From the March, 1912 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
In the February issue of this Magazine, appeared a very popular story, which told of how the Erie's Supervisors won First Prizes for the best maintained track, as determined by the recent inspection conducted by the Maintenance of Way Department, the story being featured by cuts of the successful men.

As the efficiency of the Track Foremen and the Trackmen made the winning of prizes possible, it is their right to share in the glory, inasmuch as the Foreman received prizes, as well.

On another page, cuts of the Track Foremen appear. It is a pleasure, also, to present brief biographical sketches of these winners.

Edward J. Dywer, track foreman New York Division, located at Rutherford. N. J., and winner of the $100 First Prize, was born in Ireland, November 16, 1876; was educated in the National schools in Ireland, and came to this country in 1897. On March 10, 1905, he started to work for the Erie as trackman at Rutherford, N.J., and was promoted to assistant foreman of extra gang, at Paterson. On June 1, 1905, he was appointed foreman of section 6, New York Division at Passaic, N.J. On December 24, 1907, he was transferred to section 4, Rutherford, N.J., which position he still holds.

Gus Molusky, track foreman, Del. Div., Mast Hope, Pa., winner of the $100 Prize, was born in Germany, August 10, 1863. Began work for the Erie R.R. Co. as laborer at Callicoon, N.Y., May 6, 1887, being emloyed at the Stone Crusher, then being operated at that point; later in same year, worked on section at Callicoon, as track laborer, continuing until 1889. During 1889 and 1890, he worked on grading and in laying new track on the Honesdale Branch of the Erie. In 1891, he returned to the Callicoon section and worked as section laborer until June 1, 1895, when he was promoted to foreman, being placed first in charge of extra gangs engaged in laying tile in cuts on the Delaware Division. He continued as foreman in charge of extra gangs on this work during the summer months, and on section during winter, until July 12, 1897, when he was assigned as section foreman of his present section at Mast Hope, Pa. Since having charge of the Mast Hope section, he has frequently during summer months been given charge of extra gangs laying new rail and ballasting, returning to his section at the close of the working season.

Mr. Molusky is an exceptionally clever track foreman; that he understands how to take care of a track section in first-class shape, is best shown by the fact of his winning first prize for the best maintained section in the contest of last season, which closed in November.

Daniel McKay, track foreman, Meadville Division, at Transfer, Pa., winner of the $100 First Prize, entered the service of the A&GW in 1869 as section laborer on the Meadville Division at Stony Point, Pa. He worked as a laborer until 1878, when he was promoted to Foreman on the Gravel Train working between Meadville and Shenango. He was given charge of section 28 at Transfer, Pa., August 12, 1879, and has been in charge of that section since, with the exception of three years as extra gang foreman, and three years as foreman in Kent yard.

An excellent cut of Riley Mote, track foreman, and winner of the $100 First Prize on the Chicago & Erie, is shown here. Mr. Mote commenced work for the Chicago & Atlantic road, now C.& E., in 1887. Four years later, he was promoted to assistant foreman and was made track foreman in 1895, since which time he has held that position. His headquarters are at Servia, Ind., where he has held forth for the past seventeen years.

Morris Anderson, track foreman, NYS&W Division, Wortendyke, N.J., winner of the $100 First Prize, was born September 22, 1858. He entered service as trackman at West End, N. J., April 1, 1877, under section foreman David Bergman. He was transferred to the Stockholm, N.J. section, under section foreman John Birkland, on Dec. 1, 1877, and promoted to section foreman on the Hamburg section on Oct. 1, 1881. He was transferred to the North Paterson section on April 2, 1892; He resigned April 1, 1906, and went to work as foreman in a construction gang on the Harlem Division of the NYS&H R.R. from April 1, 1906, until Jan. 14, 1908; He re-entered Erie service on Jan. 21, 1908 as foreman on Wortendyke section No. 10, and is still at that point.

