Evening journal., 1916-05-16
FELICITATE COUPLE
Married 60 Years
Friends of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. Bayard Gem Re-
ceive Friends
FLORAL PIECE FROM
RAILROAD OFFICIAL

Mr.. and Mrs. w. Bayard Gem, of
No. 705 Van Buron street held an in
formal reception last evening in
honor of their sixtioth wedding ami
yersary. Many friends called 10 con
gratulato them and many handsome
floral and other tributes were re-
eoivod.
The largest and handsomest floral
piece was from W. W. Atterbury. OF
Philadelphia. frsI ,ice-prosidont of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
II consisted OF white Cnameled
wicker basket. two feet tail filled
With roses. gladioli. snap-dragons,
Tags orchids, daisies and ferns.
Behind that beautiful remembrance
from tho man who stands next to
the supreme head Of the Pennsyl-
iania railroad is a very pretty story.
Away back i'm 1883. or a little later,
Mr.. Auerbury. who had graduated
from Yale and served mis- apprentice
ship i'm tho shops Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company I'm Altoona. came
10 Wilmington 90 be assistant road
foreman OF engines under the late
Asa O. Denio. He was keen and am
bilious and eager to learn every
hing he could about railrOading. In
TACT. he was so keen that a certain
prominent railroad man here issued
formal on informal orders to his sub
ordinates TO give young Aterhury no
Information but 10 refer him TO his
office whenever he asked anything.
As a consequence, Atterbury found
himself blocked in many directions.
At that time Mr.. Gem was super
intendcnt of the Boiler Department
Of the railroad shops here. He ad-
mired young Atterburys intelligence.
industry and fairness Of spirit and
something told him that he was des-
tined TO 60 high in the service. lie
decided to help him all he could. not
withstanding the order 10 the con-
trary that had come from above. Mr..
Atterbury never forgot that service.
In 1928 the man who is now the
first vice-president OF the standard
railroad system Of the United States
and recognized as one Of this ma
TONS ablest railroad operators and
administrators. was assistant en-
gineer Of motive power on the Penn
sylvania lines known as the North
west System. From 1898 to 1896 he
was master mechanic for the COM
pany at Fort Wayne Ind II was
there that he met and married Miss
NJ. IT. Hoffman. From 1896 10 1903
he was general superintendent OF
motive power Of the lines east OF
Pittsburgh and Erie. He then be-
came general manager OF those lines,
That position he held until 1909.
BY that time Mr.. Atterbury had be-
come so valuable 10 the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company that he was cleo
ted fifth president of the entire
system and put in charge OF trans
portation. From March "a. 1909. "a
March 3. 1911, he was fourth vice.
president. and from that time con-
tinued to advance until today he Is
senior vice-president-
Mr.. Gem watched his advance
ment with interest and pride. He
had no idea. however. that Mr.. After
bury still remembered him and his
office i'm the Wilmington shops where
early in his career. he had pOred
over Mr.. Gems books in search OF
information relative TO building, in
specting. repairing and testing boil
FRS. The kindness he had received
from Mr.. Gem never had been for
gotten by Mr.. Atterbury. In some
way he learned that MIR. and Mrs
Gem we're the celebrate their six
tieth wedding anniversary yesterday
lie directed a Philadelphia florist &c
make up and express 10 them the
handsomest floral basket he could de-
sign and express il 20 the aged cele'
t.-t- Il ,vrftrod vpetcrdav after
noon and both Mr.. and Mrs. GEM
we're affected profoundly by the re
mcmbrance.