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fail
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TglSlpw jDown Oldest
U;S. Train Conductor
By BfeUCE -HENDERSON t shoot you right through the mid-
FORT "WORTH. TexVtfl la die.'. Wen. that took the meanness
- M 1
63 years of railroading, Irving
Witherspoon has survived - wrecks
and holdups. He's looked into the
business end of 45 calibre auto
matics -y and the fiery eyes of
tanked-up cowhands.
So he says, he's not ready to
let Old Man Time force him off
bis run, either.
The Texas and Pacific Railway
calls Witherspoon at 85, the na
tion's oldest conductor.
This hardy 'man is still making
his run between Fort Worth .and
Big Spring 267 miles, each way,
over sun-baked West Texas -prairie.
He -averages - 5.340 - miles ev
ery month.
"Retire? No. sir, I ain't about
to retire." he says. "Took my eye
sight and hearing- test a fewH
months ago and passed again.
T k P-says a long as Wither
spoon is fit be may keep on work
ing. ; . " . ,
Witherspoon is a trim, wiry man
erect as a pine, alert and jo
vial. His features jut sharply from
under silvery hair, and eyebrows.
He went to work for the T & P
Jan. 1. 1890, as a -bridge repair
hand. That was eight years after
the line finished its oute between
New Orleans and El Paso. With
erspoon was promoted . to freight
conductor in 1899 and passenger
conductor in 1909. :
Rowdy Days
Those were rowdy days, some
times tinged with humor; days
when the railroads' best would oc
casionally, split, in two topping, a
hill, one half hurtling back down
the track while the rest of the
cars and engine sped on; when a
train delayed Hilling out of Weath
- erford, Tex., 15 minutes so passen
gers could see the outcome of a
club-swinging fight.
Witherspoon recalls those days
Vividly. ; .
"One night I was on a passen
ger run out of Strawn, Texas. Of
a sudden we stopped right there
in the brush between Strawn and
Ranger. The Pullman conductor
came in and said we were being
held up. The fellow had pulled the
air brake.
Man Breaks Out
"I went in there where he was
and found myself looking into a
.45. I'd left my .38 Colt in my
suitcase, so there was nothing for
us to do but stand there. He
backed out and disappeared into
the brush.JDon't know how much
he got from the passengers."
Conductors carried guns then,
but Witherspoon says he never
liked to. Once he was glad he did.
"Fella one night was drunk and
Sulled a knife on me. I said 'Son,
' you don't put that up, I'm gonna
out of him and we got him so-1
. . r- j & i
Derea up. wme to una out uc
was on the. wrong train."
Witherspoon's . best friend, Mike
Tye, was a conductor. He walked
out one day to see what a passen
ger was doing on the vestibule,
and the man didn't like Tye's
curiosity. He shot Tye dead.
In Baggage Car
"Mike and I passed on our
runs " Witherspoon said. ."We met
his train, and it had stopped." The
leathery face clouded. "They liad
him in the baggage car."
As a brakeman, Witherspoon lost
half his left index finger while
hooking cars.
"We were heading west eight
miles out' of Weatherford one day
when our freight hit a broken rail,
he reminisced. "I was in the ca
boose, and the caboose rolled down
a 25-foot bank. I got skinned up
pretty bad and my neck was all
twisted. But I knew a passenger
train was close behind.
"I started back and stopped him
about a half mile away. That one
put me in bed a month."
Broken Leg .
Another time Witherspoon s pas
senger train stopped at a cross
ing, and a freight ran into it from
behind. Witherspoon's leg was
broken.
The old. days had their points,
but Witherspoon acknowledges they
also had their drawbacks. He says
whizzing across the plains in a
streamliner is a heap nicer than
clacking along, in the old coal-heat
ed wooden cars.
He lives alone in his Fort Worth
home. His wife died last October
after they'd been married 61 years.
"That hit me hard," he said.
"I get along better working steady
instead of laying around."
Then he smiled again, and there
was a twinkle in his eye.
"Besides," he said, "don't get
old until you, have to. Remember
that."
Rail Strike
Action Delayed
WASHINGTON w The Louis
ville. & Nashville Railroad, stalled
in a 10 day strike, Wednesday
agreed to hold up on its threat to
fire its non-striking but idle oper
ating employes.
The railroad acted at the request
of the National Mediation Board
and Gov. Frank Clement of Ten
nessee. Clement was attending a
meeting of the railroad and strik
ing non operating union employes
at the board s : office.
340 Court Street
w :&
1 4 V '
- - i - e
mum
FAMOUS GENERAL ELECTRIC
FLOOR MODELS
SAVE UP TO! $110
21" G.E. TABLE MODEL WITH BASE
All Channel Tuning ' '
1-Yetr Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reg. 229?5
Come and see...
SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. TABIE MODEL
All Channel Tuning '' '.
G.E. Aluminized Picture Tube
Mahogany Cabinet
1-Year Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reg. 3995 Come and see....
SAIE PRICE?
J 17" G.E. TABIE MODEL
AH Channel Tuning
Local and Distance Switch , .
1-Year Wararnty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reg. 18995
Come and see;-
SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. FULL DOOR CONSOLE
Genuine Mahogany Veneers
Black-Daylight Aluminized Picture Tube , . ,
x 1-Year Wararnty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reg. 4599s
Come and see.
; SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. BLOND OAK CONSOLE
All Channel Tuning j - -
Aluminized Picture Tube
Black Daylight, Deluxe '
1-Year Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Req. 43995 Come and see : SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. MAHOGANY CONSOLE
All Channel Tuning
New Super-Cascode Tuner
Power Transformer
1-Year Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reo. 3599S Come and see i k' SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. CONSOLE
Deluxe Black Daylight Picture
Large 10" Dynapower Speaker
Genuine Mahogany Cabinet with V Swivel Casters
1-Year Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reo. 4199S Come and see SALE PRICE?
- 21" G.E. CONSOLE
' Black Daylight Picture Tube
Removable Safety Glass
All Channel Tuning
1-Year Warranty on Parts and Picture Tube
Reo. 29995 ' Cam and see I "Vl SALE PRICE?
21" G.E. NEW LOW BOY CABINET
Giant 262" Black Daylight Picture -
Two Dynapower Speakers .
Top-tilted Control Panel : -j
RCg. 4?995Come and see: .11
n ' r TV DOWNSTAIR
IjpL
EVffiY wmim IT
i.-uoc- i - a
i ,
rzi n n-i r rx
AS Lb:L3 ZAa'-LaxZAA
LLiSberty Street -Coczrt Street
JV
HAtlY UNADVERTISELT ITEMS! HUGE REDUCTIONS! SHOP EVERY DEPARTMENT
Boys Department liberty Streef
I1RTS, Rs. $1.9S 1 -1
Sizes 6-15-18
12 ta. FlANNEl SHIRTS,
24 . POLO SHIRTS, Rm. $1.49 -
Sizes 8-10-12 Long Sleeves
5 m. ORION SWEATERS, Reg. S3.98
Sizes 12-14-16 Slip-over
31 . BROADCLOTH SHORTS, Reg. 49c .
Sizes 8 to 16
36 pr. NYLON SOCKS, Rtg. 59c 1
Sizes 7 to 10 100 Nylon
4 ta. SURCOAT JACKETS, Rtg. S9.95
Quilted Fur Collar 12-16-18
36 ta. DOUBLE KNEE JEANS, Rtg. $1.98
8-0 i. Sizes 6 to 12
BOYS MAIN FLOOR
:79i
4 ; ;69jt;
----- 1 1 .' 1 1 f w
. : ; S5.oo i
Draperies Court Street
12 ta. . CORDUROY PILLOWS
Foam Rubber Filled
45 ta. DRAPERY REMNANTS
Values to $3.95 Printed and Plain
125 yds. DRArEKT FABRICS
Barks, Sheers, Printed and Plain
36 ta. SHOWER CURTAINS
Good Patterns for Spring
25 ei. COTTON MARQUISETTE PANELS
42x81 Size
20 . RAYON PRISC1LLAS, Rtg. $6.98.
-S1.G9
-: $1.00
2 "dt.si.00
$1.93
70t
10 pr. LINED DRAPERIES
50x81 Flocked Pattern
$3.98
Reg. $21 Barkeloth
DRAPERIES THIRD FLOOR
$12.93
Men's Department Liberty Street
Rtg. $9.95 values, MEN'S WOOL SHIRTS.. J
Broken Sizes Perfect Quality
Rtg. $6.95 If ptrf. MEN'S DRESS. SHIRTS. . L
Miracle Fabric Broken Sizes '
Rtg. $2.98 FLANNEL SPORT SHIRTS . :
Sizes: Small and Medium Sanforized i
Rtg. to $10.95 MEN'S BATH ROBES . . I
Cotton and Rayon Broken Sizes
Values to 65c pr. MEN'S SOCKS
- Famous Name All Sizes
MEN'S SUNTAN WORK PANTS
Reg. $4.95, if perf. Broken Sizes i
Rtg. $1.00 MEN'S LEATHER BELTS . . J
Wide Sizes 32 and 34
MEN'S MAIN FLOOR I
- $4.99
- $1.99
$1.29
$4.99
Pr. 25
$2.49
- 35
Accessories Liberty Stroet
Rtg. $2.95 DRAWSTRING HAND BAGS 1
Fabric Assorted colors
Rtg. $2.98 WOOL HEAD SQUARES
-r
Assorted Multicolor Patterns
Rtg. $1.00 BILLFOLDS AND KEY HOLDER. ..
