NEWS: Items from the Altoona Mirror, December 31, 1912, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jessica Orr Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ Altoona Mirror, Sunday, December 31, 1912, page 3 THIRTEEN MEN TO BE RETIRED Many Railroad Shopmen and Trainmen Placed on Pension Rolls at Opening of New Year. SEVERAL QUIT WORK ON ACCOUNT OF DISABILITY Night Foreman of Car Inspectors Geesey Among Those Who Leave Active Service of Pennsy. A round dozen of well known employes of the Pennsylvania railroad company in addition to John B. Harnden, whose retirement was mentioned a few days ago, will be placed on the pension rolls on the first day of the new year, several retiring on account of having reached the age limit, while the rest are physically disabled and having passed the age of 65, are allowed to retire voluntarily. William Keiser William Keiser of 508 Eleventh street, a blacksmith in the machine shops, enters the pension list of the company owing to his being slightly enfeebled in health. Mr. Keiser has rounded out a continuous service of 37 years and of late has been compelled to absent himself from his duties for a day or so, owing to slight attacks of asthma. Mr. Keiser was born on August 19, 1845, in Ellis township, Buck's county, his parents dying before he was old enough to remember them. He was educated in the country schools, and worked on the farm until 17 years of age, when he went to Reading, Berks county, where he learned the blacksmith trade. Mr. Keiser served two and one-half years in the shops at that place. Later he went to Lebanon, where he remained for five years, after a hard time to secure work owing to his youth. From Lebanon, he continued to Harrisburg, where he worked three years, until the panic closed the shops. From Harrisburg he went to Merritts' Meadow, N. J., where he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad in September, 1875. Five years later he left to serve the company in Harrisburg. Samuel McCrea, late president of the Pennsylvania railroad, being superintendent at Harrisburg at that time. It was Superintendent McCrea that gave Mr. Keiser his first railroad pass from New Jersey to Harrisburg, the pass being refunded by Mr. Keiser's foreman in Morrits Meadows. From Harrisburg, Mr. Keiser was transferred to this city, and again received a pass from Mr. McCrea to make the trip. Mr. Keiser was married while working for the company in Harrisburg, in 1878, to Miss Sarah Kipple. It was on account of the illness of Mr. Keiser's wife that he left New Jersey for Pennsylvania. John Griffin. John Griffin of 1415 Thirteenth street, who celebrated the 70th anniversary of his birth on December 20, goes on the retired list in continuance of the age limit rule. Mr. Griffin has been in the service of the company for 42 years, entering the employment shortly after his removal to this city. Mr. Griffin was born at Loretto, Cambria county, on December 20, 1842. he worked on his father's farm until he reached the age of 24 years, when he came to Altoona, and entered the blacksmith shops, then situated where the No. 1 erecting shops now stand. In 1871 he was united in marriage to Miss Rose Anna Donnelly, who died five years ago. After an employment of seven years in the blacksmith shops, Mr. Keiser* was transferred to the wheel foundry shops, where he worked until 1891, when he was forced to lose some time, owing to a contracted illness. Upon recovering from his illness, he was left in such a weakened condition that he was unable to resume his duties in the foundry, and was transferred to a position as watchman. Mr. Keiser* assuming his duties in 1892. His first station was in the No. 1 erecting shop. Later he was assistant to the late Michael Kettle, and recently was promoted to watchman at the storehouse at night, which position he held at the time of his retirement. [*should be Mr. Griffin not Keiser. - Transcriber] Luther Henry Piper. Luther Henry Piper, for many years a resident of Altoona and for 39 years an employe of the Pennsylvania railroad, retired from active service owing to an accident which befell him late last winter, when he suffered a fall, fracturing his leg. The fracture later caused the removal of the limb. Mr. Piper was born in Sharpsburg, Washington county, Maryland, on December 19, 1843. he received his early education in that county, and came to Altoona in January, 1873, taking a position with the Pennsylvania railroad. He was employed in the clerical department in the car shops at Second street, which position he held continuously until the accident last winter. Mr. Piper at the time of the Civil war was drafted to the Union army, but was rejected owing to ill health, and shortness in stature. Mr. Piper at present is located in Sharpsburg, Md., his early home, where he expects to spend his remaining days. Harry Geesey. Harry Geesey, a Blair countian by birth, and a true son of Blair county by having resided within its boundaries practically all his life, will be the fourth son of the Geesey family to retire from the service of the Pennsylvania railroad. William, Levi and Joseph, preceding him within the past few years. Mr. Geesey was born in the town named after his family, in Frankstown township, on March 6, 1845. He will be placed on the retired list at his own request, Mr. Geesey wishing to spend his remaining days free from toil. He resides at 1319 Fourth street. Mr. Geesey remained in Geeseytown and tilled the soil for his father until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he journeyed to Hollidaysburg, enlisting