"George" Picks Up Job as Mascot at U.P. Station -- Lawrence KS - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

In Dec 1942, a shivering puppy showed up at the warm Union Pacific depot near the Kansas River. The puppy was so sick he couldn't bark. Kind-hearted tough-as-nails railroaders melted, feeding the dog and digging into their own pockets to pay for vetinerary care, shots, and a collar for this suffering creature.

They named him "George."

When the city police announced a stray dog roundup would occur soon, the UP employees realized they better make George legal. The article in the 19 Apr 1943 edition of the Lawrence KS Daily Journal-World documents the issuance of City Dog License No. 221 to "Union Pacific Boys" for their station mascot, George.

George lived at the station, becoming a beloved community pet until his death on Oct 5, 1950. He was buried near the front door of the passenger depot under a simple tombstone, attesting to his life as "A Faithful Friend."

We found the articles on a paid newspaper archive website which we are members of. We have transcribed the articles for you here:

Lawrence Daily Journal-World Monday 19 Apr 1943, pg 5 col 5

“GEORGE” PICKS JOB AS MASCOT AT U. P. STATION

Dog license No. 221 was issued this week to “Union Pacific boys” who came to the local depot about Christmastime as a stray and has since become the station mascot.

When it was announced that the police would start taking up unlicensed dogs on April 20, the “gang” around the Union Pacific station chipped in and had George vaccinated for rabies, and bought him a license and a collar. Employees at the passenger depot, freight house workers, trainmen, and members of the track force all contributed to the fund.

When George came he was thin as a rail and had a bad cough. The railroaders felt sorry for him, and started feeding him. Now he is so fat he can hardly get around. The station frce has been thinking about appointing him a dietician for him to see he doesn’t overeat.
George appears to be about two years old. He is gentle and friendly, and is a great favorite of the passengers, especially the children.

He sleeps under the benches in the waiting room, and spends practically all his time in the passenger room or the baggage room.

From his appearance, the station force has concluded that George’s ancestry is badly muddled. He has a long body mounted on short legs. He may be a mixture largely of dachshund and toy shepherd, since his hair is semi-long. In color he is mostly black, tan, and white.

In the four months that George has been at the station, he has done all right for himself. And undoubtedly he has added a bit of cheer to the lives of several railroaders and a portion of the travelling public." [end]

Lawrence Daily Journal-World Friday 6 Oct 1950 pg 2, col 3

"PET CANINE IS DEAD
George was a familiar figure around the UP Depot

George is dead, and a lot of Union Pacific trainmen as well as local resident who had occasion to use the local passenger depot will be mourning his passing.

Bu most of all George will be missed by the personnel of the station and local U.P. employees and their wives who had learned to love George after he came into the station one icy night in February 1943, a cold, wet, miserable bundle of fur.

For George was a dog -- a short heavy dog with brown and white fur. He might have been part beagle hound and part toy shepherd, though no one will ever know his ancestry.

When stastion employees found him shivering in the station with such a bad cold be couldn’t bark, they took him to the veterinary. After the cold was cured, he seemed to want to stay around, which meant a license, a collar, and rabies shots. So a mustard jar was placed I the station marked “George’s Bank” and into it went small change from George’s admirers until sufficient funds were on hand to make George legally right.

George became a permanent fixture at the station, sleeping there at night. Occasionally, an employee would take the dog home, but he never liked houses. He liked the noise of the trains and his bed in the depot. He always accompanied employees to the restaurant for breakfast, where he ate pancakes with syrup. Daily he had his ration of ice cream. Wives of employees saved tid-bts they thought George would especially like.

He loved children and the commuting University student crowd, many of whom learned to know him by name.

But George died last night... Employees think he was about 2 years old when he came to the station, so his age would have been almost 9 years at his death." [end]

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 04/19/1943 Publication: Lawrence Daily Journal-World Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: yes How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Society/People

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