SUPT. R. E. WOODRUFF.
The subject of our sketch this month, in the interesting series of biographical sketches of Erie's division superintendents is Mr. R.E. Woodruff, who presides over the affairs of the Rochester Division. Mr. Woodruff assumed the duties of his position about one year ago, having been previously general agent at Chicago. When he came to Rochester the first thing he did was to get close to the boys. This he did by holding meetings, and learning the consensus of opinion, through the medium of short talks and discussions. These meetings proved to be very valuable and were the means of bringing the boys closer together, and himself right in the midst of them all. He also learned thereby just what methods were being pursued in operating the division.

Mr. Woodruff has brought the Rochester Division up to a high state of efficiency, by using the valuable experience earned by honest effort in years gone by, and by winning the confidence of his subordinates in according them fair and square treatment. He is a very pleasant and agreeable man to meet and do business with, whether it be among strangers or employes of his division. This is his record, as given by himself:

Born at Green Bay, Wis. Attended public schools there and graduated from Benton Harbor, Mich., High School. Took civil engineering course, Purdue University, and received B.S. degree on June 8th, 1905. First railroad work was during summer vacations, as rodman on Pennsylvania Lines.

Entered service of Erie Railroad, as section laborer on Mahoning Division, Warren, 0., June 10th, 1905. Was then successively extra gang laborer, track foreman, inspector in charge of building new roundhouse, Kent, 0., transitman in office of engineer maintenance of way, inspector in charge of rebuilding Cleveland ore docks, then assistant division engineer, Mahoning Division, at Youngstown, 0.

In December, 1906, was appointed Division Engineer, Meadville, Pa. In Nov., 1908, appointed trainmaster of Cincinnati Division at Galion, 0. In March, 1909, appointed General Agent at Chicago, IL, and Dec. 1, 1910, appointed Superintendent at Rochester, NY.