THE DEPARTMENTS

     In the earlier years of the business, cars were not built from drawings, and it was not until after Mr. C. C. James came to the car works in 1860, that any drawings were made for car construction.

     Charles Cox James came to the Car Works in 1860 and remained with the company until his death which occurred July 17th, 1885--twenty-five years of service.  Mr. James had charge of the pattern making and he, himself, made such drawings as were necessary.  These were made in pencil or ink on heavy drawing paper and before the days of tracing cloth and blue printing.

     In June, 1883, the Drawing Room was made a separate department from the Pattern Room, with C. C. James in charge and with his son, Charles, W. James, as foreman of the Pattern Room.  When C. C. James died in July, 1885, Mr. Charles Fisher, who had previously been employed in the Finishing Department and Pattern Room, was given charge of the Drawing Room, which position he occupied until October, 1887.

     About the year 1885 the matter of artistic design became an important feature of passenger car construction and it was found necessary to employ professional designers to make interior designs for better classes of cars.  At this time much of this work was being done by Bruce Price in New York.  In September, 1885, Mr. E. Colonna, who had been connected with Bruce Price of New York, was engaged as professional designer.  Many examples of Mr. Colonna’s work may yet be seen in cars in different parts of the country, the most notable of which, perhaps, are the original sleeping cars built for the Canadian Pacific Railway and which cars are yet in service on that road.

     Mr. Colonna left the service of the company, October 31st, 1888, and was succeeded by Mr. Henry Neu, a designer of repute, who had also previously been connected with Bruce Price.  Among the examples of Mr. Neu’s art may yet be seen many of the Buffet Smoking cars and Dining cars in use on the use on the New York Central Lines.  Mr. Neu left the service of the company June 30th, 1891. 

     When Mr. Fisher retired from the Drawing Room in October, 1887, he was succeeded by Frank Marsh, who was removed by death in November, 1887, after only a few weeks of faithful application to his work.

     Mr. Marsh was succeeded by Mr. Charles W. James in November, 1887, who left the employ of the company in June, 1890, and was succeeded by Mr. Henry Tesseyman, who held the position of Chief Draughtsman until November, 1892, when he was appointed to the position of Master Mechanic and the Drawing Room was placed in charge of Mr. J. H. Horne.

     Mr. James Henry Horne was born in London, England, October 13th, 1862, and after graduating from the Kensington School of Design, came to America in November, 1882, and after several years of service with the Canadian Pacific Railway and with car building concerns in the East, came to Dayton and entered the service of The Barney & Smith Manufacturing Company in January, 1888, as a Draughtsman, which position he held until Mr. Neu retired, at which time Mr. Horne was given the position of designer and upon the retirement of Mr. Tesseyman from the Drawing Room in November, 1892, was also appointed to the position of Chief Draughtsman, which position he still retains under the title of Designer in Chief.

     In the many years of Mr. Horne’s tenure, many examples of his artistic work have been created, probably the most not-able of which is the famous Pioneer Limited Train in use on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, which trains have become renowned throughout all America for their artistic design and luxurious elegance.

THE ESTIMATING DEPARTMENT

     In the early days and when competition was not so keen as it became in later years, there was very little of systematic record of costs and estimating on the costs of cars.  In fact, in those good old days Mr. E. J. Barney’s little morocco book which he carried in his inside coat pocket, was a very familiar sight as well as a very useful and business-getting article.  On one page he had the cost of a sleeping car, on another page the cost of a parlor car, on another a dining car, and so on down through the list of various kinds of passenger and freight cars and he could travel o’er this broad land from end to end and sell cars out of this little red book from one year’s end to the other and at prices which netted the company handsome profits.  While this famous little red morocco book was “a thing of beauty”-alas! it was not “a joy forever”, for of necessity times have changed, competition yearly became more acute, making it necessary to figure out the cost of cars in most detailed and systematic manner, so that an estimate sheet of a car to-day represents an untold amount of labor and figures.

     The first systematic effort towards detailed estimating of cars was made in 1885 and in 1886 this department was established and placed in charge of James H. Hopkins, who made the estimates for a number of years until he severed his connection with the company in 1897, at which time the department was placed in charge of H. R. Rochester, who still re-mains in charge of a large force of estimators and engineers.

