www.robertsoncounty.info   H E A R N E   O N   T H E   B R A Z O S Introduction • Brazos River • Sterling Clack Robertson • The Hearnes • Hearne • Hearne & Brazos Valley RR • Houston & Texas Central RR • International & Great Northern RR • Pacific Fruit Express • Confederate Cotton Mill • Folklore • Old Railroad Stories • It Happened In Hearne • Early Hearne Churches • Port Sullivan • Organizations • These Are Our People • Old-Timers From Black Jack • Early Mexican Citizens • Our Negro Friends • Not The End • Biographical Sketches • Authors Links To Biographical Sketches For Surnames Beginning With The Letters A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T V W Y Z By Norman Lowell McCarver, Sr. & Norman Lowell McCarver, Jr. Century Press Of Texas, San Antonio, Texas © 1958 by Norman Lowell McCarver Lone Star Printing Company, San Antonio, Texas Used with permission of Norman Lowell McCarver, Jr.  These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format by other organizations or individuals. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of McCarver family relatives or contact William Kent Brunette, Robertson County TXGenWeb coordinator.  A limited number of copies of this hard-to-find, out-of-print book are available for purchase at $40 each.  To make arrangements (including credit card sales):

Old Railroad Stories 

    SIXTY-ONE YEARS AGO SHE RULED THE RAILS (Houston Press February 11, 1931) 

Back in a little used shed in the Southern Pacific roundhouse on Houston Avenue, where the grass is green underfoot and a tomb-like silence sets it apart from the rest of the noisy yards, rest the veteran of all H. & T. C. Railroad locomotives - the Buffalo.

Sixty-one years ago, 1870, L. E. Shruptrine, dead since 1921, climbed to her shiny cab and pulled her out of the shed for her first day's work as a switch engine in the Houston yards.

The years have left their mark in the great flakes of rust that hang from her battered sides and she is ugly with old age and decade after decade of hard punishment from work, but the old timers can't pass her by without a pat and a reminiscent word or two.

W. J. Bleakney, assistant round house foreman, might have been talking of an old friend as he sketched bits of her history as he had known it for 40 years of railroading in and around Houston.

"They took her off the rails in 1926," he said, "and there were a lot of the older boys who felt just as we feel when they pension a veteran employee who has been one of us until old age makes him unable to go any further.

I'm here at the roundhouse most of the time and it's funny how many times you'll run up on a bunch of gray-headed veterans sitting about her and spinning yarns of the days that were, before heavier, more up-to-date rolling stock pushed the Buffalo and her like off the rails."

Mr. Bleakney pointed out where she differs from the powerful switch engines the Southern Pacific uses today.

"All her weight is carried on the four driving wheels," he said, and she had plenty of power in her in the old days.  There used to be a sayin about the yards, 'If old Shrup and Buffalo can't move it, it can't be moved.'

"She was remodelled a number of times to fit changing conditions.  When she first went into use she burned wood.  Then they outfitted her for coal and she wound up with the little oil tank that's on her now."

"That funny little headlight box used to hold a plain kerosene lamp.  The railroad officials were mighty proud when they installed one of the newfangled carbide lights and the old girl herself must have felt like strutting when they put the first electric light globe on her." 

"But, pshaw, I could talk all day and not tell you as much about her as 0. D. Shruptrine can.  He's the son of her first engineer."

Mr. Shruptrine himself a grizzled veteran, who retired after 20 years as an engineer, broke into a broad grin with the first question. 

,,Do I know the Buffalo?  Why I was weaned in her cab and I grew Lip to think that she was a little better than most of the human beings in the world.  My dad loved that engine like it was his own child and never tired of telling us all about her.

"She was brought up Buffalo Bayou on a boat and assembled in Houston in 1870.  Dad was the first man to open her throttle and he spent most of the next 30 years bumping around in that little cab of hers." 

The Biiffialo never had a wreck so long as father was in her cab, Mr. Sliruptrine said. 

"After my father quit railroading some engineer got her off the track and about half the railroad was required to get her back on again.  That was one Fourth of July and some of the boys had to give up their holiday to get the Buffalo running again.

"She didn't have many cranky spells but when she did she was a holy terror.  It sort of seemed to me that she missed Dad as she poked her way about the yards." Mr. Shruptrine Sr. took no chance with the Buffalo, his son said.

"I remember a standing joke about the yard used to be that Dad pulled up behind two ladies, stopped the Buffalo and politely asked them to get off the track." 

When the Southern Pacific discards engines they generally are shunted off to a corner of the yards to await dismantling that will put them on the scrap heap with the rest of the rolling stock that has been crowded aside by constant mechanical improvements. 

Somehow, for no reason that anyone ever has given, the order to scrap the Buffalo never has come down through the general offices.  Maybe somebody forgot, but one gets the impression that there are a few veteran officials who don't want to see her go on the dump. 

Anyway, she rests in a quiet little shed where the roar of the roundhouse can't disturb her dreams of her first engineer and the days when they were the best railroading pair in the Houston yards.  She probably will be there until there are no more grayheads to gather about her rickety frame and spin yarns of the days that were. 

    HE KNEW THE "BUFFALO" 

    John Luke, pensioned engineer of Hearne, Texas, at one time was the engineer on the Buffalo. 

    Mr. Luke said that the Buffalo did her part of the work ai-id was always in condition to do it well.  She knew her business and responded to every demand.  "I ran the little engine in the fall of 1894, when every yard of the line was full of cotton and every available warehouse was utilized for storage.  I helped fill the old Houston Heights mattress factory with cotton and the Buffalo pulled the cars.  I hate to learn the little engine is to be put in the scrap pile, for I put in many happy years in her cab." 

