C. A. ALLEN, GALION, OHIO. Superintendent Cincinnati Division.
The career of C. A. Allen bears its lesson in ambition and perseverance to every railroad man who chances to read this short sketch. It shows that the only true road to success and high position is fenced by ability and a desire to do what is right.

Mr. Allen was born on January 26, 1852, near Paris, Illinois, and being the son of a farmer he attended school and worked on the farm until 1872, when he began his railroad career as a laborer on the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad. The young man was ambitious and performed his work so well that when he asked for advance to brakeman the position was given him. After a short time he was promoted to switchman and then conductor. From conductor he was advanced to Trainmaster, and in March, 1888, resigned to accept a similar position with the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio at Galion, Ohio, as Trainmaster of the Third and Fourth Divisions (now the Cincinnati Division), and in January, 1890, was promoted to Superintendent of the same division. Mr. Allen is a highly competent official, and having come up from the ranks he knows how to treat those who are under him officially; thus he is one of the most popular Superintendents along the line. Mr. Allen was married May 4, l886, to Miss Clara E. Miller, and they reside in their elegant home in Galion.

Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.

From the January, 1911 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
SUPERINTENDENT C.A. ALLEN.
In presenting cuts of the Erie's very popular Division Superintendents, together with brief biographical sketches of each, it is meet and proper that the first among them to appear should be the oldest in point of service.

This gives preference to Mr. Charles A. ("Deacon") Allen, superintendent of the Cincinnati Division, a man whose very name stands for everything that is good and progressive on the great Erie system. Mr. Allen, whose cut herewith is faithful and life like, may be referred to, affectionately, as the "Nestor" of the Guild. He is a fine type of Christian gentleman and painstaking official, with a knowledge of railroading that is second to none and which has been so thoroughly engrafted into the operation of the splendid Cincinnati Division, as to make it what is often referred to as the "Erie's banner division." Mr. Allen has a system of his own by which he runs his division, while still conforming to prescribed rules, and kindness coupled with a deep appreciation of human nature, with its strength and fickleness, enables him to carry out his vast responsibilities and not only obtain from his force the best that's in it, but commands its deepest respect and even love -- that's why C.A. Allen is a grand old man and a popular official, from Chicago to New York, and so vigorous withal, that he keeps in touch with the most minute details of everything that occurs, by going out on the line, and keeping acquainted with every "Bill," "Jim," and "Jack" along the right of way.

Galion, Ohio, knows him as one of its first citizens, and he is wide awake to every interest that concerns that pretty little city. This is Mr. Allen's railroad record:

Began on the Indianapolis & St. Louis, as laborer on a work train; advanced to brakeman: worked up through train and yard service as brakeman and switchman, to passenger service, as conductor; assistant train master to train master Van Winkle, now General Manager of the Big Four and later to train master of the Indianapolis Division of this road. Came to the 3rd and 4th Divisions of the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio, now Erie, as train master, in 1887 and has since retained close relations with the lines West, having been superintendent of the Cincinnati Division long enough to make him the senior of them all.

From the November 30, 1914 issue of the Marion Daily Star:
Erie engineers gather in city - For golden jubilee of Div. No. 16, B of L.E.
Among presentations at the event:
C.A. Allen, of Galion, assistant to the general manager of the Erie for the Ohio division, was introduced as the "Father of the Employees." He said that the barriers that stand between the employers and the men, twenty-five years ago, had disappeared. He talked on morality and efficiency. In part he said:

On Morality
"The man who is not morally clean can not be otherwise than morbidly low in thought, and in his conceptions of the true principles of life. When low in these essentials, that are necessary to the establishment and maintenance of standards of proper conduct, his efficiency in whatever he may be engaged, or as a unit in society, of which he is an inseparable part, are lowered in the same ratio that his failure to attain and maintain moral standards of conduct.

"There are two principles of physical nature, and of human nature: one of these principles is constructive, the other destructive. The constructive in man builds character that raises him in the higher and more successful planes of life, where he can become a useful citizen and member of society.

