The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1922-08-17
SEVENTEEN ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION OCT. 10, 1922

celebrated by the Rock Island rail
road system on Oct. 10, the seven
tieth anniversary of the operation
of its first passenger train, which ran
from Chicago to Joliet, then the ter
minus of the railroad, on Oct. 10,
1852.
The principal observance of the
day will take place here, but local
celebrations will be staged in all the
principal cities on the Rock Island
Lines, with events of more than local
committee. on arrangements, appoint
ed by the general staff in Chicago,
Importance at several points, The
consists of L. M. Allen, vice presi-
dent and passenger traffic manager;
Hal s, Ray, assistant to the presi-
dent; and W. E. Babb, associate edi-
tor Of the Rock Island magazine.
The event around which the sys-
tem-wide celebration will center will
be the ."Rock Island Night" radio
program, to be broadcasted from
Chicago over the Westinghouse send
ing station in the Commonwealth
division building. This program will
be featured by addresses by Chas.
Hayden, chairman of the board of
directors, and j. E. German, presi-
dent of the road, and by several mus
ical numbers. Employees clubs and
commercial associations in the var
ious cities on the systems will meet
on that evening, equipped with radio
receiving sets, and "tune in" for the
program. 1t is expected that the
attendance at these meetings will to-
tai many thousands. Carl Nyquist,
vice-president, secretary and treas
urer of the Rock Island Lines, is in
charge of this feature of the cele-
bration.
In Chicago two other. special feat
ures are on the program for the day.
The first will be a re-enactment Of
the first run Of the original passsen-
ger train to Joliet, which left Chicago
at 10 o'clock on Oct. 10, 1852. The
Anniversary run" will be represent
ed 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 men,
bers of the Rock Island"Roll of Hon.
or" and their wives at noon of the
same day. The luncheon will be pre-
coded by an automobile parade a.
round the loop, headed by band and
an escort of mounted police. In the
automobiles will be all the principal
officers of the railroad who are able
to be in Chicago that day and pen
stoned employees in the order of their
years of service. President German
and other officials will speak at the
luncheon and representative of the
retired employees will respond.
At Joliet a monument to S. B.
Reed, who surveyed the line for the
Rock Island into Chicago, will be I'M
veiled- Another similar local cele-
bration will be held at Rock Island.
where the United States government
will place a bronze tablet on a pier
of the first railroad bridge built
across the mississippi River. The
bridge has long since disintegrated,
and even the last surviving pier
was forgotten until discovered few
years ago by Charles Davis, the first
Rock Island engineer to run a train
in Iowa. He was the first pensioner
of the railroad, and in his rambles
about Rock Island after his retire
ment located the old pier. 1t was
restored by army officers at the ar
senal, on whose grounds it stands.
Memorial trees will be planted at
seventy points of historical interest
on the road. Tablets commemorate
ing particular incident of Importance
of these points will also be erected
This program has the cooperation of
the American Forestry Association
and various agricultural colleges in
the several states which the road
traverses.
A general Cleanup campaign" is
now under way all over the Rock
Island system, with the idea of hav-
ing all railroad property as spick
and span on the anniversary day as
it is possible to make it. A ono
Accident No-Fire" Day is also being
arranged.
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