cer were together on the Long Island Road, and they are to-day coöperating in building up and harmonizing the Southern Road and the various industries along its lines.

Frank S. Gannon was born at Spring Valley, Rockland County, N. Y., September 16, 1851. His education was obtained in the country schools and in the school of experience. He was married at Jersey City, September 24, 1874, to Miss Marietta Burrows, of that city. His family consists of seven sons and one daughter: J. Walter, Frank S., Jr., Anna B., James B., Greg. F., Edward E., T. Albert, and Robert.

WILLIAM J. MURPHY.-Mr. Murphy began with the Erie as telegraph messenger at Susquehanna, Pa., in April, 1862, when he was fourteen, and he was in the continuous service of the Erie until March, 1890, twentyeight years. During that time he rose to the highest office in the operating department, that of general superintendent. In 1864, young Murphy was appointed telegraph operator and ticket clerk at Deposit, N. Y. During 1865 he was consecutively train flagman, station agent, and yardmaster at Deposit. In 1866 he was placed in the train despatcher's office at Port Jervis as operator, and continued as such until 1870, when he was promoted to be train despatcher of the Delaware Division, and in 1872 to be chief train despatcher and division operator of that division. He performed the duties of those responsible places ten years, when he was appointed superintendent of the Delaware Division, August 22, 1882. In November, 1884, Superintendent Murphy was transferred to the still more responsible post of superintendent of the Buffalo and Rochester divisions, with headquarters at Buffalo. Three years later, August 22, 1887, he was made general superintendent of the Erie. system. Mr. Murphy was at the head of the Erie operative department until March 26, 1890, when he resigned, broken in health. He travelled a year abroad and at home for the benefit of his health, which being restored, he accepted, March, 1891, the superintendency of the Brunswick Division of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad, with headquarters at Macon, Ga., where he remained two years, when he resigned to take the office of superintendent of the Cincinnati Division of the New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (the Queen and Crescent Route), with headquarters at Lexington, Ky., which office he continues to hold.

In May, 1898, during the war with Spain, as recognition of Superintendent Murphy's efforts by which the large movement of troops over his line was handled with surprising facility and smoothness, Governor Bradley, of Kentucky, appointed him to the military service of the State, with the rank of colonel, and directed him to superintend the transportation of Kentucky troops.

William J. Murphy was born at Greenfield, Mass., August 23, 1848. His early preceptors in the science of railroading were Charles Minot and Hugh Riddle. That he learned

well, his career amply proves. Mr. Murphy was married, February 23, 1870, to Miss Maria T. A. Vogel, of Zanesville, Ohio.

JAMES H. RUTTER began life as a clerk in the freight office at Elmira. In 1866 he had risen to be assistant general freight agent of the Company, and his ability became so conspicuous in transportation circles that he was

personally solicited by Cornelius Vanderbilt to enter the

service of the New York Central as general freight agent, which he did. In 1877 he was made general traffic manager of that system. In 1880, his services in the Vanderbilt interest had proved so valuable, the office of third vicepresident was created for him. He held that office until 1883, when William H. Vanderbilt resigned as president of He remained at the the Company in favor of Mr. Rutter. head of the great Central system until 1885, when his health

broke down. He died June 27th of that year, his death being followed next day by that of his wife. They were buried in the same grave.

JOHN BAIRD MORFORD.-John B. Morford began as “water-boy” and newsboy on the Erie at the age of twelve. This generation of railroad travellers does not know what water-boys were. In the early days of railroading there were no ice-water tanks in the cars, but the Erie was so solicitous for the welfare and comfort of its passengers that it provided boys to go through the cars at intervals, carrying a pail of fresh water and a cup, so that thirsty travellers might quench their thirst. In 1852 one of those boys was John B. Morford, who was born at Warwick, N. Y., July 16, 1836. From water-boy he was promoted to be despatch messenger between New York and Dunkirk, and in 1853 he became brakeman on a freight train on the Eastern Division, subsequently being transferred to a passenger train. He "broke" on passenger and freight trains on Eastern trains until November, 1857, when he was promoted to the conductorship of a freight train, and subsequently to a passenger train, in which capacity he served the Erie until September, 1866, when he went to the Morris and Essex Railroad (now Delaware, Lackawanna and Western) as chief train despatcher at Hoboken, and superintendent of Boonton Branch. He remained in that place until 1870, in December of which year he became general agent of the Hudson River Railroad, at Thirtieth Street, New York, and subsequently station master at the Grand Central Depot. In January, 1872, he became general superintendent of the Long Island Railroad, where he remained three years, when, in February, 1875, he took charge as superintendent of the Sandy Hook Steamboat Company, filling successively that place and the posts of superintendent of ferries and lighterage of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, until January, 1882. From the latter date until April, 1883, he was superintendent of construction of the Sabine and East Texas Railroad. He was then appointed by the Michigan Central Railroad Company assistant superintendent of its Eastern and Toledo divisions. In December of that year he was transferred to the more important position of superintendent of the "Canada Division," with headquarters at St. Thomas, which place Mr. Morford continues to hold. Superintendent Morford always refers proudly to the time when he was a water-boy and newsboy on the Erie.

