Arthur Chase Needles (January 10, 1867, in

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– October 26, 1936, in Roanoke, Virginia) was the president of the

Norfolk and Western Railroad The Norfolk and Western Railway , commonly called the N&W, was a US class I railroad, formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, for most of its existence. Its motto was "Precisio ...

. He was president of the railroad that had 20,000 employees across the nation, and guided the company successfully through the opening years of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

Early life and education

Needles was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and attended preparatory school at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...

Personal life

He was married in 1899 to Bessie Parker Williams of Baltimore. They had a son, John Oliver Needles. Bessie Needles died in 1923. His only daughter, Phoebe Augusta Needles (1906–1913), died at the age of 6 from

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

. "He became interested through an Episcopal minister to underprivileged children in Franklin County, Virginia, and established there the St. Phoebe's Mission, in honor of his daughter, who died as a child. For the last sixteen years of his life he virtually supported the mission, although he was himself of the

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

faith." In 1928 he married Hortense Edith Clarke of New York.

Railroad career

Needles began work at age 16 in 1882 as a rodman with the Washington, Ohio and Western Railroad. Joining the Norfolk and Western in 1883, he worked sixteen hours a day when needed as both a brakeman and yard clerk. In 1884, he was promoted to night yard clerk, and in 1887 he was promoted to yardmaster of the Radford, Virginia Division of the railroad, and for the Pocahontas Division until 1890. He was made train master of the Pocahontas Division, and the supervisor of the Clinch Valley Line. Within a few years, he was promoted to superintendent, then vice-president of the Shenandoah Division. During World War I, the federal government took over the control of the railroads, and he was made the Federal Manager under the United States Railroad Administration from June 1, 1918, to March 1, 1920, when the railroads were returned to private ownership.

Railroad president

Arthur C. Needles was the president of the Norfolk and Western railroad from 1924 to 1936. As president he worked to increase the safety of the railroad, both for employees and the public. He accepted the

E. H. Harriman Award The E.H. Harriman Award was an annual award presented to American railroad companies in recognition for outstanding safety achievements. History The award was founded in 1913 by Mary Averell Harriman, wife of the late Edward H. Harriman. Afte ...

for railroad safety in 1926. He was responsible for turning many of the tracks into double tracks to promote both safety and efficiency. He also increased electrical transport of many of the coal trains operated by the company. He was also the president of the Pocahontas Coal and Coke Company, and director of: Winston-Salem Southbound Railway Company; Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad; Fruit Growers Express Company; Mutual Fire, Marine and Inland Insurance Company; First National Exchange; Bank of Roanoke; Norfolk Terminal Authority.

Death and burial

After a short illness, he died unexpectedly of heart problems in 1936. Although a Quaker, he funeral was observed at St. John's Episcopal Church in Roanoke. Afterwards, a special train carried his body to Baltimore for interment at the family lots at Green Mount Cemetery."Final Rites Will Be Held Today for A. C. Needles."

Roanoke Times ''The Roanoke Times'' is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Lee Enterprises. In addition to its headquarters in Roanoke, it maintains a bureau in Christiansburg, ...

. October 27, 1936.

References

Bibliography

* 1913. "Needles, Arthur C."
Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America
7. * 1936. "A.C Needles, Head of N&W., Dies After 53 Years of Service."

Richmond Times-Dispatch The ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' (''RTD'' or ''TD'' for short) is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, the capital of Virginia, and the primary newspaper of record for the state of Virginia. Circulation The ''Times-Dispatc ...

. October 26, 1936. * 1936. "Final Rites Will Be Held Today for A. C. Needles."

. October 27, 1936. *1936. "Leading Executives, Others, Pay Tribute; Business Will Halt." Roanoke World-News. October 26, 1936. *1936. "Needles Began Work as a Youth." Roanoke World-News. October 26, 1936. * 1936. "Arthur Chase Needles. 1867-1936." Supplement to th
Norfolk and Western Magazine
November 1936. {{DEFAULTSORT:Needles, Arthur C. People from Roanoke, Virginia 20th-century American railroad executives Norfolk and Western Railway Predecessors of the Norfolk Southern Railway 1867 births 1936 deaths