The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-26
RAILWAY rRApEMARKs.
History Of Designs Selected BY Amer
ican Roads,

There was a time when the railroads
OF the United States were content to
be known By their names alone. and did
not bother with striking rraderuar ks
Then they were not striving strenuous
~ Tor publicity and were content 70
carry the business which came their
way. Press agents were unknown. and
the general passenger agents did not
keep scrapbOOks-
The trademark came in with the
building OF competing lines. and now
most OF the roads have some design
wtich is used on all printed matter In
the west and south nearly al Of the
small roads possess trademarks. and,
generally the shorter the road the
more complicated is the design Some
roads even have the TRADEMARKS paint
ed On their cars. and their trainmeu
wear them on rEeir caps
Some OF the designs we're selected IN
ricular significance Other roads offer
FED prizes for the best design for their
particular use. and there were many
competitors Ingenious geometric de-
vices satisfy some roads. while interest
ing stories are hidden IN the origin and
meaning OF Others
Railroad men 90 not agree as to
which road was the first to take up the
trademark idea The Pennsylvania.
railroad was one OF the first. with a
modest keystone design That IL was
also the emblem of the great state from
which the railroad takes its name did
not lessen its value as q trademark
Many have wondered al the peculiar
design that has been used by the North
ern Pacific railroad for the last eight
years II was adopted by the company
because IL was striking. and it was not
until after il had been used for some
time that Its possible original and
ancient meaning was learned
The original symbol, from which the
idea is taken is Chinese invention. al
though the officials Of the road thought
that they were getting a COrean de-
sign because they had first seen lit
upon "a Corsan flag at the Worlds fair.
IT seems that the Coraans had done q
little adopting on their own account
The diagram was evolved in the
eleventh century A D. BY a young Chi
nese named Chow Lien XII According
70 rne story which comes from China.
this Chow vas g romantic youth. and
perhaps poetic for he loved 10 wander
through the country.
One day he stumbled across & Won
derrui cave which tunnelled through a
hl-- having entrances on each side. The
cave was round inside, but the en-
frances were crescent shaped. This
gave him the idea for a diagram. which
IS known as the Great Monad and AZ
used il to illustrate a system OF phil
osorhy established by FHlh Hi some four
wonderful cave
The monad has long exercised a wide
influence among Oriental peoples Tf@ht
ana darkness, force and matter. motion
ana rest. IRE and water. are some of the
things which they read IN this mysrer-
terious figure The Northern Pacific
people say with point that ali OF these
Things are closely related 10 the work
ings OF a great sporration com
pany- Freight and passenger trains
through the agency Of fre and water
sl'e nov IN rapid motion and again at
rest. rhrou Ehour both dav and night
The Canadian Pacific railroad has a.
strik king emblem in the Canadian beaver
lying on TOP of a shield. which bears the I
rAttrOa1s name he is pretty little I
animal this beaver with bead-IiIza ewes
and "a tail fashioned like a. paddle He
a. typical Of Canada and has proved |
transcor tinentaI line
Ar Is fitting that the Southern Pacific
should use the setting sun as its official I
EN- clerIl- for the greatest part of its
lniteage e in states which have more 4
cli-n their share Of sunshine. The de- /
--sn most used has a railroad track i
7 INNING INTO q dazzling sun. which has 4
--ll.e7- gone down The Union Pacific 4
makes good use OF q red white and /
blue shield The Santa Fe railway mss
a aeF elopment OF the cross which is
lol l.er among the southern Indians
.---a A--A--e-tls II uts into q circle per
I=ctiy and bears the words santa F0as
On the crcsspiece- The Houston and II
a e1as Central has adopted the five
pointed star that was long ago taken as
the emblem OF the Lone Star State The
colorado Midland places pyramid
v lInln circle and allows a raproduc-
Lol OF Elke'S peak to rear its snow
clad head In the center Of the pyramid I
The Lehigh Valley railroad mas a
black diamond trademark which is an /
pro1r'larar considering the heavy coal
-raliic which the road carries. 1t is
1su ally seen in the center Of a RAG
I ne chicago Great Western had a great
5eal or trouble getting a satisfactory
1eslgn for its three legged road"
iplr1red competition was held and the
maple LEAF adopted The three ter
City Chicago and Min
eapolis-nnd convenient corners on tire
ea1- The Baltimore and Ohio features
Re dome OF the capitol building at
VaEhingtAl ia its trademark The fierce
Ira CONS at each side Of the design have
la naS6culaR aiEmacaRca. The Maine