The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-08

WINCHELL's RAPID RIs
New President Of tl1c<Rock ]:
land Has Gone UP Fast.
Railway Matters. NH

BENJAMIN s. WInchcll. who on Monday
assumed charge OF the Rock Island Rail
way system as president. Is still young
man, and his rlsc to the head OF inc
largest railway system on the continent
has been remarkable. 10 began his rail-
way career as n clerk In the passenger
department OF tho Hannibal OF st. Joe
Railway in 1877. and within five years
,ao t,.coms assistant general passenger
nrent Of tho Atchlson and Nebraska line.
IIe gradually roso through successive
steps until no became Vice president ana
traffic manager OF the Colorado ana
southern, THAT was in 1898. III 1900 ne
became president and manager OF INC
ka,,gas city, Fort Scott and Memphis,
and very soon nftcrward went to Chicago
10 take charge Of tho traffic department
of the Rock Island Now nc is pr resi-
dent of that great line, having been
chosen to succeed ~. b. Leeds, rclired.
The ,se OF Mr. Winchell in tho railway
world is said 10 be without n parallel, ana
has been on his merits. He - man VI
initiative and Is n diplomat.
Al III, time OF Mr.. Winchelrs clevn-
lion 10 the head Of the Rock leland
President B. II. Yoaku1n. OF tho FRISCO
system, retired. and was succeeded ny
Albert j. Davidson, promoted from gen
eraI superintendent. Robert Matfser was
,naGo first yicc-presldcnt- The OFFICES
of third and iourtn Vicc-p'ee--'iiSnt 49,
abolished.
The Rock Island system. which, to-
rather with tho Frisco. comprises tho
greatest railway system IN tho ~oIlo'
Is soon TO still further enlarge by open,
Ing 40 tho ST. Louis Memphis line, ana
the Chicago-St. Louis double track me
THE T1DEWATER RAILWAY.
While the identity OF the men behind
the projected ridcwater Railway ilne y
stilI kept secret. Captain Thomas ~ it 1
son. who represents the syndicate. IN
rscrn, sneech-~nt Roanoke admitted that
there was ample capital behind the Inc.
ma that It. was deemed best 10 main
.ain The secrecy as to the real projac-
tors for some time yet for strategic req
sons. There is very little doubt that
behind all Is tho hand OF George Gou l,
ard the Wabash system. 6ould recentis
effected an entrance, 10 Pittsburs. the
fortified citadel OF his great rivals IL IS
teI,.,ed 10 be he who Is seeking an ac-
oessible deep-water terminal Tor me
tapping the great Virginia and west Mt, :.
etnia coal fields. old and new. The road
Is said to be negotiating Tor tcrmlne I
nj Portsmouth or near lhat city, ! ~, ~
T.
ing " hat It can To ratard3 and hinder me
,,rniected line aisposes OF tho belief enter
tained by some that tho new road Is 70
be Il Vanderbilt venture. s,
YOUNGER RAILWAY PRESIDENTS
A prominent railway official who OBJ
serves and thinks, recently stated thht
the average age of railway presidents u
This country Is gradually being reduced
until It Is now nearing rtyyears some te'tll
years ago the average was fifty years II
Is said that ten college men are pelns
gotten into tho railroad service now
,rhcre one was gotten ten years ago. The
duties OF railway presidents do not re-
aiire that grasp OF petty details sup
pased TO be requisite. Ability to organize
and initiate. rather mere experience IN
and memory OF mechanical details are es-
seutial with good organization OF forces.
the railway president OF the twentieth
century. can leave details to his subordi-
mates and have the benefit OF their know
ledge and experience, while he hlmseii,
devotcs his time and thought to the
larger problems OF construction. transpor-
tation and competition. !Aswriter in the
Chicago Tribune recently compiled these
facts as to railway presidents:
.'President Howard Elliott recently
appointed to the Northern Pacific system.
is one of the youngest OF presidents, at
forty-thrce years old, and he began at tho
bottom In 1880 President Newman. of the
New York Central. began as station
agent in Texas; he Is is fifty-six years
old and at forty-sevcn he was made
president of the Central. President Earl
ing, OF the Milwaukee and st. Paul is
fify-five years old. began with the CONF
pany as n telegraph operator. and was
made president at fifty-one years. Presi-
don't Fish, nf the Illinois Central system,
IS ono OF the few university men OF his
age now In service; he is fifty-two years
holl. and became president of the company
in 1ss7-a term OF service that Is TO be
compared with that OF President Marvin
Hughitt, OF the Northwestern, who be-
came president OF that road IN tho same
year with President Fish. President Cas-
satt, of tho Pennsylvania system, be-
gan with that company as a rOdnan
with n surveying corps: President Spen-
cor OF tho Southern Railroad, Is one of
the college men in the service, and Is
fifty-three years old; President Under
wood, of tho Erie road, knows every de-
tall of tho operation OF trains. having
come UP through the operating depart-
ment of the business. However, most men
who have grown up to the position Of
president in tho great systems began
either as rodmen or as telegraph opera-
tors at way stations"
souTHERN's EARNINGS,
The estimated earnings of the Southern
Railway system for the fourth week III
MarchN are thus stated by Auditor a,
H. Plant; For the week this year. ST.
1881; last year. $1,077,422; increase this
year, s72l99. At rate OF increase, the end
of the year will show a, gain of more
than three and a half millions.
The AtlGntic Coast Line will soon en-
tend its line from Washington, N, G., to
Newborn,
great fight Is about to be made in
tho the United States Court at st, Louis
over the rights of ticket scalpers ia
speculate In unused and reduced rate
contract tickets Owing to tho world $
exposition travel this business would be
very large II permitted. Much of 1t will