Freight Snippets

RAILROAD GAZETTE 3/28/1884 p. 240

The Santa Fe's Corn Train.

A train of 35 cars loaded with corn donated to the flood sufferers of the Ohio Valley by farmers and merchants of Sedgwick County, Ks., will arrive St. Louis mext Thursday morning. It leaves Wichita on Monday via Santa Fe, and at Kansas City will be turned over to the Chicago & Alton to be delivered at St. Louis to the Ohio & Mississippi for delivery to the Cincinnati distributing point. The Santa Fe, besides furnishing the cars and transportation free, has decorated the train gorgeously but tastefully to enter St. Louis with flying colors and bearing the mottos proclaiming the sentiments of the farmers of Kansas.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 1888:

BAD MAKE-UP OF TRAINS (all roads) A correspondent, referring to the careless placing of cars of long lumber, unhandy oil tanks, empty high-sided board coal cars etc. in the rear of the train, where a brakeman will be impeded in getting at the brakes, says: "It is a notorious fact that in many instances it would be almost impossible to stop some freight trains as they are made up. It should be the duty of every yardmaster to put at least four good brakes next to the caboose, and as many more next to the engine. I see trains almost daily which it would take a good active man 10 to 15 minutes to get over and not set a brake! Trains made up hit or miss, besides being dangerous to life and limb, are expensive to handle, as all hands are afraid of them. The engineer shuts of a little sooner, the brakemen hold the train as hard as they can, and the consequence is a drag into the station. Or, in the case of an unexpected stop such as have to be made frequently, the first signal the engineer gets he reverses, uses sand and stops as soon as possible. This sort of work is expensive either way; it is hard on the machinery, hard on the coal pile and mighty trying to the nervous system of the crew.

Regarding Santa Fe Transfer Caboose developments; excerpted from inter-departmental correspondence:

1/ 4/55 "---worn out transfer cabooses, Kansas City, badly need replacement---"

1/25/56 " We now have 19 way cars for transfer--of wood construction, obsolete trucks, 5" x 5" couplers---sills have been re-nailed until little left to hold additional nails--all very deteriorated--eye sore and poor advertisement for company---". The cars at Kansas City are 1107, 1112, 1171, 1324, 1350, 1352, 1366, 1403, 1108, 1167, 1224, 1334, 1347, 1351, 1359, and 1375.

4/30/56 "--authority granted to fit up two transfer caboose cars from Ft-I, length 44 '6", width 8' 10", capacity 40 tons. Work to be done at Argentine, Ks. Place box cab at center--to be built from seven scrap steel doors, about 1/2-section salvaged roof, two salvaged steel ends, cut for application of doors, 18" window to be cut in each side, railings of salvaged pipe, corner steps from scrap metal running boards, stoves from present cars.

12/20/56 Authority hereby to construct six additional transfer cabooses numbers 1002-1007.

11/13/57 Regarding transfer cabooses 1000-1007, increase width end steps from 22'" to 26 1/2" , increase from two to three steps, set inside sill for increased clearance.

10/11/58 Following poor report from Kansas State Labor Department inspection, plans made to line cab interiors, and other changes made to correct problems reported by Labor Department inspectors.

10/31/58 Cab lining total cost $2,000 @ $210.30 per cars 1000-1007; 1003 already lined.

10/31/58 Request for additional (duplicate) transfer cars 1008-1015 denied as: "---not necessary as we now have a number of cabooses from the Coast Lines, sufficient for any added needs; we now have enough for Chicago and Kansas City."

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 2/15/1900:

(Emporia Ks. items) Engine 562 is in the roundhouse equipped with a snowplow. Train #121 pulled out of the yards Wednesday with 86 cars, a load of 2,362 tons. The head end of the train was between the west end tower and the stockyards, the rear end just cleared at the West Street crossing. The Santa Fe has closed Clements as a night station, and hauled the station of Elinor, its agent and buildings away.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 6/ 7/1873, p. 236:

New Law Regulating Carrying of Livestock.

(--passed last session of congress), is entitled: 'An Act To Prevent Cruelty To Animals While In Transit By Railroad Or Other Means Of Transportation Within The United States'. "---any road transporting stock from one state to another shall not confine stock for a period more than 28 hours without unloading for rest, water and feeding for a period of at least five consecutive hours----". (Gazette's article continued at length, including list of penalties against stock transporters for non-compliance).

