stopped to permit the boy to escape.
------------------------
1900/04/20 "Worked on the Sabbath" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April
20, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
Italian workers labored on Sunday for the PRR between
Coatesville and Parkesburg. "Many of the Italian laborers
worked on the Sabbath, while dozens of others enjoyed the
day of rest watching their fellow workmen and in smoking
their pipes about the shanties."
------------------------
1900/05/16 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 17, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Fire was discovered in one of the "emigrant cars" of train
No. 3, which left Broad Stret station at 11:20pm last
evening. Emigrant agent Joseph O. Nathanson discovered the
fire, caused when an oil lamp ignited the headlinings in the
car and set the roof on fire. He alerted conductor George
A. Tullock and brakeman S. S. Douhouer, who stopped the
train at Paoli. The Hungarians and the Swedes in the car
got out in a state of great agitation, and it took a half
hour to extinguish the fire in car No. 2706. It had a hole
burnt through its roof, so it was uncoupled and left at
Paoli.
------------------------
1900/05/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 26, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A new schedule went into effect for trains between West
Chester and Philadelphia. The most important change was
that trains from West Chester left earlier.
------------------------
1900/06/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (June 20, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Baggage agent Elwood Patchell and his assistant, Hayes
Still, were swamped with work because all of the schools
were closing at the same time and people wanted their trunks
checked on the train at the same time.
------------------------
1900/06/25 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (June 26, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Track foreman George Dougherty and his crew worked on the
tracks along the approach to the old Gay Street station from
Chestnut Street rails, even though some of it was as light
as 45 pounds/yard and the rest was 65 pounds/yard. In 1900,
100 pound rail was in use on the Main Line.
The article mentioned that Miller Snare was employed by the
railroad in the old days, back when conductor Edward Miller
was young. Miller once ran on the "lower road" (WC&PRR).
The article also said that there were men in town who wanted
to buy the old Gay Street station for use as a YMCA.
------------------------
1900/06/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (June 27, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The Paoli wreck train No. 235, had an accident at the
Bradford Hills Station when it crashed into a freight train
it was following. The freight train burst an air hose and
came to a stop too quickly for the wreck train to avoid it.
The cab boss, James Wooten, broke his shoulder and one of
the workers, Alex Tollinger, sprained his ankle. The wreck
train was destroyed, its two tool cars crushed and the front
of the engine was smashed.
------------------------
1900/07/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 21, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
There was a head-on collision between a passenger train and
a train loaded with quarry stone near the Glen Mills
station. There were a numver of injured people including
Mrs. Thomas S. Butler (JJ: possibly of West Chester), the
passenger train conductor Walter D. [looks like] Hansell,
and the freight train fireman Frank Winterbottom. The
passenger train engineer was Smith Lawrence, and J. Silas
Gravelle of Boston was a passenger.
------------------------
1900/07/20 "Of Coatesville" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 20,
1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
A gang of more than 100 Italian laborers was employed to
widen the roadbed of the PRR near Coatesville.
------------------------
1900/07/24 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 24, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A large force of railroad workers was engaged in replacing
the rails on the south side of the Market Street station in
West Chester with heavier rails.
------------------------
1900/07/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 27, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
There was a derailment of a coal train near St. Davids this
evening after a wheel on one of the leading cars broke,
smashing 23 more cars and scattering coal all over the four
tracks. The conductor was John F. Glass of Harrisburg, and
the engineer was Cheyney Steele. The front brakeman, Payne,
was thrown from the train but survived. All members of the
crew praised an unidentified little girl who alerted them as
they passed the Wayne station that there was trouble in the
front of the train.
------------------------
1900/08/23 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (August 23, 1900)
Elwood Patchell, the baggage agent at the PRR station on
Market Street, was transferred to West Grove. He was
replaced by Mr. Eckley, who came from West Grove.
------------------------
1900/08/30 "113 Leave for the Atlantic" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(August 30, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
113 people boarded a PRR excursion train from West Chester
to Atlantic City. Two earlier trains carried as much as 200
people, some of whom remained at the shore for as much as a
week. The train left West Chester at 6:45am.
