The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-03-14


your train away from you"
Tie conductors heat sank lower than
ever What before was only fearful fore
boding was now painful truth. He had
served the company to the best OF bis aOIl
i:y he had kept his train in complete or
der. His reports had been carefully aud
correctly made. and yer, after all. he had
lost his position he knew not why. and
felt that his case was sad indeed. lie IN
wardIy resolved, that having missed bis
calling. he would quit railroading and try
some other service where careful work
would be appreciated. Ho dared not hope
to reverse the decision of the all powerful
official yet in as calm voice as he could
command, he politely asked the reason for
this summary dismissal.
Colonel Hammond waited a while before
he answered. Then the muscles of his face
relaxed a little, aud he said, Il want an
assistant superintendent iu my Office, and
have called you TO take the place"
The truth is always modest, and our
thunder struck conductor could only STAN
mer, "Bnt am not competent, sir, 70 Till
the position
''You can do as I tell you ; you can obey
orders, can't you? That's all you have to
do sir. You will begin work this morning.
! This is your desk"
The new duties we're not as difficult as
! he expected. At first he had only to obey
orders and carry out the details of work
laid out by the chief. aud 10 tLese duties
he brought the faitbfulness aud thorough
ness that had made him noticeable a con
ductor. His elevation did not spoil him or
make him vain. He was as plain, aud
modest, aud as hardwOrking as before-the
salary at first was one Thousand eight hun
/ dred dollars.
After a few years of service under Colon
el Hammond, aud an advance Of salary to
two thousand five hundred dollars, the plain
young man was invited to take the office of
General Superntendent of young road, at
a salary of four thousand dollars. Distrust
ing his own ability, but determined to do
his best, he accepted the cal aud succpeded.
until the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
, Railro d. realizing how much they had lost
in parting with him, invited him to resume
his old position 10y the tempting offer Of six
thousand dollars year.
In the meantime Colonel Hammond had
becpmc Superintendent Of the Union Pa
cifc Railroad, running from Omaha to Og-
den, where ii connects With the Central
Pacific Road. This latter road was owned
by four or five milliOnaiies, ho had built
! it, one Of whom was ITS General Superin
tendeut. However good a business man he
knew but little about railroadiug, and un
der his care the road was anything but
/ pros porous, until the owners and directors
/ resolved Oh a radical and sweeping change.
/ But where could they find General
Superintendent who had the ability aud
would dare TO re0rganizc the road aud put
affairs on better basis They consulted
4 Colouel Hammond and other railroad men,
and ,he result was hat, most unexpected
! ly, our wh'lom modest aud haIdwuIkiug
/ conductor one day received "A telegram
asking him If ne would undertake the du-
/ ties Of General Super iuteudeut of the Cen
. tral Pacific Railroad at a salary of ten
thousand dollars. lie was sa lstied will,
his appreciation by the Chicago. ButIug-
ton aud Quincy r abroad, who proposed to
/ increase his pay To seven tn pusand dollars
and as he preferred 20 remain iu Chicago,
+ he declined the Driucely offer m lde 10y the
( California road. Then another telegram
asked at what salary he would becnme The
chief Of tie Central Pacific. Almost hop
ing to discourage his tempters, be tele-
. graphed, Thirteen thousand "A year in
gold" At once came the answer Accept
4 L. 4
. nothing to do but to bid adieu to Il e city
that he had served So well, aud lie rurued
his face toward the land Of gold. Ny story
| would De too long il | shnIld try to tell you
the unexpected difficulties lie encountered
from Il e old officers of the road, who had
determined that they would not be supeiSe-
. ded. aud that the new superintendent
should never euter upon his duties how
they, before his arrival, set the whole press
aud people of Californ ia against him; how,
/ supported by the directors of the road, he
( quietly took c,ntroi, disarmed prejudice.
conquered submission and earned success.
This was nine years ago. He is srHl
General Superintendent of the Central Pa
. cific Railroad, one of the most important
railroads In the yurld Wi5h lis cnnurc-
tions with California, Jhis quiet man. not
yet forty -egh yeaIs old, u"~ superinlends
?, 734 IN les of railroad and over fifty con
Meeting steamers. besides debating the
[ tariffs Of the China. the Australian. and the
Panama line Of steamships. While the
other young men pteferriug present ease
and comfort tu the interests of employers,
Z wasted money and time i'm billiard balls