The Pay Car with locomotive 371 named “J.H. Wilhelm” on the turntable at South Easton engine house. Mr. J.H. Wilhelm was the paymaster.

The New Pay Cay

December 31, 1881

From Easton Express

The new Lehigh Valley pay car is completed, and on Monday it will be given a trial trip over the Easton and Amboy division. It will be drawn by the J.H. Wilhelm, No. 371, which has been re-varnished and touched up, and Engineer Jacob Houck and Fireman Oscar Ketchledge will be in charge. The car, an elegant specimen of modern railway architecture, is painted Tuscan red, and, with its gold and black trimmings, broad, elegant patterned border running around the lower edge of the body, large windows glazed with crystal glass, and nickeled hand rails and mountings, presents an elegant appearance.

It is 48 feet long, and is mounted on two six wheeled trucks, with steel tires, paper-centered wheels. It is fitted with Automatic Westinghouse brake, and underneath are boxes for supplies and tools. There is the Miller platform at the front end, and this is arranged with gates so as to be quickly converted into a convenient and safe balcony, where the passengers can enjoy the fresh air and admire the beautiful scenery, in which this road so pre-eminently abounds.

Entering the car from the platform, you find yourself in a veritable palace, supplied with all the conveniences and luxuries of the most well-appointed residence. The first apartment is the smoking and sitting-room, and it is as cozy a place to enjoy a Regalia or read the papers as one could well find. Next to it are the steam heater compartment, with one of Baker's patent heaters; the kitchen, fitted out with the pots, pans and utensils used in the culinary art; the toilet room, with stationary marble-topped washstand, mirror and other appurtenances; the pantry with china closet, its shelves containing a full set of vitrified china from the Greenwood Pottery, Trenton, New Jersey; and the sleeping place with bunks for four persons, all fitted with mattresses, pillows and curtains hanging from silver-plated rods.

Next, in the rear end of the car is the dining and drawing room. It is furnished with a folding dining table that will seat comfortably eight persons, chairs, two lounges, upholstered in maroon leather, and a very handsome cabinet with fine beveled plate glass mirror, and which opens into a most inviting spring bed. The paymaster and his clerk's desk are in the end of the car, and the combination lock safe is placed under it, and fastened securely to the floor to prevent tipping over, in case of an accident.

A cabinet on the desk contains an ingenious arrangement to hold the time tables of the different divisions, so that they can be readily and quickly referred to, and drawers to hold writing materials. There is a place to drop orders for pay into a closet beneath, and the desk is furnished with a conveniently arranged ink stand, a nickeled clock, and is covered with green cloth. In the end of the car, in panel of exquisite design and workmanship, is a life-like and artistically executed picture of the late Judge Asa Packer, the first President and father of the Lehigh Valley road, with just under it a likeness of Paymaster Wilhelm.

This room can be entered from the outside by two side doors with embossed glass windows and nickel-plated handles and rails. Beside these conveniences, there are several folding tables in the dining room, and revolving chairs at the desk. the floor will all be carpeted with fine Brussels carpet, and silver-plated cuspidors and racks are found in every apartment.

The ceiling is covered with bead-lining in gold and neutral tints, while the deck lights are fitted with cathedral glass, and ventilation is carefully provided for by patent Eureka vents and registers. Four double burner Hix and Smith lamps of beautiful design will give light at night. The entire interior is finished in walnut, cherry, sycamore and bass wood elaborately trimmed and ornamented with rich veneering.

The car was designed and built at the Valley shops, and is a master specimen of the taste, skill and workmanship of the very superior and intelligent body of mechanics that are employed there. Master Mechanic John L. Kinsey and the men may well feel proud of this creation of their brains and hands. No finer pieces of rolling stock were ever turned out of any shop than will be the J.H. Wilhelm and the new pay car.

I would like to thank Richard Palmer for typing this article for me.