Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-30
FAME OF FORMER ONlHAN
James Gilbert White, Great Engineer,
Began Career in This City.
TAUGHT IN UNIVERSITY or NEBRASKA
when He Died He was Head of
Greatest Electric Railroad
BuiIdinE Firm in
the world.

James GllDert Wnlte. president 0f the en-
gineering firm Of J. @. White q Co. Of New
York and London. Is the subject Of the
leading article in the last issue Of Casters
Magazine, the foremost engineering pc
riodical This Biographical sketch ls espe-
clally interesting locally. as Mr.. white
began his business career az an electric
railway contractor in Omaha. in the sos.
Mr.. whites recent activities have been
largely extended abroad. The arm Of J.
@. White q Co. Is now the foremost builder
OF electric railroads in the world and is
also active in many other fields.
Mr.. Whites career II pointed TO by
friends as another example Of great
achievement from a modest beginning and
should be an inspiration to all young Amer
leans not born with the proverbial golden
spoon"
In the course of it's article Casters says:
James Gilbert White was born at Milroy.
born II IN iS %s,te4b Hs fssnsT
Irish and English stock He was a man of
high moral principles and living, more
than usual intelligence, liberal ideas and
sturdy, independent thought.
In lsI, when he was ls years Of age,
young White entered the Pennsylvania
state college, taking the course in arts and
graduating the degree OF A. B. In 1882.
During the summer vacations OF hle col
sgs course 20 Ieb he devoted large part oi hs
or another as would give him better
appreciation OF his college work and enable
appreciate the bearing Of his scientific
studies upon industrial life. His most ex-
tensive summer work was done In 1881,
party engaged in surveying In northern
P,snnsylyania, and later In the civil en-
g1neosing cnrng depsrtmsnt OF the Cembria ,. Iron
Ing the degree OF A. B., he returned to the
Pennsylyania State college and concen-
medistely f.T thereafter after he he tested hs newly WY
acquitted knowledge by putting in q sum-
nler on the reconnaissance and location
surveys of steam railrond in central
In 1868 he entered Lehigh university with
the intention OF studying mining engineer
lSSS-a, he became especially interested in
electrical investigations, and finally deter
mined upon making electrical engineering
his life work. His final ambition, however,
was not at once open TO attainment. To his
mind, his ground work In both practical
and theoretical engineering had not been
In 1884 Mr.. White entered upon his final
work as student in college. After the
summer spent In Johnstown he entered
Cornell university, specializing in electrical
engineering and physics.
His work while at Cornell was highly
ceived a fellowship IN electrical engineer
ing. followed by the degree of Phi. D., con-
ferTed at the commencement Of 1855.
Taught In Nebraska University.
In a measure Mr.. White may be judged
fortunate In having accepted. after his
graduation from Cornell the position of in
Nebraska. 1t led him for two years to give
his attention to what was, in great part,
careful review of much OF the work he
had gone over while in college. with the
added value of the constant suggestion
which comes to the Instructor from his
contact with the lnquiring minds. of the
in view of the disposition he had previ-
ously shown TO make excursions into the
sSrin eId OF prsetcs 1ssa that he finally N the
originating the Western Engineering COM
other western states had developed con-
siderable proportions. overtures were made
by eastern interests, which resulted in the
to the Edison United Notwithstanding com.
pany, and Mr.. White came to New York
to tahe charge Of the department of cleo
trieal railway installation covering the en-
tire United States in the consolidated or
ganiEation. However the formation of the
M Edlson-G -General Electric company followed
the Edison-Uhited Manufacturing com
pany. and Mt White resigned to develop
his own under the firm name OF ]. @.
In 1900. after having carried out from the
trips to London, considerable amount OF
engineering in Australia, Mr. White estab-
i.shed an ONCE IN London, organizing for
this purpose the English company. known
| as J. G. White a Co, Ltd.
During his engineering experience Mr.
White has supervised the design and con
houses. both steam and water driven, as
well as complete systems Of track and
| light and railway distributing circuits,
while number Of the more important in
stallations have received his personal at :
| the Buffalo Niagara Falls Street railway
and the Transmission line from Niagara
falls ftssIls to Buffalo. The former was built IN
nterurban lines in America. 1t is believed
| 10 have been the FIRST road to use the four
troll. now 50 commonly adopted FOR inter
| urban service.
The transmission line to Buffalo was
carry so much as 5000 horse power, on one
| set OF wires, and consequently presented
some new and interesting problems,
eral direction also Includes the construc-
nss in Great Britain by the WsrIng- White
clude the Mercantile Marine building Ritz
hotel and the Waldorf hotel. in London,
and the Royal Cotton exchange in Liver
nool.
Work fnIsouth America.
In South America the activities now al
| reeted by Mr.. White include the construc-
in ''' the , ArgentIne; the CONSTRUCTION Yio q 4
tramway system for Monteyideo, IN Uru-
quay. and the reconstruction OF the city
plant asf % Para 'TsS1a H sPa. p RI. Sdssa %sts
| companies are also engaged In the con-
struction and operation Of electric light
| ieo; Havana, Cuba and San Juan. Porto
Rico; The construction OF the Virginia a
om @ yeoa
Va. Is included In their contracts.
|