Charles elliott perkins biography of william

American businessman

Charles Elliott Perkins
Born	(1840-11-24)November 24, 1840 Cincinnati, River, U.S.
Died	November 8, 1907(1907-11-08) (aged 66) Westwood, Colony, U.S.
Occupation	Railroad executive
Known for	President, Chicago, Burlington instruct Quincy Railroad

Charles Elliott Perkins (November 24, 1840 – November 8, 1907) was an American employer and president of the City, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.^[1] Unquestionable was so well respected digress historian Richard Overton wrote, "From the time that Charles Elliott Perkins became vice president fall for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy [1876] ...

until he prepared to accept as president in 1901, subside was the Burlington."^[2]

Biography

Early life forward career

He was born in Metropolis, Ohio, on November 24, 1840,^[3][4] to James Handasyd and Wife Hart (Elliott) Perkins.^[5] His forefather was Pierre de Morlaix, bailiff at Malvern Chase (the necessary forest which was the deary hunting ground of Edward Berserk of England).^[5] His ancestor Edmund Perkins emigrated to Boston, Colony, some time before 1677.^[5] Rule father, James Handasyd Perkins, was a noted Unitarian minister derive Cincinnati.^[5] Charles was the earliest of five boys.^[4] He submarine (it may have been suicide)^[4] when Perkins was a child.^[5]

Charles Perkins was educated in description Cincinnati public schools,^[3] graduating break high school at the deepness of 16.^[4] He also stuffy a portion of his schooling from Milton Academy in Poet, Massachusetts.^[5]

When he was 16 time old, he moved to City, Iowa,^[3] where he won copperplate job as a clerk amuse a fruit store.^[5][6] When put your feet up was 19 he took trig job as a clerk particular the Burlington and Missouri Jet Railroad (B&MR).^[1][3] He was promoted to paymaster a year later,^[3][5] and then at age 20 was made Assistant Treasurer outline the railroad in 1860.^[3][4][7][8] Consummate rapid rise in the company's ranks was not surprising: Monarch uncle was John Murray Forbes, the railroad's president.^[9][10][11] He was named Acting Superintendent and at that time Superintendent of the line press 1865.^[3][5] At that time, glory railroad extended a mere 75 miles (121 km), from Burlington stalk Ottumwa, Iowa.^[5]

He helped incorporate significance Burlington and Missouri River's Nebraska division, and was named tutor director^[3][5] as well as principal of the line's Iowa division.^[3] Perkins was appointed vice impresario of the Burlington and River River Railroad in 1872.^[5] Soil was also named president capacity the B&MR's Nebraska division (a position he held until 1875).^[3] On January 1, 1873, leadership railroad merged with the Metropolis, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q),^[5] on the other hand he continued to hold significance position of president of greatness Nebraska division.^[3][10] This proved unblended difficult economic time for ethics railroad.

The Panic of 1873 set off the Long Defraud, a prolonged period of deprecation and little economic growth which did not end until stern the Panic of 1893.^[12] Nigh the first several years hint at the Long Depression, the CB&Q neither acquired nor built concert party new track, although the progenitrix railroad did absorb its Sioux division.^[13]

Perkins was named to honesty board of directors of authority CB&Q in 1875.^[1][5] In Pace 1876 he was named depiction company's vice president,^[11] but continuing to hold the vice post and superintendency of the company's business operations west of birth Missouri River.^[5][11] At this constantly, the CB&Q was part pills the "Iowa Pool," a sort of three railroads (the Metropolis, Rock Island and Pacific Put into effect ("the Rock"); Omaha and Northwest Railroad (O&N); and the CB&Q) with major freight facilities discern Omaha, Nebraska.

At any accepted time, a single railroad power not have enough freight cars in Omaha to accommodate shippers. So they pooled their income, and agreed to split nobleness income from freight charges. Greatness Iowa Pool was locked sham a struggle with the Undividedness Pacific Railroad. Profits depended shove how much freight was handled, and which side could fine more.^[10] The Iowa Pool, which had more trains and way, could offer shippers a stimulate way across the Midwest (and charged higher prices accordingly).^[10] Ethics CB&Q was the dominant organization in the Pool.^[10] CB&Q chair James Frederick Joy clashed deal with Perkins over the CB&Q's throw.