Houston Daily Times, December 6, 1869 - Nearly 150 laborers came up on the last train of the G. H. & H. Railroad, enroute to Bryan, last night, to work on the extension of the Central Railroad.  They (the laborers) are from New Orleans as most of the hands employed on the extension are.  It is very strange that the Central road can not get hands in Texas where so many whites are loafing.  The railroad also has to send to New Orleans for Negroes, as they can not hire them in the state although every city and village is overrun with them.  We saw an attempt made to get a gang in Houston several weeks ago but it ignominiously failed.  If there was a rigid enforcement of the vagrant laws throughout the state the Central road would not be compelled to send out of the state to employ hands, and there would be a great decrease of robberies everywhere in the state. 

Houston Daily Times, January 3, 1869 - The passenger train on the H. & T. C. Railroad did not arrive until five o'clock yesterday.  We learn that freight will go through Bryan, Texas today. 

Houston Daily Times, March 24, 1869 - The trains will run to Hearne Station on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad today. 

Houston Daily Times, September 27, 1868 - The Central Railroad Company has announced themselves ready to bargain with contractors for the immediate extension of the road 85 miles above Bryan, Texas.  There is no doubt that the work will be speedily let out.  The company is abundantly supplied with funds, and it is highly probable that the extension will be pushed far enough by Spring to be very materially felt in the spring trade.  The completion of the 85 miles will take the road to the southern limit of the great wheat growing region.  The management of the railroad found little difficulty in obtaining almost unlimited credit among Northern capitalists, even in the somewhat unpromising aspects of political affairs.  This is due to the splendid country through which the extension will pass along with the masterful administration of the railroad's business affairs.  There is not much danger that the work will be permitted to rest hereafter until the railroad has been extended to the Red River. 

On January 1, 1853, Paul Bremond and T. W. House broke the first dirt to begin the construction of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad in Houston, Texas.  On December 25, 1871, Eugene Bremond drove the last spike in the rail which completed the connection between Austin and Houston.  On December 27, 1871, Paul Bremond rode the first train through from Houston to Austin. 

Houston Daily Times, February 19, 1868 - Large numbers of laborers continue to move in daily for the extension of the H. & T. C. Railroad northward from Bryan to Hearne.  The work is being pushed forward as rapidly as the conditions of the road will permit. 

Houston Daily Times - Should the good weather continue, The Houston & Texas Central Railroad will be completed to Hearne Station, twenty miles north of Bryan, by the first of April, 1868. 

    CHANGING THE GAUGE OF THE H. & T. C. RAILROAD HEARNE TO CORSICANA
    October 26, 1874 

In telling the story of the change of gauge on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, it will be necessary first to understand how things were of old concerning railroad facilities and operation to appreciate the magnitude of the undertaking, and the splendor of its achievement. 

In 1874, the management of the H. & T. C. Railroad was divided into divisions with the Northern Division extending from Denison to Hearne, a distance of 218 miles.  From Hearne to Houston was the Southern Division and from Hempstead to Austin was the Western Division.  From Denison to Corsicana, a distance of 127 miles, all of the track on the H. & T. C. Railroad was standard gauge of four feet eight and one-half inches.  This was the standard gauge of all first class railroads in the United States.  All of the track on this railroad from Corsicana to Hearne and on to Houston was of the old gauge - five feet six inches, commonly known as broad gauge. 

It was, of course, desirable that all tracks should be of uniform gauge in order to eliminate the necessity of transfer of freight and passenger loads from the narrow gauge to the broad gauge or standard gauge.  By standardizing the gauge over the entire system much delay could be avoided and economy effected. 

At Corsicana and Hearne both passenger trains and freight trains had to be transferred.  The I. & G. N. Railroad, which intersected the H. & T. C. Railroad at Hearne, was of standard gauge, so its freight had to be transferred to broad gauge and back again to the standard gauge at Corsicana.  Freight from Waco had to be handled at Bremond.  The distance from Hearne to Corsicana is 90 miles.  By making this stretch of track conform to the standard, the handling mentioned is saved and all of the rolling stock which was worked on it is relieved and becomes serviceable between Hearne and Houston.  This gave the advantage of 300 additional freight cars and reduced the labor to be performed by broad gauge cars by the amount of 90 miles, being more than one-third of the distance from Houston to Corsicana.  This relief was of the greatest importance to Galveston and Houston merchants.  On up country freight all delay was saved.

Mr. George Haswell, passenger and freight manager for the H. & T. C. Railroad in Houston was of the opinion that after this gauge change was made, he could put through even in the busiest season without delay every pound of freight that Galveston could sell to Northern Texas.  To further facilitate this desirable end, Assistant Superintendent Burton, who was in charge of the Southern Division which extended from Hearne to Houston and also the Western Division which extended from Hempstead to Austin, had constructed an acre or two of platforms in Hearne.  On one side of the platforms was broad gauge tracks and on the other the narrow gauge.  Very many other improvements had been made which were very costly to the railroad.  In addition to these facilities there was a large roundhouse with a capacity of ten locomotives, a turntable, shops and other buildings.  This required another large expenditure of money and was constructed under the supervision of Messrs. Burton and Haswell, H. & T. C. Railroad officials.

Up to this time in 1874, there had been but one other simultaneous change of gauge in the United States before this; this change being the tracks on the H. & T. C. Railroad between Corsicana and Denison and which had been changed under the direction of M. G. Gary, Assistant Superintendent of the Northern Division, and Chief Engineer Howe.

