Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-07-28

erfeatest positions in the gift OF one
of the kings of the railroad wor,G and
with salary equal to that OF the
president of the United States, IS a
long step but it is the achievement OF
A. C. Bird, whose appointment as di
rector of the Gould system Of railroads
has recently been announced Marv
men have dreamed of making a ike
successful climb on the ladder OF life.
bnt few have been able to make the
fancy a reality, whether from failure
to grasp opportunities Or from lack
of the opportunity they themselves
best know. With Mr.. Bird it has been
a case of work early and late, and
with never failing to take a long reach
out whenever the slightest oppoltun-
ity presented itself
Mr.. Bird is in all senses of the word
a self-made man. Born in small
country town, and without resources
except those found in an active mind
and willingness to turn penny by
methods beyond question: with pair
of ready hands he began at the very
bottom rung Of the ladder and On
foundation that only honesty and vii
Iingness to work can build.
Offn to mo ol.o n II fnt t1-o o,,1
has been crowned with success, and
apparently not once has there been
the slightest waverng in purpose or
step His goal was the top. 1t has
taken him nearly forty years to reach
it. And he is now responsible to but
one man for his worh-he now reports
directly to George could.
Mr.. Bird is native Of Illinois, hav-
ing been born in Pittsfeld in 1913
Like the great majority of the chill
dren in that thriving little city he
attended the public schools, which at
that time taught little more than the
fundamental principles Of the three
Rs. Nor noes it appear from the testi-
mony OF the boyh0od friends OF Mr..
Bird that he stood at the head of his
class in his various studies In fact,
the testimony is to the contrary. He
was bright enough, these boyhood
friends say but he would not pay at
tention, and many times he was severe
ly reprimanded by his instructors.
Fought Through the War.
Such was young Birds early life.
1t was not different from that Uf thous
ands of others born in similar circum.
stances in the Middle States OF our
beloved America Then came the civil
war. Bird enlisted with the Twenty
second Illinois infantry. Later he
joined the Fourth United States cav
airy and served with that section OF
the big army of the North until the
nnal surrender at Appomattox, TAX
Ing part in all Of the engagements in
the Red river country. At the close
OF hostilties he left the service and
returned to his home
After few weeks rest young Bird
discovered one day that he was with
out visible means of support and that
II ne wished to eat regularly without
being dependent he would have to
10 some hustling He realized that he
had fair amount Of experience, but
1t was not stock he could draw on
10 pay his landlady for room rent and
prohe sauce, and it was then that he
CAST about his net to land a position
mat would make it possible for him
not to ask "stand- off, at the end Of
the week.
While in this mood destiny placed
before him sketch of the life of Jay
"onId and he had no sooner finished
ieadlng the article than he had de-
tefmIned to become a railroad man.
MS hrst opportunity was a position as
Aisht Waterman and baggage smasher
win the old st. Louis, Alton & Terre
i'ao1e railroad, now part of the Big
foar SYSTEM in Pana, a nearby town.
"no LOT fifteen months he filled this
position.
promotion then came and he be-
came successively bill clerk and cash
tei' Next he was transferred to the
aeaefa freight offices of the com
peiy and became claim clerk. Here he