Searls, Edwin J. "Veteran Agent"

SEARLS, DOUGLASS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, researcher (email)
Date: 11/13/2024 at 19:26:42

Akron, Iowa, Register Tribune
January 18, 1917 — page 4

AKRON’S VETERAN AGENT.
The January issue of the Milwaukee Railroad System Employes’ Magazine contains a half-tone photo, among a number of others of its Senior Agents, of Akron’s veteran Milwaukee agent, E. J. Searls.

Mr. Searls has been off duty at the local depot for several weeks on account of illness, but has improved considerably recently. He had served as agent here continuously for 35 years last November. The following very interesting sketch, appeared in connection with the picture in the magazine:

“E. J. Searls, agent at Akron, Ia, began his railroad career in 1870, learning telegraphy on the Illinois Central, going to work in 1872 for the Western Union company at Sioux City, going from there to Springfield, in Dakota Territory, to open a government telegraph office on the line from Sioux City to Fort Sully, thence to open an office on the government line in the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. There were no railroads in that part of the territory and he made these trips through a country of hostile Indians on horseback.

Mr. Searls had several years of frontier life before entering railroad service, and was at White Swan (D.T.) at the time of the Custer Massacre. He tells that previous to the tragedy of the Little Big Horn, General Custer often came to his office to dictate messages concerning the uprising of the Sioux.

During the memorable winter of 1880, Mr. Searls was at Vermillion in business, with his father-in-law. He had, however, the telegraph man’s hankering for the click of the key and used to go to the Milwaukee station to hear the familiar sound. On the occasion of one of these visits the agent asked Mr. Searls to relieve him for a few hours. This was the beginning of Mr. Searls’ long service with the Milwaukee.

He went to Sioux Falls in May, 1881, as operator, and was checked in as agent at Portlandville (now Akron) in November of the same year, remaining there ever since.”

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The Daily Argus-Leader, Sioux Falls, SD
January 23, 1917

City Briefs.
At Akron, Ia., this week, occurred the funeral of a gentleman well known in Sioux Falls. The deceased was E. J. Searls, father of Bert Searls, who, for a number of years, was agent for the Milwaukee railroad, in this city, and now auditor for the I. and D. division of the Milwaukee road.

Mr. Searls, who was an old-time telegraph operator, as well as depot agent, gained distinction in May, 1876, by sending General Custer’s report to the war department regarding the outbreak of the Sioux tribe, and flashing to the world the news of the massacre at the Little Big Horn.

—Mr. Edwin J. Searls (1850-1917)
Buried: Riverside Cemetery, Akron, Iowa