Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-19
ALLHAVE GONE HOME
The American Association Of Passenger
and Ticket Agents Adjourned
Read by MIR. ID. II. Martin, of the Big
Four-Comprehens Treatise of
the Locomotive and It's Value
Trip 10 Lakeside Park.

which met at the Jefferson TueSoay MORN
Ing. was brought TO a close yesterday
morning about 10 O'Clock, and during the
afternoon and night all the members
left for their respective homes, not again
90 assemble until the body meets IT At
iantic City. next September.
The business of the association was all
concluded Tuesday, and yesterdays ses-
sion was purely for the purpose OF hear
Ing the address to have been delivered
by Colonel b. w. Wrenn, the passen-
ger traffic manager of the Plant system.
The meeting was held in the dining
room Of the magnificent hostelry. and a
very large crowd was in attendance.
Much to the regret of all present, Colonel
wrenn was unavoidably absent from the
meeting, and mis- manuscript was very
ncceptably read by Mr.. ID. B. Martin, OF
the Big -Four railroad.
THE ADDRESS.
Colonel wrenns subject was, 1.-THE To-
romotive as O Citizen" After an APP
propagate introduction. the paper ran
thus:
I'm this busy age of work-a-day life,
labor in which we are engaged, struggling
with the perplexing problems that con-
front us daily, 1t is no trifling task TO
undertake a discourse with which one
may reasonably hope to entertain an
audience consisting Of the bright and
buoyant spirits, the ready minds, ana
dauntless hearts that direct S1e vigorous
tide Of passenger traffic OF the most pro-
half NJ This world Swallowed
by the conscious doubt of achieving sue
cess in the duty that brings me here l
sought for some time an idea which 1
might present sufficiently out of the old
beaten path TO give some slight scope Tor
suggestive thought or a mome9As enter
tainment
''I thought about the great world OF
strife of din, and confusion, the turmoil
and discord of this modern age Of busi-
ness, and Of the part the general passen-
ger agent plays therein, but banished
the distracting picture with the instan-
famous realization that this was the last
subject for an Grafton at such time as
this. / thought about the wondrous his
tory of American railroads; how they
have grown about this hemisphere ike
some friendly vine TO give support TO every
tendril of international growth; how the
stage-coach Of former days has rusted by
the waysde where now fly the giided
wheels Of modern travel and how, ike
magic in so short a time nations nave
oeen linked in close commercial embrace
by rail and cross-tie: but TO discourse upon
such history before the very men VINO
make Il would be tame and commonplace
at best
THE INSPIRATION.
while thinking along this line. the din
and dust of the busy streets peioW
Al. lr1Iab " nj rail-
rood-bells. and the busy hum Of Industry
from the factories close at hand, far out
over the busting streets Of a spleniid
CITY. my eyes leisdrely wandered to the
suburban delights of rural landscapes
lust far enough away to look hay, repose'
ful, dreamy, and inviting. and so PLEASING
the picture of rest, contentmen@ anu
peace. I thought surely must leave the
noisy whirl of railroad life 10 ma eh-
tertaining subjects for modern ra'lroau
men. But the dreamy landscape soon WAS
changed. A scene OF life and vigorous
action was the transformation when out
from the woodland into the wlde-stretoh-
inc fields like some proud monarch clad IN
arrnor OF black. leading with strong ui-
umphant hand his train OF Wiling cap
fiyes and his precious cargoes from 'he
s~roat commercial centres far beyond-out
from the forests and over the helds came
the conuueror: l saw the great gusts cI
steaming breath from his fiery throat
and heard his piercing shout OF tluiupn'
which plainly seemed to say, 'Ine KING
business requires haste ] saw TINS PIC
ture. and gazed In admiration upon Tue
subject of my theme-sur Fellow-Cltzeh'
the Locomotive! o,,
.Not a century ago he came among
us His firsk long march was
Srom Charleseon across the pictur-
esoue little State of South caro-
lima, to a point on the SaVaHhah
river. this being the first trip over
a hundred miles ever made by
locomotive in the world. only SINCE
1870 then, may he be given credlt 10 ci.i-
zenship: but, during this comparatively
brief time, who can undertake 70 .el y.
his achievements? Who can describe
the value of his public service? Hand IN
hand with the men of means of this coun-
try. who have given him friendly recog-
milton. he has gone about the marvellous
ACCOMPLISHMENTS of his Network, and
holds the strange office to-day of being
both the slave and the master OF men,
A GOOD CITIZEN.
.'He pays his taxes to the General
Government. and while he holds strctly
10 his path of private life, demands
rightfuh recognition from the BODY poll
tic. Not only does he pay his taxes
TO the states, out IN many instance
made TO give tribute unto each town ana
county through which his course may
be directed by the demands of the pub
lie he serves. Then, why, forsooth, Is
he .sss our fellow-citizen in all that makes
the scope OF usefulness of American
citizenship a thing Of high national i'm
portance2 To tell OF his service In the
material advancement of nations, the
promotion of civilization. and the eleva-
ton OF society, would be 10 open an end
less book. and say; Behold To tell OF
his labors as a missionary. his work for
the publication of the soul, would be
20 stand aside in the dark and point far
into the dense shades of night. with the
golden stream OF life and light from his
head-lamp as II makes silver OF the rails
leading over the mountain crags 10 the
darkened lands beyond.
wherever that light has penetrated
there men have been made better, and
more worthy OF their Creators image.
Countless churches and school-houses have
sprung up beside the path OF that bright
flame as Il sped along through new lands
OF fllteracy and crime, and mankind
has been brought to rejoice In the dawn
OF a brighter day. made all the more
glorious because OF the long, dark night
throughout which they had been pass
ing. Were / called upon to name that
which most strongly illustrates the mis-
sion OF this prince In black armor abroad
In our land. would point to the lamp
that leads him on-the Jewel on his
breast as he dashes forth beneath the
stars while others sleep, hurting myriads
OF crystal lights upon the dewdrops
along his path, transforming the land