Plastic In Plastic Case
Values to 59c LADIES' HANKIES
Large Selection New Colors
Values to $1.95 COSTUME JEWELRY .
Discontinued Styles Limited Qujintity
15 ta. ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS
Reg. 50c Discontinued Cohirs
12 ta. CHILDREN'S UMBRELLAS, . j.
Reg. $18 Assorted Colo s
x ACCESSORIES MAIN FL( I OR
$1.66
$2.50
59
-6 for $1.00
39
10
$1.39
Furniture Court Street
2 ta. LYNCH SLEEP CHAIRS
Reg. $59.95 1 Rose, 1 Green
1 ta. STUDIO LOUNGE . ,
Reg. $109.95 Red Plaid
1 ta. DUNCAN PHYFI TABLE to .
Reg. $119.95 Slightly Damaged
2 ta. DINING CHAIRS- ....
1 ta. DRESSER BASE
Reg. $16.95 Soiled
Reg. $149.95 Solid Silver Oak
1 TBIPIE
Reg. $739.95 9 Drawer Limed Oak
2 i. CHROME DINETTE TABLES :
Reg. $69.95 Red Only
1 Stt FOAM MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING......
As Is Twin Sizes Reg. $85
FURNITURE SECOND FLOOR
$49.95
$09.50
$99.95
- $7.95
$74.95
$89.95
$39.95
$69.50
Infants Children Liberty Street
15 ta. GIRLS' COTTON SKIRTS .
Reg. $3.98 Sizes 12-14
8 ta. GIRLS' DRESSES, Rtg. $2.98
Sizes 1 to 6 Assorted Colors
7 ta. GIRLS' DRESSES. Rtg. $3.98 ..
Sizes 7 to 14 Assorted Colors
10 ta. GIRLS' COTTON SKIRTS
Reg. $3.49 Sizes 2 to 5
22 ta. INFANTS' CRAWLERS
Reg. $1.00 Seersucker
5 ta. BOYS' JACKETS, Rtg. $4.98 .
Sizes 3 to 5 Assorted Colors
CHILDREN'S DOWNSTAIRS
52.93
$1.49
$1.93
$2.49
- 79
$2.98
Fabrics Liberty Street
165 yds. PLISSE CREPE
Assorted Colors and Patterns
55 vds. ORION COATING
, Reg. $8.95 Spring Shajles
75 yds. PLEATED COTTON1 .
30"
Assorted Colors Values i 6 89c
67 yds. PRINTED CHALLIS
Reg. $1.28 Value New If rints
98 Yds. WASHABLE WOOL FABRICS
w mt - $35 value wool ana ;iuyonr5iiw"rl
"76 yds, Unbleached sheeting
116 yds. UNBLEACHED MUSLIN
81" Width Reg. $1139.
Reg. 35c One DaV
FABRICS MEZZAI
rlNE r
Yd.25i
-$3.99
59
59
$i.64
99
Yd. 25
Lingerie Liberty Street
15 ta. RAYON CREPE SLIPS, Rtg. $3.95.
Lace Trim Sizes 32 and 40 Only
11 ta. COTTON CREPI GOWNS 1
Reg. $2.95 Small Sizes
51 ta. RAYON BRIEFS
15 ta. RAYON PANTIES
58 pr. NYLON HOSE
43 NYLON SLIPS L-
Pastels Nylon Trim All Sizes
. Large Size Onyl
Reg. $1.50 Broken Sizes t- Assorted Colors
$1.19
$1.19
-39
-.39
- 50
Reg. $5J5 Assorted Colors
LINGERIE MAIN FLOOR
$3.99
Housewares. Cou
Rtg. $3.50 PLATE GLASS MIRRORS ..
IrtrStreet
8x26
. J&lL 50-
.1.
Rta. $1.50 BUTTER AND SYRUP WARMER...
Wrought IronJ
8-Cup Famous 'Srand
Rtg. $29.95 ELECTRIC DEEP FAT FRYER ;
. , ' Famous Brand
Rtg. $12.95 6-PC. STEAK KNIFE SET ..... -
Guaranteec'I '
Ktg. H.y3 kUwMi AR
99
$14.95
Assorted Figurines
Rtg. $4.95 fJC. CANNISTER SET -
Spun Aluminum
Rtg. $1.25 WROUGHT IRON TRIVETS ;
Assorted Patierns
Rtg. $13.50 7-PC. KITCHEN UTENSIL SET f ...
