21 Years On The Erie Railroad

World War II ended in 1945. I graduated from high school in May of 1946, decided not to go to college right away. Due to the end of the war, the economy slowed up a bit, the G. I. s came home, and I found myself out of a job in my home town.

I checked the Erie Railroad job list every day, finally found one that looked interesting. It was located in the Erie Railroad Passenger Station, Cleveland, Ohio. Old timers from Cleveland will remember that the Erie at that time did not run into the Terminal Building, had its own passenger station located at West 9th. Street and Superior Avenue, directly under the Detroit-Superior high level bridge. The job was one of many duties; baggage porter, janitor, baggage agent and assistent baggage agent, with one day per week off. I bid on the job, was awarded it.

I rode Number 5 to Cleveland to look over the job, decided to take it. The passenger agent kindly looked through the Cleveland papers, found me a room on West Blvd., just off Detroit Avenue. The room was $5.00 per week, was just a sleeping room with a comfortable bed, a closet, and a desk. There were two other rental rooms in this large house, both occupied. We shared a bathroom. No kitchen, so all my meals had to be eaten out. I decided to take the room, moved in on January 15, 1947, and stayed for two years and three months. More later.