The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-10
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The Missouri Pacific announces that
It has awarded the contract for the
construction of a new pumping sta
ton and water treating plant at Fort
Scott, Kan.
With the aid of it's motor car, which
is now carrying all kinds of mail, the
Leavenworth & Topeka continues to
operate on a paying basis. officials
say. The company had a net operat-
ing income of approximately $500 dur
ing the month of october.
There are persons living in Topeka
who say they can remember when a
common, ordinary stick took the place
of the present block signal on the
Union Pacific, then known as the
Kansas Pacific. In those days, so the
story goes when one train was sched-
uled to meet another, the crew of
the waiting train would place a stick
in the center of the main track and
then go to sleep. After awaking, if
they found the stick knocked down.
they were ready to proceed, but if the
stick was still standing the men
would take mother nap.
Twenty-six persons killed, 1870 in
jured and SIS automobiles destroyed
is the grade crossing record on the
months. Nearly 800 drivers ran in
front of or tried to beat trains to
crossings; 126 ran into trains, in
stead of trains striking them; rs cars
stalled on the track, largely the result
of the drivers waiting until on the
track before shifting gears; SIS drivers
ran into and broke down crossing
gates: % approached the track at
high speed. and five ran down and in
jured crossing flagmen.
The Union Pacific is preparing to
increase its equipment by the purchase
of five hundred double sheathed box
cars Of fifty-tOn caTacity, and a sim
liar number of steel automobile and
refrigerator cars.
The Santa Fe is contemplating the
installation of automatic block sig
nails between Olathe and LIE Loup, |
distance of twenty-five miles. The
company will also install short sec
tions of signals in Missouri, New Mex
leo, Texas and California.
The Santa Fe Dinner club will hold
a meeting at Pelletier's tea room MOI
day night, December Il. Col. John S
Dean, Topeka attorney, will be the
principal speaker. w. B. Collinson,
chief clerk in the office of Fred c.
Fox, general manager of the eastern
lines. is president of the organization.
The Santa Fe has awarded a con-
tract for the construction of three oil
storage tanks at Argentine, Kan.
J. D. McCully, trainmaster for the
Santa Fe with headquarters at San
Bernardino, Cal, has been promoted
to division superintendent with head
quarters at WinsIcw, Arizona, sue
ceeding W. Mathie. who was one of
the five Santa Fe officials killed in an
accident November %.
J. NJ. Rapelje, who was recently
promoted to vice president of the
Northern Pacific, in charge of opera
ton and maintenance was Santa Fe
fireman in 1880.
Miss NJ. L. Doering, city passenger
agent for the Union Pacific left today
for Milford, Nebr., where she will Wis
it with relatives over Sunday.
F. E. Nipps. general agent for the
Missouri Pacific at this place, was on
the sick list Thursday and Friday, and
unable to be at work.
Just because he quit the Missouri
Pacific after eighteen years of service
doesn't mean that w. NJ Parkinson,
who is just completing another eigh-
teen years with the Union Pacific is
going to change roads again, the vet
he declares that the Union Pacific is
the best railroad system in the world
and says he wants to stay with it the
rest of his life.
Another old timer in the railroad
game is c. r. Horton. assistant agent
for the Missouri Pacific at this place
Horton has been with the Missouri
Pacific for thirty-one years and claims
he is good for thirty-one years more
at least. Before going with the Mis-
souri, Pacific, Horton was with the
Santa Fe and has been in the railroad
business constantly from the time he
was large enough to carry messages.
He came by it naturally since his
father was in charge of the construc-
ton of the old Kansas Midland, now
the Santa Fe line between Topeka
and Kansas City
OkIahomans Vote Highway Bonds.
McAlester, Okla, Dec. 1O-The
$4,000 bond issue for improvement