A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States > California > Alameda http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=555 Also visit our new sister site: http://www.Genealogy101.com Direct link to article: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=37775 Submitted by: Eileen Gillette Article Title: Oakland Post Enquirer Article Date: May 30 1947 Article Description: "Katie" (Katherine Potwin) Job Hunting At 92 Retired As S.P. Agent At 70 Article Text: A little old lady - who celebrated her 92 birthday yestreday - wants to go back to work. Miss Katherine POTWIN, known to her friends at the Rosebrook Hotel, 1556 Broadway, as "Katie" still hasen't forgiven the Southern Pacific for retiring her 22 years ago. "When I got to be 70, they wouldn't let me work anymore." she complained as a birthday party was being held in her honor. "I hated to give it up." STARTS CAREER Born on her father's ranch in Ygnacio Valley in Contra Costa County in 1855, Miss POTWIN started her long railroad career on June 15, 1882 in Martinez. "After learning the business after selling tickets in Martinez, I came to the 16th Street Station here," she said. "It was my first station here and my last" - she retired as agent - " but I spent most of my time, 25 years, at the Oaklnad Pier." Miss POTWIN is still so piqued over her retirement that she revealed a long guarded secret today. ORDERS RAIL RUN When she was working in Port Costa in 1884, everyone forgot about a Sunday special train to Martinez one day. Left alone she ordered an extra brakeman to make the run and not to collect any fares. "I've never told the company about that ," she admitted, "but I guess everyone else who could complain about it is dead by now." Her career branched out as she learned to be a telegraph operator - one of the companies first. RECALLS INDIANS The position took her to many way-side stations in California and Nevada before the turn of the century. " No one can scare me now with all the things I've been through." she said, recalling how she worked with curious and still wild Indians peaking in windows and with coyotes howling in the stations rear platform. Settled now in the downtown hotel where she has made her home since 1902, Miss POTWIN has just one complaint on her 92nd birthday, "They won't let me work anymore." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ CA-Old-News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com