THE BLACKSMITH SHOP

     The first foreman of the Blacksmith Shop was Mr. F. A. Tenny, whom Mr. Barney and Mr. Thresher had brought from the East in 1850 and who retained this position until he retired from the employ of the company in 1866, when he was succeeded by S. Constantine, who assumed charge of the Blacksmith Shop in August 1866, and was in charge until succeeded by E. M. French in July, 1867.

     E. M. French entered the employ of Barney, Parker & Company as a blacksmith, December 16th, 1858, and remained until November 20th, 1860, when he left and went to the Lagonda Works on Springfield.  He returned to the employ of the Car Works in 1867 as foreman of the Black-smith Shop, which position he retained until succeeded by Richard Metcalf in May, 1881.

     Richard Metcalf had had charge of the Blacksmith Shop of the New York Central & Hudson River Railway at the West Albany Shops, previous to coming to Dayton.  It was during Mr. Metcalf’s tenure that the present forge and hammer shop was established at the Annex Plant in 1886.  MR. Metcalf retired in July, 1895, and was succeeded by George H. Judy, who had previously had charge of the Blacksmith Shop at the Fort Wayne Shops of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad.  Mr. Judy was succeeded by W. M. Johns who had had charge of blacksmith departments of various railroads and car building plants previous to coming to Dayton.  Mr. Johns was succeeded March 1st, 1903, by B. F. Owens who had been assistant Foreman under Messrs. Judy and Johns.

     Mr. Owens was succeeded March 15th, 1906, by David H. Edwards who retired because of poor health June 15th, 1906, when he was succeeded by Henry L. Weitzel, who had been Assistant Foreman under Messrs. Owens and Edwards.

     Mr. Weitzel entered the employ of Barney & Smith Manufacturing Company July 5th, 1881, and was promoted to the position of Foreman in September, 1906, which position he now holds.

THE MACHINE SHOP

     The first Foreman of the Machine Shop was Mr. Lyman W. Leland whom Mr. Barney and Mr. Thresher had brought from the East in the year 1850.  Mr. Leland held this position until he retired and was succeeded in July, 1872, by Mr. John Tesseyman, who held the position until his death, November 10th, 1892, on which date he was succeeded by his son, Mr. Henry Tesseyman as Master Mechanic, which position he held until March 17th, 1898, at which time he was appointed to the position of Mechanical Engineer, and in addition to which on August 31st, 1907, he was placed in direct charge of all departments of passenger car construction in the Passenger Car Plant.

     Mr. Tesseyman was succeeded in the machine Shop by Mr. P. W. Klinger, March 17th, 1898, who had had charge of the Electrical Department and who had installed the Electrical machinery throughout the plant.  Mr. Klinger had charge of the Machine Shop until his appointment to the position of Assistant Superintendent January 18th, 1904.

     Mr. Klinger was succeeded in the Machine Shop in August, 1902, by Mr. John Hahn, who entered the service of the company in April, 1882, and who, previous to taking the Machine Shop, had charge of the Passenger Truck and Platform and the Freight Truck Departments.  Mr. Hahn now has charge of the Iron Machine Department and has been in continuous service twenty-nine years.

THE PATTERN SHOP

     Previous to the coming of Charles Cox James there was no pattern department.  Such patterns as were required were made in the Machine Shop by Tom Finch, millwright, and others.  When Mr. James came in 1860 a Pattern Shop was established under his charge which he retained until his death in 1885, when he was succeeded by his son, Charles W. James, and held the position until he was give charge of the Drawing Room, when he was succeeded by Fred Weckesser in June, 1890, who held the position until June, 1892, when he was succeeded by Philip L. Schwartz.

     Philip L. Schwartz entered the employ of the company in August, 1878, and learned the Pattern Maker’s trade and worked continuously at his trade until given the Foremanship of the Department which position he now holds-a continuous service of thirty-three years.

