Norfolk: Carpenter Map 1946 - ANSWER to Mr. BAYLES' QUESTION

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Herr Bayles, of the delightful hamlet of Lewes, Delaware, ye asketh: "Were you ever on the Reading's Chester Valley line that ran from Bridgeport out to Downingtown PA? I grew up watching Alcos pulling a short train each way in the 50s and 60s passing the Philadelphia Memorial Park cemetery."

ANSWER: Part of the Reading's Philadelphia & Chester Valley Branch was still in when I worked on the Philadelphia Division 1979-1981, but I never rode that local. Should have made time for it, just didn't. Back then, days off were precious and I certainly did not want to be out riding a dern freight train when I had a day off !

But the Chester Valley Branch has one interesting claim to fame. The little wooden depot at Centerville was the last station on the Reading where the Agent/Operator never learned to read the telegraph "by sound," and the railroad had to keep an old-timey, 1870's wind-up, spring driven brass paper embossing register in the station for her, until she retired in 1926, so she could see the longs and the shorts scored out on the moving paper tape.  Her name was Isabella "Bella" (nee White) Toner, born in 1850, hired on the railroad in 1875, and worked as the station agent until May 1, 1826. With her husband (a section hand on the branch) and three sons, she lived on the second floor of the station and had her garden and chickens in the side yard.

In all those years, Bella never learned to read the telegraph by its sound, and had to rely on the moving paper tape. So significant did the Reading RR think the retirement of its last brass mechanical "paper embossing register," that they sent the company photographer out to photograph Bella sitting at the telegraph key and embossing register, a few days before her retirement.

I bet the Train Dispatcher pulled his hair out, trying to avoid placing a Train Order for delivery at "CV" Office, Centerville ! They would probaby rather eat a little train delay, than fight to get Bella to understand what they were sending !

That embossing register now lives about 30 feet from where I am sitting as I write this... and it still works, perfectly although it is about 150 years old. When Bella retired in 1926, one telegraph operator who knew what it was, latched on to it. His name was Dewey Rieber - he was a 1915-hire and he became the Chief Train Dispatcher on the Reading Division. Dewey told me the story of getting it. And after Dewey died, his son sold me Dewey's telegraph collection, and the old embossing register came here to live with me. I also have the original 8x10 glossy Company photo print showing Bella at the machine, with two oil lamps, no less ! (The little depot had no electricity.) Bella is buried just several miles from the station where she worked from 1875 to 1926.  And at the end of my life
, that register will go to the Reading T&H Society.

If you want a photo of the old brass "embossing register," email me at pravoslavna at comcast dot net.

I will attach a copy of the 1926 Company photo of Bella at her telegraph key and embossing register.  Although it is not N&W, it certainly depicts a setting which was repeated thousands of times and in many places on the N&W and other early railroads.

-- abram burnett
-
Detox With Our Magic Turnip Elixir !
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