The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-29
VIEWED BY PRES. RIPLEY.
Chief Executive Of the Santa Fe is
Pleased With What He Saw.

"It far surpassed all my anticipa-
tions, and undoubtedly it was the
greatest demonstration of the kind in
the history of this country
This was the comment made on the
monster Santa Fe celebration by Pres
stand in the Santa Fe office grounds
at Is minutes past L today. He had
occupied a seat on the stand for exactly
two hours and Is minutes.
IT knew from the newspaper reports
from time to time" he continued, that
the celebration was to be a big affair,
but I had no idea that as big a display
would be made as passed here this
morning. 1t was immense, and the
Kansas employees have every right to
feel proud of it,
pocket, and opened it. by George"
he exclaimed hastily, Its almost half
past one. and I'm due to make speech
in an hour. I've got to get something
executive of the road left the other
officials and walked rapidly to the
Copeland hotel
During the two hours and fifteen
minutes that the president of the Santa
Fe system occupied a chair on the
viewing stand not a delegation of en-
p1oyeS or single float passed that did
not receive his personal applause. 1t
was he who first led the applause
from the reviewing stand when Chief
Marshal Jonathan D. Norton removed
y
the first to appreciate the humorous
features of the parade. Indeed Pres
ident Ripley spent cOnSidera bic portion
of his time while reviewing the parade
in appreciating the humorous features
he found in it, and his hearty laugh
attested that he thoroughly enjoyed
them.
Starting another new engine, are
you Player he remarked to Superin-
tendent of Machinery John Player sit
ting directly behind him as the first
feat feat of the parade passed the stand.
This was the float representing the an
cient blacksmith shop of so years ago.
And then, as the second float, repre-
sentative of the modern blacksmith de-
partment come into full view, You
could make good start with the ma
chinery you have there"
The cotton picking scene On the float
sent to Topeka from Arkansas City ap-
peared to make a decided hit with
President Ripley. AS it happened the
float was delayed for several minutes
directly in front of the reviewing stand
and Mr.. Ripley continued to laugh
heartily at the songs and antics of the
little colored boys. The boys on the
float were we'll supplied with water
melons, and this prompted the remark
from the Santa Fe president: Those
fellows don't care how long the parade
is, just so their watermelons hold out"
When the long break in the parade oc-
CURED, and the procession remained at
a standstin for almost a half an hour
President Ripley donned his brown der
by hat, which he removed from his
head when the procession first started
to pass the reviewing stand and pulling
it down well over his head settled him
self back in his chair and waited with
out comment for the parade to move
on. "They must have inaugurated a
new block system in this parade" re-
marked Assistant erintende at Avery
Turner after Is minutes had been spent
in waiting. Yes, that's good, 1 think
so myself" replied Mr.. Ripley.
President Ripley was the only exec
utive official of the Santa Fe out of the
city who was able to attend the Santa
Fe parade this morning.
II took time to come to Topeka be-
cause 1 wanted to witness the celebra-
ton" said he today.
With Mr.. Ripley on the reviewing
stand were the following Santa Fe
men:
General Manager ]. J. Frey, Director
Thomas A. Osborn, Director c. K. Hol-
liday, Land Commissioner John E.
Frost, General Freight Agent F. c.
Gay, Superintendent of Machinery John
Player, General Superintendent H. U.
Nudge, Assistant Superintendent of
Machinery Geo. Hancock, Attorney A.
A Hurd, Auditor of Disbursements L
S. Lauck, Treasurer Edward Wilder,
Assistant to General Manager
B. T. Lewis, Chief Surgeon J.
p Kaster, General Passenger
perintendent Avery Turner, General
Claim Agent C. w. Ryus and General
Baggage Agent P. Walsh Mayor Fell
lows also occupied seat on the review
ing stand.