Biographical note

Scope and contents

I. Series One -- Publications

Boxes 1 -- 2

II. Series Two -- Notebooks

Boxes 3 -- 4

III. Series Three -- Oversized Material

Oversize Boxes 1 -- 3

IV. Series Four -- Artifacts

V. Series Five -- Audio cassette tapes

Biographical Note

Birchel Raymond Dew was born in Corning, Ohio, on September 19, 1901. In 1920 he began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad and continued working there as a brakeman and conductor until 1936. Very early in his career he began collecting railroad memorabilia, saving items he personally used and adding other pieces of historical value.

In 1935 he married Irene Mitchell of Hoisington, Kansas. They had two sons, William Ray and Birchel Robert. In 1936 Birchel Raymond, or B.R. as he was known to most, joined the Rock Island Railroad as a trainmaster in Dalhart, Texas. It was there where his son, William, was born in 1937. B.R. was Superintendent in several Midwestern areas and was the Assistant General Manager of the Rock Island Railroad in El Reno, Kansas City, and Des Moines. He and his family moved at least thirteen times while he worked on the Rock Island, but the railroad memorabilia was always packed up and moved along to the next home. B.R. retired in 1965. He died on March 17, 1973 of a heart attack at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines.

His railroad collection was inherited by his son William. William Ray Dew was born on March 3, 1937, in Dalhart, Texas. B.R. passed the love and excitement of railroading on to Bill and also his younger brother, Bob. Bill worked for the Rock Island himself during his high school and college years. He graduated from Shawnee Mission High School in Kansas City in 1955. In 1960 he married Lynn France. They both graduated from the University of Iowa with Bill obtaining a Juris Doctor degree in 1966. Then they moved to Ottumwa, Iowa, where Bill practiced law in the Griffin, Dew & Kintigh law firm and Lynn taught third grade. In 1972 a daughter, Eilizabeth Anne was born. William Ray Dew died on June 2, 1996 at the age of fifty-nine in a plane crash in Minnesota while returning from a fishing trip in Canada with three friends.

The B.R. Dew Collection of Railroadiana, 7 linear feet, includes publications, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, artifacts, and other similar material dating from about 1883 until 1966. Publications include booklets of rules and regulations, public and employee timetables, and passes and tickets, mostly relating to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. There is also material on other railroads, including the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway; the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; the Missouri Pacific Railroad; and the Union Pacific Railroad. There is information on such subjects as railroad accidents, natural disasters (snow removal), and railroad wages.

 Box 1

American Railway Association -- United States Safety Appliances for All Classes of Cars and Locomotives (1928)

Arkansas & Memphis Railway Bridge and Terminal Company -- Special Instructions No. 2 (1941)

Association of American Railroads -- Recommended Rules for the Receipt, Stowing, Handling and Delivery of Less-Than-Carload Freight (1938)

Baldwin Locomotive Works -- Locomotive Data (1914)

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen -- Arbitration Award and Vacation Agreement (1944)

Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad -- Historical information, etc.

Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad -- Official List of Officers, Agents and Stations (1898)

Burlington Route -- General Rules (1900)

Burlington Route -- Rules of the Transportation Dept (1891)

Burlington Route -- Train Rules, Operating Dept (1900)

Conductor’s Pocket Book and Cutter (1902)

Davenport, Rock Island and Northwestern Railway Co -- Rules of the Operating Dept (1930)

Denver & Rio Grande -- Rules and Regulations of the Operating Dept (1906)

El Paso & Southwestern--Rules and Instructions, Maintenance of Way Dept (1917)

Flood Disaster, Kansas City (1951)

Freight Conductors Wheel Reports (1924)

Frisco playing cards

Keokuk, Fort Des Moines & Minnesota Rail Road, the Des Moines Valley Rail Road -- Historical information

Missouri Pacific -- Conductors Memorandum Transportation, Etc. (1931)

Missouri Pacific Hospital Association -- Constitution and By-Laws (1945)

Public Time Tables

Big Four Route, 1899

Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern, 1899

Chicago Great Western, 1898

Colorado Midland, 1905

Denver & Rio Grande, 1905

Dixie Flyer Route, 1904

Erie, 1905

Frisco, 1905

Grand Trunk, 1898

Great Northern, 1904

Illinois Central, 1898, 1964 (2 items)

Iron Mountain Route, 1899

Kansas City Southern, 1905

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway, 1899 (2 items)

Lehigh Valley, 1898, 1918 (2 items)

Missouri, Kansas & Texas, 1899

Mexican Central, 1898

Minneapolis & St. Louis, 1905

Missouri Pacific, 1898, 1899, 1965 (3 items)

Nickel Plate Road, 1904

Northern Pacific, 1898

Northwestern, 1898

Port Arthur Route, 1898

Queen and Crescent Route, 1905

Rock Island, 1899, 1922, 1943, 1952 (4 items)

Santa Fe, 1905, 1966, 1967 (3 items)

Union Pacific, 1898, 1899, 1964 (3 items)

Wabash, 1899

 Rock Island

Analysis of Equipment (Locomotives, Freight Train Cars, Passenger Train Cars), 1925

Catalogue of Blanks, Books, Envelopes, Letter and Memorandum Heads and Stationery, 1903

Des Moines Division -- General Notices, 1966

Diagrams of Steam Locomotives, 1943

Disbursement Accounts, 1902

Distance Tables, 1887

Employee Timetables, 1940-1968, 55

Rock Island, cont.

