The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-11
BUILDERS OF N P. MEET AFTER 80 YEARS
RARE HONOR DONE
/ TO G. A. BRACKET
HE rs ACCLAIMED AS "THE MAN
WHO DID IT,,

Men Who Worked as Surveyors, Engi-
neers, Brakernen and Photographers
and Who Have Since Achieved I'M
usual Success, Gather from ALI Parts
Of the Country-Wi1 Meet Annually
Hereafter.
There was gathering at the Mime
apolis club last night of thirty men who |
were connected, in various capacities,
with the Northern Pacific railroad in
the first stages Of its building, prior to
1873. Among them were gray haired
men who, as youngsters, set out across
the prairies with their surveying instru-
ments and found the way for that from
tier-piercing line; men who followed
them with their construction crews and
erected grades, built bridges and laid
the .sleepers and rails in the land of the
first train over the track out into the
really wild and woolly vest; men
who built railway stations and round
houses, and settled the question of the
location Of towns, and men who shifted
from the engineering into the operat-
ing department and managed the adj
venturous little road.
The most remarkable thing about the
affair was the Illustrations there given
OF the success with which these men
have met in life. One, who was the first
brakeman on the Northern Pacific, is a
banker with great international bust
ness. who lives at the Waldorf Astoria
IN New. York. Another, a telegraph op-
orator in the little shacks that followed
! the construction crews on into the west.
is now vice president of the Chicago
subway company and in complete charge
of the construction of that great under
ground transportation line. A clerk in
the headquarters office of the road in
those early days is now second vice
1 president of the company. A young
man, very short of stature and inclined
to corpulency, who waddled along with
q. surveying party in Montana and
Idaho, making their Typographical maps,
| is one of the foremost sketch artists in
the United States. An assistant to an
engineer is now general superintendent
of transportation Of the Pennsylvania
railroad. Another telegraph operator
of the Milwaukee road. Another young
man who served in similar capacity
is now lieutenant Of engineers in the
| United States army and has charge of
the construction Of the great dam in
the Mississippi river at Keokuk, Iowa
This list might be continued thru the
thirty names-every one Of those present
has achieved an unusual measure Of sue
cess.
MIR. Brackett Specially Honored.
There Is one, however, who must be
mentioned separately George A. Brack.
EFT. It is difficult to conceive more
spontaneous and extravagant praises
than those paid to him. In the early
seventies he outftted the parties OF
surveyors and the construction crews
he served the Northern Pacific road in
innumerable other ways. Wallace g.
Collins, vice president Of the Chicago
Subway company, declared:
"The Northern Pacific is indebted
as much to George A. Bracket for it!
conception and completion as it is now
dead.' Aas D'en' - -, i'' 'iVlnR =
The cheers which greeted this state
1nent were loud and prolonged. TIL,
banqueters sprang to their feet and
Of toasts, shouting: ssTo the man VIII,
did it,: "To the man who started
it,; "To the man with heart O
gold";; .sTo the man who never forgo
} a friend -; HTo the man who never hal
anything but friends,'' and other toast
) which were. lost in the babel of lauda
: ton.
> event into Camp Again.
: There was no form or ceremony abou
the banquet. The old timers who cam
: from all parts Of the United States
, from Seattle to Portland, Me-, and Ney
4 York, simply event into camp" a
they did years ago, when pioneerin
. in new country. They told a thou
!. sand stories Of men and adventures.
sWhere IS SO and so,' one ma,
asked. This was the first meeting o
q |the Northern Pacific pioneers, and tn
). first chance they had to learn what ha
; become Of their old fellow workmen.
ttWhy,' the answer came from tn
: other end Of the table, che s dead
Y HHe is9o cried several. Then tn
: circumstances Of his life after he lief
o the young road were told, and then tn
! old men rose and drank silent toas
to the memory Of the departed
'God Bless Adam Brownl''
"Here's letter from Adal
! Brown it was announced.
! 1t was like throwing bombshell int
g an enemy camp. Almost every ma
was on his feet.
$ HAdam Brown, God bless him.
Q cried Henry G.. Davis, the New Yor
banker, who lives at the Waldor
! Adam Brown is an engineer in the en-
d ploy Of the Northern Pacific today, Ii,
|. ing at Brainerd. He took the first |,
f connective over the Northern Pacif
Y road; Henry G. Davis was brakema
d on that train.
o tBod bless Adam Brown shoute
Y another. "He furnished more fun f.
us than modern comic opera,
= seAdam Brown, you'll remember,
l. said Banker Davis, twas a Dutc]
n man. They all remembered. Brow
i was character none could forget. The
told dozen stories about him.
. His Story Of Crusoe.
q "Collins,O asked Banker Davis
= the Chicago subway builder, you r
s. member Adam Brown g story Of Rol
inson Crusoe9v
Indeed 7 do, said Collins. ttTe
'em about it. -
"One day at the junction. sa
Davis, Adam Brown asked Collil
Of and me if we'd ever read a boo
At called Robinson Crusoe. We ga
Is no. That was ie-we'd both res
=, it. Adam Brown wanted to tell
ne the story. I'll abridge it somewha
If but this was Adam Brown s story:
as Crusoe wore fur cap. He v
eI,tr ia n. n