davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

of the common people, lies in the fact
that the majority of the 400 employees
of the Horton shops own homes in that
city, having settled there when the
shops were first established
Horton is one of the most unique
shop locations in the United States. Its
uniqueness is in the fact of its incon-
venience. From its present location on
the Rock Island road it is by no means
adapted to be the home of the general
western shops of as big a railway SyS-
tenn as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pa
cific. This is admitted by the people of
Horton as well as by the Rock Island
mana cement But there was a time
when 1t was otherwise, and that time
saw the establishment of the big shops
plant there. And thereby hangs a story
Of a railroad arrangement that failed.
When they commenced the erection
of the Horton shops in 1887, the prosper
Gus Brown county town,then minus by
far the amount of prosperity it now
boasts, was practically the central point
on the Rock Islands through line from
Chicago to Denver. In establishing this
through Colorado route the Rock Island
had ignored Kansas City and made St.
Joseph its Missouri river gateway.
When the building of the shops was
commenced there was no other idea
than the route as planned would remain
and consequently the location was
most excellent one for the big plant.
But the through route did not remain
as 1t was mapped out, and for that rea-
son Horton IS now DQJ the central
point on a small branch line of the Rock
Island western property instead of the
central point of the main line of the
system. Within a few years the Rock
Island management discovered that
passenger traffic demanded a route
through Kansas City, and the discovery
possessed such a strong financial side
that it was soon productive of results.
In short time a traffic agreement had
been entered into with the Union Pacific
road for the right of way over its tracks
between Kansas City and Topeka, a
line was built from Altamont into Kan
sas City, and when this was accom-
plished St. Joseph, and consequently
Horton, disappeared as points on the
main line of the Rock Island from Chi
cago to Colorado.
In the meantime. almost within
year from the date work on the first
building was started the Horton shops
had been completed, equipped, and
placed in full operation. Equipment for
repairs arrived and departed daily, pas
senger and freight car construction was
commenced, and steadily the list Of
Rock Island employees at Horton COM
menced to grow. Simultaneous with the
increase of work and force at the
shops. the town of Horton advanced
business blocks were built, stores open
ed, banks established, and dwelling
property was bought up. In little
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

road west of Chicago. A noticeable fea-
ture about them is the substitution of
all steel trucks in place of iron and
wood.
In connection with the building of the
new coal cars, a new invention has been
recently placed in operation, which is
proving one of the greatest time and
labor saving devices employed about
the shops It is the work of Foreman
Acker of that department, and is used
in bending the air pipes for the cars.
In order to run the pipes from one side
of car to the other it is necessary
that they should be bent in certain
form and up to the time Mr.. Acker
thought of his appliance the work was
done with the aid of vice. Pipes suffi-
cient for a few cars only could then be
sent and fitted each day. With the
Acker device conditions are entirely
different. 1t consists of a compressed
air sledge and a mold for the pipe made
to correspond with the shape it is nee
eSsary for it to be, and one man can
prepare pipe for fitting on a car every
few minutes The sledge slowly de-
sends and forces the iron to conform
with the mold with practically no Ia
Dor on the part OF the workman The
invention is as effective as it is simple,
and General Foreman Conrad is partic-
ularly proud of Mr.. Acker's work.
PAINTING WITH A HOSE.
The painting of all freight cars is
done by means of a. hose spray operated
by compressed air. This is similar to
the plan followed at the Santa E'e shops
in this city. In this way it requires but
a short time to give the woodwork of a
coal, box or stock car a rich coat Ct the
regulation brown
A noticeable feature of the saw mill
is a big fan which is so placed that the
greater portion of the dust and shaw
ings resulting from the saving and plan
ing of lumber is swept into a recep-
tacle and carried from there through
pipes to the furnaces in the engine
room. BY this scheme the mill room is
kept comparatively clean, while the dirt
is used in assisting CONGREGATIONS under
the big boilers.
The repair yards of the Rock Island
at Horton are not under cover, as is
true of the Santa Fe car repairing
yards in this city. For this reason the
force of men employed in repairing
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