Employees Hospital Association Constitution and By-Laws, 1930

Freight Tariffs, 1888, 1890 (3 items)

General Roster of Officers, Agents, Attorneys, Surgeons, Stations, Structures, Mileage, Connections, Clearances, Equipment, etc., 1929

Historical Accounts

Indenture Between Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad Company and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co., 1904

Instructions to Freight Agents, 1890

Labor Agreements, 1907, 1922, 1938, 1947 ( 4 items)

Leavenworth Joint Terminal Agreement, 1894

List of Officers, Station Agents, 1903

Local Passenger Tariff, 1907, 1921 (2 items)

Pension System, 1910

Questions and Answers for Examination on Rules and Regulations for Maintenance of Way and Structures, 1951

Rules and Instructions Governing Employees in the Operation of Train Air Brakes and Air Signal, 1939

Rules and Instructions Governing the Operation and Maintenance of Automatic Train Control, 1926

Rules and Instructions Governing the Operations of Railroad Radio Communication System, 1956

Rules and Rates of Pay for Locomotive Engineers, 1907, 1911, 1917, 1922, 1925 (5 items)

Rules and Rates of Pay for Trainmen, 1924, 1929, 1943 (3 items)

Rules and Rates of Pay for Telegraphers, 1910, 1920, 1924, 1928 (4 items)

Rules and Regulations for Conductors and Collectors, 1906, 1919, 1924, 1929 (4 items)

Rules and Regulations for Maintenance of Way and Structures, 1901, 1940, 1951 (3 items)

Rules and Regulations for the Baggage Department, 1905, 1911 (2 items)

Rules and Regulations Operating Department, 1897, 1904, 1930, 1967 (4 items)

Rules and Specifications for Standard Uniforms, 1925

Rules and Working Conditions for Signalmen, 1923

Rules for Care and Operation of Maintenance Motor Cars, 1929

Rules for Clerks, Freight Handlers, Station and Storehouse Employees, 1922, 1931 (2 items)

Rules for Rates of Pay for Switchmen, 1919, 1924 (2 items)

Rules for Train Dispatchers, 1926, 1950 (2 items)

Rules Relating to the Car Service Dept, 1906

Rules 1 to 5 Compilation and Maintenance, 1937

Seal Record, 1895 -- 1896

Speed Restrictions and Special Instructions, 1958, 1967 (3 items)

Standard Practices Adopted by the System Loss and Damage Committee, 1914

Telegraphic Code, 1897

Time Freight Schedules, 1924

Time Role of Iowa City, 1901 -- 1903

Uniform Code of Operating Rules, 1950, 1968 (4 items)

Various pamphlets, 1919 -- 1934 (5 items)

Rules and Rates of Pay in Train and Yard Service on the Principal Railroads of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, 1900

Saddler’s Railroad Time Book, 1926

Santa Fe Rules and Regulations -- Operating Department, 1909, 1911 (2 items)

Southern Pacific Desk Map, 1929

Union Pacific (Eastern & South-Central Districts) Rules and Instructions of the Transportation Dept, 1940

Union Pacific -- Examination of Conductors and Engineers and Train Dispatchers on Operating Rules, 1954

Union Pacific -- Memorandum of What Constitutes Proper Observance of Signal Tests, 1940

The Western Settler, Vol 1, No. 1 (Feb 15, 1893), published by the Rock Island

 Box 3

Clippings, photos, forms

Forms

Derailments, floods, washouts, snow plows, clippings and photos

Locomotives, old and new, clippings and photos

Old forms, letters, etc.

Old newspaper clippings

Old records

Old station records, letters, tariffs (3 folders)

Old tickets and passes

Old waybills, messages, records, etc. (2 folders)

Photographs, miscellaneous

Photographs of snow storms

Pictures, retirement parties

Train orders

SERIES III: OVERSIZED MATERIAL

Oversize Box 1

Rock Island Employee Time Tables, 1883 -- 1916

Rock Island Employee Time Tables, 1916 -- 1939

Assorted printed and manuscript material mostly pertaining to the Rock Island

Flimsy/Train order hoop

Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern framed poster

Flagman’s flag with torpedo space

Rock Island oiler

SERIES V: AUDIO CASSETTE TAPES

Box 5

History of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad

Side 1

Birth in Corning Ohio

Boyhood in Ohion

School Days

Jobs as a Boy

Riding a Train

Ice Cream

New [Bohelers]

