The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-12


The roadmasters in convention in this city
had busy day yesterday. The morn ing session
was largely occupied by an address from Presi-
dent Burnett on the duties Of roadmasters, and
a general talk by Charles Latimer, chief engin-
eer of the N. Y, P. & o., whose remarks were
very instructive aud entertaining. The
questions before the convention were then
brought up in their order and freely discussed.
Some twenty of the eighty roadmasters in at
tendance took part in the discussion. At 5. P. M.
the convention adjourned and the delegates
went to the c., St L. & P. yards to witness
test of the Palmerton wrecking frog. A
f To- ton. engine and tank wa. was run
placed in position and in twenty min
utes was again placed on the tracks. It took
two settings of the frog, in the first setting it
was not exactly in line, which is necessary
should be the case to make a perfect success.
President Burnett, Of the Roadmasters' Asso-
citation, and several other roadmasters ex-
pressed themselves as satisfied that the
frog in principle is all right and viii do all
claimed for It. Some three hundred persons
witnessed the test, most of whom were railroad
men, and the general opinion seemed to be that
the frog did the work admirably, and would
come into general use on the roads Of this
country.
The roadmasters then witnessed q successful
test of the Gale frog, by the use Of which it is
impossible to throw train from the track at a
switch. The evening session was devoted tothe
election OF officers and other matters
G. & r. L, was elected president John
Sloane, Of the l., B. g W., secretary; Thomas
Adams, of the O. & H. treasurer; James Sloane,
of the Chicago g. Eastern Illinois. executive
committeeman. 1t was voted to hold the next
meeting at Chicago, 81 votes being in favor,
against Is in favor of Kansas City.
vote Of thanks was extended
the proprietor of the Denison House, for cour-
tesies extended; to Theodore Pfafiin, for use of
Music Hall; to Charles Latimer, for his able
address, to j. w Sherwood, for the train which
this morning takes the party to Cincinnati; to
f. Weir, Of Cincinnati, who has
rendered than hospitality during their
stay in Cincinnati. and to the press
for the full reports of the proceedings of the
meeting given. Each Of the old members was
assessed 81 for current expenses. The Ajax
Manufacturing Company proposed to publish
the full report OF the meeting in the Railway
Age, free of cost to the members. A repre-
sentative Of the journal of Railway Appliances
made a similar offer, both of which were ac-
cepted. It was voted then to send copy of the
proceedings of the meeting to superintendents
chief engineerstg general roadmasters and division
roadmasterS The meeting then adjourned until
the second TUESDAY in October, 1885, to be held
in Chicago ts
An Important Meeting of Freight Men.
The executive committee of the Middle and
Western States Freight Association have been
in session for couple of days in Chicago. j.
NJ Osborn occupied the chair, and Mr. J. T. R.
MacKay acted as secretary. The principal diff
Guilty heretofore encountered by the roads in the
Middle and Western States in maintaining,uni
form freight rates, lay in the fact that nearly
all the roads had different tariffs, and some of
these. made the rates east Of Toledo, Cleveland
etc, to the Eastern interior points less than the
rates to the same points from Toledo, Cleveland
etc. To overcome this the committee arranged a
new distance mileage tariff to all points This
tariff makes the rates for fifty miles about l
cent per mile, and a correspondingly
lower rate on larger mileage.
The tariff recommended, with slight alteration,
was adopted There were present at the meet
ing: ]. N. Osborn, Wabash; F. II. Kingsbury,
Pittsburg, Cincinnati g. St Louis G. s. White
Baltimore & Ohio; H. j. Page, Cincinnati, In
dianapolis & Chicago; a. n. Mcleod, Cncin-
natl Hamilton & Dayton; George B. Reeve,
Chicago & Grand Trunk; r. III. Frazer Cincin
matt. Wabash & Baltimore; G. G. Cochran, New
Z York, Pennsylvania & Ohio; G. L.. Cole, Fort
Wayne; w. S. Weed, Lake Erie & Western; G.
b Spriggs, New York, Chicago g ST. Louis;
Alexander MacKay, Chicago e Atlantic B. w.
Geiger, Jeffersonyille, Madison 6 indianapolis;
a. Patriarch, Flint e. Pere Marquette; j. T. II.
MacKay, Lake Shore.