YEARS CHANGE PAOLI STATION

Main Line Tracks Increase from Two in Number to Four

After several shifts in location, Number of Commuters Rises to Fourth Place, Narberth Being First

When the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was built, little did those who constructed it think it would ever become the wonderful system that it is to-day, and that as many as 4,500 tickets per month would be sold from Paoli station alone.

When the first train of cars passed Paoli on Wednesday, the last day of February, 1834, the railroad was a part of the Columbia Railroad system that connected Columbia with Philadelphia. The first inception of the Main Line railroad system was the following: An effort was made to make both the Juniata and Kiskiminetas Rivers navigable by slack water, and to use the Union Canal as the eastern end of the line, connecting with Philadelphia. In 1827 the Legislature authorized the Canal Commissioners to make examinations through the counties of Chester and Lancaster for a railroad to connect with the canal. In 1828 those Commissioners were directed to locate and put under contract a railroad from Philadelphia through Chester county via Lancaster to Columbia, and complete the same within two years if practicable. In 1833 the Canal Commissioners completed the Columbia-Philadelphia Railroad with a double track.

To-day (1928) there are four tracks and one hundred and thirty-six trains per day that stop at Paoli and there are innumerable through trains that do not stop. When the railroad began to be constructed in 1832, there was only one locomotive, the celebrated “Black Hawk,” named for an Indian chief and built in England. In 1835 there were three locomotives and in 1837 there were forty, the motive power of horses then being discarded.

FEARED LOCOMOTIVES

At first there was considerable opposition to the employment of locomotives on the line by persons using the road or living near it. They feared that the engines would destroy the value of the horses, and that the sparks from them would set fire to their homes. In these days the railroad’s passing through this section makes property valuable, and the completion of the electrification of the system from Philadelphia to Paoli in 1915 connected Paoli with the world in a way that could not have been accomplished otherwise.

ORIGINAL STATION THERE

On the west side of Valley road, south of the railroad, stands a large old white house. Years ago this was the Paoli Hotel, and the proprietor was John D. Evans.Incorrect. The Paoli Inn burnt down in 1899. The only buildings in the area in the 1920s were the Utley Wedge Bank Building which was built between 1920 and 1926, and aframe building which seem to start as a small building around 1897 and was then extended - MB. Mr. Evans was station agent for a time. Here the station was located for some time, when it was moved to a small frame building building south of the hotel. This also does not make sense. There was no space for a building between the Paoli Inn and Lancaster Avenue - MB. Near the station was an old woodshed, and trains used to stop there for fuel and water; kindling wood was used to a great extent, the fires in the engines sometimes becoming low between stations. Woodsheds were located all along the line at certain intervals. There was one at Radnor, also one at Downingtown, Coatesville, Parkesburg and many other places, all well remembered by veteran railroaders who were members of train crews in olden days. The woodsheds were kept by old men who split wood and kept supplies in readiness for the trains when they made their stops. The Paoli woodshed was located near where the bridge is now.

Charles Springer, of Darby road and Circle avenue, who has been a retired railroader for nine years, and is much interested in talking over old times on the railroad, remembers when there were but about six trains per day. Two were local trains, which made four trips per day, under the efficient management of Marshall Speakman and Peter Stine. About four through trains passed Paoli per day. The Downingtown train was added during the Centennial in 1876, when large numbers of passengers had to be accommodated.

FAITHFUL WORKERS

Miss Ida Speakman, daughter of the late Marshall Speakman, was station agent for a number of years. Miss Annie Bloomer is remembered by a number of the older residents as a most efficient station agent and postmistress.

During these years the station was moved to the east side of Valley road and occupied a small building near where the newsstand now is. Then the new station was built. John D. Burns served for many years in this place. He was appointed agent in 1892 and served the public in this capacity for more than thirty-five years, and much of the time (until the post office was moved to its present location on the Lincoln Highway) he was postmaster also. Mrs. Kate Shunk was first Deputy Postmaster during much of this time and served as clerk in the ticket office. Mrs. Shunk and her family lived for more than twelve years in the station. There was but a small waiting room there then, and the rest of the first floor made a most comfortable and home-like apartment.

The mail boxes at that time occupied the space between the place where the two ticket windows are now. Mr. Burns passed away in March of this year (1928) after having been in poor health for some months. Another familiar figure for many years about the station was Jacob Plank, who was leverman in the tower for a long period of time. Mr. Plank also passed away this year, and both of these veteran public servants who stood close to their posts of duty through long periods of service, have been greatly missed.

On January 15 of this year, the present station agent, W.H. Campbell, was appointed. Mr. Campbell was a clerk in the office for a time before that. The present clerks are Donald Evans and Everett Kurtz, while the baggage men are F.W. and J.H. Beaver.

The present station is of frame …… ample waiting rooms with comfort facilities, telephone pay stations, electric lights and a modern heating system. There is a fine driveway and parking space which is used to a great extent by commuters, many of them driving to the station and parking their cars while they make trips to the city. A Western Union telegraph and cable office is also located at the station, where operators are located. According to the most accurate information that could be found, the station has been built for about 35 years. (actually 44 years _ Jan. 1884 - RDT)

To-day the station stands fourth in the number of commuters using the station every day. Of all the stations in the Main Line Division, Narberth stands first. A count was made a short time ago of the number of persons who use the station, entering and leaving the trains in a period of twelve hours, and 2369 were counted. On an average 4500 tickets per month are sold at Paoli station.

MEMORIES OF EARLY DAYS

In speaking of old times on the railroad, Mr. Springer relates: “I began my work on the railroad in 1864 in Harrisburg where I was employed as a messenger boy. In 1872 I worked on the mail train, and 1876 was appointed conductor. Things were a good bit different in those days. Instead of trains being lighted as they are today, candles were used. In most cases two were placed in sconces in each car, but during the Centennial four were placed in each car. Then gas came into use for lighting. Some of the cars had coal oil lights. When candles were used they were protected by globes and in the candle holder was a spiral spring that held the candle in position while it burned.”

“Well I remember the time when the trains used to stop at the old John Evans Hotel, where five minutes were given for lunch. The train crew and passengers would alight and go into the lunch room where they would refresh themselves. Wood and coal would also be taken on for the use of the engine.”

The old Paoli Grove, located about three-quarters of a mile from the station, was the scene of many happy picnic parties. It was located on the north side of the railroad, and the site of it can be reach to-day if one goes down Maple avenue.

From undated Daily Local News issue from 1928