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL, 11/18/1899:

Nearly A Mile of Cars
How 'Double-headers' save money for the Santa Fe

(Ft. Worth Tx., dateline) One of the longest double-header trains ever hauled over a road in this country was taken out of El Paso over the Santa Fe.There were 90 cars in all, making a train over one-half mile long. This enormous number of cars to one train is something unheard of heretofore on a regular freight, and this instance alone explains why the railroad companies are so tenacious on their policy to run 'double-headers', said a railroad man today, 'as the saving in transpiration costs is great.' It is expected that the railroad companies in Texas will make a desperate fight against the legislature passing a bill to restrain the running of double-headers, but the men in the transportation departments expect to push their claims.

RAILWAY & ENGINEERING REVIEW 2/24/1900 p. 99: Double-Heading Forbidden in Texas

As forecast in our issue of last week, the Texas legislature has passed the bill authorizing the Railroad Commission to investigate into the running and operating by any railroad in this state of more than one working locomotive in any one train at the same time, and to authorize them to regulate, or forbid such practice, either on all or a part of such a railroad, and to prescribe a penalty for the violation of the Commission's order, and to provide that railway employees shall not be held to assume the risk of injury when engaged in the operation of trains propelled by two or more engines. The Texas legislature seems to read the maxim of the famous Texan as follows: "BE SURE YOU ARE WRONG, THEN GO AHEAD".

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 2/28/1900:

Economy is the watchword throughout the railroad industry, and officials must make a good showing if they expect to be retained in office by the bond holders. The "RAILWAY & ENGINEERING REVIEW" gives the following as an example of rank extravagance: "In these times of exclusion of everything else which tends to diminish the paying load hauled, it is odd that the large, heavy, double-truck caboose has escaped attention. The well-known expedient of filling the tool boxes and the space underneath the seats with sand and iron in order to advance well riding of the caboose, brings the weight of the caboose close up to that of other cars. In the past, especially in the west, because of the sparse country through which the road ran, compelled the crew to live in their cabooses, but such is not the case at present. There is no necessity for the crews living in the cabooses, and very few of the men do. Why, then, is it necessary to drag such a heavy, non-paying mass as is exemplified in the double truck caboose? On the road it is never occupied by any other man than the conductor (Ellington note: what, no brakeman?) in the summer and in the winter a four wheel caboose is large enough to accommodate all the crew who congregate as refuge from the weather. The small caboose contains room for all legitimate purposes, and precludes any attempt at loading down with heavy iron and sand. Seems the heavy caboose is mainly for the embryo trainmasters.

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL, 1/29/1900:

Steel car construction at the Santa Fe shops here.

Work progressing on first order of that kind. There are now building at Topeka shops ten new all-steel ballast cars of 80,000 lb. cap'y. They will be of standard size, meaning length of 40 feet. Work on the cars is being rushed ahead as the materials are now at hand and they will be put together as rapidly as possible. They will be the first steel cars built at Topeka shops, and their completion is being looked forward to with much interest. The building of steel ballast cars is much of an experiment, but from the satisfaction that cars of this kind have been giving in the east, considerable is expected of them. They are expected to revolutionize freight service. As soon as the order for ten ballast cars is completed, an all-steel box car will be built and put into active service on the road. The box car will be thoroughly tested, and if satisfactory, then more will likely be built. The box cars will be of standard size, 80,000 lb. cap'y. The first cost of a steel car is much greater than a wooden car, but the extra life and strength obtained make them cheaper and better.

TOPEKA JOURNAL December 1911:

Santa Fe Railway Museum.

To develop a museum, their authorities were searching for a stock car of 30 years previous, the entire system was searched, and not a single car of the early vintage was to be found. The stock car was wanted to add to a demonstration train. General Manager Kouns had the search expanded along all the side tracks of all the branch lines, to no avail.

Auditor's Office Record 8/ 5/1887

Official Car A.T.& S.F. #101 released from Topeka Shops 4/23/87; labor $8,060.87, material $10,095.08, total $18,155.95.

Auditor's Office Record 2/ 5/1885

PILE DRIVER #3 "Western Division" Wells & French and Vulcan Iron Works charges: Car $ 725.00 Steam Hammer $3,800.00 Total $4,525.00

Auditor's Office Report 11/ 1/1884

Way #125 A.T.& S.F. completed, released from shops 10/18/84 " #'s 18 through 23 estimated cost, apiece, $1,200.00 start work at once, build two per month.

Auditor's Office Report 10/17/1884

Steam shovel & Derrick #C-1 from Industrial Works, Bay City, Michigan, $6,752.50.

Auditor's Office Record 5/ 6/1886:

Santa Fe equipment furnished Automatic Air Brakes between 4/84 & 3/86: Locomotives 8; Box 170; Combine 8; Flat 21; Coal 35; Way 1.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 1/ 1/1907 p. 155:

Two locomotives and the cars attached to them were seized in the Santa Fe yard at Lamar Colorado by a force of deputy sheriffs who bound and locked them with heavy steel chains and padlocks. This action was the result of advise from Judge Northcutt to the Powers County officials to levy on railroad property. $25,000 in back taxes allegedly owed to the county was not paid. Some of the cars tied up by the seizure of two trains contained livestock and other perishable freight. The contested sum was paid under protest.

