The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-12-12
DEATH OF GEN. CLARKE.
A Man Prominent in Railroad
Circles-Lately President of
Mobile & Ohio-A Native Of
Frederick - Sketch of His
Life.

Life.
After lingering illness and at
the advanced age of 20 years,
death came to General James G.
Clarke, a revered and respected
resident of this city. at the resi-
dence of his daughter, Mrs. E. Il.
Jeffrey, Chicago, on Tuesday
morning last. Some months ago
General Clarke was on visit
here and, whilst by no means a
we'll man, he gave no indications
of the sad ending that was to so
soon come to him.
The success that has come to
this sterling man has been a
source of pride to his native city,
where he first started on the road
to atfluence and where he gathered
the ideas that have since been so
much to him. So likewise does
this city mourn his death and
shares with his relatives and
friends the sorrow that is their lot.
General Clarke was born in
Montgomery county, Maryland,
March 4, 1928. Although he had
not been a regular resident of the
State for the past twenty five
years, he retained an estate near
Frederick, Md, where he fire.
quently visited.
After the Civil War General
Clarke represented Baltimore
county in the Legislature both as
Senator and Delegate. For a
number of years he was connected
with the Baltimore and OHIO Rail
road. Then he was vice president
of the Erie Railroad, and later
became president and general
manager of the Illinois Central
Railroad. About thirteen wears
ago he came president of the Mo.
bile and Ohio Railroad, which
office he resigned in March, 1898.
Probably the last railroad work
of General Clarke was that for a
syndicate of English and German
capitalists. He went to Guatemala
to report on railroad concessions.
General Clarke began his career
! in a lowly way. In 1910, when
quite young, he became a track
repairer on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad He served so well
in this capacity that two years
later, in 1912, be was made a To-
connective fireman of the same
road. In this capacity he served
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
for twelve years longer, when in
1854 he was made superintendent
of the Central Railroad of Ohio.
A year later, in 1855, his sterling
merit attracted the attention OF
the officials of the Illinois Cen
trail system and he was appointed
superintendent of the northern
division of that road. In 1857 he
rose to the position of general
superintendent of the Illinois
Central, and in 1861 was superin
tendent of the Northern Central
railroad. Four years later he re
linquished the railroad service for
time and became manager of an
iron furnace in Ashland, Md.
In 1870 General Clarke became
president of the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal, and, after serving in
that capacity for two years he was
in 1872 elected president and gen
eral manager of the great Erie
railroad system. He rem aimed
there three years, when he was
again called to the service of the
Illinois Central as general man,
ager.
In 1876 he was elected president
of the Chicago, st. Louis and
New Orleans Railroad Company,
which at that time extended from
the southern bank of the Ohio
river to New Orleans, and is now
part of the Illinois Central sys
TEN. When he took hold of this
road it was in a very dilapidated
condition, and in 1880, when he
was elected president Of the Hi
nois Central and Chicago, st.
Louis and New Orleans railroad,
the road south of the OHIO was
one of the best, if not the best, in
the South at that time.
General Clarke remained at the
head of the Illinois Central sys-
TEN till 1865. when he began
prospecting in the far West rail
road for capitalists. He was en-
gagged in this work till 1887, when
he became president and general
manager of the Mobile and Ohio
railroad, which position he re
tanned with credit to himself and
to the great benefit of the road
till he declined re election in
March l, 1898, because of advanc-
ing years, being succeeded by
| Col. Edward l.. Russell.
In 1898 the residents of Mobile
gave "a banquet in his honor and
on Thanksgiving of this year he
was presented with a silver punch
bowl, waiter and ladle and a gold