The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-21
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The United States bureau of mines
has developed a pocket gas mask or
respirator, of the canister type, for
the use of engineers and firemen while
their trains are passing thru tunnels,
and are wrapped in the dense, sui
phurous fumes from the engine stack
The regulation army gas masks were
found to be effective but the>new type
is cheaper and more convenient
The statement is made blythe Rail-
way Age that for every 100 freight
cars that are moving, whether loaded
or empty, there are 119 being loaded,
119 being unloaded, 164 Standing on
repair tracks, and $50 standing in
yards. The same journal is authority
for the statement that tbs average
car spends eleven days of each trip in
yards.
The Union Pacific has closed its
district freight and passenger agents
office at Santa Barbara. Cal, aud will
hereafter handle the business from
that point thru its general agents at
Los Angeles.
Beauty is sometimes found where
it is least expected. In Hutchinson, it
has been found in the roundhouse
yards of the Santa Fee railroad. A
cinder bed yard didn't appeal to A. p
flanders, general roundhouse foreman
of the back shops. So he had the top
soil removed. clay loan hauled in,
planted two trees near his office and
sowed Bermuda grass. Today there
is grassy carpet, bordered by a row
of blooming peoples. And green vines
now cover fair portion of the red
roundhouse walls.
A passenger on Rock Island train
No. 8, headed for Los Angeles,
dropped off the train at~Topeka this
week and went into the newsstand to
buy magazine. He became so en-
crossed insthe magazine that. No. 8
pulled out and on down the line be-
fore he wandered, ceatless and hat
less, out on the platform and became
frantic. Station officials wired ahead
and had his baggage removed from
the train at Mcfarland. The tourist
bought a cap, decided he'd see To-
peka. and went on on No. 1, twelve
hours later.
Approximately 1900 head of fat
tened cattle from the Flint Hills graz
ing district of Chase county have been
shipped to eastern markets since the
marketing season opened in July
More than SO per cent of the cattle
are reported now to have been moved
from the pastures.
OF a total of 5,201 grievances and
controversial questions between en-
pio5es of the Pennsylvania railroad
and officials of the company, which
were brought up during the first six
months of the year. 1858 cases. or
AL per cent of them. were settled
offhand in favor of the employees by
the first committee dealing with
them. There were withdrawn, as
without merit, 1,409 of the cases, or
I'll per cent, and the first decisions
on 1928, or 23.S per cent of them,
were appealed to reviewing commit
tees.
Between 100000 and 100000 BUSH
els of wheat and coarse grains, prin-
cipaliy the former, were loaded by the
Canadian Pacific railway at various
points in Alberta on September 20.
This is the largest quantity shipped s.
far this year. The bulk OF the wheat
went to the head of the lakes.
There is a baggage man-E. F.
Sparks. of the Pennsylvania railroad
who not only has tender heart but is
a real honest to gosh sreuth. This
summer a pet cat winch had been
consigned to the care or the baggage
man jumped out OF the car at Man
haitian Transfer. and escaped The
youngSter who owned the cat be-
walled his loss with such pathos that
the baggage man returned to the
transfer point at his first opportunity.