Pages 1-76 - Springfield-Greene County Library

of the Frisco. who had charge of the
construclion of the new plant, was
then introduced by Chairman Hogan,
and presented a huge key, symbolic
of the station's actual opening, to
Mayor Blinn of Oklahoma City.
- -
Ia the- concluding speech at the
slation Ceremonies, Mayor Blinn of-
ficially accepted the station on behalf
of Oklahonla City, and delighted the
great crowd by introducing pretty
little Nary Jo Poole, granddaughter
of a bck Island engineer, who was
selected for the honor of actually un-
locking the station.
To the clicking of the cameras of
newspaper photographers, little Miss
Poole manipulated the large key in
the especially made padlock which
hug on the gate of the station un-
derpass, and a great shout went up
as the gate swung open and the crowd
~aade a wild rush to enter the station
proper.
The visiting railroad officials were
not finished with their part in the
day'a program, however, and after a
brief "look-around" at the station's
beauliful interior, they entered spe-
cial cars provided by Oklahoma City's
Hospitality Club, and were driven to
the Chamber of Commerce, where a
luncheon was given in their honor.
Oklahoma City's civic clubs had
postponed their regular weekly
luncheons to join with the Chamber
of Commerce in this welcoming ges-
ture to the visiting railroad men, and
seven hundred business and profes-
sional men and women cheered the
rail men as they entered the room.
Mr. J. F. Owens, president of the
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company,
presided over the luncheon as toast-
master, and introdnced both present
and past members of Oklahoma City's
station committees, the city council
members, Lieut. Governor Burns, ex-
Senator Thomas P. Gore, presidents
of the Wednesday, Optimist, Town,
Cooperative, Rotary, Kiwanis and
Lions Clubs, Real Estate Board and
other notables. Visiting Rock Island
officials were introduced by 3Ir. Hal
S. Ray, director of public relations for
that railroad at Chicago; and the
Riseo's visiting officers were intro-
duced by Mr. L. Huggins, Jr., director
of publicity. St. Louis.
Vice-President E. T. Miller, official
Frisco spolresmau for the day, again
~alked briefly on the problems of the
railways and their efforts to meet
them with economies in operation,
and bespoke the assistance of Okla-
tnma City people in making their
new station a gateway for an in-
creasing amount of rail travel illto
and out of the capital.
I L. 11. Allen, of Chicago, vice-presi-
dent and passenger traffic manager
The Railroads' Plight
rap 5
"Railroad co~rscir)rrs" arc /lzr bcoplc of I~irrrrirr~jl~u~~r. x41nbnrira. Tlw
following resolrrtion entitled "7 lrc Plight of the Xailronds" was adopted,
ordered prirrt~d aird gizwrr nidr circrtlotio~c, nt tlrc rrprlur wcrtirrg of tltc
Kiwanis Club of Ilir~~tiir~ha~r~ rccrtrtlj.
The unrestricted competition con- pend upon railroad purchases for
fronting the common carriers who employment. Thus directly and inare
controlled by State and Federal directly the railroads employ more
Governments is contributing ma- than 3,000,000 persons. Each state
terially to the current depression. and municipality served by the
Aside from necessity for reduction
in personnel, the enormous
railroads are themselves interested
as they pay lawe amounts in tam. purchasing power of the railroads
has been so as to be materially
felt in all industry. Business
men are interested in fair
treatment of the carriers, whose
bonds and stocks are held so large-
In many counties in this State more
than Fifty Per Cent of the taxes are
from the railroads. No
one questions that it is necessary
for the railroads to function. Are
you prepared to let things drift
into Government ownership? Fif-
ly by the insurance companies.
teen months operation by United
which securities are vitally affected States Government during
by reason of the carriers' decreased World War shows a deficit $1,092.-
earning power. The em- ,584,354.56. Another legacy-wages
ploy 117007000 persons and purchase in 1929 were $720,000,000.00 above
in excess of Two Billion Dollars 1916, while earnings were $440,-
from industry, whose employes de- 000,000.00 less.
of the Rock Island, who has had 50
years of service with his company.
spoke of his early recollections of
Oklahoma City and praised tho com-
munity for its remarkable, well
planned growth. The elltire program
was broadcast over WKY broadcast-
ing station of the Oklahoma Publish-
ing Company.
Following the luncheon, which end-
ed promptly at 1:30 o'clock, waiting
automobiles took the visiting railway
officers to the Oklahoma City Golf
and Country Club, where they were
honor guests at a reception planned
by the Chamber of Commerce and
welcoming bodies of Oklahoma City.
Oklahon~a Cityans were rightfully
proud of their new station, and offi-
cials of the Frisco and Rock Island
railroads were proud of the comple-
tion of the project. While the cele-
bration was under way, a slightly
built man who went to Oklahonla City
as station master on the new "job"
before it was finished, and while the
passengers were being cared for in
two passenger coaches which served
as a temporary station, was quite
busy being the proudest man of the
day. It was a day of days for L. A.
Fuller. Not only was he celebrating
the opeuing of the new station. Hc
was commemorating 15 years of serv-
ice with Frisco Lines, beginning on
July 15, 1909, when he went to work
as a call boy at Newburg, 110.
And so everyoue was happy, all
around.
Frisco officers who attended the
opeuing iucluded: Vice-Presideut 11.
L. Worman, F. H. Hamilton, E. T.
Jliller; S. S. Butler, general traffic
manager; W. S. 3Ierchant, assistant
general traffic manager; Col. F. G.
.Jonah, chief engineer; R. C. Stephens,
architect, all of St. Louis; F. H.
Shaffer, general mauager; 11. JI. Sis-
son, assistant general manager; J. H.
I)o.mrell, superintendent of trans-
portation; J. 117. Surles, superintend-
ent of motive power; F. G. Lister,
assistant superintendent of motive
power; J. K. Gibson, assistant to
superintendent of motive power, all
of Springfield, and C. T. Mason, super-
intendent of Southwestern division,
of Sapulpa.
Rock Island officers who attended
included: L. C. Fritch, vice-president
of operatioi~s, Chicago; L. N. Allen,
vice-president and passenger traffic
manager. Chicago; Hal. S. Ray, direc-
tor of public relations and personnel,
Chicago, and others from nearby
cities in the southwestern territory.
Shipwrecked Sailor (swimming for
life toward an object he has just
sighted) : "Glory be, professor, it's a
buoy!"
Shipwrecked Professor (absently, as
usual) : "Ah, I had hopes-but never
mind, how is the mother doing?"