Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-24
JUDGE GRAY PRAISES
PENNA. R. R. MEMS
SPIRIT OF LOYALTY
Stirring Patriotic Address at
thirteenth Annual Banquet
Of Veterans Association.

Ihtrteentn annual Banquet
Of Veterans Association.
HELD At HOTEL DU POINT
Comrimenting Pennsylvania rail-
road mon for their loyalty and spirit
OF cooperation, which IL manifest,
Judge George Gray made a stirring
patriotic address at the 18th annual
banquet OF tho Veteran Bmployes' As-
sociation OF the PENNSYLVANIA Rail-
road Co, Maryland Division. at the
Hotel du ront last Saturday night.
Tho banquet WIS one OF the beat at
tended In tho history OF the assooia-
ton. Tho entire Maryland division
was Represented from Philadelphia to
Washington. ofiicNs and men being
prcscnt in large numbers. with their
wives and daughters. The banquet
was held In the gold ballroom, which
wrc brilliantly illuminated. while the
tables were ertistically arranged and
tastcfuhy ornamented.
II. II. Gordon. president of the as
ISOLATION. presided as toastmastcr. lie
extended a welcome 10 the members
and guests.
Mayer lie Roy Harvey compliment
ed the association upon It's splendid
membership and achievements. He
spoke In n reminiscent vein concern
inH railroading IN this locality. He
welcomed the visitors 10 the city and
paid tribute 70 railroad men generally,
showing how necessary the railroads
are to the community.
brief greeting was extended by
Jane. Buckalcw. superintendent OF
tho Maryland division.
Judge Gray Recalls the Early Days.
Judge Gray recalled tho early days
OF reilroading here. when he was Il
resident uf New Castle. which at one
time wns more important than Will
nington The flrst road that ever
operated regularly daily was the New
Castle end fSenChtown railroad. About
1880 there was n tramway between
New Castle and Frenchtown. Is miles
pway. on the Chesapeake Ray. He
told how crudely this old road was
buiit. lie had seen some OF the old
rails Of that road In 1892 an engine
wan brought over from England and
nut on the road. lie saw that engine
after Il had been abandoned. II was
huxt by tho Stephenson Co. From
that beginning the Judge showed how
rsilroadins had developed 70 its pres
ent state ot efficiency. lie recalled
when engines had names and when
tho crews remained with the engines
whether working or idle.
The judge said he had never known
any better men, who were entitled 90
the crown OF good citizenship. than
the railroad men between Philadelphia
and baltimore. The Judge had been
SO closely ae sociated with the railroad
for many years that he felt that he
was really one OF the veterans whom
he was addressing. Transportation,
he raid, IS the foundation OF our civi-
lization, es was the case with the old
Roman roads. The American rail-
roads have Developed the country;
they have opened UP new fields OF in
du~ry; without them we could not
have achieved the greatness we have
accomplished. He pointed out that all
Of this depends on the loyalty and
ability OF the railroad men.
Judge Gray extended a greeting TO
the ladies. who. he said, are now part
of our great electorate. He had great
faith IN their ABILITY TO make 1u-
dicious use OF the ballot. Let us
mako today better than yesterday,
he said. Let US plan that tomorrow
shan he better than today. BY CO.
operation and all pulling together we
can achieve future better than we
ever dreamed OF. We can accomplish
nothing by pulling against each other
Help each other; help your brother.
lie Endorsed the sentiment once ex-
pressed by Colonel Roosevelt. that
"thls country will not be a good place
for ANY OF us 10 live IN unless we make
it a good place for all Of us 20 live in.
The Judge praised the spirit OF CO.
operation shown by the great mass OF
Pennsylvania railroad men. He had
noticed growth OF the close associa-
ton OF management and men, which,
ne said, cannot help but make fU
good. He showed how all Americans
had co-operated and pulled together
during the war. Now" he said
.le. u, pull together the same way
I'm time Of peace. Let us put our
shoulders together and help bear the
burden that follows the war. Then
We will have proved ourselves good
and faithful servants IN our day and
genera ton"
Tribute TO ~Old Timers"
]. c. Rodgers OF Philadelphia, gen
eral paymaster Of the Pennsylvania
railroad, brought greetinge from the
Philadelphia division association. he
said he is an old p. w. & B. railroad
man, having entered the service
November /. 1863. when he was 1512
years old lie recalled many Of the
old trainmen. including Charles Davis,
Buck" West. '.Bin" Lucas. Charles
wentz. Pop" Slater, ''Dory'' Osborne
and others. He recalled Jerry
Smith, their big boss, and his mate,
Dave" Chambers. John S. Wilson.
general freight agent, was a born