Thank you Ed, I believe you have the spelling correct. So here's the "rest of the story" excluding what happened after the Streator incident. That will wait for the evening of April 16.
Just so the " Q relevant" portion is met. This man was a C.B. & Q. Trainman,baggageman,collector for 30 years. He was extremely proud of the fact me never missed a call or called in sick in those thirty years. Few if any others can make that claim. I sure can't. By the way in the record setting blizzard of '67 when nothing moved,he walked well over 5 miles through waist deep snow to get to work that day. While the suburban trains didn't run he got paid for showing up.
So I was laying on the beach in Manzannilo,MX with Bill. I asked him why he left Germany(he immigrated by himself and his brother and parents stayed behind). He answered with one word, Hitler. After that he told me the Streator story,he shared another. After becoming a Q employee he was shown on the brakemans roster with his full German name. He decided that he would legally shorten his name to something less German sounding. After doing so, some of his "brothers" in the Aurora trainmens lodge felt he should get a new seniority date based on shortening his name to Wohl. It was put to a vote at the next lodge meeting and defeated. Bill, kept his original seniority date.
For those who recall, Bill was the guy featured in the Chicago Tribune for swimming in Lake Michigan every day. Some days he had to take a hatchet to break away the ice. By the way he had been a body builder in Germany and was a trainer at a Mt Morris,IL gym before hiring out on the Q. I asked him why he quit the gym and went to work on the Q. Again in his terse German accent he said " I'm no fool, I watched those brakeman ride the cushions between Aurora and Mt Morris". By the way he always preferred a baggagemans position so he could exercise his muscles on company time.
He died at age 82 with the body of a muscle bound 60 year old.
Leo
Would the spelling have been Wohlenschlagel? There were some Wohlenschlagel families that were living in the Ottawa-Naplate area during the 1950s-1980s. I don't know if they are still living there. If it is the correct name there might be a few pictures
of this immigrant fellow.
Edward V. Carroll
Distinguished Professor of History
Heartland Community College
1500 West Raab Road
Normal IL 61761
309.268.8582
ed.carroll@heartland.edu
_____________________
Understanding the past requires pretending that you don't know the present.
Paul Fussell
Pete,
Thanks for the kind words. Here's a a little teaser. What do you suppose happened to a relatively recent German immigrant,during WWII, with a name like Wohlschangle (sp may be a bit off) who happened to be a brakeman on the Streator motor car riding the
rear end as the car was being wye'd at Streator and they collided with the NYC sitting on the wye waiting for their turn to go ?
By the way he spoke with a heavy German accent and happens to be my great uncle by marriage.
I'm not telling until the presentation.
Leo
Thanks for doing this Leo...I really wanted to hear your original presentation...but a 1000 mile round trip...just didn't work for me at the time....Don't make it too short...those who can't sit through something
as interesting and exciting as I anticipate this being can leave early or take a back seat and go to sleep.
I'm quite familiar with the Montgomery wreck and the circumstances surrounding it are quite unique and just one of those things which "just couldn't happen but diid..
BTW...there is an interesting side note to this affair which I'll send you (Leo) a private note in case you know about it and plan to present it as "added interest"...I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I thought I would bring it to your attention
for "your handling"...as per standard railroad speak"
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ] < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
To: < CBQ@yahoogroups.com> < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Mon, Mar 7, 2016 7:26 pm
Subject: [CBQ] Spring Meet-Fox River Branch Presentation
If you've looked at the BRHS website or received your mailing(expected soon) I will be speaking about the "History of the Fox River Branch" after dinner.
Just to reassure the 10 or 12 members who attended the original presentation in 2015 at the Oswego H.S. This one will be shorter,covering all the very important points and includes several new items that have become know since then.
In particular is one about running an 0-6-0 light on the branch which became a lesson in how NOT to operate a locomotive. Also a couple new first hand recollections of the terrible Montgomery wreck. I think you'll find it and the presentation of interest.
Leo
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