------------------------
1900/09/03 "Railroad Rumblings: Bits of News Picked UP Where
the Trains Are Running" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(September 3, 1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
"Miss Martha McMichael is becoming familar with the big
typewriting machine at the Market Street Station, and will
make out the way bills and manifests thereon."
Conductor M. M. Shaw and crew brought a train with thirteen
empty passenger cars out from Philadelphia late last night,
after they were used for an excursion to Atlantic City.
Several passenger cars used in West Chester still have
stoves for heat, even though all of the passenger cars west
of the Delaware were equipped with steam heat a year or two
ago. This was because the cars on the New Jersey side were
not yet refitted, and as a result of the heavy summer shore
excursion traffic, cars from both sides of the river became
intermingled.
A train, known as "the educational train" left West Chester
each morning at 7:35am via the PRR-Frazer line. School was
back in session, so the train "was freighted with teachers"
including Homer Darlington, principal at Paoli; Miss Willa
M. Way and Miss Sara E. Martin in Berwyn; Mrs. Carrie W.
Cummins in North Berwyn; Miss Bessie Smedley, Malvern; Miss
Evaline Darlington, Wayne; Miss Emma Clark, West Whiteland;
Susan C. Lodge, principal of the Girls' Collegiate Institute
in Philadelphia,; and other teachers.
------------------------
1900/10/31 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 31, 1900), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR took steps to stop a fraudulent practice by people
who shipped their baggae to Philadelphia via the railroad
and then took the cheaper trolley to Philadelphia, meeting
their baggage later in the city.
------------------------
1900/11/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 20, 1900), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
This article describes the work to extend a culvert over
Saalbach's Run on the Main Line near Coatesville. It
includes a detailed description of the work gang and an
offhand reference to a railroad passenger:
"The tourist from New York who looks carelessly across the
landscape to the South Valley Hills, at this point less than
a mile away, and carelessly tosses from the dining car
window a jagged, rosy-hued lobstor claw at the end of his
second course, perhaps has little idea how someone has
carefully planned the roadbed and many others have labored
night and day that he may enjoy luxurious travel at high
speed."
"There are two stone masons, a couple of bricklayers, an
Italian who mixes the mortar and a mechanic who dresses the
stone. Then there are, besides these, a well-fed chap in
overalls who runs the engine, a stout young fellow who looks
after the cable to see that it is never kinked or knotted,
and a romantic looking brigand with piratical mustache and
jaunty slouch hat, who carries water all day long to feed
the boiler or tosses on coal for the furnace. These and the
boy with the drinking water complete the gang in charge of
this portion of the work." (Note: the "little upright
engine" and cable were used to position limestone blocks
used to build the culvert.)
------------------------
1900/11/24 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 24, 1900), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A fifteen pound can of ordinary gunpowder rests in the
Market Street depot and no one has claimed it. The can
arrived about two years ago, but it has no markings or
shipping tag. It was kept next to a window at the rear of
the building until someone figured out what to do with it.
------------------------
1900/12/10 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 11, 1900), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
Fireman Samuel McComsey fell from his own freight train and
was run over yesterday evening at Glen Loch. His leg and
arm were severed, and he died a half hour later.
------------------------
1900/12/26 "West Chester and Philadelphia, Schedule in
Effect" (Pennsylvania Railroad, November 25,
1900), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
There were 25 trains from West Chester to Phila and 26
trains from Phila to WC use the PRR-Media. There were
twelve trains in each direction on Sunday, with five of each
using the PRR-Media. There were also connections to
Wilmington, Oxford, Lamokin (between Wawa & Chester),
Lancaster, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.
------------------------
1901/01/01 "Late Trains New Year's Eve Via The Pennsylvania
Railroad" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 31, 1900),
from the CCHS clippings file: "Transportation,
Pennsylvania Railroad"
In order to allow people from West Chester to view the
"illumination of City Hall, Philadelphia, and the other
electrical displays by which the opening of the twentieth
century is to be celebrated, and the military demonstration
late on New Year's Eve, the PRR will run a special train to
West Chester and intermediate stations, leaving Broad Street
Station, Philadelphia, at 1 o'clock a. m. on the morning of
January 1, 1901."