in Company I, 137th Regiment P. V., under command of Captain McFarland of Hollidaysburg. The enlistment was made on August 1862 and carried with it nine months' service. When the company was mustered in at Hollidaysburg, they went to Harrisburg, then to the front. Mr. Geesey took part in the battles of Antietam, South Mountain, Chancellorsville and other minor conflicts. At the expiration of nine months, Mr. Geesey joined the instruction corps of his cousin, John Geesey, and served the army in the states of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. He served one year in this corps. Mr. Geesey returned to Geeseytown in 1864, following his service, and learned his trade of carpenter under his brother, William Geesey, who retired four years ago from the railroad company. Four years later, Mr. Geesey entered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad in the freight shops. For sixteen years he followed his trade in the shops. In 1884 Mr. Geesey was transferred to the Logan House station, where he has been located ever since. Mr. Geesey is night foreman of the car inspectors and is assistant to a nephew, John Geesey, who is day foreman. Mr. Geesey covers in an average five miles every evening in the twelve hours work, and examines every passenger coach and baggage car coming into the station each night. Mr. Geesey was married in 1866 previous to his securing employment with the railroad company, Miss Elizabeth Young, being led to the alter. The wedding was performed on the old Curtis Young farm, near Frankstown. William Isaac Lingenfelter. William Isaac Lingenfelter retires from the service of the company owing to his having passed the 70th milestone in life. He leaves after a continuous employment of 45 years, during which time he plied his trade as carpenter in the freight and machine shops. Mr. Lingenfelter resides at 116 East Walnut avenue. Mr. Lingenfelter was born near Dunkan's Mills, in Indiana county, on December 18, 1842. He resided there until the following year when the family removed to Newry, where Mr. Lingenfelter received his early education. He learned his trade while at Newry, and in April, 1867, came to Altoona, securing a position in the freight car shops. He remained in the shops for a period of thirty years, and worked as assistant to Foreman Andrew Kipple. In 1897 he was removed to the Twelfth street machine shops, and worked as a shop hand. He has been employed in the latter shop since his transfer, and it is with regret that he leaves the place. Mr. Lingenfelter was twice married, his first wife being Miss Sarah S. Keiser, whom he married in Altoona, in 1871. She died in 1902. In 1910 Mr. Lingenfelter remarried, his wife living but one year. Edward Bressler. Having celebrated his seventieth natal anniversary December 15. Edward Bressler, of 1313 Seventh avenue, for many years an employe of the Pennsylvania railroad in the Altoona shops, will be placed on the retired list. Mr. Bressler, who is a veteran of the Civil war, first entered the employ of the Pennsy in 1876, and has served that company faithfully ever since. He was born at Reading, Pa., December 15, 1842, and grew to manhood there. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company B, 128th Pennsylvania volunteers and served nine months. The regiment to which he belonged took part in the battles of Antetiam, Chancellorsville and many other bloody engagements. After the close of the war Mr. Bressler returned to Reading and served an apprenticeship with the Reading railroad, coming to Altoona in 1876. He secured employment in No. 2 lathe shop, where he has since worked. William Thomas Bailey. William Thomas Bailey of East Altoona, is one of five men to be retired by the Middle division on January 1. He was born in this county on February 18, 1846, and entered the service of the company as a laborer on January 2, 1866. He became a brakeman on November 18, 1872, and a flagman on October 11, 1880. He has been a conductor since November 1, 1887. The other men to retire are: Benjamin Stimmel Smith, a conductor, of Harrisburg, who entered the service January 1, 1864; John Allen Kepner, of Mifflin, who entered the service on August 4, 1882, as a laborer; James Lawrence Yeater, of Harrisburg, who entered the service in 1864, and who is now an engineer, and Samuel Allen, of Huntingdon, who entered the service on January 1, 1867. John B. Harnden, whose biography was printed in the Mirror a few days ago, will also be retired on January 1. Among the retirements listed for early next year is that of William Raysor, the veteran ticket examiner at the Pennsylvania railroad station at Harrisburg, who will reach the age limit April 1. This will be the first retirement of the original ticket examiners who have been on duty since the Pennsylvania railroad station was opened. Mr. Raysor has seen over forty-two years of service and was formerly employed in the Harrisburg yards. William Thompson Williams. William Thompson Williams was born in Merthyr Tydvil, South Wales, December 19, 1842. He learned the trade of blacksmith at an early age at the Cyforthfa Steel & Iron Works, South Wales, at that time one of the largest iron works in the world. After learning his trade he worked at numerous places in Europe, before coming to this country. He came to this country about the close of the Civil war. Being here a short time, he went to work as blacksmith with the Lochiel Iron company at Harrisburg, being there until the fall 1868. He was sent for by his brother, then holding a formanship with the C. H. & D. R. R. He