"The destructive principle destroys this foundation. Whatever destroys, or reverses the practices of moral principles, thereby, and at the same thus, undermines the only possible source from which his moral powers are, or may be, developed.

On the Economy
"The depression in business, and oppression burdening the company over which it has no control, are conditions well-known to all of us. These are circumstances that appeal to every honest man to put forth his very best efforts on behalf of the company's welfare, and calls for his most loyal endeavor to promote the great and common interest that it is.

"The field of economy affords golden opportunities for efficient work, and efficiency of service, if we would only delve into them. The harvest is plentiful, but at times it seems the laborers are few.

"The rates of pay are fixed by agreement. The only economy to be practiced there devolves upon the superintendent to handle his forces, working under contract, wisely and not pay out more money than is necessary to the safe and economical transaction of the business. The greater opportunities for economies lie with the men themselves in the use of all manner of supplies furnished them, which includes fuel, tools, signaling equipment, stationery, etc., and a large list of other articles. If these items are wisely taken care of and economically used, we can readily calculate the favorable results. If otherwise, we appreciate a duty neglected and the consequent loss to the company: an unpleasant contemplation for the honest man.

"One prolific source of enormous loss to the company is that due to rough handling of equipment, and the consequent damage to freight. The sums of money involved are staggering to the minds of those not familiar with them, when informed of what they are. They are discouraging to the management in face of the fact that seventy-five percent of these losses are avoidable and convertible into assets with greater vigilance and care on the part of crews in charge of trains and in charge of switching in yards.

"At this point a statement of the money paid for the loss and damage to freight for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1914, will invite much concern and attention. It totalled the colossal sum of $767,484.09. $251,310.16 -- 32.75 percent -- of this total was due to rough usage of equipment.

"The eastern lines have asked the federal authorities permission to increase freight rates five percent -- which would amount to about $15,000,000, while the requirements of these same roads for refunding and necessary improvement purposes, the coming year, require $150,000,000.

"Many of these unfavorable conditions are attributed to the foreign war. The European war will end, as will the problems in which it has given rise. The transportation business, under above conditions, will remain the weakest artery of our commercial and industrial life, when it should be the strongest.

"The federal authorities alone can revitalize those dwindling revenues of our great railways by authorizing rates of transportation adequate for all demands upon them.

"Last year in 42 out of 48 states in the union, 1,495 bills were introduced in legislatures affecting railroads. Ninety-nine percent of them were punitive and restrictive; one percent helpful and constructive. We all understand as practical and observing business and railroad men that the railways of this continent can not long endure under fading and falling earnings, while expenses are rising that cannot further be curtailed. I will interject here the thought that there are other fields of endeaver, besides those of economies, before referred to, that absolutely demand the serious attention of the great army of railroad men, who regardless of political views upon other questions or political affiliations, can, by acting as a unit, exercise an inalienable privilege and change the distressed financial condition and dilemna of our railroads, when opportunities present themselves."

From the February, 1925 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Charles A. Allen, assistant to R.S. Parsons, vice-president of the Ohio Region, is one of the best-known employees on the Erie Railroad, and is a veteran of the service. His career as an Erie man since he first joined its forces as trainmaster in 1887 is very interesting and shows how he forged to the front by ernest endeavor, hard work and a keen sense of the duty he owed to his employees.

He began his railroad career as a laborer on the I. & St. Louis Railroad in 1871, and later obtained a position as brakeman in freight service. He was transferred to yard service as switchman, then to passenger service as brakeman. Subsequently he went back to freight service, from which he was promoted to freight conductor, which position he was holding at the time the CCC&I absorbed the I & St. L, now the Big Four or New York Central.

He was appointed assistant trainmaster of the I & St. L and located at Mattoon, IL, under J.O. VanWinkle, trainmaster. He was transferred to the Indianapolis Division of the CCC&I as trainmaster between Indianapolis and Galion, and was located at Union City, IN.

