New-York tribune., 1922-09-13
Canada Picks
An American to
Rum Rail Lines
Carl r.. Gray, Union Pa
cific Chief, Who Began
as Telegraph Operator,
Is Chosen for the Post
Forty Years i'm Service
Heads 2I, 900 Mile Sys-
tenn; Board of Directors
To Be Announced Soon
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


MONTREAL, Sept. 11--Carl r. Gray,
president of the Union Pacific Railroad,
who started his railroad career forty
years ago as telegrapher, has been
chosen head of the Canadian National
Rilways, it was learned unofficially here
to-day.
Announcement of the personnel of
the board, which will control the op-
Grafton on the Grand Trunk, Canadian
Northern, Grand Trunk Pacific, Ma
tional Transcontinental and other lines,
operating nearly 21 ,00G miles of track,
is expected to come from Ottawa soon.
There mas been considerable specula-
tion as to who will be selected as the
executive head of the government sys-
tenn, but well informed persons in Mon
treal say that Mr.. Gray has been de-
'cided upon. The Dominion government
has sought for the position a practical
railroad operator rather than a man
with political influence.
Began as Telegrapher
Mr.. Gray rose from teiee1apher q
president OF several United States rail-
roads. As head of the Union Pacific
he directs the operation of one of the
largest lines in the country, as well
as one of the soundest financially. The
railroad has a trackage of a,455 miles
and stretches, with its affiliated lines,
from Omaha west to San Francisco,
northwest to Puget Sound and south
west to Los Angeles.
Mr.. Gray was born at Princeton,
Ark, September 90, 1867. When he was
fifteen he was an apprentice telegraph
operator in the service of the ST.
Louis & San Francisco Railroad and
for four years handled small station
keyboard and acted as assistant agent
and then agent, in addition to his
duties as baggage master and express
man. His Office was an abandoned box
car, converted by means of coat of
whitewash into primitive station
where two trains stopped each day if
properly tagged.
In 1885 he became chief clerk to the
general Western agent of the Frisco
at Wichita, Kan, and he rose RAPIDLY
in both the traffic and operating de-
partments of the road, until he even
tuaily became vice-president and gem
eral manager.
Great Northern Chief
Mr.. Gray became president of the
Spokane, Portland & Seattle Electric
Railways in 1911, and the following
year was elected president of the Great
Northern Railroad, one of the Hill
lines. Three years later he took the
presidency of the Western MARYLAND.
reorganizing the railroad, which has
greater tonnage of freight mile of
track than any other railroad.
During the period oS government
operation of the railroads Mr.. GRAY
was director of the Division of Opera
tion of the Railroad Administration. a
post regarded as second only TO that
of Director General. Early in 1919 he
returned to the Western Maryland and
also to his post as chairman of the
Wheeling & Lake Erie. Not long
afterward he became president of the
Union Pacific.
The Canadian National Railways
Company was incorporated at the 1919
session of the Car adian Parliament.
: BY orders in council dated Novem-
Der 20, 1918, the board of directors of
the Canadian Northern Railway Com
pany was appointed board Of man
agement for the Canadian government
tines and the Grand Trunk Pacific
lines, with the result that tho Cana
dian Northern directors were put in
charge of Canadian Northern lines and
other lines aggregating more than IT.
0o0 miles, made up as follows:
Intercolonial Railway, 1856 miles:
Prince Edward Island Railway, 276
miles; branch lines in Nova Scotia
New Brunswick and Quebec. 276 miles /.
Quebec & Saguenay Railway, 81 miles !:
st. John & Quebec Railway (leased1
172 miles: National Transcontinental
Railway, 2,o07 miles; Grand Trunk
Pacific, 2,732 miles, and the Canadian
Northern system, 9,S69 miles.
The Grand Trunk Railway Company
Of Canada was not taken into the sys.
tenn until later, the plan having beer
approved by shareholders in February
1920.
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