THE FOUNDRY

     The first Foreman of the Foundry was Edward Thompson, who was the son of Thompson, who was the founder of the present W. P. Callahan & Co. works.  Mr. Thompson was succeeded by James Cushing who had charge for six or eight years, and was succeeded in May, 1864, by H. D. Walbridge, who was succeeded by Henry A. Billings in August 1869.  Mr. Billings remained in charge of the Foundry until compelled by age to lessen his labors, and was succeeded in November, 1898, by his son, Charles H. Billings as foreman, Mr. Billings, Sr., remaining in an advisory capacity.

     Charles H. Billings was made an Assistant Foreman of the Foundry in October, 1892, and succeeded his father as Foreman in November, 1898.  Charles Billings died August 23rd, 1902, after which his father continued in charge of the foundry until his death, March 2nd, 1903.

     Mr. Billings was succeeded by E. E. Welsh, who was appointed April 20th, 1903, and retired September 1st, 1903.

     Mr. George Blyth as Assistant Foreman, had charge of the Foundry after Walsh left until the appointment of W. J. Fogarty as Foreman August 1st, 1905, which position Mr. Fogarty now holds.

     On January 3d, 1911, Mr. Fogarty was appointed to the position of Mechanical Engineer in addition to his duties as Foreman of the Foundry.

THE BODY SHOP

     In the early days Mr. Woodsum had charge of all wood-working departments, including the wood machinery, and passenger and freight shops.  When Mr. Childs entered the employ of the company in 1855, he had general charge of the construction of passenger and freight cars, and gave his personal attention to the construction of passenger car bodies and trucks, Mr. S. A. McKinzie having charge of freight construction under Mr. Child’s supervision.  Mr. Childs continued in direct charge of passenger body building until September, 1883, when he was made General Foreman, and R. F. Mahoney was made Foreman of the Body Shop and was succeeded in January, 1884, by Henry Nugent, who was succeeded in May, 1885, by Allen Selby, who was succeeded in August, 1889, by J. R. Bitner, who had been secured from the Pan Handle Shops in Columbus.  Mr. Bitner proved unsatisfactory because of his habits of dissipation and remained less than two months, when he was succeeded October 1st, 1889, by Charles Nagel, who held the position until August, 1902, when he was made Foreman of the Finishing Department.  Three months later Mr. Nagel was made General Foreman of the Body and Finishing Departments.

     When Mr. Nagel took charge of the Finishing Shop in August, 1902, he was succeeded in the Body Shop by John A. Meier, who held the position until April, 1903, when he was succeeded by John Schaeffer, who held the position until October 1st, 1906, when he was succeeded by Martin Kalbfleisch who held the position until March 25th, 1910, when he was made General Foreman, and was succeeded as Foreman of the Body Shop by Mr. Charles Nagel, Jr., who entered the service of the company in February, 1889, and who now holds the Foremanship of the Body Department.

THE CABINET SHOP AND CABINET MILL

     The first Foreman of the Cabinet Shop, aside from the general combination of all the wood working shops, was John Gunkle, who had charge of the Cabinet Shop from 1862 until 1869, when he was succeeded by S. B. Hurlburt, who had charge of the Cabinet Shop and Cabinet Mill, the Freight Mill being under the control of Mr. Childs and the Foreman of the Freight Shop.

     In January, 1882, George C. Pyle was made Foreman of the Cabinet Mill, and was succeeded in June, 1882, by R. R. Love, who was succeeded in July, 1883, by L. C. Allison, who was succeeded in January, 1884, by George H. Pratt.

     Mr. Hurlburt continued in charge of the Cabinet Shop until May, 1884, when he was succeeded by Anthony Jaeger, who held the position until October, 1886, when he was succeeded as Foreman of the Cabinet Shop by George H. Pratt.  At this time the Cabinet Mill was placed in charge of Joe Koehler.

     In November, 1887, Mr. Pratt was succeeded in the Cabinet Shop by Mr. Robert Rochester, who was given charge of the Cabinet Shop and general supervision of the Cabinet Mill.

     When Mr. Hueffelman retired in 1893, the Freight Mill was separated from the Cabinet Department and placed in charge of William Melke.

