When we lived in Atlanta in the early 70’s, we’d designate Thursday night around 8 or 9 to watch Johnny Cash’s Program. He had a segment on Trains and some songs that he sung were about trains and we just loved it.
I’ve hoboed that train many times to get Fuzezies from the Caboose man that ran on those tracks,
it stopped in Topton to check the brakes before heading into the Nantahala Gorge. We wanted those Fuzeies holding up the caboose windows and if we could find ’em, more. There was about 8 of us boys, so it was useless for the caboose man to shew us all off. Those Fuzeies were to get jacket and hornet nests, so we could go fishing. Love those Train Songs.
—Ken Roper
I came across Ken’s comment a good while back. After reading it I wished he was still here so I could ask him about Fuzezies.
I can just see a crowd of boys pestering the caboose man for them in the hopes of catching a mess of fish.
Do you know what Ken was talking about?
Last night’s video: Easy Recipe for Cooking a Beef Roast, New Cornmeal I Love, & Tipper Had A Day!
Tipper
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This doesn’t concern this post but I was wondering if you know what a
hancher is? My family uses this word for handkerchief. I’ve heard it once spoken by Fetus on Gunsmoké but other than that I have never heard anyone else use this word. I’ve done several Internet searches for that word for years and a few months ago I found it on a Wikipedia page and it says the term is used in the Uncle Remus stories. I always thought it may just be a souteastern Kentucky word.
We got our new tractor delivered yesterday, my husband is in love!
I had never heard of them, but I learned something new today. Thanks for continuing my education. Love to all in Wilson holler!
I grew up in a neighborhood full of railroad men. One of my brothers worked for Seaboard Air Lines for a bit when he was in his 20’s. I think just about every car owned by those railroad men had a fusee or 3 in the trunk. I used to see them at wreck scenes when the NC Highway Patrol was present. They would actually stick them into the asphalt in the road. They were visible for miles in clear weather and made an eerie glow in fog.
I just learned something new as I had no idea what a fusee is. Now when I see a train, I’ll think of Ken. That also sounds just like something my brother would have done. Have a great day everyone!!
We just about killed ourselves with one of those flares as kids. We went to exploring one of those big coke ovens one night and lit a flare to see. We almost didn’t make it out.
The word fusee comes from the French, I believe. A “fusil” (fyoo-zee) was a musket, or today, a shotgun. “Fusée” (fyoo-zay) is flare, or even rocket. I can see why active boys would want to have a supply.
I learn alot from your blog. I never knew of a flare being called a fusee.
Clueless to this post.. but have learned what fuzeies are!
Tipper, I have use white lily corn meal for 65 years until I found Linneys stone ground self rising corn meal at my local produce market. I can testify it is better!
Also, I’m expecting my first great grandson about the same time Katie is due. I’m hoping for the 24th. Everyone have a great day! Be kind and help someone. Blessings to all.
Several others were correct , fusees are railroad or road flares. They burn hot and long. A friend of mine says that you could burn a wet mule with one. I’ve never tried that, but one will sure get a fire going.
I have never heard a railroad flare called a fuzzee but we live and learn along this journey so I’m all the better for it! I’ve lived by the railroad all my life in this podunk WV town and daddy worked on the railroad some too. Now listen at me on this one: you don’t need to smoke a wasp, bee or hornet nest of any type. YOU JUST WAIT TIL THE SUNSETS (right at sunset is just fine) AND MAKE A RAG TORCH AND YOU CAN BURN THOSE PAIN INFLICTERS AND BE DONE WITH IT WITHOUT THE FIRST STING!!!! I bet the whole enchilada on this tried and true method I’ve done myself many times!!!! They’ll be dead and you’ll have your life back. Save those flares for other things like a real emergency… lol I’ve heard of blowing fish out of the water with small explosives, but wouldn’t that be counterproductive in the long run? Lol Just get ‘er done ya know????? Lol
Sadie, stick of Atlas dynamite best fish lure ever made, guaranteed to catch fish when nothing else will. I once knew of a man that would knock the primer out of a shotgun shell, then insert waterproof fuse, fill shell with gunpowder, close and tape shell up with electrician tape. Just light the fuse and drop it over the side of the boat. The concussion is what stuns or sometimes kill the fish, I don’t think they actually get blown apart. It was said you would see a flash of light but not hear anything soon the fish would would start coming up to the top of the water.
I agree with previous posters. Fusees are about an inch in diameter and about 14″ long. The version I know had a cap that removed and reversed and had a rough, sandpapery patch that would strike the fusee like striking a match. The other end has a hollow socket that something, like a stick, can be inserted into for ease of use and safety. Woodland firefighters often carry fusees to “burn out” fuel along a fire line which makes the fuel break more effective.
I know it as a railroad flare but I am accepting of my departed friend Ken’s nomenclature. Many of his mother’s family, the Passmores, had been railroad workers. Plus, Ken lived alongside the railroad for much, if not most, of his life.
Fusee – /fyo͞oˈzē/
Brother Ken wasn’t the greatest speller in the world and he would admit it.
I had no idea of what fuzzies were until someone said they were flares. I was raised and still live out in the country, the nearest train track to me in my lifetime was thirteen miles away, now it is gone. I would listen to the train whistle blow at night when the trains still ran through Honea Path, SC. In my mind, I can picture a sympathetic train conductor /caboose man giving a few flares to the young boys. As a side note, I never used any type of bee nest/lava for fish bait. I do not panic, but do have a whole lot of “respect” for a bee. Spiders, snakes, rats and other things of this sort do not bother me. I have never met one of Tipper’s friendly bees!
Railroad flares can be easily extinguished. If they are still burning when you’re done, you just “knock the fire out of them” and save them for a rainy day. The “caboose man” probably wasn’t handing out new ones.
Not a clue—but always up for learning something new and interesting.
Your supper looked divine last evening. I enjoyed the girls video on their walk to the pond also.
I have no idea what so ever. I tried to search it on Google and it lead me back to Ken’s post on your blog titled “Bringing in that Georgia Mail”, dated November 25, 2018. I sure hope one of your readers knows what Ken meant to solve the mystery of what a Fuzezies is.
A fusee is a type of flare with a sharp steel spike used by train conductors.
And maintenance workers! The folks who keep the trains on track!
Long-haul truckers use them too, when disabled beside the road. Fusees are great “danger” signals, and they burn for quite some time. Then, you light anpther one.
Fuzeies were railroad flares that put out a great deal of smoke, worked to smoke out yellow jacket or
hornet nests so you could steal the larva for fish bait.
I do not know about Fuzezies. I’ve never seen the word/term/name (?).
Correction to previous reply. Spelling should be fusee.
I did questions the onion soup part as to whether it should have a liquid or not, and you answered it with the video. I am doing the steak thingy this weekend. Thanks for making it so much easier for me…I am a ‘show me type person’ some time. My Hubby had an Uncle that worked on a train here in upstate Florida and years ago some of the stories he would tell were treasures. Prayers for Granny and God’s Blessings for you guys…The babies are getting closer by the day.
Think he may have been talking about what most people call flares. Sometimes used by police around wrecks to give light and warning. Railroders call them fuzeies.
Not sure if this is correct spelling but sounds like it. My husband was a conductor and my brother was an engineer for a railroad.
I have not a clue! Anxious to hear!
Learn something new every day! Great story! Take care and God bless ❤️