The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27
TURNS TO TOPEKA
derry Black Comes HOme-Glad
to Be Back.
Wouldn't Swap Topeka for Four
ChicagOs.
HE TALKS OF TRAVEL.
TE TALKS OF TRAVEL.
Says Holiday Passenger Business
Has Been Enormous.
Would Make Express and
Baggage Cars Separate Trains.

81 wouldn't swap Topeka as a place
to live IN for four Chicagos,' was the
expressive reply of ". J. Black, pas
senger traffic manager of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railway company.
when he was asked today how ne liked
his new home. He has nothing in par
ticuIar against Chicago unless It may
be that he has been sighted, for as
vet he has not been treated tosthe ex-
perience of holdup. which is quite as
common in the Windy City as a hand
shake.
MI. Black arrived in Topeka last
night from Leavenworth, where he
and Mrs Black passed Christmas time
with relatives. Bright and early this
morning he was around the general
Offices with a merry greeting for all of
his old friends. He expects to be in
Topeka until Friday of this week,
when he will return to Chicago.
Holiday travel this year said Mr..
Black, has been of enormous proper
tions. 1t has been heavier than ever
before and has been handled in
pretty good shape. There was only
one draw back to it, and that VA IS the
inability of the trains to make their
schedule time. This was. due solely. TO
unprecedented smmOunt of express bust
ness which the railroads have been
asked to handle "A t. every important
point along our line trains were de-
}ayed from a feRv minutes to quite a
while in order t1hatil express matter
could be put aboard and taken from
them. This sort of delay is unjust to
the persons travelling on the trains
and viii have to be remedied in the
future
1T occurs to me now that there is
but one way to remedy it and that
Will be to take the express and bag
gage cars off the big through trains
during holiday times, make them up
i'm separate trains and let them follow
the passenger trains. This seems to
me to be the only solution of the cues
tion. The passenger trains could then
be run on their schedule and would
not have to be del aged a minute on
account of baggage and express
Concerning the new passenger
equipment which as been ordered
Mr. Black said that the company ex-
pected to receive some of the four
diners and the two cafe observation
cars by the middle OF February. The
first lot of the seventy-fve new pas
senger cars. which includes twenty
five special smoking cars. will be ready
for use about the first of March.
Mr.. Black said that it was possible
ne would attend the next regular
meeting Of the TranscsOntiuentaI Pas
senger association, which is to be held
in Los Angeles, Cal, on January. Is
Meetings of this association nave beer
held In the past in Chicago. but the
officers of the association have decided
that in the future the meetings viii
be held at various points on the svs-
TENS comprising the association. This
viii give the represe natives of the
roads Inc this body an opportunity to
study collectively the conditions which
exist at the big points touched bv THEN
roads. Mr.. Black is in sympathy WITH
this plan and hopes to be able to Sc
arrange his affairs that he VIII h.
able to attend the meeting in Los
Angeles.