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Missouri ~ Pacific Railroad 
The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, January 9, 1887 pg. 3 TRAINMEN'S GRAND BANQUET The Transportation Department of the Missouri Pacific Tender a Princely Ovation To T. Golden, Retiring Assistant Superintendent of the Missouri Pacific The retirement of Mr. T.G. Golden, assistant superintendent of the M.K. & T., Texas Division, and the T.H. & H. Ry., from the service of the Missouri Pacific Railway company, with which he has been connected for the past seven years, on last Monday night was made the occasion of a grand manifestation, at once of appreciation and regret on the part of the trainmen of the divisions over which he has so long presided. A grand banquet was spread at the McDougall in honor of the veteran official, and the mammoth dining room of this magnificent hotel was filled to overflowing with his subordinates and admirers. At 10:30 p.m. the company filed into the banquet hall and took seats in an open space reserved for the purpose, and the guest of the evening was announced by engineer A.A. Harrison, chairman of the banquet committee. The splendid band of the Philharmonic society played "Hail to the Chief," and Mr. T.G. Golden presented himself in the room attended by Conductors Condon, Loomis, and Knowlton. Cheer after cheer greated hime, and it was not till the music had ceased that the ebulitions of enthusiasm were allowed to abate. Then in a few well chosen words the chairman announced the purpose of the meeting, and extended to all the hospitalities of the occasion. Seats were taken around the magnificent spread, and the feasting and toasting of the evening began. Of the merits of the menu we feel incompetent to speak. No cold worded description could do it justice, and we will simply say that it was in every way worthy of the grand occasion and of the great establishment at which it was served. The good things of the spread received all due attention at the hands of the guest. Wine flowed freely, and excellent music by the band lent an additional charm to the occasion. At the conclusion of a fine selection by the band, Engineer J.G. West rose and in the following appropriate speech presented Superintendent Golden with a superb 2-1/2 karat solitare diamond stud. He said: Mr. Chairman and Fellow-Employes of the Missouri Pacific Railway Co.: It will be unneccesary for me to state the object for which we are met together to-night. It is to banquet our friend and late assistant superintendent, Mr. T.G. Golden, to express our deep regret at his resignation from the service of the Missouri Pacific railway company, to assure him of the undying good-will of the men over whom he has presided for the past seven years, and to present him with a suitable token of our esteem for him personally and our appreciation of his peerless attributes as a gentleman and a superior officer. In the humble capacity of a locomotive engineer, I have studied the motives and methods of the gentleman here upon my right. I have never had much to say to him; words were unnecessary. If I performed my duty under him no fault was found; if I failed to do so proper notice was taken of the fact, and I think that in thus expressing myself I voice the experience of every man who has been fortunate enought to serve the company under him. No man can say T.G. Golden was a tyrant, and no man can say he was ever direlect in his duty or regardless of the trust reposed in him by the company whose representative he was. Every man has an object in life. With some this object is wealth, with others fame, with others pleasure, but with a few grand souls it is the performance of the duties devolving upon them in a station they occupy in life, and the observance of those philanthropic courtesies which man owes to his fellow-man. In this last noble category, Mr. T.G. Golden belongs, and it is in recognition of these grand qualities that we pariticpate in the festivities of the present occasion. Mr. Golden (turning to the gentleman), you have by the faithful discharge of the arduous and complicated duties devolving upon you as an officer of the Missouri Pacific railway company, by a commendable regard for discipline, by your equitable policy in the adjustment of the differences which have at times arisen between the company and its employes, and by the uniform courtesy which has ever characterized your treatment of us, won our unqualified approbation and esteem, and in earnest of this fact, and in the name of the employees of the Missouri Pacific railway at Denison, I present you with this token. May you live long to wear it in honor and success, and when you look upon it may it call to mind pleasant recollections of the men who now confront you, and who, wherever you may