New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-18
MELLEN'S RISE RAPID;
So WAS HIS DECLINE
Started Railway Career as
Clerk at 10; at al He Was
Northern Pacific Head.
EXPANSION HIS POLICY
Plan to Make New Haven Road
Absolute in New England
Traffic Brought About
His Downfall.

Prom Railway Clerk TO President
might be the title OF the biography OF
Charles $. Mellcn. He was born in Low
ell Mass, in 1851. After getting hieh
school education at Concord, y. H., ne
went into the cashiers office of the
Northern New Hampshire Railroad as
clerk. He remained there for eleven
years. during which he served as clerk In
the cashiers office and accountant In the
accounting department OF that ROAD ana
Of the Central Vermont Railway. His
work attracted the attention Of his CO.
workers, and i'm 1850. when only twenty
nine years old, he was made assistant to
the general manager OF the Boston 4
Lowell. He served in this connection for
eight years.
In 1855 Mr.. Mellen became assistant to
the general manager OF the Union Pacihc
Railway system. This connection may
be said to mark MIR. Mcllcn's entrance
into major railroad affairs His rise In
that road was rapid After serving but
a year as assistant TO the general man
ager he became general traffic manager
He served in that capacity for four years
and in April 1892. was made general man
ager OF the New York 4 New England
Railroad. In October OF the same year
he became yice-president OF the Ne"
York. New Haven & Hartford Railroad.
Five years later he severed that CON
nection 10 become president Of the North-
ern Pacific Railroad. a position ne he'u
until elected 10 the presidency oil the
New Haven. in 1903.
He became president Of the Boston x
Maine I'm 1910. I'm the requirement oil
which road and its subsidiaries IN l"'
the New Haven gained practical cohtIo'
OF the entire railroad situation IN Ne"
England.
This was not the only expansion OF '"e
New Haven under Mr.. Mellen. Othef
properties acquired were the ConnectlCut
Western. most OF the steamship lines
running out OF New York 20 Ne" Ehb
land and many hundreds OF miles OF t'o',
lev roads In Connecticut. Rhode lsiahu
and Massachusetts. which were greduS
extended by subsequent development
He also developed the PQughkeepsie
Bridge route by way Of the ontario u
Western. giving the New Haven access
bv its own lines 10 the Pennsylvania coa'
regions. ,,-
In the New Haven property itseH ms
most important Improvement was t"e
electrlacation OF the line. which was car
ried from New York beyond Stamio'u'
with further work now under way.
The Mellen policy OF expansion did not
go on without sharp criticism "he"
the Boston 4 Maine was taken over Gov
,rnor Guild OF Massachusetts sent a spe-
,ial message 10 the Legislature urging the
importance OF cuactIns new laws pe'oic
adjournment for the protection oil inc
stat. against watering OF stock or eAceS-
s,ve ,arins as result Of the merger
Another movement toward expansion o.
the New Ravens control under MT Me'-
lens direction 10 draw governmental AT
,ontion was the alleged dealings OF that
comnanv with the Grand Trunk Railway.
In December 1872. a federal inquiry was
b.gun into the New llaven-Gfdnd TRUNK
agreement and traffic conditions In Ne"
England. resulting in the Indictment on
December Q. Of Mr.. Mellen. together with
several officials OF the Grand Trunh'
charged with a conspiracy to violate the
Sherman antitrust law.
In January Of this year the indicted Of
Acislg were reIndictcd on charges when
were a repetition OF those in the first IN
stance. but enumerating four counts
making the maximum penalty four years
and 5000 fine.
Before this case another alleged erort
at unlawful expansion OF the New Haven
was taken into court by Il suit brought
by minority stockholders Of the Rutland
Railroad 20 restrain the New York Cen
trail from selling its majority stock In tho
Rutland 20 the New Haven, on the ground
that the New Haven was buying the
stock in pursuance Of a conspiracy In re-
stralnt Of trade. by which tho minority
stockholders would suffer material dam
age.
Investigations-fede state and county
into disastrous wrecks on the main line
also marked Mr.. Mollens period I'm office.