The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-11
GIVEN AN OVATION
Santa Fe DemOnstratiOnTrain Is
a Success.
Trip From Usage City to Topeka
a Triumph.
THRONGS OF PEOPLE.
Estimated That Ten Thousand
See New and DID,
Giant Mallet Engine Excites
THRONGS OF PEOPLE.
Giant Mallet Engine Excites
Wonder and Admiration.

The trial trip of the Santa Fe DEM
onstration train from Topeka to Usage
City this morning was a success far
beyond the hopes OF the officials in
charge In the five towns visited by
this unique affair, more than 10000 peo-
pie gathered at the railway stations to
greet the spectacle. Even the mammoth
cottonwOods along the right of way
bowed their sparkling heads in honor
of the revival of the old time equip
ment that ran along the old rails 40
years ago.
The Santa Fe demonstration train is
an exhibition of the new and the old
in railway equipment. The train in
cluded Is cars of these two types.
The people along the route Of the
train this morning greeted it as they
would the presidents special. The
president Of the United States hardly
would receive a greater and more in
teresting welcome. In every town the
children were taken to the station un-
der the supervision of their teachers.
In Burlingame the children marched
from the school house to the station
headed by the town band of 25 pieces.
A number of Topeka Santa Fe Of
ficiaIs accompanied the train and
showed every courtesy to the onlOok-
ers. Immediately after the train came
to standstill the people were asked to
step on the head car. Platforms were
built between each car allowing the
spectators to walk throughout the en-
tire train and take note of the ex-
hibits.
At every stop, townsmen told the
Santa F'e officials that hundreds of
people had come many miles from
the country to see the big train They
regretted the fact that the recent rains
had soaked the roads to such an ex-
tent that many country folk were un-
able to reach the station in time.
Children wondered at the massive
locomotive and walked with fear
through the big steel cars. Old settlers
time engine with its diamond smoke
stake poof-poof it's way behind the
monster Mallet-the largest engine in
tho world.
1t was a liberal education to see the
portrayal of different railroad types
OF equipment and the public schools
realized it's value to the children.
The Monster MaIIet Engine.
The most interesting feature of the
demonstration train was the big Nal
engine in the world, built at the To-
peka shops of the Santa Fe. AS soon
as the train would pulp into the sta
ton, the onlookerS would follow up
eyes. Farmers standing at the cross
roads with their families would watch
the engine as far as they could see
On each car was banner giving
Its weight, it's cost and the date O
ficialS gave away a placard explaining
the details of the engines and cars to-
gether with photograph.
The first town visited was Usage
City. Here the schools had adjourned
and people had comes for miles
around to witness the train. One old
man here had never ridden on a train
in his life since the Santa Fe was first |
built through that country, forty years
ago. He walked through the new
coaches with their comfortable seats, |
their electric lights and their steel un-
derframes with uneasiness. When he |
reach the old coach with iron backs |
and hard wood seats he sat down,
mOpped his brow and said he did not |
intend to ride a railway train again |
unless he could have one of these old |
-oaches-the remembrance of his |
days.
At Burlingame the school children, |
led by a brass band, marched from
the school to the train, where they |
we're shown and explained the equip |
mcnt. Their eyes opened with Won
1erment at the machinery and the in |
side of the passenger coaches.
Scranton, Carbondale and Wakarusa !
donated big crowds.
One of the features of the train was |
the engineer of the old engine Peter |
TeHin pulled the throttle of the toy /
machine. He is the veteran engineer
of the road, having been in service SO |
years. The train was under charge of
E. B. Sill, conductor, who has been in I
active service 33 years. Frank Nc !
Clure, a young engineer of Topeka, /
manned the big Mallet. On the left
side was Early H. Haltz of Topeka. |
Albert Artzer of Topeka fired for En-
gineer Tellin.
The officials accompanying the train
we're: R. J. Parker, general superin /
tendent; John Purcell. superintendent /
IF shops; J. S. Stevens, signal en-
gineer: H. B. Mcfarland, engineer of
tests; c. T. Ripley, assistant engineer
Of tests; Charles N. Swanson, superin
.endent Topeka car shops; Lloyd
Stanley, trainmaster; B. F. E. Marsh,
division freight agent; E. G. Ketching,
freight agent; J. F. farrell,
publicity agent; Louis butcher, pen
stoned tin shop foreman; A R. Cal
zier, pensioned engineer; D. G. Con-
way, old engineer running out of New
ton.