The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-19
RAILROAD NEWS.
Mr.. and Mrs. Amos BeeIer Home
From Norfolk.
Made an Extensive Trip to East
ern Points of Interest.
VISITED ROOSEVELT
VISITED ROOSEVELT.
Met Former Santa Fe Officials
at Portsmouth.
How Topeka Didn't Get the
Next Convention.

Next Convention.
Engineer Amos Beeler, representative
of the local council of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, and Mrs.
Beeler who went with him as delegate
to the Grand international Auxiliary of
the same, have returned from the fifth
biennial convention of the order held at
Norfolk. Va, few weeks ago, and
from an interesting visit to other cities
of the east.
The convention was in session a little
more than three weeks and was the
largest attended and the best in every
way that ever assembled. There we're
about 400 engineers and more than half
that many Of the women present Off
cially, while three or four hundred en-
ginemen and their wives came in every
day to watch the workings of the as
sem blage. being merely spectators. The
sessions of the engineers We're held in
the Norfolk Armory, while the women
met in the hail of the Elks' lodge. Both
were accorded the greatest favors
which the people of Norfolk and the
hospitable south could show them. and
of their treatment Mr. and Mrs. Beeler
are liberal with praises.
Nearly all the sessions of the engi-
neers We're presided over by Chief P. NJ.
Arthur of Cleveland, Ohio. There were
two meetings each day-One at a. m.
which continued until noon and the
other beginning at one D. N. and con-
tinuing until 5 O'Clock, the remaining
intervals being taken up with meetings
of committees. One Of the chief acts of
the men was to distribute about Sea, 900
charity fund among the widows and
orphans of members who had died. A
rule was also established for the pen
siOning of those belonging to the lodge
who have become totally incapacitated
for labor. A contribution of $500 was
also made to the fund being raised with
which a Mckinley monun emf is to be
na al cd
of their leading sessions to the consid-
Grafton of charity and insurance mat
ters donating $4,000 to the support of
widows and orphans
Mr.. and Mrs Beeler went to Norfolk
with the intention of bringing the con-
VentiOn, which is to meet two years
| hence, to Topeka; and their support
was strong for a long time during the
contest. But Cleveland, Ohio, entered
the race, and as many of the delegates
preferred rather to see it go to the eX-
IRENE west than to that city. they voted
for Los Angeles, the winning city On
the final ballot, Topeka stood fifth, Los
Angeles, Cleveland Houston, Tex, and
New Haven. Conn, outclassing it.
The steamship and railroad lines of
Norfolk showed the utmost cOurteSies
to the delegates. carrying them to num-
erOuS points of interest in and around
the historic city. Some of the principal
/ places visited We're Ocean View, Vir-
ginia Beach. SewalPs Point Old Point
Comfort, Fortress Monroe, Newport
( News and City Park. On board the
1 steamers meals and other entertain
ment were furnished the visitors free.
Before reaching the seat of the con-
ventiOn Mr.. and Mrs. Beeler made a
detOur through the south on their jour
ney there, going from Topeka direct to
Memphis, Tenn. After a brief pause
1 there they continued to Asheville, n. c..
| where the town Of BiltmOre, owned
/ and operated by one George Vanderbilt,
/ was the chief object of interest. Stops
At nd at
| Danville, the same state Thence they
! went to Norfolk remaining there little
more than three weeks while the bodies
! We're IN session After adjournment
/ their itinerary took them first to Rich
mond, the Oldest state capital in the
1 union and from there they went to
/ Washington During their stay in the
/ last named city OF course they saw the
/ principal things of interest, among 9TH
/ er experiences which they will long re-
/ member being their call with two other
/ engineers and their wives upon President
J Roosevelt at the White House They
I were introduced to the chief magistrate
/ by Miss Jennie Smith, a railroad evan
/ gelist whose acquaintance among the
! railroad men and women of the country
is almost universal. Pausing briefly in
/ Baltimore, they went on to Philadelphia
/ remaining only long enough to inspect
! the great Wanamaker store. New York
was the last of the extreme eastern
/ cities visited, and after remaining in
that busy place for a number of days
/ the guest Of friends, they took the train
for Canton, Ohio the boyhoOd home of
/ Mr. Beeler. There they remained taking
I in the sights and enjoying the meeting
/ of a number of his relatives. Thence
/ they came home to Topeka.
In the town of Portsmouth which lies
/ just across the river from Norfolk is
I located the headquarters of the me
! chanical department of the Seaboard
/ Air Line, and it is there that r. P. Q.
/ SandersOn formerly assistant superin-
1 tendent of machinery for the Santa F'e
| has his office as superintendent of mo-
/ tive power of that system. Chief Clerk
! Henry, who was with Mr.. SandersOn in
] Topeka is also working under him
there F. p. Hickey, until about a year
ago general shop foreman at Topeka
/ is stationed at Portsmouth with the
! title of master mechanic and controls
about five hundred miles of line All of
/ these gentlemen Engineer Beeler met
/ and talked with while he was at Nor
/ folk, spending a number Of evenings
| with Mr.. Hickey. One thing which a
/ western railroad man Is led to rem ark
| upon is the fact that the Seaboard peo-
/ PIE have but twelve stock cars on their
| whole system. most Of the traffic in that
! country consisting of garden stuff, fish
/ milk and fruits The Santa Fe places
its orders for cattle cars by the thou
| sands, thus showing the difference in
the kind Of business which the two
4 roads do.
Mr.. Beeler says that Third Assistant
/ Postmaster General Madden was elect