The railroad officials that planned and achieved this great undertaking worked under the wise saying of David Crockett, "Be sure you are right, then go ahead." To change a railroad gauge, the engineer in charge must get a great deal ready before the actual start.  First, the gauge was aligned and the inside spike of the rail driven in its place for the whole distance between Hearne and Corsicana.  Then all switches and turn-outs had to be attended to. 

When all of this preliminary work and details had been attended to, the roadmasters assembled all of their section foremen and section hands. (Section hands were called Snipes in those days). job assignments were given out as follows: the work from Corsicana to Mexia was under the direction of Roadmaster Manly; from Mexia to Groesbeck under Roadmaster Spalding; from Groesbeck to Kosse under Roadmaster Ingraham; from Kosse to Bremond under Roadmaster Bryan; from Bremond to Calvert under Roadmaster Grimes; and from Calvert to Hearne under the Hearne Yardmaster.  There were 13 men assigned to each gang, and each gang had four miles to cover.

At daylight on Sunday morning October 27, 1874 the work began; the spikes were drawn, the iron placed into its new gauge, the outside spikes driven, and the work was done.  At one o'clock this same date, a train left Hearne for Corsicana and passed over the changed gauge without interruption until it reached Bremond.  Here Roadmaster Grimes met the train with the doleful information that one of the gangs had, despite all his vigilance, smuggled a jug of whiskey.  Their four miles were untouched, while the men lay in the woods along the right of way in a happy state of drunkenness.  Up to this time all had gone smoothly, there had been no break.  Chief Engineer Howe was aboard the train and he issued crisp orders for the work to continue.  So at it they went - Roadmaster Bryan ahead and the Superintendent with them.  This gang worked into the dark for the rest of the night finishing the work that the whiskey jug had interrupted.  The train was brought in to Corsicana with music playing at daybreak the following morning.

Like all great achievements changing gauge is simple in the description, and possibly some of the readers of this will feel competent to change any railroad gauge.  But there are one thousand details, not one of which can be overlooked, or the whole enterprise would miscarry.  The achievement was one that the H. & T. C. Railroad officials and employees may be proud of.

If Sunday October 27, 1874 could have been described as a busy day in Hearne for the H. & T. C. Railroad officials and employees, Monday October 28, 1874 could be described as busier.  All of the machinery for the transferring of freight and passenger cars was brought to Hearne and erected.  This labor alone required a force of several hundred men to be concentrated in Hearne.  The machinery for lifting a sleeping car from one set of trucks and transferring it to another had all been erected in Hearne, and is worthy of description because of its simplicity.  When a train arrives, the sleeper is dropped, a new locomotive seizes her, runs her on a broad gauge track with a third rail inside; four stirrups are clamped to their places, and she is lifted a few inches, one set of trucks run out and another run in, and she is put down very softly.  The bolts are dropped in their places and the work is done.  The job did not require but a few minutes, and passengers were not aware that the transfer had been made.  The same process changes all through freight cars. 

Grain from Kansas could now come through Hearne without breaking the seal on a car door from the time it left until it was at Galveston's door, and so with other through freight, whether bound North or South.  This change of gauge made Hearne the most important station outside of Galveston and was very instrumental in the growth of the city during this period as a great number of employees were required to handle the railroad's business. $30,000.00 was the total cost of changing this 90 miles.

An observer of Hearne in 1874 made the following remarks concerning Hearne's growth, "I observe that Hearne is improving rapidly, and that the improvements are substantial.  The old adage which says, 'Give the devil his due' is worthy of observance, and I do it to say that I find the depot, hotel and eating saloon, in the hands of a well known Galvestonian, Mr. Dan Sargent, and that his is a brilliant exception to the rule which pronounces the railroad restaurants of Texas execrable.  I find that Mr. Sargent's house is as clean as a Quaker kitchen, his fare excellent, and the servants respectful and prompt.  If some of the hash-house keepers that I have encountered were to come here and board for a week, he might learn how to feed travelers so that doctors and dyspepsia would not follow them to their graves." 

    HEARNE TO HOUSTON
    July 29, 1876 

The officials of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad Company decided to change the gauge of the 120 miles of its main line from Hearne to Houston from its then present gauge of five feet six inches to the standard gauge of four feet eight and one-half inches.  The remainder of the main line was already of the standard gauge.  The Western Division, from Hempstead to Austin, 115 miles, would still be of the wide gauge, and would be the only line of that gauge remaining in Texas.  It was the intention of the H. & T. C. Railroad to change that line also but not until the remaining wide gauge engines of the company were worn out.  Arrangements were made to make the change in the main line from Hearne to Houston at a time when this same work was in progress on the Galveston, Houston & Harrisburg Railroad. 

The work preparatory to the change was begun on Section Number One, this section being the nearest section to Houston.  Work was begun on driving spikes into every alternate tie, the spikes resembling a black line a few inches inside the rail on the east side of the track. 

Further preparation for the change in gauge from Hearne to Houston was the remodeling of the majority of the engines of the Central to suit the new track.  The total number of engines remodeled was 67.  This process could be seen any day at the Houston shops of the H. & T. C. Railroad, and included the shortening of the axles and the general "closing in" of the machinery of the locomotives.  The cost of adapting an engine to the new order of things amounted to $300.00 approximately.  At the car works of the Central Railroad in Houston could also be seen the process of changing the trucks of cars to fit the new four feet eight and one-half inches of the new gauge.  By a new and improved piece of machinery, the axle was shortened and again adjusted to the wheels.  The remodeled trucks for four cars were shipped to Hearne daily.  In Hearne the trucks were adjusted.  Daily as many trucks were received in Houston from Hearne to undergo "closing in" at the Houston shops.  The cost of adapting to the standard gauge was $22.00 per car, and the majority of all the cars belonging to the H. & T. C. Railroad Company, some 450 in number, were changed.