------------------------
1901/02/29 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (February 29, 1901), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A new, unidentified engineer made a record run over the
seven miles of the PRR-Frazer eight minutes, including stops
at two stations on the way to WC.
------------------------
1901/04/10 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 10, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR purchased large amounts of property west of
Downingtown for unknown reasons, although the author
speculated that it might be to block the expansion of
trolley lines, since "Trolley lines do not have the right of
eminent domain and could not cross the railroad's property
as steam roads are able to do." JJ: See the discussion of
this tactic in April 1906.
------------------------
1901/04/25 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 25, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
120 Italian workers were employed by the PRR to replace the
rails on the PRR-Frazer between Morstein and Greenhill
stations, a distance of 2.3 miles. They arrived at the site
on the first west-bound train of the day, operated by
conductor Joseph Keech. The new rails will be the same
weight as those used on the Main Line.
------------------------
1901/05/06 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 6, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A court ordered the PRR to build a bridge on the PRR-Frazer
"between Morstein and the old Halfway House, known in years
gone by as Dolly Glisson's" over a new road. John Frederick
Lewis, Esquire, had a strong interest in obtaining the
bridge, while it was opposed by William E. Lockwood of Glen
Loch.
------------------------
1901/05/15 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (West Chester, May 15, 1901) from
the CCHS clippings file "West Chester
Transportation, PRR"
This article describes the activity on a train from
Philadelphia to West Chester, and includes comments from the
conductor about the complexity of the job and the scams
pulled by passengers: "On the road between West Chester and
Philadelphia, we have over a dozen different kinds [of
tickets], not to mention all sorts of bluffs the dead beats
give us when they are trying to ride free."
The "straight ticket" costs 73 cents. The excursion fare,
"such as a transient traveler uses" cost $1.16 (round trip).
The package ticket, sold in groups of at least ten, cost 53
cents. Clerical tickets were half price, and made available
to ministers, nuns, and officers of the Volunteers of
America and the Salvation Army. A 46-trip booklet for
students cost $8.74. A 60-trip booklet, good for a month of
working days, cost $11.40. A 100-ticket book cost 22.80 and
180 rides for $30.80. There was also something called a
1000-mile ticket.
------------------------
1901/09/06 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (September 6, 1901), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
John Frederick Lewis, Esquire and John M of West Goshen
Township, arranged with the PRR to abolish the grade
crossing just below Green Hill station and build a tunnel
for the road under the railroad. The new bridge, an iron
truss on stone abutments, eliminated a dangerous grade
crossing. The crossing had long been considered dangerous,
and the article mentions a "Mrs. Smith, the sister of
William H. Tumbleston, Esq. of Green Hill [who] was killed
here some years ago."
------------------------
1901/09/09 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (September 10, 190), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A locomotive pulling a train to West Chester over the PRR-
Frazer, operated by Conductor Charles Springer, was
immobilized by a broken eccentric just as it left the
Morstein station. There was no damage, but the train was
delayed for nearly three hours, even though another
locomotive stood nearby while repairs were made. The
workers eventually removed the damaged part and the train
proceeded to West Chester with only a single operating
eccentric.
------------------------
1901/09/24 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (September 24, 1901), from the
CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
Work was underway to replace the grade crossing near Green
Hill Station with a bridge, and a siding was under
construction at that station on the east side of the PRR-
Frazer.
------------------------
1901/10/03 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 3, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR planned to build a new water tank at its Chestnut
Street yard in WC. This plan pleased local residents
because it will eliminate the railroad's heavy draw on local
water supplies when servicing locomotives. Residents of the
south end of the borough need a railroad water tank even
more, since "the draw is really greater on the southern end
water mains than in the northern portion of the borough."
------------------------
1901/10/11 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 12, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
A large steam engine crane, capable of lifting locomotives
weighing 100 tons, was used to remove the old turntable at
the Chestnut Street yard and install a new one. The work,
which required more than 100 men and several supervisors,
proceeded so quietly that none of the local residents awoke.
