Rock Island Argus., 1896-10-31

" ~ chsnic comes
WILLIAM STOCKS. the abolition
of the general foremanship, in which
capacity MIR. Stocks has served since
1898, when he was transferred from
Stuart, Iowa, where he had been ap-
pointed roundhouse foreman two
years previous. The recognition Of
Mr.. Stocks is q deserving one. Al
though q young man in the employ
of the Rock Island, with which he
first became identified in 1891, his
experience and judgment as a rail
road man and u mechanic won
for him the immediate confidence of
the company, which has always
shown its appreciation Of his ser
vices at every opportunity. The
East Iowa division will extend from
Rock Island to Valley Junction after
Nov. 8, when the abolition of Brook
lyn. and Stuart as terminals, takes
place.
Rock Island will be the heaiquar-
ters Of the division, which will in
clude PAL miles Of line-that is, the
1872 miles between here and Valley
junction and the intervening branch
lines, Munroe, Indianola and Win
tersett. Valley junction will be the
western terminus Of the freight as well
as the passenger crews in the future,
the former having formerly ended
their runs at Brooklyn, the distance
from this city TO that point being 107
IVk.i< hA aAAt%s0no1 vV,t1n
age will be hardship to the freight
crews for awhile, Mr.. Stocks says it
will only be a matter of time until
the arrangement will be working as
satisfactorily to the men as before,
and will also eventually result in
increased salaries. In the new ar
rangement Stuart, which is now the
terminus OF the west Iowa division,
is also abolished, and the runs are
extended to Council Bluff.
The ii engines running between
Brooklyn and Valley junction will
be transferred to Rock Island. This
will increase the number of locomo-
tives housed at this end of the di-
vision to AZ, or 81, including the
switch engines. The engineers and
firemen and train crews will natur-
ally be obliged to move to this city,
which will add, MIR. Stocks says, 40
families anyway to its population.
Talk OF the Track.
Engineers John Horn, John
Greehy and Thomas Greedy, of the
Rock Island, are taking vacations.
Frank Norton's engine, 9i9. Of the
Rock Island. is in the Davenport
shop for repairs. Mr.. Norton is run
ming the 9O9 during the interim.
frank Means has been promoted
from night to day caller for the Rock
Island, succeeding Ed Cooley, who
goes into the machine shop. The
new night caller is G. S. Kofer.
The marriage of Eddie Mousley,
the popular young fireman who runs
with James Wilkinson on the East
Iowa division, 10 Miss Ella Rogers,
caused no little surprise among the
railroad bows, many Of whom never
suspicioned that he was even consid-
ering such an important step. They
accuse Eddie of giving them the slip.
but they have forgiven him and wish
himself and bride much JOY.
Another Of the Rock Islands
switch engines is laid up on account
of a collision which occurred in the
upper yards Wednesday evening.
The "a was coming up with q trans
fer from the freight house with Carl
Williams at the throttle, when a
string of cars pushed westward bv
the Moline switch engine came
against her. The front Of the "a was
badly disfgured. as was the boiler.
No one was injured, however.
The fast mail train on the Rock
Island narrowly escaped wreck, and
possibly disastrous accident, Wednes-
day forenoon. while speeding along
at the rate of so miles an hour, three
or four miles east of Colfsx. The
train was slightly behind schedule
time, Engineer Charles Davis. OF the
sos. had just dropped the tongue of
the reverse lever down another notch
on the quadrant, and given the sand
rod an extra jerk. when one OF the
crank pins on the rear right hand
driver broke, and the next instant
the detached end of the eide rod.
forced upward by the swiftly revolv-
ing driver. shot past the cab, COM
ing uncomfortably near to Charley's
right ear, which at that instant was
slightly exposed rs the owner peered
out to get 3 view of the track ahead.
The train was stopped short dis
tance from where the side rod was
thrown. the drivers disconnected. and
the train taken to Des Moines with
the engine running on one side.