Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-10

war. He was only - years Of age when
he received the degree of civil engineer
from Washington and Lee university. Rail
way men say that at the lime OF his final
examination he received the highest mark
which up to that time had been given by
the university to any one taking that
degree. You see he was gifted at birth,
apparently, with a mind that was able to
grasp mathematics with the understand
ing and the fascination with which most
boys read Robinson Crusoe."
AT one time his friends expected hat
Kruttschnitt would become a professor Of
mathematics. But when he was a teacher
in a school near Baltimore for the five
years following his graduation, in his Ieis-
ure hours he grew accustomed to watch
the surveying then in progress for the con-
struction of a new railroad from Bald-
more 10 Washington. The work fascinated
him. and after a time he made up his mind
that his proper field was the mechanics
and engineering OF railway construction
and operation. After that he was very glad
TO get employment upon a new railroad
under construction in Texas. and after II
was in operation he advanced from the
humble position Of r~oadmaster, up and up,
exactly as some OF the engineers and sur
veyors of the Pennsylvania railroad sys-
tenn have been promoted from minor posi-
lions until at last they have held impor-
tant places upon the executive staff. some
even becoming president
Found by Huntington.
1t used to be said Of Kruttschnitt that
he could survey without an instrument;
that II ne had a jackknife and a piece Of
wood he could white out an implement
with which he could take an elevation.
He seemed to know instinctiveiy what the
best layout for a railroad would be. Nat
urally. C. P. Huntington heard OF this
bright chap when Huntington was pushing
that part Of his Southern Pacific railway
system which extended from E Paso, Tex,
TO New Orleans. Kruttschnitt was exactly
the kind OF a man sure TO appeal to Mr..
Huntington. who was very fond of young
men who had great Intensity Of purpose
and supreme power Of concentration, men
who could say in ten words a good deal
more than most other men could say in
100.
1t was six years after he had taken up
railroading that this former school teacher
became Huntington's assistant general
manager Of the southern Pacifio's lines
east Of El Paso. Not so very long after
he had secured this promotion he seemed
to know the life history and everyday be-
ihaviOr OF every rail and every tie upon
the lines under his charge. Riding upon an
engine he could tell with his eyes shut
where he was by the feel OF the land
5 Such expert knowledge as this and his mi.
/, ltiative placed him In San Francisco az
= general manager Of all the Southern
; Pacific lines just ten years after he had
entered the employ Of C. P. Huntington
This promotion came TO him in 1885, and
thres years later he also had the burden.
OF fourth vice president placed upon hi;
u shoulders,
Mr.. Kruttschnitt was early convinced Of
the necessity Of perfect team work If Their
is TO be perfect railway organization. Yol
nEy think II strange that a person Of suel
Intense personality could work wtthou
e friction with other executive officers o.
the Hartman railway system But it il
IS a popularity OF this organization that tn
more brains each lieutenant has, the NOR,
easily. apparently. he associates with tn,
others who are responsible for the op
Grafton and maintenance OF the system
II Is believed TO have been at the sug
gestion OF Mr.. Lovett that Mr.. Hartman
abandoned the old method which hai
q characterized railway organization sine
railways were first operated In the Unite,
States. and instead mad each OF tn
executive heads a vice president. At al
events. Il was a plan which met with Nj
Kruttschnitt's cordial approval You see
II all are vice presidents and II each on
has equal authority in every department
: and one month or one year may be in con
troll OF one department, and another mont
or another year in authority over another
- .,---avv,gs- To- III s-g.sN-. l.
Each executive has become a standard par
OF the great machine II one executiv
dies or resigns another Is ready on tn
instant to step into his place.
Ths Traffic Manager.
Mr.. Hartman was recently described a
a human dynamo. but If ever there wa
such a creature his name is John C. stubb,
another exceedingly important Harrima
lieutenant To make every railroad ma
believe this Il il only necessary TO tell hiI
that Mr.. Stubs is really the traffic mar
ager OF almost 0O0 miles Of raiIrOad-ths
In this particular he directs railways which
II their tracks were carried from east I
west in a single line would eompletei
e~ncirole the globe and lap over som so
miles
To be a good traffic even
a small district, a man has got 70 knor
exactly what kind OF traffic VIII com
into OF go out Of that district Even
a state as small as New Jersey, for e,
ample, this Is no easy task But 70 kno
the traffic that may be handled by raj
roads having A.O0 miles OF tracks Il
have accurate statistical knowledge
pretty much all OF the production IL Il
United States. A man must have a naturi
gift for such work All the training
the world would not make a eompeteI
traffic manager out Of a man Sho kRe
how to write beautiful poems. oompoi
music or to be the author Of a best seIir
novel
The Spanish have q problem in Wink
they express the idea OF sxpertness an
facility In handling many things Tit
say: II has good fingers for the piano
That exactly describes John c. Stubbs. +
could tell you any day not only how man