Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-05-25
MEN WHO HAVE CLIMBED.
aaiirsaA 1Gagnssss Who Hsvs Rissn frsu
ths Lower Ranks.

II the small stations on that line. Tom
King, now one Of the vice presidents Of
the road, commenced as brakeman. w.
K. Alderman, general agent Of the BalSi-
more and Ohio, and formerly president
pf the Illinois Central, readily recalls the
lays when he earned less than $40 week
~ transfer clerk. Superintendent Bis
veil. Of the New York Central and Hud-
son River railroad, worked his way up
from switchman to brakeman, conductor
and freight agent. JIM. Toucey, assist
ant superintendent Of the same road, less
than twenty years ago was a station
agent on New England line. Assistant
President Tillinghast, of the Central, was
formerly fireman, and Traffic Manager
Clifford, Of the same corporation, in the
early sixties was clerk in the freight
department Of an Ohio road.
Thirty years ago there lived on the line
Of the Delaware, Lackawanna and West
ern railroad in northeastern Pennsyl-
vania farmer whose 12year-old boy
would neglect his chores and steal of to
watch the engines. Tho boy was seldom
happy save when In the company OF the
| employees Of the road. When he was
few years older he suddenly disappeared
to turn up couple Of weeks later as
brakeman on coal train at $25 per
month. The station agent near his fa-
thcr's farm had obtained the place for
him. The boy did not mistake his call
ing, and has been climbing up ever since.
His name is Jerome A. Fillmore, and he
Is now general superintendent Of the
Central and Southern Pacific railway
system at salary of 5000 a year.
w. b. Strong, president of tho Santa
| Fe system, has history very similar to
that of Fillmore. He rose from freight
brakeman to station agent, telegraph
! operator, and since then his strides for
ward have been fast and long. First
Vice President Smith, of the same
company, thought he was FORUM
ate when he received an appoint
ment as station master at an out of the
way town on bankrupted Indiana line.
George l.. Sands, the Santa Fe's general
| superintendent, commenced his career
as a brake twister. President Clark, of
the Illinois Central, was an engineer
fifty years ago, and j. L. Jeffrey, the
general manager, when n young man,
learned the machinist's trade SO thor
| oughly that he could now build loco
! motive, build new bridge or repair an
old one.
General Superintendent Kerrigan COM
menced his training for the management
| of the G,000 miles embraced in the Mis-
souri, Pacific system as axman on the
Iron Mountain road. Later he became
rodman, and everything that was given
him to do was done so well that he now
receives $4,000 year. General Agent
Hitchcock, of the Union Pacific, and
William Ii. Holcomb, general manager
of the Oregon Railroad company, both
began as brakemen. Twelve years ago
w. S. Mellen, now general manager of
the Wisconsin Central, was telegraph
operator ON Wisconsin road, with
seemingly little prospect of promotion.
A year or 80 later, however, he was ap-
pointed station agent at Racine, and he
has been advancing ever since. He can't
be over 80, and as he is one Of the best
equipped railroad men in the country
his future is indeed bright one. A. A.
Allen, Manager Mellen's assistant, COM
menced his railroad career in 1868 as
a telegraph messenger boy Henry c.
Bradley, the Wisconsin Centrals general
freight agent, also began in the same
way.
The man who rides over the Chicago
and Alton railroad on pass issued by
the general manager reads at the bottom
Of the pass the name sc H. Chappell."
In war times this same Chappell was a
freight brakeman on the Galesburg divi-
sion of the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railroad. He never fooled away
bis time, and employed all his leisure in
learning the details of railroading One
day he came under the notice Of the gen
eral superintendent of tho road, who
took him into his office. TNere he learn
ed telegraphy and became a train dis
patcher. His career since then is well
known. An ex-brakeman is j. l.. Han
rahan, general manager Of the Louisville
and Nashville road. President Thomas,
of the Nashville and Chattanooga, CON-
menced as station master Henry +.
Royce, who for some years has been gen.
eral superintendent of the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific used to be an engine
wiper in the Boston round house Of the
Boston and Worcester Railroad. Cen
eral Manager st. John, of the same road,
commenced as assistant to the ticket
agent at Quincy, Mass. George l.. Car
man, who is now commissioner in half a
dozen railroad pools and traffic associa-
tions, started in as a train boy.
Austin Corbin, president Of the Read
ing road. was country lawyer at Daven-
port, Ia, thirty-five years ago, and j. L.
Bell, general traffic manager of the same
road. was for years Il freight clerk in the
Philadelphia office of the Reading. j.
II. Ohousen, general superintendent of
the Central Railroad of New Jersey, used
to work in the machine shops at Potts
town, Pa. He was good machinist, and
makes a good superintendent. John
Adams, general superintendent of the
Fitchburg railroad, also started in as a
journeyman machinist. Warren Z.
Locke, the Fitchburg's general freight
agent, commenced as a brakeman, and
w. ii. Barnes, of the Boston and Albany
line, as freight conductor. George l..
Bradbury. now general manager of the
Lake Erie and Western, began in the
same way.
The average railroad man holds to the
opinion that he who is faithful in n few
things will in due time be given charge
over many, and it would look as though
the average railroad man is about right.
RUFUS R WILSON.