     In February, 1902, Joe Koehler retired from the Cabinet Mill and was succeeded by W. A. Curtis who was succeeded in June, 1893, by C. S. Bussey, who was succeeded in March, 1899, by Frank S. Herr, who held the position until his death, which occurred February 20th, 1904, when he was succeeded by Joe Elschlager, who was succeeded August 1st, 1905, by Peter Zimmerle, who now holds the position.

     In January, 1888, the Annex Cabinet Mill was placed in charge of B. S. Achles, who held the position until May, 1893, when he was succeeded by Ernest Lindelius, who was succeeded June 1st, 1902, by Henry Juppenlatz, who left the service of the company in March, 1911, and was succeeded by William Melke, Jr.

     Mr. Robert Rochester entered the service of the company in March, 1887, and has been in continuous service twenty-four years.  Mr. Rochester now has under his charge the Cabinet Shop, the Cabinet Mill, the Annex Cabinet Shop and Mill, the Headlining Department, the Marquetry Department and the Carving Department.

     On January 1st, 1907, the position of Assistant Foreman of the Cabinet Department was created and Mr. M. C. Kartzke was appointed to the position, which position he now holds.

     The Carving Department has always been in charge of the Cabinet Foreman and at times it has been a large department.  In 1888 the head carver was Fred Meyers, who was succeeded by Bohatche, Lubitz, Hohn, Goehle, W. J. Kronauge and W. A. Williams, consecutively in the order given.  In the year 1897 under Mr. Kronauge there were upwards of 100 carvers employed and five carving machines, and for a period of eighteen months there were five machines kept busy running night and day.  Mr. Williams retired in the fall of 1907, since which time Mr. Rochester has looked after the carving room personally.

     The Marquetry Department was established in 1897 and was then as now under Mr. Rochester’s charge.

     The headlining Department has always been a part of the Cabinet Department with Louis Uttermoehlen in direct charge of the room.  Mr. Uttermoehlen entered the employ of the company in 1871-forty years ago-and is now in charge of the Headlining Room.

THE FREIGHT AND BODY MILLS

     In the early days all wood machinery departments were under one head and in the early sixties the Freight Mill was under Mr. Child’s control and later it was under Henry Hueffelman’s control when he was Foreman of the Freight Shop.  When George C. Pyle was made Foreman of the Cabinet Mill in 1882 he was also given charge of the Freight Mill, and remained in charge of the Cabinet Shop Foreman until October, 1889, when the Freight Mill was again placed in charge of Henry Hueffelman, whose position as Foreman of the Freight Erecting Shop was filled by Stephen Zahn.

     In October 1893, Mr. Hueffelman retired and was succeeded by Charles W. Diehl, who was succeeded in August, 1895, by William Melke, who previously to this time had had charge of the long passenger car still mill in what was called the “Body Shop Cellar.”

     When the new Steel Plant was established, the Freight Mill was transferred in the latter part of 1905, to the new building which had been erected for that purpose, and the old Freight Mill at the main Plant was organized into a Body Mill, the machinery being removed from the “Body Shop Cellar” into the present Body Mill.

     William Melke entered the service of the company August 15th, 1872, and assumed his present position as Foreman of the Body Mill, August 12th, 1895, which position he now holds, a continuous service of practically thirty-nine years.

     When the Freight Mill was transferred to the Steel Plant, it was placed in charge of Harry Melke, (son of Wm. Melke,) who entered the service of the company in August, 1894, and took charge of the new Freight Mill February 14th, 1906, which position he now holds.