The plan for the changing of the gauge from Hearne to Houston, a distance of 120 miles, called for the completion of the entire job within 24 hours from the commencement of the undertaking.  It was planned for this work to begin on Saturday and was to interfere as little as possible.

M. G. Howe, Chief Engineer and J. A. Dennv, Assistant Engineer, made a trip over the road from Houston to Hearne on July 28, 1876 to see to the distribution of forces and to personally superintend the great undertaking.  This project was planned to be under the direction of the engineering department with the transportation department cooperating.  Mr. Howe gave personal attention to the 70 miles of track between Hearne and Hempstead and Mr. Denny exercised authority over the forces from Hempstead to Houston, a distance of 50 miles.

The plan of distribution of forces, appointment of tools, and general orders as to the modus operandi were carried out.  A train load of workers came over from the Western Division to Hempstead and were distributed south between Hempstead and Thompson's Switch, thirty three miles south of Hempstead. 

The following interesting facts will show the extent of this great undertaking.  Total length of main line track to be changed, 120 miles; side tracks length about 11 miles; a total of 131 miles.  For this work, a total of 680 men were required.  These workers were divided into gangs averaging 15 men including the foreman.  Two of these gangs were put at each of the company's section houses, the foremen having previously been supplied with the following tools and materials: proper quantity of lining bars, spike-mauls, crow-bars, gauges, cold chisels, wrenches, water kegs, and with a printed circular containing instructions.  The orders were explicit, and told the foreman of each gang exactly what to do on commencing work and were signed by Chief Engineer Howe.  Below these orders was an additional order signed by C. A. Burton, Assistant Superintendent, stating that the last train over the broad gauge would go through Hearne to Houston Friday night July 28, 1876 with a green light on the rear end of the train and whistle thrice at section houses and stopping at stations.  By order of the Chief Engineer, the gangs were so disposed of as to work one north from a fixed point and another south from the same point until the gangs met.  This plan was pursued all along the route.  The distribution of forces placed 30 men to every six miles, the distance to each man being about one-fifth mile.

The last train over the broad gauge arrived at Hempstead at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, July 29, 1876, southbound from Hearne.  Far into the night of Friday, July 28, 1876, the management of the H. & T. C. Railroad worked, and the increasing click of the telegraph operator's key at whatever station the management put in an appearance on the special trains, gave evidence of the birth of new developments, fresh emergencies to be met. 

The laborers turned in early Friday night July 28, 1876.  Their part was to come the next day.  Six weeks of preparation for the change in the gauge had been going on.  The rolling stock had gradually been fitted under the direction of General Superintendent J. Durand - the inside row of spikes had been driven.

On the gray dawn of July 29, 1876, the great feat of changing the gauge of the H. & T. C. Railroad from Hearne to Houston began.  The clanking of iron, the heavy, hearty stroke of mauls, the clink of the track gauge hastily dropped, the barking out of instructions in railroad lingo from the foremen, resounded for 120 miles up and down the old H. & T. C. Railroad from Hearne to Houston as over 600 sturdy railroaders began heaving iron.  Now and then a keen report told that the old cold chisel was on duty.  Not a moment was lost.  Each gang's ration for the day had been prepared the previous day.  Narrow gauge hand and push cars had been distributed along the road at commencing points, one for each gang. just as soon as there was space enough of narrowed tracks for the cars, they were launched by the workmen.  In these cars were stored extra tools and kegs. 

As soon as there was enough space of the new gauge track finished, construction trains previously prepared, moved on.  One of these trains at Hearne was in charge of S. A. Quinlan and was to move South; one at Hempstead in charge of Mr. Prunell to go north until it met the Hearne train.  Another train at Hempstead in charge of J. A. Denny went south and one at Houston in charge of C. A. Burton went north until it met Denny's train.  These trains, as they advanced, picked up the gangs and put them to work to assist other gangs wherever they were behind.  Thus the work was accelerated.  The first train from Hempstead to Houston over the new gauge arrived at 8 p.m. with about 80 men picked up in transit as gaps were closed.  This train passed on a mile and one-half south of Hempstead to work toward the up-bound train which was north of Gum Island.  When this train arrived, it was learned that there were gaps to be closed above Hempstead.  By 11:30 p.m. the forces at Hempstead closed the gaps and completed the new gauge between Hempstead and Houston.  Above Hempstead, the work stopped for the night at a very late hour and was resumed early Sunday morning, with a few gaps to close. 

The express train south, from Hearne to Houston, due in Houston at 2 a.m. Sunday July 30, 1876 left Hearne behind time and advanced as it could and arrived in Houston in the forenoon Sunday. 

The heat was excessive all along the line during the work in daylight, and several of the workers were overcome from the heat.  Above Hempstead, the workers suffered from the heat worse than those below Hempstead on account of the close post oak timber in places.  A few cases of partial sunstroke occurred. 

Roadmasters James Brien, Ingraham, Grimes, Spalding, Manly, and Shelby of the gravel train, with their practical knowledge of track-laying, rendered most valuable assistance in the mechanical work of this project. 

$55,000.00 was the reported cost of the entire project of changing the gauge of track on the H. & T. C. Railroad from Hearne to Houston. 