(Names given included "Chas. H. Pennypacker, Esq.; Col. F.
C. Hooten, Jas. D. McClellan; Edw. H. Hall, ex-postmaster
Worth, and others in the vicinity")
Meanwhile, another gang of workmen was employed to lay the
water main to the new railroad water tank.
------------------------
1901/11/05 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 5, 1901), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
PRR officials reported that "ride stealers" were fewer this
fall than at any time in the past 20 years. They attributed
this to dilligent effort by railroad detectives and the
generally good economic situation, which meant that there
was no excuse for not having a job. Justices of the Peace
have also cooperated by sending offenders to jail.
Railroad detectives faced a new hazard when apprehending
ride stealers--smallpox. Since the detectives had to search
a suspect for weapons, they came into close enough contact
to become infected.
------------------------
1902/01/16 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 16, 1902)
A new plank crossing was built at the railroad crossing on
Franklin Street.
------------------------
1902/02/28 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (West Chester, February 28, 1902)
from the CCHS clippings file "West Chester
Transportation, PRR"
Negroes who loitered at the train station were a concern to
West Chester's citizens. "I went to meet my sister, coming
on the 8:10 train, and found the waiting room in possession
of three negro boys. The outside of the station was adorned
by five young negro men. These men and boys were amusing
themselves by tapping on the window of the ladies' room, at
a young girl. They were constantly making ugly remarks, and
I found the girl pale and frightened. As in this case, it
was absolutely necessary to go out alone sometimes, and it
is a shame for women to be subjected to such outrages."
------------------------
1902/05/26 "West Chester and Philadelphia, Schedule in
Effect" (Pennsylvania Railroad, May 25, 1902),
from the CCHS clippings file: "Transportation,
Pennsylvania Railroad"
There were 25 trains from West Chester to Philadelphia and
26 trains from Philadelphia to West Chester trains in each
direction use the PRR-Media. There were twelve trains in
each direction on Sunday, with five of each using the PRR-
Media. There were also connections to Wilmington, Oxford,
Lamokin, Lancaster, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.
------------------------
1902/05/31 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 31, 1902)
Christian Kautz was the gatekeeper for the PRR at the Market
Street crossing.
------------------------
1902/06/01 "West Chester Street Railway and Lenape Branch--
Timetable in Effect after June 1st, 1902", from
the CCHS clippings file: "Transportation, Time
Tables"
There were 34 trolleys a day between West Chester and
Lenape, operating from 6:30am to 11pm at intervals of
roughly half an hour to Wilmington, and two on Sundays. The
Sunday trolley schedule was the same except that the last
train from Lenape to West Chester left at 10:30pm instead of
11pm. C. V. Miller was the superintendent of the West
Chester Street Railway.
------------------------
1902/07/21 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 21, 1902)
A railroad worker, John F. Ryan, died in Philadelphia of
complications following an accident which crushed his foot a
few years ago and left an unhealed wound. He was survived
by his wife and five children. He was "brother-in-law of
Michael, James, and Kate Flanagan and Mrs. Michael Brennan."
------------------------
1902/10/04 clippings file.
As of October 4, 1902, the West Chester Street Railway
operated only 15 trolleys each way daily between West
Chester and Lenape.
------------------------
1902/11/01 James J. D. Lynch Jr., "The West Chester Branch"
in THE HIGH LINE, vol. 8, no. 2 & 3 (Winter-Spring
1988), 5.
On November 1, 1902, the P&BCRR was merged with the
Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Company to form the
Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad (PB&WRR).
------------------------
1902/11/20 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 20, 1902)
Small boys congregated at the PRR station and West Chester
trolley stations to earn money carrying baggage for
returning teachers. At least one woman reported that her
baggage was lost as a result.
------------------------
1903/01/08 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 8, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
President A. J. Cassatt of the PRR announced plans to
construct additional tracks on the PRR Main Line between
Philadelphia and Lancaster, bringing the total to six tracks
except where the Main Line crosses the wooden "high bridge"
in Coatesville. A new stone bridge is under construction in
Coatesville to carry additional tracks, but it will not be
completed for several years.
