The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-17
|. CUTS RED TAPE.
Rock Island Plans to Get in
Close Touch With People.
Operating Officials Given More
Power to Act.
ADDS TO EXPENSE.
Number OF Division Superinten-
DDS TO EXPENSE.
Number OF Division Superinten-
dents Is Increased.
Territory of Each Operating
Man Is Reduced.


officials in closer touch with the people
| and with public necessity in the way
/ of transportation facilities.
! With this end in view the manage
ment recently has made many material
| changes in the physical division and in
| the organization of the operating forces.
Under the new plan which has been put
in force by President B. L. Winchell.
| the divisional plan of organization has
been further concentrated SO that the
| general superintendent and the divis-
/ ion superintende will have less mile
age to look after, will have more power
to 'sdo things" without bothering the
front office and will be brought in
closer touch with the people along their
| respective divisions of the road.
| The carrying out of the plan will add
| somewhat to the expense of opera ton,
as it increases the number of division
! superintendent from fourteen to nine
teen. Formerly the division super1n-
| tendents had an average of 460 miles OF
road to look after. Hereafter they will
have an average of at least 100 miles
less. This is a departure from the usual
method of adding mileage to division
superintendent.
In addition to the operation over their
divisions, the superintendent also viii
have charge of maintenance; which OIL
many systems is delegated to engineers.
In short, a division superintendent on
the Rock Island will be a bigger man
tLan he is on almost any other system.
He will be expected to keep in close
touch with his territory and will be
given the authority to do many things
which heretofore have required the au-
thority of a general superintendent or
of a general manager.
Likewise the general superintendent,
of which the Rock Island now has five,
will rise in Importance and practically
will be assistant general managers. each
Of
road in charge. The new regime is ex-
pected to have a splendid effect upon
discipline, as the superintendent will
have time to get acquainted with his
men.
1t is believed the new plan will also
have a beneficial effect in the handling
Of traffic in that it will allow the var
ious superintendent more latitude and
because each man will not be burdened
with a territory larger than he has time
to handle and give personal attention
to.
The changes in the boundaries of the
territory under the jurisdiction of the
various division superintendent have
all been made on the northern district
and on the two districts which Will be
known as the southern and the Chqc-
taw districts that were made up from
the lines heretofore embraced in the
Choctaw district, and the separate
company operating the lines in Texas.
There have been no changes in the
territory under the general superin-
tendents in the central and southwest
ern districts The central district will
continue to be governed from the gen.
eral office at Davenport, and likewise
the southwestern district will continue
to be governed from the general office
at Topeka.
In the geographical reorganization of
the other districts the northern district
will be composed of the Cedar Rapids,
Minnesota. Dakota and Des Moines val
IfxrfG af a a
The Choctaw district will be COM
posed of the Arkansas, Louisiana and
/. T. divisions, office at Little Rock,
Ark.
the southern district will be COM
posed of the Oklahoma, Panhandle and
FIT Worth divisions. office at FIT. Worth,
Texas.
The following constitute the new di-
visions in the three districts above
mentioned under the reorganization
which changes the boundaries of the
various divisions:
Minnesota division-Cedar Rapids
IN. P. 1000 to Minneapolis. Vinton
to south yard limit board. Esthervillc.
Office at Cedar RAPIDS. Iowa.
Cedar Rapids aid Dakota divisions
divisions ire to remain the
same as at present. with the exception
of the territory that is Withdrawn to
form the Minnesota division.
Des Moines valley division This d.
vision to remain as at present, with
the exception that the Winterset and
IndianoIa branches are added thereto.
Iowa division-This division to re-
main the same as at present, with the
exception of the territory that is with
valley division.
Arkansas division = Memphis to
Bonneville (east yard limit board). |
Brinkley to Jacksonport- Wiville to
to Hot Springs. Butterfield to Nal |
vern. Office at Little Rock Ark.
I. T. acknowledgements to Shaw
nee (west yard limit board). Haiiey-1
to Asher. Office at Haileyville, I. T.
Louisiana division = Haskells to
Tinsman to Crossett. Office |
at Ruston, La. ~.
yard limit board) to Chickasha (south |
yard limit board). Shawnee to Geary |
(east yard limit board). Chickasha |
to Mangum. Kinghsher to Chandler. !
North Enid to Billings. Chickasha to |
Lindsay. Office at Chickasha, T.. T.
Panhandle division-Geary to Tex |
ola. Enid to Anadarko Cnorth yard |
limit board). Geary to- Anthony. |
Ingersol to Alva. ONCE at Geary, |
Okla
Fort Worth Observation-Disclosures to
TerraI. waurika to Anadarko (south |
yard limit board1. Lawton to Chatta-
nooga- Office at Fort Worth, Tex.
The divisions in the central district
will remain the same, embracing the
Terminal division; the Illi-
nois division from Chicago to Daven-
port; the Iowa division from Daven-
port to Omaha; the Nebraska division
from Omaha to Phillipsburg, Kansas;
and the Colorado division from Phil
ipsburg to Denver Colorado Springs
and Pueblo.
The southwestern district likewise |
1ndergoes no changes. embracing the
division from Davenport to
kansas City, and the line through ST.
Toe to Horton. Kansas; the st. Louis
division from Kansas City to St Louis:
he Kansas City terminal division; the