The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-08

very short of operators and that they
had some pretty good jobs, 1 decided
10 20 to work for them If 1 could get
o..
Then what did you do?
1 then applied to the chief Dispatch
er of the Rock Island for a job.
When was it that you made this ap-
plication?
The 26th of December.
In the application how old did you
represent yourself to be?
Twenty-three.
Why did you represent yourself to
be twenty-three years of age instead
OF eighteen?
AS various roads in the United
States do not hire operators under
twenty-one, that is I had been in
capable of doing the work of a
twenty-one-year-old man and wanted
work: That was the reason 1 did it.
Did you make an application to the
Santa Fe also?
Yes. Neither of these applications
were sworn statements though.
How old did you represent yourself
to be in the Santa Fe application?
I think it was the same age.
Island?
Yes, sir
Who employed you?
The chief dispatcher and general
superintendent, chief clerk 1 should of
said.
Did you tell either of these gentle
men that you were not twenty-three
years of age?
No. sir. L did not They did not ask
Was there anything said other than
what was in the application in refer
ence to your age?
No sir.
Did you have to take an examina-
ton?
Physically; yes. sir.
Did You pass that examination?
No. sir. The first time 1 went up
eyes were deficient. 1 went back and
told the chief dispatcher that, and
wanted to go to work, and went in and |
asked the general superintendent
me to go up and have the doctor throw |
this examination out and bring it back
TO him and see whether he could en- |
pioy me on this application or not.
What was that doctors name?
l couldn't say. 1t was the COM !
pany's physician.
Where did you go to see him?
| believe it was 634 Kansas avenue. /
II you didn't pass the physical ex-
amina tiOn, how did you get a position ? |
1 had a doctor put down my vision |
and the rest of his examina ton and |
took 1t to the general superintendent
chief clerk. He looked over this and |
Drought 1t back to the chief diSDa tcher
where L was sitting. Some few words
passed between he and the chief. The
chief then called me over and said he
would hire me; for awhile he said
ne would send me to Alma, but he
hought he would have to send me to
Volland shortly on account of the
operator at Volland wanting to come
o Alma, because his folks lived there
md he wanted to work there. And
expected the change to be soon any,
way, so I had the agent, Mr. Dickey,
tx 1t so we could change that day. 7
began work at Volland on the night
# December %, 1906.
Were you employed as night opera
or at Volland?
Yes, sir, l was employed as night
perator.
How long did YOU work as night
perator at Volland?
From December % to the time the
vreck occurred at about 1850, the
est 1 can recollect. I
What night was that? S
The night of the wreck was on jan '
airy ., 1850 a. m. t
While you were on duty as night l
perator, did you receive any orders '
rom the train dispatcher relative to
he meeting of second % and 80? {
Yes, sir 7
Did you receive any orders on this {
light in question relative to the meet t
1g place of second 90 and IA? {
No, sir. 1 did not. I
If IA meet 90 at Volland? i
Yes sir.
Did you know where they were to {
1eet? ]
Well, the dispatcher called me and told V
lie to copy, realized that he was go q
lg to put out train orders. 1 had all a
ly instruments open, I reached over I
nd got my manifold. He told me to @
opy for second %. b
Where was second %?
looked out and 1 could see them O
eading into the east switch and in the o
Their direction 1 could see IA coming.
he dispatcher was talking to me. that Il
, he was giving me numbers and ad-
resses of orders, and 1 had to clear IA.