The record-union., 1891-01-11

pacities lasted for one year, and to quote
the language Of the venerable chief clerk
of the office, who still occupies the posi-
ton. He left an excellent record both as
clerk and as a gentleman" 1t was at
this time that General David Z. Cotton
died. Governor Leland Stanford, Presi-
dent Of the road, sent for Charles +.
Crocker, and to the very great surprise of
the latter, informed him that it was de-
sired that he should take Mr.. Colton's
place and discharge, The duties.of the Of
fice left vacant by Mr.. Colton,s death. 1t
will be remembered that Mr.. Cotton was
the financial agent of the company, and
that he was also the purchaser of fuel,
which included the direction of all the
coal mines owned by the company, and
the negotiation for their sale and purchase
as occasion might require. This was a
promotion appealing strongly to the
pride of an ambitious young man, and
with many misgivings as to his capacity
for the discharge of the newly imposed
duties he entered upon the Office. His
first plan to qualify himself was to make
diligent examination of all the CORE
spondepce conducted by his predecessor,
thus making. himself master of the past
details of administration, so that its
future conduct would be the equivalent
of the continuity of single memory. In
TINS he succeeded admirably and, as the
duties committed to him We're executive
in their nature, the Office of Third Vice
President of the Southern Pacific Com
panY was created for, him by the unani-
nous vote Of the owners and directors.
On September 4 1880, at the age of 26,
he was married to Miss Easton, the esti-
Adelia NJ. Easton, the latter the sister of
d. o. Mills. Mrs. Crocker was lady of
rare accomplishments and strongly indi-
vidualized character. To this happy
union three children were born. His
marital happiness was, however, of short
duration, and he encountered the first
great bereavement of his life in the death
of his beloved wife, which occurred Feb
ruary 25, 1887.
AS the son acquired knowledge and
competency in the general administra-
ton of,the company's affairs, the father
began to withdraw his attention measur-
ably from its more arduouS duties and al
low himself more OF that well-merited
leisure and retirement which his falling
health SO imperatively demanded. In
1888 young Crocker was promoted to the
position of Second Vice President. The
position of Third Vice-President which
had been created for him, would perhaps
have lapsed into a sinecure but for the
continued absence of the superior officers
of the property. Leland Stanford, the
President of the company, was frequently
abroad in Europe. c. 2. Huntington, its
First Vice-President and financial head,
was located in New York. The constant
expansion of the railway system gave to
it's financial affairs a primacy of import
ance which required the presence in the
general financial Office in New York OF
Charles Crocker. And thus Charles Fred
erick Crocker, remaining at home the
sole representative OF the real ownership
of the property, became the resident
Managing Director. Exigencies con-
stantly arise in the management of the
affairs of great railway system, requir-
ing immediate decision. Even tele-
graphic communication with co-Directors
abroad cannot wholly relieve the local
resident Director of responsibility in the
solution of important problems. Being
on the ground he must act, and in acting
must necessarily exercise a large dis
cretion of judgment. His promotion,
therefore, to the Second Vice-Presidency
was well earned. In this new and higher
position came broader discretion Of judg-
ment.s His official relation to tho admin
istrative affairs of the company, however,
was not the heaviest burden imposed
upon him in the year of his promotion.
On August IA, 1885, his distinguished
father died, leaving to him, as the oldest
and most experienced member of the
family, primary charge of an estate var
ued at $24 4,GO0,O 900. The estate was mex
tricably interviewer with the railway
system and its concomitant interests. 1t
was indeed a vast property, sustaining
complex relations to other estates, with
very large percentage of its value de-
pending upon the success of vast enter
prises, the conduct of which demand the
most experienced business sagacity.
However active or real the official reia-
ton sustained by Colonel Crocker to the
affairs of the railway system and to the
iad N nj a n To WI ha
was in part prospective successor prior to
to the death of his father, that event inn
posed upon him additional and more seri-
Gus responsibilities. By the terms of his
fathers will he became, in co-trusteeship
with his brother, William II. Crocker,
trustee of the estate and by priority of
age and experience its principal admins
traitor. Thus to official function was
added the augmented responsibility of
increased personal ownership and the
higher duties of q trust relation. Four
teen months later his beloved mother de-
parted this life. Thus in three successive
years he was bereaved of a wife, father
and mother.
Upon the retirement of Leland Stanford
from the Presidency and the election of
C.. p. Huntington to that office, Charles
Frederiel, Crocker became, by the unani-
nous choice OF the ownership, the First
Vice-President, and was fully vested with
all the discretionary power the position
implies. Thus at the early age of thirty
six he stands full participant in the adj
ministrative responsibility of interests
involving 500, GOO, 600 capital. Nor should
it be forgotten that the advancement
herein outlined has been at the hands of
men who stand among the foremost rail
road contractors, operators and financiers
of the present age. The accident Of rela-
tionship may afford opportunity for the
achievement of official relations involv-
ing the discharge of great administrative
duties,' but such accidents do not go be-
yond the opportunity. In the discharge
of functions connected with the operation
of the great system of Transportation, en-
ploying hundreds of millions of capital
and carrying millions in value of pro-
perty and millions of precious lives, abil-
ity must he present if the position which
accident may have conferred is main
tained. Mr.. Crocker's promotion may
have been. IN a. measure u concession to
his prospective ownership of the property
controlled, but to maintain any position
in the executive department of railroad
system ability equal to the place must be
manifested.
It is extremely doubtful whether COM
pletely candid biography was ever writ
ten. AT best the biographer adopts par
tial view. If the portraiture is at the
hands of friendship, the warm colors OF
charity are applied; if by the hand of en-
nifty, the distortion of malice is present.
Paint me as / am," said Oliver Crom-
well to the artist before whom he was sit
ting for portrait. .'If you smooth out
one wrinkle, or attempt the outline OF
symmetry where deformity exists, win
repudiate the picture.n The task of the
biographer, however, differs from that of
the artist. The former deals with intel
lectual and moral elements of character,
which elude exact measurements; the lat
ter may invoke in his work the common
rules of drawing and perspective. .Crom-
well was perhaps less vain of his personal
appearance than of his record as a states