FIVE LOYAL RETIRED ENGINEERS OF THE "OLD RELIABLE."
Who fired and ran engines on the Erie when that Company burned wood. Two of these were in its employ when its Eastern terminus was at Piennont-on-the-Hudson, and its Western terminus was at Dunkirk on Lake Erie. From left to right: Garrett ("Garry") Iseman, age 91, from 1845 to 1884; John F. Demarest, age 74, from 1865 to 1902; John ("Jack") P. Sullivan, age 72, from 1859 to 1912; Cornelius ("Casey") Kent, age 81, from 1854 to 1875; John S. Bell, age 70, from 1859 to 1867.

From the December, 1914 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
As an introduction to this interesting article, which tells of five splendid types of faithful Erie Railroad engineers, now retired on account of old age, it may be said that their ages total 388 years. And, while retired as engineers, it must not be implied that they are out of the race. Not a bit of it. Each is hale and hearty, the only obstacle keeping them out of engine cabs, except one, being the 70 years of life, this being the age when all engineers and other employes of the train service must say good-bye to their jobs.

These five veterans gave the best that was in them to the Erie Railroad, as runners on the Eastern, now New York Division and the Northern Railroad of New Jersey Division.

Following are brief biographical sketches:
Garrett ("Carry") Iseman, was born in May, 1823, near Piermont, N.Y. When a boy, in the early thirties, the New York & Erie Railroad Company (now the Erie), was grading the roadbed in and about Piermont. Young Iseman was engaged to drive a dirt cart, or wagon, and in 1845 he commenced firing a locomotive. In 1847 he was promoted to engineer and remained on the road until 1884, when he retired to the old homestead at Rockland. During his employment as engineer, he ran gravel, wood, freight and passenger trains. In the early sixties he ran the handsomest engine in the world, a woodburner, number 343.

When he commenced firing and the Eastern terminus of the Erie was at Piermont-on-the-Hudson, 25 miles from New York, while the Western terminus was at Dunkirk, N.Y., on Lake Erie. At that time the Erie was the longest and the only Trunk Line in the world. It was at one time the only railroad running direct to Buffalo without change and was the first road to run a cattle train, milk train, excursion train, and the first road to use the telegraph; also the first road to use the bell cord.

To an old Erie man his reminiscenses are wonderfully interesting. His memory is most remarkable.

John F. Demarest was born in 1840 at Demarest, Bergen Co., N.J. He commenced as fireman on the Northern Railroad of New Jersey in 1865 and was promoted to engineer in 1867. He was retired in 1902, and is now 74 years of age and residing at Nyack, Rockland Co., N.Y.

John P. Sullivan commenced firing in 1859 on the Northern Railroad of New Jersey Division and was promoted to Engineer in 1864, having been engaged at railroading more than 53 years. Along in the eighties he ran fast passenger trains and enjoyed an enviable reputation for the good judgment he used and for his capacity for bringing trains in on time. He was in the same class with Ben Scribner, another of the dear old Northern boys, also retired from the cab. Engineer Sullivan was retired September 25, 1912, and is now 72 years of age.

Cornelius ("casey") Kent commenced as Fireman in 1854 and was promoted to Engineer in 1856. He retired in 1875 and is now residing at Rockland, N.Y., at the advanced age of 81.

John S. Bell commenced work with the Erie on April 20, 1859 and served his time as Machinist and afterwards as Fireman. He fired freight, gravel, and passenger trains, and finally was promoted to Engineer, shortly after which he left the road to enter the ice business.

He has been prominent in New Jersey politics, and at one time was Chief of Police of the City of Newark. After that he was Chief of the United States Secret Service at Washington, D.C.

At present he is Vice-President and General Manager of the Morristown & Erie Railroad Company. At one time and for many years, he was associated with William F Cody ("Buffalo Bill"), in the Wild West Show. He makes his home in Newark.

As a boy Mr. Bell was infatuated with a locomotive. All his spare time from school was spent in riding locomotives drilling cars in the freight yards at Piermont. Finally his father, who for many years had charge of the repairs of cars on the Erie, placed him in the machine shop, at the age of 14 years, to learn the trade of Machinist, with the understanding with him, that if he would remain there until he served his time, he would have him made a fireman, and the agreement was carried out.