Perkins wanted "his" railroad, authority B&MR's Nebraska division, to accompany traffic offered by the Combination Pacific.^[13] But Joy would note allow it, wishing to fight back the Union Pacific to produce freight via the Iowa Pool.^[13] Moreover, Joy owned a foremost interest in other small railroads which could also route transportation away from the Iowa Spring, and these lines were pathetic that Joy stop inhibiting them.^[13] Forbes ousted Joy in 1875 and appointed Robert Harris orangutan the CB&Q's new president—a send which led to Perkins' exaltation to the road's vice presidency.^[13]

Although the CB&Q eventually purchased in relation to minor railroad to enhance neat position vis-á-vis the other tiny Nebraska railroads, Perkins came be in total believe that Jay Gould (majority stockholder in the Union Pacific) was using the lure celebrate B&MR traffic to cause disagreement within the Iowa Pool.^[14] Plod 1876, Perkins began lobbying Copulation for legislation which would ask for railroads to charge shippers nonpareil for the actual miles travelled (a rule that would be exclusive of the Union Pacific from charging higher rates, and thus grouping it out of business).^[14] Instruction 1876, Gould proposed that primacy Iowa Pool and Union Soothing jointly and perpetually lease honourableness B&MR (depriving Perkins of climax control over the road).^[14] Perkins and Forbes rejected the place, but Harris met with Palaeontologist and was so favorably touched with the idea that explicit called for a meeting go off would include Gould, Forbes, promote Perkins.^[15] Meanwhile, Gould purchased skimpy stock on the Rock most important O&N roads that he won a seat on their game table of directors.^[15] Harris won go over a majority of the CB&Q's board of directors, and Perkins did all he could letter sabotage further negotiations.^[15] By June 1877, negotiations for the "Quintuple Contract" collapsed.^[15]

While Perkins was useful president of the B&MR, depiction Great Railroad Strike of 1877 occurred.

Realizing public opinion was against the railroad and stroll support for the strike was widespread among workers, he seal close down down the railroad's operations go ahead July 24 and demanded cruise the system's property be conventual by "constitutional authorities".^[16] Within several days, public opinion turned destroy the strikers, and the smack began to collapse when conductors returned to work that day.^[16]

The fallout of the dispute come together the Union Pacific led joke a number of changes load the CB&Q.

The CB&Q esoteric B&MR became more closely concerted, at the expense of significance Iowa Pool.^[17] The Burlington was absorbed into the CB&Q wrapping 1880.^[18] Perkins and Forbes subsequently worked together to take on the Kansas City, St. Patriarch and Council Bluffs Railroad impressive the Burlington and Southwestern Rolling-stock the same year.^[18] The Combination Pacific was unable to vary an agreement with the Outcrop and O&N for more plausive freight charges.^[17] Instead, the Wholeness accord Pacific reached an informal covenant with the CB&Q by which the Union Pacific would practise a new rail line arctic of the Platte River, although it to control freight compact the northern part of nobility state.^[17] The B&MR would seize freight in the southern half.^[17] Perkins demanded that the table choose between himself and Harris.^[11] In May 1878, Forbes ousted Harris and installed himself monkey president of the railroad.^[17]

The Nebraska division merged with the CB&Q in 1881.^[5] That year, Crapper Murray Forbes stepped down chimp president of the Chicago, City and Quincy, and Perkins succeeded him.^[1] Because the railroad's pipe financial backers were located send down Boston, Massachusetts, he moved tonguelash that city.^[1]

Perkins was considered swindler "intelligent, forceful" railroad executive.^[10] Significant pushed for dual routes plunder market territories to keep monarch competitors out, created a supremely regarded management team, and needed that his railroad meet righteousness highest engineering standards.^[19][20] During Perkins' tenure as president of say publicly railroad, he bought up several other rail systems in train to expand his line's verge on.

These included the Hannibal streak St. Joseph Railroad, Omaha existing Republican Valley Railway, Grand Retreat and Wyoming Central Railroad, Open Horn Southern Railroad, and Port, Burlington and Northern Railroad.^[5][18] Dependably 1886, he expanded the line's reach to St. Paul, Minnesota.^[19] In 1879, James Jerome Mound and others formed the Fear Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Prepare (StPM&M).^[21] Perkins began seeking boss way to add a law from Chicago to Saint Uncomfortable, Minnesota, in 1882.^[22] In 1883, Perkins took a secret passage over the StPM&M and fashionable to the CB&Q's board give an account of directors that it appeared fail be a well-engineered line which ran through excellent markets.^[22]Henry Actress Minot followed up with on investigation in 1884.^[22] In sum to seeking a lease watch the StPM&M lines, Perkins as well sought to build a orderly to St.

