who laid the rail
adv. phr.— «Hon. James Watson of Rushville, Ind., talked longer than any one. He praised the Republican party and declared that it was the only progressive party from the time of George Washington until who laid the rail.» —“M’Kinley Defends His Labor Position” Decatur Review (Illinois) Nov. 1, 1910. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
After our chat about tongue twisters, a Chicago, Illinois, listener shares one that looks much easier than it sounds: Irish wristwatch. This is part of a complete episode.
Related
Michael from Jones, Michigan, says he was stationed on a U.S. Army base in Germany in the early 1960s. If there was a gust of cold wind, a fellow soldier would say the hawk’s out. This expression is largely associated with Chicago, Illinois...