New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-07
NEW ORLEANS, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1874
Testimonial to General McC omb.

Testimonial to General McComb.
/ A graceful acknowledgment of General
McComb's signal abilities as a railway
| manager and his eminent services to New
| Orleans was last evening publicly mani
| tested in an informal presentation by a
| joint committee chosen from the Chamber
| of Commerce and the Cotton Exchange
| The testimonial is in the form of an ad-
dress to General McComb, testifying the
high appreciation in which he is held by
the sgners for his energy, skill and con-
servative feeling displayed in the discharge
| of his onerous duties and responsibilities
as president of the New Orleans, jackson
and Great Northern railroad. The docu
ment bears the signature of some three
hundred Of our leading merchants and
like number Of those residing in Missis-
sippi. In dignifed but most emphatic
terms it sets forth the approval and appre-
citation of General McComb's management
of the jackson road. 1t also pays a de-
served compliment to Colonel E. D. Frost.
The manuscript bearing the autographic
signatures of the merchants allnded to
above, was inclosed in an elegant papier
mache casket. On the lid of the casket was
a solid silver star, on which was engraved
the following inscription: Testimonial to
General H. S. McComb, President Southern
Railways from citizens of Louisiana and
Mississippi. Ammo Domini 1874"
The affair was entirely impromptu, and
utterly devoid of formality. The commit
tee of presentation, with several of our
prominent merchants and bank presidents,
called at the st. Charles Hotel and asked
for General McComb. He soon made his
appearance in Parlor o. when General
Cyrus Bussey stepped forward and in a few
graceful remarks made the presentation.
Unlike most occurrences of this kind, the
surprise in this instance was genuine and
complete. General McComb briefly and
feelingly responded. Thanking the gentle
men for their kind appreciation of his
efforts, he said that "after the approval
of a mans own conscience, the retiec.
ton that he had gain ed the esteem and
regard of others came second" He admit
ted that, as matter of course, he engaged
III thCsC SlAtCA pAioCo "luh a Wow Va pAOAO W
himself; but, he remarked, it is noteworthy
that no enterprise in which man can EN-
gage. whereby community is benefited,
can fail to reflect some benefit upon the
agent himself. In conclusion, he alluded to
the necessity of railroad connection between
this city and Texas, stating that the work
already done in connecting New Orleans
with the Northwest and East, was incom-
plete. unless the iron horse could gun
through TO she Rio Grande.
The nsual interchange Of social senti
men,s then prevailed. Before separating
the gentlemen present called upon Mr.. S.
II. Kennedy for sn expression of his views
in the matter of the railroad to Texas.
That gentleman responded, and after re
ierring to ,:.e peculiar difficulties and OBJ
stac!es that had prevented the consumma-
Sion Of She project. said that he had infor.
nation that led him to believe that the
parties now in possession Of the road, and
having money invested therein, eontem-
plated one o: two things. Either they
would make final effort to carry the en-
terprise 20 a successful! termination or they
would sell out. The matter, SO ne was told,
was in the hands OF Mr.. Meyer, of New
York, who represented the German stock
holders. He could not say whether they
vcAl. decide to make another effort or
whether they would sell; but he could
assert, that in the event Of sale, he could
point to the man who was of all men fully
=, Id a.,
enterprise. That man was General Nc
Comu.
Mr. Kennedy's remarks. as well as the
tenor of the whole evenings proceedings,
indicated strong desire on the part of the
commercial men of this State and of Mis-
sissippi, that General McComb should get
control and management OF the proposed
railway connection between New Orleans
and Texas. The animns of our business
men appears to be that they want the rail
road built, and that speedily. If the parties
now in charge are unable to do so, it is
expected of them that they should sell out.
While General McComb is not here for any
defined or absolute purpose of purchase,
yet his past career and well known ability
mark him as the fittest man for the enter
prise. Whether he be inclined or not, We
should like to see thrust upon him the op-
portunity to finish this great enterprise.
That we are not alone in our desire we
append for proof the names of the COM
mittee who had charge of the demonstra-
tion last evening: Colonel John Phelps,
president Cotton Exchange; Colonel j. H.
Oglesby, president Chamber of Commerce;
General Cyrus Bussey; S. II. Kennedy, pres
ident State National Bank; l.. f. Generes,
president Louisiana Savings Bank; |. N.
Payne; Major John T. Harde, vice presi-
dent Mutual National Bank; Lloyd Cole
man, president Mech anics and Traders In
surance Company; Colonel James l. Day,
president Sun Mutual Insurance Company;
E. A. Tyler; A. Baldwin, vice president
Delta Insurance Company; Alexander
Walker: Thomas A. Adams. president Cres-
cent Insurance Company; Colonel George
Norman.
Amusements Ahead.
Cn Monday evening next. the ninth fn-