Carl Gerlinger
Encyclopedia
Carl Gerlinger, Sr. was an American
businessperson
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
in the early 20th century.
The nephew of notable lumberman George T. Gerlinger
, Carl was born in on March 28, 1878 to George and Matline Gerlinger in Neuwiller
, Alsace-Lorraine
Germany
. He was raised in France
. In 1901, Carl came to the US as an engineer aboard a Hamburg-American Line ship. When it docked in Tacoma, Washington
, Carl was taken to the Tacoma Hospital suffering from malaria. Louis Gerlinger, Sr.
, Carl's uncle, persuaded Carl to make his home in Portland, Oregon
. There he worked for the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co. (OWR&N). In 1902, Carl moved to Dallas, Oregon
to work for the Salem, Falls City & Western Railway Company (SFC&W) owned by his uncle Louis.
In 1908, while working on in the roundhouse on a steam boiler, it exploded. His brother August Gerlinger was killed and several others were injured. Carl lost his right arm. He also temporarily lost his sight. He was laid up for over a year until he regained his sight. He decided to concentrate on inventing. Among his inventions are the oil distributor, oil retort and spark arrestors for locomotives.
Working for the Southern Pacific Railroad
(which had purchased the SFC&W once owned by Carl's uncle), he was quickly promoted and was the general foreman of the shops at Dallas).
In 1918, Gerlinger, a gifted machinist
and business leader, invested his savings into Ed Biddlle's Dallas Iron Works. A year later it became Dallas Machine & Locomotive Works which employed a dozen men. Business expanded quickly from manufacturing logging and railroad equipment. In 1920 they rebuilt nine locomotives and twelve in 1923.
Next came the Gerlinger Carrier, a machine that could load and unload lumber. This business led to the Gerlinger Carrier Company, a manufacturer of both straddle carrier
s and forklift truck
s. The company eventually merged with Towmotor and Caterpillar Tractor
in the 1950s.
In the 1970s, the business returned to family control. Today, the carriers are manufactured in nearby Salem
, by G.C.C., Inc., which is controlled by one of Carl's descendants, and run by Mark Lyman and Ron Lyman.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessperson
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the early 20th century.
The nephew of notable lumberman George T. Gerlinger
George T. Gerlinger
George T. Gerlinger was influential in the railroad and lumber products business in the U.S. state of Oregon in the early 20th century. The oldest son of Louis Gerlinger, Sr., in 1902 he organized a group of investors in Dallas, Oregon to build railroad lines in the area.In 1906, they purchased a...
, Carl was born in on March 28, 1878 to George and Matline Gerlinger in Neuwiller
Neuwiller
Neuwiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is surrounded to the north, east and south by the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft, and is roughly 7 km from Basel itself.-External links:* *...
, Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was raised in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1901, Carl came to the US as an engineer aboard a Hamburg-American Line ship. When it docked in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, Carl was taken to the Tacoma Hospital suffering from malaria. Louis Gerlinger, Sr.
Louis Gerlinger, Sr.
Louis Gerlinger, Sr. was a businessperson in the railroad and timber industries in the U.S. state of Oregon in the early 20th century. Gerlinger became involved in the railroad business comparatively late in life. He was born in Alsace in 1853. At the age of 17, he came to the United States,...
, Carl's uncle, persuaded Carl to make his home in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. There he worked for the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co. (OWR&N). In 1902, Carl moved to Dallas, Oregon
Dallas, Oregon
The city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...
to work for the Salem, Falls City & Western Railway Company (SFC&W) owned by his uncle Louis.
In 1908, while working on in the roundhouse on a steam boiler, it exploded. His brother August Gerlinger was killed and several others were injured. Carl lost his right arm. He also temporarily lost his sight. He was laid up for over a year until he regained his sight. He decided to concentrate on inventing. Among his inventions are the oil distributor, oil retort and spark arrestors for locomotives.
Working for the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
(which had purchased the SFC&W once owned by Carl's uncle), he was quickly promoted and was the general foreman of the shops at Dallas).
In 1918, Gerlinger, a gifted machinist
Machinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
and business leader, invested his savings into Ed Biddlle's Dallas Iron Works. A year later it became Dallas Machine & Locomotive Works which employed a dozen men. Business expanded quickly from manufacturing logging and railroad equipment. In 1920 they rebuilt nine locomotives and twelve in 1923.
Next came the Gerlinger Carrier, a machine that could load and unload lumber. This business led to the Gerlinger Carrier Company, a manufacturer of both straddle carrier
Straddle carrier
A straddle carrier is a non road going vehicle for use in port terminals and intermodal yards used for stacking and moving ISO standard containers. Straddles pick and carry containers while straddling their load and connecting to the top lifting points via a container spreader. These machines have...
s and forklift truck
Forklift truck
A forklift is a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials. The modern forklift was developed in the 1920s by various companies including the transmission manufacturing company Clark and the hoist company Yale & Towne Manufacturing...
s. The company eventually merged with Towmotor and Caterpillar Tractor
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
in the 1950s.
In the 1970s, the business returned to family control. Today, the carriers are manufactured in nearby Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, by G.C.C., Inc., which is controlled by one of Carl's descendants, and run by Mark Lyman and Ron Lyman.