The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-01
New President of Baldwin Locomotive
Works. Decorated by Two Nations
for War Service. Says He "Gets
Along" by Attending to
His Own Business
BY CHARLES w. DUKE,

The list includes Major General w. w.
Atterbury. who Yves q vital factor in
winning the world war while In
charge OF all the American railroads
In France: Gen. Sir Henry Worth
Thornton. placed by Great Britain at
the head Of the Great Eastern Rail-
way. and another war winner; Samuel
Req, president of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. and Alexander ]. Cassatt,
former president Of the same company.
All we're products OF the same school"
Not to be denied, the young chap
Vauclain soon became mechanical
engineer with the background of
thorough training as a machinist and
mechanic. Sam Vauclain was then
manual laborer, but he worked with
his head as well as his hands. For
eleven years, from 1872 until 1888, he
toiled diligently in the Altoona shops
as a humble dinnerpail workingman
but all the time plugging away at
his night work. 1t was as n fore
man that he came TO Philadelphia,
into the plant OF Burnham, Williams
& Co.. then the proprietors OF the
Baldwin Locomotive Works. By his
own initiative he advanced within
two years to the superintsndency OF
the equipment plant. In three years
more he was BOSS OF the whole
works." or general superintendent.
From this point the next step took him
into the Arm.
They who look for that particular
stepping stone in successful mans
career that leads him up from the
- - Lob
ship find a unique circumstance In
the life Of Sam vauclain. Here rs the
story Of how the big builder Of big
locomotives worked his way into the
Arm. It was told only recently by one
Of Mr.. vauclain's friends It never
was told by Mr.. Vauclain, for he Is
the essence Of reticence when 1t comes
to talking about himself. Mr.. .vau-
CLAIM never says May not" for, ac-
cording to his way. he may not" talk
about ct"
1T remember Mr.. vauclain's going
to the Baldwin Locomotive Works to
supervise the construction OF some en-
gines the Pennsylvania Railroad was
building there" says this Philadel-
phian, a former Pennsylvania Rail-
road official. "Mr. Vauclain's intelli-
gent efforts and unfailing energy in
the prosecution of his work won the
attention Of the Baldwin management
and he was invited to enter their en-
ploy. which he did.
Shortly after this Il became i'm
perative to install a new hydraulic
hammer in the Baldwin shops. and II
was necessary that the hammer be
ready for use within a week. The
management cast about for a man who
could take charge OF the Job and de-
liver within the required space OF time.
They put It up to Vauclain. Later Mr..
Vauclain brought out the Vauclaln
compound engine. which attracted q
great deal OF attention not only on the
railroads OF America but abroad.
His Quick Action System.
"'I'll do It. said Vauclain: but 1
must have my own way about it-no
one Is to interfere Ths management
accepted his terms and he went to
work. His first move was the cree
ton Of a fence about the hammers
proposed location in the foundry. No
one except the gang employed on that
particular lob was allowed inside that
installed. complete and working, in
five days. That demonstration Of eff
cheney brought Mr.. Vauclain into the
Baldwin firm. No locomotive foundry
in the country can compete with the
Baldwin Locomotive Works on short
time contracts. Mr.. Vauclain's quick
action system Is peculiar to himself,
and that 1t is SO successful comes
mainly through his personality"
That personality has carried Mr..
vauclain right up on the tide that
taken at the flood leads on to fortune"
He believes in his men and by his
own smiling example puts them on
their mettle to deliver the goods.
Whatever of success he has had he
attributes 10 the men who work with
him.
II am proud that never found II
necessary to discharge a man because
Of his mistakes" says Mr.. Vauclain.
Il have always found it better to give