The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-12

| This is the logic advanced by Ben
| ID. Mileham-and Ben Mileham
knows. He has worked with we'll
known landscape ceIebrities-Hart
Church, Moran and others and knew
them intimately. Mileham is appren-
tice instructor in the Santa Fe rail-
way shops in Topeka-he has deco
| rated and painted and designed in
! these shops for % years.
Today Topeka is viewing for the
! first time in Mills store windows a
product from the Mileham brush-a
| beautiful canvas portraying the fas-
| cination of the Grand Canon, show
| ing Pima Point from Hermit Trail.
| The picture, five and half by three
and a half feet in size, was painted in
sixty days by the Santa Fe shopman
he painted it from a sketch that he
made in seven days.
For thirty years Ben Mileham has
sibilities of the Grand Canon. He has
worked with artists and he has listen
ed to their conversation in their
studios-each word and each express
sion adding to the fuel of his magma
ton and his am bition.
Not long ago he sat down and wrote
a letter to John Purcell, assistant to
the vice president of the Santa Fe
and at one time an apprentice in the
shops where Mileham worked. In his
letter he asked Mr.. Purcell for per-
mission to sketch the Grand Canon
just a few days, was his request.
was granted. ]. M. Connell, general
passenger agent of the road in To-
peka, extended an invitation. In a
short time the tourists at the Canon
found perched high on the Hermit
Trail, a rather small man, alert of
eye, and with the true Van Dyked,
perfect nosed, artistic expression and
countenance.
AS long as the light permitted Mile
ham sketched the wonders of the
,foir be Il
was allowed two weeks to complete
this preliminary work. In seven days
he was through. Tarrying only long
enough to eat a meal before train time
he rushed back to Topeka to carry
out the first realization of his life's
mbition.
NOW the artists with studios paint
only when it appeals to them" ex-
planned Mr.. Mileham. They will work
three or four or five hours a day when
me. / couldn't wait. For two months
I released my pentup anxiety never
worked less than ten hours day and
as high as fifteen.''
OF course no man is indispensable.
But the Santa Fe couldn't get along
without Ben Mileham. He came with
he road 23 years ago after good
many years experience in landscape
and in decorating and design
ng. He always has followed his land
cape work-at his home and during
pare time. He has painted portraits.
oo-some for officials of the Santa
that are priced by the
,Wners.
Every day, however he can be found
the work of decorating
nd designing-laying out the detail
york and the expert trimming of
anta Fe passenger coaches. The San
a Fe couldn't get along without Ben
1leham because he has designed
Practically every letter, number, fig
re and ornamental painting used in
he coach shops and all along the line
f the system.
The Santa is planning a big exhibit
t the Frisco worlds fair in 1915 It
probable that the Grand Canon will
g done in cyclorama effect-simiIar
} the famous Battle of Gettysburg at
hicago- Mileham aided in the paint
lg of the Gettysburg feature and il is
aid at the general offices that the
anita Fe may have him superintend
lie painting at Frisco.
He is a wonderful little man-Ren
[ilehaIn. Bubbling with wit and
umor. he overflows with a Command
fitting well chosen expressions-and
; he talks you forget that massive
ailway coaches and crude scaffolds