both in the mechanical and operating
department, has come to be looked upon
as a certainty by those connected with
the Rock Island. This belief is due
to the fact that the record of the road
at Horton during the years since the
shops and division headquarters were
established there shows many promo
tons. The division and mechanical
heads have changed a number of times,
and without a single exception the
change has been in the nature of an
advance. These advancements have not
been confined to the Rock Island ser
vice, as several men have left Horton
to take important positions with other
lines.
From the fact that Horton is essen
TALLY railroad shop town, an extreme
" comfortable business atmosphere
prevails. The various merchants are
called upon to supply trade which
varies but slightly an extensiveness
from year to year, and an easy feeling
seems to have resulted from this steady
and absolutely substantial patronage.
The main business street boasts of sew
era1 handsome buildings, and it is the
expressed belief that many of the less
substantial store buildings which were
erected early in the existence of Horton
will eventually be replaced by perma-
nent structures of brick and stone.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
PROFIT FOR SANTA FEE
Maple Leaf Will Use Leavenworth
Branch to Kansas CITY,

Kansas City, Jan. 31.-The Chicago &
Great Western railway is to run it's
passenger trains into the Union depot
over the tracks of the Santa Fe Rail-
way company, according to the latest
runor. 1t is given out by persons who
claim to have their information from
a reliable source that the deal has been
closed between the two companies and
that it only remains for the Maple Leaf
to cancel the contracts under which it
now uses the Wyandotte street depot
and the Northwestern tracks.
Under the new arrangement, so the
report goes, the Maple Leaf trains are
to take the Santa Fe at LeaVenworth
and run from there to the Junction with
the Santa FEES main line at Holiday,
Kan. From Holiday they will be run
to the Union depot. Holiday is four
stations west of Kansas City.
To substantiate the report it is point
ed out that during the last six months
the Santa F'e has spent $4,000 in i'm
provements on the Leavenworth
branch. All the old wooden bridges and
cu1yertS have been replaced with steel
and stone structures and the road bed
has been greatly improved over its en-
tire length. 1t is admitted that this is
being done in preparation for an in
crease in traffic. The Maple Leaf now
uses small section of the road near
lansing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
and Equipment.

The matter has been consieered more
than once, but each consideration has
simply resulted in the decision to re-
spect the interests of the employees who
have invested their money in Horton
property. And consequently Brown
county numbers one of the most pros
porous railroad towns in the state, the
home of one of the most substantially
built and modernly equipped shop plants
in the west
AN EXCELLENT PLANT.
The Rock Island plant at Horton is
one which much larger place might
justly feel proud. 1t comprises several
brick buildings, and with the space for
material and sidetracks covers several
acres. The Importance of the shops can
be understood when it is known that
the entire freight car construction of
the Rock Island system, as well as the
repair work on the cars and engines
used on the western lines, is done there.
When the shops were first built pas
senger coaches were built and repaired
there as we'll as freight cars, but of late
years this has been changed All pas
senger equipment is now built and re-
paired at the general Rock Island shops
in Chicago, while the freight work en-
tire has been turned over to the shops
at Horton.
As a natural result the freight con-
struction work is the most important
work of the Horton plant. The capacity
of this department is % box cars per
week, IS doubledecked stockcars in the
same period of time and six go, 900
pounds coal cars per day. At present
the freight construction department is
rushed, as orders have been placed by
the management for five hundred &C, GOD
pounds capacity bOXcars, one hundred
$4,000 pounds capacity coal cars, and
two hundred &c foot stockcars to be
completed as rapidly as possible.
The present force employed at the
Horton shops makes the Rock Island
pay roll there $4,000 per month. The
amount of money distributed among
the shop men has at times been some
thing higher than this, and at
times, also, considerably less
than this amount. However, this
is a good average showing of the Rock
Island expenditures in Horton, as the
company's entire money distribution,
which includes salaries of the division
officers and train men residing in Hor-
ton, approaches close to the half mil
lion mark every year.
The mechanical work in Horton is
now in charge of Mr.. A. L. Studer
assistant superintendent of motive
power and equipment. Mr.. Studel
has been at the Horton shops q
year, succeeding Mr.. ]. W. Fitzgib-
bon, who resigned to take a posi-
ton with Mr. W. H. Truesdale on the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
road. He has SO far made an excellent
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
MONSTER ENGINE TANKS.
Santa Fe Passenger Locomotives Will
Hereafter Garry Mare Water.