------------------------
1903/03/23 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 3, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
A car containing coal for Edward H. Hall broke loose on a
siding on Evans Street, ran downhill towards the Electric
Light Plant, and passed over Walnut Street without hitting
anyone. However, on the other side, it struck another
railcar and broke off a bumper.
------------------------
1903/03/27 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (West Chester, March 27, 1903)
from the CCHS clippings file "West Chester
Transportation, PRR"
"A fire, which is supposed to have been started by people
trespassing upon the property, practically wiped out of
existence the old West Chester Railroad Depot fronting on
Gay Street, at an early hour this morning and destroyed an
adjoining stable." The old railway station at Gay Street
was built in the 1850s, but empty and unused by 1903. The
frame construction building was owned by Uriah Painter.
------------------------
1903/03/31 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (March 31, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR announced plans to construct a low-grade freight
line through Chester County beginning near Parkesburg and
proceeding across the county parallel to the Delaware county
line. The new line would diverge from the PRR-Main Line
near Caln, cross the Brandywine south of the rpesent bridge,
head east while climbing Valley Hill, cross under the
existing tracks at Whitford, and continue on the north side
of the present track, passing between the Warren Tavern and
Malvern.
------------------------
1903/07/16 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 17, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
An accident at Whiteland station destroyed four railcars
carrying granite blocks intended for the construction of the
PRR's low-grade freight line across Chester County.
------------------------
1903/10/05 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 5, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
The locomotive that normally pulled the train to West
Chester on the PRR-Frazer was immobilized at the Market
Street station when it backed into a line of railcars and an
extension punctured the water tank on the tender.
------------------------
1903/10/19 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 20, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR proposed to build a "low-grade line" parallel to the
Main Line between Paoli and Thorndale as part of a larger
project to construct an additional freight line from the
Susquehanna River to New Jersey, bypassing Philadelphia.
However, a West Whiteland land owner, Dr. Joseph Price, sued
in court and won a decision that prevented the PRR from
doing so, because the new track did not satisfy the
provision of the original 1846 charter that allowed the
construction of branch lines to "promote the convenience of
its [the county's] inhabitants." The new line would not
cross any new territory, nor would it provide any new
stations.
As a consequence, the railroad was prevented from condemning
property to build the new road, and could only do so if it
bought the property outright.
------------------------
1903/10/23 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 24, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
A locomotive derailed between East Biddle and East
Washington Streets yesterday and struck a corner of the
Sharpless Separator Works, knocking a hole in the wall.
------------------------
1903/12/02 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 2, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad"
The PRR, responding to complaints by West Chester
passengers, agreed not to operate any more "small trains"
over either of the lines that ran to Philadelphia.
Previously, trains usually consisted of a locomotive, a
coach and a combination car, but in the future, all trains
would have at least two coaches and a combination car.
------------------------
1906 "To Keep the Cars Warm" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (incomplete
date, 1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
The PB&WRR installed steam lines along several sidings near
the old roundhouse at Nields Street to keep passenger cars
warm throughout the night. That way, they were already at a
comfortable temperature when they went into service in the
morning.
------------------------
1906 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (1906--date missing), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
Brown predicted that in the future, railroads would depend
more on gasoline power coupled directly to the wheels, and
not used to drive electrical generators.
------------------------
1906 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (1906--date missing), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad"
The author noted how the size of railcars had grown in the
last forty years. Instead of five-ton coal cars, fifty tons
was now normal, and engines had grown in weight from seven
tons to 65 tons, and 106-ton locomotives were no longer
uncommon. In 1866, a train weighing 300 tons was thought to
be heavy, but by 1960, trains weighing 1350 tons were
common.
------------------------
1906/01/05 "A Portion of the Iron Work is Now in Place" in
DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 5, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
The PRR rebuilt the Barnard Street bridge, raising it,
eliminating a trestle support in the center to free up the
street below, and eliminating one track across the bridge (3
tracks instead of 4. The 4th track, a siding to a coal
company,was placed on a separate span over the street.).
