The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-02
WILL BLACK STAY
RumOr That He May Succeed
Nicholson.
Latter Would Get Place as
Second Vice President.
WOULD KEEP HIM.
Santa Fe Doesn't Want to Lose
Mr.. Black.
Other Changes That Are Almost
Certain.

The principal topic of conversation in
local railway circles is the report print |
ed in the State Journal recently that
w. J. Black, general passenger agent
Of the Santa Fe, had been offered a
place in the traffic department of the
Rock Island system.
Mr.. Black was in Chicago when the
report was published and he denied
that there was anything in it upon
reaching home.
It is now said however that the San
ia Fse mana cement will try to keep Mr..
Black by giving him a promotion. 1t
is known now that Paul Morton will
not return to the Santa Fe as second
vice president in charge of traffic, and
the Office still remains vacant. There
has been some talk that the position
would be filed by the appointment of
an outsider. This however would not
be in line with the fixed policy of the
Santa Fe management of promoting
men already in the ranks. It would be
directly opposed to the civil service
which by custom seems to be we'll
presidency is filed from the ranks, it is
said Mr. Black will figure in the pro-
motions which will follow.
To a reporter for the State Journal
who asked Mr.. Black in regard to
these reports, he declared emphaucally
that there was nothing in them I
wish you would keep my name out Of
any discussion in print of this charac-
ter" he said.
May Keep Black.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Blacks refusal
to discuss the matter and his denial,
. there are several rumors in circulation
, in both Santa Fe and Rock Island
I | circles which would indicate that there
, was something about to happen It
will be remembered that the State
! Journal was the first to print the re-
port that Mr.. H. U. Nudge was offered
1 a place on the Rock Island, and other
papers were printing the denial that
Mr.. Nudge intended to go to the
Rock Island. Nevertheless, later de-
; velopments proved the report correct.
It is true that all sorts OF changes
are rumored and all sorts of states
have been fixed up. all of which 1t is
evident cannot materialize, but they
are given here for what they are
one report is that Mr.. Black may be
, appointed assistant traffic manager of
the Santa Fe at Chicago In that event
it is said an ASSISTANT general passenger
J. agent would be named with head
quarters at Topeka.
If Geo. T. Nicholson, now passenger
traffic manager, was selected for sec
G ond vice president of the Santa Fe, the
: position formerly held by Paul Nor
a ton, it is said Mr.. Black will be pro-
G NOTED to be passenger traffic manager
: of the Santa Fe. This move, it is said,
would result III bringing D. DgIIlCf
}, general passenger agent of the Santa.
< F'e coast lines at Los Angeles, to To-
J, peka to be general passenger agent OF
the Santa Fe proper. That move
: would be followed by the promotion
of W. s. keenan,, general passenger
agent OF the Santa Fe gulf lines at
= Galveston, to the position OF general
passenger agent at Los Angeles. The
t'slate" has it that E. J. Shakeshaft,
chief clerk in the general passenger
agents Office in Topeka, will be made
general passenger agent at Galveston,
and that Roy D. johnson, of the local
general passenger office, would get the
chief clerkship.
!. Changes Are Certain.
Changes of some sort are sure to
come on the Santa Fe, now that it is
definitely announced that Paul Morton
= will not return to the company, and
!, it is possible that there is much to be
e relied upon in the above rumors.
v OF course, if the report that Mr.
s Black is offered a place with the
e Rock Island is true, and if he should
: decide to accept it, the forthcoming
= changes which are in sight on the
h Santa Fe would probably be worked
out in the same manner as if Mr..
Black were to be appointed assistant
passenger traffic manager or pas
senger traffic manager on the Santa
Fe.
place to say that Mr.. Black is another
= of the Santa Fe men who have risen
fsolely through merit, and without the
aid of "a pull'' of any character, unless
his willingness to work and his ability
e to handle the affairs placed in his
Y charge may be considered "a pull
He is regarded as one of the brightest
] and most efficient of the passenger
traffic officials of the country and his
record with the Santa Fe is a tesu-
t monia1 to that effect.
t He was born at st. Louis, October
8, 1854, and was educated in the COM
mon schools and at Christian Brothers
college. His father operated a steam
boat on the Mississippi river. At the
I age of 16 years Mr.. Black took a pO-
2 sition as office boy in a large railroad
printing establishment in st. Louis.
In this manner he came to the notice
of J. NJ ChesbrOugh, who was then
s assistant general passenger agent of
S the Vandalia lines. Mr.. Chesbrough
l was pleased with Mr. Black and gave
t him a place in the Vandalia Offices
He spent three years there as Junior
= Offices of the Iron Mountain road and
I spent three or four years as rate clerk
5 with that road.
While George 7. Nicholson was gen
eral passenger agent of the Santa Fe
! at Topeka, c. H. Speer was the chief
Black frequently at rate meetings
Speer induced Mr.. Black to come to
the Santa F'e as rate clerk Later Mr..
Speer was made general passenger
agent of the Atlantic & Pacific railroad,
the Santa Fe's Pacific coast line, and
he went to San Francisco. Mr. Black
was promoted to Mr.. Speer's place as
chief rate clerk Of the Santa Fe. under
Mr.. Nicholson.
! Mr.. Nicholson went to the Frisco
I about this time and H D. Thompson,
; who had been assistant general passen-
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