The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-04
A YREELAND OF THE WEST.
SPEED WITH WITCH ASHBEL d.
NEWELL,

NEW FILL,
A Yale Man, Glass of 1890, Has Trav-
eIed into Prominence Among Rail-
road Men.
man" in the broadcast sense of the term.
Mention Yale and the class of 1890 and
you command the instant attention of
the superintendent of the western divi-
sion of the Lake Shore and Michigan
southern railway.
There may. be division superintend-
ents younger than Mr.. Newell, but If
there are they are under thirty~tWo-
and even if there are, it is doubtful ii
any of them are charged with respon-
sibiities such as his. His appointment
to this post came to him when he was
only twenty four. That was at the be-
ginning of "World's Fair Year" when
big problems connected with the traffic
of the exposition came up almost daily.
The situation which he faced was a
formidable one The division placed
under his control is rated among rail-
road men as very important; the road
was entering upon it's year of heaviest
traffic, and he was a youth in years
One factor that strongly helped to fit
him for his important duties was an
available element of physical strength,
and an important feature of his prepa
ration was a year spent in a close, first
hand study of chow things are done at
the top"
Among railroad men, Mr.. John Newell
was often spoken of as "the president
who lives on the road" The major
part of his work was done in his private
car, and he reduced the workings of
travelling office to a science AS soon
as young Newell left college his father
invited him to spend one year as his
guest con the road" The father and
son spent four days week together in
the presidents car, fitting from one end
Of the line to the other and making
visiting trips over other roads. To a
young man just out of college this kind
Of occupation could not appear ardu-
Gus. On the other hand, it was far re-
moved from idleness, and there was
every opportunity to gain insight into
the methods of the management. In
that year President Newell and his son
covered more than sixty thousand
miles in the presidents private car,
and the young man was taken into his
fathers confidence to an extent which
enabled him to get a comprehensive
idea of how a great railway system is
managed. In all probability no young
man ever entered the railway service
with so broad, intimate and practical a
knowledge Of how the big problems of
railroading are solved as Mr.. Ashbel
Newell possessed when his twelve
months with his father were completed,
and he became assistant trainmaster
at Youngstown, Ohio.
His experience at his fathers elbow
had done more than afford him a means
Of analyzing orders and arriving at
their why's and wherefores; 1T had also
given him an Invaluable acquaintance
with wide circle of prominent rail-
road men, Although his first position
placed in his hands the general move
ment of traffic over an entire division,
his preparation had been so excellent
that the task was an easy one. Soon he
was given larger responsibilities, and in
1892 took charge Of the jamestown and
Franklin division of the line.
So we'll did he meet the test that, in
February of 1898, he was appointed SUI
r,erintendent of the western division,
which extends from Chicago to Elk
hart. Ind Then came the severe and
exacting period when railway traffic
into Chicago reached it's highest point
Next came the great railway strike,
and it brought to the young superin-
tendent a phase of railroading which
had in it an element of excitement, per-
ii and activity. With picked crews he
went repeatedly into yards which were
in the hands of the strikers and person
ally assisted in making up and moving
trains. Here his athletic stature and
draining stood him in good stead but
the quality of greatest service in criti-
cal situations was cool, clear-headed |
Judgment.
Mr.. Newell takes his work easily and
gives an observer the impression that it
is more of aninteresting recreation than
a burdensome task. His popularity
among his associates in the service is
largely due to his directness and i'm |
plicity of manner. He is accessible to |
all corners, and his subordinates, no |
matter how humble their position in the |
service. know that they will never be |
denied a fair hearing at the office of |
their superintendent.- Philadelphia Sat
urday Evening Post.