Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-01
ESPECIAL Correspondence of tho DcscrA Mw, by Frank G. Carpenhr)

the ministry. He started his boy, John,
at Latin when he was 10, and at Greek
a year later. Young Wallace was, In
fact, nursed on the classics, and IL was
not until his sophomore a IN college
mat he rebelled. Then his father want
ed hin TO take up Hebrew. but young
wallace said that his lifework lay but
side the ministry and that he was
bound to study engineering. His father
replied that II 50 he would help him all
he could, but that most Of the money
must be earned by himself. Like many
preachers, Or. Wallace was poor and
ne could only afford TO educate his son
through the support given TO divinity
students. This was denied TO young
men who took up other professions.
Tho change, however, did not bother
young Wallace. He STAYED out from
school a month at the end Of each year
and another month at the beginning,
and In these months and during his va
cations he made enough by surveying
to pay his way through. He could no,
go to a technical school, but the several
professors Of the college gave him spe-
cial instruction along engineering lines.
me in this way he formed the basis,
which, added to his study thereafter.
has put him at the head Of the engl-
neers Of his time.
HOW WALLACE LEARNED BUsI-
NESS.
I have referred to Mr.. Wallace as a
business engineer. | want to tell You
how he got his business education. A
soon as he began to work he saw that
the successful engineer had to know
business methods In order to succeed.
He realized that he would have TO deal
with accounts all his life, and also with
all matters relating to corporations,
The first thing he took up was ac-
counts. While acting as surveyor he
carried on q private course I'm book
keeping. learning single and double en-
try. He had a friend employed In 4
bank n through him he had access TO
the account books of the bank and
learned that branch OF the business,
One OF his first Jobs was as assistant
engineer on the Mississippi improve.
ment at the Rock Island rapids, This
was a government work. and In con.
nection with II he studied the govern.
ment methods of bookkeeping, as he did
afterward those Of the railroad com.
panies with which he became connect.
ed, Indeed he was 500 20 Well posten
on such matters that he was often
called In and paid for acting as an OK,
pert accountant,
AZ the same time he took up the law
He read Blackstone. Kent and Chitty.
and made especial studies Of contracts
and corporations. This knowledge has
since proved Of great advantage TO him
THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS.
At the same time young Wallace
kept up his engineering, going steadily
onward, climbing over difficulties to-
ward the top, Indeed, he courted tho
dlficul: and the dIsagreeable. In study
ing the secrets Of success, he says, he
soon saw that the men who rose were
the men who took the hard Jobs and
mastered them.
1T Is the man who o v along the
line Of the least resistance who must
expect TO so with the masses and to
take the lower wages which belong
to that class. The high-priced man In
paid because he can do or viii do what
the others cannot or Will not do"
This has been Mr.. Wallace's policy
throughout life-to court big things and
do them. This is what has attracted
him TO Panama. This Job Is the big
gest Of its kind in the world, and he
wants to have q hand in mastering 1t.
HOW ONE ENGINEER ROSE.
But | am ahead OF my story. After
leaving the government service Mr..
Wallace was made chief engineer of the
Iowa Central railroad, and construct
ed that line from Peoria TO the Mis-
slssippl river, When II was finished
he operated Il. then beginning his first
studies IN railroad managing. Later
on he went into bridge building. lie
aided In making the big bridge over the
Mississippi at Keithsburg, and later be-
came bridge engineer for the Atohlson.
Topeka e Santa Fc. lie vas also on
nected with Mr.. u. l., Corthell, the we'll
known civil engineer, In terminal rail-
way works at Chicago, In making the
Merchants bridge at st, Louis, In
building belt railroads at New Orleans
and Memphis and IN other engineering
projects. All this work was done by
Mr.. Wallace before no reached 40, and
during this time he kept up his studies
OF the outside things connected with
each work. lie not only built railroads,
but managed and operated them; and
this, with his studies, has made him an
all-around railroad man and a corpor'
alton business man, with the grasp OF
details and the knowledge OF executive
Organization which those terms imply,
Mr.. Wallace's work for the Illinois
Central began about lS years ago, when
he constructed that railroads termlna,
facilities for the worlds fair at Chi.
age. About the same time he was
made chief engineer OF the system, and,
Ave or six years ago, general manager
with charge OF all the constructing and
operating departments.
That position paid one OF the best OF