GIOVANI P. MOROSINI.―There is nothing in fiction more dramatic and romantic than the incidents that led to Giovani P. Morosini's coming into the service of the Erie. In 1855 he was a sailor, and had been a sailor five years. He was the son of Paul P. Morosini, a scion of pure old Venetian stock. He was born at Venice June 24, 1834, and was educated as a soldier as well as a civilian. During the war between Italy and Austria misfortune overtook the family, and upon the capitulation of Venice in 1849, young Morosini resolved to seek his fortune in other lands. In 1850 he found himself at Smyrna. An American vessel was prepar

ing for her homeward voyage. Filled with the spirit of adventure, Morosini shipped as a sailor upon her. A seafaring life seemed to fill his longing for a time, but at last he wearied of it, and in 1855, being then at a sailors' boardinghouse in New York, he resolved to quit his roving life if he could find something better to turn his hands to.

It happened that one day he visited Staten Island with nothing in view except diversion. While walking along a road he came upon a number of half-grown boys who had set upon and were beating a boy much smaller than they. This at once aroused his ire, and he instantly hurried to the aid of the boy thus overmatched. His attack amazed the young ruffians at first, but they rallied and turned upon him. He drew his sailor's knife, and brandishing it, rushed to meet them, but at the sight of the knife and the determination of the one who wielded it, the gang fled. The boy informed his rescuer that he lived not far from the spot, and Morosini helped him home, where he met the boy's father, who on being told what had occurred, was warm in his expression of thanks to the champion of his son, and offered him a sum of money. This Morosini declined to accept.

"Is there anything, then, that I can do for you?" asked the grateful father.

"I am a sailor," replied Morosini, "but am tired of the sea. If I could obtain employment ashore I should be pleased to accept it."

The father of the boy whom Morosini had befriended was Nathaniel Marsh, then secretary of the New York and Erie Railroad Company. He interested himself in the sailor, and obtained for him a place as office-boy for the president of the Company, Homer Ramsdell. That discerning man soon discovered that his office-boy was a lad much above the average in intelligence and ability, and Morosini was promoted to a clerkship in the auditor's office. Promotion followed promotion there, until the whilom sailor was chief clerk of the audit department.

Jay Gould came into the direction of Erie affairs in 1868, and that master of human nature quickly became aware of the unusual value of Morosini, and in 1869 the chief clerk of the audit office was advanced to the head of that most important department, and became Jay Gould's confidential secretary in 1872.

In 1879 Mr. Gould took Morosini into partnership with him, a partnership that continued until 1885, when Morosini, Mr. Gould having retired from active individual participation in Wall Street affairs, continued business for himself, and made a great fortune, which he fully and rationally enjoys.

AUGUSTUS SHERILL WHITON.-Augustus Sherill Whiton died in New York City Monday, February 7, 1898, in his seventy-eighth year. Mr. Whiton, when but eighteen years of age, was a member of the engineer corps that finally located the route for the New York and Erie Railroad between Piermont and Goshen, in 1838.

Young Whiton was promoted to be assistant engineer to H. C. Seymour in 1839. In 1840 he was appointed superin

goods. The rolling-mills, iron-bridge works, and hundreds of other factories give employment to other thousands. Preeminence in the silk industry has given Paterson the name of "Lyons of America." Erie, Susquehanna and Western, and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroads. County seat of Passaic County.

(HAWTHORNE, suburb of Paterson, across the Passaic River. Pastoral and historic.)

33 miles.

Hamlet due to Ramapo Iron Works. In the Ramapo Pass. Population, 300.)

