The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-25
RAILROAD NEWS.
Busiest Man on Railway Is in the
Presidents Car.
On Go Most of Time and Has
MuItifariOus Duties.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
Please Directors and SubOrdi-
mates Is Hard Job.
Other Items of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES

Benjamin Franklin Bush, the new
president of the Missouri Pacific, is to
eat, live and sleep on the job. says the
Kansas City Journal. His Office will
be his private car. and his address
wherever the biggest work is being
done for the rehabilitation of the road.
He will have one of the biggest railroad
Jobs in modern times Financiers have
estimated that $110,000,000 will be re-
quired to bring the property up to the
standard of other lines in the middle
west. 1t will be Mr.. Bush's duty to
disburse this money and by the allied
financial interests of Wall street he will
be held to strict account for every ex-
pendture.
The poor conditions into which the
Missouri Pacific has fallen in recent
years is due largely to the lack of at
tention by the interest in control. Mr..
Gould, as president, rarely saw the
property c. S. Clarke, vice president,
the leading resident official, it is cur
rently reported in railway circles, was
not free to make improvements he de-
sired in the property.
1t is the modern belief among rail-
road men that the best roads are those
in which the high officials come in
closest touch with their patrons. Some
presidents live almost altogether on the
rails, leaving their chief clerks to run
the office. During the IL months of
1910 Ben L. Winchell, the Frisco'S pres
ident, Travelled 59,12S miles, averaging
about 200 miles for every working day
in the year. In six years he has trav-
eled 233, 235 miles. NOR than nine times
around the world.
Mr. Winchell is thorough when he
goes over the line. During the summer
months he is up early in the morning
inspecting shops, stations, signals and
equipment and answering kilograms.
At night he writes statements embody-
ing the results of his observations.
other Active Presidents.
other presidents are equally as &C
tive. J. A. Edison, of the Kansas City
Southern, the only railroad president
residing in Kansas City, makes four
or Eve trips of inspection over the line
every year At least once a year the
entire executive force makes a day
light trip over the line, making the &C
auaintance of patrons and getting
POINTERS as to needed improvements IN
the service. These trips always have
proved beneficial. as they bring snip
per and official closer together.
Twice every year the staff officials
of the Wabash, headed by President
+. A. Delano, visit every station on the
system. making daylight trips. The
train is in motion from sunrise to sun
set, and about 200 miles are travelled
each day. This permits of stops at al
important stations. At night the 81
oficials-this is about the number gen.
orally on the trips-sleep in private
cars on sidetracks in the yards annie
the noise and smoke.
Fifteen years ago the Santa Ft
lacked much of being the great roaC
IT is today. For several years E. P
Ripley. its president. lived almost con
tinuously in his private car, travelling
ali the way from the Great Lakes to the
Golden Gate, appearing in his Chicago
office only on occasions when he wish
ed to take up some new plan with tht
directors or when his presence wa:
otherwise required. Mr.. Ripley now il
upwards of so years of age, but man
ages to get over the entire system
twice every year.
III. u. Nudge, president of the Rocl