The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-27
INSPECTING THE LINE.
Arrival OF Superintendent Michigan
OF the Grand Trunk.

of the Grand Trunk.
Ex-Superintendent Stephenson Introduc
ing His successor to the Railroad Off
Gals Along the Line-The Man and His
Policy.
Yesterday afternoon Superintendent 4.
H. McGuigan of tho Grand Trunk. re-
Gently appointed BY General Manager
Charles M. Hays, as the successor to
Superintendent James Stephenson, came
here on a tour of inspection of introduce
tion, or both. He was accompanied by
ex superintendent Stephenson, Assistant
Superintendent Rlddell, and Mr.. Price,
secretary to the superintendent.
The party reached here at O'Clock,
and from that time until O'Clock Super
intendent McGuigan was very busy
man. He visited the wharves and in
spected the steamships in port, and then
he raade tour of the offices, and was in
troduced to all the officials having good
word for each.
He then drove to the Maine Central,
where he was presented to General
Manager Payson Tucker, and than to the
Office of superintendent Peters OF the
Portland and Rochester. Then returning
to the Grand Trunk he held sort OF
general reception until the train left for
Lewiston and his car was attached to
that train. The new superintendent
made very good Impression, and the old
employees of the road are gratifed that he
appreciates the value of their services.
The following is sketch of the new
superintendent and of his policy:
MIR. F H. McGuigan. the new general
superintendent, is a magnifcently pro-
portioned specimen of manhood, stand
ing considerably over six feet. He was
horn at Cleveland, Ohio, forty-six years
ago, while his father was engaged in
building the Cleveland and Pittsburg
railway. He commenced his railway
career at the age of thirteen, as water
boy on the Erie and Pittsburg division of
the Pennsylvania railway gradually
working his W ~ up, until in 1874 he had
reached the position of roadmaster. After
seventeen years service with the Penn
sylvania railway he left that company,
becoming on April 10Th, 1880, foreman OF
a construction train on the st. Louis and
Omaha division of the Wabash railway.
He only remained in this position for a
little more than two months, being ap-
pointed roadmaster on July 1st of the
same year. His jurisdiction was extended
So +n+ a.
1885, he made general roadmaster of all
lines west of the Mississippi river Three
years later to the day. he WAS gazetted
general superintendent of this same
portion of the road, remaining in charge
until Decem Der 3lst, 1896, when he re-
signed to accept his present position on
the Grand Trunk railway.
81 represent the third generation of
railway men," ne said, laughingly,
"both my grandfather ard father having
assisted in building railways in Scotland
should also feel some interest in the
Grand Trunk, for my father had the oon-
tract for building piece of the road be-
tween Toronto and Hamilton. was not
very. big at that tims, and / had for
gotten the name of tine place where we
lived at that time until l was going over
the road between the points which have
mentioned, when it all came back to
me-"
"Can you say anything concerning
your plans for the future. Mr.. Mo
l.Guigan?'
"Well, should like to say that We do
| not intend. to import whole lot of Yam
KEGS to help US run this road or anything
of that sort. / intend to get along as far
as possibly can with the very efficient
and able Canadian servants the road al
ready haa. In this connection may say
that in making my tour of inspection
over the lines of the Grand Trunk system
have been most agreeably surprised.
81 say, surprised, because you know as
we'll as do the Kind of things which
have been said about the old Grand
Trunk and it's servants. I had heard all
sorts of stories about it, but l tell you
| they weren't true The Grand Trunk has
most excellent staff of men, and have
been highly pleased with what I have
seem Oh all Slu0S. SOlu6 Oh UQ6 emUlOyeS
are getting gray, I admit, but that is no
reason why they should be referred to as
''fossils.' Those men were working for
the Grand Trunk perhaps at the time /
started in TO learn railorading, and what
are we going to do about it? 1t is said
that corporations have no souls; that is
untrue, and SO long as these old hands
can do the work assigned to them, we
cannot turn. them out just because they
may not be. SO lively as younger men.
"Nu, "-refleotiyely-'' may get old
ourselves, some day, and when we do, we
shan't like it, If we are referred to as
FOSSILS"
1t should be added that Mr.. Stephenson
said good bye to the men who for SO
manyiyears oo-operated with him in the
work of this section of the great road.
He was very popular with his employees,
! and the old officers said; s'good bye" to
| their former chief with real regret.