Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-06-10
The President, Vice President
and General Manager Of the
Pennsylvanta Railroad.

and General Manager Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad.
Since the death of Mr.. Thompson,
President of the Pennsylvania Central
Railroad Company, attention has been
more closely than ever directed to the
men at the head of the organization or
corporation. A brie: sketch of the
three officers above named. as produced
by the Press, will be read with inter-
est
The board of directors of the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company met on the
3rd inst, in special session, to perfect
its organization BY the election Of a
successor to the late president, Mr.. }.
Edgar Thompson. Thomas Alexander
Scott was unanimously elected to the
presidency. He is just in the prime of
life, not yet fifty years of age, and is a
man of wonderfully preserved physical
aud mental vigor. He was born on the
2S:h of December, 1924, in Loudon,
Franklin county, Pennsylvania, aud
after enjoying the advantages of the
rude common schools of that day, first
started life on his own account as clerk
for the collector at Columbia, Pa. He
came to Philadelphia first In lS47 as
clerk in the collectors Office on the
Columbia Railroad, aud in 1850 be be-
came general agent of the eastern di-
vision of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Subsequently be was transferred to the
management of the western division,
and soon after he was promoted to gen.
eral superintendent of the entire line.
In 1859 he succeeded William B. FOs-
ter as vice president of the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad, ana has continued the
second officer of the company BY sue
cessive annual elections until the late
election, when he was unanimously
chosen Mr. Thomson's successor. Du-
ring that time his labors have been her.
culean. He has been president of the
Pennsylvania Company since its organ
ization In March, 1871, company that
controls all the western lines owned or
leased By the present company (; presi-
dent of the Pan Handle Railroad du-
ring the same period was president of
the Union Pacific from March, 1871, to
March, 1872; has been president Of
the Texas Pacific Railroad since its re-
organization, besides being an active
director In q number of other roads.
He was Assistant Secretary Of War
from the outbreak of the war until May,
1862, and has but recently declined the
presidency of the New York aud Erie
Railroad Company. Now that he has
accepted the first railroad position on
the continent, be will Of course con-
ceutrate his whole energies In the man
agement of the vast trust committed to
his care as chief executive officer.
George b. Roberts, the first vice
president, is of Philadelphia Quaker
stock, but little over forty years of age,
having graduated at RENSSELAER, Poly
technic Institute, New York, in l849,
and devoted himself to engineering.
He entered the service of the Penusyl-
vania Railroad Company in 1851, and,
with but brief exception, has contin-
ued in the service Of the company until
now He was the chief officer, under
Mr.. Thompson, who reared that finest
monument of civil engineering to be
found either in this or any other coun-
try-the construction of the road over,
and tunnelling through, the Allegheny
Mountains, and has for years stood CON-
fessedly as one of the most accom-
plished aud efficient engineers We have.
La 1862 he was made assistant to Pres
ident Thompson, which position he held
until he was chosen fourth vice pIesi-
dent in 1869. In 1873 be was made
second vice president. ard continued in
that position until the late election,
when be was unanimously made the first
vice president, and the second execu-
tive officer of the company. During
his whole connection with the company
he has been in most intimate and trust
ed relations with President Thompson,
as his thorough capabilities as an eugi-
neer and his very methodical and care
ful business habits made him most
faithful counsellor aud the presiden.
never ventured upon any enterprise,
even after after all questions of mere
policy we're settled, without calling to
bl, aid the judgment of his engineer,
Mr.. Roberts.
The general manager, Mr. a. j. Cas-
satt, is still younger than Mr.. Roberts,
having graduated in 1859, at the same
institute at which Mr.. Roberts gradu-
ated, with the degree Of civil engineer.
In 1861 he entered the Office of the
resident engineer of the Philadelphia
division of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
and in 1868 became assistant engineer
Of the Connecting Railway. In 1864
be was made resident engineer of the
middle division of the Philadelphia and
Erie Railroad, and in 1866 he became