Anthony Kelker - railroad engineer, city councilman
The keyword kelker appears over 6,000 times in Fort Wayne, Indiana Newspapers.com searches. The five Kelker brothers became railroad engineers in late 19th century Fort Wayne following their father David Kelker who ran boarding houses as the rails were being laid from their home state of Pennsyvlania through Ohio stopping in Fort Wayne as the railroads replaced the local Wabash & Erie Canal. Their names regularly appeared in local newspapers as the railroad activities were popular news stories as were the Kelker's activities with local Civil War associations and local politics. There are lots of local historical sources with information on the Kelker family in Fort Wayne and elsewhere. It will be added to this page and expanded as time permits.
It appears that in the latter part of January, 1852, a locomotive arrived in Fort Wayne by canal boat. This engine was used in the construction of the line eastward. It was known as the "Lima" and was built in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a 4-wheel connected engine with 4 1/2 ft. drivers, 10" x 16" cylin-
Page 2: ders and weighed about 10 tons. At this time the terminal point of the road was on the canal near what is now known as the Comparet Mill. ‘The Depot grounds extended from Barr Street to Lafayette Street and from Columbia Street to the canal. The line extended south on Lafayette Street to a point which is now Holman Street where it diverged eastward to a point about where the Wabash Crossing is now.
At that time the only shop the Company had was an old frame building which had been used as a store located on the banks of the canal immediately north of the Comparet Mill; the end of the building having been removed to enable them to use it for the purpose of housing the locomotive. ‘This building remained standing until about three years ago when it was torn down to make room for an addition to the flouring mill. No men were employed at this engine house, all the necessary work being done by Walter Challenger the engineer and Anthony Kelker, the fireman; no tools were to be had except those usually belonging to a locomotive equipment. This was the only shop connected with the road in Fort Wayne until after the consolidation of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Ry., the Ohio & Indiana Ry. and the Fort Wayne & Chicago Ry., which was entered into on the 6th day of May, 1856.
As the memories of the old employees do not agree as to when the road was completed eastward, it may be interesting to note the statement of the Fort Wayne Sentinel issued November 4, 1854, that the line was completed and the first train arrived from the east on Tuesday, October 31, 1854 at 5:00 P.M. The opening of the Railroad to traffic was celebrated by the people of Fort Wayne on Wednesday, November 15th, following. It appears from the arrangements adopted by the Committee incharge of the Celebration that the train bearing excursionists started from [ Calhoun Street – The Gathering Place on OpenStreets Fort Wayne City of Fort Wayne]
Page 3: Crestline at 7:00 A.M. and arrived in Fort Wayne in the evening. Among the excursionists it is stated that the train contained several hundred prominent railroad men and invited guests from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and other points along the line and its connections. They were received with loud acclamations and a salute was fired by the Guards, the band meanwhile playing inspiring music. It was dark when the train reached Fort Wayne. The City, however, was brilliantly illuminated in honor of the occasion and presented a splendid and glowing appearance. Columbia Street, says the newspaper reporter, was one blaze of light and Calhoun Street generally was the same, and several private residences and manufacturing establishments in other parts of the City were illuminated. It was a brilliant and magnificent spectacle worthy of the occasion. A banquet was served after which addresses were made by Governor Johnson of Pennsylvania, General Robinson, President of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Ry., Solomon W. Roberts, Chief Engineer of same and Hon. R. C. Schenk of Dayton, Ohio. It is learned also from the Sentinel that the population of Fort Wayne at that time was estimated to be about 7, 000.
These facts are mentioned not because they have any particular bearing on thehistory of the shop, but rather as points of interest that do not seem to be generally understood. One of the recent histories speaking of the railroad development of the County states that the road was completed to Fort Wayne in the fall of 1855 which is certainly an error in view of the statements just quoted as taken from the files of the Fort Wayne Sentinel.
Kelker brothers interaction during President McKinley May 29, 1901 visit to Fort Wayne. President McKinley was shot September 6, 1901 in Buffalo, New York dying several days later. See Presidents section.
