December 1953
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Vol. V No.5 DECEMBER, 1953 *Milepost No. 53 To FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE Department of Public Relations WESTERN PACIFIC F AMIL Y: WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD SACRAMENTO NORTHERN RAILWAY TIDEWATER SOUTHERN RAILWAY 526 Mission Street, San Francisco 5 T HE directors and offiters join with me in ex Le e " Fla sh" Sherwood, Editor Arthur Lloyd , Jr., Associate Editor i pressing our cordial and sincere wishes for a Member American Railwa y M agazine Editors' Association very merry Christmas and a happy and prosper Member Northel'n Califo1'1tia Industrial Editors' Association our New Year for 1954. The year 1953 has seen much progress on our CONTENTS railroad and great credit is due to all who have Page worked hard and loyally and contributed in Office P arties, 1903-1953.................................................................................. ............... 4 great measure to that progress. The "Charles O. Sweetwood" Returns to Western P acific............. ...................... 6 General conditions are such that we can look Don't Be HALF Safe!............................................. ... .......................... .. .................... 8 Thanks for a J ob Well Done............... .............................. ............................ 9 forward to a good year in 1954. It is my fervent Mileposts in Gold................ .................................... ........................ .................................. 10 hope that our constant striving for a safe railroad In Memoriam .................................................................................................................... 13 will produce the best results yet. Going by Train... ........................................ ... ......................... .......................................... 14 WP Will Remember.......... .................. .. ...................................................... 15 Most sincerely, Western Pacific's Choral Group .......... ................................................................... .... 16 Caboosing .......................................................................................................................... 17 The Corn-Fed Mules and the Book of Rules ......................... ................................... 32 Another Western P acific F irsL .................................................................................... 35 Railroad Lines .................................................................................................................. 36 • Milepost No. 53.- U. S. 50, main highway between Alameda and San Joaquin coun ties, .~~~~--. seen i.n the distance, passes over Western Pacific's main line just beyond llIilepo8t 53. 2 MILE PO ST DECEMBER, 1953 3 IJ'/"//~ 1923-More 01' 1943 - The war ~ ganized by now, was on and the Western Pacific Office of Defense Christmas office Transportation ",,,,. _-,,,,,-,,,- parties were big asked for curtail ger and much live ment of civilian lier. The Ch ~r1es holiday travel to ton fad was at.the make room for ~:Ii~(I\IIP)~~~~ height of its popularity, and the "flap furloughed servicemen on the trains. pers" in the offices who knew the latest The Western Pacific Club in San Fran steps had a merry time. Oh yes, Pro cisco and the Western Pacific Amuse hibition had snuck in while the boys ment Club at Sacramento Shops sent were over in France fighting the war cigarettes and other articles to WP to end World Wars, but some of the railroaders stationed in remote corners fellows in the traffic department "knew of the world. And in Sacramento, too, a friend" who "had a friend" that could 675 shop employees gathered for a provide plenty of spirits for those who 1903-0nly six 1913-Ten years ~,',''''' ' Christmas party, complete with an 18- wanted to drink a toast to Old Saint Western Pacific old and now 10- ~ '. act program, dancing, and a Christmas Nick. (Now that it was illegal, the gals employees were on cated in the Mills ~ concert by the W P Band. Our third had begun to drink, too.) hand to celebrate Building at Bush Christmas at 526 Mission Street. the Company's and Montgomery first Christmas at streets, the Com- /" 'B)~ a little party in the pany's spirit of ~' '", '//"/~ 1933-0ffice 1953-Withthe '~ J .. ~ old Safe Deposit Christmas was ~ " I ~ parties were still largest number of . -(J"l}\\\¥P }ir~'J !) . ~ Building at California and Montgom more evident, due to a much enlarged held, but the spirit employees ever ~OI»J _. \,.. -" rJ 05",.. ery streets in San Francisco. It was, force. Departmental offices held their of Christmas, at its (except during . • , . ~ , JJ-,.r.