Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-03
G.W.STEVENSCHOSEN
Successor to NJ. E. Ingalls, as Presi-
dent of the G. and O.
LONG EXPERIENCE as RAILROAD MAN
He Has Done Much to Help His
Men Morally.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

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AS was foreshadowed in The Star of Mon
day last, Mr.. NJ. E. Ingalls, of Cincinnati,
Ohio has resigned as president of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Railroad Company, and
Mr.. George W. Stevens of Richmond, Va,
who for some years has been general man.
ager Of the company, has been elected by
the directors as Mr.. ingalls, successor. Mr.
Decatur Axtell, formerly second vice presi-
dent. has been promoted to be first vice
president. vice Mr. George T. Bliss, who
had sold his stock in the company and re-
tired therefrom. The announcement has
also been made officially that there will be
no change In the policy of the company.
Sketch of MI. stevens Career.
George w. Stevens was born in Utica.
Ohio, in 1851. In February. 1864. he entered
the service of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company as messenger boy, and later
became agents clerk and operator. In 1870
he entered the service of the P. c. c. and
St. l.. railway, acting agent, then dis
patchers assistant and later as train dis
patcher. In 1873 he entered the service of
the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway
Company after serving that organization
for eight years dispatcher and chief dis
patcher, was made superintendent of the
Ohio and Indiana division, and two years
later superintendent of the eastern di-
vision of the same road. Here Mr.. Stevens
had an opportunity to demonstrate his
executive ability, which resulted in his be-
ing made assistant general superintendent
of the Wabash road in 1887
On January l, 1890, Mr.. Stevens was APP
pointed general superintendent of the
Chesapeake and. Ohio railway, and in July,
1891, he became general manager. Mr..
Stevens is a strict disciplinarian, but al
ways fair and just in his dealings with the
men. His door is wide open, and the men
know that they can always have an audi
ence with him, and that Wha tever griev-
ance they may have when it comes to his
attention it will be settled satisfactorily.
He is man of much personal magnetism,
a strong personality, with bright, genial
ways.
Interested in Y. NJ. c. A. Work.
Mr.. Stevens is greatly interested in the
work of the Y. NJ. C. A. among railroad
men, and he has from the time Mr.. ingalls,
inaugurated the methods of that organiza-
ton among c. and o. men until now been
deeply interested in everything undertaken
or advance made in the railroad depart
ment on his system. The first one of these
organizations was established at Coving-
ton. KY. freight division point on the
Cincinnati division. Here the company set
aside a building, which was altered and
furnished and has for nine years been in
operation. Covington was soon followed
by an organization at Hinton, W. Va,
which took possession of a $4,000 building
erected by the joint contributions of the
company and the men.
The saloons in this place were doing
thriving business when the association be-
gan its work but were not left long to the
enjoyment OF their enterprises and the
earnings of tue men. As soon as the men
found out that this building provided them
bed, bath, social game of chess,
checkers or iominoes, place to read or
study. and all under beneficial and eevat-
ing INFLUENCES, they fiocked there In large
numbers Th-re has been no diminution OF
interest in arg appreciation of this work
from the day of its Inception. With, the
success of Hinton 1t became the fixed pol
icy of the company to encourage the or
ganization of associations at other division
and terminal points until all should be pro-
vided with rooms or buildings So Glad
stone. Va, a small freight division point
on the James River division, was provided
by tho company with a building. Here
there was no other place for the men to go,
and they gratefully awaited themselves of
the new facilities provided and privileges
offered. This building has proven ben
efaction to many a man during the time of
his lay-over.
Pudding ut HandIey, w. Va.
Handley, W. Va, came next in order
when the company gave for the use of the
association $4,000 building. This build
ing is in the truest sense home for nearly
300 freight men when away from home
The last report received from there states
that twenty-four men use the beds per day,
eighty-nine were furnished meals or lunch
es daily, and 135 per day visited the rooms.
The largest building on the system is at
Clifton Forge, Va. 1t cost So, 600 and was
paid for by the company, with the eXcep
ton of $1,500 contributed by railroad men
and citizens. Here a library, containing
$500 volumes, is located, and is used by
the membership OF this as well as the
other associations on the line.
This building is a model of its kind and
is used constantly. When it was completed
some one threw the key of the front door
into the river, and for over five years the
building has been open night and day.
Three years ago Russell. KY, joined the
ranks of other division points with an
sCcation. and was privileged to rejoice in
ii $1,000 building. This building provides
for every physical and temporal need of
the men. 1t is complete in lis appointments
and is now altogether too small to accom-
modate the number of men who desire to
use the facilities
These buildings have had the close super
vision Of the general manager, and he has
beeh as deeply interested in every depart
ment of work undertaken by the men as
any association representative.
Two years ago Mr.. Stevens voluntarily Of
fered to set aside and equip quarters for the
men at Ashland and Lexington, attractive
and well-apponted rooms used by the rail
road associations. Much of the success of
the work of these associations has been due
to the intelligence and conservation of the
railroad secretaries in charge AT ali of
the eight points on this system aprropr.a-
tions are made by the company for the pay
ment of salaries of railroad secretaries.
Perhaps the work on no other system is
conducted with greater uniformity and has
more thorough supervision and attention
from the state and international secretaries
than on the Chesapeake and Ohio.