The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-03-10
PASSENGER AGENTS BUSY
Looking After Transportation OF
Discharged Soldiers
JACK Q'NE|LL HEADED THE BUNCH
Fifteen AGENTS FIGHT TO
SELL TICKETS TO Thirteen
Ex-soLDIERs.

Travelling passenger agents of the
various railroads that reach the Pa
cific coast and those having connec-
lions that bring their trains west are
having a strenuous time in looking
after the business of securing dis
charged soldiers to purchase tickets
over their roads to eastern points. II
is one of the rules of the railroad Of
ficials to keep close tab on all prospec-
tive business, and receiving informa-
ton that quite number of enlisted
men of the Fourteenth Cavalry were
Walla Walla it was an incentive for
the several companies to have their
agents look after this business. AS
result there arrived yesterday and this
morning in Walla Walla fourteen pas
senger agents, bent on getting as many
of the discharged men as possible 20
go to their homes over the roads they
represented.
This morning as soon as the sun
peeped above the Blue mountains n
the east the bunch of railroad men put
in an appearance at the fort and the
greatest battle ever pulled off on the
military reservation began. Each man
who had received his discharge and
final statement was eagerly sought for
and every inducement offered to get
the men to buy a railroad ticket.
Soldiers Ran Gauntlet.
1t was not only strenuous day for
The railroad agents, but it was equally
as strenuous for the discharged SOL
diers. One agent would corral him and
after setting forth the beautiful scenery
that could be found along his particu.
lar route, the many accommodations
afforded passengers and the service
given, would strike out for another
prospective victim. This program was
carried out by each agent and before
that it is reported they proposed to
hold a conference and endeavOr to
reach a conclusion to cut loose from
the agents, come to the city and buy
tickets over the road that suited their
fancy.
O'NeiII Put Up Good Talk.
While all the agents put up good
talks and were very eloquent in de-
scribing the rAatures of the trip over
their respective lines, it is said that
J. H. O'Neill, travelling passenger agent
of the o. r. & n, carried off the
prize for putting up the best argument
to the ex-soldier boys.
Up to noon none of the agents had
been successful in landing the soldiers
and as there were but Is that had
been discharged, a conference of the
railroad boys was held, when, it is re-
ported, they decided to compromise tina
matter by dividing the business.
VINO were mere.
The following is a complete list OF
the passenger agents who were at the
garrison today after the business: ].
H. O'Neill, of the O. r. & NJ; H. H.
O'Connor, of the c.. r. I. & p; w. s.
Brewster, of the c.. G. W.; Ed Funiss,
of the G. N; Fred Rodgers, of the
G. NJ; r. B. Wilson, of the C. B. &
O.; H. B. Smith, of the Erie; H. n.
Baird. of the C. B. & O.; c. S.
Haynes, of the o. r. & NJ; M. j.
Roche, of the D. & r. g.; George Tay-
lor, of the Wisconsin Central; George
H. OConnor, of the w. & c.. r.; W.
H. Ude, Of the Northern Pacific; ]. w.
Casey, of the c.. ST. & M; w. F..
Miller, of the c.. ST. P. & M.