Submitted by: Richard Johnson
The accompaning photograph is of J O P Covell, engineer
who received a fifty-year service button at a recent meeting of Baltimore
Division Veterans.
Mr Covell entered the service in October, 1878, as fireman. He was
promote, and that he often thinks of the great difference in railroading today
as compared with when he first entered our service. d to engineer in 1882.
"Wages at that time said Mr Covell, "weere $1.35 to $1.59 per day. Some
difference, is there not ?
In a recent interview, Mr Covell said that he had been running an engine since
1882, and that he often thinks of the great difference in railroading today as
compared with when he first entered our service. "At that time," he said,
"we had to clean our own fires, wipe off engines and do 101 other things that we
do not do now.
"The Lord has been good to me," he continued. "And the Baltimore and Ohio
has been good to me. My grandfather, Joel Covell, was agent at Mt Clare
when he died; he had formerly been employed as conductor. My father was an
engineer in our service. Then his son came along and, as you know , he is
an engineer. And then I have a son in the train service. This gives
us four straight generations of Baltimore and Ohio service.
"Why should I not say that this fine railroad has been good to me, when I can
show that four generations fo the Covell family have made a living and raised
and educated their children by working for this Company?
That is the reason that I am a Baltimore and Ohio man, first, last and always.
"Ever since the corner-stone was laid at Mt clare, or nearly so, the Covell family has been drawing pay from our railroad, and they have grown up and been successful as the Company has been successful. My hope is that the Company will continue to grow and prosper, and with it, the men in the service?
We congratulate Mr. Covell upon his long and faithful service and upon the fine record made by his family inour Company. He has been a member of the Veterans' Association and has held various offices in it. He is well known, loved and esteemed by all with whom he comes in contact, and he has earned and deserves the esteem and respect of our officers. Joe Covell's word is always good.