BIO: Charles M. Bissell; New York State
surname: Bissell

submitted by W. David Samuelsen (no relation)
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Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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An Illustrated Legislative Manual
The New York Red Book
Containing the Portraits and Biographies of the U.S. Senators, Governor, State
Officers and Members of the Legislature; also with the Portraits of Judges and
Court Reporters, the New Constitution of the State, Election and Population
Statistics, and General Facts of Interest.
By Edgar L. Murlin
New Constitution Compiled by R. C. Cumming, O. L. Potter and F. B. Gilbert
Published, Albany, J. B. Lyon Company, Publishers, 1909

Copyright by J. B. Lyon Company, 1909

     Charles M. Bissell, Fiscal Supervisor of State Charities, was appointed
to his present position on June 4, 1907, by Governor Hughes.

     For seven years prior to that time he had served as Commissioner of
Public Works in the city of Albany, having been first appointed to that
position upon its creation by the White charter, and had received three
successive reappoi nt ments. 

     As Commissioner of Public Works the task of reorganizing t he old
departments of parks., streets and water into one depart ment had develoved
upon him as the first incumbent of the new office. His successful
accomplishment of the reorganization and his satisfactory administration of
the new depart went made the Albany Department of Public Works the model for
all cities of the second class in the State of New York.

     Mr. Bissell was born in Pittstown, Rensselaer County where he was
educated in the public schools and received his first business experience as a
grocer's clerk. In his youth his taste for railroading asserted itself and he
obtained the position of switchman on the old Troy and Boston railroad, and by
close application and fidelity he was advanced gradually to the position of
conductor and finally to that of cashier of that company.

     in 1870 Mr. Bissell resigned as cashier of the Troy and Boston company
to accept a position as conductor on the Hudson River Railroad and two years
later was selected to he superintendent of the New York and Harlem Railroad,
where his work was so satisfactory that in 1881 he was appointed
superintendent of the Hudson River and Harlem divisions, the New York and
Harlem Rail road having been absorbed by the New York Cent ral and made a
division. In 1888 the New York Central Railroad was redivided into an eastern
and western division, the east ern division extending from New York city to
Syracuse, including the old Hudson River and the Mohawk divisions. Mr. Bissell
was selected as the superintendent of the new eastern division, resigning as
superintendent of the Harlem.

     In 1890 the eastern division was restored to its old divisions, the
Hudson River and the Mohawk. Mr. Rissell remaining as superintendent of the
Mohawk division.

     In 1891 Mr. Bissell resigned from the New York Central Railroad to
engage in manufact uring, but a few years later he returned to railroading as
general manager in charge of the work of completing and operating the Find
lay, Fort Wayne and Western Railroad, as the representative of John Jacob
Astor.

     With the enactment of the White charter for the government of cities Of
the second class, the abolition of  the Park Commission, Water Commis- sion
and Commissioner of Streets, and the consolidation of their functions in the
Department. of Public Works, there was demanded the appointment of a capable,
practical man as its chief, and the Hon. James H. Blessing, who was the first
mayor of Albany under the White charter, selected Mr. Bissell for the
position.