The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-11

once. This was the beginning of more
than a quarter of a century of continu-
Gus service with the Santa Fe. He was
always a willing worker as Billy Nor
gan said about him when he was driv
ing the bus at Strong CITY and as
he was anxious 20 learn. the station
agent at Arkansas City gave every op-
porTunlty he could to help the young
fellow along. By working after hours
and at night and by steady application
and study he soon mastered the key
and it was not long till an opportunity
offered, and he was made operator at
Augusta.
He was soon made relief agent IN
der Superintendent Sands at Las We
gas. Later he was cashier for H r
Nickerson. who was agent at Hutchin-
son, and later he was called in Topeka
to become chief clerk to Mr.. Sands who
hao in the meantime been appointed
general superintendent at Topeka.
Mr.. Hurley's never tagging energy
and capacity were noticeable and he
was soon made trainmaster and assist
ant superintendent at Marceline Up
to this time he had made an exception
al record and for this reason he was
selected to handle the Chicago division
during the Worlds fair season when a
level head was needed to take care of
the large number of extra trains. The
traffic was terrific, and Hurley made a
splendid record. He got through the
summer without a wreck.
Soon after the Worlds fair year he
was appointed superintendent Of the
mountain division of the road with
headquarters at Las Vegas. the tough
est problem on the entire system. He
took the place on June 10, 1884, and on
June 26 of the same year the Santa Fe
was tied up at Ration by the famous
A r. u strike which spread to all the
railroads from the Pullman strike at
Chicago. Ration was the storm center
Of the difficulty on the Santa F'e. If not
the storm center of the difficulty all
over the United States. Nearly 800 men
went out on about 225 miles of the main
line and IL became impossible to move
a train OF any kind. freight, passenger
or mail for fully TWO weeks. Su9erin-
tendent Hurley with six other men who
remained loyal to the company went
armed and kept UP the fight against
all the strikers. But that is too long a
story to tell all the details. Suffice to
say that Mr. Hurley had the most
strenuous time Of his life during that
period.
He carried off the situation in a
mastery manner and kept the upper
hand. however. and was later made
general superintendent of the coast
lines with jurisdiction from Albu-
querque to Los Angeles and San
Francisco. When the Santa Fe proper
was divided in two grand divisions.
Hurley was selected to be general
superintendent of the western grand
division With/headquarters at La Junta.
He next came to Topeka with the
title OF general superintendent of the
eastern grand division. He became
general manager of the Santa Fe May
1 last.
Ed Howe's Estimate.
The secret of Mr.. Hurley's success
is epitomized in an editorial which Ed
Howe printed in the Atchison Globe
In a brief space he sums up the stu
r.
Hurley's advancement. He says.
IF you are willing to work; II
you can do something WE'LL II you
are reliable, and have fairly good
judgment. nothing can keep you
down. Every man is conceited, and
thinks his fool way is right He in
sists on his fool way. and remains
poor; he occupies a minor position,
when he might have q big one Look
yourself over. If you are able to &C
prove on them. nothing can keep you
down But there is the trouble: few
people are able TO acknowledge their
faults
There is the case of Jim Hurley,
the new general manager on the Santa
Fe He had as poor a start as It is
possible for man TO have; he was
originally a section hand. He was de-
MED the advantage of an early edu-
cation, but managed to get one In
stead of spending his spare time play
ing billiards. he learned biography at
night His willingness to work at
tracted attention, and his advance
ment was rapid.
You can do it. If you are willing;
but are you Willing2 Are you will
ing to admit that the man above you
is your SUPERIOR OF course he IS
or he wouldn't be above YOU There
is no sentiment in this matter Of pro-
motion. Do you say you are as good
as anybody when your neighbors