Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-19
COL. c. F. CROCKER DEAD.
sketch of the Young Millionaire nm
Railroad Mapuate

COL CROKER, vice president of the South
ern Pacific Railway Company died at his
nome IN San Mateo, Cal, Saturday night
Charles Frederick Croker was horn in
sacramento on December 20. 1854 The hov
was only six years old when his father be-
gan the railroad career which resulted in
zen years In making him one of the richest
men In the country. He did not inherit his
idthers giant frame, but was a lad of frail
physique until he reached manhood After
preparing Tor college he took a tour of Eu-
rope Tor his health. and In 1873 entered the
POLYTECHNIC Institute in Brooklyn. He was
not graduated, as he was threatened with
loss Oh eyesight. He took another tour in
Europe, and then returned to California
and determined to master practical rail-
road work
Young Croker, though the son of a mill
nonaire, was as carefully trained as though
ms father was poor man. He was not
given an easy Office i'm the railroad COM
pany but he was put at hard work in the
DIVISION superintendent office on the Oak
land pier and learned all the details of on
Grating railroad When he mastered this
ne was transferred to the general freic hit
Office in San Francisco, where ne spent a
year and was treated precisely as any other
clerk.
When Gen. Cotton died Leland Stanford.
then president of the road, decided to put
young Croker in Colton's place as financial
agent of the company the coast and
purchaser of all fuel. He inspected all the
coal mines and showed so much executive
ability that the office of third vice president
was created for him.
In 1883 young Croker was promoted to
the place of second vice president, and in
this capacity, in the absence of Mr. STAN
ford, Mr.. Huntington and Charles Croker
at the east and abroad, the entire manage
ment of the great railroad on the coast fell
upon him. He was forced to make deci-
sions on many important questions without
advice. and in this way acquired that re-
markable faculty of quick dispatch of BUSH
ness which made him without AN equal on
the coast.
On September T. 1880, Charles Croker
died and left the principal management of
his $24,V0,OW estate to his eldest son. With
his brother, William H., he acted as Joint
trustee but most of the work o. admins
tration devolved him. At the age Of
twenty-six. in September, $780, Col Croker
married Miss Easton, laughter of Mrs.
Adelia N. Easton. a sister Of ID. q. Mills
Mrs. Crocker was charming woman, and
three children We're born to the couple-a
son and two daughters. His wife died sud-
denly in February, 1887.
Upon Leland Stanford's retirement from
the presidency, Mr.. Croker necame first
vice president. He was only thirty-six years
old, but he had had fifteen years of thor
ough training. Since then ne had filled this
laborious position, with only one term of
one years absence in travel Mr.. Croker
was always accessible to all callers. He
kept no boy al the door. In this way much
time was wasted, but he obtained valuable
hints which he would never have secured
had he adopted the usual office methods.
Mr.. Croker made many gifts to charities
and to science. He gave to Lick Observa-
tory its finest Photographic instrument He
was a regent of the State University, and
took great interest in its management. He
belonged to the Pacific Union Club, was a
strong Mason and was active I'm National
Guard affairs. lie nad only recently
bought Cplands, one of the handsomest
suburban residences in San Mateo.