The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-21

Through skillful stealing and strategy
the railroad editor of the State Jour
nal was able to procure the photographs
of the heads of most of the new Rock
Island departments In Topeka and
they have been printed in other issues
Of this paper.
But James A. Stewart, the new gem
eral passenger agent of the Second dis
trict with headquarters here made
various and sundry promises and his
assistants and under officers promised
also to assist in the theft of a photo
graph of Mr.. Stewart.
Not until today was it possible to
get this long-looked-for likeness Of the
G. P. A.-and then it was necessary to
get it by going to a New York publ
cation.
1t seems to be an unwritten rule in
railroad circles that the general pas
senger agent must be a good all around
man-that is, he must have enough
smattering of citizenship and humanity
to make it possible for the common
people to come in contact with the rail-
roads through his Office.
1t is a noticeable fact that practical
~ all of the publicity bureaus in the
country are established and maintain
ed by the railroad passenger depart
ments-here Is a collection of good
looking, persuasive and smiling Off
Gals.
General Passenger Agent Stewart, Of
Topeka is no exception to the general
rule. He is big man with a twink
ling eye and a Hurley and-Shake. He
fulfills to the letter every standard and
required characteristic of a successful
big railway general passenger agent
q man who is able to: do everything
from telling the funniest stories at a
commercial club banquet to gathering
and sending troops to Mexico to pre-
serve peace.
The life history of James A. Stewart
has been given to State journal read
ers. It was printed in full with all its
frills and sensations about two months
ago. But for the sake of those who
were not fortunate enough to read that
touching story it is given below in
boiled detail. .4...s.
Assisting MIR. Stewart in Topeka are
three young energetic f1ne-appearing
practical railroad men-the chief clerk,
the assistant chief clerk and the trav-
cling passenger agent. S. A. Gilliland
Is chief clerk, G.. H. Porter, assistant
chief clerk and P. w. johnson, travel
Ing passenger agent. All are out of
town men and are holding positions in
Topeka for the first tfme-but they
have won place in railroad circles
that will be of no little value to their
road, the Rock Island.
Here is the short biograph of ]. A.
Stewart:
James Alfred Stewart, whose appoint
Tr1ent as general passenger agent of the
Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific, with
office at Topeka, Kan. was born Seq
TENDER z, 1857. at London, Ont He re-
cetved a high school education, and
began railway work December 5 1881,
as g. passenger in the freight depart
ment of the Great Western railway of
Canada. Two years later he was ap-
pointed ticket clerk, and in 1885 went
with the Union Pacific. first as freight
clerk at Abilene. Kan. and then as
chief clerk at Salina, Kan. He went
with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pa
cihc in May. 1888, as freight clerk at
Kansas City, Mo-, and he was then
promoted consecutfvely to travelling
passenger agent at Chicago, southeast
ern passenger agent at Pittsburg, Pa,
travelling passenger agent at Kansas
City, Mo, and city passenger agent and
division passenger agent at Des Moines,
Ia. In April, 1901, he was appointed
general agent at Kansas City, Mo. and
was later promoted to assistant general
freight agent, remaining in kansas
City until December 1909. He was then
appointed first assistant general pas