The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-05-13
SOUTHERN PACIFIC
PENSIONERS dine

Two hundred gray-haired veterans
of the Southern Pacific railroad, whose
years of service have entitled them to
retirement and a pension, gathered at
the Palace hotel yesterday for the
fourth annual reunion and luncheon of
the pensioners. says Sundays Chron-
icle. The wives and daughters of
many of the old railroad men graced
the occasion, which was further dis
tinguished by the presence of William
Sproule, president of the Southern Pa
cific company, and j. c. Stubbs. for
merly director of traffic of the Harri-
man lines and now retired on the larg-
est pension ever paid railroad man.
The luncheon was held in the ball
room of the Palace and was marked
by an elaborate program. This includ-
ed addresses of welcome and congratu-
lation by President Sproule and J. C.
Stubs, both of whom expressed keen
pleasure at being able to greet the vet
Grams who have distinguished them
selves by years of service with the
company. e-President f. o. Me-
Cormick also was scheduled to speak,
but unexpected business necessitated
his presence in Portland.
On Historic Anniversary
Following the custom adopted four
years ago, the luncheon yesterday
was held on the anniversary of the
driving of the last spike connecting
the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
roads. Several people who participat-
ed in this memorable incident were
present, including E. Black Ryan and
Mrs. Ryan, both of whom stood beside
Senator Leland Stanford when the
golden spike was driven, forty four
years ago.
Other aged veterans present were
Arthur Brown, who was superintend-
ent of construction of buildings and
bridges of the Central Pacific and
Southern Pacific during the first TWEEN
ty-fve years of the roads existence,
and John Higgins. one of the eight
men who personally laid the last ten
miles of track on the Union Pacific.
A. H. Mcdonald, formerly of the
treasurer's department of the com
pany and now chairman of the pension
reunion committee, presided at the
luncheon, and was assisted by A. F.
Hess, secretary of the board of PEN
sions. A feature of the luncheon was
the singing by quartet composed en-
tirely of pensioners, all of whom are
past the three-score-and-ten mark.
These are L. A. Cavalier, c. J. Robin
son, F. w. Crosett and w. G. Camp
bell. Campbell, who still possesses a
splendid basss voice, also rendered a
solo,
Lectures Are Interesting.
piano solo by Mrs l. llian W. At
wood and a vocal solo by Mrs. Grace
w. Scott completed the musical end of
the program, while Miss Helen Light
ner gave a reading of Bret Harte IS
"What the Engines Said. -
Two illustrated lectures by c. B.
Turell formed an interesting feature
of the gathering. These were on
"The Greatest Achievement and
"Other California Achievements.
The former represented the building
of the Central Pacific railroad and the
latter topic the connections of the
lines linking New Orleans, San Fran
cisco and Portland. The talks were
illustrated with pictures taken at the
building of the Central Pacific be
tween 1863 and 1869 Turrill also
showed several views of the Panama
canal.
Secretary Hess announced yesterday
that the pension roll OF the Southern
Pacific now numbers 500, and that
more than $1,500,0OO has been paid
out in pensions since 1908.