New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-28
Lives of r. r. Heads
Guido Ayers Fiction
Most of Those Now Engaged in Fighting Demands OF
Employees Rose from the Lowest Ranks
of the Service

Years ago n young man named Rip
Low went TO work as clerk in the
traffic Office OF the Boston e. Maine
But his stay there was not long
Pretty soon some one higher up spot.
ted him as a coming railroad chief and
gave him n job as general manager OF
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
And when the Santa Fe was reorgan-
lied r.. p. Ripley assumed the presi-
dency. His friends celebrated his sew
entieth birthday last year in Chicago,
and the gathering was one Of the most
distinguished ever brought together. "A
man is a man to Mr.. Ripley, whether ne
is section hand or general man
ager. :,
Joke on TrumbulI
Then consider Frank Trumbull, chair.
man of the Chesapeake e. Ohio and OF
the Railway Executives Advisory Com
mittee. Since few days ago MI
Trumbull has been dubbed by the com
mittee of eight the ultimate consum,
err II seems that when Mr.. Willard
rot stuck for those Palm Beach suits
Mr.. Willard had them scented and done
up in boxes fastened with blue rlpooh
and sent to each one OF the committee
All had been pledged TO wear the SUITS
at dinner at the Metropolitan Club. MT
Trumbull kept the pledge, but was al
most lost in the suit that came TO MS
room. When the dinner party assem-
bled Mr.. Ripley was without Palm
Beach-for his had gone TO Mr.. Trum-
bull. Some one recognized a cartoon,
lists notion of the ultimate consumer
and the title was bestowed upon Mr.
Trumbull
Mr.. Trumbull isn't college man, but
he is recognized as one of the best edu-
Gated men in the railroad business. ne
Is studious. has travelled extensively
and his intimate friends are men OF let
tiers. His associates in the railroads
come to him for clear statement Oh
set of facts. He came from the ranks
too. He made good on the COLORADO q
Southern, built up the road and then
sold the properties out to the Burning
ton. r A..
Fairfax Harrison, president OF the
Southern Railway, one Of the few COL
lege men in the executiveS group, is an
eminent lawyer and Greek scholar
besides a leading railway executive.
Some time ago he. translated CATO
EARN Management" considered py
many scholars as literary gem
Holdcn's Meteoric Rise.
Perhaps the rise of Hale Holden
president of the Chicago, Burlington q
Quincy, spokesman for all the execu-
tives, was the most meteoric OF any.
He was junior partner IN the law nrm
OF Warner, McCloud, Dean Holden,
in Kansas City. The firm represented
the Burlington there. Holdens merit
was soon recognized, and when the Chi-
cago legal department wanted priehi
young man ten years ago as genera
attorney in charge Of commerce work
Mr.. Holden was selected. he nandIea
the famous Minnesota rate case IN sucn
a mastery wav that the late James j..
Hill singled him out Immediately.
Mr.. Hill made Mr.. Holden a vice
president and director. Darius Miller
was then president of the Burlington.
ON the way to Glacier National Park
with Louis w. Hill Mr.. Miller was
stricken with appendicitis. He asked
Louis Hill to tell his father that the
road had three strong vice-presidents,
hut that the man to succeed him as
president of the Burlington was Hale
Holden. Mr.. Holden got the place
when Mr.. Miller died.
Office Boy to President.
There are more than score OF 9th
ers whose careers differ only in details
from those mentioned. j. H. Hustis,
president of the Boston & Maine, start
ed in as Office boy in the employ OF the
New York Central.
George s. Wade, vice-presldent and
general manager Of the Sunset Central
lines, was formerly one Of the most
active brotherhood leaders and chair
man of the grievance committee OF one
of the employees orders. Another one
was P. II. Morrissey, assistant to the
vice-president of the Burlington, one
of the conference committee. OF man
ayers. who helped to build up the
brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, OF
which W. G.. Lee is now head.
R. H. Ashton, president Of the Chi
cago Northwestern, one Of the newest
bic executives, never served on any
other road, a fact which is unique
among railroadrmen. Mr.. Ashton was
AN axeman once with an engineering
CORPS on the Northwestern. Others
who are now here trying to solve the
greatest industrial problem that the
nation ever faced started to climb to
success as telegraphers, brakemen.
switchmen and the like, and few OF
them have missed grade all the way