There are now being built at the
Santa Fe shops in this city, six 5000
completed viii probably be placed on
the passenger locomotives running out
of Topeka. These tanks are the largest
ones built at the Topeka shops, and it
time to the fast passenger trains, as it
will be unnecessary for the trains to
stop so frequently to take water.
The work on these tanks is being
rushed ahead, and already two are COM
pleted and the other four will be finish
ed in a very short time. The use of 50
many large locomotives on the Santa
Fe, the heavy trains which are being
run, and the fast time which it is nee
essary to make, makes it imperative
that every convenience possible should
be provided which will in any way
facilitate operating movement. The two
tanks which have been completed are
in the paint shop, and will be turned
out in a day or two.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

itants.
This was the condition of Horton
when the Rock Island management
found that it had made a mistake in
ignoring Kansas City as the main Mis-
souri, river point on the western route.
That is the condition of Horton today.
7. is a substantial town of several thou
sand residents. and in the big Rock Is
land shops in the neighborhood of 400
men, the majority men of families, work
daily and take their rest in homes of
their own at night. The Rock Island
company is alone the sufferer for the
mis- take made by the management
years ago.
To take equipment into Horton for
repairs from the southern line of the
road it must be brought into Topeka
branch to the Brown county poin-.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

Equipment from the western lines must
be either brought into Topeka or ia
ken through Fairbury, Neb., on its way
to the shops. On every car or engine
there is expense to the Rock Island
management that would not be if the
shops were located at a point on the
main line. IN the course of a. year this
amounts to thousands of dollars. Sew
eral years extra expense represents
sufficient to defray the cost of tearing
down the Horton shop buildings and
reconstructing shops at another point.
But the Horton shops have not been
torn down in the several years since
changing the main line route across the
Missouri river from St Joseph to Kan
sas City, and that they will ever be
torn down is but a remote possibility.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

have one or more painters ready to
start on the finishing act.
The Rock Island shop plant at Hor-
ton is not one of the largest shop plants
in the country. It may be classed
among the larger shop plants, however
and turns out annually as much new
freight car equipment as any shop in
the west. 1t affords employment to a
sufficient number of men to maintain a
town of several thousand population on
a decidedly prosperous basis. Outside
of the general shops of the Santa Fe in
this city it is the biggest railroad en-
terprise in the state
DIVISION HEADQUARTERS.
Besides being the location of the
Rock Islands western shops. Horton is
also the headquarters of the eastern
division of the road. This division takes
in the st. Joseph line, the line from
Kansas City to Topeka, the line from
Horton via Fairbury to Phillipsburg,
and the Nelson, Clay Center and Omaha
branches. The division offices are To-
Gated in the second story of the hand
some depot building, and the division
officials at the present time are the fol-
lowing:
Mr.. c. w. Jones. division superin-
tendent.
Mr.. ]. D. Sullivan, division roadmas-
ter.
Mr.. R. I. Sutherland, trainmaster.
Mr. IT. S. Barnes, chief dispatcher.
In the dispatcher's office the first, sec
ond and third tricks are worked respec-
lively by Mr.. ]. T. Barrett, Mr.. J. S.
Jones and Mr.. R. A. Lybrook.
OF the division officials, Mr.. Sullivan
is the oldest resident of Horton. Mr..
c. w. Jones was transferred there from
Harrington when Mr.. w. NJ. Hobbs, now
superintendent of the lines east of the
Missouri river, was sent east. Mr..
Sutherland was promoted to his present
position from the place of chief dis
patcher. 1t is a peculiar coincidence
4,.s,f inn cyf1 cd
with both Mr. ]. NJ. Barr and Mr.. c. F.
Resseguie, respectively third vice presi-
dent and general superintendent of the
Santa F'e, on the Omaha division of the
Union Pacific several years ago.
The depot is located but a short dis
lance from the shops, and is a conven-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