THE FINISHING DEPARTMENT

     In the early days there was no distinction made between the Body Carpenters and the Finishers, all being classed as carpenters, but in the sixties, the work was divided, Charles Keppler having charge of putting inside finish in Sleeping Cars and Joachim Meyers having charge of the finishing of Day Coaches, but there was no Foreman of this department.  In the year 1870, Mr. W. F. Kittredge had come here from the B. C. R. & N. R. R. to take charge of the Body Shop, but Keppler and Myers having left, Mr. Kittredge was put in charge of the Finishing Department.  But Mr. Kittredge remained only until November, 1871, when was succeeded by J. N. Fortain, who was succeeded in May, 1886, by Frank Rieger, who was succeeded in September, 1893, by Frank Smolar, who was succeeded in March, 1900, by C. O. Ullin, who held the position until January 1st, 1903, when he left the employ of the company.  Shortly previous to this time Mr. Charles Nagel had been made General Foreman of the Body and Finishing Shops and when Mr. Ullin retired he was succeeded by J. Frank Burrows, who held the position as Foreman of the Finishing Department under Mr. Nagel, until 1907, when he retired, at which time Mr. Nagel assumed direct charge of the Finishing Department and remained in charge of this department until October 14th, 1909, when he retired from the service of the company after a continuous service of thirty-nine years.  Mr. Nagel entered the employ of the company September 1st, 1870, was made Foreman of the Body Shop October 1st, 1889, and in August, 1902, was appointed Foreman of the Finishing Department and in November, 1902, was appointed General Foreman of the Body and Finishing Departments.

     Upon his retirement on October 14th, 1909, John W. Barnhart, who had been General Inspector, was appointed Foreman of the Finishing Shop, which position he held until June 15th, 1910, when he again resumed his former position as General Inspector and was succeeded as Foreman of the Finishing Shop by Mr. Bernard P. Seekamp who now occupies that position.

     Mr. Bernard P. Seekamp entered the service of the Company in September, 1892, as an inside finisher, in which capacity he served until June 15th, 1910, when he was appointed Foreman of the Finishing Department.

     On the same date Mr. William Haspel was appointed Assistant Foreman of the Finishing Department.

THE PAINT DEPARTMENT

    The first Foreman of the Paint Department was Mr. Tower who entered the employ of the company in 1850, and left in 1859, to enter the varnish business with E. Thresher.  Mr. Tower was succeeded May, 1868, by H. J. Bradford.  Mr. Bradford remained in charge of the Paint Department until October, 1877, when he was succeeded by Charles E. Paige, who remained until July, 1878, when he was succeeded by M. W. Stines.  Mr. Stines remained in charge of the Paint Department fifteen years, and in June, 1893, was succeeded by H. Frank Taylor, who remained in charge until April, 1901, when he was succeeded by David L. Paulus, who remained until January 1, 1908, when he voluntarily left the service of the company to enter into the paint manufacturing business- Mr. Paulus was succeeded by Mr. A. S. Baldwin who entered the service of the company in the Paint Department June 22nd, 1901, and who had been Assistant Foreman of the Paint Department since March 16th, 1905.

     Mr. Baldwin now holds the position of Foreman of the Paint Department.

THE UPHOLSTERING DEPARTMENT

     In the early days the Upholstering Department was in charge of Mr. Charles Rasche, who was succeeded by Emil C. Haeseler, who held the position until August 1st, 1894, when he was succeeded by Jacob D. Heater, who had entered the employ of the Company April 2nd, 1883.  Mr. Heater now retains the position of Foreman of the Upholstering Department, a service of twenty-eight years.

     The Sewing Room is in charge of Miss Louise Good who entered the service of the company in 1886-being in continuous service twenty-five years.

THE TIN AND PIPE DEPARTMENTS

     Previous to the year 1882, all tin and pipe work was contracted for with firms outside of the works, but in March, 1882, the Tin and Pipe Shops were organized and Mr. Frank Mettille was made Foreman of the Tin Shop, which position he held until he left the employ of the company in September, 1886, and on November 13th, 1886, George William Lutz was appointed to the Foremanship of the Tin Shop, which position he now holds.

     When the Pipe Shop was organized in March, 1882, it was placed in charge of C. Hettinger, who remained in charge until March, 1884, when he was succeeded by John Cronnin, who was succeeded in March, 1888, by John Harris, who was succeeded in January, 1894, by Edward Sprague, who remained until November, 1895, when he retired, and the Pipe Department was placed under the super-vision of George William Lutz, with Joseph R. Lee in charge.  Joseph Lee died in December, 1899, at which time Mr. John Connors was given charge of the Pipe Shop and still retains this position, Mr. Lutz remaining at the head of both the Tin and Pipe Departments.

     George William Lutz entered the services of the company as a tinner April 15th, 1878, and has been in the service continuously for thirty-three years.

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