A Trip to the Rockies

A lavish Pullman car greets a small fleet of New York’s most prominent bankers and their families as they depart Jersey City in early September. The carriage, dubbed the Dalmatia, is a rolling salon of silk flags, fresh flowers, and polished Russian‑leather notebooks, even a pearl‑set domino set that hints at the owners’ fine tastes. As the train thunders westward, the passengers mingle over games and gossip, their excitement a mix of business purpose and a rare chance for leisure travel.

When the party arrives in Kansas City for the American Bankers’ Association convention, the bustling city offers a lively backdrop to their polished discussions. Meetings give way to evenings of dining, sightseeing, and the promise of a western adventure that looms beyond the city’s borders. The opening leg of the trip captures both the ceremonial pomp of early‑20th‑century finance and the subtle anticipation of the untamed Rockies awaiting them.