go, will always hold in reverance and respect the name of T.G. Golden. A cyclone of applause followed this eloquent little speech, and when it had subsided Mr. Golden arose and in feeling language voiced his thanks and his appreciation of the gift. In answer to calls short speeches expressive of regret at Mr. Golden's departure were delivered by Messrs. A.A. Harrison, J.H. Loomis, Geo. Bartholomew, Master Mechanic Clark, John Condon, A.C. Runyon, A.T. Drew, Geo. Fielder. B.J.H. Warner, Chambers, Max Grundstein, Frank Lyon and others, whose names were unknown to our reporter. The solo and chorus, "Two little ragged urchins," was beautifully rendered by Messrs. Holloway Smith, A.C. Runyon and G.W. Smith, Mr. H. Smith's fine tenor voice in the solo, filling the room with melody. In concluding the formalities of the occasion the chairman of the banquet committee, Mr. A.A. Harrison, rose and said: "We have all been allowed the opportunity of expressing our regret at the resignation of our late esteemed Assistant Superintendent, Mr. T.G. Golden, and I with the rest of you have had my little say. There are, however, a few words which I would like to add before bringing to a close the oratorical exercises of this occasion. I have known Mr. T.G. Golden for the past seven years. Under him I have labored as an engineer. Under him the locomotive engineers have had differences with the railway company, and it has been my lot to approach him as chairman of the grievance committee of that order, and I will say that on all such occasions I have been treated with a courtesy which few superiors show to subordinates, and in a spirit of toleration and equity which commanded my admiration, and that of the gentlemen I had the honor to represent. A voice - "Gentlemen?" The speaker, "Yes, gentlemen;" for the engineer who does his duty is the peer of any man (loud and continued applause). He has shown by a religious performance of duty his zeal in the interests of the company, but while remembering that he was an officer he never forgot that he was also a man. Grand old veteran, we all respect and love him, and the name of this meeting I now offer him my hand." He advanced to the centre of the room, where he was met by Mr. Golden and the two gentlemen shook hands. The chairman then retired to his seat, and the formal exercises of the occasion were at an end. The band played a quickstep, the Denison glee club sang, "Carry me back to Indiana," and there was any amount of handshaking. "Home, Sweet Home," was rendered by the band, and the guests took their departure from the sad yet happy scene. The following testimonial framed in gilt and elaborately gotten up, on white satin (it being the work of Murray's steam printing house) was presented to Mr. T.G. Golden Tuesday, on the eve of his departure for Richmond, Indiana, by the gentlemen who tendered him the banquet the previous evening: PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTION Owing to the resignation of T.W. Golden, superintendent of the company with which we are connected, we have come together to express our sincere regret at his approaching departure from our midst, and to adopt a suitable resolution expressing our appreciation of him, as a man and an officer. His attitude towards us for the past seven years as a superintendent of the different divisions on which we have been employed, has demonstrated him to be our friend. We desire, on the eve of his departure, to present him a testimonial, to be printed in some appropriate style, and to meet in common with him to-night, at the McDougall Hotel, to present the same, and at the same time tender him a banquet. Owing to the limited time, we expect those present to assist us in the carrying out of the object to a successful termination, believing it to be but the duty of each and every employe who has served under him. Resolved, That by a faithful discharge of the very arduous and complicated duties devolving upon you, the chief executive officer of the divisions upon which we have served, a kindness of spirit manifested at all times towards us, a strict regard for discipline and an equitable adjustment of all differences between the road and employes, has won their love and confidence, and it is with the deepest regret that your departure severs an association which has been of the most pleasant character for the past seven years, and we trust that wherever your lot may be cast that your future may be as bright as your past, and we assure you that you carry our best wishes wherever you may go. Respectfully, ENGINEERS C.W. Clark, M.M., Denison Wm. O'Herin, M.M., Parsons
BRAKEMAN
FIREMEN
CONDUCTORS J.C. Nicholas, T.M., Denison T.J. Ray, T.M., Fort Worth Charles T. Kingley
DISPATCHERS
YARDMASTERS
AGENTS
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