Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-04-16
From 30 l'aa.zzai@sialia Esapt7c7
Interesting correspondencs-penn
Railroad =
LErIsR no. ",

1T. george oOtClli 1oEn l. CsSest.A4, -sN@--
} Deacon, and others:
Gentlemen Il am aware that my position
Is delicate one, and the course l am pursn-
iog liable to be misunderstood and miscon-
strued. Very rude and improper treatment
was nractised upon me on the day OF the late
election. and | am asked for the causes OF
.uch treatment. OF course [ am not aware
of the ouo-anirno of those who coneocted the
secret scheme, but presuming that it arose
from my opposition to some OF the measures
Of the President and the Board my only
course is to point out those measures, and
Leave the stockholders to judge as to the right
or wrong of my conduct. To omit this,
might imply that I guilty of improper
practices and, therefore, should keep quiet
An anonymous writer in q morning paper
asks for my reasons for not making these dis
closures at the annual meeting II he at
tended the annual meeting, he must have
seen that [ was willing to answer any ques-
tions that might be asked touching the man
agement of the institution. As for Volun-
seering those disclosures, as he calls them,
there was no necessity at that time. My
course had not then been called in question.
was then Director, and expected to be
continued Director My intention was to
battle on against the one man power, hoping
70 receiye aid from the new members.
In nv former letters, l have shown the ten
dency TO centre all the powers Of the Com
pany in the President l. is not so much the
fault of the President that he wields all the
power, as it is of the Directors Some of them
are engaged in their own extensive business
operations, and cannot give their thoughts to
the affairs of the company F; others have axes
TO grind, and are busy in contriving how
they will kill two birds with one stone, or
serve two masters at the same time. They,
in this way, allow the power to slide away IN
70 the hands of the President, and reconcile
their own consciences In defending his meas
ures. l was astonished to find that Phila-
delphia Board of Directors, baving so many
millions of dollars under their control, to be
managed for the benefit of confding stockhol-
ders. should suffer the affairs of the company
10 be transacted in so loose a manner That
they should permit President to annul their
proceedings and pursue his own independent
course. without their knowledge, even to the
appropriation of the funds of the company
(but with no improper motive, and then JUS
tify him in that course, was, to my mind, sur
rrising But perhaps l was wrong. When
was asked by the authorities Of Spring Gar
den to represent that District in the Board of
Directors, know they did not expect me to
be mere nominal Director, and it did not
suit nv disposition to be such. I had an ex-
nIted opinion of the Road and wished to make
it the best line between the East and the West.
expected to find the Company model COM
pany, and the Board model Board. l COM
menced the study of Railroads with zeal /;
traversed the route so as to understand Its
travels to Chicago and Cincinnati, to ascertain
she best and most important feeders. l sup
posed there was but one interest to promote,
viz: the interest of the Company, which must
prove to be also the interest of the City.
had no axes Of nv own to grind. had new
or beard of the '' Greenwich Land Company, -
or the 4" Allegheny Coal Company" or the
'' Westmoreland Coal Company" the
"Clesrfeld Lumber Company" or Altoona
lots, or MifI1in lots or Greensburg lots. or any
other lots, or speculations They made their
appearance in the course of my labors. If
had accepted seat in the Board for the pur-
poss of promoting my own individual interest
as well as the interest of the Board there is
no doubt that should have been more leni-
ent in my course, and not have been SO often
in the opposition. [ am not prepared to say
that Directors could not honestly serve two
masters I can only say that it would be
hard task Notwithstanding [ think some Of
nv late associates treated me very scuryily,
would not undertake to impeach the integrity
of single member of the Board. 1 com
plain of the loose manner of transacting the
affairs of the Company. And it should never
be forgotten by the managers of the large
monied institutions that If disasters occur
The effect ,tpon the Stockholders IS the same
sohetier they occur through caretessness or de-
sign.
How Directors of such an institution as this
can take the tour of Europe, no allusion tc
the President-he was authorized by the
Board to go, spend their winters in the South
and be absent from more than half the meet
ings of the Board, with proper feeling o.
responsibility, is mystery to me. In my
last letter | adverted to the Pittsburg and
Steubenville Railroad, and observed that that
Company, had never obtained from Virginia
the right of way through what is called the
Pan Handle. / have since been informed by
gentleman from Steubenville that [ was mis-
taken; that the Company has purchased the
land through which the road runs, and that the
County Courts are authorized in that State to
grant the right to cross the public roads, SC
that there is no difficulty on that score. As
observed that that road, when completed viii
be one of the most important feeders to oul
road, and form the shortest time to Cincinna-
ii. Of this there can be no doubt. The
Pittsburg people having taken hold of it IN
earnest, it is in fair way to be finished al
this season.
Respectfully, WIN NsALL
nA- TIE race for Kansas is becoming
very active both North and South, and Kan