The record-union., 1891-01-11
How Coils P. Huntington Rose
From an Errand Boy.
THE BRILLIANT CAREER OF COLONEL
CHARLES F. CRoCKER
Remarkable Tale From the Everyday
Life of Two Men Who Won by
Pluck and Energy-Inside History
of the Building of the Central Pa
cific Railroad.
rs. F. Examiner. December a5. 1sso.l

DCccInDoT 70, 1S0t. I1o lS,
therefore, at the present time 36 years of
age. His father, Charles Crocker, one of
the most distinguished financiers and
railway-builders of his time, emigrated
from northern Indiana to this State in
1S49. The elder Crocker was native of
New York, but removed with his father
IN boyhood across northern Ohio and
northern Indiana into the northwest por-
ton of the latter State. 1t was here he
grew to manhood and his earliest COM
mercial venture was in the manufacture
of iron. The absence Of economic COM
munication between the different portions
of the country forced upon every COM
munity the task of self-support. The
high cost of transportation operated as a
protection to the value of home products;
but for the same reason the profit of
the forge was dependent upon home
market in its most restricted sense. The
stories of the fabulous riches of the gold
mines in California made strong appeal
TO the bold and enterprising nature of the
elder Crocker. He joined the earliest
Argonauts, arriving in this State in 1849.
His commercial and enterpriSing in
stincts led him to choose a mercantile
soon found himself at the head of one of
the most successful commercial houses in
the State. Three years later he returned
to his former home in Indiana, returning
again TO California in 1858 with his newly
welded wife, the mother of the subject of
this sketch. In 1860 he became identified
with Leland Stanford, G. p. Huntington,
Mark Hopkins and his brother, Z. B.
Crocker, in the construction of the over
land railroad.
The career OF the father in the field of
enterprise, upon which he achieved such
emlnence, began when Charles Frederick
Crocker was but six years Of age. 1t is
therefore dealing in fact rather than meta
phor to say that his earliest recollections
were associated with the construction and
operation of railroads. At the usual
= school age he entered the public schools
OF the city OF Sacramento, which he at
tended until the age of sixteen. In 1870
he entered the University Mound College
and California Military Academy, where
he remained until April, 1873. AS condu-
Give to his general health, which during
his early manhood was not at any time
robust, as well as in view of its educa-
tlonal advantages, the summer of 1873
was occupied in tour of the British Isles,
Switzerland, Germany and the Neither
lands. Returning to the United States
i'll the fall of the same year, he entered
the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn,
~ i. mere He pursued MS StuelleS WIN
diligence, but falling health, which
threatened the loss of eyesight, forced
him to retire from the school short of a
graduation in 1875, and at the age of
twenty-one he returned to this State.
The abbreviation of his scholastic course
was most serious disappointment. 1t
was his Intention to pursue his studies
until graduation, and he entertained the
further intention of taking post-grad-
uate course, with a full course in the best
polytechnic school in the country His
first ambition was for scholarly attain
ments, and while he has not yet chosen
profession it was his own personal deter
mination, as well as the desire of his
father, that his attainments should be
Limited only by his capacity to learn and
the capacities of the universities of the
country for imparting knowledge. The
disappointment of his plans in this par
ticular remains subject of profound re-
gret. Considerations of health, as well as
regard for the broadening influences of
travel, led to suggestion Of another trip
to Europe. a schoolmate Of the same
age and member of family in medium
circumstances had projected tour of con-
tlnental Europe, and young Crocker de-
Charles Crocker, required that the amount
OF money which his young companion
would be allowed by his father should be
ascertained. This being done, the young
man was furnished with exactly the same
amount, and was told under no circum-
stances to appeal to the father for more.
ihe Two young men, thus equipped,
started on their career, with the clear
understanding that economy would en-
able them to extend their travel and pro-
long their time abroad, while extrava-
gance would shorten it. 1t has often been
claimed by the fathers of the young men
that the most judiciouS use was made of
their money, and that they achieved a
surprising amount of travel and observa-
ton for the money spent. The assurance
that no relnforcemento of their funds would
pe made put them upon a judicious
and thoughtful plane of expenditure, and
taught valuable lesson on the relation
this tour Charles F. Crocker returned to
California.
His failing eyesight admonished him
that his student life was at an end, and
the first question which arose was the
choice of future career. He chose the
occupation of his father, and determined
to identify himself with the great trans
portation interests of the country.
AT thls time his father was one of the
remaining four of the eminent railroad
constructors of this coast. 1t is an addi-
tlonal evidence of the sound common
sense of both father and son that the bow
OF Il was not given the high-ounding Off
cal title which might easily have been
commanded. nor placed as an hereditary
ngure-head in charge of some important
department. His first employment con-
nected with the railroad system of Cali
fornla was as clerk in the Division Super
fntendents office at Oakland wharf. The
poSltlon was In no sense Sinecure He
was required to perform the same service
and received the same pay as like posi-
tons elsewhere. The details of operating
a line of railroad as it can be seen only
from the Sfandnpint ~ tha ;o,~>
1ntendent became familiar to him. 1t was
an apprenticeship in the most practical
field OF railroad operation. The first diff
hculty to be overcome was to make those
with whom he came in contact understand
that his position was real and actual and
that he exercised no more nor less all-
thority than his position commanded.
The railroad operatives appeared to re-
gard his appointment as q sinecure, or as
having been conferred upon him by rea-
son OF his relationship TO one OF the prin-
clpal proprietorS of the road; and there
fore, when it became necessary for him to
give directions they We're apt to be con-
strued either as meaning something more
than if issued by another in the same
position or as signifying something less
than the authoritative expression of one
in real authority Eventually it came to
be understood, however, that he was I'M
der the same disciplinary regulation as
any other clerk in the Office, and that his
authority did not extend beyond the
realm of the natural functions belonging
to the position. His first promotion was
to the position of clerk in the General
Freight office at the general offices of the
company in San Francisco, position
which afforded clear view of the whole
field of railroad operation in its CONNER
clal and economic aspect. In this position
he discharged the fun round of duties.
His first position was at the desk of
tower and short" The meaning of the
term Will be fully understood hv raj ilrnad