Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-29
MARKHAM HERE
TO BEGIN WORK
AS RAIL DIRECTOR
Will Retain His Other Posi-
tons, but Gives Mos t of
Time TO Work for Govern
ment in Southeast

If the government director of rail.
roads in the southeast goes at his new
job as he does at the business of hav-
ing his picture taken, wheels are going
10 hum during his administration.
1t was raining when newspaper men
reached the private car of c. H Mark
ham in the shadow of the Terminal sta
ton Monday morning training drearily
and very. very wetly. The photographer
weakened visibly; it takes a nervy man
to ask a railroad president to face a
graf1ex outdoors under conditions that
would make even an ordinary citizen
fear pneumonia.
But Mr. Markham is not an ordinary
citizen. There was no hesitation about
him as he stepped briskly out of his
Pullman, where he had been holding a
conference, snapped the door shut and
glanced quickly at the driZzle.
Raining, isn't it? Well, we don't
mind little thing like rain, do we?'
Mr. Markham jumped down to the
cinders, pulled his black derby a little
closer around his iron-gray hair, and
while the raindrops spattered against
his eyeglasses, told the photographer to
go ahead
Watching him punched against the
rain, one got a flying impression OF
well-knit inquire, hard-set, trim jaw
keen and kindly eyes and a sense of
mental and physical efficiency that was
convincing. If Mr.. Markham plays gol1
and they say he does-it's safe bet
he doesn't run for shelter when the
shower starts on No. 4; he'd rather risl
a wetting and make the hole in par. No,
it's evident that it would take more than
a rainstorm to stop the new director
general of southeastern railroads.
Mr.. Markham was assigned to this
division by Director General McAdoo
several days ago. He has been in Wash
ington for the last few days comforting
with Mr.. McAdoo Sunday night he ar
rived in Atlanta to establish his head
quarters.
Nothing to say yet" he told the re.
porters Monday. "Everything's got to
develop. Right now I'm arranging for
offices in Atlanta My headquarters will
be here and 1 expect to be here myself
a good part of the time. You under
stand that 1 remain president of the
Illinois Central and continue in posi-
tons with other roads. but I intend to
devote most of the time to the gov
eminent work. We are going right ahead
making plans, but there is nothing def
mite to announce yet"
AS director of railways in the south
east for the government, Mr.. Mark
hams Jurisdiction extends over all that
part of the United States south of the
Ohio and Potomac rivers and east of
the Mississippi river, except the Ches-
apake and Ohio, Norfolk and Western
and the Virginia railways, and also
those railroads in Indiana and Illinois
into those states from points
south of the Ohio river
1t is understood that Mr.. Markham's
duties are to superintend all the trans
portation problems of this vast area,
with a view to expediting government
work as fast as possible. He will prob
ably have the direct assistance of
number of the leading railroad men of
the country and his office in Atlanta
will be a large one, employing a large
force
Mr. Markham is no stranger to the
south, nor to the country. He is recog-
nzed as one of the most capable rail
road heads in the country and much of
his career has been wrapped up with
the roads in this section.
Forty-fOur years ago. c. H. Markham
was trudging along the cross-ties in
New Mexico, sweating under a blazing
sun and toting in each hand a brin-
ming bucket of water for a gang of
laborers on the Sante Fe road. That
was his first job. Well he fulfilled it,
but the way was long and weary. He
can look back to job after job and pro-