When the job of changing the gauge from Hearne to Houston was completed, the necessity of breaking bulk at Hearne passed away forever, and cars laden on the wharves at Galveston and directly beside the ships at sea, could now go through to Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, or any railroad point in the New West, without trouble or interruption.  The change in gauge resulted in a great saving of time and expense as the transfer of trucks for the railroad cars was eliminated.  But the greatest advantage was the fact that the H. & T. C. Railroad could now bring through (a word of all words in the railroad vocabulary) all cars for Houston of Northern connections.  Even though by skill and expensive arrangements the H. & T. C. Railroad had been transferring full trains in five to twelve minutes at Hearne, the changing of the gauge to standard dimensions was of greater benefit to the railroad in keeping the trains rolling. 

On the first train that left Hearne over the new gauge track for Houston, rode a very proud Chief Sngineer, Mr. Howe.  He spoke in highest terms of the good spirit shown by the workmen and foremen, stating that the workmen developed almost superhuman endurance under trying circumstances that were encountered in this great project.  No accident of any kind occurred, and trains could now travel the new gauge both ways with fair speed. 

Considering these facts, too much credit can not be accorded M. G. Howe, Chief Engineer of the H. & T. C. Railroad and Colonel H. M. Hoxie, General Manager of the G. H. & H. Railroad who respectively planned and superintended this the greatest railroad feat ever accomplished in Texas. 

Hearne, Texas, 1874 - A ten-stall brick roundhouse and division machine shops were installed in Hearne in 1874 by the H. &- T. C. Railroad Company and with a monthly payroll of $3,000.00 employed from thirty to forty men. 

    LOCOMOTIVE STOLEN IN HEARNE MAY 20, 1876 

A strange occurrence took place here tonight.  The northbound freight train on the I. & G. N. Railroad, after Finishing work in the yard, pulled up above a crossing at the junction House, and the train men were all at supper when some unknown party took the engine and four cars and left. 

The engine was followed by the engineer afoot, who found the engine two and a half miles north.  The steam was shut off with 90 pounds of pressure.  It was supposed that this was done to injure the company. 

Hearne, December, 1876 - The I. & G. N. Railroad Company had again made Hearne the end of a division, and it was reported that the company would again re-open their roundhouse here, which had been closed since the shops were moved to Palestine.

     HEARNE & BRAZOS VALLEY RAILROAD VS. A JERSEY BULL 

W. D. "Baidy" Terry was the engineer on the H. & B. V. Railroad mixed train that made two round trips daily from Hearne to Stone City.  Dr. Kirksey, a local doctor, owned a herd of dairy cows and pastured them in the south section of Hearne near the main line of the H. & B. V. Railroad.  Among this herd of cows was a very large and obstinate Jersey Bull that chose to graze near the railroad track. 

Nearly everyday as the train passed the pasture the bull would be grazing on the tracks and the train would have to stop and one of the trainmen run him off the track.  The bull would lower his head and bellow at the engine. 

One day the bull was on the track and "Baldy" Terry thought it would be a good idea to "bump" him a little with the engine.  The bull became enraged and charged the engine and suffered an injured leg for which the owner sought damages from the railroad.

TRAIN WRECK AT MUD CREEK IN 1904 

During the summer of 1904, an H. & T. C. Railroad freight train was running between Ennis and Hearne, southbound to Hearne.  Bud Lipscomb was the engineer.  As the train approached Mud Creek bridge about five miles north of Hearne, the engineer saw what he thought was a large rock or object on the bridge and applied the air brakes.  As the engine approached with brakes locked, it quit the rails and ploughed down the embankment into Mud Creek and was completely submerged.  Bud Lipscomb and the fireman swam out of the creek, unharmed, to safety.  The head brakeman was riding on top of a box car several cars back from the engine and as the car he was on left the tracks, he was thrown into some telephone wires that paralleled the railroad tracks.  Old railroaders say that the brakeman was so scared that he hit the ground running and was never seen thereafter as he kept running. 

It was quite a task to raise the engine and several cars from Mud Creek.  During this work, which lasted several days, someone stole the bell from the engine.  It was reported that this bell was heard (by those who knew) on a farm in Robertson County for many years.

   TRAIN WRECK NEAR HEARNE, 2 KILLED 

On April 29, 1905, a wreck occurred on the H. & T. C. Railroad a mile and a quarter south of Hearne Station.  The wreck was caused by a washout.  The locomotive was thrown from the track and 12 cars wrecked.  Engineer Harry Canterbury and brakeman R. L. Gordon also riding in the engine were killed.  Fireman Joe Shellshear jumped but was seriously injured.  The body of brakeman Gordon was pinioned with the back of his head, right arm and foot showing.  Canterbury was caught under the locomotive and his body was not found until the engine was lifted.  Wrecking crews worked half of Saturday night, all day Sunday and until 3 a.m. Monday in locating bodies of victims. 

    WRECK AT COLLEGE STATION 

On February 1, 1913, an H. & T. C. Railroad passenger train was derailed at College Station, Texas.  Engineer and firemen were killed and four others injured. 

    TRAIN WRECK AT BENCHLEY

On July 27, 1917, a northbound passenger train went into the ditch at Benchley, Texas.  Fireman Frank G. Riggs, 32, of Houston was killed.  The wreck was presumably caused by a sun kink in the rail.  The engine turned over, plunged down the embankment and landed in a nearby field.  Baggage and express cars turned over and one coach derailed.  Expressman W. G. Reed and Baggagemaster G. W. Brown were injured.  No passengers were injured.

