Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-18
FROM WEST TO EAST,
So, 1t Is Apparent, Railroad Abil.
ity is Rapidly Drift
ing.
c., Rip. AND Q. LOSE GOOD MEN

They Are Called to Inject New Life Into
other Large Systems. Invariably Taking
Their Assistants With Them--Division
superintendent Besler. ofth Burlington.
Goes to the Philadelphia.
The drift of railroad ability seems
to be from the west to the east, or,
more particularly, from Chicago to
the east. One of the first big men to
leave was Vice President st. John, of
the Rock Island road. He was made
vice president and general manager of
the Seaboard Air line. When the
Pennsylvania wanted a man to take
charge of its passenger business east
of Pittsburg its officers chose James
K. Wood, who was then general pas
senger agent for the Burlington.
A few months ago Sam Sloan, the
aged president of the Delaware, Lack
awauna & Western, decided to step
down and make way for younger
man. The directors sent to Chicago
for W. H. Truesdale, vice president
of the Rock Island, former resident
of this city, to come to New York and
put the Lackawanna in a position
here it would be heard of as other
than coal line. Mr. Truesdale was
not in his new job long before he be-
gan casting his eyes back to Chicago
for assistants to help him operate his
eastern find. When he had secured
the designations of several of the an
cient officers of the road, who were
doing business fifty years behind the
times, he sent for B. d. Caldwell,
chairman of the Western Passenger
association, to come to New York and
be the Lackawanna's general traffic
manager. Then Caldwell turned his
eyes back and appointed L. w. Lee,
his assistant in Chicago, general pas
senger agent of the road.
Then came the Erie road. 1t needed
a vice president to look after the
operating end of the system and Chi
cago was again drawn upon in the
person of A. f. Merrill, then general
manager of the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy road, who was succeeded on
the Burlington by w. c. Brown. 1t
will be noted that the Rock Island has
furnished a president and vice presi-
dent for eastern roads, and the
Burlington vice president and gem
eral passenger agent.
Superintendent Besler Resigns.
w. q. Besler, of Beardstown, SUI
perinten6ent of the St. Louis division
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
railroad, has resigned, and has ac-
cepted position as superintendent of
the Reading division of the Philadel-
phia Il Reading railroad, with head
quarters at Reading, Pa.
Mr.. Besler was appointed superin-
tendent of the st. Louis division of
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy in
March, 1898, and is one of the most
prominent operating railroad officials
in the western states. He served as
president of the St. Louis Railway
club, and now holds the position of
president of the Central Association
of Railroad Officers. His father, j.
d. Besler. is general superintendent
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
railroad. During his six years Iesi-
dence in Beardstown Mr.. Besler has
taken an active part in. the affairs of
the city, and is president of the board
of education and the Beardstown
Chautauqua assembly. He was a fire.
quent visitor to Rock Island, and was
well known among our business peo-