All Sorts of Pittsburgers, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania, 1892



Ed Smith Biography

Ed. D. SMITH, the genial and wide-awake division passenger agent of the B. & O. railroad, was born on Third Avenue, Pittsburg, April 11, 1852. He received his education at the public schools. At the age of 18 he went to work for the Pittsburg & Connellsville railroad as clerk in the ticket department, and continued in that capacity until 1872, when the P. & C. railroad was taken 'by the B. & O., the latter having completed its line from Connellsville to Cumberland.

After the absorption of the P. & C. road, the chief ticket office was moved to Baltimore. Mr. Smith then went on the civil engineer corps, performing in that service the only work ever done by him outside of the passenger business.

In 1875 he was appointed city ticket agent of the B. & O. road, and was afterwards transferred to the depot. Four years later he was appointed division passenger agent of the B. & O., in charge of the Pittsburg division and its branches.

Mr. Smith inaugurated the running of cheap popular excursions from this city, on a basis of 1 cent per mile, and has kept up the practice ever since. He also, in 1873, inaugurated the custom of annually taking out the newspaper men on an, excursion, which has since been kept up by all the railroads. Another idea originated by Mr. Smith is that of midwinter excursions to Washington and Baltimore.

During Mr. Smith's management the B. & O. has handled more special traveling parties than any two roads in the city. He has a particularly happy knack of catching theatrical traffic. Mr. Smith labors early and late to make his department of the B. & O. road a success, and leaves nothing undone to promote the interests and revenues of the company. He is a prime favorite with the writers of the city press, and has a host of warm friends in all trades and professions. He was the first associate member of the Pittsburg Press club.


Source: All Sorts of Pittsburgers Sketched in Prose and Verse; Burgoyne, Arthur; Pittsburg, PA; The Leader; 1892.
Note: The correct spelling of Pittsburgh in 1892 was Pittsburg. The spelling Pittsburgh was officially restored in 1911.












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