The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-12
manager with omces in Chicago.

manager with offices in Chicago.
That Mr.. Black would receive this
position was the general impression
among the Santa Fe officials here
when announcement was made 9last
week that Mr.. Nicholson had been ele-
waited from the place to the position of
third vice president. MI Black has
been general passenger agent since
1897 and his work in this capacity has
been of a high order. During the last
fiscal year the gross earnings Of the
Santa F'e were materially larger than
they were the year before and this
despite the fact that the amount of
freight handled was less than during
the previous year. Therefore the IN
crease in the gross earnings of the
road had to come from an increased
passenger traffic and Mr.. Black was
greatly responsible for this increased
traffic. So his promotion comes as a
well earned reward He has the repu-
tation of being one of the foremost
traffic men in the railroad world and is
Known among high railroad officials as
a hustler"
Mr. Black is a Santa Fe man, who
was a santa Fe boy, and his training
with the road has been almost eXclu-
sively in the cOmpany's Offices here in
Topeka. His rise has been rapid one
and his first big jump in the service
was due to his hustling qualities that
are so much admired by the big rail-
EQdQ men oL ALAE 4cle 0OA4AG years c1t5 ~
when Mr.. Nicholson was general pas
8enger agent of the road, with his Of
fees in Topeka, there was a special
meeting of tn directors OF the road in
Boston. They wanted some Volumin-
Gus information concerning the passen-
ger department and wired Mr.. NichOl-
son one afternoon to have it prepared
so that it could leave Topeka on the
early mail the next morning. Mr.
Nicholson replied that it would take
two or three days to get up the infOr-
nation. The directors said that it must
be fixed up for them in the time speci-
fled and AIr. Nicholson in his quandary
happened to think that If the thing
could be accomplished his clerk Black
was the only one who could do IL. Black
was called in and told what was want
ed and when it was wanted. He got
the material, shut himself up in a room
and went to work. The information
wanted by the directors was gotten of
on the mail that they had specified but
Mr.. Black had had to work all night to
prepare it. Mr.. Nicholson become the
firm friend OF Mr.. Black after this
and his promotions in the Office fol-
lowed fast and when Mr. Nicholson
was elevated from the position of gen
erat passenger agent 10 that OF pas
senger traffic manager. Mr.. Black
stepped into his shoes here.
Mr.. Blacks transfer to Chicago will
be regretted by a host of friends he has
fn Topeka for he is very popular with
them and he himself likes Topeka as a
place Of residence in preference to CEd-
cago. His new position will mean to
him salary about double that which
he is receiving now. He is now in Chi
cagO where he went to attend meet
ing Of the transcontinentaI passenger
association but he is expected to return
here shortly and he will then make pre-
parations to leave for Chicago for good
as his appointment is effective at once
Coincident with the announcement OF
Mr.. Blacks promotion came the word
from Chicago that James NJ ConnelI
now general agent of the passenger de
partment in Chicago has been promoted
10 the position Of general passenger
agent with headquarters in Topeka
Edmund y. Shakeshaft, now chief clerk
tn the general passenger agents office