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Personal Sketches of Marine Men Alton B. Sharp, President, Eastern Steamship Lines Inc. By Ben K. Price T THE age of. 42; with a back- ground of administrative experi- ence, he heads one of the largest coast- wise steamship companies. HARD worker and a keen student, he served as assistant comptroller of the shipping board until 1928 when he joined the Eastern lines. N ADDITION to years of close con- tact with practical operation, he brings to his duties a mind trained in business and law. HEN Alton B. Sharp recently became presi- dent of the Eastern Steamship Lines Ine., Boston, he arrived at an important milepost in a rough and circuitous journey that began = 42 years ago on a farm in northern Michigan. It has been a journey that has taken him from the farm to the iron mines of northern Minnesota, to the railroad camps in the Rockies of British Columbia, then back again to Michigan for university training through two years in the navy during the World war, and then to Washington, with the United States shipping board, where he began in earnest his climb to his present posi- tion of eminence in the maritime world, Throughout his entire career there have been the dominating evidences of hard work, for what he achieved he has had to do himself by dint of labor and study. As a youngster, if he weren’t driving a delivery wagon to make money to complete his preliminary schooling, he was cutting wood and selling it, or packing ice, or keep- ing a cow and selling the milk; and later on, if he weren’t working in the mines to carry him through his higher education, he was digging ditches, or railroading, or working in fresh water shipyards, the latter, incident- ally, his first real contact with the marine industry. Born in Benzie county, Michigan, in the northwest part of the lower peninsula, in 1892, he received his high school training there, and in 1911 took a commer- cial course at Ferris institute, Big Rapids, Mich. Fol- lowing work in the Minnesota iron mines he spent two years in British Columbia on construction work for the Grand Trunk Pacific Transcontinental railway, now the Canadian National, advancing from timekeeper to camp boss. He entered the University of Michigan in 1914, study- ing business administration, When this country became involved in the World war he enlsted in the navy and was assigned to work on the seized German ship VarTer- LAND, now the American liner LreviatTHAN, Later he was commissioned an esign, advancing to lieutenant. In 1919 he entered the service of the United States shipping board in Washington and was assistant comp- troller when he left at the end of 1928 to take the posi- tion of assistant to the president of the Eastern Steam- ship lines, from which he was later advanced to the comptrollership and finally to the presidency. While in Washington Mr. Sharp devoted time to fur- ther academic study and received his A. B. degree from the University of Michigan. Later he studied at George Washington university, from which he received an L. L. B. degree, and became a member of the bar of the District of Columbia, Hence with this background of administrative and legal training in addition to his actual experience in ma- rine shipping, it is not surprising that Mr. Sharp has attained his present position of prominence in one of the largest coastwise transportation companies in the United States, while still a relatively young man; too, perhaps, this rounded training explains his rapid ad- vancement to the presidency within virtually five years of the time when he first became affiliated with the or- ganization, In his present position, Mr. Sharp not only heads this large coastwise organization, an amalgamation of eight steamship lines, but one that has its roots in the early history of American shipping. Its oldest line, the Boston-Bangor, had its origin in 1834, and another, the Boston-Saint John, two years later, in 1836. Several others had their origin more than 50 years ago, Incident- ally, the Boston-Bangor is believed to have owned and operated the first iron, seagoing, propeller ship to have been built in the United States—the steamer Bancor in 1844, Mr. Sharp is a member of several clubs and is ac- tive in numerous maritime organizations. He resides in Wellesley Hills, near Boston; is married and the father of two young boys. He plays golf and is an enthusiastic fisherman and hunter, MARINE REVIEwW—May, 1934 39