The 1947 Friendship Train in Wyoming
by Dorothy R. Scheele

Green River was the first scheduled stop in Wyoming. Local officials who were present were Tracey S. McCraken, a Cheyenne newspaper publisher who was representing Gov. Lester C. Hunt; Mayor R. J. Stapleton; and Mr. Pingatore from the Department of Agriculture. Green River and the towns of Evanston, Big Piney, Pinedale, Kemmerer, Afton, and Cokeville all donated three carloads of food. The last three named towns donated macaroni and spaghetti and $700 in cash.

Stopping next in Rock Springs, where Mayor Edwin James presented 735 cases of canned milk the residents had donated.

In Rawlins, several hundred people, willing to endure the sharp wind and sub-freezing temperatures, waited at the foot of Fourth Street for the train to roar to their town. Rawlins High School Band played and radio station KRAL broadcast the event. The Rawlins Friendship Train committee consisted of Chad Shaffer, who coordinated all of the campaign drive in the town and who was also president of the Lions Club. Frank L. Kerman and Fred Healey, who organized Platte Valley. Ellen Kastner who received pledges from local organizations.

Before the 21 committees assigned to collect and coordinate the food drives in Carbon County had even begun their work, residents of Medicine Bow, Dixon, Elk Mountain, and other Carbon County towns had contributed over 200 cases of evaporated milk. Big Horn County and the towns of Ten Sleep, Worland, Lovell, Powell, and Cody had collected $221, enough to purchase 41 cases of evaporated milk.

In Laramie, Tom Brennan chaired the food drive. In many towns across Wyoming, collecting for the train was combined with recreation. People held milking contests, outdoor concerts, and midnight films. Musicians from the University formed a dance band led by Chuck Chameson. All activities were intended to raise money to meet Laramie’s goal of 100 cartons of evaporated milk. As was usual smaller surrounding towns contributed.

At the ceremony the Mayor Laramie gave the bill of lading to Drew Pearson who in turn gave it to Gov. Hunt.

Cheyenne was unique in that the city did not conduct an official campaign. The capital relied on the media to publicize. The Eagle and Tribune ran ads and radio station KFBC Broadcast information about it. Immediately after the word was spread, pledges of wheat donations began pouring in. Other towns contributing were Albin, Burns, and Pine Bluffs. Communities from Torrington and Lingle counties send hundreds of bushels of wheat. Cheyenne’s two boxcars completed the Cowboy state’s donation. Many local newspapers listed the names of the individuals and organizations which contributed.

The largest crowd in Cheyenne’s history to date watched the train, now approximately 45 cars long, roar out of their state. The sides of the boxcars bore the words, “Vive L’ Italia” and “Vive La France.” They also had two hands clasped in Friendship, undoubtedly the appropriate symbol of the Friendship Train and of Wyoming.

The author welcomes any corrections or additional information which would add to this state's history.  Her email address is draetrain@gmail.com.

The Friendship Train was the genesis for the French Merci Train. Website www.mercitrain.org has information about that train. Copies of Mr. Bennett's Book The Merci Train, A Big Thank You From the French Merci Train is available at ebennett89@yahoo.com. The price is $25.00 per copy, including postage.

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