long after that Mr. archie NJ. Baird
perfected a compressed air motor at the
Santa Fe shops in Topeka, and after
the first invention went ahead with the
work until he is now the father of more
compressed air machinery than any
other man In the United States.
w L ALIENS FATHER.
The natural start for a tour of the
shops is the office of General Foreman
Conrad. The Office is located in a cor
ner of the back shop, and the room be-
low this office is the daily abiding place
of the most familiar character at the
Horton plant. He is Mr.. John Allen,
father OF w. I. Allen, until recently
assistant general manager of the Rock
Island.
Mr.. Allen, senior, has charge of the
tool room at the shops. He took charge
of it when the Horton shops were built,
and he will probably retain charge Of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

in a very short time without losing an
hour from work. DR.. Rice is determ1ned
that every suffering man or woman shall
know the wonderful truth that rupture
can be cured and he therefore generously
sends, prepaid by mail, his method, abb
solutely free. and you can make a tree
trial of it. " rite today without fail, az
you can not afford to miss this free and
generous offer.
Mr.. NJ. *. Lyman, a highly esteemed
citizen of Delray, Fla. says: The DR..
Rice method is a remarkable cure. had
old rupture that dehed everything.
but in three weeks there was no protru-
sion and l have remained sound and well
ever since. l heartily recommend DR..
Rice to every sufferer" Do not fail to
write at once for the free trial and thus
cure yourself at home without pain, dan
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Write at once. Commence now and be- be-
will be cured sound as a dollar.
Write to DR.. W. S. Rice, $50 L. Main
St, Adams N Y, you will never regret
having done so.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

and still stands as it was originally
built in one corner of Mr.. Tike's de-
partment. The fact that he does not
believe in the economy of using COM
pressed air as a motive power in rail-
road work is responsible for the fact
that he neglected to take advantage of
the opportunity his invention gave him.
He simply built his small motor, used
it when he found it necessary, and did
nothing toward developing the posi-
bilities of his invention It was not
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
FROM WELLING roN.

Depot Master Harvey Coney is sick and
laying off. Henry Burton is looking after
Engineer Jim Linebarger went to To-
peka last night to enter the Santa Fe
tisn-
Oscar Tucker, who has been acting as
fireman. has been set back to wiping in
the round house during the slack business
period
c. F. Davis, express messenger on the
Blackwell flyer, has resumed his run, af-
ter a short layoff on account of the sick
ness of his wife. C. Z. Cheever, who has
been taking his place, will be transferred
to another run.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
Loses First of Several Suits.

Wichita, Jan. 31.-A verdict for 81. 500
damages was given G. c. Durond in the
district court here against the Rock Is
land Railroad company for injuries Du-
rond received in q, wreck in Rock Is
land crossing here in 1898. Durond asked
for SOC This is the first of seven suits
for damages caused in this wreck. and
if the same proportion of the amount
asked for is given in all the cases the
total iudgmenfs will reach $4,000.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

