Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 311, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1918 — CAREER OF EARLING [ARTICLE]

CAREER OF EARLING

Misfortune That Befell Him in HI? Railroad Baptism. ■ ■ SKIDDED ALONG TOP OF CAR 60 Stripped of Clothing That He Had to Slink Around Until Dusk Before Starting for Home—Studied Engineering. Albert J. Earling’s railroad baptism was eventful and disastrous. Born not far from Rugby Junction, Wis., in January, 1848, he wanted, ou leaving school, to enter the railroad rather than to serve in his father’s store, B. C. Forbes writes in Leslie’s. A husky fellow, by the name of Tom Pollard, whom young Earling used to help with his lessons, had become conductor on the Milwaukee road, running betweeh Milwaukee and LaCrosse. During vacation the young conductor gave the lad a temporary job as brakeman on his train, an “extra,” which was sent out to pick up wheat along a certain part of the road. Tom had a sweetheart and was anxious to expedite his train so as to enable him to reach the point where she lived, and when the train failed to do this* the flr.sL.day, he roundly scolded the two brakemen. *• The next day, the same thing happefted—except that the scolding this time was much more severe.

Chance Was Disastrous. The third day the crew were determined to speed up and take a chance, with the result that they ran full tilt Into an oncoming train on the single track. Tom and the others, who were at the front of the train, jumped; but Earling happened to be on the top of a box car toward the rear and, having no time to jump, squatted on the running board on the top of the car and gripped it firmly with both hands. The impact sent him skidding from end to end of the car, lacerating his hands and his body painfully and so stripping him of clothing that he had to slink around untiL dusk before he could start for home. He decided then he would rather begin his railroad career as a telegrapher. Took Up Engineer^!#* The youthful telegsapher wha had worked at night and attended college during the day had meanwhile taken up the study of engineering in his spare time. He steeped himself in engineering books, worked out engineering problems, lost no opportunity to inspect engineering feats and contracted a desire to shape his career so as to afford scope for the exercise of whatever engineering taste and talents he possessed. When a 260-mile extension was to be built In lowa between Marion and Council Bluffs, Earling- was delegated to supervise its construction, and here his engineering skill proved of practical use. Other and more responsible positions, both of supervision and construction, were filled by Earling in the late ’7os and early ’Bos. In 1884 he became assistant general superintendent of all the lines and in 1888 general superintendent. Only two years more passed before he was asked to become general manager. Here, also, although only turned forty, he made good, and was rewarded first with the vice presidency, in 1895, and then, in 1899, with the presidency.