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Ralph Williams h Forty fears WithWhen D. Ralph Williams, veteran Potomac Edison Co, employe suddenly disappeared a few days ago | from the 'Public Square many people wanted to know what had happened,Inquiry on part of a reporter revealed that Ralph was on a vacation and that as of Aug. 1, 1957 he had retired after about 40 years with the P. E. and 15 years as a bus supervisor or “dispatcher” in the Square.In his capacity as supervisor he had to sec that all city bus runs i were operating oh time, that drivers had their regular runs and , that drivers were replaced in caseRALPH WILLIAMSj of illness or other reasons. A good 5 part of the time he was stationed | in or near the Public Square.] In the course of all those years as a supervisor Ralph came to know hundreds, even thousands of i people in the city and nearby. He was called upon to answer many questions about operation of the buses. His long experience in connection with such operation qualified him especially for the job.He recalled several unusual experiences while working for the utility firm, including one quite harrowing experience when he rode a loaded car down the moun-I tain without brakes.1 But before goitfg into these ex-• .periences or adventures, the retir-, i ed employe was asked what hei would do since his recent retire-j ment.Some time ago Williams purchas-j ed the former Arthur Towson home j place at the edge of Smithsburg j where he and Mrs. Williams reside,. together with his son Donaiid and j family. There is plenty of room,I for the home has 21 rooms.Williams operates a farm on * j smalt scale and raises beef cattle for a hobby and profit. He is also very fond of deep sea fishing and it is a very good guess that nqw, since he has more time, he will travel to the Chesapeake Bay quite ; often with friends to indulge in one i of his favorite pastimes.RkiIIs Wild Rid*I Asked about that time he rode a i runaway car Williams said it hap-! pended on the line from Frederick ! to Mycrsville a number of years ago before the troiiey line from Hagerstown to Fredercik was abandoned.The trolley freight engine with ears, loaded with coal and feed, got as far as Braddock Heights, t bound for a grain elevator in Middletown. There was a loaded hop-j per car in front of the engine j which was going to push it into a• aiding.(fires After IP E Co. |But as she freight train started man, C. 1). Wolford, Williamsport, called to Williams and John Smith, who were riding the hopper that the brakes had failed. They would have to out loose the hopper car from the train or it would drag al! cars down the mountain and would probably end in a derailment.The ear was cut loose and started down the mountain at terrific speed. It was too iate for the men to jump, Williams recalled. Ail they could do was ride the car. Finally it came to a stop at the foot of the mountain. The ride lasted for only a few minutes but it was a harrowing experience. Fortunately no one was hurt.There were big snows years ago and Williams recalls the time when in January, about 1922, it snowed for 24 hours. A trolley became stuck in a snow bank on Canada Hill, Frederick County, west of Myersvilie. The cqr could not get througli for three days. The car had to return to Myersvilie and Frederick and some of the passengers remained in those places until ihe track was cleared of snow.Williams also worked on the run from Hagerstown to Shady Grove, Pa. in the days when trolleys operated between these points, Blue Ridge Summit, Pen Mar, Green-castle and Chambersburg,Started in 1913 bWilliams began work with the 0 P. E. in 1913 when 20 years of age. He was assigned to work as a con- c ductor and motorman in- Hagers- 9 town. He worked on the loop route and also on the route between Hag- , erstown and Frederick. Later dif- I ferent sections of the latter route were abandoned until finally till 4 trolley service between this city | and Frederick was discontinued.Williams’ next job was » city j bus driver. He began these duties ' when the city bus service was inaugurated in 1929. He continued t as a bus driver until promoted in « 1942 to a bus supervisor, which I position he held until time of his recent retirement. oFrom the time Williams first *’ began work for the P. E. until 1920 £ he was employed at intervals but j was made a permanent employe ,. in June, 1921. * j.
Newspaper Details
The Daily Mail
Hagerstown, Maryland, US
Mon, Aug 05, 1957
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Curtis K.
USA 28 Jul 2024
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