    ENGINE FIRE NEAR HEARNE 

On January 24, 1918, an extra Houston & Texas Central Railroad freight train, consisting of only an engine and caboose, was lumbering toward Hearne from Houston.  About six miles out of Hearne something went wrong and flames leaped from the locomotive firebox.  The caboose caught fire and the two enginemen and the three trainmen in the caboose were in danger of being burned to death.  Engineer J. A. Hulsey crawled out of the cab onto the running board where he set an air brake valve.  As the train slowed down all five members of the train crew leaped to safety and extinguished their smoldering clothes.  The crewless train, the brakes not fully set, moved onward.  A yard switching crew in Hearne saw the flaming oncoming engine and caboose and moved out to meet it.  Otho Mathews and Lynn Oliver of Hearne were members of this switch engine crew.  At a proper distance the switch engine was reversed and finally coupled onto the freight engine.  It and the caboose were hauled under the water tank at Hearne and the fire extinguished.  The engine was not badly damaged but the caboose was burned to its trucks.

Engineer Hulsey burned his hands; fireman R. H. Daily had one hand and both feet scorched; conductor E. B. Montgomery had his hands and face burned.  Brakeman 0. T. Neal and H. C. Carlton both suffered face and hand burns. 

    TWO KILLED IN WRECK OF THE "OWL" 

On February 1, 1913, John W. Latchford, engineer on Train No. 17, the "Owl" was trying to make up lost time when the fast passenger train derailed and ditched one mile north of Benchley, killing the engineer and the fireman B. I. Durham.  Both trainmen were at their posts when the accident occurred and were pinned beneath the wreckage when the engine, baggage car, and one coach went into the ditch.

The bodies of the dead engineer and fireman were removed from the debris under a day coach near the engine.  They apparently died instantly when the engine turned over.  The engine was No. 256 formerly operated on the main line between Houston and New Orleans.

E. S. Crocker of Hearne and W. H. Rengstorf of Kansas were the only passengers reported seriously injured.  Several colored passengers were slightly injured.

As soon as the report was received at the Houston headquarters of the railroad, Assistant General Manager G. S. Waid, I. A. Cottingham in charge of maintenance of way, and special agent Maurice Kahn immediately left Houston on a special train with the wrecker for Benchley.

An examination of the track showed that the accident was due to derailment.  The pony truck of the locomotive was found in the ditch about midway between the engine and the rear sleeper.  Officials did not soon determine whether this caused the wreck or not.  The train was on a straight track and there was no evidence of spreading or defective rails.  A closed investigation into the cause of the wreck was held. 

As the frequency of similar accidents in that territory witl-iin several months brought up the suspicion of train wrecking work.  Officials at Houston stated that the road bed on the main line of the Central at that point was in excellent condition and that the equipment of Train No. 17 was in good condition when the "Owl" left Houston. 

H. S. Reavis of Houston, who was on the "Owl" when the accident occurred stated that Engineer Latchford was making up lost time on the straight stretch of track and was probably going 60 miles an hour when the accident happened.  He stated that the track in that section was as good as any in Texas.  Latchford's fellow trainmen stated that he had recently been "jacked-up" by his superior officers for not making schedule time.  They say that it was not his fault, that he was late and that he was making his engine do her best when she left the rails.  In his efforts to always comply with the orders for scheduled train service, they say, he was faultless in driving high powered engines. 

The southbound 'Owl" was flagged two miles north of the wreck by Conductor Dick Singer of Train No. 17.  Singer was badly shaken up in the wreck, but knowing that No. 18 was due in a few minutes he ran on and flagged it in time. 

Only one Pullman coach remained upon the rails, but the balance of the cars cut the ties for a distance of 400 yards.  The passengers of the "Owl" were sent back to Bryan by special train and detoured from that point over the I. & G. N. until the right of way was cleared. 

John W. Latchford, the engineer who met his death on duty lived in Houston and was one of the most popular trainmen in the employ of the H. & T. C. Railroad.  He was born in Kingstown, Canada in 1862. 

    ENGINEER LATCHFORD'S WATCH STOPPED IN HOUSTON WHEN WRECK OCCURRED 

John W. Latchford, engineer of the H. & T. C. Railroad Train No. 17, met instant death at precisely 2:48 Saturday morning, February 1, 1913 when his locomotive plunged into a ditch.  When that occurred, there hung a watch belonging to him in a safe of the office of C. K. Darling, superintendent of time service, who adjusts all railroad watches in Houston. 

The watch was in perfect running order; it had just been adjusted at the request of the engineer, yet at exactly 2:48 it stopped. 

The fact was discovered Saturday morning by L. S. Racine, an employee.  He opened the safe to get out the watches, and noticed that Latchford's watch had stopped.  He tried to wind it, but was unable to do so - it was wound up tight. 

He took it to pieces and found that there was nothing wrong with any parts of the works. 

The son of the owner of the establishment was in the office at the time and corroborates the story in every detail.  The watch was a Standard 21 jewel movement and was in absolute perfect running order.  No explanation of the matter has as yet been made.  Engineer Latchford had had the watch for many years, and this was the first time in years that he had gone out on the run without it. 

    REPORT OF THE WRECK OF THE "OWL"

   That high rate of speed, coupled with certain light depressions on the alternate sides of the track caused the wreck, owing to the high rate of speed which the train was making on the down grade, these depressions caused a rocking motion, that toppled the engine over.

   DIED AT THE THROTTLE

     "Buddy," we're right on the money."

    These words were the last uttered by Engineer Joe Conn on the Austin-Houston run September 19, 1922, a little before 2 o'clock as No. 46 was steaming up grade, preliminary to the roll down to Burton Station. 

No. 46 topped the grade, but to the surprise of fireman Cox the train began to increase speed as it felt the influence of the incline, and when he called to his chief, asking him why he had not "shut her off" for the coast down hill, received no reply.  An inert, unresponsive figure was crouched in the right hand seat, head lying upon a window sill, yet with fingers still grasping the throttle as they had for so many active years in the service of the H. & T. C. Railroad.  Joe Conn had made his last run, and had passed to his reward while on duty, just as he may possibly had hoped, on time and ready. 

