Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-06
West Point Pilot, Veteran of
Confederacy, Believed to
Hold World Service Record,
Wickersham Close Friend
BY ROGERS WINTER

When Engineer John McWaters
pulled the Atlanta and West Point
train from Montgomery into the Ter
minal station at 2:15 o'clock, Tues
day afternoon, he completed his
fifty-fourth year at the throttle.
So far as officials of the road have
been able to discover, there is no
other man in the country who has
been running an engine as long as
John McWaters.
Charles A. Wickersham, president
of the Atlanta and West Point, was
waiting at the station to meet him
and congratulate him on his mag
nificent record. Other officials OF
the road were there, including JOS
eph P. Billups, general passenger
agent. Men were there with United
States flags to decorate his engine.
Motion picture camera men were
there to take pictures of him for the
news reels. Newspaper photograph
ers and reporters were there.
Engineer McWaters pulled his
train under the station, stopped his
engine at the north end and began
to divest himself of his overalls.
t"Wait a minute, John" said Mr..
Wickersham, hurrying up to the
steps. "We want your picture with
your overalls."
go on away and let me alone,
said the old engineer, with mis-
chievous twinkle in his blue Irish
eyes.
Mr.. Wickersham insisted. Mr.. Nc
Waters finally compromised by wear
ing his overall jumper under his
coat, and wearing his cap and wear
ing his glasses with red shell rims
"Those glasses cost him ninety
eight cents" said Mr.. Wickersham
HE hasn't got over 1t yet"
AS a reply to this cutting remark
Mr.. McWaters reached into MI
Wickersham's pocket and took out
cigar, threw away the stub he had
been smoking and lit the fresh one
Good for Fifty More"
John, 1 wish you'd try to move
around spry when they take the mo
ton pictures" said Mr.. Wickersham
Don't look so old and stiff. KeeI
your hands off your hips"
"Huh!' snorted John. I'm gooc
for another fifty years. III be here
when you are gone
And so they ran alonG at eacf
other throughout the interview. The
affection between these two men j
like that between brothers. Mr.
Wickersham would give Engineer
McWaters anything he wanted
short of a deed to the Atlanta an(
West Point railroad; and Engineer
| McWaters would die for Presiden
Wickersham.
There's the linest man to worl
| for that ever lived he told the re
| porters, while Mr.. Wickershan
wasn't listening. "You can't say to-
much for him. I'll daddy anything
you say for him, at YOU ere Lar
j you say anything against him."
When Engineer McWaters goes t.
President Wickershams office t
see him, he walks past the offic
| boy, past the outer guard. past tn
| inner guard, and past the pres
dent's secretary. He does not sto
| until he reaches Mr.. Wickersham
and nobody tries to stop i'm.
The old man was proud as : DO,
with a new bicycle when they deco
rate dhis engine and took mote l pie
lures of him. His blue Irish eye
were diamond bright and he smile
all the while. They uncoupled hi
engine from the train and ran
out into the sunlight on the mort
side of the station shed. wher, tn
photographers could work. But tn
engine was 0lo"eu lloA ILL., any u
sun was in II west. and This threV
the engineers cab on the shady sid
of the engine.
lie refused to pose for a picture i
the cab on the left.
Everybody would know that wa
fake" he said. "1ow could I S
over there and run an engine?"
No Fatal Wrecks
when [ start out tomorrow morr
ing for Montgomery" he told the r.
porters, Il begin my fifty-fifth yea