The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-26
RAILROAD NEWS.
Solid Silver Loving Cup For w.
j. Black.
Presented to Him by Passenger
Agent Excursi0nists.
THEY HAD A GAY TIME.
California Entertained the Wis
itors in Grand Style.
Story About Mr.. Blacks Game
With ssButtOns.o

w J. Black. general passenger agent of
the Santa Fe, returned today from San
Francisco, where ne went with the ex-
cursion of 800 passenger men about two
weeks ago
At San Diego Mr. Black was presented
by the excursionists with a solid silver,
gold trimmed. loving cup of great rich
ness and beauty 1t was appropriately
inscribed and was presented TO him by
Vice President T. F. Fitzgerald in the
presence of all the members Of the asso-
citation. According to the California pa
in accepting the gift Of the railroad men
At the same time that Mr. Black was
ETraffic Manager George T. Nicholson Of
silver punch bowl and a dozen cut glass
COST COST $1,000 ---N'' ~ : So = - -
The excursion of the passenger men
was about the biggest thing that ever
struck the state OF California The rail
roads of that state, the various cities
which were visited. the hotels and every
individual citizen seems TO have taken
a hand in making the visitors have a
olson ana Mr. Black both accompanied
the excursion and supervised in person
the arrangements for the comfort OF the
a continued round of excursions. ban
quets, balls and receptions One business
session of three hours duration for the
election of officers and reading of officers
reports completed the serious work of the
trip.
Evidently Mr.. Black had a good time.
When he left Topeka he announced his
intention Of leaving the excursion a, party
But evidently the excursionists would
Hack Went 3hroush to Los Angeles and
was one of the central figures of the
gayeties of the occasion.
w. ]. Rouse the wei known newspaper
man connected with the Los Angeles Her
aid printed the following entertaining
write-up of Mr.. Black, together with
picture of that gentleman:
William J. Black, alias Jerry, is the
oar ma az of he fn
Topeka & Santa Fe road and has his
headquarters at Topeka. kan 1t is not
chat with him the other day he told me
well as he was able where the town of
it was the cal ital of Kansas, but it was
unnecessary to say anything about it on
Mr. Black is one Of those genial fell
lows. good looking. fun Of entertaining
chat. and always sought after by con-
gregations of good fellows to make the
list complete. He is the soul Of hospital
as I viii show little later on. Mr.
born in St Louis. october 5, 1854. He
began to hop bells in the Vandalia offices
he was really one of the most useless,
worthless. no-account office boys ever
believe there is a tablet to this effect
in the old office where he used TO work
Iieved he was worthy, but in the hope of
getting new. office boy he was advanced
senger department and surprised every
one by showing that he was full of ideas
con1pa MES In lSS4-S6 he went with the
Missouri Pacific in a similar capacity and
in 1886, in March, transferred his official
affections to the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe, maintaining the job of rate
clerk, but advancing year later to the
chief clerkship of the passenger depart
ment of that road. On the first day of
er al pa passenger agent Of the road and
has held the position ever since. He's
is likely to be dismissed at any time and
the official ladder.
I said moment ago that he wouldn't
take advantage of stranger The proof
day l was forcibly reminded of the trite
old saying; Dog eat dog or Diamond
thieves t or Some of those Old gags about
a good fellows getting his due once in
lifetime Some Of the raiir 70 4n OFFICIALS d
them. some of them white. some red and
with any of the boys for a long while
Neither would Mr.. Nicholson, nor Mr..
f Byrne; but after a time these three met met
Cincinnati. and all four sat down to skin
each other to a good brown finish The
whole aggregation of brains and railroad
energy looked on. The game waxed fast
Mr. Gunnip lost ali but two Of his little
be button, button, whose got the over
coat% when he began to get them back
again. 1t went all around the table that
way. first one and then the other getting
all but one or two of the buttons But
when they quit there wasn't a hairs diff
ference between them and they gave 1t
up in disgust. Some of the boys said
that # t6eFed Pe e t an 9nfniae1 ont " Of tqas
honest they wouldn't let any outsiders
play.