Erie Railroad - Four Kent Division Agents

Four Erie Agents

The Magazine is indebted to R. Beeman, Erie brakeman, Kent division, Second district, for pictures of four Erie Railroad agents.

Benjamin M. Curl and son Virden
Benjamin M. Curl, agent at North Lewisburg, O., learned telegraphy at Mingo, O., under D.T. Runkle and did the first day's work for himself at Osborne, O., Aug. 30, 1894. He has been agent at North Lewisburg for twenty-one years.

B.M. Curl's son, Virden N. Curl, is agent at Kings Creek, O., ten miles southwest of North Lewisburg. Virden was first a brakeman, then a telegraph operator, and since Dec. 6, 1923, has been agent at Kings Creek.

Darius T. Runkle
Darius T. Rinkle, agent at Mingo, began work on the Erie Oct. 1, 1874, and has ever since held forth at Mingo. He is the second oldest operator in service on the Kent division, the only one standing ahead of him on the roster being W. D. Edgar, agent at Nankin, O. Mr. Runkle has "brought up" many students of telegraphy. He is well read and has traveled considerably. Mingo is in the hill country of northern Champaign county and southern Logan county. Not far from Mingo is the historic Piatt homestead or castle where James Whitcomb Riley wrote the poem beginning, "When the frost is on the pumpkin and the corn is in the shock."

Elmer Morningstar
Elmer Morningstar has been Erie agent at Maitland, O., for twenty-two years. Maitland is one mile west of the city of Springfield, O., and is the point where the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad crosses the Erie.

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