The Portland daily press., 1890-08-22

organizer of men, matchless business
executive. master of himself and others.
IT is interesting to watch the strong
men who come up into prominence
through politics and, finally firing of
that, become money makers. Col Davis
will turn to money getting if he be not
made director general Of the Worlds
fair. Ex-senator Plat has paid more
attention to business than to politics for
several years. Mr.. Clarkson is likely to
go into some large business enterprises
as soon as he can get out of Office. The
railroads of the country swallow up a
large part Of the best business talent we
have. 1t is surprising how rapidly some
of our brainy young men develop in the
railroad field. Ten or twelve years ago
l was out ON the frontier of Nebraska,
and riding one day in the caboose of
freight train I asked some questions of
the conductor, who seemed to be bright
young man. Three years ago l again
visited Nebraska, and found that young
man, Holcomb by name, the general
manager of all the Burlington lines in
Nebraska, with probably 1900 miles Of
road under his control.
A few months ago boyish looking
man appeared before the house commit
tee on railways to give evidence in the
matter of the proposed law requiring
railway companies to equip their freight
cars with automatic couplings. He was
introduced to the committee as Mr..
Brown, of Burlington, and as he began
to talk member of the committee whis-
pered to one of his colleagues: Don't
believe we shall get much information
| out of that young fellow. He's brake
| man, isn't her, But in a few minutes it
was seen that the young man not only
knew what he was talking about, but
that he had singularly clear and direct
manner of saying what he had to say.
A little later and he had the close atten-
ton of every man in the room, for it was
apparent that he was a master Of the
science of railroading in all its branches.
For an hour he talked and answered
| questions, and gave the committee a
keener insight into the wonderful devel-
opment the mechanics of railway have
| experienced than any of them had ever
had before.
"You seem to know your trade pretty
| WELL" remarked Congressman Hill, of
Illinois, after the final hearing was over;
shave we not met before?
II think we have" replied Mr.. Brown;
'it was thirteen years ago, in your town
| of Joliet There had been an accident
on the gravel train on which l was work
| ing, and you came upand asked me some
| questions
"You were then working on gravel
train?"
| eyes, SIR"
"And what are you doing nowY'
Mr. Brown modestly handed the con-
gresham his card. 1t read: "Superin-
tendent of c., B. and @. lines in Iowa."
Since that day this young man, who
went through all the stages of railroad
ing, and who can make coupling, run a
locomotive, build bridge or manage
10000 employees, has been promoted to
control Of the Kansas City lines of the
great Burlington system.
Down at Cape May week or two ago
met President Roberts, of the Penn
| sylvania railroad. Here was a man who
had started out twenty or thirty years
| ago as track hand and who had come
up through the mechanical and the ex-
ecutive branches of the business to be
the president of the greatest railway in
the world. His salaries-for he has sew
eral as president of the three or four cor
| porations which are in the Pennsylvania
+, system aggregate 100000 year. Mr..
| Roberts shows the effect of his early
training in the strong love which he has
for the details of railroading. Where one
would think his conversation would be
Of the large phases of the business, of the
finances, of the building of new lines, he
speaks most Of new inventions, new
methods of bookkeeping, of the rate
sheets, and of the countless details of
the work. Possibly he pays too much
attention to details, said one gentleman
NO" replied another, who knew the
| president well, che does not. 1t was
close attention to details that made him
what he is. To this day he has fond
ness for going out on the line, watching
the tracks, noting the condition of cars,
| switches, buildings, and for taking a
look in the Offices to see how the boys
DO their work. The great financier gives
his attention to stocks and bonds. The
great railroader knows his road as the
fond proprietor Of villa knows his
front yard"
Another railroad man whom | met at
Cape May is George Boyd, the assistant
passenger agent Of the Pennsylvania.
Probably if vote of the travelling pub
lie could be taken on the most popular
railroad man in the country Mr.. Boyd
would win the prize. Unlike most men
who have wide popularity, he is remark
ably efficient 1t was Mr.. Boyd who
planned that greatest of railway jour
news. the tour of the Pan-American con-
gress. To his ingenuity, energy and tact
many of the Improvements in modern
railroading which have tended to make
travel more comfortable than staying at
home arc due. Not many years ago
for he is still young-Mr. Boyd began
railroading as a clerk in freight Office
at indianapolis at salary of $50 a
month. Some time probably he will be
president of the Pennsylvania.
Another interesting man whom often
see in Washington is Col. A. l.. Conger,
of Akron, O. He is type of the ideal
business men and men of affairs who in
this country usually come from the farm.
lie is also type of the politician of the
f2rt spoken Of by Plat and Clarkson in
Sneir recent articles-politicians who
learn and teach lessons Of life in work
TTg for others and not for themselves.
SGpt; Oonger was a poor boy on farm.
ne mas forced his way to the front till
nYW ne Is not only millionaire, but one
o., tne potent men of great political
w. w.
TIL l.