Mayor McMullen of Norwich & Mayor Kirby of Sidney - 1915

Both Are Making Good

Mayor McMullen, of Norwich, and Mayor Kirby, of Sidney,

Run Municipal Affairs as Well as They Do Their Train on the

Ontario & Western Between Norwich and Middletown

Utica Saturday Globe, June 1915

 

Fred D. McMullen (left) ----William H. Kirby (right)

 

One train in particular on the Ontario & Western Railway has been running fast into popular favor because of the make-up of its engine and train crews.  When Mayor W.H. Kirby, of Sidney [Delaware Co., NY], as conductor, calls "all aboard" and signals to start, Mayor Fred D. McMullen of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] as engineer, pulls the throttle, the locomotive responds "choo!" choo!" in lieu of saying "as you please," promptly gets under motion and is soon pulling the train easily at a 50-mile clip. The train plies between Norwich and Middletown.

 

Mayor McMullen, who was elected last fall to succeed Silas W. Berry as the head of the new city government of Norwich, has surprised all, himself as much as anybody, by his ability to run municipal affairs as easily and capably as he runs a railroad train.  His constituents have had no cause to blush for him since he took over the reins on the first day of January.  He has made good so far and his friends are confident he will continue to do so to the end of his run.

 

Mayor Kirby of Sidney, was elected on a citizens' ticket and is just as good as citizen, as he is a train conductor. Under his direction the public business of Sidney is being conducted in a careful and economical manner and the taxpayers have no cause for complaint.

 

The two mayors run the affairs of their respective municipalities as smoothly and efficiently as they do their railroad train and the bond of friendship between them is drawn closer as they discuss the problem they meet in the service of the people as mayors as well as railroad men.