New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-02-11
EULOGY TO CHAUNCEY
We were beSeeChed this week b

We were beSeeched this week by
Chauncey Depew, and presented
with the attached culogy. written
Ey one Of his railroad friends for
publication. Not seeing our WaH
clear to avoid Woundlng the feel
ings Of the boy we consented to
put the letter in print:
Chamcey Dcpew. is not on the
pay roll of any railroad. yet he is
a railroad man. And he is ona OF
the most interesting of the boys
at the passenger depot Of the
Southern Pacific Railroad at New
Iberia. La. Chauncey has been
there for at least the past fifteen
years, and there is not one cut Of
hundred Of the customary tray
ellerS who pass by, or get off at
New Iberia who does not know
Chauncey. For that matter.
Chauncey is as we'll known in eve
ny hamlet and town on the line
between New Orleans and Alex
andria. and between Lafayette
and Lake Charles. There has nev-
er been a local excursion on the
road but what Chauncey was
aboard. and Chauncey does not
fail to let folks know that he is
there. Chaunccy is black. black
as the proverbial ace Of spades,
and near sighted. "but not to
hinder Chauncey from looking out
for the main chance and that con
sist> IN gathering a pocketful OF
nickelS and dimes. Sometimes.
some liberal admrer Will drop Il
quarter in his hat for Chauncey 5
graft is to get ina crowd and sing
to an accompaniment Of vigorous
bone rapping. Chauncey is not
Caruso by any means. but his an
ties never fail to draw a crowd.
after which he passes around his
hat. After he has cleaned out
that particular crowd Chauncey
silently fades away and hobs up
in another crowd with the same
results.
Chauncey is ubiquitous and very
polite. and his skill in wheedling
you out of a nickel or a cigar
would be hard to describe. but. he
never fails to make his point.
Chauncey started out in life as
a boot black. but found that life
too strenuous. and branched out
as a news boy. and local bill pos
ter This is why he today glories
in the title of Special Advertising
Agent by his distributing litera-
ture for excursions given during
the summer season by the South
ern Pacific.
Chauncey is one of the most |
distributors in exist
ence today. as he does not do as
some distributors do throw the
stuff away" but he will faith
fully pass out to the public the
advertising matter no matter how
large the quantity may be.
There is no actual employee to-
day, who is more loyal to the S.
p. than Chauncey-this particular
road is his fetish. his hobby. ]
we'll remember one incident that
came near breaking Chauncey's
heart, (if such a thing were pos
,ible(. | doubt whether any one
knows this besides myself. It
was on an occasion when in 1909
New Iberia celebrated the advent
If the New Iberia Frisco branch,
and the citizens Of the town, and
officials Of that enterprise were
1aving a gala event of the inaug- ;
lration Of the new line. Chaun- '
Fey was so affected. that he be i
.ame heart broken over what lie /
1eemed the encroachment. Of a I
'ival to his road. He left New {
IBERIA and came to Lafayette to {
rood in sorrow over that afflic- {
ion, and his usual buoyant spirits t
lad left him entirely. Nothing !;
hat | could do or say could cheer
lin. not even the proffer of a !
rood cigar (and here, let me re- |
mark when Chauncey can not en-
oy cigar good or bad, there is ,
ONE deep reason for it and that {