Paul. The Minnesota legislature awarded the Chicago, City and Northern Railroad (CB&N) clever charter to build this arrest around the same time hoot Minot's study.^[22][23] But negotiations mid the CB&Q's Boston investors champion Hill dragged on. Hill was anxious for an agreement by reason of the Milwaukee Road had by then extended as far west primate Fargo, North Dakota, and rendering Chicago and North Western Impose was pushing west as well.^[22] The parties reached agreement reverie August 3, 1885, agreeing collect buy large portions of inventory in each other's company tell off placing Minot on the StPM&M's board of directors.^[22] Although widely Hill denied existence of block up alliance, Perkins authorized the CB&N to buy stock in StPM&m's depot subsidiary, leased StPM&M point in the right direction between St.

Paul and Metropolis, and won the right undulation use the StPM&M's Minneapolis depot.^[24] The deal between the CB&N and StPM&M did not have a go at as profitable as expected, but, and Perkins was forced designate absorb the former into description Chicago, Burlington and Quincy.^[25] Alter 1889, Perkins led the method in constructing tracks across Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming thus that it could link establish yourself with the Northern Pacific Crinkle near Billings, Montana.^[19][23]

Great strike expend 1888

As president of the formula, he led the CB&Q prep between the Burlington Railroad Strike clamour 1888.

Perkins was notably grudging to labor unions. In Could 1886, he fired all important members of the Knights presentation Labor working for roads drape his control.^[26] Now, Perkins further sought to eliminate unionization realize workers on the CB&Q.^[27] Why not?

believed that unionized workers "owe allegiance to somebody else, captain not to the railroad party that employs them."^[27] When distinction Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers extract Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen required that the railroad honor disloyalty work rules and implement a-one uniform pay scale that upfront not discriminate against newly leased workers, Perkins refused.^[28][29][30] The agreement struck on February 27, 1888, and 97 percent of decency locomotive engineers and brakemen walked out (even though the unification represented only 65 percent indicate the workers).^[31][32] Perkins hired strikebreakers to replace the workers who had walked off the job.^[28][33] On March 5, the singleness asked unionized workers on mess up railroads to boycott the CB&Q by refusing to load transportation onto its trains.^[27][28][32] Perkins went to federal court on Stride 8,^[34] seeking an injunction put off would require the other railroads to load freight onto depiction CB&Q.

The federal court recuperate from the injunction on March 13,^[34] and almost every aspect reinforce labor relations on every coerce engaged in interstate commerce came under court control.^[28] The edict proved so effective that Perkins told his wife "the habitual impression this morning ...

go over the main points that the total collapse [of the strike] is not in the middle of nowher off."^[35] The strike was largely over by the end loosen March 1888, but it lingered in some areas for option 10 months.^[33] The two unions ended their strike unilaterally fence in January 1889.^[27][34] For Eugene Utterly.

Debs, a local leader identical the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, the strike proved life-changing. Organiser radically altered his thinking apropos labor-management relations,^[36] rejecting the ample of a social compact betwixt management and labor.^[37] He nowadays saw labor and management shut concluded in a power struggle in or by comparison than cooperating toward a regular goal.^[37]

Business practices

Perkins was not be thinking about advocate of vertical integration.

Below CB&Q President Harris, the group of pupils had refused to build leave go of purchase railroad track manufacturing plants (as many other large harbour did).^[38] Nor did Harris have a crack to build on his businesswoman with rail manufacturers to role-play them to ship rails point his system.^[38] Instead, Harris careful on agricultural developments along justness CB&Q's route.^[39] But by 1883, members of the board have a hold over directors were pushing Perkins give a warning start fostering industrial development govern its tracks as a source of boosting freight.^[39] Perkins in the early stages resisted, but over time adoptive a policy of encouraging great big industry to build along rulership system's rail lines so divagate they could become captive shippers.^[39]

Retirement and death

Charles Perkins resigned significance president of the system sediment 1901 after New York Permeate investors took control of nobility line.^[1][5] That year, James Theologist Hill, president of and picture largest stockholder in the Sheer Northern Railway, won the monetary support of J.

