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From: "Virginia Cunningham" <>
Subject: Newspaper articles
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 07:57:43 -0600


October 16, 1923 Murpysboro Dailey Independent
From Mary Risling

MRS. DECKER REMINISCENCES OF EARLY DAYS
Mrs. Ann E. DECKER, writer of the interesting reminiscenses here
following was born on a farm in Orange County, New York, November 4, 1832.
She will be 91 years old her next birthday. The spendid old lady lives at
1938 Spruce Street. She was married at Otisville, N.Y. in 1855 to Jasper
DECKER, who died here in 1902. The union begot four children, Lina, Ran,
Clinton and Phil. The last two survive. Clinton is an engineer for the M &
O living at Millstadt. Phil is a banker in Florida. Mrs. Decker still goes
to church at the First Lutheran, where she has been a communicant many
years.
Mrs. Decker wrote the Independent her recollections of those early days
of Murphysboro and the Independent as follows:
"Away back in the early sixties I first saw Murphysboro, then a small
village. Most of the town was around the court house square with scattered
buildings in all directions; no modern improvements, not even a railroad to
mar the beauty of its primitive surroundings. If there was a newspaper
published, here then I fail to remember it, but shortly afterwards a paper
was started by Bethune DISHON and John EVANS. They christened it the Argus.
It was a small two page affair. I cannot call to mind any of the printed
matter as I only saw one or two copies, but it was short lived. There was a
fire in the building in which it was located which ruined the printing
apparatus, which ended the work. Some one who liked joking said: "Our goose
was roasted." At all events that was the end of the Argus.
Not long after, Dishon and Grear started the Independent, a four page
paper, once a week publication but suited to the times and the town, but the
paper has kept pace with the progress of the town and is a daily that any
city may well be proud of.
"the first big fire in Murphysboro was on the east side of the square
when the whole center of the block was destroyed, except the two end
buildings, a brick one on the north corner owned by John GILL in which he
kept a store and a two story frame building on the south corner owned and
occupied by U. E. ROBINSON, a man of prominence (as lawyers were not thick
in Murphysboro then as now.) I recall one or two more: Mayham and Smith
both now resting in our city cemetery.
"The first county superintendent of schools in Jackson county that I had
any knowledge of was Dr. John FORD, living on what is now Thirteenth St. I
don't think it had a name then. I am sure it had no granatoid walk nor
pavement, just a path on each side of the street which most of the time was
not suitable for promonade for white shoes but fotunately white shoes were
not in style then. The next county superintendent that I recall was John
READER. I think he was elected a second time.
"In those early days, Murphysboro was a home like town, everybody knew
everybody and with few exceptions everybody was neighbor and friend."
"I attended the funeral of William LOGAN, brother of our late Thom M.
and James V. and Gen. John A. His body was the first one buried in our City
Cemetery.
My husband and I came to Murphysboro in 1866.
"I was at the cornerstone laying of the first Baptist church started
here. It was where the Woolworths store is now. Unfortunately the men who
started it never finished it. It became the White Swan saloon.
I have been a Lutheran for many years. The first Lutheran church was a
little frame thing where the old church now stands on Hanson street. I
started worship there the first day the doors opened.
There was a church here earlier than that. It was the First Methodist
Church. It stood on what is now Chestnut Street, east of Thirteenth.
Mrs. A. E. DECKER



