Railroad Records

The narratives contain various writings about railroads, Western Union, and the telegraph in general while the pole and wire materials consist of a compilation of statistical data. The lists of contacts contain alphabetical listings of railroad companies with whom Western Union conducted business. These lists reveal the name of the railroad, date of the contact, date of expiration, and other names the railroad used. Railway Passes/Franks and Identification Cards, ca. 1890 to 1920, are arranged alphabetically by the name of the railroad with additional passes for the Art Institute of Chicago, Wells Fargo, Postal Telegraph and Western Union. The cards belong to a variety of Western Union employees from electricians to presidents. The cards entitled officers, agents of the railroad, and other companies with which Western Union had contractual relations to travel between all points on the company's lines within the United States. Restrictions exist in designated territories and were noted by the railroad company issuing the card. The card was countersigned either on the front or back and in some instances was not good for sleeping cars and was not transferable. Most passes expired yearly and were renewed.