The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-26
.xonn w. Garrett, President OF the
baltimore and Ohio Railroad Conn

iHHJ'
George Alfred Townsend has been writing
for the Chicago Tribune some sketches OF
rho wealthy men of Baltimore. From his
biography Of John ". Garrett we condense
the following:
He thought to be worth two millions Of
,,rnpertv. besides great prospective wealth
~ coal lands and wood lands. The pafer-
,aI grandfather Of John W. Garrett cmigra-
tnd from the north OF Ireland TO Cumber-
iond PENNSYLVANIA His maternal grand
Sthcr was Henry Stoier, a Pennsylvania
German. who came TO Baltimore in 1854.
Mir. CARROTS father, Robert, built up 4
Ia~rn business a. q merchant, banker, and
sh;Hper. in the cit! Of Baltimore, and was
renowned in his day for commercial integ-
yity and enterprise. and he founded the
hnisn of Robert Garrett & Sons. The
prr.ldcnt was educated at Princeton Col
loco. aud he is Presbyterian, like his an
Jnhn ". Garrett is large and corpulent,
n,onrh active. lie has light gray hair and
mail crrr.v s,dc-whiSkerS. keen, blush gray
r,rs rather sharp features, and an abund-
amer Of dImpleS. His address is bland and
aHahle, He is a good conversationaiist, and
\ personatiye speaker. In early life he was
even A poet, and John 2. Kennedy and
other literary men Of Maryland have been
his warnrst associates. Though an obsti-
nate and conservative worshipper Of Mary
Land and particularly Of Baltimore, Gar
rctt broke. At an early day, from his family
traditions. which were Democratic, and
acted with the Wing party; still he Is a
trec-trader. He was on equally intimate
terms with James Buchanan, Edwin NJ.
stanton, and Abraham Lincoln. Buchanan
was friend OF his father.
simon Cameron had used all his pertina-
cjouS ics,itry to break up the Baltimore
road: had refused or blocked its accounts,
and had nearly paralyzed it. He was per-
u,tually striving 10 take advantage of the
nearly helpless relation Of Maryland inter-
r>'> 10 the political administration, in order
70 exlurt from the Tears Of Mr.. Garrett 81
concession Of another railroad which Came
ron should control or possess. Garretts an
.wer invariably was:
The people Of Maryland and the stock
holders Of this road could have no respect
for NE if I entered into any private rela-
t.on> Of the kind you name"
Air. Lincoln was once appealed to by n
dcpu;atiou of alleged Baltimore Republl-
cans TO take the road out of the hands Of
CARROTS CORPORATION for pSeudo-political
reasons. Montgomery Blair was prevailed
upon to introduce The delegation, but when
he heard them begin their speech, he said :
Il was unaware of the objects Of these
gentlemen, and l have been imposed
upon"
IS well. am glad OF II chance TO say some
thing 10 these gentlemen. When any or all
Of YOU have done half az much to aid this
Government as John ". Garrett, L may
consider your request
Lncoln's relations with Carrot began
with his election, when he sent his acdnt
courier to Baltimore to consult with the
railroad president as to the safety and con-
Yenience of going through the town. l
give the words of Nj. Garrett in reply,
without indorsing his Judgment, though
doubtless it was his conscientious belief /:
Tell the President-elect," he said, "that
we shall he prompt, we shall be proud to
receive him and welcome him. There is
10 danger whatever. ! have never met 4
political character in my life, and l did not
vote for Mr.. Lincoln, but Twill take my car
and meet him at the Ohio river, and be re-
spUnsiOle for his entertainment and delivery
At The capital. Instead of going through
tie North, he ought to 60 through the
South, and calm the feeling there. If he
will rid" over our road and stop at Har-
per's Ferry; and right there, i'll the engine
house Of John Brown, where the war be-
gan, make II speech tor peace and union,
lie will silence every brawler in the South.
! understand that this message was dis
cusSed, and that Cassius Clay, amongst
others, supported it; but other counsels
prevailed. was never more surprised in
my life when Mrs. Lincoln and the family
arrived here quietly at the depot, to find
the President had passed ahead in the dark.
] still entertain the belief, and | have told
Mr. Lincoln so, that had he frankly and
openly entrusted himself to the hospitality
and sclf-respect OF Baltimore, it would have
had moral power for peace in our COM
munty and in the South. But counsels OF
distrust prevailed, and it looked ominous
from that hour"
The policies and the spiritual defiicien-
ces OF Mr.. Garrett arise from his race and
avocation. Two strong but conservative
and mercantile types meet in hin-the
Scotch-lrish and the Pennsylvania Ger
man. His enterprise, assiduity, large COM
mcrcial character, and patriotism of To-
caIty. are the Scotch traits; his vigilance,
thrift, honesty, and equipoise, are the Ger
man traits; between the two he drives his
clear head and physical vigor. This type OF
man is likely to have more impact and live
weight than genius, and the sentimental.
ties and reforming propensitles enter
sparinglv into his religion. Sagacious,
not sensitive more vigilant than retlec-
tive, unknown TO melancholy, perpetu-
ally and materially ambitious, he is
what he il, the organizer and energizer OF
highway, the devoted believer in bis city,
the master Of his situation. He is the A.
r. Stewart, OF Baltimore, upon more rud-
dy, more generous, and more comprehen-
siye scale, but equally solid, real, and cau-
tious. He has now twelve thousand men
In the employ Of his road. Although COM
yelled TO conduct an uuflinching rivalry
with the great parallel interests Of Penn
sylyana and New York, Garrett never
stoopS TO cunning, TO corruption, nor to
persecution. He is q business adversary,
not an enemy and, above all men of my
observation, is the most serenely assured
that chicanerv can never prevail over con-
saientious industry.
NO railroad has been compressed between
such heavy tires-the national lobby at
Washington onthe one hand, and the Penn
syNanla interest on the other.
The only national success the latter has
gained is the concession of a second line
from baltimore to Washington, which every
one will admit to be necessary. This might
have been prevented had MI. Garrett re-
lievcd the Northern Central passengers
from delay and detention in Baltimore but
he always resists, and this is fault in his
character. some things had better be con-
ccdctl, even at Il present apparent loss. The
new road is several miles longer than his
own, and will be confined to freight car
riagc chiefly. His successes over the Penn
sylyania road are all legitimate and impor-
tant. The ConnellsvDle concession was op-
posed by that company for twenty-three
years, to the injury of all Western Pennsyl-
yania. The same road has embarrassed the
completion of his bridges at Wheeling and