The San Francisco call., 1910-03-24
Gossip of Railwaymen

g JACK INGLIs contracting freight
agent of the Union Pacific, still
insists that he is an Englishman.
Every now and then he breaks out in
defense of his country. His latest
came yesterday. when, he told a funny
story to- BILLY" Webster of the Penn
sylvania.
You Hamericans say we ave no
'umor," he said, but I'll ave you hun
derstand, sir, that Hinglish jokes are
not to be laughed at
Quite so.' replied Webster
c. S. Fee, passenger traffic manager
of the Southern Pacific. left yesterday
for Ell Paso, where he will meet E. o.
Mccormick, vice president of the COM
pany and escort Mccormick back to
this city.
The government of the dominion of
Canada has authorized the change of
the name of New Alberni. b. c., to Port
Alberni This town. which lies on the
west coast of Vancouver island. is to
be the extreme western terminus or
the Canadian Pacific railroad, and rail-
way and terminal facilities are now
being constructed
Active construction work is in prog
ress along the whole route from the
nearest terminus of the East Creek
railway at French Creek, and the line
is expected to be completed by the end
of this year. The company is extend
ing the Esquimalt and Nanaimo rail-
road to this point because of the wealth
of timber in the district and because
of the strategic position of the port
for export and import trade.
The town has good harbor facilities
it's approach from the open sea being
shorter and freer from fog than that
Nsxt-%f N Do
northwest, and it is the nearest rail-
way port in Canada 10 Australia, New
Zealand and the Panama canal. 1t is
said that the route to China and Aus
tralia via Alberni affords an oppor-
tunity to save eight to twenty hours for
mail, passengers and express frelght
C. M. Levey, vice president and gem
eral manager of the Western Pacific, is
out on an inspection trip over the re-
paired section of the line, which was
reported yesterday in first class con-
dition The company is now receiving
freight for all transcontinental points.
The entire railroad system controlled
by James j. Hill has just issued an
anti-drinking order.
An elaborate program for better
ments has been laid out by the manage
ment of the Rock Island lines The
work of ballasting and track widening
will be carried on this year on large
scale, and about $1,500,000 will be ex-
pended for this purpose 1t is expected
that approximately 500 miles VIII De
entirely reballasted in the most ap-
proved method.
Special attention will first be given
to the line between Chicago and Dem
yer and Colorado Springs, where some
200 miles will be reballasted or resur-
faced, as conditions warrant, ana the
entire line will be made as nearly per-
feet as possible. The new work in
cludes the resurfacing and strengthen
ing of the Illinois division to meet the
requirements of constantly increasing
traffic. and will proceed as fast as the
LOG pound steel rails are laid.
The remainder of the work will be
done in Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkan-
sas where the management is anxious
to improve it's facilities, preference be-
ing given to those localities where the
demands of traffic are most pressing.
To insure the best results everywhere
several kinds of material will be used
in ballasting. Rock Will be given the
preference and used to very large ex-
tent, but disintegrated granite, burned
clay and gravel will be used where con-
ditions show that the best roadbed will
be obtained by their use. In addition to
these operations some 100000 is be-
ing expended upon the 81 Louis-kan-
sas City line of the Rock Island
Clyde Colby of the Erie has again
left the city. Hopes We're entertained
that he would stay away for a while,
but he seems destined to return in a
few days with Mrs. Colby, who has
been visiting relatives in the east.
Aluminium coffee pots with glass tops
must pay first class freight rates. but
no more, according to an order of the
interstate commerce commission. At
present. under western classifications.
they have to pay double first class
rates. western concern brought a
complaint against the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe railroad and others
that these rates were unjust and dis
crimfnatory. The commission now sus-
tains the complaint and orders that
the rates be merely first class. sup
Elementary order has been issued MAX
ing the effective date of the commits