Fireman Cox speedily brought the train to its regular stop and notified the conductor, and together they tenderly removed the body of the dead engineer and placed it within the sleeper car for a silent journey to headquarters and home.  B. L. Weatherford, another engineer, was a passenger on No. 46 and he brought the train to Houston, just as Joe Conn would have done - right on the money, - on time.

16 KILLED IN WRECK OF THE "OWL" AT HAMMOND SIDING, JANUARY 13, 1918 

Sixteen persons were killed and 17 injured when the "Owl" northbound Houston & Texas Central passenger train from Houston to Dallas was wrecked at 3:25 a.m. Monday at Hammond siding north of Hearne. 

The wreck occurred when a head-end coach split the switch connecting the passing siding with the main line.  The locomotive, tender and baggage and mail cars passed over the switch safely, following the main line, but the rear trucks of the first passenger coach split the switch.  The rest of the train led by the steel chair car, plunged into the sidetrack, and crashed into a freight engine with a caboose attached, which had taken the siding to permit the northbound passenger to pass. 

The freight engine, No. 459, was demolished and carried on the the wreckage of the chair car fully 50 yards.  Its steam pipes were broken, and a hoarse geyser of scalding water dealt death to the struggling passengers in the chair car.

A misting rain was falling when the passenger train, running on time, whistled for the Hammond siding.  The night was black and a blue norther had swept in from the north.  In every direction the roads were thick in mud and this made rescue work terribly hard.  Coupled with this difficulty was the poor telegraph communication made worse by the wind and rain.  Notwithstanding, news of the wreck was flashed both ways, to Houston and Waco, and before daylight streams of rescurers-peole from Hearne, Calvert and Bremond, automobile parties struggling through the mud from more remote points, and farmers in the vicinity were hurrying to the scene.  Rescue trains with doctors aboard came in from Hearne, Houston and Waco.  The Hearne relief train arrived at 6:30 a.m.

The wreck was made more terrible by the breaking of the freight engine's steam lines and explained the large number of casualties.  Uninjured passengers already on the ground, the crews and occupants of the four sleeping cars were unable to go to the rescue of the trapped and unfortunates until the steam pipes blew themselves out.

In the dead of an inky black night, with a steady steam of scalding water playing over nearly two score unfortunate human beings, strangling their pitiful wails, plans for the rescue went ahead.  Several relief calls went out, lanterns flickered here and there, fires were built and three sleeping cars still standing were made ready for the injured.

SAM ATKINS TYPICAL RAILROAD MAN OF THE EARLY DAYS

Sam Atkins, a strapping six-footer weighing over two hundred pounds, was typical of the many railroaders that worked in and out of Hearne during the early days of railroading in this area.

He was employed first as a brakeman and later as a conductor for H. & T. C. Railroad and had a run from Houston to Hearne.  His home was in Houston but his lay-over was on this end of the line and he became well known in Hearne.

He would often stroll up town to visit the various places of business.  On his rounds he would go into a local barber shop, remove his blue railroad jacket and expose the large gold watch chain strung across the great expanse of his chest, the watch chain having a large "peach seed" which he had polished very highly hanging about the center.  After his usual 'growling' to the barber serving him he would get his shave, haircut, and tonic and then drape himself into the shine chair and 'rawhide' the shine boy that was putting the shine on his large brown round-toed railroad shoes.  Sam wore a black hat crushed to a sharp point on top.

After leaving the barber shop, he would saunter into one of the local drug stores to look around for a while then make his way to Ike Hall's Cafe.  Upon being seated in the cafe he would yell to "Tuff" Oliver behind the counter; "Gimme a 'settin' of eggs scrambled, a loaf of bread, a t-bone steak, rare, and smother the steak with a double order of pork chops.  He had a ravenous appetite.  After eating the huge meal he would ask "Tuff" what kind of pie he had and then order a whole pie.  After finishing off the pie, he would rear back, belch real loud, and ask "Tuff" what he owed him.  "Nothing" said Tuff, "Anybody who can eat that much should get it free." Sam Atkins slept in a caboose in the Hearne yard and some mornings would cook his own breakfast.  He would eat 'some' eggs and when the egg shells were cleaned out of the caboose it looked like someone had emptied the incubator.

Sam had lots of names for railroad men and before he was promoted the conductor was the target of his name calling.  He referred to a conductor on a freight run as the "Bullhead," the "Big 0," "Skipper," "Brains," "Corn Doctor" and to a passenger train conductor as "Brass Buttons," "Captain," and "Grabber."

Sam Atkins was the rough and ready type of railroader and will long be remembered by both the town people and the many railroad men who knew him during his many years of service on the H. & T. C. Railroad. 

    ENGINEER "BIG FIDDLE-" SHEPLER 

Back in the early days of railroading in Hearne, there was an engineer on the H. & T. C. Railroad that had a run between Hearne and Ennis known as "Big Fiddle" Shepler.  He acquired the name of "Big Fiddle" from his associates on the railroad on account of his enormous size.  He was the engineer for many years on Engine Number 332.  Shooting dice was one of his favorite pleasures and he rolled the "cubes" at every opportunity.  An old story has it that on one occasion he was on his run from Ennis to Hearne and he received orders to go in "the hole" for a superior train.  In taking the siding he intentionally 'fouled' the main line causing the oncoming train to have to stop.  When the crew from the other train came to "Big Fiddle's" engine to see what the trouble was, he said to them, "Nothing is wrong, I just wanted to have someone to shoot "craps" with and none of my crew wanted to." It is reported that the visiting crew had to accommodate "Big Fiddle" before he would back his train and clear the main line. 

