The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-31
Special Trains Cover Every Sec
ton Of 13 States.
TO TEACH THE PEOPLE
Modern and Scientific Farmino
Methods Are Used.
other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

40 - eD-A'O w vi
Railroads in Kansas and in the great
sout west are farmer thermometers
When the farmers are happy the rail-
roads are happy. When the farmers ara
prosperous the railroads are prosner-
GUS The railroads grow up with the
farmers and with the country through
which their lines run. Every cent that
the railroads spend in the settlement
and the improvement of farm and agri-
cultural land is like taking money ont
Of one pocket and placing it in the
other.
This is a little item of the philosonhv
connected with the agricultural denart-
ments which have been established by
the Rock Island and the Santa Fe lines.
upon these theories they work and
through these assurances they employ
men to build up their territory.
E. M. Cottrell. agricultural commits
sloner or the Rock Island with head
quarters in Chicago, was in Topeka the
other day. He was here studying some
of the local conditions and preparing
Tor number of spe ,ial trains that will
be run throughout Kansas this fall.
The Rock Island has spent consider
able money and is taking great pride in
its agricultural commission At this
time the commissioner Supervises tn,
entire district covering thirteen states
and every feature of agricultural and
stock raising in these states from
Louisiana to the Dakotas and Memphis
to Colorado Springs is watched
The equipment and the running of
special trains is the big feature of the
agricultural work on the Rock Island.
The road keeps a train of five cars on
the road continually and in short
time will thron froi J,
Kansas.
The department is a new thing with
the road-but it has proved already to
be one of the most valuable and appre-
ciated moves ever taken by the road In
the public eye. At this time Commits
sioner Cottrell has aroused the whole
state of Oklahoma with his wheat train
experiments. Even the heads of the
public schools have planned on in
structing the children when school
opens next week.
The agricultural department deals
with the state agricultural schools, the
state board of agriculture, the banks,
the commercial clubs, the newspapers,
the county farmer Institutes, the grain
dealers associations, the schools and
tie women clubs. A hearty co-opera-
ton is made with all of these organiza-
lions and Mr.. Cottrell has found that in
every instance the people have been
glad to combine their Interests with the
Rock Island. .-e1u
In Oklahoma at this time the Rock
Island is conducting wheat train un-
der the supervision of Commissioner
Cottrell and the campaign will cover 90
towns in that state. More than 1000
school children will be taught and
lectured.
"The people are enthusiastic about
the train" said Mr. Cottrell and he
produced newspaper clippings, all
praising the road and its work among
the people.
Every form of stock and feed raising
comes under this department. One
week the agricultural commissioner
will be lecturing and teaching the peo-
pie of advanced methods in Minnesota
and the next he will drop down to
Louisiana and tell them how to raise
rice scientifically.
This fall-between now and January
1.-The Rock Island will run three special
trains through Kansas. The first train
will contain models and all the Access
series of a horse lecture. The second
will be a hog trip and the third will
deal with dairy interests. These trains
are all conducted personally by Com
missioner Cottrell and the lectures are
given by him.
Mr.. Cottrell is a graduate of the
Kansas Agricultural college and served
four years as a professor of agricul-
ture Eight of his sisters and brothers
graduated from this same institution.
Professor Cottrell has instructed also
in the Colorado Agricultural college
The professor brought the first pack
age of red kaffir corn to Kansas in
1888. Since then millions of bushels
have been raised.
The professor is a Kansas product
but his extensive study and expert
ences have brought him in close touch
with every feature in the United
States. He has carried out a wonder
T-l4 0vaI
is bringing the road results in the
public eye.