His next railroad position was with the NYP&O (Erie) as trainmaster, in 1887, and located at Galion, with jurisdiction over the third and fourth divisions. In 1890 he was made superintendent of these divisions, which position he held until 1912, when he was assigned to other duties. He has been in the continuous service of the Erie since 1887.

Mr. Allen was born and reared on a farm in Illinois. From his youth he cherished a desire to engage in railroading, and has been continuously at it since his first employment.

Asked how he came to join the Erie, Mr. Allen stated that among other things he considered was his ambition to advance. He heard through a personal friend that there was, or soon would be, an opening or vacancy in the trainmastership on what was then the third and fourth divisions of the NYP&O, comprising territory between Kent, OH and Dayton, Galion being the shop and freight terminal for these divisions.

Mr. Allen was asked why he continued with the road so many years, and here is what he said:

"For the reason that the things I set to achieve had not fully been accomplished at the time I was assigned to other duties. I had the loyalty of the rank and file in its purest analysis, and the unfaltering friendship and confidence of the patrons of the Erie. The stimulus of such association and environment would not even permit the thought of leaving them. I occupied an official position under many general officers, with whom my relations were the most cordial and pleasant with one exception." Mr. Allen was asked this question: "If you love the Erie, why?"

He replied: "This point is established fully by implication from what I have just said. My high esteem and affection for the Erie goes without saying. Micah, one of the minor prophets, said, 'What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly; and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.' Underlying this admonition is the principle by which I was guided in dealing with employe and patron. To that end I dedicated more than a quarter century of the best years of my life. When in a reminiscent mood, I look through and scan the by-gone years with fond recollections of the high esteem that contribute to the thought of a friendship and pleasant association buried in the memories of those living who took part in the spirit and this good fellowship."

"What do you think of the railroad situation today?", Mr. Allen was asked, and he replied:

"The position of the railroads with respect to their necessity and importance to the welfare and success of public and private good and needs looms up on the horizon of 'common' sense with very encouraging signs and evidence of an ultimate and a sane understanding of the position and relation they bear to the social, commercial and economic life of this nation."

"The management of the railroads is in the hands of men of great brain and intellectual capacity, otherwise they would not be where they are. They are capable of educating public opinion to a correct understanding of the true relation healthy for the common weal and should organize to henceforth carry on in every quarter the dissemination of useful information to this end. This is the dawn of their greatest opportunity to counteract the destructive influence of their professional enemies who have constantly and continuously kept themselves before and in the public conscience, which the signs of today indicates is waning. Merging or consolidation of the roads into fewer systems is the logical solution of many of the perplexing things that handicap operation under existing conditions. This unification of the material property, in principle, will work for the good of all interests the same as the loyalty and cooperation of the human element engaged in railroad enterprise. Sensing all these things as they appear on the horizon of progress prompts my conclusion of the whole subject that the railroads are about to enter the realm of progress and a better understanding that forecasts an era of prosperity and efficiency undreamed. This forward advance will be rather slow under the guiding hand of caution. If the wisdom of the wise prevail in the work of revolutionizing the order of operating our great transportation system in the future, there can be no doubt that their efforts will be crowned with the results sought."

From the November, 1934 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Charles A. Allen, 84, former superintendent of the Kent Division and assistant to the vice president and general manager at Youngstown, who was retired in 1912, died at his home in Galion, Oct. 19 (1934). Mr. Allen began with the Erie as Trainmaster in 1887. He is survived by his wife and two children, Marian Allen, widely know pianist, and Dr. M.L. Allen of Cleveland.

From the December, 1934 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Charles A. Allen, a brief account of whose death was published in last month's issue, was for 25 years superintendent of the Cincinnati Division and later assistant to the vice president in charge of the Ohio region. He was known as a strict disciplinarian with a kindly side which endeared him to the employees. Besides his wife and two children, Miss Miriam of Galion, and Maurice L. of Cleveland, Mr. Allen is survived by three half-brothers: Arthur of Paris, IL, Edward of Everett, WA, and Allyn Allen of McKenzie, MT; one half-sister, Miss Essie of New Orleans; and a niece, Mrs. Lee P. Twomey.