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WAR 1 5 T953
N. Y. Central Dike Train Runs
350 Miles for Dutch Flood Aid
Helping to Plug a Dike in Holland at PleasantvilleIV. Y.
The "Plug-the-Dike" Holland flood relief train taking on,a carton of clothing at the Pleasantville station yesterday
special four-car Dike Train,
organized and operated by New
York Central System employees,
yesterday made a 350-mile trip
from Grand Central Terminal to
Chatham, N. Y., and back to
collect money and clothing for
Holland Relief, Inc., at twenty-
seven stops along the way.
The Dyke Train was the brain
child of Fred Hotchkiss, an as
sistant conductor on the New York
Central's Harlem Division, and
was organized shortly after news
of big floods in the Netherlands
reached this country early last
month.
Mr. Hotchkiss thought of the
idea of sending a special train
up and down the countryside to
collect clothing for flood victims
while watching television films of
the disaster at his Mount Vernon
home.
After talking to other train crew
members, who liked the idea and
volunteered to donate their serv
ices, he approached Clarence G.
Michalis, national chairman of
Holland Flood Relief, Inc., and
the Central's president, William
White. Both approved and prom
ised to help, but it was decided
that money was more urgently
needed tha nclothing, which was
already being supplied in quan
tities. The next day, the Dike
Traini had a clear track for
March 14.
Today, at 7:45 a, m., the four-
car train left Grang Central
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