We've all said at one time or another "I'd walk a mile" most of the people shown here walked a mile just for a glimpse of a train rolling up the track on wheels.
Every Sunday afternoon a group of fifty or more journeyed the mile on foot to Baxter to get a look at the train. The track ended at Baxter. They waited and waited as they sat on the crossties near the track. There was no station.
"We could see the train coming around the bend moving like a big catepillar," an old timer said. The shril whistle caused a stir in the crowd.
"Its coming," someone shouted. "stand up eveerybody so you can get a good look."
On the other side of the track was a wagon. The horses pranced eagerly. The wagon served as a taxi cab would today. Soon a passenger or two came down the steps of the train with their arms full of bu**** to the waiting wagon.
The wagon had enough planks across the bed to seat six or seven passengers. As the crowd looked on, the wagon driver helped the ladies up the stepping block and into the wagon. When everyone was seated he gave the orders for the horses to turn around and head toward Harlan. The big clumsy wagon slowly lumbered over the stones and ruts. They watched until they could no longer see it.
As the *********settled and died away the big train puffed and chugged as the wheels slowly turned. A little more puffing and a little more steam and the engineer waved to the crowd. Down the track and around the bend the catepillar like train moved along.
"It's time to go," and old timer broke the silence. The women folk gathered their babies in their arms to start the long trek back home. Some of the ladies were fortunate.
Maggie Hoskins, Nora Howard, Sadie Gregory and the babies had a free ride on a little hand car. Chester Hoskins worked with the railroad company and had borrowed the hand car for the trip.
Better than Walking
After helping them on the car, he rolled up his sleeves and slowly began to pump the handle up and down. The hand car scarcely moved up the track. The process was slow but better than walking.
A short time later the task of building the track on to Harlan was undertaken.The big problem was the two bridges spanning the river at Baxter and Harlan. Naturally the bridge at Baxter was under construction first.
When the bridge was half-way completed, a flood came. Several of the workers guarded the bridge night and day, pushing the logs away from the timbers that supported the piers. In spite of their efforts part of the timbers washed away causing quite a bit of damage.
Excitement ruled in Harlan when the track was completed and the first train was completed and the first train ws due to arrive. As one old timer expressed his opinion, "it's the greatest thing that ever happened."
Excitement Spreads
Hardly a person was left at home when the train pulled in. Excitement spread through the crowd. It was so different from buggies and wagons.
The dark red plush covered seats were fascinating to everyone. A small girl traveling with an adult one day was curious about the "goings on." The conductor called out his wares as he passed through the coach--apples, bananas, candy.
Everything was so amusing the train had traveled several miles before the little girl realized it had even staarted. The old fashion spitoons and dim lights were two unforgetable features of the first train that came to Harlan.
Sunday February 1, 1953
Volume 52 Number 26
Pages 1 & 8
