South Bend news-times., 1921-05-28
EMPLOYE
RESIGNS POST TO
ENTER BUSINESS
Engineer Has Worked for
Railroad Company for
Last 81 Years.

EAN KAN. AFfA.tNr hlIllAss May
--P.ning for larger and more DIFF
ncult field of endeavor, William
Hood. after ffty-four years OF SER
vice with the Southern Pacific Rail-
road 35 years Of which he was chief
construction engineer. has resigned
his position 20 become "a private con-
sultlng engineer. Hood. though
nearly seventy-hve years old. has led
an active life and at the age most
men have been retired number OF
wears. ls in his prime. Because he
has solved some OF the greatest rail-
road construction schemes in Am
erican railroad building. he has be-
CONS possibly the best known con
structi0n engineer In the United
states today.
In retiring Hood carries with him
the best wishes of every employe Of
the Southern Pacific. and IN speak
ing Cf his retirement. Pres't William
sproule Of the Southern Pacific
system said. 'He closes an active
and valiant career and will always
have the respect and admiration
OF his associates. Because Of his
briuiancy of attainment he stands ia
the front rank OF railroad engineers
and the engineering profession. He
Is a pioneer in great engineering
work and MS life IL one OF romance,
% achievement and conquest Of dif-
ficulties."
Hood was first with the Southern
Pacific in 1857 when IL was known
as the Central Pacific. He left Dart
mouth College and came West 20
help solve the rail- building question
which would link the East and
West His first work was 20 help lay
ont the Donner Lake roadbed. In a
ahort time he began his advance
from the bottom and became assist
ant engineer 10 the construction
chief. which post he held when the
central Pacific and Union Pacific
met at Pomontory Mountain, Utah
IN 1869. completing the first trans
continental railroad. Later Hood
seOrked on the Southern Pacific rOut
west from New Orleans across Texas
and Arizona 20 California.
Hood became chief engineer IN
1856. Just eighteen years after he
9irst Joined the company.
Has Spanned Deserts.
A year ago "the impossible" rail-
road" through the Carriso Gorge on
the san Diego & Arizona, between
San Diego and El Centre. which cuts
Seventeen times through solid gran
fte. was completed under his direc-
4ion Hood has built roads over
1000 feet above sea level and more
than 200 feet below the level Of the
sea- drawn plans and specifications
Tor ira c<s through "a wooden shed.
ia which enough lumber was used
e build houses for 10000 people.
lie has drawn plans for steel strands
stroaching across desert sand ana
stretching across desert sand and
sev-n miles Of Great SalJ Lake.
When Hood joined the Central
Facidc they had but ninety miles
OF tracks. To-day the same organ
kation. which is the Southern Pa
cihc has il 600 miles Of tracks and
there is not a portion Of the entire
system he has not traversed on foot,
and parts Of il he has been over
Several times
Since back IN the 7O's he has been
-peecebnaker in American railroad
Engineering disputes. one OF his
frst Developments in mountain rail-
Eoad construction started engineers
fguriag grades, as a whole from the
ssummit down" instead Of building
the tracks up the mountain.
Another Of his successful accom-
plishments fs the Tehachipi loop.
which runs around a mountain peak
and cuts across itself in deep tun-
80 J.. Il e.
engineering hitherto unemployed
grade making device, bu' has saved
sgniUions I'm railroad construction.
Hood also solved the Siskiyou prob
lem with the famous IS" line. The
IS" line Cross1s the Sacramento
River eighteen times and follows
SO tortuous a route in one streach
of 1T1 miles that train takes
enough curves TO turn itself around
Between seventy and eighty times.
l. Lover OF Outdoors.
Hod IS % great lover Of the out
doors. lie spends little timc i'm his
'omce and apears many years young
er than Is his real age He works
hard during the week and ''rests
ssuudays hy taking q twenty-five mile
hike over mountain sides with a
1hirty pound pack on his back
Hood was horn in concord. n H.
zFeb q, 1S46. and was the son Of
Il New Eueland publisher With toe
Outbreak Of the Civil VIZ. though
aonly sixteen wears old. about 90 en-
-ter Dartmouth College. ne poincd the
sFor-y-sixth Regiment Massachusetts
sNoIuuteers.
In speaking OF his work, Hood
SAID. II have found il practically
eimpossibo for man 20 work toe
shard provided ne takes one day a
.zveek for exercise and relaxation
a hobby will rest his mind and wroR
.sviI keep Lim young