The St. Joseph observer., 1922-08-26

Train That Great System Has Had
II Record of Faithful, Efficient and
complete Service For Its Millions
of Patrons.
Seventy years of service" will be
celebrated by the Rock Island railroad
system on oct. 10. the SEVENTEEN an
niycrsary Of the operation Of its first
passenger train, which ran from Chi
cago to Joliet. then the terminus Of
the railroad on oct 10. 1852.
The principal observance Of the day
will take place there, but local cele-
Irations Will be staged in all the prin
cipal cities on the Rock Island Lines,
with events of more than local impor-
tanco at several points. The commit
tee on arrangements, appointed by the
l.. NJ. Allen, vicc-president and pas
senger traffic manager; Hal s. Ray,
assistant to the president; and W. z.
Babb associate editor Of the Rock
Island magazine.
The event around which the system
wide celebration will center will be
the Rock Island Night" radio pro-
gramme, to be broadcastcd from Chi
cago over the Westinghouse sending
station in the Commonwealth Edison
building. This programme will be
featured by addresses by Charles Hay
den, chairman of the board Of direc-
tors. and J. f. German, president Of
the road, and by several musical num-
bers. Employees clubs and CONNER
cial associations in the various cities
on the system will meet on that even
ing, equipped with radio receiving
sets, and tune. in" for the program.
It is expected that the attendance at
these meetings will total many thous-
ands. Carl Nyquist. vice-president,
secretary and treasurer of the Rock
Island Lines. is in charge of this fea-
lule OF lne CcltbtdIlOu.
VIII Rc-enact the Start
In Chicago two other special fea
lures are on the program for the day
The first will be a re-enactment Of
the first run Of the original passenger
train to Joliet. which left Chicago at
10 o'clock on Oct. 10, 1852. The
Anniversary run" will be represented
by the Rocky Mountain Limited,
which will leave at 10 a. m. on oct.
10. and make the run to Joliet, where
special stop will be made for this
occasion. Chairman Hayden will be
at the throttle Of the engine when the
train pulls out of Chicago.
A luncheon will be given to mem
| bers OF the Rock Island Roll OF
Honor" and their wives at noon OF
the same day. The luncheon will be
! preceded by an automobile parade
| around the loop, headed by a band
| and an escort of mounted police. In
| the automobiles will be all the princi-
pal officers of the railroad who are
able to be in Chicago that day and
pensioned employees in the order OF
their years Of service. President Cor
man and other officials will speak al
the luncheon and a representative oi
the retired employees will respond.
A. ~ e., TpaaI
who surveyed the line for the Rocl
Island into Chicago. will be unveiled
Another similar local celebration viii
be held at Rock Island, where tn,
United States government will plac,
a bronze tablet on pier Of the frs
railroad bridge built across the Mis-
aisslppi river, The bridge has lonI
since disintegrated, and even the las
surviving pier was forgotten until dis
covered few years ago by Charlie
Davis, the first Rock Island enginee
to run a train in Iowa. lie was III
first pensioner of the railroad, and 1
his ramblcs about Rock Island afte
+, his retirement located the old piel
% 1t was restored by army officers a
, the arsenal. on whose grounds
D stands.
/, Memorial Trees to be Planted
l Memorial trees win be planted q
!. seventy points Of historic interest o
a the road. Tablets commonwealth
u the particular incident Of importanC
: of these points will also be erecte,
= This program has the co-operatio
p Of the American Forestry Associatio
n and various agricultural colleges
= the several states which the roa
traycrscs.
A general cleanup campaign"
now under way all over the Roc
Island system. with the idea Of havir
all the railroad property as apick an
- span on tho anniversary day as It
possible TO make IT, A "No-Accidel