Newspaper clippings: J. P. Walker's promotion to Jacksonville and Savannah farewell dinner from Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Book 2, Page 136 ·1920s
Transcription
Three Savannah-paper clippings mounted on the same lined album page.
Upper-left clipping — set as multi-deck headline:
J. P. WALKER IS GIVEN PROMOTION
Becomes General Superintendent at Jacksonville
O. H. PAGE COMING HERE
Changes In Coast Line Effective Tomorrow
Circulars issued by J. N. Brand, general manager of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company, were received here yesterday, announcing effective tomorrow, the promotion of J. Pickens Walker to be general superintendent of the southern division of the Coast Line, with headquarters at Jacksonville, to succeed R. A. McCranie, deceased.
The circular also announced the appointment of Owen H. Page to be general superintendent of the northern division, with headquarters at Savannah, to succeed Mr. Walker.
A head-and-shoulders portrait of Walker is inset to the right of the article, captioned beneath:
Named to Succeed Late R. A. McCranie
[A page slug “TEN B” appears at the upper left, indicating page 10 of the section B of the source newspaper.]
Lower-left clipping — headed:
CAPT. J. P. WALKER
A popular railroad man has just left Savannah and while here he made many friends both in the line of his work and outside among the people generally.
Capt. J. P. Walker has been transferred to Jacksonville after having been superintendent in Savannah of this section of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
His change of residence was because of his promotion, still we hate to lose a good citizen and city worker like Captain Walker. He was a member of the active clubs in Savannah and worked for the good of his railway system and for the progress of Savannah.
We can not be indifferent to removal of such a man from the city even though his removal brings to him added preferment in his railway work.
While receiving the congratulations of his friends they recognize the loss to the city.
Right-hand clipping (mounted sideways) — headed:
FAREWELL DINNER TO J. P. WALKER
BY RAILROAD EMPLOYES
Handsome Silver Present Given Him Last Night
Men who have worked under J. P. Walker in Savannah for the past eight years paid him high tribute as a man, as a railroad executive, and as a friend, at a farewell dinner tendered him by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad employes at the Hotel Savannah.
Mr. Walker was recently promoted to superintendent of the Southern division of the railroad with headquarters in Jacksonville. In addition to expressing their admiration for Mr. Walker in vocal tribute, the Coast Line employes also displayed their affection for him by making him a present of a handsome silver meat platter and gravy bowl. Recognizing also that yesterday was Mr. Walker’s twenty-sixth wedding anniversary, he was presented a bouquet of flowers to be given to Mrs. Walker.
J. Clyde Mixon presided at the informal dinner given in the Chariton room, in the absence of F. R. Youngblood, who was unable to reach Savannah in time for the dinner. Talks were made by O. H. Page, who succeeds Mr. Walker as superintendent of the Northern division; Dr. T. S. Clay, company physician; J. E. Brogdon, general foreman, mechanical department; B. T. Morgan, division passenger agent; E. R. Wooten, assistant superintendent of transportation; F. A. McNall, yard man; Claude Etheridge, freight traffic department; J. Trenholm, engineer, maintenance way; J. M. Finch, supervisor of buildings; John J. Bouhan, company attorney; E. C. Clarke, trainmaster, Charleston district; and others.
In behalf of the employes of the northern district of the railroad, David S. Atkinson, company attorney, presented Mr. Walker the handsome silver service, which was suitably engraved.
Mr. Walker in his response to the various talks and to the gifts expressed his sincere regret at having to leave Savannah after eight years, which he described as one of the happiest times of his life.
Fifty-five persons were present at the dinner. Among the out-of-town guests were E. C. Clarke, of Charleston; E. B. Hillegass, of Sumter, S. C.; L. A. McDaniel, of Charleston; W. M. Black, of Charleston, and others. Several officials who had been invited were unable to attend.
Reverse-side text bleeding through at the right and bottom margins of the page:
SAUSSY IN ATLANTA ON FARM PROJECT
DISABLED VETERANS WILL RUN DRIVE Forget-Me-Nots to Be Sold On November 3rd
[Headline fragment, partly trimmed]: REHABILITATION PLAN
AI Notes
Three newspaper clippings mounted on a lined notebook page (three punch-holes at left). Upper left: a Savannah-paper clipping headlined ‘J. P. WALKER IS GIVEN PROMOTION — Becomes General Superintendent at Jacksonville / O. H. PAGE COMING HERE,’ announcing that Walker has been promoted to general superintendent of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad’s Southern Division at Jacksonville, succeeding R. A. McCranie (deceased), with Owen H. Page (Owen H. Page) filling Walker’s vacated Northern Division superintendency at Savannah. A small inset photo portrait of Walker carries the caption ‘Named to Succeed Late R. A. McCranie.’ A page slug ‘TEN B’ is visible at upper left of the promotion clipping (page 10 of section B of the Savannah Morning News or similar). Below this clipping is a shorter piece headed ‘CAPT. J. P. WALKER,’ praising the railroad man and noting Savannah’s regret at his transfer. To the right, mounted vertically (sideways), is a longer Savannah-paper clipping headed ‘FAREWELL DINNER TO J. P. WALKER / BY RAILROAD EMPLOYES / Handsome Silver Present Given Him Last Night,’ describing the testimonial dinner given to Walker by Coast Line employees at the Hotel Savannah, with a silver meat platter and gravy bowl presentation plus flowers for Mrs. Walker on the Walkers’ twenty-sixth wedding anniversary. Speakers included Page, Clay, Brogdon, Morgan, Wooten, McNall, Etheridge, Trenholm, Finch, Bouhan, and Clarke; David S. Atkinson made the presentation; out-of-town guests included E. C. Clarke, E. B. Hillegass (Sumter), L. A. McDaniel, and W. M. Black.
These reverse-side headlines appear as faint, reversed text on the verso of the clippings; they are not the principal subject of the page.
James Pickens Walker, the compiler’s husband, was an Atlantic Coast Line Railroad executive who began as a clerk c. 1903 and rose through the ranks. The clippings here mark his most consequential promotion — from superintendent of the Northern Division at Savannah to general superintendent of the Southern Division at Jacksonville, succeeding the late R. A. McCranie. Owen H. Page took his place at Savannah. The Savannah press marked the occasion with a testimonial dinner at the Hotel Savannah, on the eve of the Walkers’ twenty-sixth wedding anniversary; Mrs. Walker (Amy FitzSimons) received a bouquet of flowers in absentia.