freight cars is not as large during the
winter months as during the summer
months. 1t is expected, however. that
the repair tracks will soon be included
IN building similar to that of the
Santa Fe here.
Between the several shop buildings
lumber of every description is in man.
moth piles. 1t represents much of the
material necessary in the construction
of the new cars which have been order
ed. This material is in charge of the
store department, of which Mr.. c. H.
Schneider is the head. Mr.. Schneider's
department occupies one of the shop
buildings, and there is to be found ev-
cry article needed in the work done at
the shops. When the inventory of the
stock at Horton was taken the first of
the present year it was found that ma
terial to the amount of $2S0,000 was I'M
der Mr.. Schneider'S charge.
The space between the shop buildings
is not occupied alone by lumber, how
ever. Hundreds of articles of iron
equipment necessary in the construc-
ton of new freight cars are there in
stacks. Much of this material has been
recently shipped as a result of the or
der for new freight equipment
The fact that no passenger car work
is done at the Horton shops confines the
work of the cabinet department to the
building and fitting of engine cabs and
waycar parts. An upholstering shop is
in connection with the cabinet depart
ment, and there engine cab and waycar
cushions are made.
MACHINE WHEEL SHOP.
The machine wheel shop is one of the
points of interest on a tour of the
Horton plant. To the care of Mr. w.
william, the foreman, is entrusted the
work of testing all wheels placed on en-
gines and cars sent out from that point.
Mr.. william also looks after speed recor-
ders, and other detail accessories of roll
ing stock. In his department the bolts
and bars used in the construction of
freight cars are made ready for use.
Mr.. G. H. Williams and Mr.. j. c.
Campbell have extremely important
work in hand in overseeing respective
~ the blacksmith and boilermaking de-
partments of the shops Both have been
in authority at the Horton shops for
several years, and have proved them
selves thoroughly competent to handle
the work entrusted to them. Mr.. c. c.
Gowdy is one of the youngest and most
energetic foremen in the employ of the
Rock Island at Horton. Boilermaking,
blacksmithing or machine work scarce
ly ceases on an engine in the Horton
shops before Mr.. Gowdry manages to
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

ient1y arranged structure of brick. The
first floor is divided into waiting rooms,
baggage room and lunch counter.
The eastern division has the greatest
mileage of any of the seven divisions of
the Rock Island road, and is conSe-
quently one of the most important. The
Jurisdiction of Mr.. Jones includes $50
miles of track, and he is responsible for
the condition of every mile, together
with the terminal facilities at various
points.
The promotion of Horton officials.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
Santa Fe Brakeman Hurt.

Hutchinson, JAN 31.-Brakeman VIII
Linder, of Newton, was thrown from
the top of a. boxcar on the Santa Fe here
last evening and sustained serious, if not
fatal, injuries. He was attempting to
set a. brake and was either thrown or
fell to the ground, striking upon his
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31
Foreman Garside Resigns.

Louie Garside, round house foreman for
the Santa Fe at Newton, has resigned his
position and the place has been offered to
Albert Dodge, of the water service de-
partment at Topeka 1t is not known
whether Mr.. Dodge will accept.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

'Tisn't safe to be a day without Dr.
Thomas Eclectric Oil in the house.
Never can tell what moment an acct
dent is going to happen.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-31

Adams, N. Y,
will send free to
all a trial of his
famous method
that has saved so
many lives and
made SO many
men, women and
children well and
strong and per-
manently c u r e d
of old and diff
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The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-11-01
THE REV. ISAAC TORRIS0N
AND OSCAR TORRIS0N
WILL VOTE FOR BRYAN.

Considerable publicity has been given
to the ayowal of former Democrats,
who, renouncing their fealty to an his
toric faith, will cast their votes for Jing-
oism and Imperialism. 1t can be said
with iustfiable pride that two former
Manitowoc men, one who has won re-
nown in the law and the other has be-
come famous in the pulpit, who, hither-
to were Republicans, have repudlated
the unwholesome dogmas OF milltarism
and subjugation and will make their
votes effective against Mr.. Mckinley.
1t is reliably understood that Oscar
Torrison, q lawyer of eminence whose
present home is Chicago and the Rev.
Isaac Torrison- brothers of Thomas
Torrison will, on November 6, vote for
William Jennings Bryan.