RAILWAY & ENGINEERING REVIEW 6/ 1/1912 p.489:

Reprinted from Santa Fe magazine, date unspecified, authored by V.V. Ritter.

After the completion of the Santa Fe, the slaughter of the buffalo became a most profitable industry, and the annihilation of the King of Beasts of the plains was shameful to say the least. Many can doubtless recall a small lake where Syracuse (Kansas, Ellington note) now stands, though in those days was a buffalo watering place. The locality proved to be a harvest ground for the cruel killer, and we are not exaggerating in stating that the pedestrian could travel 5 or 6 miles without placing his foot on the ground, but instead treading the distance on the bodies of the slaughtered bison. The hunters usually worked in threes, as they could do greater execution, and the first hours work in the morning would be devoted to killing. Usually from 30 to 40 would be in the harvest, a sufficient number for a day's work. The average hunter would be disappointed if his day's labor did not bring him in from $10 to $12. The principal value of the buffalo lay in its hide, for that of a bull the captor received the average of $2, and for a cow's hide, $1. Horns sold for 5 cents per pair, and the hair was a small item. Later the bulls were purchased by an eastern fertilizer company.

From INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION BUREAU of VALUATION (Rev. 10/ 1/23):

Santa Fe Ferries, Fruit Boats, Tug Boats.
Passenger Car Ferry "San Pedro". Registry No. 218653; Blt. 1910-11 by Union Iron Works of San Francisco; tons (gross) 720; tons (net)1,035; dimensions of load at water line - length 248' 5"; breadth 36'; draft 10'; width over all 64'; capacity 1000 people; seats 792; sleeping quarters for crew; necessary compliment of lifejackets, anchors and cables, tools and accessories; electric lighted throughout; boilers (4) B & W water tube type; total heating surface 93323 sq. ft. adapted for oil fuel; engines (2000 H.P.) compound condensing with cylinders 36" and 77"; diameter 66" stroke; steam steering gear; propulsion side paddle wheels feathering type. 16' dia. over float centers. Hull of steel, upper decks wood.

Passenger Car Ferry "San Pablo"; Registry 117008; Blt. 1900 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco; tons (gross) 1584; tons (net) 966; dimensions at load water line - length 226'; breadth 26' 2"; draft 9' 6"; width over all 64'; sleeping quarters for crew; necessary compliments of life boats, anchors and chains, tools and accessories; electric lighted throughout; boilers (2) Scotch Marine type and (1) B & W water tube, adapted for oil burning; engines 1750 H.P. compound, condensing; with cylinders 38" & 77" x 66" stroke; steam steering gear; propulsion, side paddle wheels; hull steel; upper works, wood.

Fruit Boat "Francis" Registry No. 202063 Blt 1905 by C.I. Foster Co. San Francisco; tons (gross) 698; tons (net) 543; dimensions at load water ine - length 174'; breadth 38'; draft 8' 3"; width over all, 46'; sleeping quarters for crew; necessary compliment of lifeboats, anchors and cables. tools and accessories; electric lighted; boilers (4) horizontal, tubular, adapted for oil fuel and one auxiliary; engine 600 H.P. non-condensing, with cylinders 20" x 84" stroke' propulsion steam paddle wheel; hull wood; upper works wood; cost of reproduction $49,387.

Tug Boat "A.H. Payson" Registry No. 107798 Blt. 1902 by Poole & Son, San Francisco; tons (gross) 158; tons (net) 93; dimensions at load water line - length 109' 5"; breadth 24'; depth 12'; width over all 26' 7"; sleeping quarters for crew; necessary compliment of lifeboats, anchors and cables, tools and accessories; boiler (1) B & W water tube; engine 750 H.P. compound, condensing; cylinders 20" & 42" x 24" stroke; propulsion, screw; steam steering gear; hull wood, upper works wood; cost of reproduction $65,000.