COMING OF NARROW GUAGE LINE, EAST ST. LOUIS TO MURPHYSBORO MARKED NEW ERA IN
THE CITY
The growth of Murphysboro and the Mobile & Ohio are synonymous and
contemporaneous. Murphysboro was but a village when in 1873 the St. Louis
and Cairo railroad (the narrow guage) was built to this city, but its growth
began in that year, when it ceased to be isolated from the world and became
connected with the north and south by this line.
Many are the memories of other days that the words Narrow Guage bring to
our older citizens. In 1878 when B. B. TOLSON, now superintendent of the
St. Louis division of the Mobile & Ohio road with headquarters in this city,
was braking on that road in the south between Columbus, Ky., and East Cairo,
Ky., the late E. W. MOORE, his predecessor in that office was braking on the
Narrow Guage from St. Louis to Cairo.
The Mobile & Ohio was started in 1851 and was built from Mobile, Ala.,
to Columbus, Ky., and Mr. Tolson was the first agent to serve the road at
Enterprise, Miss., soon after it was built to that point. He was later
brakeman and then became agent and yardmaster at East Cairo and Cairo for
many years when the road made transfers across the river by ferry and
connected with the St. Louis, Iron Moutain and Southern. Mr. Tolson served
as brakeman and conductor from Columbus to East Cairo before traffic was
opened on that section of the road. Later he served as passenger conductor,
and then was yardmaster at Cairo and Jackson. He was made Superintendent in
1913.
With the exception of Conductor William KEEFE who still makes his run on
passenger trains from Cairo to East St. Louis, Mr. Tolson is the oldest
employee on this division of the Mobile & Ohio railroad in point of service
with the Mobile & Ohio.
Among the other employees of this road who have been in the service
since the narrow guage days are: Sam CHEATHAM, assistant roadmaster, Capt.
John F. RAUSCH, Sam RODMAN, John WILLIAMS, Clint DECKER, Ben HABERMEHL,
Jerry McCARTY.
James BENSON became an engineer in 1886 and John LEWIS an engineer in
1889.
While the building of the narrow guage and the later acquisition of that
road by the Mobile & Ohio meant much to Murphysboro the real growth of the
city came with the opening of the Mobile & Ohio shops in this city on land,
located between Seventeenth street and Nineteenth, and between Logan street
and Gartside, donated by Col. T. M. LOGAN in 1888.
While the shops at that time were small in comparison with the present
day shops, the decision of the company to make this a division point and to
build shops was heralded with great joy by the enterprising citizens of the
time. They have never ceased to be an asset to the commuinity. Today this
road has a monthly payroll in this city of more than $71,000 and employs
nine hundred and fifty men.
The following are the officers of the division who have their
headquarters here: B. B. TOLSON, Division Superintendent; Trainmaster F. M.
BULOCH, Master Mechanic, J. E. STEVENS; Roadmaster L. C. ARNOLD; Car Shop
Foreman, J. H. STAPLES; Division Store Keeper, T. S. EDGELL; Agent A. G.
SCHRAEDER.
The following brief history of the St. Louis & Cairo Narrow Guage
railroad was prepared for the press some years ago by Capt. John F. RAUSCH
and is re-printed here with his permission:
Fifty years ago the country between St. Louis and Cairo was practically
a wilderness, and a company headed by Mr. Canada began building a narrow
guage railroad from Bloody Island, East St. Louis, to Cairo, starting at
both ends and meeting at Big Muddy river in 1872.
So many difficulties had to be overcome, owing to the hilly nature of
the route south of Murphysboro, Ill., that the road went into the hands of a
receiver, a Mr. Smithers of New York, who had a great deal of practical
railroad experience.
Finally Mr. Chas. HAMILTON was appointed general superintendent and
chief engineer, and the road improved rapidly in roadbed and equipment in
1886 the narrow guage had just 16 engines and 800 cars, and in that year the
Mobile & Ohio leased the road for 50 years time, but recently has purchased
it outright.
The narrow guage round house originally stood at Spruce and 18th
streets, the land running close to the Logan elm tree.
As an example of difficulties overcome, the road crossed Lewis creek
seven times in one and one half miles south of the Big Muddy. These bridges
were known as the seven sisters. One tunnel was cut through a big hill
south of Jonesboro.
In 1886 the road was widened to standard guage and cars transferred over
the Ohio river, on th transfer steamer W. B. Duncan at Cairo. This
continued until the Illinois Central railroad build the bridge across the
Ohio river, when the Mobile & Ohio obtained the right to use it, and the
transfer steamers were discontinued in 1885.
The official staff of the St. Louis & Cairo R. R. consisted of:
Charles HAMILTON, president and general manager, St. Louis
J. A. HORSEY, Vice President, New York
William RITCHIE, Secretary, Chicago
George S. PEARCE, cashier, St. Louis
Charles HAMILTON, general superintendent and chief engineer, St.
Louis
J. W. RAVLIN, assistant superintendent, East St. Louis
R. BELL, assistant general freight and passenger agent, St. Louis
W. W. BOOREAM, auditor, St. Louis
E. I. NEWELL, master mechanic, East St. Louis
Fred RAUSCH, foreman of repairs. East St. Louis
T. J. WILKINSON, superintendent of bridges, Sparta
The Mobile & Ohio railroad was started from Mobile, Ala., in 1851, and
gradually extended north to Meridian, Miss., thence to Jackson, Tenn., and
later to Columbus, Ky., where they connected with the St. Louis Iron
Mountain and Southern railroad by transfer boat across the Mississippi. In
1873 they extended to East Cairo, that being their terminal until 1886, when
they reached St. Louis over the acquired St. Louis & Cairo railroad.
A comparison of M. Y. O. equipment in 1886 and 1913; St. Louis & Cairo
R. R. miles of track, 152 with a 9-mile branch. Mobile & Ohio R.R., 493
miles of track, with 34 mile branch. At present the Mobile & Ohio shows
1114 miles of track, 264 engines, 129 passenger cars and 12,000 freight
cars.
Captain Rausch, following the publilcation of his first historical
reminiscensed receiving the following letter from Col. Chas. HAMILTON, who
was superintendent of the C. & S. L. narrow guage in 1872, and is now
located in Waco, Texas, which will no doubt be of interest to many who
remember him as superintendent of the St. Louis district up to 1899.

