The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-20

False Rumor~ About the ~. T.. Clear
Ing fkuE &fllnFrt Men.

Ire statement which has been going
this rounds Ia the papers 70 the effect
shat the present management of the
Northern Pacific railroad Is enfeaForlng
10 rid the road OF al the Willard men.
whether holding leading or subordinate
positions. has been made me subject q
a good deal Of discussion IN railroad cir
cies. TIE following dispatch recently
semi out from Tacoma. has also been the
subject Of more or less unfavorable corn
ment.
at is stated in railroad circles that
the stockholders 81 the Northern Pa
cinc nil carry o0t its policy o. r..
moving Willard men TO the extent Of
abandoning the Office OF second vice
president. which VIII remove &. II. Pres
colt. OF this city. The manager OF the
land company here. an adjunct OF the
railroad. together with the lawyers Of
the company here u is said will ne let
out Numerous subordlnates are being
removed"
a weli-known Nortnen Pacific railroad
official who was In the city yesterday de-
clarcd that there was no truth tn the
statement that the stockholders were en-
desvoring 70 weed out the Willard men.
Said he.
The Information Is Incorrect on its
face. for all ne officials at present may
be called Willard men Receiver cakes
called Willard men, for both have been
with the road about fifteen years. You
can say the same Of General superiutenJ-
snt Kimberly and General Traffic Man
ager Hannaf0rd and. for that matter. all
the superintendent. They. or most all
OF them. are followers from Wizards
time. The present policy OF the road IS
simply this; The managers OF the sew
eral departments are cutting down ex-
penscs and abolishing unnecessary de-
partments. making one man do the work
heretofore done by two men, wherever IL
h found consistent with efficient manage
ment MIR. Prescott was second vice
president under the old regime. and has
lately been known under the title Of re-
ceiyers' agent. "a position that required lit
tie and amounted 10 less. The abolition
81 the Office rs only In the line OF legiti
mate economy.
Departments are being consolidated all
along the line IN Chief Engineer Nc
Henry'B department this is being done.
II might also be mentioned that McHenry
is a Willard man, but nothing is being
done TO rid the company Of his presence.
Heretofore there were three divisions un-
der Mr.. McHenry. but now there are only
two. the Rocky mountain or middle divt-
sion being merged into the other two. w.
l.. Darling has charge of the country be-
tween St. Paul and Helena, and c. III.
BlhIer Is at the head OF the district west
from Helena. Howard Relfe, who was
division engineer OF the middle division,
found his Office abolished, but he was
provided for by being appointed. with
headquarters at Tacoma. 10 relieve ".
G. Gosslng. right-ofway and lease agent.
which Office was also abolished, and Mr..
Relfe now does the work OF the claims
and engineering department for the Ia
coma end"
II can be seen that while some so-called
Willard men are removed. others who held
Office under Willard are being appointed
20 flll their places. or 70 assume new du-
ties In consolidated positions. IL Is claim
Cd that whether a man Is a willard man"
not does not enter into the question.
II is only a mans capabilities and his
record for efficiency that arc considered.