New-York tribune., 1874-05-29
OBITUARY.
LOHN EDGAR THOMPSON.


John Edgar Thompson, President of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, died at his home In
Philadelphia, on Wednesday night, OF Inflammation OF
the lungs after illness Of about three weeks. MT
Thorn pson Chester County Penn, about 81
years ago. He devoted himself In early life to eiy en-
gneerng. and while quite young man went TO Georgia,
practice OF his profession, where he built the prn
cipa portion OF the Georgia Central Railroad. During
his residence there his home in Athens. About 30
years ago he returned to Pennsylvania, and be-
came chief engineer Of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
He was elected President two years later.
He took the chief charge before the road
was finished, and during the twenty-eight years
of his the dividends have been regularly
paid Of the road with the exception OF one
sem-annua dividend 1857 In regard to railroad re-
aurements had not, perhaps, his superior In the
country He possessed remarkable engineering ability
and administrative SKILL and c0mprehended fully all the
immense interests OF the country. When his admins
tration began the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
owned 2ae miles Of road capital of saOooOoo
since then has become corporation controlling many
thousand miles Of road and welding capital Of stock
and bonds of sl5O,COO.oOo
Mr. Thompson was also intimately connected with
numerous railroad enterprises in different portions OF
the country In which the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany has part. among the number being the Texas
and California Railroad Company which is to follow the
thirty parallel the Atlantic and Pacific Railway
last and line Of which to the continent in
the neghborhood OF the thirtydfth parallel the Rich
mond and Danville and Atlanta Airline Railroads ana
othern Southern railroads which operated by the
Southern Railway Security Company; and the Bat-
more and Potomac and Alexandria and Fredericksburg
Railways through which the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company obtains its southern seaDoard connections.
Mr. ThOmpson's relations with the leading railroad
men OF the country OF the most pleasant charac-
ter and there perhaps no prominent man Ia
differed from him as 10 policy but TINS was never
accompanied by personal attack He was quiet and
ferring listen others rather than 10 advance his
own views He made his plans with great denDeratl0n,
but carried them out with hrmness and lnnexblity.
His treatment OF his subordintes and the employees OF
the COMPANY was characterized by Kindness aud con-
siderat0n All the men on the road-tew OF whom
had IL so long as helooked upon nll as pro-
rector and the news death received with
row by all. ,., ,, ., -,
the lungs for a little than three weeks; but the
physicians In attendance on him Thought tt they had
checked the disease, and on Wednesday afternoon eX-
pected that he would recover The immediate cause Oh
his sudden relapse Is not known here. -
Mr. Thompson was married about 20 years ago 10 Miss
smith OF Fisnkl-On the Hudson. His wife survives
hun but he leaves children II has been his inten-
uon which he mas probably carried out, TO have his
estate revert after the death OF Ills VIE anu form und
for the establishment OF u home ana asylum Tor
the orphan children OF the employees or the Penn
sylyania Railroad Company who may lose their lives in
the discharge their duties 10 that corporation. His
estate Will probably prove to be very large he be-
longed to Quaker family and retained his connection
will probably take place on Monday next it was earn
estly desired by prominent officials OF the Company
with which connected, that the services should
be held sunday III order that the employees OF the rail-
road might attend, but his widow preferred To have
them deferred until Monday. special Tram Will
probably from TINS city Tor tne dceomn OddtIOn OF
attaches OF the Company mere
Daniel f. Swineburne, a representative from