Waco Texas, Dec. 12, 1913
My Dear Fred,
I am prefectly well and enjoying my rest after forty years spent in
managing railroads and nearly ten years in locating and building. I was the
first superintendent of the Cairo & St. Louis in 1872. When I was appointed
superintendent of the Cairo & St. Louis railroad early in 1872, it was in
operation from East Carondolet to Sparta. The shops were at East
Carondolet; L. C. MOYES was master mechanic and Sam LETCHWORTH, formerly of
Murphysboro, M.C.B.
During my first year we laid a third rail on what was then called the
"Conlogue Road" from East Carondolet to East St. Louis, and moved the shops
to East St. Louis, and I think that we extended the line from Sparta to
Murphysoboro the same year or maybe it was 1873. During my first term of
the service with the old Cairo & St. Louis the board of directors was about
as follows:
Col. E. Statts TAYLOR of Cairo was present
Judge F. BROSS of Cairo, secretary
Tom BROUGHTON, editor of the Jonesboro Gazette;
Co. W. R. MORRISON, "Horizontal Bill" of Waterloo
Squire STOEHR, a fine old German gentleman of Red Bud
ROSEBOROUGH of Sparta
Tom LOGAN, of Murphysboro
H. R. PAYSON and Co. of Chicago built the road. E. E. CANADA, an
accomplished civil engineer, was one of the company and general managers of
the road until it went into the hands of a receiver, H. W. SMITHERS of New
York representing the Dutch bondholders.
I was succeeded as superintendent in 1875 by J. H. HINCHLEY of St. Louis
and it was under his supervision that the road was finished to Cairo. Soon
after being finished I don't remember exactly when, it was placed in the
hands of the receiver, who appointed L. M. JOHNSON general manager, who had
charge of the property until the 31st of December, 1880.
On the first day of January, 1881, I was appointed general manager and
on my first trip over the road, soon after crossing the creek below Mountain
Glen, the train made an emergency stop-with hand brakes. I went ahead and
found a box car on the main track with a bright looking young fellow beside
it. I asked him who he was and how he got there. He said he was a brakeman
on No. 7, and the car got away from the crew at Jonesboro. He knew that No.
1 was about due and that he rode the car down the hill trying to stop it in
time to flag No. 1. I asked him his name; he said "Ed MOORE."
Ed was the right stuff and didn't remain a freight brakeman very long.
When I left the road he was running one of the best passenger trains and I
was greatly pleased when I heard that he succeeded Horace CLARKE as
superintendent of the St. Louis division, and was very sorry indeed to hear
of his death while I was in California last year.
In 1882 or 1883, the St. Louis and Cairo Railroad company was organized,
the receiver was discharged and W. F. WHITEHOUSE made president, with the
following board of directors:
T. M. LOGAN
Judge F. BROSS
Co. J. C. EDWARDS of Waterloo
J. A. HORSEY of New York
Jno T. LOVINGSTON, a prominent lumber merchant of East St. Louis
Paul ABT, president of one of the National banks of East St. Louis
CHARLES HAMILTON
Mr. Whitehouse resigned and went abroad to live in 1884 and I was made
president and remained until the road was leased to the Mobile & Ohio in
1886, and you know the rest of the story.
With the exception of Whitehouse who I hadn't heard from for some time,
Paul ABT about whom I am uncertain and H. W. SMITHERS of London, England,
from whom I hear every Chritmas, they are all gone and only about 40 years
have elapsed since they were all actively engaged in different pursuits.
My 30 years ago associates are passing away, too, and I'll soon be the
only old fellow left. You, Capt. Billy WILLIAMS, Bill KEEFE, and a few
others are all that's left of that crowd. J. W. RAVLIN, at one time
superintendent, came to Texas and died in Galveston a few years ago.
General Freight Agent Robert BELL came to Texas with us and was killed
by a laundry man in a dispute over ten cents.
F. E. ALBRIGHT, our attorney at Murphysboro, came to Texas and died at
Forth Worth.
That reminds me that my very good friend, John H. OBERLY, editor of the
Cairo Daily Bulletin in the 70's was a director in the Old C & S. L.
afterwards railroad commissioner of Illinois, and civil service commissioner
under President Cleveland, now dead, of course.
If I have any old friends alive in Murphysboro, kindly convey to them
the assurance of my kindest remembrances and believe me.
Very sincerely your friend,
Charles HAMILTON

"Referring to the flagging of No. 1 by Brakeman Moore, in 1881. This
was duplicated by Brakeman Tom LANAN in 1889 showing that railroad men are
quick to act in emergencies and do their duties regardless of their own
lives.
On this occasion a car load of wheat had been dragged off a spur track
at the Jonesboro mill. The local's crew replaced it on the track. All the
brakes had been torn off when derailed. While handling the car on the main
line the couth coupler pulled out and the car started down the hill.
Brakeman Tom LANAN, knowning that No. 16 was due, caught the car and
rode it down, hoping to be able to flag the train, but on nearing the bottom
he found he was too late. He held onto the side ladder until the train and
car were about to strike, then jumped off, fortunately doing himself no
serious injury.
He hurried to the creek where he found engineer Ben WARD with a broken
leg and unconscious, also the fireman unconscious. Both woul have drowned
had Tom not reached them in time to drag them out.
The head brakeman on No. 16 was killed instantly.
In this case two lives were saved at the risk of his own. It is a well
known fact that railroad men as a rule never considered their own safety in
the discharge of their duties.






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