The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-19

was founded illustrates Mr. CaIlahau's
capacity Tor grasping q clance 10y inc
horns ard holding fast. The inception
or the company was told TINS morning
by Levi Woodbury. Who with john Cal
lahan, conceived the idea and weather
ed the early discouraSements OF It's de-
yelOpment.
Mr.. Woodbury. took as many chances
as he could to so down Chesapeake bag
10 shoot ducks. Returning from one of
these trips he met Mr.. Callahan in the
Office OF the St. James Hotel
Callahan, why can't Washington have
line down the Potomac river TO the
mouth Of The Chesapeake. There are
few boats running down there now, but
1 had To go 10 Baltimore by train be-
cause ] am afraid TO ride on them. They
are slow, uncertain, and unsafe
All II wants Is some one to put Up the
money answered Callahan. IF YOU
vii do that / viii build the boats"
Company Is Started.
Thereupon Mr. Woodbury. pooled his
available funds and added to those all
the subscriptions ne could muster A
few months after this proposition was
made a charter was taken out, and the
Norfolk ana Washington Steamboat
Company became an assured fact
Then John Callahan faced the reality
OF making good For this eEigenCy
ne had ample preparation. He had
handled the tools used in building
boats as master mechanic i'm the
Norfolk navy yard. lie had acquired
know sc of affairs beyond the
sphere OF his trade, as he insisted
upon calling il, when ne served a term
III the upper house of the Virginia
Legislature, He had shown himself
endowed with exceptional executive
billtV when lc was superintendent
OF the marine output OF the Chesa~
peake ana ONO railroad. when That
road was under the management Of
Coils z. Huntington.
Just twenty years ago he faced the
problem OF putting the newly organized
Norfolk and Washington company on
its feet Conditions could hardly have
been more discouraging. To succeed
meant the blazing of "a new path. All
the small trade for which such COM
pany must depend for sustenanCe had
Tor years been shipped 10 Baltimore
markets The shippers of Virginia
lnougnI no more Of sending goods up
the Potomac than they would have con
sldered shipping It up the Eastern
branch
Takes Daring Methods.
The means Callahan took TO bring
them to a realization Of the Capitals
advantages were daring. It was to build
better boats than those that were run
Ing 10 Baltimore To do this he first
had to gain the confidence of the stock
holders Of the company. Quicker than
ne must have expected the realization
"
IN I'VE years dIIeT the uTSJ OF the new
boats had been put in operation its
hackers realized that the Norfolk and
" aShington company was a live wire,
and since that time its management has
been LETT largely 10 Nj Callahan.
He died IN harness He was still the
active general manager and second vice
president Of the company His two sons.
ID. !. Callahan and William H. Gala
han, were closely associated with him
IN the company organization and he
encouraged them to take an active part
IN activities looking 10 the DEVELOPMENT
Of commercial Wasninston-sonlet
he regretted he had not found time 10
do But through them has been re-
iected his spirit. and the business men
of Washington who spoke OF his career
today declare that he could not have
paid better tribute 10 his native city
than by putting the company he directed
ia the position IT now nOlds
In appearance Mr.. Callahan struck an
observer as 'stockN. one could not
talk 10 him long without realizing that
behind quiet and iucisiVe demeanOr
lay strength OF purpose. He believed
genius consisted IN taking infinite pains
and MS thorough and exact knowledge
Of shipbuilding amounted to something
very near genius
John Galatians habit of adapting
circumstances TO opportunities is
epitomized I'm the Jamestown. the last
steamship he built For this boat lie
drew the plans and supervised the
construction. He built IL after he had
read of the General Slocum disaster
TO prove his theory that a steamship
that was hTeproOf could be built, THE
vessel is notable for other things than
its nreproof construction.
Il lisa sidewheel vessel, but the OBJ
server could not tell Il. The wheels
are hidden. and the walking beam has
been eliminated One other distinct
i've innovation that he considered the
most valuable was the arran cement OF
the crank shaft, so that "A lever need
not be using in its starting. This
was accomplished by placing The dBve
shafts at an angle OF less OF more.
than $50 degrees This obviated the
equalizing of power that came from
the other arran cement. and the idea
IS being widely ADAPTED me steamship
construction