Wiggs, A. C.

WIGGS, LEE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 1/15/2015 at 08:48:51

A. C. WIGGS

A. C. Wiggs, veteran section foreman here for the North Western railroad, retired June 1, 19, after 46 years of continuous service for the Milwaukee and North Western roads.

Mr. Wiggs started his railroad work with the Milwaukee road, working 6 years before he became section foreman for the North Western on April 15, 1899. He put in the entire 46 years in Mapleton with the exception of 6 months in Danbury.

A man by the name of Baker was station agent when Mr. Wiggs started work here. “Cy” Cooper was mayor of Mapleton, Slate Arey was postmaster, H. V. Chapin was editor of The Press, and Bishop Johnson was pastor of the Methodist church.

When Mr. Wiggs started with the Milwaukee system, 9 cars was the maximum load over the hills around here. Today they pull 90 cars over the same hills. Iron rails weighing 56 pounds were first used, with one big tie under the joint and fish plates for fasteners instead of angle bars. Steel rails weighing 80 or 90 pounds are used today.

More than 1,000 men served under Mr. Wiggs and of this number 63 are deceased.

Mr. Wiggs was married April 28, 1895, to Miss Anne L. Lee, who was born on the S. F. McCleerey farm four miles south of Mapleton.

Source: Mapleton Milestones, published 1938