Tug Boat "E.P. Ripley" Registry No. 204695; Blt. 1907-08 by Cruse & Banks, San Francisco; tons (gross) 170; tons (net) 91; dimensions at load water line - length 115' 5"; breadth 24'; depth 11' 5", width over all ?; sleeping quarters for crew; necessary compliment of life boats, anchors and cables, tools and accessories; boiler B. & W. water tube type, engine 750 H.P. compound condensing; cylinders 20" & 42" x 24" stroke; propulsion, screw; steam steering gear; hull wood; upper works wood; cost of reproduction $78,400.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 4/17/1900:

Fruit Shipments, Santa Fe, Oranges

7000 cars is what California sends over the Santa Fe Route. Mr. Closson, Santa Fe Fuel & Ice Contractor, returned Monday from Argentine (Kansas, Ellington note), where he had been spending several days superintending the re-icing of the refrigerator cars hauling oranges from California to eastern points. It is estimated that from 50 to 60 cars per day are re-iced at Argentine. The orange season is about over and it is estimated that about 7000 car loads will have been handled by the Santa Fe during the season. This will probably be one-half of the California crop.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 5/15/1900:

Fruit Season Closing

Santa Fe at present handling 50 cars a day. The fruit season in California has nearly drawn to a close, however business will continue brisk until the end of this month. The Santa Fe has had the greater part of the work of moving the fruit east. It has been sent at the rate of 50 to 100 cars per day; about 50 cars at present. They are re-iced at different points along the line. About three tons of ice are required per car. In consequence, 150 tons per day are being used by the Santa Fe for this one item alone. The greater part of the shipment of fruit consists of oranges.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 9/ 5/1900

Mellon Cars Rushed

Santa Fe carries them as part of the equipment of passenger trains. Nearly every day an express car passes through Topeka on the Santa Fe filled with Rocky Mountain cantalopes shipped to New York or other large eastern cities. The cars used to carry the cantalopes are built expressly for this purpose, and great care is taken in handling them. The melons shipped in this manner bring a very high price, but never-the-less a market is found for all that are shipped.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 12/27/1901:

Ten of the twelve new Santa Fe reefer cars which have been built in Topeka shops have been turned out, and are in the hands of the painters. They have been given the standard freezer yellow and the new trademark of the company is being placed on them for the first of any equipment of that class.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 3/11/1901

Famine Of Fruit Cars
California products spoiling for want of equipment.

(Los Angeles California dateline) Reports continue to come in from all over California about shortage of fruit cars and inability of railroads to handle the big orange crop. Many fruit growers have already lost heavily and if something is not done in the near future, tons of lemons and oranges will go to waste. Several packing houses have been forced to close their doors because they cannot get cars.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 10/18/1907:

Cope and Company received a car load of pears this week that had almost totally been spoiled in transit. The pear fruit was shipped in a refrigerator car which was sidetracked in western Kansas to allow 330 cars of cattle to be rushed through to the market. The railroad, fearing the Federal law in regard to keeping cattle more than 28 hours in a car without feed and water. As a result, perishable freight was everywhere side tracked to let the cattle through. Ice melted out of the Cope and Company's car of pears and the fruit was spoiled in consequence.

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 2/ 6/1901:

Way Cars To Be Built on an Improved Plan
End Rigging To Go

Steps and platforms thought to be unnecessary. also talk of heightening cupolas as new height furniture cars obstruct crew view of cars forward from caboose. The end platforms are not structurally sound, (new) cars will have entrances just on the sides.

"Found" correspondence from Santa Fe official 9/ 7/1946:

"---two cars now have the map on both sides---why?---"

(Continues): "Bx37 141840 out of Argentine 8/24/46, and Bx-36 149929 out of Argentine 8/27/46." "We also saw stencil paint not applied evenly and was thin enough to require repainting after about a year's time---see to it this does not re-occur---".

Ft. Madison, Iowa DEMOCRAT 2/15/88:

An ice house of goodly size is being built for the Santa Fe's use in its Ft. Madison yard.

Ft. Madison, Iowa DEMOCRAT 3/11/91:

The Santa Fe is housing Wisconsin ice in its recently-restored ice house.

My note: previous issue had mentioned the building had been partially damaged by fire the newspaper reported:
'FIRE BUG IN FT. MADISON BURNS SANTA FE PROPERTY'.
Sunday morning a general alarm sounded and it was found the Santa Fe ice house again was furnishing food for the fiery element. At one side of the building a barrel had been set, and this, as was discovered, contained kindling, oil and waste. The staves had been burned off but the bottom was unharmed. This and nearby footprints in the snow nearby suggested that the trace was easy. After the fire was extinguished, a number of Santa Fe men traced the footprints to the house of Louis Marcel. There the footprints from the Marcel house to the ice house, and from it leading directly to and from the door. There were also circles in the snow where the barrel had been set to rest. Measures were taken---

Topeka, Kansas JOURNAL:

SANTA FE MANAGEMENT INTO ICE MANUFACTURING.

The road has practically decided to engage in the ice manufacturing business and build a large manufacturing and storage plant at Newton, Ks. The plant will be built this year and will cost $25,000-$30,000. Newton selected as location because of its ideal location. Could be handled to all points on the line in empties, that way no extra charge needed, and as cars are already going---.

