City Government :: City History :: Trains

TRAIN CAME TO CLINTON IN 1887

April 1, 1887 was a most memorable day in Clinton's history, as on that day transportation to and from the outside world was established by the Wilmington and Wel-don Railroad. The name was changed to the Atlantic Coast Line in 1900. It was on this day that the first passenger train pulled out of Clinton for Warsaw to make connection with the world, from Clinton's veiwpoint. A few citizens of Clinton, desiring to ride on the first train out, boarded at the old Toll House site, the cotton warehouse site on Lisbon Street, and everyone was in a jolly mood because of the fact that all supplies for Clinton merchants could at last be brought in by train instead of by mule and wagon. One sad note was sounded though as Joe Nolly had, on 29 May 1887, made his last haul from Warsaw, and Bill Russell had brought the last buggy load of mail to the Clinton post office by horse and buggy, the train now taking over all this transporting. The engine was number "94". The enginer was a Mr. Avant, the conductor was Captain Cutts, the fireman was named Mr. Deems, and the station agent was Henry B. Chesnutt, who had taken trainning from his Uncle Dave Morisey at Warsaw. The railroad station at that time was located in southern Warsaw, somewhere near where NC 24 now crosses the railroad. This first train left Clinton about 6:30 a.m. and returned about 8 p.m. being delayed on the return trip because of being overloaded with eight carloads of fertilizer. On account of this heavy load the train had difficulty making the grade west of turkey, along the Fasion property. Little "94" had to back up three times and get fresh starts in order to pullover this steep grade. It required an extra cord of wood, $1.75 worth, in the firebox over the grade. Ferdie Johnson, a passenger on this first train, had now brought back the memory of those day by erecting in his yard in Clinton one of the beautiful bells taken from one of the first engines to pull a train out of Clinton, this bell having been presented to Mr. Johnson by Champ McD. Davis, president of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and an old boyhood friend of Dippy Club days. Another interesting thing about this bell is the fact that the fat lightwood post supporting it was furnished by Bob Allen Davis, Route 3, Clinton, this post being one of the supports of the original Daughtry Bridge which had been built over Big Coharie near the Joe McPhail homeplace about 150 years ago. Such interesting relics as this one are fast disappearing. We should not be derelict in such matters, as such memories should be preserved for future generations to learn just how our forefathers handled their affairs. On a later train trip, an old lady flagged the train and Captain Cutts, in his usual courtlike manner, alighted and offered to assist the lady in boarding the train. She hollered back saying that she did not wish to go to Warsaw, but wanted to sell him a quart of huckleberries. Captain Cutts being much irritated by this interruption in his schedule made the air blue for a few minutes. It was indeed a gala day for all of Sampson County as the first rail communiction was established with the outside world.