Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-11
IS MADE GENERAL MASTER NE.
cHANic OF M. & ST. l., iNcLUo-
ING OLD IOWA CENTRAL.
JURISDICTION EXTENDED
OVER EASTERN DlvlslCS
Mr.. c. E. Gossett, Who Was Formerly
Master Mechanic Of the Iowa Cen.
trail, Placed at Head Of Consolidated
Mechanical Department-iieadq
tiers to Be at Cedar Lake Shops.

An important change in the mecf1an-
ical department OF the Minneapolis &
ST Louis was made public today in the
announcement of the appointment of
Master Mechanic Charles f. Gossett
to be general master mechanic with
mis- jurisdiction extended over the east
ern division. formerly the Iowa Central,
of which Mr.. Gossett was at one time
master mechanic. The effect of the
appointment, which came from General
Manager w. G. Bierd, is that the me-
chanical departments of the now COM
bined roads have been placed in charge
OF Mr.. Gossett.
The appointment became effective
today. Br. Gossett arrived in the city
this morning to take charge. He does
not. however displace Master Mechan-
ic William Gill. who will remain in
charge of the eastern division, or what
was the Iowa Central.
Is Consolidation OF Departments.
The appointment is the first Step in
the consolidation under one head Of
what has been the separate me-
chanical departments of the two roads.
The department. headquarters w:n be
at the Cedar Lake shops of the NJ E.
st. L., with Mr.. Gossett in charge. Mr.
Gill will report to his superior, and it
is probable that later a master me-
chanic will be appointed to have
charge Of the western and southern
divisions. the latter being the NJ. & St.
l. proper before the consolidation was
effected. Until such an appointment
is made Mr.. Gossett will continue to
have personal supervision of the me-
chanical department Of those two d.
visions.
Will Consolidate Forces.
The details of consolidating the de-
partments have not yet been worked
out, and Mr.. Gossett was not able to
say this morning to what extent Mr..
Gill's office force would be affected. A
master mechanics office force will be
maintained here. but some OF the ac
consolidated in the office of the gen
erai master mechanic a. Cedar Lake.
Mr.. Gossett said that the shobs
forces would be disturbed no more
than was necessary. "Marshalltown is
consolidation" he added.
The only work that is to be taken
from the local shops to the Cedar Lake
shops. Mr.. Gcssett said, would be some
of the heavier repair work on passen-
ger coaches. Otherwise the shop work
here will continue the same as it has
been. The Cedar Lake shops have not
the capacity to handle more locomotive
or freight car repairing than comes
from the western and southern di-
visions.
Has Had Rapid Rise.
The appointment of Mr. Gossett
gives him jurisdiction of the mechan-
ical work or 1900 miles of railroad. He
has come up from a fireman to gen.
eral official of large system in a
little more than a score of years. which
includes thirteen years he spent on an
engine.
He served his time" and learned the
machinist's trade in a Kansas City
shop. and then became a fireman on
the Hannibal & ST Joe. After little
more than two years he was given an
engine. Later he had an engine on the
Chicago & Alton. Sante Fe,.and Rock
Island In 1901 he was made road en-
CINE foreman of a division OF the Rock
island with headquarters at Chickasha,
l. T. He was later promoted to d.
vision roadmaster. with headquarters
at Eldon. No. and still later he was
transferred to Kansas City to be d.
vision master mechanic Of the Rock
Island He. became master mechanic
of the Iowa Central on Aug Is 1908,