Topeka Kansas JOURNAL 7/19/01:

The Santa Fe has contracted for 6,000 tons of ice at Dubuque, Iowa, and the first car load arrived here Wednesday. The ice was cut from the Mississippi river at Dubuque, and is 20" thick, perfectly clear, hard as flint, and of the best quality seen here lately. Santa Fe seems to be experiencing a great deal of trouble getting ice. Local factories being unable to supply more than home demand. It is predicted, if the hot weather continued, retailers will have to resort to shipping it from St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Topeka, Ks. JOURNAL 9/ 5/01: ENLARGE ICE HOUSES

Santa Fe will store 8,500 tons of ice at Middle Division points, following orders to enlarge its ice houses. The ice house at Newton, Ks., will be increased from 3,000 to 5,000 tons; Emporia from 400 to 1,000 tons; Hutchinson from 175 to 500 tons; Dodge City from 500 to 2,000 tons. Work on these new improvements have been ordered to accommodate the output of the ice factories which the Santa Fe is planning to establish.

Topeka, Ks., JOURNAL:

Contract to build ice plant costing $80,000, will be the first plant built by a Kansas City railroad, is to be brick, 80' ax 50'. Last spring the ice house of the Santa Fe at Argentine was destroyed by fire and will not be replaced. It is thought that the new plant, which takes the place of the burned ice house, will supply all the ice needed by the Santa Fe at Kansas City.

Topeka, Ks. JOURNAL 1/20/06:

NEW ICE PLANT AND CAR ICING PLANT AT ARGENTINE, KANSAS.

---went into operation yesterday afternoon. The company is a subsidiary to the Santa Fe Railway Co. The plant has a capacity of 150 tons of ice per day, and is one of the largest ice manufacturing plants in the west. Located in western part of Santa Fe terminal yard at Argentine. Ice manufactured to be used by Santa Fe to ice cars at Argentine. Soon as switch tracks to plant are completed, all Santa Fe reefers will be re-iced here.

Topeka, Ks. JOURNAL 1/21/03

Car number C-53, a Wells Fargo Express Refrigerator Car, came in the (Santa Fe's) shop yesterday for light repairs.

Topeka, Ks., JOURNAL 2/ 9/03:

Car A-32, A Wells Fargo Express Refrigerator was placed in the (Santa Fe's) coach shops Saturday for repair.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 1/20/1888 p. 47:

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY.

This company has taken charge of the express business on the Houston & Texas Central, succeeding the Pacific Express Company, and will, on February 1, take charge of that of the GULF, COLORADO & SANTA FE succeeding the Texas Express Company.

Ft. Madison, Iowa DEMOCRAT 3/ 2/92:

President (Santa Fe) Manvel announced establishment of the Santa Fe Fruit & Refrigerator Line, and all fruit and refrigerator cars of the system are assigned to the same. Mr. E.H.Davis, heretofore Assistant General freight Agent at Topeka, has been appointed General Manager of the new line of cold storage facilities of the system effective March 1, 1892 with headquarters at Chicago. Mr. Tanner, heretofore Superintendent of the Chicago Division, goes to Topeka as Assistant General Freight Agent.

7/ 1/02. (release from): 2nd Vice President's Office (Santa Fe), Chicago.

All system refrigerator cars have been assigned and transferred to the SANTA FE REFRIGERATOR LINE, which will hereafter be operated as an independent company. Mr. E.H. Davis, manager, will have immediate supervision of the movement and operation of these cars, and the handling of all perishable freight in system and foreign cars on the Atchison lines. His instructions regarding same will be respected accordingly, Mr. W.B. Biddle, Freight Traffic Manager. (signed) E.P. Ripley.

RAILROAD AGE GAZETTE 8/19/1912 p. 1504:

DEATH OF MAJOR E.H. JANNEY

E.H. Janney, the inventor of the coupler which bears his name and which was the origin of the present Master Car Builder's "Standard Coupler", died at his home in Alexandria, Va., June 16, 1912, aged 80 years. Maj. Janney was Field Quartermaster on the staff of General R. E. Lee during the Civil War. The Janney coupler was first applied to passenger cars on the Ft. Wayne line under direction of J.D, Laing. About 1878 the McConway & Torley Company assumed control of the patents and began making the Janney coupler They developed it so it was adapted for passenger cars by the Pennsylvania RR., and soon found application on freight cars, and the lines and principle were adopted as standard by the Master Car Builders Association in 1887. After selling the patent, Mr. Janney retired from active mechanical work and purchased a farm near Alexandria, Va. where he quietly spent his remaining years. Mr. Janney was a clerk in a grocery store at the time he invented the coupler---. The idea was suggested by the clasping of two hands in a vertical position with the knuckles bent.

