The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-16
Four Brothers Hold Important
Railway Positions.
Case of the Cotter Brothers Is
Unparalleled.
ARE SUPERINTENDENTS
Worked Way to the Front by
Merit.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railway Circles.

Bloomington, Ill, Aug. 16.-Four
brothers as railway superintendents. If
there is a parallel case, the railway
men of central Illinois do not know of
it
The four brothers referred to are
from this city. They are: William Cot
ter. manager of the Missouri Pacific,
with headquarters at St Louis; John
J. Cotter, superintendent of the South
ern system, with headquarters at Biz
mingham, Ala; Stephen Z. Cotter, sup
erintendent of the Wabash at Decatur,
Ill, and George f. Cotter, superintend-
ent of the Colorado Southern, with
headquarters at Trinidad
William Cotter, eldest of this group,
is one of the foremost railway men of
the day, and is being discussed as the
successor of Russell Harding, vice pres
ident and general manager of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, who was recently chosen
as the head of the Pere Marquette and
C, II. & D. systems
He was born in this city in 1855 His
father, the late William COtter, was
section foreman for 20 years on the Chi
cago & Alton He was man of unus-
ual intelligence and remarkable in
many ways, but handicap of ill health
prevented him accepting positions of
greater responsibility. He was ambi-
tious for his sons and their success is
due in a great degree to his advice,
and the early training that he gave
them.
He and his family moved to Towanda,
a village ten miles north of Blooming
ton, and il was at Towanda that the
four boys learned the Morse code and
the principles of telegraphy. All be-
came proficient operators when mere
boys. and when they were old enough
to obtain situations were promptly ac-
cepted.
William. the elder, was the first to
enter the service, and obtained a posi-
ton at the Towanda station. He was
under the prescribed age, but he served
satisfactorily until an incident occurred
which probably changed his whole ca
reer, and which he regards as the most
fortunate thing that could have hap
pened- In operating signal lamp TO
hold a train one night the rope became
tangled and the lamp failed to drop, al
though this fact was not observed by
young Cotter. The train crew, how
ever, reported, the accident, and al
though nothing resulted, and there was
no loss to the company, the officials
feared that the lad was too young and
accordingly discharged him.
Returns to School.
He then went to school again and re-
NAMED at his books until a call came
for operators in the south, the yellow
fever frightening away hundreds of key
workers Young Cotter was assigned to
an Office on the Iron Mountain at Pied
mont, Mo. This was his first expert
cAACG away lIOlIl nOIIlG. ana ne was soon
stricken with a severe attack of home
sickness. He tells laughingly at this
day of the battles he fought with him
self in trying to overcome the desire to
return home. He points out an old elm
tree which shades the depot at Pied
mont, which, under it's branches, he
would strive to overcome the longing
for glimpse of his father and mother.
His ability soon attracted attention
and he was promoted rapidly. A dis
patcher's trick at Little Rock was his
next position. and then he was promo
ted to a trainmast ership at Texarkana;
then to chief dispatchership at Deca-
tur, ILL.,; to the eastern division of the
Grand Trunk as superintendent, with
headquarters at Montreal, in 1896; TO
the western division at Detroit I'm 1898;
to the Iron Mountain at St. Louis in
1900 and to the Missouri Pacific as man
ager in 1901. He is now mentioned for
still greater honors.
John ]. Cotter is the next elder broth
er. He was born in TOwanda in 1861
but was ambitious to become a physi-
cian- His father, however, was able to
convince him that success lay in the
railroad profession, and although the
youth did study medicine, he entered
the employ of the Chicago & Alton as
operator, remaining there until 1885,
when he went to the Wabash, serving
first as dispatcher and then as train
master, with headquarters at LitchfieId