Doubtless the readers of the Journal will be interested in knowing something of
the history of Mr. John E. Fagan, the popular conductor who was voted the gold-headed cane offered by the Journal.
The method by which the contest was decided need not be stated here as readers are familiar with it.
It will be remembered that Mr. Fagan, as published yesterday, received a total of 2,055 votes, giving him a good
round majority over all competitors.
Mr. Fagan was born in the town of Benton, Polk county, Tennessee, May 8th, 1850. and is therefore something more
than 39 years old. His father was a saddle and harness maker and he gave his children such educational advantages
as the town of Benton afforded. In this way our conductor received such education as can be obtained at the common
school in county precincts now.
Mr. Fagan began his railroad career in March 1869. He went to Selma, Alabama, and there obtained employment as
brakeman on a freight train on the Selma and Gulf railroad. He held this position for some six months and then
accepted a similar position on the then Alabama Central railroad, running from Selma, Ala., to Meridian, Miss.
He ran as brakeman for four or five months and was promoted to baggage agent on the same road. He was only a short
time in this position when he was promoted to conductor on a mixed train. This position he held for about eighteen
months.
About this time Mr. Fagan decided to make a change, and left the Alabama Central road and went to work with the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia company. This was in 1874. He secured work as freight brakeman, and served
in that capacity for a year. In the mean time, he had moved to Knoxville and made this city his home. After a few
months’ service as brakeman, the company promoted him to the baggage car.
Faithful service as a brakeman and then baggagemaster won for Mr. Fagan recognition from the company and with a
total service of a year as brakeman and baggagemaster he was given a freight train on the main line. This position
he filled acceptably for some time, in fact until the Knoxville and Ohio road was opened to Jellico. When this
road was opened he was transferred to it as local freight conductor, which position he held until some years ago,
when he was promoted to his present position.
In the long service on the railroad Mr. Fagan has never received the slightest hurt, not even so much as a scratch
or a fingernail mashed. He has been a number of serious wrecks, once going over a trestle fifteen feet high in
a caboose and landed in a creek below, but came out smiling without a bruise.
In 1879 Mr. Fagan married Miss Burger of this city. Four robust, rosy-cheeked children bless the union. He lives
in one of the neatest six room cottages in the city, No. 181 Hannah avenue.
There is no more popular man in the ninth ward than he and there is no happier family than his in the city. The
home with its cozy rooms, its neat iron fence and general well kept appearance gives one the idea of happiness
and contentment.
The handsome and genial conductor is well known to our people; in fact he is well known all along the line of the
East Tennessee and Knoxville and Ohio roads. He is faithful to his company and such a man will treat his passengers
courteously. They all feel at home on his train. It is not strange that he has received such a big vote. This vote
is large in the city and it is large from along the Knoxville and Ohio road.
The total vote received by Mr. Fagan has been given. Of this vote about 300 votes came from Jellico, 200 from Newcomb,
150 from Pioneer, 200 from Caryville and Jacksboro, 200 from Coal Creek, 200 from Clinton and a number from other
points along the line. The rest came from the city. It need not be added that Mr. Fagan has not contributed one
nickel towards securing these votes. Those who know him know how much above such a thing he is. They were the votes
of his friends. Numbers of these friends cast several ballots. Each five cent piece secured a paper and entitled
the holder to cast one ballot. In no other way could a ballot be cast. We congratulate the gentleman on his good
fortune, on his popularity, and we wish him many prosperous years to come.
