Chick Kent 1939-1969
Charles Kent, Editor of REPORT, passed away on May 2, 1969 from a cerebral hemmorage. There had been no advance warning of the attack. He had just before received a good report from his doctor after a physical exam.
He is survived by his widow. Grace; a son, Charles A. Kent; two daughters, Laurie Ann and Evelyn Marie; a sister, Mrs. Violet Penix and his mother, Mrs. Essye Marie Kent.
The funeral services were held May 6th at Greenwood. A fitting tribute was paid to Chick at the close of the services when the S.D.&A.E.'s El Cajon Roustabout passed through the cemetery, blowing a long, mournful whistle, just as Chick's casket was being carried out of the chapel. It seemed more than a coincidence, but it wasn't.
Chick was a railroader to the fullest extent. He was a switchman for the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway, having been hired by the railroad the day after he graduated from San Diego High School in 1957. He was President of the United Transportation Union, local lodge 1001, of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. He was a model railroader as well, active in the La Mesa Railroad Association. Chick was a railroad historian, and left an uncompleted history of the S.D.&A.E. which he was seeking a publisher for. Last but not least, he was a railfan, and in spite of all his work and family responsibilities he found time to edit REPORT since January, 1966, to help with work parties, attend meetings, and be as helpful as he could.
P.S.R.M.A. has lost a very active and very wonderful member, (Ed. note: it took a committee of six to replace him as Editor of REPORT. ) We extend our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Kent and to the family. We shall miss him, too.
The preliminary discussions with Fenton and the S.D.&A.E. have been reported elsewhere in this issue, so won't be repeated here. Although a lease involving at least a token rental is expected, Fenton's main interest at this time is to get some good public relations out of otherwise unused land. No further development of the land is foreseen in the next ten or fifteen years, so we can depend on the use of the land that long, at least. Even then, a major flood control channel through the valley will severely hamper ordinary industrial development of the area, so if we have a successful museum operation going by that time we can be reasonably certain of a permanent home there.
Immediatly, we have a roadbed of nearly a quarter of a mile in length, with adequate land alongside for spurs, display areas and shops. With successful development of this area, it should be possible to extend the main line past the present cement plant and up the valley. Fenton's land extends about three and a half miles up the valley. The main obstacles to extending our track are crossings of National Ave. about half a mile away, and Beyer Way, about half a mile beyond that. But it will take us quite a while to come to these bridges, and by then we should be able to cross them. Fenton also owns land between the S.D.&A.E. and Interstate 5, but it would not be possible to run trains under the existing trestle, due to clearance problems. (R. R. D.)