-i after all, only nine months after the various Christmas parties and friends height in the late war-time years), ~ ~ ~ ~ organization of the new railroad and dropped in to extend their greetings. t wen tie s, was preparations are "" 0<.' ,:;;> J nearly six years before its rails were Food was much more elaborate than in largely dampened under way to i:5 joined at Keddie. On Christmas Eve, 1903, but ladies still didn't imbibe (ex by d e p ressio n spread Christmas the three men and three women cept perhaps for a few slightly "fast" tears. Those employees who still had cheer in a number of Western Pacific gathered in the office of Harry M. gals who did so behind a door or in $5 (they had been using the new pres offices. Santa will find his way to some Ardley, purchasing agent, to sing a few some other secluded corner). Benja ent size cun-ency since 1929) could with presents for the children, and at carols, exchange hopes about the future min F. Bush, the company's third manage to get a pint of good (?) whis all, there will be singing and dancing success of their company, and lunch on president, had been in office for only key to blur their vision of the car and gay conviviality. There will be crackers and cheese which only the a little over a month. Christmas carols loadings curve. According to memo good food and a toast or two, and an male members of the party washed were now on r cords, but the office ries of a few employees who now have opportunity to wish your railroad as twenty or more years of service, one down with a dollar-a-quart corn whis boy had to keep winding the old talk sociates a real Merry Christmas. Only large group went out to San Francisco's key mixed with water from an old ing machin , which seemed to always time will reveal the events to happen old Pompei Restaurant for lunch and during the next ten years, but one china pitcher. run down. a bottle or two of old salty wine, but thing seems certain, there will be a the celebrations somehow lacked the Western Pacific Christmas party in usual Yuletide spirit. 1963. 4 MILEPOSTS DECEMBER, 1953 5 assistant manager, P acific Area Head Army, and his own, in saying "thank quarters. you 'Charles O. Sweetwood' for an Participating in the November 9 important job, well done." ceremony were two of the fou r original Wesselius read a letter from E. Rol Red Cross n urses, Mrs. J ulia Pagan and Harriman, Red Cross president, and Mrs. Lois K ramer, who staffed the which in part said: "It is a great pleas car during its two and one-half year ure to express to you and the Western tour of duty, Louis Griffin, WP porter Pacific the deep appreciation of the who traveled with the car, and Col. American Red Cross for the great con Dan Gilmer who commanded the tribution made to the National Blood Seventh Cavalry Regiment in which P rogram by the r ailroad car 'Charles Sgt. Sweetwood served, as well as the O. Sweetwood.' ... Business Car 106 Sixth Army Band, an Armed Forces returns to its railroad duties leaving color guard, and an honor guard of 30 behind the pride of an accomplishment An honor guard of First Cavalry Division veterans, an Armed Forces color guard, the Sixth Army First Cavalry Division veterans. that meant so much to the welfare of Band and other notables stand at parade rest as decommissioning ceremonies get under way at the Pre sidio of San Francisco. M·aj. Gen. Frank H. Partridge, American men who fought and bled in Deputy Commander, Sixth Army, ex K orea. A salute to the railroad pressed the feeling of Lt. Gen. J oseph industry and to the 'Charles O. Sweet THE "CHARLES O. SWEETWOOD" M. Swing, Commanding General, Sixth wood' for a job well done." With the color guard at attention, the " Charles O. Sweetwood" returns to W estern Pacific as Business RETURNS TO WESTERN PACIFIC Car 106. President Whitman and Porter Griffin wave good-byes, as the band plays "Vaya con D ios." .... Keys to the "Charles O. Sweetwood," first railroad car in history used to collect blood for the Armed Forces, were returned by the Red Cross to Western Pacific November 9 during a special decommissioning ceremony held at the Presidio of San Francisco. Named in honor of Sgt. Charles O. Sweetwood, of Elko, first W P employee to die in action in Korea, the car traveled 28,488 miles over 11 different railroads in four western states and collected more than 25,000 pints of blood. Reversing the dedication ceremony which took place at Oakland on Janu ary 10, 1951, when ·P resident Whitman officially presented the keys of the former business car to Raymond H. Barrows, then vice president and Pa cific Area manager of the American Gerald W esselius, assistant manager, Pacific Area Red Cross, they were returned to Headquarters, American Red Cross, returns the "Charles O. Sweetwood" keys to President Whitman. Whitman by Gerald Wesselius, now 6 MILEPOSTS E. E. Scott, ticket clerk at Sacra the treatment we received from West mento, received considerable praise ern P acific. I can assure you that you last month from the Ben Ali Temple, will certainly receive first considera A.A.O.N.M.S., for the high standard of tion whenever in the future we may service h e performed in arranging for be able to again use your services." and escorting the 16-car special which Scottie was born in Rockford, Illinois, carried more than on June 6, 1896, and after graduation 500 of their mem from Sacramento public schools, en bers from Sacra tered Western Pacific service on June mento to Reno and 1, 1912, at Blairsden. He began his return on October service at the Sacramento passenger 24 and 25 to attend depot on F ebruary 16, 1915.