| Friday, May 22, 1914 | The Toronto Daily Star (Toronto) | Page 2, col. 4 |
Everything ready for holiday traffic.
Problem is how to send out all trains on seven tracks.
G.T.R. man is better.
Mr. Whittenberger was visited by the Duke in Wellesley Hospital.
The Union Station is like a haunted castle to-day. To-morrow it will seem as if some tidal wave had struck it when the holiday excursionists being to travel. To-day it is the calm before the storm. The railroad officials on the three roads are sitting back waiting for the floor gates to open. They say they are ready to handle the human avalanche, but they don't say whether everybody will get a seat. Railroad men never make rash promises. All the passenger equipment and motive that could be gathered together is in the terminals ready to hurl into the fray. All trains will have extra coaches added, while many of the regulars will be sent out in two sections. The traffic officials say there is not a weak spot in their attack, and they are ready to take care of the largest business that ever passed through the old depot. The big problem that confronts them is how they are going to despatch and handle all the trains on seven tracks. This was always been a source of worry. but previous experiences will tide them over.
"I don't think the races or hard times will affect traffic. It is the first holiday of the season and with the cheap fares everybody will open up their money bags. I look for a big day's business. Saturday will be our big day. Hardly anybody travels on the trains on the holiday that is going out of the city," says on official.
Visited by the Duke.
Mr. H. E. Whittenberger, who is confined to Wellesley Hospital in anticipation of an operation, is much improved to-day. There is a chance that the operation will not have to be performed.
Mr. Whittenberger received a visit from the Duke of Connaught. His Royal Highness and Mr. Whittenberger traveled together on the Ontario tour and the Duke took a great liking to the Grand Trunk chief.
The Duke was surprised to hear that Mr. Whittenberger was in the hospital, and when he visited the institution yesterday he called on him. The Duke told Dr. Bruce to take good care of him, and asked to see Mrs. Whittenberger. Mrs. Whittenberger was introduced to the party, and the Duke told Mrs. Whittenberger to inform him daily of Mr. Whittenberger's condition.
A farmer's lucky escape.
A farmer living near Tweed, who refused to given his name, is lucky to be alive. The C.P.R. Tweed express due at 10.35 crashed into him at Dumphreys Crossing near Tweed this morning, killing his horses and reducing the wagon to splinters. How the farmer escaped is a wonder. He was hurled through the air over a fence into a ploughed field.
The engineer brought his train to such a sudden stop that the passengers through he had hit the side of a house. The train crew rushed over, and were surprised to see the farmer climbing over the fence. The man was mad clean through, "Why didn't you blow your whistle?" he shouted. "How much do I get out of this," he remarked to the startled train crew. The man had not a mark on him. The engineer said that he had his whistle side open all the time.
Train delays.
The Cobalt Express due at 7.30 this morning was three hours late, due to the derailment at Trout Creek, where the roadbed is being repaired. The C.P.R. Soo Express due at eight o'clock was held up behind a freight train that pulled a draw bar. The train was held up three hours.