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ersonal Sketches of Marine Men E. R. Richardson, President, Ocean Steamship Co. of Savannah By Ben K. Price Photo by Ira L. Hills Studio aIN THE appointment of E. R. Richardson as presi- 3; dent, the Ocean Steamship Co. of Savannah has selected a man whose experience in transporta- tion extends over a period of more than 35 years. He is an authority on coastwise shipping, a fact recognized at the close of the World war, when he was made federal manager of the coastwise steamship lines, then under government control. His training has been particularly comprehensive. Not only has he worked up from the bottom in steady, thorough-going stages, but. he has had experience in rail as well as marine trans- portation on the eastern and southern seaboards. Mr. Richardson’s first contact with transportation was in his home town of Marion, Va., where, upon gradu- ating from high school, he became messenger and then clerk at the local station of the Norfolk & Western rail- road. He likes to recall these days and how upon oceasion of this latter advancement, he was given an 800 per cent increase in salary, to the round sum of $40 a month. About this time occurred an event which had a bear- ing on the course of his career. The general superintend- ent of the railroad came into town one day in his private car on Official business and with him was a young secre- tary, who at once by his appearance of efficiency and general helpfulness attracted the attention of the young clerk. He seemed to be a man of tremendous im- portance, and when he left a few days later, the railroad clerk had decided he was going to have a job like that secretary. He began by studying shorthand on his own account and finally borrowed enough money to take a course at the business branch of the University of Kentucky. Upon graduating he was given an appointment as a court stenographer, but that was not the type of work he was after and shortly he was again back in the transportation business, this time as stenographer in the freight claim office of the Florida Central & Peninsula railway, Jack- sonville, Fla., under William H. Pleasants, general freight agent, with whom he later was to be closely affiliated for many years. The young southerner in due E HAS reached the presidency of this old and well known coast- wise steamship line because of his broad practical knowledge. E IS thoroughly familiar with every phase of operation as his training during more than 35 years covers both rail and marine. URING the period of government operation his unusual experience was recognized in his appointment as federal manager of coastwise lines. course became chief clerk and then secretary to Mr. Pleasants. With this step he achieved the goal of his youthful ambition, and he made good with plenty to Spare, as indicated by subsequent events. When the Florida Central was taken over by the Sea- board Air line in 1900, Mr. Pleasants, became general freight and passenger agent of the Ocean Steamship Co. of Savannah, with headquarters in New York City, and he took his secretary along. On the return of Mr. Pleas- ants to the Seaboard Air line in 1902, as traffic manager, Mr. Richardson went with him as chief clerk, and later in the same year, when Mr. Pleasants was appointed vice president and general manager of the steamship com- pany, Mr. Richardson became chief clerk. On Aug. 1, 1903, Mr. Richardson was appointed gen- eral freight agent and on May 1, 1907, freight traffic manager. When the federal government assumed con- trol of shipping lines in April, 1918, he was made as- sistant to the chairman of the coastwise steamship ad- visory committee and in September of that year was appointed assistant to the federal manager of the coast- wise steamship lines. In October, 1919, he was appointed federal manager, with 48 ships under his direction. On March 1, 1920, Mr. Richardson was elected. vice president and general manager of the Ocean Steamship company, a position he held until the past summer, when he was elected president. The company now operates seven steel vessels, with an aggregate gross tonnage of approximately 40,000 tons. In the size of vessels there is likely to be’ little change, according to Mr. Richardson, for larger vessels would preclude the quick turn-around in port which is essential to efficient operation. When the company was first organized in 1872, it had six boats, all side-wheelers, with schooner rig, some wood and some iron, with an aggregate gross tonnage of about 6500 tons and each capable of carrying 90 pas- sengers. Two of these early iron vessels were in opera- tion as late as 1900. He is a member of the Maritime association, the Rail- road club, and the Southern Society of New York. 44 MARINE REVIEw—December, 1931