Another story has it that on one of "Big Fiddle's" runs he had a very young and inexperienced fireman.  It seems that "Big Fiddle" was also famous for his fast running and on a down hill grade his drivers were really rolling.  The young fireman became frightened and asked "Big Fiddle" to slack up on the "Johnson Bar," but "Big Fiddle" just laughed and enjoyed the fun.  Finally, the young fireman began to cry because he was so scared.  He said to "Big Fiddle," "Please slow down.  I have been married only a week and I sure do want to see that little gal again." "Big Fiddle" replied, "Sonny, you are riding with "Big Fiddle," the fastest engineer on this road.  Always kiss your wife goodbye when you are on my run.  When I'm at the throttle, anything can happen. just relax." Of course he couldn't relax, but the boys at the roundhouse said that the young fireman never did fire for old "Big Fiddle" again. 

    ENGINEER DICK MUNDINE 

Dick Mundine was one of the most colorful railroad men in all the history oil railroading in the Hearne area.  He worked for the I. & G. N. Railroad and at different times had runs from San Antonio to Palestine and from Taylor to Palestine via Hearne.

If one of his fellow workers would ask him to check their watch with his he would begin to reach into every pocket he had as he carried anywhere from three to eight watches with him all of the time.  All of the watches were standard make and official railroad watches that kept perfect time.  No reason for carrying all of those watches was ever learned, but Engineer Dick Mundine loved good watches and was always ready to talk 'watch trade' with anyone at anytime. 

Dick Mundine was recognized as the best "whistle" man ever to grab the cord on a steam locomotive.  When sounding the railroad signals his whistle had a "blowing quality" that no one else could quite equal.  Sometimes his 'whistling' was long, sometimes mournful, sometimes low, but always it had that Dick Mundine touch that could be recognized by everyone. 

When his train would roar through Hearne with the whistle sounding, you could hear someone say, "Listen to old Dick Mundine, boy he's the best." As his train would rumble and rattle out of sight, the mournful tone on his whistle would let one and all know that old Dick Mundine, the best 'whistling' engineer in the business, was at the throttle, and, that he was going to bring her in on time. 

    FIREMAN SAVES BABY FROM DEATH IN LOCOMOTIVE'S PATH
    Clarence J. Farris Awarded Carnegie Hero Medal 

On May 1, 1929, Clarence J Farris of Hearne was the fireman and W. C. Hendrix the engineer, on a train on the Southern Pacific Railroad that was headed south coming out of Denison.  The train was headed south out of Denison to dump gravel along the track bed. 

As the train crossed Day Street in Denison, gaining speed for the trip, the men in the cab noticed what they believed to be a piece of paper on the track at the intersection of Munson Street, just one block distant.  The train drew nearer, running at a speed of about twenty miles an hour, and the "paper" was seen to be the form of a baby standing serenely between the rails.  Gertrude Reynolds, 14 month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Reynolds, had slipped away from her home, 307 West Munson Street, immediately west of the track, while her mother was busy.

Engineer Hendrix, also of Hearne, saw that the train was too close to the child to stop in time, but he jammed on the brakes.  Fireman Farris leaped from the cab and raced with death up the track.  As the train slowed down, Fireman Farris leaped ahead and snatched the baby from the track.  A second later, the train with its locked brakes screaming, swept over the spot where the child had stood.  Clutching the bewildered child in his arms, Fireman Farris started to her home adjoining the right-of-way to be met at the gate by the mother, her eyes flooded with tears.  Fervently hugging the small form, the mother endeavored to express her thanks, vainly struggling to hold back tears of emotion and gratitude.

Later, Fireman Farris was awarded the Carnegie Hero Medal at the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.  While he was justly proud of the medal, it is certain that Fireman Farris' greatest gratification came through the life-long appreciation that little Gertrude Reynolds always held for the man to whom she is indebted for her life.

     OLD DINNER PAIL EVOKES MEMORIES 

It is not a thing of beauty hanging there in the garret of the old home.  It is battered and the tin is worn off in spots, its wooden bale handle made smooth by Dad's hands in its journey to and from work - journeys that would aggregate thousands of miles during the years. 

In fancy we can see our Mother as in early morning and by the light of a kerosene lamp she prepared Dad's dinner in the old tin dinner pail.  Yes, in these modern times it may be lunch, but in those days it was just plain dinner.

First the coffee properly sugared and creamed would be poured in the bottom of the pail.  Then a little tray was inserted and on this was placed the sandwiches, with an apple or orange thrown in for good measure.  Above this was another tray on which reposed a huge slab of pie and a few cookies - Dad's dessert at noon time.  The cover with its little tin cup was then put in place, after which with a kiss to Mother and to such of us children who were up, Dad would pick up his pail and go out into the chill or the heat of the early morning, rain or snow, summer or winter, followed by a fervent admonition of "Be Careful Dad."

Like all children who ever were or will be, we looked no farther +han the table for our food or the old bureau drawer for our clothing.  We did not comprehend that Dad's trips to work day after day, his braving the elements or the dangers and the worries of his work, meant that we should be fed, clothed, sheltered and educated.  No, that was beyond our childish understanding. 

At noon Dad would select a quiet comfortable spot to open his pail and there he would eat his dinner in silence - sharing a few morsels with the birds, a mouse or stray cat, for Dad was kindly to all of God's creatures.  We imagine, too, that in those quiet moments his thoughts wandered far into the future with fond dreams of bigger and better things for himself and his family.