, 1908-09-24
A TRIBUTE
TO W0RTH
OMAHA BEE WRITES ENTERTAIN.
iNoLY or ONE or REALLY
GREAT MEsTERN RAIL
ROAD MANAGERS.

ed Business Of Typesstter-Natlvs
! Of New York But Most 81 His LIE
spent in the West a. Rauroadsr.
The following paragraphs are taken
from a longer article in the Omaha
Bee Of last Sunday concerning a man
well known and well liked here, the
paper carrying a splendid four-column
reproduction Of a photograph Of Mr..
Park:
An Old Family.
Park Hill, near Emira, N, Y, is the
Gene of the early childhood of w. L.
Park, his ancestors having obtcined
from the government a large tract OF
land in Chemting county, through the
construction of military roads in the
latter part of the seventeenth century.
A portion OF this land is still retained
by the Park family. Colonel Josiah
B Park, father of w. L., moved with
his family to Ovid, Mich, in the late
SOS. where he engaged in civil en-
cheering and the construction of rail-
roads, until the breaking out of the
civil war, when he was elected and
commissioned captain Of Company d,
First Michigan cavalry. August 22,
1861. Colonel Park was soon promoted
to major of his regiment and February
10, 1862, was commissioned lieutenant
colonel Of the Fourth Michigan cav
airy, retiring at the close of the war
as colonel Of a regiment Of Engineers.
Arrival Al omaha.
After the close of the civil wal
Colonel Park moved his family to
Omaha, arriving on a steamboat at
the foot Of Douglas street in August,
1866, there being no railroads across
Iowa at that time. He formed q part
nership with Henry c. Campbell Of
Fontanelle, and engaged In the survey
Of government lands in Nebraska until
his death In June, 1878, which wan
prematurely caused by wounds receiv.
ed at Winchester while accommodating
on General SANKEY'S stan.
Product Of the West.
Arriving In Omaha at such q youth.
full age w. L. Park can truthfully be
said to be a product of the west, as
he gained his early education in such
schools as the west provided at that
time. He first attended Mrs. McCul.
lun's private school and later went to
seagrave's academy, which was locat.
ed at Thirteenth and Farnam street.
While at this school he had as his
playmates the children of the leading
families Of Omaha and still numbers
among his Omaha friends a number
Of men who were boys in school at
that time. Later, when Colonel Park
found it more convenient to have his
family near his work, he moved TO
North Platte, at which time young
Park attended public school, a later
took a course in Baylie's commercial
college at Keokuk, Ia
Was Printers Devil.
Colonel Park was associated with
Guy C. Barton in several business ven
lures, n one night they were called
upon to rescue from the hands Of al
indignant mob. the editors of a pho
neer newspaper that had become too
personal. During the period when
Colonel Park retained the newspaper.
which extended over several years,
young Park obtained a good knowledge
OF the printers craft and newspaper
work. 1t Is conceded that Mr.. Parks
ability to put his ideas on paper In
magazine or newspaper work, as well
as in business letters, has been a
strong factor In his success He looks
back with much satisfaction to his ap.
premiership as a devil" and the print
shop as one of the best schools he ev
er attended.
Training for the Future.
Ever mindful of his chosen profes.
Observation-Disclosures Park took
up. among other studies at Baylie's
college, a course in ~telegraphy. AL
though attaining the ordinary profic.
iency Of a beginner, he decided to take
up train service as afording the most
advantages in acquiring a thorough
knowledge of ~railroaiing from the
ground UP. Entering the service OF
the Union Pacific as a brakeman he
rose rapidly to a position as freight
conductor, In which capacity he was
employed as the & g OF IS. and as
a passenger conductor at 20, running
between North Platte and Laramie.