------------------------
1906/01/06 Alford Kelley, "Injurious Unnecessary Railroad
Whistling" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 6, 1906),
in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
This letter to the editor complains that railroad whistles
are dangerous for the human nervous system and should be
prohibited in West Chester.
------------------------
1906/01/10 "May Lose Frazer Train" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(January 10, 1906), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad, Frazer
Branch"
Since a trolley line was compelted from West Chester to
Downingtown, few people used the PRR-Frazer for connections
to the west. There were rumors that the PRR would cancel
passenger service on the PRR-Frazer and direct all West
Chester passengers towards Philadelphia on the PRR-Media.
The article also mentions that the Pennsylvania Railroad
might also "soon own the West Chester Street Railway."
------------------------
1906/01/11 "Looking for Third Rail" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(January 11, 1906), from the CCHS clippings file:
"Transportation, Pennsylvania Railroad, Frazer
Branch"
Talk of closing the PRR-Frazer passenger service prompted
several unidentified "railroad men" to propose the
construction of a "third rail" electric line from Frazer to
West Chester.
------------------------
1906/04/01 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 2, 1906), in CCHS clipping
file: "West Chester Transportation, PA. RR 1905-
1909."
A train reached the borough carrying the goods of the late
Dr. Jacob Price of East Bradford township, including 14 cows
which needed milking. Residents of the East Ward were
invited to take the milk, and "the cars were besieged by
men, women and children with all sorts of receptacles to get
a portion of the milk. It was freely given away to all
comers, and was thankfully received by them. . . . The
spectacle was a rather unusual one in West Chester."
------------------------
1906/04/10 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 10, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
Holland G. Malin was recently the assistant baggagemaster at
Market Street, but now lives in New Mexico.
------------------------
1906/04/18 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 18, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
Christian Kautz and Eli Rambo, gatekeepers at Market Street,
added an annex to their booth with enough room to store some
clothes or supplies.
------------------------
1906/04/18 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 18, 1906), from the CCHS
clippings file.
West Chester Streets Commissioner John C. Heed announced
that improvements would be made to E. Union Street at the
PRR crossing. The PRR decided to leave an at-grade
crossing, so West Chester borough opted to raise the street
level and pave it. This was an improvement for the horse
teams that carried freight away from the PRR freight station
on E. Union Street.
The same article mentioned that the East Barnard Street
"underhead" bridge was not yet finished.
------------------------
1906/04/22 "Changes" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 22, 1906), in
CCHS clipping file: "West Chester Transportation,
PA. RR 1905-1909."
Mrs. Sarah Johnson resigned as cleaning woman for the Market
Street station waiting room. She may be replaced by a
"white woman."
------------------------
1906/04/26 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (April 26, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
This article mentions several odds and ends, including the
fact that Alvin Martin of Chadd's Ford became the new
assistant baggagemaster, replacing William Morgan when he
was promoted to replace Holland G. Malin. The baggagemaster
is D. B. Colehour.
Conductor Wellington G. Priest recalled that he worked a
carpenter for 17 years before transferring to railroad
operations thirty years ago.
------------------------
1906/05/12 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (May 12, 1906), in CCHS clipping
file: "West Chester Transportation, PA. RR 1905-
1909."
Shipments of old iron from West Chester to foundries
continue. Roughly one car a day full of junk iron leaves
West Chester, but the supply is not depleted because junkmen
bring in new material from rural areas.
------------------------
1906/07/28 "Bicycles Are Buried Under Falling Wall, Happily
Nobody Was Hurt" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 28,
1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
Freight cars crashed into the south wall of the Market
Street station, causing it to collapse onto bicycles owned
by a number of railroad patrons including Charles Murtaugh,
Charles McFarland and Harry Farra, all of whom had taken the
train out-of-town.
------------------------
1906/07/30 "Good Repair Work" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (July 30,
1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
Only two bicycles were damaged in the accident on July 28.
