Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-31
TnIE.HOFFy Goes
TO BEARDSTOWN
BURLINGTON SUPERINTENDENT
70 TAKE CHARGE OF ILL
NoIs DIVISION.
SUCCEED EACH OTHER
J. p. Cummings Slated to Shift Places
With Ottumwa Man-change
Effective February IAN
Old Timer in Service

1 -
residence in Ottumwa, W.T.. Thiehoff,
superintendent of the Ottumwa di.
vision of the Burlington, leaves for
aBeardstown, ILL.,, where he takes
charge Of the division Of that name.
His successor, while it is not given Of
fcally, will no doubt be j. P. Cum
! mings, the present superintendent of
the Beardstown division.
| The news of the shift was first
preached following the visit here yes
terday afternoon of F. L. Johnson,
general superintendent of the Iowa
lines of the Burlington, who was
closeted for some time with Mr. THE
hoff during the afternoon The change
becomes effective Wednesday, Febru-
airy /, although Mr.. Thiehoff leaves
Ottumwa on No. Sunday afternoon
quit OttumWa until the present term
students here.
The prospective new superintend-
ent for the. Ottumwa division is not a
stranger in the service, but has been
with the company great many years.
He has advanced from the station
service, before taking the superin-
tendency at Beardstown,i having been
station agent and superintendent OF
terminals at kansas City. He mas
been in the charge of the Beardstown
division for the past three years.
Made Many Friends.
The removing of Superintendent
Thiehoff from Ottumwa has struck a
note of gloom about the Burlington
general Offices and among the men
located here, as the genial superin-
tendent during his charge in Ottunwa
has made r9any friends. These are
not alone confined to the railroaders,
but embrace people In all walks OF
life. He has been especially con-
spicuous for his broadness and ability
to meet and mix with people since
coming here and during his short resi-
dence of but little more than two
years here, has formed wide and
lasting acquaintance throughout the
city. In business and social way he
became known and has won the high
regard Of his friends who view his
leaving with no little regret. He, too,
speaks. of the going with a tinge OF re-
greet il that his associations with his
subordinates over the division and
friends about the city has been most
pleasant and only the call to duty and
the knowledge that the railroader has
of being ready for any call, can recon
Gle him to tearing away from Ut
tumwa. His new field of operation,
however, will afford him a good op-
portunity to show his abilities as
railroader as the new charge is one OF
single track on a division that covers
about 45O miles. This also includes
the new southern line recently built
by the Burlington near Metropolis, Ill.
The Beardstown division begins at
Rio above Monmouth and goes to
East st. Louis. IT. also includes the
new line to the south from Concord
and Herrin to Metropolis.
A "a" Veteran.
w. F. Thiehoff has seen few years
of service himself with the Burling-
ton. although far from being an old
man. His career began at the
age of seventeen years, when he
worked on a section in old Mizoo,
which he eft for the more responsible
position of operator at Shelbina, on
the Brookfield division. This division
by the way, saw more of his service
than any other stretch of track. He
ulu uOL IculdAA SsACat "AAAo ~ 49,
Morse code, because being of an
active and athletic bent he yearned
for q Job twisting brakes and his wish
became reality when he reached the
age Of nineteen years
Three years of braking on frelgnt
trains won him the post Of conductor,
and at twenty-five he run his first
train. The last five years of his life as
conductor he worked in the passen-
ger service. He run trains for tota!
Of fifteen years. His first ot1iciaI
position was trainmaster at st. Joe.
MO, from which place he was trans
ferred to the same post on the Brook
field division. He was then moved up
to assistant superintendent at the
same place and afterwards became
superintendent. From the superinten-
dency at Brookfeld, he was trans
ferred to the same position on the o.
tumwa division
AN OLD SOLDIER DROPS DEAD.