Show OUR FIRST ENGINEER Wood Bensons Hand Held Throttle of Americas Firt First Wood Benson Is a man o and yet y et to history unknown n and he lives In a big east side lodging house for men I says ays s the New York Mal Mail and Express The T he manager introduced him a as a character and a as he came forward to t o shake hands his lok looks did not bele belie the t he title tte A straight lank vigorous old man man wih w ith cleanly shaven face composed ot of i ble little wrinkles and sur surmounted surmounted mounted by a wig wig of bright brwn brown hair c oie and brushed Into smooth shining hining s waves his eye eyes blue and cea clear and a nd holding 0 a whimsical smie smile a as he a for yr not being prepare prepared for tor ct company c at tie the same time stooping to tur t urn down the trousers which had been wel well rolled above his shoes and a gems en erus e rous length of white socks An air of simple cordiality lent dIgity dignity to t o his homely and In hi his manner were both modesty and pride a a s he related his experience ot of long ngo a go goIt ngoI I It wa was on May 27 1829 that the first l in Americ America made It its trial trIp rip t but In spie spite of the intervening y Oear ears that tha t da day Is still fresh In the memory or of the old engineer a as he be tells I of o f the rn run between Albany Alban and e wih with Thurow Thurlow We GnerI General Scot S cott and Commodor Commodore Vanderbilt among mong a the passengers I Oho Oh that was was a daya daya prud proud day for f or ai all of us mid and then the handshaking began at the end or of the lne line Generl General Scot Scott stepp stepped up and shook mine the hartest hardest or of al all I It was a gat great rn run but me theres heres t no one lef left that made I it but meThe The old man closed his eyes and soft softly softy ly l y stroked one thin hand over the other othera a as he traveled back along the rute route no non leading him so near to the termInus I 1 began life a as a boy down in the theold theold old Dr Dry Dock bank bank but I sty stay there long Jong Id Id heard a lot Jot ot of talk about railroads and engines ti till the wheels got into my head I wanted to go 0 of ot and se see what wa was in te the world and mans the time Id Id have cut and run if it been for m my mother After awhile she s saw w ho how I Iel felt el and told me to go She sid said If I kept straight and there was anything in i n me i It would find a way to get out out And I did for I worked my passage to England on a freight thip and when there the frt first thing 1 started in to see was a locomotive For days and night nights I se see I much of anything else There were two roads in operation over ther there then and andI I just lied lived on them by hook and crook until I leared learned the business Finaly Finally I Iwa Iwas wa was taken takeD on frt first a as freman fireman then a as engineer and then when the old John Bul Bull was a bunt built to b be sent to Americ America i it was waft I that came over wit with I it and my hand that held the throttle on it its maiden run I He paused forgetful or of the present and I 1 while pe he lived agin again his I youth hs ambitIons and his triumphs Slipping a trembling hand band beneath his coat he drw drew forth a worn orn and yellowed paper bearing as ghostly indorsement of his stOr story the autographs of men meD I whose names ha have ve been framed for al almost almost most a century as tb financiers or of the railroading on this continent continent With a pride plainly showing i It to have hae been to him the the crowning glory gloO of his creer career lie he told of the gift re resented by Commodore set or of false teeth fearful and wonderfully made at a cost of You must be much older tan than you lok look I sid said Now I if the man les lives above 3 30 who does not enjoy bing being told I that he looks ook younger than he is tat that I Iman man i Lu certainly not Wood Benson I had touched his little weakness and th same cUng vanity tat that supplied the brwn brown wt wig and braced the bending back made ready response Why h maam maam Im Im a wonder I raly really am 93 91 years year old and sound as a nut never wore glasses In my life shave ee every day r read d and write Tie and feel spry as I did nt at 60 I dont drink smoke or che chew and dont mix wih with tose those men man My l eyes followed his through te the bIg cheerless hal hail to the groups of unkempt being beings absorbing al all the warth warmth ind and comfort they coUld find findor for or the meager mear price of a a nights Ing ad and then thea returned to rest on the quiet quiet patient tent figure of this wonderful old ma man He read my thought and an answered Il Ili tel tell you ou what ha has kept me from being one of thema good wife God bless her I had her wih with me for over oer ff fifty year years and teres theres neer never a da tt that I 1 cant feel fee her with me now i j want to tel tell you that theres nothing on earh earth to keep a man straight like a god good woman Are yoU not unhappy here I No he be replied with a Queer little wrinkled smie smile nothing make makes sue me un ha happy but a tight boot boot Eve Every one is kind to me ad rand I have aU all I need Im m pretty low down nee and I I ke a fY i old friends friend to know just where v 0 i 1 T But Is its bet I Itel tel tar than t ti ur house I stand chit I 1 w wont nt owe the world L a a dollar I 1 have lave en enough laid by for brad bread and Oed Ded as long a as I need them and something OYEr over to but bury me and I one th thins that flint no one cn can ever away awa and tat that i rn God A At Ue the door he dor turned and extended I a hand hand IU be said I It does doer me al sUppose I I be h r is Its alm almost st time for m lat last run n but I if you ou ever eyer visit the th Smithsonian institution In Washington Wahington and see there the se ther old John BulDer Bull Per haps you wi will give n a kindly thought to tc the old oid engineer er |