COLLECTION NAME:
NNRy and KCC NMD Employee Profiles
Record
Employee Name:
Percy W. Hull
Profile Number:
EP-01-0017
Primary Job Title:
Paymaster
Other Job Title:
Cashier
Division:
Nevada Northern Railway
Years Worked:
1909-1944
Description:
Percy was working in Salt Lake City when he applied for the Clerk job at the Nevada Northern Railway and he was hired. He was sent a telegram to arrive as soon as possible for the position. He must have taken the train from Cobre to the East Ely depot. As Paymaster, Percy had to keep updated and comply with the Government's rules and regulations for the rail employers and employees. Filename C-08-01150, with his name on the letterhead, informs the management of a Poll Tax and has his signature. He computed daily the hours worked by the employees and distributed their pay every Friday. He kept the payroll records for 30 years! He would have known all the men and women who worked for the railway over his long years in the Paymaster role. He made many friends both at work and in the town of Ely.
Born:
June 19, 1886
Died:
October 10, 1971
Hometown:
Elko, Nevada
Burial Place:
Ely City Cemetery, Ely, NV
Personal Biography:
Percy Hull served the NNRy as its Cashier and Paymaster from its early beginnings in 1909, with 30 Years of Service awarded in 1937. In the early years of the railroad, he worked for Mark Requa, S. W. Eccles and was a pallbearer at the funeral of L. G. Cannon. When Harold Peterson was the General Manager, Percy drove Harold to the East Ely Depot each working day.
His parents were Quincy Hull and Mary (McCall) Hull. Quincy Hall, an early pioneer of Ely, was its second postmaster. Percy's brother Edward was an assistant postmaster of Ely. Percy's other brother, Walter, worked in Ely and Copper Flat and was known as the most skillful telegraph operator in Nevada.
Percy was one of the first automobile owners in Ely. In July, 1923, he purchased a Buick Sedan. It seems that while Percy was ill and at the Steptoe Hospital, he met Miss Helen Bauman, a nurse. On August 19, 1923, Percy married Helen. They drove his Buick to the Grand Canyon on their honeymoon--this was before the highways. John Lovejoy, the NNRy trainmaster was the best man in their wedding. The local news carried an article, "Wednesday afternoon employees of the Nevada Northern gathered at the office of General Manager George L. Hickey and presented Mr. and Mrs. Hull with a chest of sterling silverware and an electric percolator. Mr. Hickey made the presentation speech which was responded by Mr. and Mrs. Hull in grateful appreciation." Percy and Helen had two children: Grant and Carol.
In addition to his long career with the NNRy, Percy and C. O. Fleming built the present Ely theater on East Aultman Street, in 1916. Percy was the designer of the theater. The building had been a vaudeville hall with live entertainment and later in 1923, Percy opened it as a movie house. The original name was "Bijo" Hall. The name was supposed to be "Bijou" but Percy could not afford the letter "U" at the time. That building had a fire in 1928 and was remodeled in the Art Deco style. Percy tried later to enlarge the building but was turned down by the city planners. So, he designed and built the Central Theater. His brother Walter and nephew Warren worked as managers. The Central Theater was built from 1939 to 1941 at a cost of $80,000. The first movie was "Arizona" and was shown on March 29, 1941. Both theaters are on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1937, an article in the Las Vegas Age mentioned Percy Hull, "the present owner of the modern and up-to-date Ely theater." The article goes further by describing preparation and the use of a community radio at the theater for wartime information and instructions to the people of Ely.
His parents were Quincy Hull and Mary (McCall) Hull. Quincy Hall, an early pioneer of Ely, was its second postmaster. Percy's brother Edward was an assistant postmaster of Ely. Percy's other brother, Walter, worked in Ely and Copper Flat and was known as the most skillful telegraph operator in Nevada.
Percy was one of the first automobile owners in Ely. In July, 1923, he purchased a Buick Sedan. It seems that while Percy was ill and at the Steptoe Hospital, he met Miss Helen Bauman, a nurse. On August 19, 1923, Percy married Helen. They drove his Buick to the Grand Canyon on their honeymoon--this was before the highways. John Lovejoy, the NNRy trainmaster was the best man in their wedding. The local news carried an article, "Wednesday afternoon employees of the Nevada Northern gathered at the office of General Manager George L. Hickey and presented Mr. and Mrs. Hull with a chest of sterling silverware and an electric percolator. Mr. Hickey made the presentation speech which was responded by Mr. and Mrs. Hull in grateful appreciation." Percy and Helen had two children: Grant and Carol.
In addition to his long career with the NNRy, Percy and C. O. Fleming built the present Ely theater on East Aultman Street, in 1916. Percy was the designer of the theater. The building had been a vaudeville hall with live entertainment and later in 1923, Percy opened it as a movie house. The original name was "Bijo" Hall. The name was supposed to be "Bijou" but Percy could not afford the letter "U" at the time. That building had a fire in 1928 and was remodeled in the Art Deco style. Percy tried later to enlarge the building but was turned down by the city planners. So, he designed and built the Central Theater. His brother Walter and nephew Warren worked as managers. The Central Theater was built from 1939 to 1941 at a cost of $80,000. The first movie was "Arizona" and was shown on March 29, 1941. Both theaters are on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1937, an article in the Las Vegas Age mentioned Percy Hull, "the present owner of the modern and up-to-date Ely theater." The article goes further by describing preparation and the use of a community radio at the theater for wartime information and instructions to the people of Ely.