The evening world. Newspaper, July 27, 1922, Page 20

20 Stable Boy in America Lord Vho [ad the Courage Managership of a Street Railroad While He Was Siill Watering the Horses Is a Shining Example of What a Man Can Gain by Persistent Effort. ri? ‘VE never lacked self-confidence and “egotism,” says Albert Henry Stanley, Lord Ashfield of Southwell, That's probably why, begin ning his career as a stable boy in Detroit, he wound up in the British House of Lords. His progress from the Detroit stable to the peer age is the story of a young man who took opportunity by the hand and walked along with her. Over in Newark, where Lord Ashfield managed treet railways, they say he was a wonder, and, what is more, they like him just as well as if he had been a Jerseyman instead of an Englishman, who, born with an unpronouncable name, had the courage to change it. By J. B. Calvo. Copyright. 1922 (New York Evening World), by Press Publishing Company. the British House of Peers” sounds like the title of some Bnglish counterpart of an Horatio Alger book, yet it is only a terse way of summing up the life of one of the most remarkable men in Great Brit- tain to-day. The man who made that extraordinary stride, and who is not yet forty-seven years of age, is Baron Ashfield of Southwell, well known in New York and Detroit, and generally im American railway circles, as Albert Henry Stanley—poor boy who torged @head by dynamic energy and de- termination to overcome every handi- cap. That fact is stranger than fiction finds new proof in the life story of Lerd Ashfield, for no story of suc- cess hard won, visioned by such writers as Horatio Alger, ever teemed ‘with the romance that fills every page of a biography of the poor boy in Detroit who dreamed of running that city’s street railways, and when he had made that dream come true, turned to new worlds to conquer un- til he took rank with the greatest of England's men of affairs, a counsellor of the Prime Minister, a member of his Cabinet and head of a $300,000,000 business. Those who knew Albert Henry Btanley in the United States, and par ticularly those who were associated with him when he was General Mana- ger of the Public Service Corporation in New Jersey, with offices in New- ark, are not curprised at his phe- momenal rise to prominence"and pow er, nor by his elevation to the peer age. They only wonder how far his 4nd its outlook, from his humble ambitions and indefatigable activities will carry him. Some idea of the tre- mendous breadth of the man can ve oink to work his way to the top. grasped by the fact that to-day he is ‘ Chairman and General Manage~ of confidence and egotism,” he sald London's Underground Electric Rail- smiling. ways, Metropolitan District Railways, Lendon Electric Railways, Centrai Lendon Railways, City and South London Railways, London Genera! and there came a day when he was Omnibus Company, Associated Equip- ment Company and London Suburbaa one of the main lines ‘Traction Company and Chairman of out, but the Superintendent of the line the Provincial Cinematograph Thea- a labor agitator who had been given fronted with his most troublesome Abou, tres, Ltd., and a Director of the British Dyestuffs Corporation, as well as a member of the British House of Lords. This snecess ts a direc tribute to American business training, for, aa Albert Heary Stanley, Lord Ashfeld gained his education In this country, to which he came as an immigrant, like thousands and thousands of oth- ers. Albert Henry Knatterles was born in Derbyshire in 1875, but be- cause the family name was difficult of pronunciation it was changed to Stanley, even before (ne parents of the boy migrated to the United States, when he was but five years of age. The family established Itself in Detroit, where young Stanley entered the public schools. Poverty forced Stanley to work when he was but a boy, but this did not alter his determination to acquire an education and to follow in the foot- steps of hundreds of others who had found in the U ited States # land of opportunity, The pay he received as a boy in the office of the Detroit Street Railways was insufficient to the family needs, 80 young Stanley obtained a job in the stables of the company, where he could get better pay, That was in the days of horse cars, and just what his job was is best described by Lord Ashfield himself. “I was put in the stables at the end of the branch line on Woodward Ave nue,” he said. ‘Work! Jt was the hardest kind of work, I had to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning, travel clear across the city to the branch terminus, start work at 7.30 and keep at it until 10 o'clock at night.” In spite of those hours, young Stan- ley found the time to study and, in particular, he studied the business at hand. Tractions soon cast their fas: cination about him, he sald, and one day as he was musing upon his life of puccess, he resolved that be was instructed to make out @ schedule for perch on that lower rung of the ladder h, yes, I've never lacked seif- Application to his work and the dy- namic energy with which he was gift- ed soon won him small promotions He made it THE EVENING