THORNWELL MULLALLY

MULLALLY, THORNWELL, Assistant to the President, and acting head of the United Railroads, San Francisco, California, was born at Columbia, S. C., January 17, 1868, the son of Francis P. and Elizabeth K. (Adger) Mullally. His father, an Irishman by birth, was a distinguished Presbyterian clergyman of South Carolina, while his mother was an Adger, an old Southern family of that State. Their son Thornwell came to San Francisco from New York in 1906.

Mr. Mullally attended Adger College, S. C., the University of South Carolina and the Hopkins Grammar School, New Haven, Conn. He was graduated from Yale in ’92. While here he was an editor of the Yale Literary Magazine, a member of the “Scroll and Key” Senior Society, and represented Yale in a debate against Harvard in 1892. The faculty awarded him the Thomas Glasby Waterman prize for scholarship, which was given to the man who, in addition to his general high scholarship, in the opinion of the faculty, gave the best promise for the future. He was graduated from the New York Law School and supplemented that course at the Law School of the University of Virginia, following which he was admitted to the bar of New York City and became a member of the firm of Atterbury & Mullally.

Until early in the year 1906 Mr. Mullally was an active practitioner in New York, where he became identified with important interests connected with his legal duties, as well as independent of them. But, although he established in that city a reputation for legal and executive ability, he was destined to play a leading part elsewhere as assistant to the president of the United Railroads of San Francisco. He moved to that city in 1906.

As a record of achievement, both during and immediately following the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906, the work of the United Railroads, as represented by its acting head, Thornwell Mullally, is unique in the annals of industrial accomplishment. From the first moment of realization of what was happening he was the personification of courage, energy and decision. Almost immediately he recognized the immense responsibility resting upon him, and through all the confusion and obstruction of the days that followed he was obsessed with the sense of his duty to restore the transportation of the city of San Francisco.

Mr. Mullally was appointed a member of the Committee of Fifty, which temporarily took over the government of the city. He converted numbers of his uniformed Carmen into patrolmen, who proved very effective in preventing disorder. As chairman of the transportation committee of the Committee of Fifty he was able to aid materially in the removal of debris and upbuilding the city, and by his heroic efforts in saving some of the power houses from fire and dynamite and in pushing forward the work of reconstruction of the lines, it was possible not only to continue a small part of the car service the day after the temporary cessation, to run the first car on Saturday, April 21^st, or three days after the first shock. Through he Mayor, he placed the entire car service at the disposal of the city, and for days passengers were carried free of charge. He also brought in the first lot of food supplies to reach the city. To quote from General Greely’s report: “Considering the difficulties encountered, the most remarkable accomplishment of reconstruction and re-establishment of car service known in street railway history was here exemplified by the United Railroads of San Francisco.”

Mr. Mullally has continued in Mr. Calhoun’s absence, to act as the latter’s representative and head of the corporation. The property, it is conceded even by its enemies, is magnificently administered. The rolling stock is of the highest grade and the service of the finest. He has taken an active part in the commercial and social life of the city, wherein he is known for his positive character, courtesy and tact. He is also a prominent and popular member of the leading clubs and associations, both here and elsewhere, among them the University Club and Bar Association of New York, and the Pacific-Union, Bohemian, Family and University Clubs of San Francisco.

Mr. Mullally is a director of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a member of its various committees, acting director of concessions, and was active in Washington in security recognition of the Exposition by the United States Government.

Transcribed by Donna L. Becker

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition, Page 106, 1913.

California Biography Project

San Francisco County

California Statewide

Golden Nugget Library