The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06

Der, before coming west, were included
the Mcqueen Locomotive Works and
the New York Central shops at Schen-
ectady, n. Y Upon coming to Topeka
IN April. 1870, Mr.. Josin was employed
in the original Cofran foundry, which
was destroyed by fire some years ago.
The first Topeka shop with its handful
of men has expanded into the city
chief industry. where 1900 men swarm
like bees in a hive day and night The
great siren whistle sends the major
portion Of them scattering to their
homes at the close of day, but IN the
roundhousa and about the yards some
WOrkmen continue tOiling through the
night hours to round out the twenty
four hours Of the day OF this great
labor institution in the days of its in
fancy Mr. Joslin possesses a fund OF in
teresting "reminiscences
When I entered the service of the
Santa Fe as the third machinist hired
by Master Mechanic Ferris ne told the
State Journal reporter. the frame build
ing in the Sixth street yard was all
there was to the shops We didn't have
any machines at first. There were no
lathes. 1t was some time before q
boiler and stationary engine was put in
The shop was built on telegraph poles
driven into the ground The road had
but three or four locomotives then 1t
ran as far as Rurlingame only at that
time A stage coach line ran from there
On west to another stretch Of road that
began somewhere around Cottonwood,
as I rec0IIect it Before the first ma
ehinery was put in, the castings needed
were made and turned down at Cofran's
foundry
when the company took the shops
down TO their present location there was
room and to spare One winter a colony
Of MennOnites. eTnigTants direct from
Russia rented the east shop and had
their headquarters there I've seen these
quarters fitted Up. added to. Outgrown
ard now ready for the new shops. The
new machine shop IS going to be built
next spring. you tell us in the State
JoUrnal-it will be an immense affair.
From the enthusiasm over the i'm
pending expansion Of the great industry,
in which all Topeka is interested. as
well as the men who work within its
confines, Mr.. JOsliH was carried back
again to speak of the men with whom
he worked in the early days. some or
whom have passed away. others branch
ed out into other walks OF life Master
Mechanic Ferris died Mcealliard also,
through oyer-indulgences common to
the habits Of a quarter of a Gentry ago.
the habits of a quarter OF century ago.
company Bob Mood, Hunter and other
notables Of the passings years came and
Wv w Fagin was superintendent Of
the road then Fagin plays the biggest
Joke on himself. his friends and the
medical fraternity by staying alive to
this day FagfI was an inyeteTate
smoker He had cigar in his mouth all
the time When he came everybody
said he wouldn't live the year out be-
cause Of his devotion to the weed He
fooled all the wise men though Fagfn
went from here TO another road. the
Memphis T think. He was in Kansas
City a couple Of years ago and is still
around somewhere
Ben Russian was another old stand
by He IS still about Topeka. think,
though retired from service with the
company. Russan lived at Auburn
He never missed going home over Sun
day He had a horse or two trained to
find their way back home from Topeka
Every Monday morning Russian would