Sidney Barnes and Sidney Cheeseman Have Given Long Service to Becket’s railroad station at an elevation of 1216 1-10 feet above sea level, practically twice that of the Chester station, is noted not only for its high elevation with Its clear and cool air, the pure water from the large spring which never falls to supply sufficiently, the sterling qualities of the men who during the past half-century have served the public as station agents, baggage- masters and telegraph operators, but for the long terms of service during which these men have succeeded in satisfying their two masters, the railroad officials and the general public.

First of these long-term men is Sidney Barnes, born at the foot of Brooker Hill, in Becket, Feb. 12, 1831, who became identified with the station at Becket in 1853, when he began work as a second hand, a position which he held for three years, after which came a period of seven years during which he held wood contracts with the railroad filling one for 2400 cords of wood, delivering the last cord within the specified time and in a manner highly satisfactory to the company.

Mr. Cheeseman has seen the railroad grow from its three passenger trains and half dozen freight trains per day capacity to the present time, when between 6 o’clock in the morning and 7:42 In the evening, 10 passenger trains pass going east and eight going west. He has seen its freight traffic grow from six small trains in 24 hours, until now when 15 freight trains going west in seven hours, each having between 40 and 50 cars.

Mr. Cheeseman has had the opportunity to accept the position as agent at other and larger stations, but has préferred to remain in Becket, perhaps because he has learned the pecullarities of the local railroad patrons, and he is attached to the station where he has spent so many pleasant years. Documentation from the Becket Historical Society.

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