History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Charles J. Ives
[C J Ives]
CHARLES J. IVES of Cedar Rapids is an illustration of a class of citizens of Iowa, starting in boyhood with only an inheritance of intellect, energy and a laudable ambition to accomplish something worth living for, has attained a high position in one of the great industries of the age. He was born in Rutland County, Vermont, October 4, 1831. He had but a limited school education, working on his father's farm until grown when he went with the crowds of gold seekers to the mining region of Pike's Peak. Returning to Iowa he obtained a subordinate position in a local office of the Burlington Railroad Company. Obtaining a knowledge of the business, in 1871 he was appointed freight agent of the first division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway Company. From this position he gained more knowledge of the growing railroad system and business then in the process of rapid development and developed the qualities required by that great industry and arose rapidly and steadily from one position to another until he had mastered the exacting problems of successful management and attained the control of the complicated business, holding the positions of president and general superintendent of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway. When he first entered its service, the entire length of the road was forty miles. Largely owing to his executive management and enterprise the system now has lines over the State aggregating 1,500 miles in length.