THE DAILY NONPAREIL
January 8, l901
IS A FAVORITE CONDUCTOR.
John Surles Ran First Passenger from Ottumwa to Council Bluffs
Carson, Jan. 7.--Uncle John Surles, the genial conductor on the
Carson-Sidney branches of the Burlington, is one of the pioneer
railroad men of southwestern Iowa. He commenced work for the
Burlington May 10, l864, and has never in that time
failed to draw a pay check for work when pay day came around. He
has worked for the company continuously during that time, and the
only time he has really missed was during the winter of 1896-7,
when he was injured in a wreck between Macedonia and Carson. He
was the first conductor to run a train through from Ottumwa to
Council Bluffs. He has been conductor on this branch ever since
it was built and to the traveling public has come to seem as much
a part of the line as the roadbed itself. He is known to
everybody--street gamin, old man, young lady, and the old auntie
as "Uncle John." He is the most accommodating conductor
on the whole Burlington system, and when he does finally leave
the service his place will be hard to fill.
N.B.: John W. Searles (Feb. 20, 1839 - Dec. 23, 1917) made his
home in Sidney during his time as a conductor on the Burlington.
Because of his popularity, he and the Burlington were well
publicized by the Sidney papers. He was buried in the Sidney
cemetery.--W.F.