Julius Kruttschnitt I

Julius Kruttschnitt (July 30, 1854 – June 15, 1925) was an American railroad executive of German descent. He joined the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1885 and was its vice president from 1898 to 1913 and then served as chairman of the executive committee until his retirement in May 1925. He also served as vice president of the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railway and the Texas and New Orleans Railroad and as president of the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway. He was one of five railroad executives on the Railroads' War Board during World War I.

Early life Julius Kruttschnitt was born on July 30, 1854, at the family home on Prytania and Philip streets in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Penina (née Benjamin) and John K. Kruttschnitt. His mother's family were from South Carolina and his father was of German descent. His father was the German consul in New Orleans. His uncle was U.S. senator and Confederate leader Judah P. Benjamin. Kruttschnitt attended city schools in New Orleans. He graduated as a civil engineer with a Bachelor of Science from Washington and Lee University in 1873.

On October 1, 1885, Kruttschnitt joined the Southern Pacific Railroad as assistant general manager of its Atlantic system, including lines east of El Paso, Texas. On July 1, 1889, he became general manager of those lines and later general manager of the entire system. In 1898, he became the fourth vice president of the railroad. He served under the railroad's president E. H. Harriman. From 1901 to 1904, he was assistant to the railroad's president. In 1913, the companies were separated by the government and Kruttschnitt stayed with the Southern Pacific and moved his offices to New York City. He then became the chairman of the executive committee and director of the company. He was a member of the executive committee of the Association of Railway Executives and the American Railway Association. He was buried at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.