left Harrisburg, working on the Kentucky Central railroad, later securing a position with the C. H. & D. at Cincinnati; through sickness he came east again, taking charge of a blacksmith shop at Columbia. Then he went to work for the Baldwin Steel company at Harrisburg. Receiving a position in New Orleans, he was going his way south through Altoona, when being advised by a friend to stay in Altoona. He secured a position with the Pennsylvania Railroad company under Foreman Joseph Dixon, as blacksmith in the flange shop of the boiler shop. He was been with the Pennsylvania Railroad company in continuous service since October 5, 1871. Working as blacksmith until 1896, he was promoted to gang foreman. When, in 1907, the gang was broken up, he returned to the blacksmith shop, tempering machine tools until the tempering plant was moved to the tool room of the telegraph shop. He has been there ever since, having had charge of the electric furnace under foreman O. H. Travis. Mr. Williams reached the age of 70 on December 19, and very few of his shop mates think "Billie" looks more than about 50 years. Being with the company 41 years in continuous service, it will go very hard with him to find something to put in his time at. RAILROAD MEN HONORED. Heads of Pennsy's Advertising Department Have Served Twenty Years. With the close of 1912 Frank N. Barksdale and E. S. Stewart, manager and assistant manager, respectively, of advertising in the passenger department of the Pennsylvania railroad, will have completed two decades of remarkably successful service. In recognition of this and suggestive of the team work of these two men, the attaches of the department have had prepared and presented to their chiefs as Christmas cards a cartoon representing Barksdale and Stewart as the team drawing the old-fashioned Conestoga wagon, with George W. Boyd, the general passenger agent, handling the ribbons. The cartoon has been supplemented by some verse written by H. L. Weir, of the department, entitled "My Team and Me," in which Mr. Boyd is supposed to describe the wonders of this remarkable team, as follows. 'Twas twenty years ago, my lads, 'Twas twenty years ago, When first this pair of trusty "brones" Was hitched together, bo! For twenty years, this team and me, Have hiked this durned old trail, We've had our knocks a-plenty, too, And weathered many a gale! It takes a lot of pluck, my lads, It takes a lot of pluck, To keep a pair of "brones" like them, in line, when others "buck!" They want to jump and kick like sin, When Daly's team comes by And flings the dust about the way The "water levels" lie! But, durn yer eyes, this team and me, We keep our feet on earth. I tell ye, boys, them "brones" of mine. Have showed me what they're worth! Mr. Barksdale came to the Pennsylvania Railroad a raw young Virginian in January, 1883, entering the passenger department as a clerk. His experience prior to that had been principally in newspaper work, he having been editor, business manager and general all-round factotum of the Jeffersonian Republican of Charlottesville, Va., a paper founded by Thomas Jefferson. His literary and descriptive ability soon made itself manifest in the various pamphlets put out by the passenger department, descriptive of various special or personally-conducted tours, as well as the general advertising matter, and attracted considerable attention both in railroad and advertising circles. In 1893 he was placed at the head of the department. His teammate, E. S. Stewart, entered the Pennsylvania service in the advertising department, in 1893, having come from the Reading. In 1900 he was made. . . . Altoona Mirror, Sunday, December 31, 1912, page 12 SLEEPS WHILE GAS LEAKS FROM BURNING RADIATOR John F. Bauer, Overcome From Fumes, Was Unconscious for Four Hours. John F. Bauer, a machinist in the Twelfth street shops, residing with a nephew, Mr. F. Klemmer, of 1025 Second avenue, had a narrow escape from death yesterday morning, when, upon falling asleep while waiting for a small gas stove to heat the bed room, he was overcome by the escaping fumes. Mr. Bauer was in an unconscious condition for a period of four hours. Mr. Bauer retired early on Saturday evening and set the alarm clock in the room at 6:25 o'clock. Upon awakening at that time, the alarm was turned off and the gas stove, which resembles a steam radiator, was lighted, Mr. Bauer wishing to dress in a warm room. At 10:15 o'clock, Miss Bertha Weiss, a niece, while passing through the hall upstairs detected the odor of gas and upon notifying the members of the household, conducted an investigation. Upon unlocking the door leading into Mr. Bauer's bedroom, they found the room filled with gas. The stove was still burning when the investigation was made. But two of the burners were ignited owing to the low pressure of gas, due to the leak. Mr. Bauer was lying on the bed unconscious. While the windows and doors of the house were thrown open to allow the fumes to escape, Doctors Frank Keagy, A. L. Spanogle and R. C. Klepser were summoned. The three physicians endeavored to revive Mr. Bauer during the morning, Dr. Keagy, the family physician, being on his second visit when Mr. Bauer returned to consciousness at 2 o'clock. Mr. Bauer's condition until early last evening was critical and he was not able to explain how the accident occurred until after 6 o'clock. At present he is resting easily and aside from a slight sickness, experiences no ill effects from the deadly fumes. Mr. Bauer is aged 39 years, and was formerly a member of the Volunteer Firemen's association.