Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-26
OLDEST SUPERINTENDENT
IN CLASS by HIMSELF

Topeka. Kan. NOV. 22.-The aver
age division superintendent OF a rails
road brides himself In the knowledge
Of the worKing system OF his division,
the personal knowledge of his men
| and the activity with which he att
tends to the operation of the district
over which he holds sway.
But there ATE many kinds OF super
intendeuts. There are the, n1en IF the
old school. whose ambition is to ride
! over his tracks sitting "a the rear end
Of his business car sInoktn black
cigars and watching.the horizon with
the air Of q millionaire. Then there
are tho men Of toctae Who would
rather shake the oily hand OF an cu1-
ployc and call him by his first name
| than receive q complimentary Geid-
off from the O.. NJ.
But there is ono superintendent on
che santa Re who IS in q class by
himself. He belongs TO q school o.
railroad division supefintendents that
s. composed of but tcachcr-and
that teacher is his own pupil.
This man is Jonathan J., barnes
superintendent of the southern Kan
sas division of the santa Fe.
Superintendent Barnes is listed IN
the santa re official book as having
his headquarters at Chanutc-but YOU
wouldn't know that this superintond-
ent had any headquarters. If you
wished to find him you would tirst
have to locate his car or his last fcf
port by telcgraph--then send out .
corps Of railroad detectives. Then
possibly you would find him backed
up in a pit beneath 4 greasy englne
in a small division roundhousc'
watching the men as they tinker with
al. ,4g..l ft4g,sA+ 10 nd iFFnninR Glaze ian
on every movement and repair work
on the locomotive.
The other day the general officials
Of the santa Fe with Headquarters AT
Topeka were out over the southern
Kansas division on tho ~sO-Callcd "har-
mopv tour The train had stopped
in front of the station at Ottawa.
The officials were walking up ana
down the platform when u Of them
spied a gray Shared, eray-whiskered
man dressed in spotlcss clothes,
mingled with three or -four laborers'
all pushing on the big handle of the
turntable.
"Who is that old man helping those
fellows turn that engine inquired
ono Of thc officials.
Another look was taken. Just then
the man In question hoped ON the
pilot Of the engine and it wleczed
toward the depot. As il drew nearer
the station the Officials stood aghast'
II was Superintendent Barnes.
Mr.. Barnes is s~eventy-live years
old. and from his actions, his per-
formed duties, his talk n his phys
ical capabilities, YOU wculd take MIN
for about thirty-fivc. He is one or
THAI type OF American manhood that
never grows old. II IS hard to be-
lieve that Superintendent Barnes has
seen three-quartors of n century OF
life-and q half century of II has
been in strenuous labors for railroad
companies.
when did you come with the Santa
Fe?" was asked of Superintendent
Barnes the other day.
"Oh, they bought me--and / have
been with them ever since answered
the official with a good-natured
smile.
How is that Tor an interesting
answer? The q%uestioncr waited sew
eral minutes before he could nerve
himself for another inquisitive query
the first answer was too good
TO pass by.
They bought YOU did thcy-bow
Old the Santa Fc buy--I mean did
offer YOU q larger-
1T was this way explained the
superintendent. coming to the rescue
of the reporter. as he selected an es-
pecialiv black cigar from his case
4 came with the Kansas City. Fort
scott and Cub road as passenger
conductor in 1865. ? stayed with this
road rs conductor. trainmuster and
assistant superintendent until isS2
when the Santa Fc ooh over thc road
j vaess Tie Santa Ne cousie-
cred me part 81 tNe Eroperf t-t Just