One belonged to Harry T. Ferrell of Dean Street, who worked
at the Broad Street station. The other, an old bicycle of
little value, belonged to Charles H. Andrews.
------------------------
1906/08/14 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (August 14, 1906),in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
The PRR operated its second excursion to Atlantic City
today, and sold 250 tickets in West Chester alone. That was
about one hundred more than were sold for the previous
excursion.
------------------------
1906/08/22 "Was Large Excursion" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (August
22, 1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
The last excursion of the summer to Atlantic city was a huge
success, although not as many people from West Chester went
along as on earlier excursions. "The colored people, who
generally go on the last excursion of the summer, were out
in force. Lincoln University, Rowlandsville, Oxford,
Kennett Square and Concordville furnished a big share. Ten
coaches were required to convey them to and from the shore.
It was decidedly the largest of the season. No accidents
occurred, the crowd was orderly and a good time in general
was had."
------------------------
1906/09/19 "Agents Transferred" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(September 9, 1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West
Chester Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
Clarence G. Pyle, first assistant to D. B. Colehour of the
PRR Market Street station, was transferred to Kennett and
replaced by a temporary substitute, J. K. Hambleton.
------------------------
1906/10/11 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 11, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
D. K. Devon of Kelton became the permanent first assistant
to D. B. Colehour, agent at the West Chester Market Street
station.
------------------------
1906/10/15 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (October 15, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
Dr. W. S. Webb, an official of the New York & Hudson
Railroad, visited West Chester with a friend and two ladies
during a lengthy pleasure trip. They traveled by day in an
automobile, but arranged to have the parlor car "Elsmere"
placed on a convenient siding each evening to provide them
with food and lodging.
------------------------
1906/11/06 "Thinks Auto Hack Would Pay" in DAILY LOCAL NEWS
(November 6, 1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West
Chester Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
A North Ward citizen complained that he had to take a
trolley and then walk almost as far again to reach the train
station. "An automobile could deliver passengers in one-
third the time with much more satisfaction to patrons. I
believe it would pay."
The article mentioned that J. Max Meyer Jr. of West Chester
had considered starting such a service but gave it up when
other matters became pressing.
------------------------
1906/11/08 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (November 8, 1906), in CCHS
clipping file: "West Chester Transportation, PA.
RR 1905-1909."
The PRR constructed new cattle chutes near its Union Street
freight station, and closed the old chute located between
Gay and Market Streets. This pleased the neighbors.
------------------------
1906/12/18 "Ralston R. Hoopes Gets $4500 for Land Taken by P.
B. & W. R. R." in DAILY LOCAL NEWS (December 18,
1906), in CCHS clipping file: "West Chester
Transportation, PA. RR 1905-1909."
Hoopes sued the railroad for $27,000 in damages for the loss
of a strip of land along the railroad between Barnard Street
and Magnolia Street. The jury awarded him only $4500.
------------------------
1906/12/31 DAILY LOCAL NEWS (January 1, 1903), from the CCHS
clippings file: "Transportation, Pennsylvania
Railroad, Frazer Branch"
As part of a test by the PRR, a gasoline-powered railcar
reached West Chester for the first time, operated by
Assistant Trainmaster H. C. Smith, a motorman and an expert
engineer. The car was named "Oregita," was the size of an
ordinary trolley car, and carried upholstered chairs for the
officials. A small engine room was located at one end. (A
handwritten note says that the cars real name was "Ogerita,"
not "Oregita.") It remained in town for 14 minutes while
many people looked at it, then continued at 5:10pm to
Downingtown and Lancaster.
People viewed the arrival of the gasoline-powered train as
the "death knell of the steam boilers and engines." The
article offered several ideas about possible uses for the
new trains, and implied that the ultimate goal was to reduce
the operating costs of passenger travel so the Pennsylvania
Railroad could compete with the trolley companies.
"If one can whirl to Downingtown or Lenape in an automobile
carrying a half-dozen persons over dirt roads for eight or
nine cents the trip, why could not gasoline carry a carload
of persons over a graded track at a corresponding expense?"
JJ: cost of transportation.
------------------------