The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-07
NORTON GOES up.
Former Topeka Man Given High
Official Position.
General Attorneyship of Santa
Fe at Chicago.
WAS NEWSPAPER MAN
Lived in Topeka During the
Legislative War.
Won Fame by Victory in Citrus
Fruit Lawsuit.

Los Angeles, Cal, Oct. 7.-Thomas j.
Norton. who started in with the Santa
Be railroad nine years ago as grub
attorney, doing odd jobs, has been notl-
ned that he had been appointed general
attorney of the Atchison, Topeka and
santa Fe railway system, with head
quarters in Chicago. MIR. Norton Will
have to accept something like $4,000
year for mis- services. 1t is considered d
big thing for the railroad company to
take a man from the far west for this
important place.
Norton, VINO for the last few years
has been solicitor for the Coast line OF
the Santa E'e, has lived In Los Angeles
Just seven years. He never blared his
talents from the hOusetops. Few but a
Elrcle of friends knew him.
But the officials Of the road were we'll
acquainted with the ability of Norton,
and when the famous orange routing
case was won by him for the Santa Fe,
mis- suReriors looked even more kindly
upon the tall, straight, and slim, quiet
young attorney.
Norton is succeeded as solicitor by
E. w. Camp, who has been his assist
ant for some years. Camp was once
United States district attorney ir
North Dakota, and recently a member
OF the California legislature. Camp in
turn is succeeded by L. T. Clotfelter.
The interest in the railroad world CEN
ters upon the sudden rise of Norton.
About fifteen years ago he was Topeka
correspondent for the Kansas City jour
nal, and did some editorial writing. Then
he took up the study of law.
After his admission to the bar he
practiced in Kansas City and later went
to Chicago. He applied himself assid-
uously to the study of corporation law
and got minor position in the general
solicitors office of the Santa Fe in Chi
cago about 1898. He did his work we'll
He was comparatively young then
and looked upon his position as a
great favor.
About 1900, Capt. C. N. Sperry,
who was coast solicitor for the Santa
Fe, desired an assistant and young
Norton was selected.
After three years had passed, Capt.
Sperry died and Norton was appoint
ed in his place.
Shortly after this the famous
orange routing case was opened and
Norton took up the case for the Santa
Fe. 1t was bitter battle, but he
won.
Another case which added to the
glory of Norton was the right of way
case in Arizona, in which the South
ern Pacific trespassed upon the, right
hard and after it had been carried to
the highest court it was decided in
favor of the Santa Fe.
The promotion of Norton is one of
the longest leaps of recent railroad
record. Norton, as solicitor. received
about one-fourth of the salary of the
new position.
This appointment came to me as
great surprise said Norton. II had
not the slightest expectation of re-
ceiving it, and I feel very humble in
accepting it. 1 have been with the
Santa Fe system about nine years and
have always worked hard. 1 have ex-
pected promotion but not to this po-
sition, which 1 know to be very i'm
portant. The gentlemen who will fol-
low me here are most excellent attor-
news and are too well known in Cali
fornia for me to sound their praise.
Myself and family will leave about
the middle of the month for Chi
cago."
Thomas Norton, who has just been
appointed to a legal position with the
Santa Fe is well known in Topeka.
For a number of years he was CORE
spondent for the Kansas City journal
here and was with that paper during
the legislative war of 1893 His posi-
tion with the Santa Fe will be with
General Attorney Dunlap of the Santa
Fe as an added official to the legal de-
partment The local officials of tho
Santa Fe legal department say that he
will not receive a salary of $780, 900. as
printed in the above dispatch. Mr..
Norton's position is newly created. He
does not displace anyone, and is simply
ment.