Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-08-20
Ohe
Peoples Forum
What / Know About "Southern
Pacific"
(By Henry G. Gilmore }

(By Henry u. gilmore
Is there an engineer of any note
throughout the length and breadth OF
our beloved land who does not hold
lin the highest reverence the mem
ories of both Watt and Stephenson
the main instruments under, one may
almost say, a Providential guidance
that gave life to an element of such
multifarious and far-reaching powers
as steam? A visit to the first British
railway that ran between Manchester
and Liverpool is, with all its crudities,
a curiosity which few Americans with
a love for mechanical engineering
neglect seeing on a visit to the old
sod. The movements of this primal
creation were confined to a speed of
six miles an hour (and express at
that, with q prejudice of fear and
apprehension that bode anything but
good will between the timid and cour-
ageous travellers Of those days. In
deed, this wonderful piece of machin-
cry was regarded as no less than an
engine of the Evil One and that all
who availed themselves of it as a
means of transit were thought to be
fit subjects for just retribution at
the (as some people think approach
ing Judgment day. "Old Father
Time"-a good leveler of most peo-
ple's difficulties-has, however, long
since taken the matter under advise
ment and declared that impediments
of whatever nature should never be
suffered to stand in the way of that
chariot Of progress and universal
good will that, with splendid service
and absolute safety assured, makes
life worth the living to the dear pub
lie" while travelling the world over,
under the propelling and seductive
influences Of the Iron Horse.
Extraordinary Achievements Of the
Past.
What could not be written about
the extraordinary development of
railways In this country during the
past half century-how the Iron
Horse has successfully scaled the
giddy heights of the Rockies and 9TH
er supposedly impossible mountain
ranges and. at the same time, pro-
vided the traveller, as he fits hither
and thither on this vast continent of
ours with every comfort and conven-
ience in life.
Efficient Management That Tells.
This article deals, not so much with
railways In general as with the splen-
did IS. p" in particular-a system
about which the writer from actual
knowledge and experience can say,
and say truthfully, many compli-
mentary and encouraging things. II
is no small undertaking to manage a
railway system that, with connec-
tions, practically runs all the way
from Vancouver, B. c., to the south
ern city of New Orleans, on the Gulf
of Mexico, passing (not mentioning
the smaller communities) such cities
as Victoria, Seattle, Tacoma, Port
land, Sacramento, San Francisco, San
Jose, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles. FL
Paso, San Antonio, Houston and
Beaumont. In addition to direct con-
nection with the great cities east and
along the Atlantic seaboard by means
Of the Southern Railway, the IS. p"
itself, rejoices in the possession of a
line Of steamers running the year
round from New Orleans to New York
city, and providing service widely
appreciated by the travelling public
at large.
You Cannot Longer "Down the Pub
lic."
With all this responsibility the rs.
P" has its eyes wide open in promot-
ing between itself and patrons that
kindly spirit and good understanding
which stands for so much in these
days when no corporation living can
afford to damn the public" for fear
of being damned itself, The Psalm
ist once said that all men, at the best,
were liars and had small control of
themselves as entient beings, and the