Charles Sanger Mellen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles Sanger Mellen (August 16, 1852 – November 17, 1927) was president of New Haven Railroad, Northern Pacific Railway 1897-1903 and Boston and Maine Railroad.

Mellen was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on August 16, 1852. His family soon moved to Concord, New Hampshire where he attended high school, graduating in 1867. Rather than attending college, he began his railroad career as a clerk at the Northern New Hampshire Railroad in Concord. After a short time at the Central Vermont Railroad and back to the Northern New Hampshire Railroad, he moved to the Boston and Lowell Railroad where he was promoted to Superintendent. Further promotions led to his position as General Traffic Manager and then to General Manager of the New York and New England Railroad in 1892. Later that year, he became a Vice President of the New Haven Railroad. In this position Mellen met with J. Pierpont Morgan of the New York Central Railroad, who soon became an ally in railroading in New England.^[1]

In 1897 Mellen was chosen to lead the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) as President. Under his leadership, NP's gross revenue increased by 156%. Upon his resignation from NP in 1903, Mellen then became president of New Haven Railroad. His presidency at the New Haven was marked by a period of expansion that would eventually prove to be a factor in the railroad's future financial troubles.^[1]

He also served as president of Maine Central Railroad from 1910 to 1914.^[2]

[edit] References

Preceded by Edwin Winter	President of Northern Pacific Railway 1897 – 1903	Succeeded by Howard Elliott
Preceded by '	President of New Haven Railroad 1903 –	Succeeded by '
Preceded by '	President of Maine Central Railroad 1910 – 1914	Succeeded by '