WORLD, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1923. to Ask for the Pay the job to keep him quiet, refused to put it into effect. There was an uproar and young Stanley was threat- ened and run out of the office by irate street car men, When he reported the fact to the General Superintendent, that worthy expressed sorrow that young Stanley had had so unhappy an experience. It was Stanley's) opportunity and he grasped It. “Why not give me a chance to run that branch line?’ he suggested. “What! You, a mere boy, as Super- Intendent?” the General Superinten- dent asked, amazed at the young man's audacity. Stanley persisted in his insistence that he could manage the job and his determination, as well as his record, won him the chance. Within a few years—still a mere boy—he was Gen- eral Superintendent of the Detroit railways and be was only twenty- elght when the newly formed Pubite Service Corporation of New Jersey x y <i SH ALBERT HENRY STANI Nu FNS Sateen ae \ f; VAL My "f LE? y v4 I Wy 2 (it f [ ex (( ay drafted him as General Superintend- ent of that corporation's vast system, Over in Newark they still remem- ber Stanley's arrival on the job in 1903, There had been much rain and sertous floods at Wallington and Pas- saic, and introductions were hardly over when information of this situa- tion was given Stanley. “You must make arrangements at once to rush food, clothing and other supplies to the flooded district," Stan- ley said, and sitting at his desk ho immediately began directing the for- warding of relief in 90 eMcient a manner that there began then tho great respect in which he always was held by all who came in contact with him while he was with the Public Service Corporation. Something of the character of the man is shown in that those who had close contact with him, and who were counted his best friends, soon called him affectionately “Albert,” but none ever would have dared the flippancy of calling him Al," or any other nickname The rasp of affairs and organiza- tion genius that Stanley brought to Newark s00n won him a Promotion to Genoral Manager, where he func- tioned 80 efficiently that his initial pay of $5,000 became $15,000, and he attracted such general attention that his fame became widespread among railway offciais. He had a capacity ( for work that was little hort of amazing and seemed tappiest when probloms he would summon a few of his ¢ eends und get up a quiet game of poker Mus relaxation took his mind from his busine and when, the next morning, he again gave sht to the proviems, his ree he was absorbed in tremendous prot lems that challenged all the res f bis intellect. It was typ: Stanley, too, that when he was . .9- to a Peer of England Lord ASHFIELD of Southwell - ‘ Ni : 1, il alized that his life work would be in 1920, when his elevation to the peer- England, so In 1913 he renounced his age, in recognition of bis services American citizenship and became a the war, automatically entitled him to! freshed brain unerringly found the British subject. One year later his a seat in the House of Lords, ‘ solution. contribution to English Industry was It is becauso the Baron, whether as S0 great was his success In New- Tecognized by the King, who knighted plain Mr. Stanley, Sir Albert, or Lord ark that American financial interests, him, and when the war broke out he Ashfield, never has stood still, that who were gravely concerned with the Was Sir Albert Henry Stanley. his friends in England and in the situation of London's underground Sir Albert was drafted by the Gov- United States are wondering to what railways, engaged Stanley at $25,000 ernment to assist ip organizing Eng- new success he now will advance, @ year to take charge of the British land's railway systems to the national Fame and riches and a title have come system, ihe underground in London, defense and the successful conduct of to him, but there are those who be- at tha. ume, was losing about $ the war, and in 1916 he was made a eve, particularly in view of his com- 000 @ year, yet within twelve months Lieutenant Colonel of the Engineering parative youth now, that It is little the genius of the new General Mana- and Raflway Staff, where his abilities short of inevitable that Lord Ashfield, ger had effected such efficiency that were made so evident that in the one of England's ablest men to-day, not only was there no deficit but a same year he was elected President of some day will win England's greatest comfortable surplus as well. the Roard of Trade and sworn in the honor—that of Prime Minister. The For six years Stanley went about Privy Council as Minister of Com- poor boy, Albert Henry Stanley, pe- the reorganization of the London rail first ex-American to sit)in ways, until he had charge of all the thee comaand of Premier Lloyd the British Cabinet and it may 1} underground and omnibus lines ond George, In this year he also was that he will enjoy the honor, too, was recognized as the savior of Lon- elec a member of Parllament for being the first ex-Americap to ait don's transportation systems, He re- Asliton-under-Syne, and served until the head of the British Government, \ as i merce, where all his genius was at came thi