Cap'n Jim's Hobart Memories

Through the miracle of the internet, someone I've never met has volunteered some Hobart memories, thus sparing me, for once, the crushing burden of writing an original post. So today we will hear from Cap'n Jim:

What I will recount below might be of no use in any documentation. But, it might be of some personal interest. If old timers like me don't preserve this stuff who will?

I will recall some unrelated things generally about "The J." I was born and raised within a stone's throw of the railroad.

The property now used by the lumber company on the South side of the old right of way contained no development until the mid nineteen thirties. Then the Blue Ribbon Dairy was built there. When that business was demolished I don't know. It was succeeded by a grocery store whose building still exists.

On the North side of the tracks just west of Main St., about at the end of the lumber company building was a water tank for the locomotives. (As an aside, there was a similar tank on the Nickel Plate just west of Main St. on the North side of the tracks.) From time to time Pennsy engines would use the EJ&E tank.

Moving along a little way, there was a stock loading pen and chute at Lake St. It was on the South side abutting the street and the RR track. Never saw it used. On the other hand, I never saw the hitching post in front of the high school used either

The Main Street and Lake Street crossings were guarded by watchmen. I'm quite sure the Main St. crossing was manned all night. I'm not sure about Lake. (Another aside. The Main St. Nickel Plate crossing was also guarded by a watchman. His name was Tony and he had a badly injured leg on which he wore a heavy brace. Of course, all the school kids knew him and greeted him daily.) All of the crossings had small guard houses with small coal stoves. And no lights!

There were some instances where EJ&E trains stopped for lengthy periods blocking both Main and Lake. This was a potentially dangerous situation because there was only one fire station. It was downtown.

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My former residences [on Main Street and Water Street] haven't changed all that much. What has changed is the corner at Eighth and Water where there was formerly a very awkward grade level crossing. And, the Main St. crossing which has been leveled out.

In 1945 or 46, five veterans just returned from service took that crossing at a high rate of speed and collided head-on with a Gary Railways bus. All five of them were killed. A short time later five others struck an EJ&E train stopped at the Cleveland Ave-Rte 130 crossing. Again all five were killed. Not happy news.

Other memories. In 1936 the WPA worked on what became Brickie Bowl. An endless succession of trucks carried fill down the hill to create the area that became the field. There was a rude bridge across Duck Creek where additional work was in progress. We were told it was to be tennis courts. (And yes, I am that old!)

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[1947] was the year of the centennial and the year Hobart Lumber burned. I was ushering at the theater and we were wearing Indian costumes to celebrate the observance. I ran from the theater to the fire in costume.

Thank you, Cap'n Jim. That's the first I've ever heard of a stock loading pen on Lake Street.