Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19
BY NJ. s. RUKEYSER.


w. B. Storey, who is completing his
seventh year as president of the Atchi-
son, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, is
a survival of the earlier type of rail-
road builder.
A native of the West, he has spent
his entire business career in territories
that were more recently opened up
than these in the East. where the rail
ways have in recent years stood pat.
His mind runs toward growth and de-
velopment, and his cardinal policy Is
to keep his railroad somewhat ahead
of the growth of business in the dis
trict through which it runs between
Chicago and the Pacific Coast.
Has Seen West Grow.
In his own lifetime he has seen the
Far West develop from a coagulation
Of mining camps into a fine array Of
densely populated cities. No wonder
that q sense of growth pervades his
policies and business calculations!
Mr.. Storey, whose railroad in the
year which closes this month will re-
port the largest profits in It's history,
was born In San Francisco in 1851
one of the few natives of that city
over So years of age. His first school
ing was in San Francisco. but soon
after his father moved to Colfax,
Placer County, Calf, a small rail.
road town on the Central Pacific.
Mr.. Storey later went to high school
at Oakland. At ColfaX his father
served as express and stage agent.
He helped his father after school
hours. .....
While at Oakland, Mr.. Storey earned
his way through school by doing
chores, such as caring for horses and
COWS and cultivating gardens. Dur
ing the vacation of 1875 he made q
contact which pointed the way to his
future career; he obtained employ.
ment with an engineering party work.
ing on construction of the Berkeley
Branch Railroad from Oakland Point
to Berkeley. The following year he
passed entrance examinations to the
University Of California at Berkeley
but Immediately got job as rodman
with an engineering party for another
year. Then he studied mechanical
engineering at the university. After
his graduation, he served successfully
as rodman, instrument man and as
sistant engineer for the Central Pa
cific.
Reached Top i'm 1920.
From 1900 to 1905 he was chief en-
gineer, with headquarters at Topeka
Of what now comprises the Eastern
and Western Lines of the Atchison
Topeka & Santa Fe. He was trans
ferred to Chicago in 1905 to become
chief engineer Of the entire system.
He continued until 1909, when he be-
came vice president in charge Of con-
struction. On January /, 1920, he be-
came president-with the long record
Of a railroad builder behind him. AS
president, Mr.. Storey has taken pride
in keeping the railroad abreast of the
development in the West-pushing
out new construction here and there
where needed.
Mr.. Storey ascribes the record.
breaking earnings of the Santa Fe
this year not SO much to general in
dustrial growth. which has been fac
tor, as to marked increases in oil traf-
ffc from the Panhandle of Texas and
O. bumper wheat crop in that part of
Kansas through which the road
passes. 1--WE are fortunate" said Mr..
Storey, Sin. going through an exten.
sive and diversified territory that ii
does not all go bad at once. If there
is a crop failure at one point, 1t Is
likely to be offset by an abundance at
another"
Mr.. Storey was asked whether his