The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-18
From Fireman to President.


 It is a long distance from the greasy cveralls and grimy face of Q locomotive fireman to the position of President of a great railway system. says Norfolk letter to The New York Telegram. Yet the distance was traversed by Lucius E. Johnson, who has just been chosen President of the Norfolk and Western Railway. He made a quick trip of it.
 MT. Johnson is not far past his fiftieth milestone. His energy and activity are those of a man twenty-five years his tu' nior. These qualities he will possess un- til he dies.
 Mir. Johnson began his railroad career as a fireman on the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy. He fired until he was given an engine, and was an engine driv- CT q year or two. His superiors had had their eyes on him. He was seen to be of no common stun. Ills intelligence. in- dustry. proclivity for hard work and de- votion to the interests of the company were qualities that could not fail to at- tract the oficial eye. He was too valu- able a man to be kept an an engine. He was promoted to a place in the general offices of the road. Promotion was steady until he became master mechanic at Au- rora. H., and in 1886 superintendent of the St. Louis division of the road. Tn two years he was made superintendent oi the Chicago division, the most important on the road
 He was by this time a man with a reputation. His genius for organization and his ability to direct men had attract. ed the general attention of Western rail, road men. The Manhattan Central sol him as a general superintendent in 1890 In less than three years he accepted the position of superintendent of the most i'm portant division on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern.
 MT. Johnson's reputation had travelec eastward. The directors of the Nor; folk and Western were casting about for a general superintendent Somebody sug. gested MT. Johnson's name. Investiga. tion of his record led the board to believe that he was the man for the place. He was offered the position and accepted it. How well he filled 1t may be judged by the fact that in two years he was made Vlce-Presldent and General Manager of the road.
 In the first week of last month MT. Johnson was elected President of the railway, to succeed the late F. J. Kim ball. It is understood that his election was unanimous.
 It is said that nobody has ever known so much about the Norfolk and Western 1NdliWdy dS V. El. JohnSon. GVery QetaIl of the business, the condition and fea. lures of every mile of the track. from Norfolk through all its windings amons the coal fields of the Virginias. he seems to have in his head, ready for instana use.
 Mr. Johnson made an argument before the Committee on Taxation and Finance Of the Virginia Constitutional Convention. Prominent railway men from all over the country, as well as gray-headed lawyers who had devoted their lives to study of corporations. had appeared before that and other committees of the convention. But none made an argument which at. tracted as much attention as that of the former locomotive fireman. He is not an ornate taiker, but his speech has the power of directness
 To a non-railway man MT. Johnson manner of talking iS his chief charm. The listener may be ignorant of what the railway President is talking about, but the way in which Johnson is saying things Is convincing. One feels that one Is listening to a man who knows what he is talking about MT. Johnson does.
 MT. Johnson's career is a remarkab bIe instance of what may yet be accomplish. ed by brains and industry alone. He never had a pull. His career. extending