Selections From The Splinters - Volume 14

P 175

APPOINTMENT AND RESIGNATION

OF

LEWIS KINGMAN, 2nd. CHIEF ENGINEER.

The only documentary source of information relating to Mr. Kingman's appointment is taken from his family history as follows:

In December, 1881, F W Smith wired me to come in as soon as possible as Holbrook had resigned and that I had been appointed Acting Chief Engineer. I arrived in Albuquerque, N.M. on the 29th and took the office on the 1st of January, 1882, and became Chief Engineer in fact as well as by consent. I was given full charge of construction and things in my department ran smoothly. I appointed W A Drake Resident Engineer, in charge of construction at the front, the place I had occupied for a year and a half.

That things were not going particularly well between him and Geral Superintendent F W Smith can be surmised from the following material found in the A&P files:

          THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
No.           Sent by     Rec'd by            Check
01116.          Z.A.        A.N.              65 DH.
Received at 109 State Street, Boston, 251
                              Mch 9, 1883.

Dated Albuquerque, N.M. 9

To - H C Nutt, Pres't, 87 Milk St, Boston.
     I hereby tender my resignation to take effect
Saturday, March 31st, at six o'clock P.M.  Any
Papers you wish me to sign should be signed before;
Drake can help any one you wish placed in charge,
He is a good man.  Things are not pleasant
here.  I do not like my surroundings and the
sooner it is ended the better pleased I shall be.
                     L. Kingman.

Page 175 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump

page 176

        ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
                   WESTERN DIVISION
                Engineering Department.

Lewis Kingman
  Chief Engineer.     Albuquerque, NM Mar 14, 1883.

H C Nutt, President, 87 Milk St., Boston, Mass.

Dear Sir:
     On March 9th 10:25 AM I sent you a telegram
as follows:

     I hereby tender my resignation to take ef-
     Fect Saturday March thirty-first, six o'cl.
     P.M.  Any papers you wish me to sign should
     Be signed before;  Drake can help any one
     You wish placed in charge, he is a good man.
     Things are not pleasant here.  I do not like
     My surroundings and the sooner it is ended
     The better pleased I shall be.
                       Lewis Kingman.

   Not hearing anything in reply I send you this
By mail.

                       Yours truly,
                            Lewis Kingman
                                 Chief Engineer.

Page 176 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump

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