The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-04
RAILROAD NEWS.
Civil Service Rules Now Prevail
on Rock Island.
New Regime Instituted by III. U.
Nudge.
REC0GNTZE MERIT
RECOGNIZE MERIT.
New Administration Starts OFF
With Remarkable Record.
A Bit of Rock Island History
for Four Years Past.

manager of the Santa Fe at Topeka,
has taken charge of the operating de-
partment as second vice president of
that system.
Although Mr.. Nudge has been with
the Rock Island but two months, and
his plans for the reorganization of the
operating department have not yet
fully matured, they have progressed
far enough to get a line on the policy
of the new head of the operating de-
partment of this road.
Positions of responsibility will be
filled by promoting men of worth
whenever opportunity presents itself
under Mr.. Mudge's regime. Merit
will be given recognition, and Mr.
Nudge has begun his administration
by an application of the RooseveItan
idea for "a square deal"
Mr.. Nudge has begun his admins
tration by promoting fifteen officials
from among the employees on the
Rock Island system, most of the pro-
identified with the class known as the
'old Rock Island" men. AS viewed
in comparison with the policy of each
of the past several administrations,
this policy makes a remarkable show
ing. These moves have become a
topic of conversation among the en-
ployes of the system, and have had a
wonderful effect in winning the con-
fidence of the employees to the new
head of the operating department.
Mr.. Mudge's civil service policy was
in a large measure responsible for his
popularity on the Santa Fe, and from
appearances will also be true on the
Rock Island.
The promotions made by Mr.. Nudge
on the Rock Island are noteworthy be-
cause during the time so many
changes of administration have been
made during the past four or five
years, no promotions, with possibly
one or two exceptions, to positions of
consequence have been made by Civ
! ing Rock Island" men recognition.
On the other hand, quite the contrary
has been the case. Rock Island men
have been deposed to make room for
men brought from foreign roads dur
ing each regime to officer the re-
sponsible places on the system.
The new order of things which has
Just been instituted by Second Vice
President Nudge has not been known
on the Rock Island since the time the
road was a system of $500 miles,
| oHcered by a congenial family under
the domination of r. r. Gable, whose
energy and push was responsible for
the growth of the road up to that time.
The feeling of unrest among the en-
ployes which has during the past
few years manifested itself to the det-
riment of the interests of the railroad
company is gradually disappearing to
be replaced by an apparent desire
upon the part of the officials, high and
low. to exert renewed efforts for the
welfare of the company.
| With each change of administra-
ton on this road during recent years
the incoming head of the department
made positive assurances that there
would be no radical changes in the
official list, or In the operation of the
road, etc. Just as often, however, as
that announcement was made whole
sale changes followed which resulted
in disrupting rather than fostering
organization, till the time Mr.. Nudge
administration began.
| When President B. L. Winchell sue
ceeded in inducing Mr.. Nudge to take
control of the operating department
of the Rock Island. the latter made
the customary assurances that he had
no intention of bringing an army of
Santa Fe men, former associates, to
the Rock Island. Rock Island sub
| ordinate officials had heard similar
announcements before and were in
| clined to diSbelieve. All were on the
afraid it would lop off many heads.
But Mr.. Nudge has kept his prom
Use. So far he has not dispensed with
the services of single official, high
or low; has arranged matters where
by fifteen Rock Island men have al
ready received promotions, with more
to follow, and has brought but one
Santa Fe man to the Rock Island.
1 w u0n MT. Nudge LOOK charge OH
the Rock Island he found the position
| of general manager and the office OF
! general superintendent of one of the
| districts vacant. He divided the sys-
tenn in two grand operating divisions
appointing a general manager for
each.
He promoted general superintendent
| of the Rock Island, Mr.. F. o. Melcher
| to the position of general manager OF
| one of the grand operating divisions
| hrO Gain VvI r.
| ly a general superintendent of the Santa
| Fe to be general manager of the other
grand operating division. This appoint
| ment of a Santa F'e man is the only
one made by Mr.. Nudge which brought
Santa F'e man to the Rock Island. AT
! the same time it gave promotion to a
| Rock Island man to position of equal
| rank. This move left a vacancy in the
| office of general superintendent on two
| of the districts. The two vacancies were
| filled by promoting Rock Island division
| superintendent and the consequent
transfers and promotions of division
superintendent, trainnasters and chief
dispatchers and other changes in the
engineering department that brought
about a total of Is promotions.
In the spring of 1901 the general Of
fees of the Rock Island for the lines
| west of the Missouri river were Situa-
ted at Topeka. R. R. Gable was chair
| man of the executive committee of the
board of directors w. G. Purdy was
| president and H. A. Parker first vice
About October 1 1901, the Moore
Brothers, w. B. Leeds, and D. G. Reid
made a trip over the Rock Island in g
special train. 1t was believed at the
time that they had purchased contro
of the road for the nucleus of big rail-
road merger deal.
AS soon as the new control of The
| road assumed charge, Mr.. Reid became
chairman of the board and w. B. Leeds
became president Both men together
with the Moore brothers were on the
board of directors. G. H. Warren was
| brought from the Jersey Central, as as
sistant to the president This was II
1902
The new administration decided Il
abolish the general headquarters at To
peka. and accordingly the traffic Offices