The record-union., 1895-07-17
DEATH OF A. n. TOWNE.

The announcement of the death of A.
N. Towne yesterday morning was sud-
den and painful shock to the wide circle
In this city that claimed Mr.. Towne as
friend, and was deplored by all the peo-
pie who knew him in Sacramento, where
he 30 long made his home. Mr.. Towne's
life was another exsmplifcation o. the
possibilities that open before the Ameri-
can citizen who is fred by honorable am
bition. and moved by perseverance,
backed by indomitable will.
For Mr.. Towne was in every sense
self-made man, one proving by his career
that the door is open to all worthy men,
in this free country, who are true to them
selves.
Albsn n. Towne was born in 1929. the
very year that witnessed the movement
of the first railroad locomotive in the
United States, and inaugurated the great
transportation system of the Nation with
which he was soon to become SO intimate
ly related. He was a native of Massa-
chusetts and came of Woodworking,
strong, shrewd, provident and strictly
upright family, with whom labor was
crown of honor and an insien MIA of inde-
peDdence and manliness.
His father was q mechanic of versatile
qualities and great industry; the son in
early boyhood gave his attention to me-
ohanics and strove to attain skill in the
hsndioraft of his father. He was brought
up to work hard. indeed had to labor in
one season each year that he might at
tend school in another. He had the oour-
age and indomitable will power that en-
abled him to fix upon goal and work
patiently, untiringly to reach it, without
entertainment of doubt as to his ability
to do so.
Before he was Of age he had learned
two trades fairly well, that of the shoe
maker and the painter. His wage was as
low as SIS q month and his board, and
what he could save from this small sum
went TO aid in support of the family.
Thus he was taught duty and self-denial
along with the necessity for and the
honor of honest labor.
He married early and entered upon
small business to maintain himself in
connection with his knowledge of trades.
A little later he labored for wages as
hop nd ali
ing establishment, and in this capacity
proved his ability as business manager
and introduoer OF new and improved
methods in business. Still later he placed
his skill against snother's capital and
engaged in merchandising, but with the
stringency of 1856 he abandoned the firm
and went out to Illinois to try his for
tunes in the new West, where he was
offered position with railroad COM
pany.
He abandoned small mercantile busi-
ness that he had started and accepted the
otfer, serving in rapid succession as q
brakeman, conductor, yardmaster, train
master, and finally winning, by reason
OF his abilities, the position of Assistant
Superintendent, and then General Super
intendent All this was accomplished
without the aid of powerful friends or
any other assistance than his own will,
his fine capacity, and his devotion TO
whatever was given him to do; as he
himself has said: 81 did everything that
there was for me- to do just as well as I
could"
He made himself 30 useful to his en-
ployers that they were not only not slow
to commend him, but prompt and pleased
80 promote him. Within eighteen months
from the time he began work as brake
man he had attained a position outrank-
ing that of the man who first appointed
him. for ne was Assistant General SUI
perintendent of the road, one of the most
important lines in the West.
He was eleven years with that COM
nauy and was called from 1t to take the
General Superintendency OF the Central
Pacific Railroad Company. 1t is said
that Mr.. c. P. Huntington discovered
MIR. Towne, and seeing, with his remark
able ability to judge of men, the rare