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1909 song lampooned the Rogue River Valley Railroad Rogue River Valley Railroad engine No. 1 and coach with man standing nearby. Photo courtesy of the Southern Oregon Historical Society, image No. 10215 Thursday Oct 13, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society Riders lampooned the Rogue River Valley Railroad, a 6-mile line joining Medford and Jacksonville, and its owner Bill Barnum. What follows is a song from 1909, written to the tune of “It’s Just the Same Old Moon.”  “In dark ages since many years have passed,  Six miles an hour was considered pretty fast;  But now in nineteen hundred nine  That’s some speed on Barnum’s line!  Same old wheezing engine and car  Starts for J’ville with an awful jar;   "Foxy Barnum rents his whole depot And makes us wait out in the snow. It’s just that same old train that is running In just that same old jerky way; No wonder we are always kicking At the price we have to pay;   "Oh, won’t you tell me when we’ll get there? Oh, won't you use a little more wood? Railroad c’mission comes to Jacksonville, Calls in Barnum; also John and Will. Asks them questions, tells them what to do; Goes away, thinks its labors through.   "They didn’t mind the old c’mission, They go right on the same old way. Same little Station, folks raising Cain; Same busted schedule; same old train." Source: Unattributed newspaper clipping in the Rogue River Valley Railroad Vertical File at the Southern Oregon Historical Society Research Library, Medford. As It Was is a co-production of Jefferson Public Radio and the Southern Oregon Historical Society. As It Was stories are broadcast weekdays on Jefferson Public Radio and are available online at asitwas.org.