The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-11-06
NAMES oE our RAILROADS.
Curious Changes In Titles nra"=hi
About by the Public.

About by the Public.
The fashion of naming rH.iroads "ss
changed considerably in the lrt QlC. te,
Of century. The three and four VOID
titles have about gone out of style, AID
one word names succeed them. For in
stance, the Santa Fe is no longer referred
to as the AtchiSon, Topeka and Saata
Fc. although this is the corporation title.
The old Chicago. Burlington and Quin'
cy has been contracted To simply Burling'
ton by the puNlic decree, and the title
Rock Island has replaced the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific.
Many towns otherwise practically un'
known are kept before the public be
cause they had the luck 10 be worked into
railroad title. For instance, who knows
the real name Of the Monon railway As
matter of fact it was organized as the
Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville
road. The little town Of Monon, Ind,
gave il its popular name. The Wabash
system does not take its name from the
river. hut from station Of this name on
the line.
One of the most sensible railroad
names was selected for the combination
of railroads organized in the south and
now known Ne the southern railway.
The southern is very fitting, us il enters
nearly every southern state. II is also
an economical name.
Another name that strikes you is the
Cotton Belt. This is how the st. Louis
Southwestern railroad has been mod
crnizcd As it passes through one Of
the largest cotton producing regions Of
the United States it is very appropriate.
Because little road up in Nova SEQ
tia with the ponderous title Of the Domin
ion and Atlantic reached the land made
famous in Longfellow's poem tourists
have given it the title OF the EvangeliHc
road. and perhaps this is more appro-
pirate than the other. Ii Is certainly
more picturesque.
\ change which must have shocked
the directors was in the case OF the
Cleveland, Cincinnati. Chicago and St
Louis, This was altogether too much
for its patrons and the railway men, and
some one thought Of the size Of the cities
named and called il the Big -Four.
Down in Texas and the neghborine
states they have a habit OF handling the
railroads without gloves when it comes
TO giving names. \ favorite plan is to
take the principal initials Of road and
spell them out Only a native OF the
southwestern ranches would know Pee
Gee stands for the Kansas City, Pitts.
burg and Gulf railroad. Another Texas
road. the Kansas City, Beaumont and
Gulf, is merely called kaysec, cutting on
the last part ot it. Sap Is short and
sweet II has been contracted from s.,
A. T.. meaning San Antonio and Aran-
sas Pass one OF the principal lines
in Texas The New York capitalists
who built another road thought that Mis-
souri,. Kansas and Texas would be a
suitable name. but the Texas people re-
duccd il To Katy.
Including nicknames, the shortest name
OF any railroad in the United States is
the Sap. which has already been re-
ferred 10. Il is G3T miles in length. A
little road in Mississippi. the Chester,
Perryville. Sainte Genevieve and Farm
ington. has the longest title of any in
America. This contains no fewer than
is letters, but two other lines are close
10 Il. the Richmond, Nicholasyille. Irvine
and Beatyyvillc and the Southwestern
Arkansas and Indian Territory. Tha
Chester line is only % miles lOng.-Chi-
cago lutcr Ocean.