The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-07-16
From the Erie Dispttch.
Remove.
PRESENTATION TO suP'T PIrcA1RG.

RENov6, Saturday night July3.
This evening the retiring Superintendent
of the Middle Division of the Philadelphia
& Erie Railroad, John Pitcairn, Jr., Esq,
was presented with gold watch aud chain
worth $500. The employees of the division
to the number of about two hundred, met ct
Z p. NJ. in the waiting room of the passen-
ger station. Mr.. VIM. Barkla, Chairman, OF
the presentation committee, consisting OF
Messrs. Foster, Holman and kapp, was APP
pointed to escort Mr.. Pitcairn to the room.
On his arrival and introduction the Chairman
called on Mr. w. r. Forysth chief clerk of
the NJ =. Dept to make the presentation
sreech, which he did as follows:
Mr.. PIrcAtRN:-I have the honor to ad-
dress you in behalf of the employees of the
Middle ITv,S;,,n, v,s;nn of the Philadelphia & Erie
Railroad, on the occasion Oh yO~, e'''''al re-
tirement from amongst us. Not very long
have you been with us, but it is said, that
''time and tide wait for no man," and that
"taken at its food leads on to fortune" We
congratulate you on having been able to
avail yourself at the opportune moment of
each tidal wave of prosperity, as it has ap-
peared to bear you onward and upward in
your official career. We regret your depart
ure and shall miss you from your midst, but
we would not be selfish enough to desire to
stay your retreating footsteps, when they are
irdubitably pointed, as on the present occa-
sion, to increased honor and advantage.
During your residence amongst us, while
your management of the Middle Division has
been entirely successful, your official inter-
course with the employees has been no less so
from the firm, quiet, gentlemanly, and unos-
tentatious manner of its performance; and
while the former has brought its merited pro-
motion, the latter has no less won the esteem
of those with whom you have had to deal
You will thus carry away with you no regrets
to mar your pleasure or disconcert your ac-
ton in your more extended sphere of manage
ment, while at the same time you will leave
the division the better for your residence
within its limits.
Many improvements have been commenced
! and carried on or finished during the period
of your administration, and more or less, un-
der your auspices and assistance, having in
view the welfare of the road, or the benefit
of the community at large. They will rcadi-
| ly occur to yourself as they will to your
| friends-memories of the jealous officer or
the worthy citizen. To one of these, how
| ever, Immediately connected with our town,
but open to the employees along the whole
division, may he excused for referring for
q moment. Although believe not the orig
inator, it is one on which much of your indi-
vidual effort was bestowed, backed up by the
assistance of your worthy General Superin-
tendent and others. | refer to the Remove
Reading Room and Library Association AL.
though but recently planted among us, it is
an acorn which bids fair rapidly to attain to
the vitality of the sturdy oak and as from
year to year under its ever spreading branches
shall be enjoyed intellectual feasts, increased
and still increasing in value and variety,
| will ho ha plnocuro m know that thp
| first name, at its constitutional foundation
is none other than your own:
| And now, sir, at parting, the employees of
the Middle Division, with unanimity along
| the whole line, from Remove to Kane, which
tells its own story, have united in procuring
small, but more substantial token of their
regard than the utterance of q few words can
convey, and they have entrusted to me the
pleasure of requesting in their name, your
acceptance of this mark Of their esteem.
Its procurement was cordially undertaken.
it is cordially rendered to you in their behalf
with their best wishes for your future pros
perity and happiness. May 1t denote TO you,
in its future use, many golden hours of unal-
loyed pleasure and full share of their earth
ly allotment and when Time that now flies
as on pinions of wind, still leaving the past
with its pleasures behind, at last shall he
stopped in the speed of his flight, and shalt
launch us into the eternity of another state
Of existence, may it be to you, and to each
of us, state of unalloyed happiness, Of ncv-
er ending 10y.
Mr. Pitcairn replied
| 'MR. FORSYTH AND GENTIEMEN:-In few
days ! shall leave you, having withdrawn
from the service of this company You have
taken the occasion of our parting to make
our association memorable by very valuable
testimonial ofyour regard. Although can
not help but own that such substantial .ev-
idence of your appreciation of my efforts is
exceedingly gratifying, and will be contin-
ual reminder of the few years we have spent
together, can truly say that you have al
ready given me still greater evidence of your
esteem by your hearty cooperation in making
the management of the Middle Division
success and would ask for my successor the
same cordial support you have extended to
ME. My endeavor has been to treat all just
| ly, and with the consideration to which eve
ry man is entitled. You have appreciated
my efforts and responded to my utmost de-
sire. Feeling that This testimonial is an act
of friendship and regard, accept it as such,
and shall always look back to this day with
| pleasure, in the assurance of having so many
friends, and with the keenest regret as having
to part with them."
At the close of the reply, Mr.. Pitcairn in
vited all his friends, both present and absent
to dinner in the Remove Dining Room, on
next Monday, after which tie meeting adj
journed.
The following is the inscription on the
watch:
"From the employees of the Middle Dvi-
sion of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, to
John Pitcairn, Jr., Superintendent, on his
resignation, as a mark of their esteem and
well wishes. Remove, July lst, 1862"