Stdinlcss St(fcl
Rtg. $3.95 ENGLISH BONE CHINA CUP AND SAUCER
Assorted Patterns
- - - HOUSEWARES DOWNSTAIRS
$2.49
$1.99
$2.69
-59
- $6.69
-- $1.88
Domestics Liberty Street
Rtg. 10c POTHOLDERS . 1
Assorted Colors Practical Sizes
Rtg. $3.95 DAMASK SETS
v "' Napkins and Goth Assorted Colors
Rtg. 35c FLOUR SACKS r
Bleached Opened and Unopened
Rtg. $6.95 CHENILLE BEDSPREADS :
vt ' Double or Twin Thick Set
Rtg. $1.95 NYLON SCARF SET
5-pc. Set Assorted Colors
Reg. $9.95 NYLON BLEND BLANKET :..
:-.' H Large Size Assorted Colors
Rtg. $1.00 PILLOW TICKS
Assorted Colors Featherproof
Rtg. $19.95 COLONIAL BEDSPREADS
Doubles and Twins 2 Shades
Rtg. $1.49 PLAID SHEET BLANKET . .
60x76 Cotton Multicolor
DOMESTICS DOWNSTAIRS
5
5 for $1.00
$4.99
$1.00
$5.88
50
$12.88
- $1.00
Rtgular $3B-$40
UDIES SHOKTY COATS
Premium 100 wool fabrics, tweeds, plushes, boucles.
New spring shades. Sizes 10 to 18.
FASHIONS SECOND FLOOR I
22
00
Cltaranctl
LADIES SPORTSWEAR
One group of blouses, skirts, sweaters, jackets. All re
duced to Vj price. Broken sizes. Odd lots.
, SPORTSWEAR SECOND FLOOR
off
Shoes Lifjerty Street
Rtg. $4.95 LADIES AND MEN'S CANVAS OXFORDS
A new spring selection Famous name
Reg. $5.95 WOMEN'S WEDGIES .1
Black and Wb Bte Broken Sizes
Values to $4.95 BEDROOM SUPPERS u
Blue and Reft Broken Sizes
Rtg. $1.50 BOYS' RUBBERS ; .
Storm Typj Broken Sizes
Rtg, $4.95 SADDLE OXFORDS ... .
Odd Lots ' Broken Sizes
Values to $3.95 SANDALS AND FLATS.. :
Discontinued 'styles Broken Sizes
SHOES -U DOWNSTAIRS
I
$3.00
$2.99
$1.99
77
$2.99
$1.99
Reg. 79c SHREDDED FOAM
24 a. CARD TABLE COVERS
Notions Liberty Street
l ib. package
50
Plastic Quilted Assorted Colors
Rtg. $3.95 TRAVEL BAG
For Accessories Zipper Close
Reg. S3. 50 JUMBO GARMENT BAGS ..
16 Garment Quilted Plastic
Rtg. $3.95 LADIES' PLASTIC RAINCOATS -.
Multicolor Hat and Coat
25 ta. ZIP TRAVEL BAGS
For Auto Travel Assorted Colors
NOTIONS MEZZANINE
$1.00
$1.69
$1.93
$1.93
$1.00
CLEARANCE!; CARPET SAMPLES
Values to $21.50. Size 27x54. Discontinued patterns. ,
Wiltons and Axminsters. Scroll designs, tone-on-tone, fine
textures, assorted colors.
CARPETS SECOND FLOOR COURT STREET
$2,5
Values to $45
LADIES SPRING COATS
All 100 wool. Milium linings. The season's newest fab
rics, pastel shades. Complete size range.
COATS SECOND FLOOR
9
99
FAMOUS COHAMA FABRICS
A huge spring selection of 45" and 54" rayon tweeds,
gabardines and flannels. Reg. values to $1.95. New spring
tones. Novelty weaves.
FABRICS MEZZMNF.
00
Foundations Liberty Street
4 ta. CORSELLETTES
2 a. CORSETS L
Reg. $10 Size 37
Reg. S5.95 Size 26 Back Lace
9 ta. NYLON BRASSIERES
Reg. $3.95 Long Line
2 ta. NYLON PULL-ON GIRDLES
Reg. $355 Small Only
i. FAMOUS NAME GIRDLE iX :.
Po M Disnlav MnHl
FOUNDATIONS SECOND FLOOR
$6.00
$1.99
$2.50
$2.00
$5.00
- WE GIVE AND REDEEIVIaMlGREEN
STAMPS
SALE PRICE?
t
- . ,1. '