John Kennedy, Dale, N.Y., Buffalo Division, winner of the $100 First Prize, was born on Long Island, N.Y., June 9th, 1857. He entered the Erie service in May, 1869, as water boy in an extra ballast gang on the Susquehanna Division at Cameron, N.Y., and was employed in that capacity, and as track laborer, until 1872, on which date he moved to Dale, N.Y. There he worked as trackman between Dale and Warsaw on the Buffalo Division, until May, l5th, 1877, at which time he was made acting foreman at Linden, N.Y. during the summer months. He returned to Dale during the winter, and worked as trackman, until Oct. 1st, 1879, on which date he was appointed Section Foreman at Warsaw, N.Y., and was transferred to Section 21, Dale, N.Y., on Dec. 1st, 1885.

Track Foreman John King, Mantua, 0., Mahoning Division, who won the $100 First Prize, entered the service of the Erie, then the Atlantic & Great Western road, in 1861 during the construction of the broad gauge road. He was born in Parsintown, Ireland, in 1839, and came to this country when 18 years of age. He started working for the Pennsylvania company at Girard, Pa., where he was employed for four years, under Supervisor J. Caseman. In 1863, he was transferred to Leavittsburg, 0., and was employed in laying the six foot gauge as far as Solon, 0. Later in the year when the work was completed, he became foreman of the section between Hiram, 0., and Mantua, 0. Since coming to the Mahoning Division, he has worked for the following supervisors: Messrs. Lowerie, Richmond, Thomas, Lunt, Houghton, Reynolds, Campbell, Doyle, Collopy, Maloney and Flack.

John Hart, Almond, N.Y., Allegheny Division, winner of the $100 First Prize, was born at Almond, N.Y. in Feb. 1874; was employed as a water boy and trackman, Feb. 1885; appointed foreman in charge of section 2, Alfred, N.Y., in April, 1894; transferred to section 1, Almond, N.Y., in August, 1901, where he has been stationed since.

F. Prinzi, Avon, N.Y., Rochester Division, winner of the $100 First Prize, was born in Cerda (Sicily) Italy, and lived there until the age of 17, when he left for the United States and landed in New York. He remained in said city for 4 years, and left for Avon, N.Y., in which town he secured work on the Erie R.R., whenever needed.

After 2 years, he obtained a steady position as trackman for 6 years, and in the year of 1905, obtained a position as extra foreman in section 22, Caledonia, N.Y., while regular foreman Chas. Jerris was transferred to the Avon Gravel Pit to take charge of an extra gang for the summer months. After 2 years Chas. Jerris was transferred from section 22 to section 21, Avon, N.Y., and he took charge of section 21, as usual, from June 20. When Chas. Jerris was transferred to section 14, Golah, N. Y., Prinzi was appointed regular foreman on section 21, Avon, N.Y., which position he still holds.

Dennis O'Keefe, Marion, 0., winner of the $100 prize for the best section on the Erie Grand Division, Salamanca to Chicago and Cleveland to Leavittsburg, was born in Ireland, July 15, 1849, and came to America in June, 1869. He was employed as section foreman for the "Big Four" for fourteen years. He entered the service of the Erie R.R., as foreman of the C.& E. Yards at Marion, in 1891, and was employed in that capacity until Feb. 1908, when he took charge of section 27, where he is now employed. Mr. O'Keefe enjoys the distinction of never having had a wreck, or an employe injured, during his career as foreman.

John W. Herrod, Caledonia, Ohio, winner of the $100 First Prize, was born Aug. 10, 1863 and entered the service of the Erie Railroad Company, Aug. 10, 1883, as trackman. He was promoted section foreman on May 1, 1902, which position he still occupies.

J.A. Kerwin is the Cincinnati Division's newly appointed Supervisor. His picture has been grouped with the track foreman, merely to introduce him, as it were. A detailed sketch of his career is at hand, and will be printed in next month's issue.