Side 2

Railroad rules exam

Tales of Ed Heathooker

Tales of Red Taylor

Tales of Joe Whaton

Silk Train

Army Worms

Jack Rabbits

Pheasants in Kansas

Hot Boxes on Cars

Take Water and Coal on Engines

Local Freight Trains

Engine Thru Rd House Topeka

Side 3

Dust storms in 1930s

Cabooses

YMCAs

Water at Horace, Arkansas

St. Joe Run, 1921

Switchman K & MR Roak

Olmitz, Kansas

N Moorehead

Reversing Steam Engine

Side 4

Water Engine

Hand Brakes, Couplers on Cars

Train Chains

C.J. Frown, Scrap Program

Break in Enginese

Passenger Conductor 1931

Work Traims

Flood, Pueblo, Colo 1921

Getting off your cars engines

Local Chairman, 192[9?]

Supt. H.E. McMullen

Side 5

JCE Trains

D. Sullivan

Collision Hogan, New Mexico 1937

Deraliment Middlewater, Texas 1938

ACR Line, Liberal to Amarillo

Morse Line Dolhart to Morse, Texas

Passenger Trains

Son Bill Born at Dolhart, 1937

Side 6

Hay Fever

Herington, Kanses, 1937

Operation Railroad

Circus Train, Salinas LIne 1937

Rocket Trains 1938

Rocket Train Belleville Line, 1938

Train Order Singed McFarland 1937

Switching Engines

Track Maintenance

Steam Heat Trains.

Side 7

Dress of Railroad Men

Eng 1864 Turned o/ CC Line 41

Engs Swenson Hits Bull C Chic

Derail Inspection Coe CC Line

Derailment CC Line 1941

Shooting Track

44 Ton Engine Derails, Aububon, Iowa

Big Liars

Carson Branch

Lose Engr on Montezuma Line

Meet B. F. Wells

Coal Freeze in Coal Chute

Side 8

Winterset/New Line, Atlantic

Bridge Ratings

Rateing [sic]of Superintendents

Steam Engines vs Diesel Engines

Turn Tables

J. W. McNulty

Handling Snow Plows

Coldest Day I Ever Worked

Side 9

J.W. McNulty, continued

Blizzard of 1947

Steam Engines Freeze to Rail

Running [F Hangers?]

Cleaning Switches

Moveing [sic] Bad Order Cars

Moveing [sic] Cars After Snow Storms

C. P. Trachia

Diesel Engines in Snow

Orvel Spray

K.O. Thomas

O. A. Johnson

Side 10

Positive [Bhart?] Operation

Snow Storn 1964

Snow Storm 1965

Side 11

Snow Storm 1965, continued from side 10

Pulling Cars, Manly Snow

Plow Snow off Track, Manly

Halley's Comet

Five Days a Week vs 7 Days Ago

Blood Test Brakeman 1938

Put Steam Engine on Blocks

Steam Eng Power on One Side

R E Mechanical Failure

Derailment at Hampton, Iowa

Derailment at Cambridge, Iowa

Charline Corimm Death

B.R. Dew Personal View on Drink and Where Lived in DM

Side 12

Nevada Derailments

Food Stamps in WWII

Derailment in Northfield,Minn

Char. El. Farley M. Meehanie

Farley and I @ Watertown Line

Camp Car Haywood, Okla

Cafe @ McFarland, Kansas

Woody Kay Mill & Filmor Smith

George Green Goes to Memphis

R.W. Gravy Vest Lucas

Side 25

Sect Forman [sic] gives e a sack of Potatoes (4-57 -- 28-139) [2699@129]

Flood at Louisville, Nebr 1960 (140-348)

Joe Shives, hells Iowa (349) CTC

West Liberty, Iowa (374 -506)

Chgs Main Line Double Track

Derailment at West Branch, Iowa

Jack Denniger (507-614)

J. Toler (615-666) Agent

J. T. Monig 667-709 Agt

SW Eng @ Newton 710-746

Side 26

Switch Eng cont'd (11-74)

Kellogg Iowa Toy (?) Washington Line (74-173)

Derailment @ End of Lake Park Iowa (174-536)

Passenger Car Radio (537-581)

Fruit Car Lossed [sic] w/o Knowledge by the Crew (582-611)

Poor Segment of Rail, Oxford to Iowa City, Derailment #14 and #8 (612-651)

Engineer Coggart or Scrap Iron

Unauthorized Trips @ Derailment Incident (652-746)

Note:Tapes from here to end are not assigned numbers

Mr. Fred B. Huffman, Eng. with Ia CRIP RR

General discussion on class of steam engines that he ran and fired by # class (345), Discussed the West Iowa Railroad, Carson, Harhan, Guthrie Center, and Griswold Branches. Discussed the Atlantic Cutoff & Segment Between Adair and Casey Iowa

Mr. B. R. Dew. Recorded February 13, 1973. 2 tapes

Charles Grimes, Roadmaster

Three tapes without notes. Tape on the covers are marked

13-13 1/2. J Windsor 2/14/73

14 -14 1/2

15-16. J. Windsor 2/14/72

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