Telegram-herald., 1889-05-20
MEN WHO HAVE CLIMBED.
Railroad Managers Who Started as B-ake-
men. Telesraphers, hodmcn.
ISrecial COrrcrpDndence

men. ieleSraphers. hodmcn.
Especial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, May 16.-Corning into
Jersey City the other day on the Erie
road, my attention was attracted 10
nervous. wiry man Of forty, or there
abouts, who sat little way in front of
me. From the car window he closely
inspected each station house, bridge. cul-
vert and piece of rolling stock, as we
moved along. Know him?" asked the
gentleman who shared the seat with me.
His name is w. j. Murphy, and twenty
years ago ne was telegraph operator at
a small station back on the Susquehanna
division of the Erie. Now he is general
superintendent of the road, and draws a
salary Of $40 900 a year"
This is only one instance in many.
Among the officers of nearly every rail
road in the country are TO be found men
who have risen from the very lowest
round. \. NJ. Tucker, who is a division
superintendent on the Erie under Muir
Ihv, started in as q track laborer and
his first promotion was TO the position of
IOtlulltl III li4c Jtilu ~
Abbott, of the Western States Passenger
association, used to be freight clerk on
the Erie. c. w. Bradley, general super
intendent of the West Shore, used 10 be
a brakeman and conductor on the
same road. General Superintendent
Bancroft, of the Denver and Rio
Grande, learned the Morse alphabet
6 4 10
Erie and counted himself lucky when he
obtained position as telegraph operator
on the West Shore. President Caldwell,
of the Nickel Plate, was once a clerk on
the Pennsylvania. +. X. Hahn, general
manager of the New York elevated
roads, began his career in his seventeenth
year as q machinist's apprentice on the
Philadelphia and Reading road at Potts
vile.
The officers of the great Pennsylvania
system, from the president down, have
all come up from the bottom. President
Roberts entered the service Of the road
in 1852 as rodmr in the engineer corps.
Later he had charge Of the construction
Of small branch lines, and finally was
!
He has been president of the road for
ciyht wears. 4. J. Cassatt. formerly
vice president of the company, also be-
gan as a rodman. Second Vice President
Thomson fused To Do machinist in the
shops at Altoona. He invented the block
signal interlocking switch. General Man
agcr Pugh commenced as brakeman, and
/ q s-
once messenger boy in the Philadelphia
Office of the company. General Agent
Gcer used 70 be receiving clerk III the
freight department.
James McCrca. general manager Of
the Pennsylvania lines west Of PittsbuTg.
like President Roberts, began rs rodman
at SO q month. he row draws a salary
+ of SO 900 year, and is still under 40.
Robert Pitcairn, superintendent OF the
Pittsburc division OF the Pennsylvania
I and general agent for the company, was
once q messenger boy in tho old Atlantic
and Ohio telegraph Office in Pittsburg
/ Among the other messengers employed
at that time was Anson Stagor. after
wards general superintendent Of the
Western Union Telegraph company; W.
I O. HuZhart, now president II the Grand
I Rapids and Indiana Railroad company:
Andrew Carnegie. who a few years later
4 laid the foundations Of his wonderfully
/ successful career "a private secretary 20
+ Col. Tom SOFT. and David McCargo, now
! general superintendent OF the Allegheny
/ VALLEY railroad.
RUFUs p wilson.