Boswell, H. James. American Blue Book Western Washington, Seattle, Lowman and Hanford Co., 1922. p. 213. JAMES H. O'NEILL, General Manager of the Great Northern Railway, is conceded to be one of the ablest railway executives in the Northwest. Mr. O'Neill is a native of Canada, where he was born in 1872, and since a lad of thirteen has made his own way through life. He entered the service of the Great Northern years ago, when as a boy he carried water for a section gang. He then became a section hand at $1.20 per diem. Later he obtained a position as freight brakeman, and still later was advanced to conductor, serving in the latter position twelve years. He next went into the company's accounting department in St. Paul, remaining eight or nine months, following which he became trainmaster, with headquarters in Great Falls, Mont. Next he became division superintendent, at Havre, Mont. Still later he became superintendent of the Cascade division, with headquarters in Everett, Wash. After seven years in that office he was advanced to assistant general superintendent of the company's western division. In 1912, Mr. O'Neill was made general superintendent, with headquarters in Seattle. Next he advanced to the position of assistant general manager, and today he is General Manager of the same railroad with which he began work in his boyhood days as a section gang water carrier at fifty cents a day. The marked advancement accorded to this distinguished official indicates very clearly what I have at all times contended-that a man who begins a thing in earnest, and who devoted his best efforts of the work in hand will succeed where others meet with failure. Mr. O'Neill married Miss Bernice C. McKnight in 1908, and the couple have three children, two girls and a boy. Mr. O'Neill is a mamber of the Seattle Transportaion club. Submitted by: Judy Bivens * * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.