The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-02-11
MR.. MELLEN'S CAREER.
STRIKING EXAMPLE OF AMEar
CAS- OPPORTUNITIES.

ures 81 His Early Life-His Advance
ment Step by step-His Great woyt
for the Northern PaeInc-His push
and Energy To-day.
Some Of the more striking portions
of an admirable sketch Of the career
Of President Mellen, of the New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroad sys-
tenn, appeared in the New York World
recently, from the pen of Earl Mayo.
are given as follows:
On September evening in 1863
boy was leaning over the front gate OF
a modest cottage in the quiet old town
Of Concord. N. H. The boy was eigh-
teen and had just finished his course
in the local academy. He had thought
of going to Dartmouth college, and
was undecided whether to do that or
Immediately set about the task Of
earning a living. He was rejecting on
this problem when an older acquaint-
ance sauntered along the street and
stopped to chat with him. BY that
chance meeting, though the boy little
realized it at the time, his whole after
career was shaped. Hrs friend had
just been appointed cashier of the
Northern Railroad of New Hampshire.
and he offered the boy place as clerk
u
in his office. The chance of a position
outWeighed the attractions OF college.
The offer was accepted promptly, and
1t was settled that Charles S. Mellen
was to be railroad man. A railroad
man he has remained ever since, rising
from an unimportant clerkship In the
offices Of the little country road I'd the
head Of one OF the great systems 1T
the country, with salary equal to
that of the President of the United
| States.
While the ambitious New Hampshire
boy gave UP his dreams of collexa
when he took up railroading, he con-
tinued his education by reading and
| study and thought, SO that after thirty
| five years he is not only the adminis-
trative head of a big railway system.
but is also able to make an address SO
sound and well-expressed that the
president has paid him the uniquez
compliment Of quoting a portion Of it,
/ verbatim in his message to congress.
| For three years he was with the
/ Northern road, and then he went into
the employ Of the Central Vermont
road, and for two years was clerk To
r11,i nf TT ~
to the Northern railroad as superin-
| tendent's clerk. Presently he was
| promoted to be chief clerk, and net to
be assistant treasurer. He was slowly
working his way up from one position
to another as an office man, learning
the details Of departmental work.
| In 1860 began a new chapter III hts
railroad experience, when he was ap-
/ pointed assistant to thernanager OF
4 the Boston and Lowell "A year later
he was made auditor then superfnten-
dent, and in 1884 he became the road
i general superintendent In the opera
ting department and at once instituted
much needed Improvements Of the
road-bed and increased the number of
local trains, startling the fossilized$
/ railroad men OF that vicinity, but as
the result showed, increased the road 81
prosperity. Having had experience f11a
many lines in railroading, he knew
/ just what to do to help on a roads,
prosperity.
/ The next important step forward iflS
Mr.. Mellen's progress was his appoints
ment as assistant general manager,
and then general traffic manager Of the
Union Pacific. Having mastered the
accounting and operating branches ofz
/ the railway business he thus took lipF
i the third branch, that of traffic. Sue
cessful traffic managers are always iflz
demand. Mr.. Mellen's work in this "a ~
l pacity attracted the attention Of the
men Of might iii the railway world and
caused him to be recognized ais a conn
ing man.
After four years with the Union Pa
cific Mr.. Mellen was brought back I'd
New England as general manager OF
! the New York and New England, a,
line that had experienced many viciss
situles. What he might have done
with this road belongs chiefly to thes
i realm of unfulfil1ed prophecy. for after
only six months In the new position he
4 resigned it to become second vice-pres-
ident of the New. York, New Haven
and HARTFORD. Mr.. Mellen's energys
aggressiveness and executive ability
4 had attracted attention and the New
4 Haven road not only captured Mr.. Mel
len, but soon absorbed the New York.
and New England, which Mr.. Mellen
/ had been fast making a dangerous
/ competitor The next event was theS
i capture of Mr.. Mellen by ]. P. Morgan
for the presidency of the Northerlh3
/ Pacific, which the World article spicily
narrates. The Northern Pacific wass
described as two streaks Of grease
across the prairie" 1t was in q run
down state, hal just got out Ola res
Ownership, had never paid a dividenda
on its common stock, which was sell-s
4 ing below 20. 1t was of course in ilI#
repute with investors. President Mel
i lens energy was soon felt all along the
line, and grass did not grow under hiss
/ feet, and no more grass and weeds
grew on the railroads road-bed. The
wonderfully successful work OF Mr-s
Mellen with the Northern Pacific is fas7
i n1iIiar TO our readers.