Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-01-09
nuDeH's RAPID RISE.
brilliant Career Of the General Manager
Of the Santa Pc.

brilliant Career Of the General Manager
Of the Santa Pc.
In the summer Of 1872 @ family trav.
eled BY wagon from the old home In
Michigan TO seek Q new one on the
prairies OF Kansas. Sterling vas the
destination Of the family. The father
commenced his residence on . claim the
day he arrived. The boy shouldered his
gun and Joined . hunting party In
search Of buffalo. when the hunt was
over he looked around for something TO
DO.
At that time the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa re railroad was pushing westward
at the rate Of two miles Q day. The end
Of the line had reached q poin, some
twelve miles west Of Sterling. The boy,
then 10 years old and strong and sturdy.
applied TO the foreman OF the track lay
ing gang for q piece OF work. He was
employed Is water boy. His name was
entered upon the psy roll as II. U. Nudge.
After t~wenty-seven years OF service with
the same road he has risen 70 q position
Of Importance and responsibility, that
OF general manager Of the entire sys-
TEN.
His lrst promotion came soon after he
was first employed. Laborers were
scarce, and the foreman advanced the
water boy TO the position Of q laborer
aud raised his pay to ei.75 q day. Young
Nudge was q good hunter and kept the
construction train supplied with buffalo
meat. Il was cold weather when the
Colorado line was reached. Work was
stopped and Nudge returned to Sterling.
He was interested In railroad work and
spent his time at the station. The station
agent saw that he was interested and
offered to teach him telegraphy II In re-
turn be would sweep the station and
take care of the baggage. The bargain
was made. In three months Nudge was
proficient at the key. He was made Z
ira operator and served at different
stations a be was needed.
He left the telegraph department In
1875 to become q bsggsgemsn on q pas
senger train. Six months more saw him
q freight brakeman, and another six
months q conductor. All this before he
was twenty-one years Of age. He was
the all.round man Of the road. When
some one was wanted 10 help out the
train dispatchsr's office during q rush.
Nudge was called. When q man was
needed to help out as conductor OF q pas
senger train Nudge was called.
While 10 charge OF Q construction
train In 1884 he was appointed roadmas-
ter OF a division with headquarters at Al
buquerQue. On March ], 1887. he was
made trainmaster Of the Rio Grande d.
vision. Ga November /, 1899. he was
made assistant division superintendent
Of the same division, and on January
1, 1899, he was made division
superintendent. On February l.,
1899, he was transferred TO the more
impOf amt division with headquarters at
Pueblo. When the road was divided into
two grand divisions he was made super
intendent Of the western grand division.
and later served In the same capacity on
the eastern grand division. In 1898 the
two grand divisions wa consolidated
aud he was made general superintendent
Of the entire system. His next advance.
meni. to succeed General Manager J. ].
Frey, placed him at the head Of the oper-
ating department Of the largest railroad
in the world.
During his twenty seven years Of con
tiuuous service on this road he has seen
its tracks extend from within the con-
dnes Of one state until now the Santa
re reaches from Nebraska TO the Gulf
and from Chicago to the Pacific. He
has witnessed the passing Of the buffalo
and the building up OF great states. He
has risen from the humblest position TO
one Of great trust and responsibility.
He Is q genial man, who will grant an
audience to a water boy employed BY the
road a. quickly rs he would to a stock
holder.