The Washington herald., 1909-03-29
FITZGERALD Is DEAD
Former General Manager of
Baltimore and Ohio.
BEGAN CAREER AS WATER BOY
Gradually Worked HIS Way UD Dur
ing the Forty-twO Years He Was
Employed by the Baltimore and
Ohio RaiIroad-Cancer Cause OF
Death In Baltimore Hospital.


gerald. one Of the most popular railroad
men IN the country. died at 5:s5 o'clock
this morning at the Church Home and
Inhrmary. IN North Broadway.
For more than forty years ne had been
connected with the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. and rose IN the ranks from
water boy 70 general manager. To the
men IN the employ OF the company he
was known from one end OF the system
TO the other. and VIII be arectionately
remembered as IT. F"
II was in this brief manner that he
signed orders.
AZ this time Of his deah Mr Fitz-
gerald was a co-receiver and general
manager OF the Norfolk and Southern
Railroad. and his headquarters were in
Norfolk, where he had also established
his residence after leaving the service Of
the Baltimore and Ohio.
his final illness began early last month
The cause OF his death was stated to be
In Harness FOrty-twO Years.
From water boy TO general manager
and a continuous service OF fOrty-two
years In the employ OF the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad was the record OF Mr.. Fitz-
gerald. He was made general manager
OF the road in January. 1896. by Presi-
dent oscar G. Murray. and resigned on
Ia "a IA
Charles s. Sims as gene raj manager. M
Sims left the Baltimore and Ohio 10 go
with the Erie az the time
There was perhaps 10 railroad oficial
in the country better known than Tom
Fitzgerald-for 20 al who knew him he
was plain Tom" FitzgeraId-and his
resignation caused much surprise. He
had several offers from other roads
whish many men would consider very
narering. but Mr. FitzgeraId's friends
advised him to hold OF for a while, tell
ing him that a prolonged vacation would
DO him no harm.
he accepted their advice and continued
70 rest until July last, when he was ap-
pointed co-reoeiver OF the Norfolk and
Southern. being given fun operating au-
thority. While IN the service OF the Balti-
more and Ohio he rarely took s vacation.
and during the time he vas general man
ager he was out on the road al least
four days out OF every seven.
A stern DiseiPIinariRn.
While Mr Fitzgerald was just plain
Tom" Fitzgerald TO the great mass OF
Baltimore and Ohio employees even after
becoming general manager. no sterner
disciplinarian than he existed. Il was
said that he could call more men on the
road by their first names than any other
Official OF the system. and many OF them,
some Of whom Mr.. Fitzgerald had worked
with. never thought OF calling him any
thing else than Tom" He would not
have had II otherwise Some railroad
men regard this sort Of acquaintance
between officers and men as hurtfuI 20
discipline; but no charge OF this kind
could be made IN the case OF Mr.. Fitz-
gerald. u was all for the company with
him.
Began az Water Boy.
M Fitzgerald was born OF Irish par
ents at Fairmont, ". Va. He entered
the service Of the Baltimore and Ohio as
water boy in 1857. and then served as a
messenger in the Baltimore and Ohio ;eIe-
graph Office at Fairmont- Studying tel
esraphy at odd hours. he became an
operator in 1870. For three years ne
served in that capacity at various points
along the line. and II 1878 was transferred
70 Camden Station, Baltimore. as a train
dispatcher. In October, 1874, he was made
train dispatcher on the Washington
branch. between Baltimore and Washing
ton. He was advanced TO the post O;
chief dispatcher OF that division in 1878.
In ISL. Mr- Fitzgerald was made a su-
pervisor Of the Harpers Ferry and Wash
ington County branches. and a year later
was transferred 10 the Ohio division as
trainnaster, and in 1856 promoted to the
position OF master Of transportation OF
that division. In September Of the same
year he was made superintendent OF the
division.
Held Many Positions.
He continued in that capacity un+;l
1895. when he was made superintendent
Of the Baltimore division In Angus,
1896. he was promoted to superintendent
OF transportation OF the system and gen
eraI superintendent of the Philadelphis
and main stem division. IN November
Of that year his territory was extended
TO include the Pittsburg division From
that time TO July. 1889. he was general
superintendent OF the Philadelphia and
main stem divisions, and 20 March. 1901
general superintendent OF the PhilasAl-
phia main line, the Middle and North
western divisions. From March, 800. un-
I'll made general manager. Mr.. Fitzgerald
was general superintendent Of the Phila-
celphia and main line divisions and
branches, including the Monongahela and
West Virginia and Pittsburg division.