The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-14
Renumbering 25O, GOO Railroad Cars

Atlanta Constitution.
REMEMBERING 25O, 700 Railroad Cars
To facilitate the moving and taking
care of Its quarter of a million freight
and passenger cars, a great American
railroad system is having them all re-
numbered. 1t is a gigantic task. one
that Will take many months to COM
plete; but when the work is done there
will be none of the confusion which has
brought grief to the railroads car rec
ord office and car accountants of other
roads.
Troubles arose from the fact that ev-
cry one of the individual companies
which go to make up the system had its
own car numbers. In addition to that,
the similarity of the legends often
caused one name to be reported when
the other should have been. In the sys-
tenn there might be eight or ten cars
with the same number, and If the small
initials of individual ownership were
left out of a report there was no way
OF telling what car was really meant.
For example, take the number 2015.
1t was a gondola car on the - - &
- -; it was a box car on the -
- - & -; and it was a coke car
on the If some agent sent in
a report on - 2o15,'' neglecting to
mention the smaller initials, he might
be reporting on any one of the number.
To do away with - confusion it was
decided to reminder the entire car
ing to each lesser company included in
the system a certain series of consecu-
tive numbers, this series being further
divided SO as to indicate kind, class,
and capacity. The result is that the
number alone will tell all there is about
a car to know, as 1t can be identified by
reference to the official list.
1t is a very intricate and complex job
to get the new numerals on the cars.
The size of it can be realized only when
NJ
railroad system are scattered over the
whole country, many of them staying
away from home" for months, even
years. Before such a one can be re-
the system.-Harper's weekly.
A Revolving Door Fight.
waltz Me Around Again, Willie"
has been changed to Chase Me Around
Again, Wesley" as the result of a
bloodless but ludicrous ARRAY between
Representative John Wesley Gaines, of
Tennessee, and man in Washington
who is known as q publicity agent.
AS the story goes, Gaines and the
publicity agent engaged in an alterca-
ton in the rotunda of a leading hotel,
which concluded in an invitation to
Gaines to step out on the sidewalk
which the invitation was accepted
somewhat discouraged Gaines would
be antagonist, who led the way toward
the street.
When a big. revolving door, leading
into Pennsylvania avenue was reached,
the publicity agents courage shrunk
completely. Instead of passing into
the street he calmly followed the door
around in a circle, the irate Gaines at
his heels. Around and around went the
pursued and pursuer with ever-increas-
ing velocity, each in his separate COM
partment dragging his heels from under
the door, following relentlessly upon
his footsteps.
AS the compartments flew by the
open space leading into the hotel and
into the street loud words resounded,
only to be muffled moment later as
the compartment sped into the tunnel
on either side of the doorway. Finally
Gaines is reported to have become ex-
hausted from the chase, the publicity
agent vanished, and when the police ar
rived Gaines was found alone on the
field of battle with a smoking revolving
door in both NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Dis
patch in the New York Herald.
a NI1ir-oIasS