The Pioneer Railroad Engineer and his Beloved Help-meet Both in Good Health.
At tbeir beautiful hom on Fairfield arena Hr. and Mrs A. W. Kelker, two of Btort Wayna'a molt highly es - tnod reaidants, celebrated the flf - tlrth anniversary of their maulage yeatsfdajr.
Doth hale and atronc, enjojlog the respact of the column - pity, and with the light of tbe love they plighted half a. century ago still rdent, Mr and Mn Kelker look back through lb mate of years lth ta satisfaction and conlautment that cornea to thoae whose Urea liave been ell spool The nbaenance of the finnlveraary w(s on a niorieat scale n consonance with tba quietness of their wedded life, but thousands of Irlends wUli them wall and n enl of future Iiiinpliieaa, " Mrs Kelksr waa Mlia Lydla Arnold, only daughter of John Arnold, a pioneer minder of tnls city aril for tears a member of the city council l'lie" (ainlly name was on Washing Ion boulevard west, Just oast of where the old St Paul a Catholic church waa built litei she and Mr Kel ker, who had but a year bifoie com menced hln cveer as a railroad ei - f Inter, vote mauled by Ihn ltev Mr IcCaln, than pastor of tha Wayne Street Me'h dlst Episcopal church It waa a quiet wedding, only the it - M Uvea aud a few Tory nUmitte frlonds being present They at once begun housekeeping en a ruodeu scale, and Ibout ten years later purchased the Sroperty that has since been ilelr opie a home that has been a para Ise to them, filled with the lore of their henna, with the prattle of two fenerations of children, and garnished with the choicest flowers that nature yields For Mr and Mis Kelker are flower lovem and tholr specious garden In summer time li su arbor of gorgeousnesa and the Idralratlon and envy of leverb of na lure's - bninia Laughed and Grew Well. Hoth now enjoy excellent health, although for a numbor of ears Mrs Kelker was a sufferer from rlieunia Usui Last 8epternbr Mr M H Rice, manager of the Majptttlr tbea tor. Invited tier to attend a matinee performance She accepted, al though ahe had beou down .own but three, times in five years. "I attended the performance and 1 believe It rtired mo," nalj the emil log lady of the house, ynsteiilay after scran.
' I am obliged to IJr Itlce for bis remedy, which did me more good Uan medicine. The first visit did me ao - much good that I determined to keep it up and now I always go to the matinees a oouplo or morn itmeri every week t believe a good laugh li better than medicine, ' said she, "slid her cheery countennncn lore out the statement. Mrs. Kelker nad Just returned from a walk, although the day waa decidedly dlsagieeable, and ahe apparently waa lot Illy affected by the weather. Mrs Keiker was born In Fort WayM February 14, 1838.
Mr,' Kelker a Famous Engineer. Mr. Kelker Is widely known aa one of the oldest isllroad men In the ci'untiy He began work at the age of thirteen, when railroad building In America waa in its Infancy. At fourteen he was the foreman of a grading gang on what Is now the I'lltsburg. Fort Wayne A Chicago lie served later as tuakeman.
Ore man, conductor, and In 1856 was made an engineer For fifty yeara he remained at the throttle, pulling the faatest trains on the great l'cnnsyl vanla sstena, passing, thiough dingers Innumerable, and In all those rears not a passenger rommltted to nja care Ioat his life ' It la a record probably unprecedented and rn - equalled In the railroad annals of the world And to - day, despite the strain of responsibility extending over so many years, the nerve - wrack - Irig knowledge day by day, lhat hundreds of human Uvea were In the nil - low of hla hand, Tony" Kelker la rugged, the picture of health and Jtrengtb and splendid nervous vitallyvitally - "Good care of myself and a clear conscience did It all," Is bis explanation of his condition. Mr. Kelker ils a native of I - ebanon, Pa., where be waa born March 1, 1135. He celebrated hla Seventy - Jeeonrl birthday and the first annlver - afy of hla retirement from the rail - fL service a week ago yesterday. Ill father was a railroad contractor tod graded a large part or what Is now the Peunsylvanla'ayateni, through bMa.
