The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-12-24
handsome Testimonial to am Efficient
Officer.


handsome Testimonial to am Efficient
.. officer.
I Last night pleasant and very interest.
ing ceremony transpired at the American
Hotel, the occasion being that of the pre-
sentation of a handsome silver service, on
the part of the employees of the Richmond
and Danville railroad to their late assistant
superintendent, Captain James l.. Morrow
About 81 o'clock, Mr.. W. L. West called
the large gathering to order in the saloon,
and said:
Gentlemen and companions in the en-
ploy of the Richmond and Danville railroad
company-We have met together this
evening for the purpose of presenting to
our former assistant uperintendent, James
l.. Morrow, testimonial of our appreca-
ton of his merit and efficiency as an Off
GER of the company, for one who was SO
successfully and for so long time our SUI
perior; and it has fallen to my lot as
chairman of this committee to select some
one among us to make our offering, and l
know Of no one who is better capacitated
to perform the pleasant task than the gen.
tleman whom now have the honor of in
Producing, General r. L. Walker. And
turning to Superintendent Morrow, Gen.
eral Walker arose and said:
Through the courtesy of the employees
of the Richmond and Danville railroad, it de-
wolves on me to perform one of the most
pleasant and agreeable duties of my life, and
had 1.-The language to express all I feel upon
this occasion, all would be fully satisfied
with my eloquence as the best expression Of
friendship and good will, cemented by many
years of service, during which the most of us
were in positions subordinate to your own,
l offer on the part of my comrades this ser.
vice of silver. 1t will serve to remind you
of the respect and esteem with which we
all regard you, and give the world assur-
ance that you always exercised authority
with kindness and justice. 1t is the joint
contribution of your old associates, and all
feel that the high appreciation of you as a
man and officer, of which it is the token,
will give value to it in your estimation.
You may rest assured that we shall
watch your future, with the sincere hope
that your course may be onward and
| upward.
To this Captain Morrow responded
Friends-It is with great embarrassment
aud dlffidence that l undertake to respond
to the fiattering remarks just made by my
friend and your representative.
can conceive of nothing more trying
or difficult than to undertake to reply to
such friendly words as have been uttered
here tonight. l therefore hope you will
excuse ali omissions and imperfections on
my part, and place them where they be-
long. a..Essaa 4#
To say to you, my friends, on this occa
sion, an occasion the proudest of my life
that am pleased to meet you once mor'
in this good old city of Richmond, does but
| injustice to the feelings of my heart.
i Many of you have labored with me to
for years past in striving to promote ant
advance the interests of the Richmond ant
Danville railroad company, and l an
pleased to think that our mutual effort
were not in vain during m
long connection with that company. N
one of its officers had better opportunit
q knowing your worth in the details G
each of your respective duties tha
myself, and it is with pleasure that l al
/. permitted to bear testimony tonight to th
faithful and jealous discharge of the variou
duties required of you. My connection wit
a the company was long and very pleasar
one, and it was with many regrets Tor PEI
. sonal friends among you when | severe
it and removed to another field of labol
: and l hope of usefulness. To break asur
der the ties that have grown around US
years ofconstant intercourse is hard tasl
and one that can only be gone through