Impulse of Confidence

Even newspapers editors such as Edward Rosewater who took strong stands against railroad corruption followed the doings of the railroad business. A visit from a "railroad man" to any town was a newsworthy event and a moment for speculation about the state of business affairs and the prospects of the town.

IMPULSE OF CONFIDENCE

Pulse of the Commercial World as Taken by Railroad Men.

BUSINESS OUTLOOK MORE HOPEFUL

New Passenger Agent of the Wabash Tells of the Prospects for Better Times— New Shops at Evanston— Local Railway Notes.

S. S. Crane, general passenger agent of the Wabash, is in Omaha, being chaperoned by George Clayton of the local office about the various railroad headquarters. "The glad hand and happy thought," as Jack Dowling says, is being extended to Mr. Crane, who, while new in his present position; is one of the best known railroad men in the western country.

Mr. Crane talked without reservation to a Bee representative yesterday as to the outlook for business. "I notice in my travels," said the general passenger agent, "a much more hopeful outlook for business. There is a returning confidence, and already the Wabash feels the impulse. I am not in Omaha to see where we can lop off a dollar or so expense, but simply here to meet old friends. The Wabash struck bed rock more than year ago, and since that time we have been running close to the wind. There is such a thing as reducing expenses to such a degree that it will hamper the proper operation of the road. It is remarkable, however, to what extremes railroad managers have gone in reducing expenses. Plans have been devised that heretofore have been entirely unthought of and show the close watch directors of railroad properties are making. But I believe the worst is past, and it won't be long before trade feels the confidence already remarked."

Talking of the recent strike, Mr. Crane stated that they had been hard hit, nearly 400 men, engineers and firemen, having gone out without even so much as a notice from Debs. Some of these men had been in the employ of the road for forty years. "Engineers working between Decatur and St. Louis, a four hours run, were also among the strikers. Chief Arthur assisted us materially in filling the strikers' places, and we have now many of the old Burlington engineers and fireman, who went out on that famous strike, working for the Wabash company. While we suffered little from actual damage by fire and otherwise along the system. I see the company has brought suit against several counties for damages done the property by strikers."

Speaking of the condition in the south, he said that never had the southern states been so blessed with good crops as this year. "The cotton crop is enormous; there will be lots of corn, Texas, Mississippi and other states having corn in abundance, corn to marker, besides other cereals."

C. S. Crane, who succeeds the late France Chandler as general passenger agent of the Wabash, first entered the railway service in 1864, when but 17 years of age, at Toledo, O., with the same line with which he is now engaged. He was in the freight service from 1865 to 1868, when he became rate clerk in the general office of the Toledo, Wabash & Western railway under John W. Parsons. He was appointed chief clerk in the general ticket office of the same road in 1879. In 1883 he went to St. Louis and became chief clerk of the general ticket department of the Missouri Pacific & Wabash road. In 1884, when the roads were separated, he remained with the Wabash company and in 1886 he was appointed assistant general passenger agent, which he held up to Mr. Chandler's death, when he became the general passenger agent.

Railway Notes.

Harry Moores of the Wabash went to Chicago last night on a short visit.

A. P. Cannon, assistant to the general storekeeper of the Union Pacific, is at Salt Lake.

Superintendent Buckingham of the Union Pacific reports a steady movement of stock over the line.

Thomas Meldrum, superintendent of the pattern shops of the Union Pacific, is enroute to Portland, Ore.

The Burlington took out a large number of people yesterday to the state fair, both the 8.15 and 10:15 trains being heavily loaded.

Passenger trains on the Burlington will be discontinued Saturday west of Holdrege and mixed trains, daily, substituted. The people in the section affected are up in arms, but it will avail little as the [?] to cut expenses wherever possible has gone forth.

William H. Baldwin, jr., one of Charles Francis Adams' proteges, who was connected with the Union Pacific during Mr. Holcomb's time, having been assistant general freight agent, assistant to the third vice president of the Southern Railway company, having charge of the operating department, with headquarters at Washington, D. C.

Perry Griffin, city passenger and ticket agent of the O. R. & N. at Spokane, has resigned to become city passenger and ticket agent of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railway at Cincinnati. Mr. Griffin is known to all the old time railroad man in this section and has seen twenty-eight years of active railroad service. He was with the O. R. & N. before it became a part of the Union Pacific, remained with the Union Pacific during the amalgamation and since its segregation.