The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-21
RIPLEY PRAISES HIS
RAILROAD FAMILY
"Grand Old Man" in Valcdic.
tory Declares Santa Fc Is
Model Line.
% YEARS ITS PRESIDENT
Hopes Road Under Federal
Control Will Retain Some OF
Old Characteristics.
25 YEARS ITS PRESIDENT

One OF the interesting inc.leits e.
the new plan for Federal operation Of
all railroads by means of Regional u.
recors and Federal Managers Is see,
by railroad men in the retirement from
active control of the Atchison, Topeka
G. Santa Fe Railway Compapy o, ia
president. For after twenty-five Year,
Of complete sway over the 1900 nils.
of road operated by this company, f.
p. Ripley. 1.-The Grand Old Man OF Raj.
roads," Is forced by the new order "
things to relinquish his hold on the
reins and to retire completely from
active management.
Mr. Ripley will remain as presidcn,
and a director of the Atch!son, hut the
feeling with switch he regards the in
terruption OF close contact with his
family Of railroad men may be CLEANED
nom the following statement which he
has made In the Santa Fe magazine,
published by the employees OF the road
I'VE have jointly sought to make thA
Santa Fe model. We surely are no,
called on for an apology Daily con.
tact with. all of you has been Instruc-
tive. hidden springs of motive and prin-
ciple have been revealed and unsus-
pected angles OF character developed,
and human nature stood forth as a
cleaner. brighter and sweeter thing than
1t ordinarily is painted.
although the Santa Fe Il now
merged with other roads as n govern
mental enterprise. I am bold enough to
hope for II that 1t will retain some Of
its old characteristics, that relations
with Its neighbors shall continue good
and that each employee shall render to
the Government the same loyal service
he has heretofore given the company
For Mr.. Storey. Federal Manager, I
bespeak the same loyalty It has been
my fortune to enjoy"
Among his family OF employees Mr.
Ripley is known as "E. p. r." The
children of his road swore by him DO.
cause he always fought for them and
resented any step that did not seem fair
to him. He was always concerned abou,
their personal welfare and when an EN-.
ployee thought he had been unjus;ly
dealt with by a superior officer he knew
that II he placed his grievance befo-e
sc. +. r." he would get more than a
fair hearing. Flo also knew that he
would not get the &c. b." II he was not
competent to hold the job. because when
the "old man realized that an employee
was not good enough for the job as
signed to him he would place him some
where else and give him a chance to be
come cog In some other part of the
huge machinery.
Mr. Ripley was keen for individuality
and in this respect the Atchson prop.
erty was a shining light. for the road
stood out as model among the largest
properties His policy of pleasing the
shippers and helping his employees
gained for him many thousands of ad-
mirers and this was reflected in H.
creased business from shippers and
greater efficiency from labor. so tina, the
earnings of the property showed eXpan.
sion annually and made 1t one of the
most profitable OF the common carriers
when Mr.. Ripley became the head
of the Santa Fe shortly after It was
reorganized about twenty-five year,
ago." said n close friend Of II. +. Il q"
the shippers were tearing up the rails
and were ready to hang every official in
the company. Mr.. Ripley. however, got
busy and after years of helping his ship
pers out OF their difficulties he turned
this feeling completely around and In
stead OF fighting us the shippers fought
for US.
when the farmers in a certain valley
were facing ruin and starvation through
bad crops Mr.. Ripley had the company
advance them a large sum of money.
which was used in improving their land.
The land became productive and tn.
money was paid back. This territory Is
now among the largest shippers over tho
Atchison. The adoption of such policy
resulted in many benefits TO the Atch,scn
as seen by the fact that when the Pan
ANA Canal was opened other properties
lost business which went through the
great waterway. but our shippers stuck
to us and we experienced a norma
growth in business"