RAMAPO, ROCKLAND CO., N. Y. From New York, 34 miles. Settled, 1795. Population, 300. 2 churches; public school. Formerly nail works, rolling mill, cotton mill, steel furnace, wire works, hoe factory, saw and grist mills. First train on Erie ran to Ramapo June 30, 1841. History of Pierson family is the history of Ramapo. Josiah G.,

From New York, 32 Settled, 1773. Name

(UNDERCLIFF, HOHOKUS, WALDWICK, ALLENDALE, RAMSEY'S, and MAHWAH, BERGEN Co., N. J. From New York respectively 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, and 30 miles. Small stations in historical and pastoral communities. Near Ridgewood, Undercliff, and Hohokus is the old stone mansion, "The Hermitage," in which Aaron Burr wooed, won, and married Theodosia Provost. The Dutch Church, turned by the British into a prison-house for soldiers of the Revolutionary army, is also nearby. Waldwick is the outgrowth of excessive water and other taxes on the Erie at Paterson, owing to which the Company changed the housing of the rolling stock of its frequent "shuttle" trains between Paterson and Jersey City from Paterson to the site of Waldwick, establishing an extensive switch yard and engine and car houses, and bringing a lively village into existence. Allendale and Ramsey's, extensive small-fruit growing. Churches and public schools, hotels. Newspaper at Ramsey's.) SUFFERN, ROCKLAND CO., N. Y. miles; Dunkirk, 428; Buffalo, 393. originally New Antrim, from Antrim, Ireland, native place of John Suffern, first settler. Name changed to Suffern on opening railroad in 1841. Population, 1,100. 3 churches; public schools; I newspaper; 3 hotels. Original line of Erie runs from Piermont to Suffern, now called Piermont Branch. Here is the historic Ramapo Pass. The present road through the pass was an old Indian trail, and the settlers found it the nearest and best road between the northern colonies and the southern, when the Hudson River was blockaded—hence during the Revolutionary war it was early watched and fortified. The centre of military operations was about a mile within the gorge. Military was stationed here all through the war to guard the pass and to stop intruders. Col. Malcolm's regiment was here in 1777, and Aaron Burr was assigned to it for duty. It was from this command that Burr won his military reputation by daring exploits in the Paramus Valley and about Hackensack, N. J. Washington had his headquarters in the old Suffern house, now torn down, near Suffern village. On the hills east of Suffern the French army encamped on its way to Yorktown.

(NOTE.-For Piermont Branch references see "The Turning of Its Wheels," pages 390-391.)

(HILBURN, ROCKLAND CO., N. Y. From New York,

works and rolling mill here in 1783. In 1807 added manufacture of hoops for whale-oil casks. Product of industries, 1,000,000 pounds of iron annually. Established cotton mill in 1816, looms of J. H. Pierson's own invention, to make striped shirting. In 1820 began manufacture of spring steel; 1830 manufacture of blister steel; 1835 manufacture of screws by machinery, invented at Ramapo by a Pierson workman. At that time 300 men employed by Piersons. J. H. Pierson and his son Henry L. leading spirits in the history of the Erie. In 1850 Piersons retired from business at Ramapo. Family large proprietors of the place to-day. Now only car-wheel works and foundry there. Terminus of Erie from July 1, 1841, until September 23, 1841 ("The Building of It," page 331).

(STERLINGTON, junction of the Sterling Mountain Railroad, running to Sterling Lake and mines; SLOATSBURG, a small hamlet, formerly of some industrial importance. From New York, 35 and 36 miles respectively.)

TUXEDO, ROCKLAND CO., N. Y. From New York, 38)2 miles. Formerly Lorillard's. Population, 300. Station for Tuxedo Park. Tuxedo, according to the researches of William Waldorf Astor, is from the Algonquin P' tauk-sut-tough, meaning "Home of the Bear." According to local tradition Tuxedo is a corruption of " Duck Cedar," the lake having been once alive with wild ducks and surrounded by cedars. Tuxedo Park was originally the wilderness tract of 13,000 acres belonging to the original Peter Lorillard. At an early day there were iron works on the outlet of the lake on the tract. They were abandoned years ago, and the estate lay idle. Ground was broken in November, 1885, for the Tuxedo Club; June 1, 1886, the club-house was opened. In the club grounds to-day are about Too houses, ranging from the romantic chalet to the substantial and ornate chateau, church, schools, fish hatchery, game preserves. Within the park enclosure forty miles of drives, twenty-five miles macadamized. Complete police service, fire brigade. Last Erie station in Rockland County, N. Y.

(SOUTHFIELDS AND ARDEN, ORANGE CO., N. Y. Hamlets; from New York, 42 and 44 miles. Arden, formerly Greenwood, noted for the iron works belonging to Peter P. Parrott, of Parrott gun fame. Abandoned years ago. Picturesque ruins of works near the station. E. H. Harriman, the millionaire New York banker and horse-breeder, resides at Arden.)

TURNER'S, ORANGE Co., N. Y. From New York, 47 miles: Dunkirk, 412 miles; Buffalo, 377; Newburgh, 16. Came into existence with the Erie. First railroad diningsaloon on the Erie, established by Peter Turner, 1841,