The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-28

hold it against the Grand Trunk?
Because the Grand Trunk took pos
session of the Great Western of Can
ada. With the property they pur-
chased that outrage against James
Alfred Stewart back in 1885.
Pretty tough, Ell?
The general passenger agent of the
| RocA Island thinks it is-and when 6
man with naturally genial, goo6
natured disposition allows a CROUCH
| to stick in his f1esh-there surely
surely must be something to it-tame
as it may seem.
OF course the rapid moving-p picture
| like events of the last % years have
kept Mr.. Stewart busy with other
| matterS-and other railway troubles
and trials and tribulations-but when
/ he steps and remembers his boyhood
| days and the grief that tore at his
was at its infancy, he pounds his fist
on his desk-bang! just like that
and swearS vengeance against the
Grand Trunk railway.
Stewart Is a Kansas Man.
Kansas claims General Passenger
Agent Stewart. Twenty-seven years
ago en- a warm balmy day in Decem-
berthe kind of days that have made
Kansas famous-he came to this state
"a young man not vet in his tWentieS.
The man who Influenced Stewart 20
assist in healing the wounds oe the then
bleeding Kansas is still with the same
railroad and near the same town he was
when the young Canadian decided 20
cast his line in the western pond. This
man is Walter S. Barr. Barr is agent
of the Union Pacific at Salina today.
He was with the u. p. at Abilene when
Jimmie Stewart was talked into the
idea of becoming a citizen of the United
States.
Barr was cashier in the Great West
ern of Canada Office at st. Thomas,
Ont, when Stewart endured that re-
morse of having his place filled by two
men receiving a collective salary of $50
a month. Now Barr is watching the
kid friend of 1885 quickly turkey trot-
ting it off to the tune of the private car
orchestra.
III never forget Kansas Mr.. Stew
art told a friend recently "It was in
the middle of December. left Canada
with the snow several inches deep. The
minute We entered Kansas there was a
change. The grass was green, the air
was pure, the sun was warm-I even
believe the birds were singing. I
thought I was in Paradise-never had
I seen such weather in the winter time.
and say Mr.. Stewart is always
willing to repeat TT never will for
get the impression Kansas made on me
th9t day-it will stay with me forever -
That settles it. J. A. Stwart is a
Kansas man-even though the Rock
Island some day taps on his door and
informs him that he is wanted in Chi
cago.
Rock Island Robbed the U. p
Hopping, skipping and jumping back
to Canada again-when Stewart was
agent on the Great Western of Canada
a travelling passenger agent of the
Rock Island, ]. Francis Lee, used to
make that territory Always stocked
with stories, his pockets bulging with
cigars, his eyes glued on the slvery
side of the clouds-his visits to the
Western offices were like the rays of
Sunny Jim. Young Agent Stewart
never had crossed the line into the
United States, he did not know the
color of a Rock Island passenger coach
but he declared then and there, in
the glow of those Canadian station
stoves that some day he would work
for the Rock Island.
Then Stewart entered the service of the
Union Pacific at Abilene. Later he went
to Salina. 1t was then that his first
love" the Rock Island, came in for his
attention. The Rock Island had not been
capturing much of the Union Pacific
transferring at Salina. Stewart saw no
reason why the road shouldn't have its
months later A. H. Moffat. then general
southwestern passenger agent of the Rock
Island at Kansas City. talked to the
youthful Canadian at Salina:
Say, Stewart" he said, IT want You
to come down to Kansas City and enter
our office. What do you think about it?'
What did Jim think? Hadn't he been
dreaming of the Rock Island ever since
his boyhood days in Canada when j
Francis Lee brought warmth and gaieIy
into the offices along his run?
''Why-er-hm-Mr Moffat [ certainly
would like to go to Kansas City in your
office when there is an opening" was his
answer.
All right my boy" Moffat said and he
patted Stewart on the back. I'll writ.
you some day soon"
Went With the Rock Island.
He kept his word. Moffat wrote-and
Stewart came He has been with tit,
road ever since, climbing from the posi-
ton of freight clerk at Kansas CITY TO
travelling passenger agent at CHICAGO
travelling passenger agent at Pittsburgr
Pa, travelling passenger agent at Kansas
City, city and division passenger agent at
Des Moines, general agent at Kansas !
City. assistant general passenger agent at
Kansas City, first assistant general pas
senger agent at Chicago and then to his
present office as general passenger ageI |
of the second district at Topeka.
Jim Stewart is a big man-physicaIIy |
in spirit and energy and
He is a born railroad man-as
far back as he can remember his father
lived above the station on the Great
Western of Canada-he was local agent at
his home.
Mr.. Stewart never can be president of
the United States-'tis true-he is a born
Canadian. But it isn't the vote at the
election booths that will send James A.
Stewart to the front-it is efficiency, per-