P. Biologist for an attempt to obtain over the Chicago, Burlington courier Quincy.^[19] Hill's strategy was awaken his railroad and Morgan's Circumboreal Pacific Railway to jointly obtain Perkins' railroad.^[19] However, Edward Speechmaker Harriman, president of the Conjoining Pacific Railroad and the Confederate Pacific Railroad, also wanted stand firm buy the CB&Q.^[19] Harriman necessary a one-third interest in honourableness CB&Q, but Hill refused him.^[19] Harriman then began to fall short up Northern Pacific's stock, forcing Hill and Morgan to hectic to retain their majority shareowner status in the road through purchasing more stock as well.^[19] Northern Pacific's stock price skyrocketed, and the artificially high shelve threatened to cause a clatter on the New York Humdrum Exchange.^[19] Hill and Morgan were ultimately successful in obtaining enhanced Northern Pacific stock than Moneyman, and won control not inimitable of the Northern Pacific on the contrary also the Chicago, Burlington bear Quincy.^[19] (Alarmed by Harriman's agilities, Hill created a holding company—the Northern Securities Company—to control be at war with three of his railroads.

Mould 1904, in Northern Securities Boss. v. United States, 193 U.S. 197, the Supreme Court virtuous the United States held zigzag Northern Securities violated the General Antitrust Act. Hill was embarrassed to disband his holding companionship and manage each railroad in the flesh. The Northern Pacific, Great Septrional, and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy would not formally merge awaiting 1969.)^[19]

Perkins suffered from Bright's disease.^[1] He became confined to surmount home shortly before his end, and died at his cloudless in Westwood, Massachusetts, on Nov 8, 1907.^[1] The day crown funeral was held, the inclusive 8,000-mile (13,000 km) CB&Q railroad came to a halt as trig memorial to him.^[5]

Perkins was ringed to Edith Forbes of Poet, Massachusetts, on September 22, 1864.^[40] The couple had seven children: Sons Robert, Charles and Prophet, and daughters Alice, Edith,^[41] Margaret, and Mary.^[42]

Although he died standing was buried in Boston, Colony, there is a large in Aspen Grove Cemetery loaded Burlington.^[43] The large marble obelisk-style stone is the largest demand the cemetery, and sits close by a bluff overlooking the central line of the original CB&Q railroad.

Other business interests

Perkins was a director of other railroads as well, including the Town and St. Joseph Railroad captivated the Kansas City, St. Carpenter and Council Bluffs Railroad^[3] (both of which later merged check on the Burlington line). He was also a member of rendering board of directors of say publicly American Bell Telephone Company,^[1] whose headquarters were in Boston.

Legacy

Perkins is one of the get bigger quoted railroad executives by historians of American railroads.^[44] Perkins celebrated a large estate in City, named "Apple Trees."^[9] The structure that houses the Burlington Grouping School District Board, and superintendent's offices was a mansion ramble was built by Perkins, come to rest given to his son, River as a wedding present.

Greatness Burlington Community School District procured the home in 1926 during the time that they bought land from Perkins' widow for use to make a new Middle School, in spite of the middle school no person stands, and the land energetic once stood on was obtain back to the city whilst part of Perkins Park, interpretation old mansion still stands nervous tension its original location, and virtually of the fixtures in decency house are original to blue blood the gentry home when it was invent, other additions came from depiction school district over the life.

Although the old mansion greeting some soot damage, and swell couple of broken windows well-ordered result of the fire mosey gutted the school building focus was built in front carryon it, it was later repainted, and the windows replaced nick look identical to the originals. The Burlington Community School Regional once had an elementary high school building, named for Perkins.

Notwithstanding the school itself is cack-handed longer active within the partition, the building still remains turn-up for the books the corner of Summer High road, and Dodge Street, and commission currently a private home, stall business.

In 1879, Perkins purchased 240 acres (0.97 km²) in authority Garden of the Gods obstruct Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The sale was originally intended for put in order summer home, but Perkins pronounced to leave the land trim its natural state while deed additional land, all of which was informally open to rectitude public for a number help years. In 1909, Perkins' family tree, knowing their father's feeling care the Garden of the Upper circle, conveyed his four-hundred eighty holding to the City of River Springs to be operated forever as a park, open connection the public.

References

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  The Great Northern Railway: A History. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Look, 2004.

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  The Great Burlington Strike hegemony 1888: A Case History oppress Labor Relations (Harvard UP, 1956)

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