The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-20
BIG MEN HERE.
Rock Island Officials and Di-
rectOrs In Topeka.
Spend an Hour Looking Over
the City.
TOUR OF INSPECTION.
The Party Has Been Over All
the Western Lines.
TOUR OF INSPECTION.
Pres. Purdy Says Conditions
Were Never So Satisfying.

The Rock Island special train, bear
ing the directors and officials of the |
Rock Island road, enroute over the lines |
of the system on their annual tour of |
inspection, arrived in Topeka Thursday |
afternoon at 2:45 o'clock and left at
1885 for Horton. Upon arriving at Hor- |
ton, inspection was made of the
company's shops there, aEd after re-
naming in Horton all night, an early
morning start was made for ST. Joe
and Chicago will be reached probably
on Saturday morning.
The special train was made up of one
baggage car, one Rock Island diner,
one Pullman compartment car, two
Rock Island special cars. and Mr.. Ca
fast Rock Island engines of the 900 ser
les, pulled the train, and moderately
fast time, consistent with an inspection
trip, had been made all along the line.
The special train left Chicago on Thurs
day, October 18th, and journeyed
through Omaha and Denver to Fort
Worth, returning en- route to Chicago
by way of Topeka, Horton and st. Joe.
Stops were made at the division points
and terminals and the schedule of the
train was so arranged that no travel
was made at night.
At Denver, Col, and Dallas, Tex,
short drives were taken about the city,
and during the so minute stay in To-
peka, a party of eight of the directors,
were taken IN cna1SG ana QrlNen around
the city and shown the various places
of interest. The other officials of the
party spent their time while here in
looking over the depot and surround
ings, visiting the various departments
and talking with the officials here. The
short so minuteS$ stop passed very
quickly, and the special train was soon
on its way to Horton.
The directors and officials making up
the party, include the following: r.
r. Gable, chairman of the board; War
4,
first vice president; Robert Nather
second vice president; J. M Johnson
third vice president and traffic man
ager: A. r. Flower, director New York:
P. H. Griggs, director Davenport Ia;
Geo. S. Brewster, director, New York: A.
J. Hit general superintendent; John
Sebastian, general passenger and ticket
agent; H. Cover, assistant traffic man
ager; H. H. Embry, general freight
agent, lines west of Missouri river; w.
E. Dauchy, chief engineer; Geo. F. Will
son, superintendent motive power and
equipment; A. r. Swift, superintendent
telegraph; Frank Stewart, superintend-
ent dining cars; r. L. Phillips, secre-
tary to the president; Frank Stewart,
secretary to the first vice president; T.
A. CAN'T, secretary to the third vice
president; Henry Selbert. New York;
r. NJ. Hoe, New York; H. NJ. Flower,
New York; J. D. Donald, New York
w. F. Purdy, Chicago; J. H. Griggs,
Davenport, Ia
In addition to these gentlemen, there
! were present MI. M A Low, general
attorney; Mr.. w. H. StiIlweIl, superin-
tendent of the lines west of the Mis-
souri, river; and Mr. H. r. Irvine gen
| eral roadmaster, who met the party at
| Omaha. and continued on the trip with
| them from there. Mr.. Q. W. Jones, di-
vision superintendent, and Mr.. A L.
| Studer, assistant superintendent of ma
| chinery, met the party here and went
| to Horton with the special train The
| local and division officials of the var
| ious divisions of the road, accompanied
| the special train over their respective
divisions.
| While the train stopped in Topeka
| Mr.. Warren G. Purdy, president of the
| Rock Island system, said to a Journal
| reporter: I'VE have had a very pleas
| ant trip with nice weather, and no ac-
! cidents to mar the pleasures of the
! journey. This is our annual inspection
! trip, and is of course an important one.
| Everything along the road seems to be
! in a most prosperous condition. There
! are some few of the directors present
| on this annual tour, who have never
| made a trip this far west before, and to
| them the trip has been revelation in
/ showing the resources of Kansas and
| the other western states through which
| we have passed.
| LAS is well known, a great many ad-
/ verse opinions are held in the east with
| regard to the west, and this is mainly
| due to not having acquaintance or be-
| ing in close touch with western affairs.
| These gentlemen have expressed them
| selves as very much surprised at the
| development of the west, as compared
| with the impression prevalent in the
| east. We are glad that these gentle
| men could be members of the party on
| this trip, it will no doubt be a big
! advertisement for Kansas and the west
| generally, and will tend to correct the
| erroneous opinions held in the east
! THE road is in excellent condition
| and many improvements are being
| made. AS fast as possible, we are re-
| placing all the wooden bridges and
| structures, with iron and steel and in
| other ways making permanent and
| lasting improvements along the line. A
| short time ago an order for 1000 new
| boXcars was placed with our shops at
| as fast as possible. As fast as thev
| are completed they are being put into
| service, as the immense business which
| the road is doing is calling into con-
| Stant use, every available car. both
passenger and freight
AS to any special changes to be made
| President Purdy said:
"Of course we have noted very close
! ly the condition of the system and have
in mind some few minor changes. which
| may be made, but no radical changes
| every point where we can make auv
| improvement we are doing so as rapidly
| as possible. The road and rolling stock
| of the company is in ffrst-class condi-
| ton. and the business being done IS
| satisfactory to all. No new lines or ex-
| tensions have been decided upon in
fact, anything of this kind would be de-
termined after We return to Chicago -
| Mr. H. H Embry, general freight
| agent, in speaking of the trip, said
THE annual inspection trip this year
I hos a n r7crlx- r,T1