The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-19
MATERIAL FOR PRESIDENTS.
Most Big Railroad Officials Have
Come Up from the Ranks.


The recent selection of Howard FL
lott to be president of the Northern
Pacific railroad has again called atten-
ton to the fact that in the selection
of presidential material the railroads of
the country are departing from long
established custom. says the Chicago
Chronicle. A prominent official of one
of the western lines, whose headQuar-
tiers are in Chicago, is of the opinion
that the man who starts at the bot
tom in the service has a better oppor-
tunity now than ever before to reach
the top. In the case of Mr.. Elliott it is
shown that he began in 1880 as rod
man and worked his way through the
operating department until his work at
tracted the attention of Mr.. HILL
Mr.. Elliott is but one of the many
railroad presidents at present in charge
of large railway systems who started
at the bottom. In fact, with the excep-
ton of George J. Gould, the majority OF
the presidents of today have had prac-
teal experience in all or many branches
of the service. W. H. Newman of the
New York Central started with the
Texas & Pacific as q station agent and
A J. Cassatt of the Pennsylvania
boasts that he started as rodman with
that company
EARLING A TELEGRAPH OPER-
ATOR.
Albert ]. Earring of the Chicago, Mil
waulxee & st. Paul gained his first in
sight into the railroad business as
telegraph operator in the service of the
road of which he now is president. This
was thirty-seven years ago and since
that time he has filled the positions of
train dispatcher, assistant Super1ntend-
ent, division Superintendent, general su
perfntendent, general manager and Sec
ond vice president. In 1899 he reached
the highest Office in the gift of the COM
pany. Charles S. Mel1en, formerly pres
ident of the Northern Pacific and now
the executive head of the New York,
New Haven & Hartford, commenced his
railroad career as a clerk in the office
of the cashier of the Northern New
Hampshire railroad, while Marvin
Hughitt of the Chicago & Northwestern
began as a trainmaster and worked his
way to the top by easy stages.
1t will be seen that the men who are
now railroad presidents started in the
service in different ways, but a large
proportion gained their first knowledge
of railroad work either as telegraph
operators or rodmen in the engineering
department.
PRESIDENT FELTON, A RODMAN.
President FELTON, made his reputation
in the latter branch OF the service and
Horace G. Burt of the Union Pacific
was employed first as a rodnan in the
construction of the St. Louis, Vandalia
&, Terre Haute. Milton H. Smith of the
Louisville & Nashville obtained his
training at a telegraph instrument and
F. D. Underwood of the Erie was rail-
road brakeman, conductor on passenger
and freight trains and a, yardmaster be-
fore he made his executive ability ap-
parent to his superiors.
Unlike many others who have gained
prominence in various lines of business
the average railroad man who has
reached the top or won a position OF i'm
portance is proud of the beginning and
seldom loses an opportunity to call the
attention of his subordinates to the fact
that he started at the bottom Of the rail-
road ladder. -. 9a..,,..