The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1895-09-30
THE TURN oF a CHIP.

About twenty years ago young
man, then about Is years of age, left
the North and came TO Texas, seek
ing employment. He had about
means enough TO reach Houston.
Failing to get work here, he walked
to Luling, stopping at the various
points on the route seeking employ
ment. With two companions, who
were also seeking work, he s.ar.e.l
TO walk from Luling across the coun-
try to Austin, and after travelling
several miles he and one of his COM
panions sat down on the side of the
road while the other went to house
near by to see-if they .coald get some
buttermilk.
While the third was gone, the
two, sitting on the side of the road,
began TO talk of the wisdom of their
trip to Austin, of which they were
in doubt, and finally concluded to
decide whether they should 60 on
or return to Luling by throwing up
a chip, wet on one side and dry on
other. If the wet side came up they
were TO return to Luling. The wet
side did come up, and back to Luling
they went, and in day or two the
young man referred to obtained en-
ployment trucking cotton on the
platform at that place. -
Shortly afteaward the te ~
operator there gave up his sol
and the young man was est col
his place. a year later h, o~
NOTED to the position 6 =
patcher, in which capacf - we'd
four years. Then one ycSr as chief
dispatcher and one year as train
master. In March, 1885, he was pro-
NOTED as superintendent of the San
Antonio division OF the Galveston.
Harrisburg and San Antonio railway
where he served two years. He was
then made superintendent Of the
Louisiana division, where he served
six months. He was then appointed
general agent of the company in the
State of Te under the law of 1885,
and in July, 1889, was promoted to
the general superintendency of the
Galveston, Harrisburg and san An
tonic railway, where he has up to
this time served.
This week he has received further
promotion to the general manager
ship of the Southern Pacific lines in
Texas and louisiana, succeeding
General Manager Kruttschnitt.
This is one of the most important
and responsible positions in the rail-
road interests of the country, and
General Manager Van Week was
the recipient of humorous congra-
tulations Yesterday.
This true statement of his career
in life illustrates the possibilities
open TO young men, and Is written
because of the encouragement it .af-
fords to those starting life from the
humbIest beginning.
Upon reading the statement one
can not help bu; wonder where Gen
eral Manager Van Week would have
been now, and what position he
would be holding, if that chip had
fallen with the other side up?
What trihing incidents often have
an important bearing upon The fu-
ture of individuals
General Manager Van Week has
risen TO his place of power and re-
sponsibility by his merit, and no one
who knows him doubts that he is
equal to the place and will fill it TO
the satisfaction of the public and all
concerned.-iIouston Post.
The kaiser is by no means a home
keeping monarch. In the year be-
tween Sept. 3. 1891, and Sept. 3, 1895.
he was absent from his capital one
hundred and nintsp#7e days. But
this is better by four days than his
record for the previous twelve
months.
Eondon Truth saws that the report
that the Mikado of Japan is going to
England next summer is sheer in