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re. Mt-Ayr/Grant City; Sears

To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: re. Mt-Ayr/Grant City; Sears
From: "Virginia Edgar" <vje68@h...>
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 19:01:50 -0600
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To elaborate on the precedent setting Mt. Ayr-Grant City abandonment in "44. Prior to this one, RR's invariably faced Brotherhood opposition to all abandonments; in this case the Q agreed to a "displacement allowance" to cover any loss of wages due to the abandonment & resulting reassignments. The so-called "Burlington Formula" lessened labor opposition in many future cases, especially when it was obvious that the business just wasn't there anymore. As for Sears - oops! Meant to say Montgomery Ward. I should know better as when I with C&NW I met the then C&NW agent @ Walnut Grove who took great pride in the fact that he was a successor to Sears who went from selling RR watches on the side to fellow RR employees to co-founding Sears, Roebuck (Alvah Roebuck repaired watches in those early days). Meant to say Aaron Montgomery Ward ("Monkey Wards" to many midwesteners) who started his mail order business via the Q by buying qty's of hdwe from mfgs & re-selling. This in the days when RRs took as much interest in a crate as they did a carload & stopped in every hamlet. The state of Iowa for example once boasted there was no place within the state more than 6 miles from a track - now there are 2 or 3 COUNTYS without rail service! Back to the Q & watches - have an 1914 Hamilton pocket watch ad that features 2 Q employees comparing their Hamiltons prior to a 'run' of the Commercial Ltd. Conductor D. Kelly & Engineer G. Cooper (would be interesting if either name shows up in those old Brotherhood records being copied). Kelly is in full condr's uniform - Cooper is in bibs & gauntlets with a pair of goggles slung above brim of his cap. One of the earliest photos I've seen of a hogger with goggles - obviously a high-speed run! Also a point to be made that a good RR watch was NEVER cheap - the least expensive Hamilton movement (no case!) is listed @ $12.25. A LOT of money 88 years ago!!! Gerald




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