York Car Works (Billmeyer & Smalls)

Freight Cars by Builder / York Car Works (Billmeyer & Smalls)

History

Notable Individuals

• Henry Small

Founded H. Small & Sons, the predecessor company to Billmeyer & Smalls.

• David E. Small

Born December 3 1824. Died March 25 1883. Son of Henry Small. Partnered with his father and brother in the Susquehanna Steam Saw Mills in 1845, forming H. Small & Sons. Lost his right arm in the car factory when his coat sleeve caught in the machinery in 1853.

He was an influential stockholder of the Pennsylvania railroad, leading an inspection committee on the railroad's condition in 1874. He was elected President of the First National Bank of York from 1867 to 1876. Other notable positions that he held include president of York Gas Company, director of York Water Company, director of the Lochiel & Wrightsville Iron Works, president of the York YMCA, the York School Board, and trustee of a number of charitable organizations.

Gibson, John, ed. History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Company: 1886 p364.

• J.H. Small

Brother of David and son of Henry Small, he is the reason for the plurality in "Billmeyer & Smalls."

Robson, Charles ed. [https://archive.org/details/manufactoriesman00phil/page/434/mode/2up?%7C The Manufactories and Manufacturers of Pennsylvania of the Nineteenth Century. Philadelphia: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1875 p435.

• Charles Billmeyer

Joined the partnership in 1852.

Gibson, John, ed. History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Company: 1886 p364.

• William Hose

Born 20 August 1828, apprenticed to Horn & Mitchell as a carpenter for three years, then worked as a car builder for two years before receiving the position of foreman for Billmeyer & Smalls in 1851, which he held until 1881. Upon leaving B&S he purchased the Eden & Blouser sash and door factory.

Gibson, John, ed. History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Company: 1886 p26.

Purchasing Railroads

Freight Cars

• Denver & Rio Grande Railway

• Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway (secondhand)

• Rio Grande Southern (secondhand)

• Towle Brothers Lumber Company

• Utah Northern Railroad

• Ilwaco Railway & Navigation (secondhand)

• Nevada Central Railroad

• Eureka & Palisade Railroad

• Utah & Pleasant Valley Railroad

• Wasatch & Jordan Valley

• East Broad Top

• Baltimore & Delta

• Mass Central

• Lancaster Oxford & Southern Railroad

• Newport & Sherman Valley

• Tuscarora

• Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd

• Mineral Range

• Longdale Iron Company

• Ohio & Toledo

• Iowa Eastern

• Peachbottom Railway

• Pittsburg & Castle Shannon

• Memphis & Raleigh

• New Castle Railroad & Coke Company

• Bell's Gap Railroad

• Troch del Este (Cuba)

• Costa Rica Railroad C.A. (Costa Rica)

• Horonai Railway (Japan)

• North and South Railroad of Georgia

• Plainsville & Youngstown

• Ripley Railroad

Passenger Cars

• Denver & Rio Grande Railway

• Eureka & Palisade Railroad

• Parker & Karns City

• Utah Northern Railroad