"Tony" becan hla career un der hla father In 1848 and was In the service until last year, when the om - rany. In consideration of hla age and oog and faithful service, placed him oil the retired Hat with a penalon hit enables him to live In comfort far the rest of bis days A Great Railroad Career, gome four or five yeara ago a writer In the Indianapolis Sentinel gave Mr. Kelker the credit of having traveled. In the couraa of hla dutiea, 1481,600 miles, equal to a distance of Detrly 1(10 times tba earth' clroura - faretm. In that tin h has made record that are yet looked up to by ths engineers or the fastest trains lp the United States, Ren the young stsri.
"Tony" calls I hem, who are rasssHK WHa' lssstFW fsasssssRw&aB iaaBaBBBkMMsV. sV BaBBssHKHMk IbbKTv' BBBBB&?CalsV aBBBBsCBBV SMaHaHHHHajff 1 1 Mr. and Mr. A. W - Ktlker, who celebrated golden wedding anniversary yesterday.
(From Photograph Taken Ten Yeara Ago) BROKE WORLD'S RECORD IN 1870 The eld "M9." the little engine with which Tony Kelker set a pace nearly ferty yeara ago that modern eng Ineera find It hard to keep up with. Bps - pulling the 18 - hour flyers, have an example set by "Tony" Kelker be - fers om of tbem were out of awad - dltnat clothes. in th fall of 1870; Mr.Keigar, with th fitntrai Boon engine, "The 199." broke all vast rec ords and eiUftllathed new onra that r op to the best time the fait passenger trains make now Mr Kel her waa photographed with hla an Sine In front of the local pauaenger station, a handaomely inibo8Hed copy of the run In detail as gotten out by Maater Mechanic Uomie, aad copies of the record, th engine, and the engineer wore aslied for by Cor - nelliiB Valid or bill and other mag nates of tba time. The general of flees of the Pennsylvania and ths desks of many of the leading railroad official a aro still adorned by the pho tographa of the "Old 199" with "Tony" Kelker ptaiidlu near the rear driver On October 2, following;, lie ran from PI mouth to Chicago In one hour and thirty three minutes, mak Ing M'ven ataUs, and Juat a week lator, on October 9, he took No 1 from Van Wort, O , to Chicago, a die tanco of 178 H 10 in II oh, In three hotirn and five and one half miiniteR, with eleven aimta Ttxljy. aa Tony" Kelker look a back upon hla fifty years service aa an engluoer, he humorously remarks "When thoae youngsters heat loy time of thirty six years ago they're going some " ' Father of ths Parks, Mr, Kelker served live terms aa a member 0f the city comicf.
and while ho was always known aa a careful guardian of the public liiteresta gen erally he became chiefly known aa the "Father of the Parlc - " Ills love for flowers led Mm to boSve that the great outdoors belonged to the public and he Htarted the movement that Ye suited In the eBlabllehiuent of Fort Wayne n public paik system Hla skill aa a florist ami landscape gar dener assisted materially, after bo had the sy a It in established. In Its elabora tion and everv beautiful breathing spot now maintained by the city of Fort Wayne la a mouuitient to former Councilman Kelker, oh, as hla friends love to call him. Tony" Although retired from active rail roadlna Mr Kelker ran not romaln Idle. lie says lie wouldn't run an en glne again for fifty dollars a trip, but he la now employed aa one of the custodians at the Majestic theater and spends his evenings keeping the youngsters in the upper gullery In order. Mr.
Kelker pulled the flrbt Penns) - vanla "limited and on September 14, 1870, with "The 199," lie smashed the world's record, making the run from Fort Wane to Chicago In two horns, forty hoven and one half mln utes. Including eleven starts Ho had a baggage car and three coaches
