From the January, 1914 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
ERIE OFFICIALS IN 1863.
On the opposite page will be found a group of Erie Railway officials in the Operating Department, 50 years ago, or in the year 1863.

While it is believed that what the Erie Railroad is accomplishing today is of more general interest than what it was and did a half century ago, still an occasional reference to the old days and to officials who have passed to their long reward, cannot fail to be regarded with interest by all Erie men of today, inasmuch as it is part of the Erie's history.

It will be noted that all but two of the old-timers shown in the group were superintendents. They were, as they appear in the group, reading from left to right: H.B. Smith, Superintendent, Susquehanna Division; S. Bowles, Superintendent, Rochester Division; Hugh Riddle, Superintendent, Delaware Division; H.C. Fiske, Superintendent, Buffalo Division; Henry Hobbs, Superintendent, Eastern (now New York) Division and H.G. Brooks, Superintendent, Western (now Allegheny) Division.

Numbers 4 and 5 in the group, are J.W. Guppy, Assistant General Superintendent and Charles Minot, General Superintendent.

Little could be learned of the later history of these officials, although it is known that H.G. Brooks afterwards became head of the great Brooks Locomotive Works at Dunkirk, New York, an industry that grew and won fame as being among the largest and most perfectly equipped locomotive building plants in the world, giving employment to hundreds of men and being the principal industry of the pretty city on Lake Erie, the western terminus of the Allegheny Division.

Another in the group who won world-wide fame, was Charles Minot, General Superintendent, who had the honor of being the man who sent the first train order over a commercial telegraph wire using the Morse code. This famous train order was transmitted in 1851 from Turner Station (now Harriman) to Goshen and read as follows:

"To Agent and Operator at Goshen,
"Hold the train for further orders. Conductor and Engineer Day Express. Run to Goshen regardless of opposing train."

On May 2nd, 1912 the sending of this historic message was celebrated with due ceremony at Harriman, N.Y., when a beautiful monument commemorating the happening, was unveiled and speeches eulogizing Mr. Minot, were made by distinguished orators. This monument stands to the right of the Eastbound main track, about 200 feet west of Harriman Station, or nearly half way between the site of old Turner Station, now razed and the present Harriman Station.

An interesting feature of this group is the style of dress and footwear. Each and every man has his feet encased in boots, which, evidently, were in fashion those days. The style of whiskers gives the impression of rural custom. Leaving all this aside they were a bright lot of men and conducted the affairs of office with great credit to themselves and with the Company.