The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-29
CALDERHEAD IS
OLDEST MAN ON
STATE PAYROLL
Secretary of State Rail Board
Will Retire January -
Interesting Career

Retirement on January | of j. II.
Calderhead, secretary Of the state
railroad board, marks the passing Of
the Oldest cmplOye on the state pay
roll. Caldcrhead was horn at Con
cord, Ohio, on August 28, l8iS, and
will be 79 years old next summer.
Although he has retained his mem
ory and his mind is as active, AS
that of man years younger, Calder
head has suffered for the last several
years with throat infirmity which
has usually prevented him from
speaking above whisper. His friends
say that too much speaking in the
open air in labor and political cam
paigns caused him to lose his voice.
Calderhead's life story is one Of
constant "ups and downs" and is
intimately assoc ciatei with the devel-
Opment of the west.
Legislator in Kansas
Moving to Kansas with his parents
at the age of 20, he was a farmer
four years, taught school "a year and
then entered the railroad service.
He served in various capacities, part
of the time as travelling auditor for
the Missouri Pacific railroad and
then as division superintendent for
a southern railroad. In 1884 he enter
ed the real estate business at Be-
lott, Kansas, and was elected to the
legislature in 1886, serving two
years.
The desire to roam landed him in
Montana in 1889 and for two years
he was joint agent for the Northern
Pacific, Union Pacific and Montana
Union railroads at Deer Lodge, Mon
tana. Later he was chief clerk in the
office Of the auditor Of the Montana
Union railroad. While serving there
he was elected president of the To-
cal lodge of the American Railway
Union and in February, 1894, was
chairman Of the industrial conference
held in Butte, Montana. At that time
labor unions of the state entered
politics and supported the Peoples
party. Calderhead was elected chair
man of the party's state central COM
mittec and member of the national
committee and directed an active
campaign in it's behalf.
Directed Railroad Strike
In March, 1894, Calderhead direct
ed strike on the Great Northern
railway. An agreement was reached
between the company and it's en-
ployes which provided wage ncrcascs
and improved working conditions.
In July, 1894, Calderhead left the
railroad service during the great A.
r. U. strike and at its close did not
return to work.
During the remainder of 1894 and
1895 he organized the state for the
Peoples party and led it to sweep
ing victory in 1896.
olo - ko =
delegation at the national cOnven-
tion of the Peoples party in 1896 at
st. Louis, Missouri, and opposed the
of William Jennings Bryan.
Caldcrhcad refused nom ination BY
his party for any state office in 1896
but later was appointed commissioner
Of agriculture, labor and industry.
He resigned in 1900 to become state
auditor, to which office he had been
elected.
Named Secretary in 1917
He continued as state auditor un-
til 1904 when he was nominated for
congress but defeated ut the election,
and in 1908 he returned to railroad
work as operator and agent for the
Great Northern railroad at Buford,
N. d. He resigned in 1915 and went
back to farming near Charbonneau.
Mckenzie county. He was appointed
secretary Of the state railroad board
in 1917.
Politics were really swarm" when
he was member Of the Kansas leg
islaturey Caldcrhead often told
friends here, and he delighted in de-
scribing one session which was held
in Missouri because Of the high DO
litical feeling then prevalent in Kan,
sas as the result of the stress of the
Reconstruction" period