The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 47, July 1943 - April, 1944 Page: 81

Book Reviews

followed by references to the twenty-nine major topics. Each
volume also has an introduction written by President Roose-
velt which throws valuable light on the contents of the volume
and the great problems which his administration faced.
There can be no doubt of the great value of these four vol-
umes in the presidential and general history of the United
States. No major library of the country should be without
them, and many individual citizens, such as college professors,
students of public affairs, and administrative officials, will want
to own them as companion volumes to the five volumes which
were published in 1938 to cover President Roosevelt's first term
and his two terms as Governor of New York. The volumes
are handsomely bound in blue with a black inset on the back for
the title in gold lettering, and represent fine craftsmanship in
the science and art of making books.
R. L. BIESELE
The University of Texas
Railroading from the Head End. By S. Kip Farrington, Jr.
New York (Doubleday, Doran), 1943. Pp. xvii296. $3.50.
The title of this book would be more fitting if it were Inci-
dents in Railroading or something similar, since it is not the
story of one who railroads from the head end-a locomotive
engineer or fireman. It is an exposition on some phases of
railway transportation by "one of the world's leading fisher-
men," as the author is described on the jacket of the book.
Many descriptive incidents of railroading are given in the
book, and readers will find something of interest and excite-
ment in the story of the ride in the cab of the locomotive as it
pulls the fast freight, called the "Merchant Prince." Also, one
feels the urge to go along with the writer in the cab of Engine
Number One of the "Hiawatha," crack passenger train of the
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad between Chi-
cago and the Twin Cities. The book contains information as
to the electrification of American railroads, the use of Diesel
motive power, and descriptions of the different types of loco-
motives. For anyone who might wonder about the methods
of handling perishable fruits and vegetables there is an ex-
planation of the Pacific Fruit Express, owned jointly by the
Southern Pacific and Union Pacific systems, and the work of

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