RAILWAY & ENGINEERING REVIEW 2/15/1902:

Santa Fe Drops Contract with Armour

The management of the Santa Fe has decided not to renew its contract with the Armour Fruit & Car Line when it expires next spring.The company has been busily engaged for several months building fruit cars, and by the time of the expiration of the contract will have between 4,000 and 4,500 cars ready for carrying traffic. Southern Pacific, it is also said, will break its relations with Armour and go into the fruit carrying business on its own account. The decision of the two companies is considered a severe blow to the private car business and to companies owning and controlling private car lines. The three companies which have been carrying fruit out of California for years, and which are either owned or controlled by Armour people are the Continental Fruit Express, Kansas City Fruit Express, and the Fruit Growers Express. It is also stated that the Armours had at least 15 million dollars tied up in the private car lines which are engaged in carrying fruit. Under the present system the contracts with the car lines are made so that the railroad companies can call on them for cars during the season, up to a certain number, said to have last year been about 2,000 for each road. For some reason, cars were not furnished with sufficient promptness, and in sufficient numbers to take care of the trade. This is alleged to have resulted in a great loss of fruit and the railroads stood the blame. The mileage for private cars for the is said to have cost the railroads $1,250,000 a year.

Topeka, KS 'JOURNAL' 3/12/1902

It is now said that the Pennsylvania and the Vanderbuilt roads, following the recent examples of the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific line, will oust, as far as possible, the private refrigerator cars of the meat packing companies in Chicgo and elsewhere and substitute their own cars. This is another result of the community of ownership and a further demonstration of the point that the railroads of the country have in their combining process. It is the first time the transportation lines have dared to start a fight with the meat packers.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 4/22/1905

Santa Fe Operates Refrigerator Cars In Competition With Trust.

The Santa Fe Railroad has placed an order for 300 refrigerator cars with the A. C. & F. Co., and another order is reported in contemplation. The Santa Fe company is one of the few which has held out against the Armour Car monopoly. The Santa Fe owns its own refrigerator cars, or rather a subsidiary company, known as the Santa Fe Refrigerator Dispatch, and these cars are furnished for the California trade.The Michigan Central has followed the example of the Santa Fe and the relief which the Santa Fe has provided for the fruit growers of California will now be afforded the fruit growers of Michigan. The odium caused by the developments recently of the 'Beef Trust' investigation and the connection and methods of the private car monoply is making higher prices for the consumers, has brought railway managers up short.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 11/01/1904

California Shipments
Santa plans to capture bulk of the business

California this year produced 27,000 cars of oranges and lemons, of which Santa Fe hauled 16,000. It will also haul 1,000 cars of celery; 1,000 cars of walnuts and 1,000 cars of beans.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 10/14/1907

Big Citrus Crops Certain
Santa Fe officials estimate unusual one

Current estimates prepared by Santa Fe officials, Southern California should harvest the largest citrus fruit crop in history of the industry, and estimates place figures at 31,000 cars of which 27,000 will be oranges---.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 2/14/1908 p. 227 Offices of the Santa Fe estimate citrus fruit shipments from the coast this season at 32,000 cars as compared with 27,000 cars last year. The company has no surplus of refrigerator cars and has leased 1,000 additional refrigerator cars from Armour & Co., at the rate of $1,00 per day. Cake ice is used for for fruits, vegetables; crushed ice for meats---usually add salt to ice on meat shipments. Ice blocks measure 22" high, 11" wide, and 39" long.

Topeka 'JOURNAL' 3/21/1908

Traffic officials of the Santa Fe report that fruit shipments from California form the most important single item of their entire traffic.

TOPEKA DAILY STATE JOURNAL 11/16/1907:

Big Amount Of Business In The Southwest.

(Albuquerque dateline) That the stringency in the money market has not affected the freight business of any of the railroads is attested by the fact Santa Fe is handling approximately 30% more business in its year here, than it normally handles on a yearly basis. In the last week there has been on an average of more than 1,000 cars of freight in the yard daily. On an average 25 to 30 big trainloads of freight leave the yard every day. Of course there is the usual incoming freight--takes nine switch engines and crews to handle this enormous freight business. When the yard has only the usual traffic, six engines are needed to handle switch business; that number varies between six and eleven. Eleven were used one day when there was an extraordinary traffic on the road. Big sheep shipments come at this time of year, and we are giving sheep men the best service we can. No box cars have been used to make sheep shipments on the Santa Fe here, and very few instance where box cars were used for that purpose in the Territory. Coal is another big item now and it is being moved as fast as it comes from the mines.

