The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-03
GEORGE HUDSON, TEE RAILWAY KING
From the London Times, Dec. 10. !

From the London Times, Dec 1871
We have to record to- day the death of one whose
name has been long used to point the moral OF
vaulting ambition and unstable fortune. new
generation has arisen since George Hudson was the
Railway King. Those to whom his face and figure
and voice. familiar who added to the crush al
his entertainments and listened to or retaed the
anecdotes respecting him. are TO be found only
among the middle-aged members Of the House of
Commons or the most seasoned frequenters of Lon
don society. There was a time when not to know
him was to argue ones self unknown; now he is
only tradition. 1t often happens that man who
has been famous IN the past energies from long
obscurity in the newspaper paragraph which an
nounces his death The first impulse is to exclaim
'Has he really been alive all this time9n Some
George HUDSON OF the old times what he did and
what was done for him, his wealth, his grandeur
and MS ial. HIS social preceded his political DIS
years after he ceased 70 be the Railway King. the
arblter OF capitalists and the companion Of the
railway mania in 1861 He was dethroned, like so
many other sovereiens, IN the revolutionary period
away and q short time since a sub bafsS
him. The Judgment Of the World on his moral co1
duct was such that his social financial influence
have made another fortune. To the last he was
energetic and enterpr,sing, even to audaciV. 10
difficulty, no speculation by Its danger. But after
his great fan he obliged to content himself with
good deal abroad and was understood to be con.
cerned IN Continental enterprises. From the sequel
rey were the st den his a
led to fortune, but he was afterwards stranded
ana aeeT Of ne Gsr n sSo @ no
that he touched TO gold; In after years his name
'G rS i've wpSS Gn
which cringed TO HIM and nattered him, avenged
itself by excessive and savage reprobation. It's
covery that he had really nothing ieft see how how
H. gotten gains vanish p exclaimed these mOrasts
two hundred thousand pounds he would not have
been so guilty. WHAT man can hold the world as
credit a successful man would then have stood Its
ground, and success covers multitude OF sins. 1t
deny his faults merely because he is dead but it Is
fair 10 notice that 70 the last he had warm friends
and that these were among the men who knew him
The history OF the railway enterprise in England
S Sne that oas s one when Oas
revOlutionzed tue habits OF men and the relations
OF kingdoms: No change IN the history OF the
world greater han the change which was effected
when George Stephens0ns locomotive first ran
upon rails with passengers behind It. Yet for many
years this great discovery was but little applied in
the country which produced 1t. In the United States
1t was seized upon at once, and In rough wav
states with railways. Here there was a tremendous
conservative influence against it, England was too
tions RaiW avs would ruin the coaching interest,
annihilato our unrivalled breed OF horses, put an
end 10 hunting and other country sports produce q
democratic mixture OF classes. poison me air and
destroy vegetation by the noxiOus efiluva or the
man was ready to oppose the construction cf any
such WORKS in his nelgnborhoOd, unless indeed, he
was enormously compensated for the land taken,
and then his scruples vanished wonderfully Our
seats OF learning aud chief schools protested ener
geca against tue sae ss OF bringing railway
ten years after the principle was scientifically de-
monstrated the advance made was small; some main
umid, tentative and feeble. Ii Is characteristic OF
the English people that, though they are slow 10
adopt new tnlng, their activity and enthusiasm
are wonderful when they do take to it at last. SO
it was with railways. 1t was suddenly discovered
that we were neglecting the most important dis
covery OF the age and letting our American rivals
get before us. Then came the railway mania. The
deal OF money to invest and it all went IN railways
The soundness OF the policy which Sir Robert Peel
az aaea o hss
trade in rail- way enterprscthat Is to say unlimited
composition between projectors ana companies,
cdal rivalry In traffic, and all that chiefly marks the
railway system OF England up to the present time.
ment allowed The activity Of SPECTATORS I iail
| play, and England obtained complete series Of
| have been the case The advantage thus obtained
over the Continental nations has been, no doubt,
done the sums Wasted IN B rs
ways, and Judge whether 1t can be said that the
! system adds 10 our reputation as prudent and
| business-like people.
George Hudson was the creature OF such system;
ne made the best Of II and turned II 10 account Ior
himself and the nation. 1t Is impossible to deny that
he did ereat things to deveope the railway system
in the North Of England and to direct the national
enterprise into this channel the north country peo-
pie stood BY him for years. and his constituents sent
| him to the House OF Commons till 1859. He was
| man who united largeness OF view with wonderful
speculative courage. lie went In for bigger things
| tnsn any one else. He took away peoples breath
at hrst, but ne soon succeeded In persuading them
! that the larger the project and the holder the
scneme. the more li9elv IL was to pay. He showed
| mis- confidence by investing more largely than any
one else, and taxing upon himself all sorts oil re-
spOnslblllties. This Is the KIND OF man who leads
the world. Let him have one success and people
| Will follow him anywhere. Mr.. Hudson was for two
three years looked upon having the Key to un.
| told treasures. The world will court rich men, but
| there Is one whom 1t Will court still more,
| aud that Is he who Is supposed to be
able to make all men rich. THIS was Mr..
| Hudson's position People saw boundless extern
sion OF railway enterprise and thought that George
Hudson was to be the desp0tlc ruler OF 1t. Every
thing was gradually but surely to be brought under
| his influence. Hence they went wild about him.
! The richest men in England subscribed f2O. 600 as
o tribute TO him for his services to the public, II