The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-18
COL. BILL TURKS ELooUENCE,

Boston Will Hear it--A Washington
Man Thought ne Had Made Dis
cOvery in Pointing it Out. But he
Was Known as an Orator From Boy
hood in Virginia.
Matt. Mynor, in the Washington News,
pays a tribute to the eloquence of Colonel
William A. Turk, the General Passenger
Agent of the Southern Railway. While
the business of the tribute is by no means
questioned, We do rise to remark that 1t
is just tIlfe tardy- more than trifle
tardy. Mr.. MINORS heart is right, but
he has made no discovery. Everybody
in Tarheeldom has always known that the
Colonel had great deal in him. As to
his mountainous voice, it wrestled with
the crags of the Blue Ridge in Augusta
county, Virginia, when he was but fine,
fat boy about Staunton, in way easily
to account now for the silver streams of
eloquence that sometimes flow down his
sides
B )ston! We pass him to you on your
great occasion. You will find a big, big
bell in he left side of his breast. That
is his heart. Strike it right, and you
will hear the same old music that binds
all to him who know him in this part of
the country.
Here is the tribute:
II see by Southern papers that my
friend Turk, the general passenger agent
of the Southern road is going to make
a speech up in Boston at the assembling
of the National Association Of General
Passenger and Ticket Agents of the
American roads. Few people who
know Col. Turk would ever suspect him
Of being an orator. But he is. l heard
him deliver a speech one day under an
apple tree in the mountains of North
Carolina which was a masterpiece Of
oratory. Right near the apple tree were
several well known railroad gentlemen
and jug Of mo0nshine whisky | do
not say that the moOnshine whisky had
anything to do with the production Of
oratory, but anyhow Col, Turk was
ebual to the occasion. The graphicman-
ner in which he painted in words the
beauty Of North Carolina scenery. and
the pleasure Of a trip along the South
ern Railroad, was superior to any scene
ever described by the greatest Amer
lean orator, Col Robert G. IDgersoll.
COL Turk has a deep, melodious voice.
1t is a common saying down in North
Carolina that Col Turk can make a
speech at the lower extremity of the
Blue Ridge Mountains and can be heard
at the topmost point of the Cumberland
Mountains, a distance of over 100 miles.
1t is said that the late Congressman
George G Simmons, of Colorado, had been
known to have made speeches in tie
mountains of that State and that he
had been heard over 300 miles away.
II do NOT think Col. Turk is quite
equal 10 Simms as a p0nderous orator
but be hes the happy faculty of max
Jog the people Of the entire United
States hear about his road. This is
as it should be. No better fellow on
earth than Turk / am sure he will
captiyate the hearts Of the Boston PEG
PIE, ct his speech printed in full in
the papers up there. and at the same
time have a picture of himself on the
first page which will make Douglas, the
three dollar shoe man, mad with rage.
Col. Turk has increased the passenger
business Of his road to enormous pro-
portions since he has had charge of it,
/ venture to say there will not be a
more popular man in that Boston con
yention than Col Turk, the General Pas
senger Agent OF the southern. If ne
could in some manner become possessed
Of Col. Turks flowing mustache, Col
Turk would be one Of the fercest look
ing men in he world. AS it is, his face
is smooth, and Re impresses one as being
not only pbiIan' hropc, but a philoso-
pher. Col Turk has got great head
for business, and 4 big heart for the OPP
pressed.