RAILWAY REVIEW 2/14/1891 p. 104:

"WICKES' VENTILATOR AND REFRIGERATOR FRUIT CARS"

The Los Angeles 'Times," Jan. 10, gives the following account of new cars furnished the Earle Fruit Co. by the Wickes Co. Yesterday afternoon General Manager K.H. Wade of the Santa Fe and several friends were locked up in one of the Earle Fruit Company new refrigerator cars and it was run out on the road 8 miles at high speed as a test. The car is one of the latest improved and the test proved very satisfactory in evey respect. Mr. Earle believes he will be able to put fruit down in the east as fresh as when picked. This is the first time in California that any fruit company has owned its own cars. Some months ago the Earle Company ordered 150 cars at a cost of $200,000, and they are just arriving in Los Angeles for the coming season.The test yesterday was to show the merits of the ventilator device on the cars, as they are to be used as ventilator cars when not used as refrigerator cars. As the car walls are very thick, oranges can be shipped from here with ventilator open, and they can be closed in the colder climates to protect the oranges from freezing.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 10/30/1891 pgs. 758-9.

Announcement via article re development of Hanrahan Refrigerator cars. Had two side doors with centered ice hatch in roof. Article not reproduced here, (Ellington note).

Ft. Madison Iowa 'DEMOCRAT' 8/17/1898:

Santa Fe management, says the Topeka Ks. 'Journal', has made a costly discovery that center ice tank refrigerator box cars are a failure. The discovery is costly for two reasons, the first is that during the three years the car have been in service on the road, there has been a loss in the amount of ice used on the basis of the amount used in the ordinary refrigerator car.The second is that to save further loss in this way, the cars are to be remodeled at a cost of several hundred dollars each. 250 of the center-ice box refrigerator cars were purchased by the Santa Fe. The ice box was built in the center of the car with space for produce on either side and it was claimed that the arrangement was economical in use of ice, but Santa Fe management found out differently. Instead of being economical, the arrangement has been costly, as it takes more ice to keep produce than in the ordinary cars with the ice boxes built at either end. The center ice box is now being torn out and ice boxes built in either end. The cars now have two doors, one at either side of the (center-placed---my note, Ellington) ice hatches, and this will have to be filled in, and another door cut in the center of car side. The work together with the building of the new ice boxes, will make the work of remodeling the cars expensive. The 250 cars have been shipped to Wells & French in Chicago where the work will be done."

TOPEKA JOURNAL 9/ 5/1906:

The Santa Fe is in the market for 2,000 refrigerator cars, and has ordered 300 passenger coaches, and also ordered 20 cabooses from American Car & Foundry.

LAS VEGAS 'DAILY OPTIC' 11/ 7/1884:

Six of the yellow-painted new fast freight cars went south today---the AT&SF is fitting up 400 for the Atlantic & Pacific's 'Fast Freight Line'---to be marked: "ATLANTIC & PACIFIC FAST FREIGHT" on one end of each side, and "A.T.& S.F." on the other, and are numbered: 301-700.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 12/29/1899 p.897

(Long article recording percentage of couplers/brakes. I've extracted the Santa Fe part)

Automatic couplers/and air brakes 1897-99. Santa Fe Ry owned 26,897 cars, 12/ 1/97; equipped with coupler: 11,354, % w/coupler: 42%. Number with air brakes 23,362 80% equipped. In 1899 Santa Fe had 27,349 cars 21,753 with couplers for 79%, and 25,392 have brakes to 93%.

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 7/23/1901

An order has been given out that the new Santa Fe design is to be painted on the sides of all boxcars henceforward. The trademark consists of a Greek cross on a white circular field. The words 'SANTA FE' occupying one arm of the cross. Trademark heretofore has been a black square with the words 'SANTA FE" imposed upon it.

RAILWAY ENGINEERING REVIEW 11/21/1903 p. 825:

A Queer Case of Damages

The Topeka 'Journal' states that a farmer who drove into Iola, Ks., a few days ago found all the hitching racks in town full, and so tied his horse to an empty box car standing on a sidetrack in an alley. A few minutes later a switch engine coupled onto the car and started up the alley. The hitchstrap in this instance was a rope, and it was tied around the animal's neck. The horse did farily well until he encountered a telephone pole--the buggy was demolished there. The engine kept on going, so did the horse, until another telephone pole was reached. Then the horse tried to go on one side and the engine and car on the other. The animal's neck was broken. Now the farmer wants damages from the railroad company.

