[Half-tone, one column-sixth of a page, full-face picture of Mr. Akerlind.]

The man whose picture we present today has for the last seven years been chief of the drafting department of the Rock Island Railroad which is concerned with the design of locomotives and cars; and the great improvements which have been effected in the rolling stock of this road indicate that the department has been in able hands.

Gustaf A. Akerlind was born in Gasinge parish, Sodermanland, Sweden, March 21, 1856. In 1879 he entered the Technical Institute of Stockholm and graduated after having worked his way through the school. In 1887 he emigrated to America, and experienced considerable hardships to start with, for employment was not plentiful at that particular time.

He stayed for some time in New York, then moved to Philadelphia, and came 2finally to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a draftsman from 1889 to 1891 for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Early in 1892 he obtained a position with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company (The Big Four), and remained until the end of the year when he went to work in the construction department of Brooks Locomotive Works of Dunkirk, New York.

In January, 1896, he was offered the position as chief of the mechanical drafting department of the Rock Island Railroad; he accepted and took over the position that same month. In 1894 Locomotive Engineering, one of the leading technical publications in the country, arranged an international prize contest for the construction plans of the locomotive that would provide the greatest measure of safety and convenience for both engineer and fireman. More than sixty designers entered the contest, and Akerlind won one of the three prizes which were awarded. In addition, his work received special mention as "the most original design".

He has taken out patents on several devices, among which is the "car transom", 3that is now in use on all freight cars used by the Rock Island Railroad. It was only recently that he left this company for an even more attractive position with the Chicago Malleable Iron Works, but no sooner had he taken over his new duties than another offer came along, which tops them all, and we understand Mr. Akerlind has as yet not decided whether or not to accept. Evidently the services of this able engineer are greatly in demand. It may be added that he is still a bachelor.