Milnor Peck Paret, Sr.

Lake Charles American Press, August 17, 1936:

M. P. PARET, 79, NOTED RAILROAD BUILDER, IS DEAD
Rites for Local Business Man at 4 P. M.--
K.C.S., M. & O. Among Feats.

        Funeral services for M. P. Paret, 79 years old, prominent Lake Charles business man and railroad engineer of national repute, will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the family residence, 904 Broad St. The Rev. Caleb B. K. Weed of New Orleans, former rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, will officiate. Interment will be in Goos cemetery with Burke and Trotti, in charge.
        Pallbearers will be Frank Hereford, Lisle Peters, N. S. North, Elmer Shutts, Terrell Woosley, and Vance Plauche.
        Mr. Paret died at his home at 3:10 a.m. Sunday.
        Chief engineer in the construction of the Kansas City Southern railroad from Kansas City to Port Arthur, and of the Mexico and Orient line from Kansas City to Tampico, Mr. Paret ranked high among railroad engineers of her period.

Comes Here in 1917

        Mr. Paret came to Lake Charles to reside permanently in 1917 and his ability immediately became recognized in business circles. He served as a director of the First National bank for almost 20 years and was also on the board of directors of Murray-Brooks Hardware company, Lock-Moore Lumber company, Edgemore Land and Logging company, and the Swift Coal and Timber company. During the World war he served as chairman of the Calcasieu parish council of defense.
        He was married to Miss Letitia Lock, member of a pioneer family here, October 25, 1898.
        Mr. Paret was born in Pierpont Manor, N. Y., July 17, 1857, the son of an Episcopal minister. He attended elementary schools in Elmira, N. Y., and Williamsport, Pa. In 1878 he received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Lehigh university. He was a member of Sigma Phi fraternity.

Engineering Career

        Mr. Paret's engineering career, which extended from the time of his graduation to his retirement in 1923, saw him hold positions in many parts of the United States. For five years, he was an assistant engineer in the United States government service at Baltimore. Then after a year of private practice in Baltimore, he became assistant engineer of the Lehigh Valley railroad and of the Schuylkill Valley railroad.
        From 1887 to 1890 Mr. Paret served as chief engineer in the construction of the Kansas City southern railway. In 1890 he became chief engineer for the Mexico and Orient railroad, a position he held until 1910.

Joins I. C. C.

        After three years of private practice in Kansas City, he was appointed district engineer of the Pacific coast division of the Interstate Commerce commission with headquarters in San Francisco and served in this capacity from 1913 to 1917.
        Moving to Lake Charles in 1917, Mr. Paret assumed management of the estate of the late Capt. George Lock. He supervised the construction of the Lock playgrounds after they were given to the city by Mrs. Lock.

Writes for Journals

        He contributed to engineering magazines of technical subjects and aided the work of the Association of Commerce. His active part in Boy Scout activities made him well-known to youths of Lake Charles.
        Mr. Paret is survived by his wife, two sons, M. P. Paret, Jr., of Midland, Texas, and Lock Paret of Lake Charles; two daughters, Mrs. Charles Richardson and Miss Helen Paret, both of Lake Charles; and a sister, Mrs. Addie Atwater of Baltimore.

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