FT. MADISON (Iowa) "DEMOCRAT":

Recently the Santa Fe received 18 carloads of cattle at its Engle station in southern New Mexico for shipment to Kansas City, 1,045 miles distant. The cattle were shipped in 15 "Palace Stock Cars". Orders were issued that no delay should occur and dispatchers and trainmen instructed to hurry the train through. In 29 hours after leaving Engle, the train pulled into Kansas City, having traveled the long distance of 1,045 miles in less than 30 hours, or an actual speed of 35 miles per hour, deducting time consumed in stops for coal and water, engine changes and switching. This is believed to have been the fastest time ever made with a stock train for so great a distance.

RAILROAD GAZETTE, 6/20/1890, p 488:

The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe and the Denver, Texas and Ft. Worth have lately been overrun with cattle shipments. The shortage of cars some of the time being as great as 1,000. The Santa Fe borrowed ten engines from the Kansas City, Wyandotte & Northwestern. Up till last week the Santa Fe had hauled nearly 200,000 head out of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, all of which were shipped to Montana. The Ft. Worth road carried nearly as many. The railroads did not anticipate such heavy business, as many of the cattle men had expected to drive their herds. Not 1/10 as much stock was driven over the trail this year as last, and leading cattle growers predict that the last of the big herds have been seen on the trail.

TOPEKA 'JOURNAL' 12/25/1900:

350 empty cattle cars were ordered from Argentine (Kansas City) to Joliet, Illinois yesterday. The cars will be used to transfer steel rails from that place to San Francisco, and from there cargoed for Japan.

THE RAILWAY & ENGINEERING REVIEW 5/03/1902 p. 369:

Texas range cattle have been moving north to the green pastures of Kansas and Oklahoma to be fattened. During April, 3,000 carloads were hauled from Texas points by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway through Purcell, Indian Territory, and it is estimated that nearly 200,000 will be carried by the Santa Fe system alone, which beats any previous record. It is expected that 2,000 carloads will come from the Pecos Valley and Panhandle districts, and 500 from New Mexico. It is a noteworthy exodus and improvement with respect to time and costs over the old way of driving on the hoof.

TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 1/21/1905:

Emporia Stock Yard Improvements

The building of the big stock yard (will) accommodate on average, 600 cars of stock a month. 120 cars of stock can be handled at the yard at one time. Yard now 292 feet wide, and 3 1/2 miles long, and is longest yard on the System. 51 regular trains pass every day, not counting specials, etc. On an average, 62 trains pass through each day.

RAILROAD AGE GAZETTE 9/18/1908 p. 950:

Santa Fe drover cars operate behind caboose in stock trains; are equipped with a closet and two lavatories.

TOPEKA 'JOURNAL' 2/03/1898:

Santa Fe will double deck cars.

With double deck arrangement the cars can carry twice as many sheep and hogs as with the single deck, and with the top deck drawn up to the roof out of the way, the cars can be used for cattle and horses. The work of putting in the second deck will commence at once, readying the cars for the coming shipping season.

RAILROAD GAZETTE 6/06/1874 p. 218

Santa Fe item: It is said that arrangements have been made to run freight trains through to Kansas City. They will pass over the Kansas Midland from Topeka to Lawrence, the St. Louis, Lawrence & Western from Lawrence to Olathe,and the Missouri River, Ft. Scott and Gulf thence to Kansas City. It is said that most of the stock traffic will take this route the coming season.

TOPEKA JOURNAL 12/11/1897:

One ventilated and refrigerator car was turned out of the shops yesterday, numbered 922. Instead of being painted white as they were formerly, it is yellow trimmed in black.

TOPEKA JOURNAL 8/24/1907:

The first train of Rocky Ford cantaloupes through Topeka yesterday, seven Wells Fargo express cars in the train. A larger shipment than ever is expected by the Santa Fe road this fall.

EXTRACTS from article in "KANHISTIQUE" Ellsworth Ks. Vol. 7 No. 9, January 1982:

"---speaks of huge buffalo hunts, the by-products being tremendous piles of buffalo bones. Used to make handles for cutlery, harness ornaments, burned to make bone black for sugar refining, or fertilizer. For some time it was a pastime, picking up these old, sun-dried bones. For farmers it added much-needed income, and for others, was their sole means of survival. It took nearly a week to fill a wagon for which the pay was $4.00 to $6.00 around 1872---by 1886 the price was up to $10.00 per ton, or roughly $20.00 for a wagonload.

Railroad records show that in 1872, the Santa Fe railroad alone shipped 1,000,000 pounds of bones from their depot at Hutchinson, Kansas. The next year 2,240,000 pounds were shipped by rail. And in 1874, over7,000,000 pounds left Hutchinson for the east. Wagon loads of bones were brought year after year to a spot near the depot along the Santa Fe tracks in Hutchinson. At one time there were more than 250 tons piled on an area along the south side of the track from Main to Poplar. The mound stretched 300 feet east to west, piled as high as a railroad car, and easily filled 20 box cars."