The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-07
SCOTT MOVES UP.
topeka Man Made AssistantGen.
eral Manager So. Pacific.
&0Se From the Position of En-
CINE Wiper.
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
After Course in Shops Became
a Fireman.
After That His Promotions
80 Came Rapidly.

From an engine wiper to a position
as second man in charge of the oper
alton of one of the biggest railwa!
systems in the west is a brief sum
mary of the remarkable career O.
William r. Scott, formerly of To-
peka. News of the latest promotion
OF Mr.. Scott was received in Topeka
today in the form of a circular issued
by the Southern Pacific railroad con-
veying the information of the ap-
poiltment of Mr.. Scott to the position
of, assistant general manager OF this
system with headquarters at San
Francisco
The career of Mr.. Scott has been a
remarkable one in railroad circles
remarkable because of the many pro-
motions which have been thrust upon
him in rapid succession as a result OF
his faithful devotion to duties and his
great executive ability.
Mr.. Scott is a Topeka boy and spent
the greater part of his boyhood in this
fcity. He was educated in the local
schools and is graduate of the Tope-
Ike high school He also attended sew
eral technical schools as a finishing
touch on his mechanical education.
His railway experience dates back ~
years. His first position was in the
local roundhouse, where he started IN
as an engine wiper, DESTROYS OF learn
ing everything there was to be learned
in the operation of railroad. After
he had served his allotted time in the
employ of the roundhouse, he was given
a chance as a fireman on an engine.
His first duties as fireman consisted IN
shoveling coal in an old switch engine
which was used to pull freight cars
around in the local yards, which wds
long before the local yards had as
sumed the proportions which they have
since reached. 1t did not take Scott
tn worth a fire.
man; he was soon found too good man
to be confined in the yards. He was
given a run on the road. His efficiency
here was recognized and the old time
engineers still like to talk of how much
they preferred to have Scott to tre
their engines for them. 1t is nothing
unusual for a new fireman in service
out of Topeka when they have a
chance to run with an old time engl-
neer, to hear the story of how Scott
used to be the best fireman on the
road. This is especially the case when
the young fireman is not meeting the
requirements of a hard run.
The future general manager, how
ever, did not have to fire engines very
long. He was soon moved to the right
side of the engine where he ran out OF
Topeka on different runs for several
years. He at one time had a run in
which he ran the engine and his
brother, Conductor George w. Scott,
was in charge of the train. His
is now in charge of a train running
between Usage City and Alma.
But his usefulness to the Santa Fe
was too much to keep him pulling an
engine and making up time when the
train was late. A short time before
the reorganization of the Santa Fe,
when the old regime still controlled the
road, a vacancy existed in the position
of travelling engineer, a position now
known as travelling road foreman of
engines. Mr.. Scott was selected as the
best man for this position. He hao
charge of all the Santa Fe engines in
service between Atchison, Kansas City
and Newton. Here the knowledge
which he had gained through his SER
vice from the round house up stood
him in good service and as travelling
engineer he was a marked success.
After the Santa F'e was reorganized,
Mr.. Scott was shifted from the me-
chanical department of the Santa Fe
to the operating department. A man
was needed to assist in the work of
division superintendent at Cleburne, |
Texas, on the northern division of the |
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fee. Here Mr.. !
Scott was sent and in a very short |
time he was division superintendent |
at Cleburne.
From this place the rise of Mr.. |
Scott in western railway circles has |
been remarkable. About seven years |
from the Fort Worth & Denver City |
road at Fort Worth. He was made |
division superintendent of this road !
1t big increase in salary and before |
he had served in this capacity many |
moons he rose above the other divi-
ssen superintendent and was made I
general superintendent Of this system,
still maintaining his headquarters at |
Fort Worth. While connected with
he Fort Worth and Denver City, the
part of the system under his super
Vision made great improvements and
ais work attracted the attention of
lot only the officials of his own road
out the officials of other roads who |
,ame in contact with the road. under
lis supervision.
A little over four years a go his services |
With the F. w. & D. terminated He was |
90 good man to hold Flattering offers |
we're received from many other roads for |
lis services. He was finally induced to ac- |
ept a position as division superintendent |
# the Southern Pacific at Ogden, Utah |
Any one who is acquainted with the
light opinion to the amount of work
upon that division. 1t IS on this |
ivision that the Espee, as the Southern
pacific is known in railroad circles pen
trates the Rocky Mountains. The track |
5 about as hard to keep on this division
Or SCOTS administration the track was
in first class condition. His
God work here soon caused his transfer
n 1904 to Berkeley, Cal. where all the
immense southern business of the South
IN Pacific passes. His work here while
f the utmost Importance to Ills road was
yell cared for.
Last September Mr.. Scott was promoted