December 1953 page 2

KEEPING TRACK
[sketch of tail end of train]

CHRISTMAS MAIL always gives American
railroads a man-sized job to do. The Asso-
ciation of American Railroads estimates
that this year's load will contain about 250
million packages and cards. This is enough
mail to deliver one package or card to every
person in the United States, Canada, and
Mexico every day between December 1 and
Christmas.

HISTORY is far from a dead subject if the
interest shown in the Piedmont & Northern
history is any gauge. Many employees and
friends have commented on the series of
articles now being published in SEMA-
PHORE. The latest expression of interest was
from the nationally-circulated magazine,
Trains & Travel, which would like to re-
print the series as soon as it has been
completed.

SURE TO BE MISSED when the Durham &
Southern converts to diesel next spring is
the expert whistling of Engineer Jim
Farthing's steam engine. Folks on the south
end of the line claim that Farthing can play
a steam whistle like it was a tenor sax.

ALL EMPLOYEES will soon get a chance
to see how well Mrs. J. C. Goodman (wife
of Conductor Goodman) has learned ceram-
ics. Mrs. Goodman, who was featured in
the November issue of SEMAPHORE, is mak-
ing souvenir gifts to be presented to each
lady attending the annual banquets of both
railroads.

THE COVER of last month's issue was so
full of turkey that an error in the caption
slipped by the proofreader. Pretty Evelyn
Williams was mistakenly re-named Evelyn
Williamson. Sorry. The turkey? He weighed
in at 43 pounds and dressed (or, more ac-
curately, undressed) at 35. He is now in
turkey heaven where Thanksgiving and
Christmas have been eliminated.

Semaphore
DECEMBER, 1953
VOLUME 9 NUMBER 12

Published by the Piedmont & Northern
and Durham & Southern Railway Com-
panies. Address all communications to
Editor, Semaphore, P. O. Box 480, Char-
lotte, N. C.

EDITOR
THOMAS G. LYNCH
Director of Industrial Development
and Public Relations

CORRESPONDENTS

Elizabth N. Watt.........................Anderson
Lennie Featherstone...................Belmont
Elsie K. Walker ...........................Charlotte
Dora A. Whitaker .......................Durham
Gladys M. Bottoms .....................Durham
Jean Greene ...............................Gastonia
Delia H. Brown .......................... Greenville
Evelyn Williams ......................... Greenville
Sarah Y. Stroud ........................... Greenwood
Lucille M. Dameron .................... Mt. Holly
H. W. Kay ................................... Spartanburg
Katherine Brown ....................... Varina

IN THIS ISSUE . . .

Depression and Recovery .................................. 5
Profile—Vance B. King ...................................... 9
Directors Tour ................................................. 10
Farmers Exchange ........................................... 12
Womble Retires ............................................... 14
Teachers' Day on the Railroad ........................... 15
Banquet Committees ........................................ 16
Along the Line ................................................. 17

THIS MONTH'S COVER . . .

The cover this month speaks for
itself. It is the message of Christ-
mas and the great joy it brings to
the Christian world. It is our earn-
est prayer that each and every one
of SEMAPHORE'S readers and
friends has the nicest Christmas
ever and that the New Year will
bring them success and content-
ment.