The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20

Il really began to feel uncom-
Portable said Edward Chambers, as
sistant freight traffic manager of the
Santa Fe. to his friends; 1T was hor-
ribly hot and I had discarded my waist
coast and had on light coat. but no
sooner had / entered the dining car
than was the cynosure of all eyes. !
tried to appear unconcerned and to be
deeply interested in the scenery, which
for many miles west of Omaha Is not
particularly enhancing.
There was party of four sitting
at a table a few feet away, which most
persistently stared at me.
The ladies were particularly inter
ested, and / heard one say 60 and ask
him
Finally one of the men came over
and said:
Excuse me for intruding on you.
No, sir
|Then are you Mr.. Taft?'
No. indeed l replied. I am in an
honest business, Mr.. Taft is in politics.
MAY l ask what business you are
sing laughed the stranger.
Certainly. l am in the traffic de-
partment OF a transcontinental line.
Good heavons. said the man, and
then fearing that he had been rude
ndSteneQ TO say
do let us have some amusement
Come out on the rear platform at the
next stopping place and l will have it
whispered abroad that you are Mr..
Taft
Il did not" said Chambers, when
asked if he had complied with the re-
quest. II heard that it was strong
Bryan town and did not care to run
any risks"
Since it has developed that the traffic
bureau the merchants of this city are
thinking of establishing will only spend
$4,000 annually as the entire expenses
there has been a lack of interest in
the office. There was not a clerk in
the city, who had worked for six weeks
in a freight shed or Office, that did
not believe himself capable of doing
all that was required in the way OF
keeping a check on the railroads, but
since it was realized that the sum set
apart was intended to cover all ex-
penses, such as rent, salaries and other
incidentals. there has been a marked
lack of interest, and no one seems in a
hurry to file his application with the
merchants association for the job
The American Hawaiian line has put
the railroad people on their mettle SC
far the time service between the
Pacific and Atlantic coasts is con-
cerned. A large number of shipments
comprising products of California, are
being forwarded by that line, in an
ticipation of the repetition of the con-
gestion which marked the movement OF
California products at this season last
year.
Taken in conjunction with the re-
duced rates on the steamer lines, the
railroads have felt the effects enough
to have already reduced their average
running time to aggregate from IL tc
IA days from coast to coast.
The canned salmon now arriving
from the Alaskan fisheries Is coming sc
fast that wharfage room is almost al
a premium and the Southern Pacific
and Santa Fe are taxed to their full
capacity to furnish equipment prompt
ly. There is a prospect that during the
next two weeks there will be some
slight shortage in cars throughout the
state. Already 800 cars OF salmon
have gone east and about 700 more
will go within the next few days. A
like quantity is being put in the ware
houses for future shipments
The apple growers in the Pajarc
valley are in a somewhat curious posi-
tion. Announcements early in the
season were that the crop would reacl
5000 cars. The growers are now find