The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-12
THOMAS A. SCOTT.
THE GREATEST RAILROAD MANAGER
OR THE AEsEo

Fears That HE rs H0Fselessly stFfckeH-A
Life of Vast EnergFy Ability and Hard
wOrk-The Texas Pacific Railroad
gsue tO WHs Influence and Powerful
Aid. ...~ .... .....~..
CHICAGO. Noy, 1.-THE Trilnne, IN an, edito-
Says It is fesred the reports are too true; that
he has had & stroke Of paralysis; that his brain
seems touched. and that he has been taken to
Europe with small hope Of his full recovery.
Col. scott:had slight shock of the same kind
some years ago. which will make the present
one go harder with him. Col. Scott was con-
man ever lived who bore up longer under such
a severe mental and physical strain. Though
have been in the prime of health had he lived a
quiet life. he is now broken. perhaps beyond re-
The lesson ofsuch career has been preached
too often to need any repetition now. In an
tagonizing Dol. Scotts efforts to secure g gov,
ernment subsidy for his Texas Pacific Railroad
we have never underestimated his great abil-
The Iribuae's fight against the scheme has
been more intense. perhaps, because we have
always recognized in it's promoter great per-
sona power and influence. Col. Scott has been
one Of the remarkable men OF our times Self
reliance and conscious power have carried him
over many gulf where o weaker man would
have been wrecked. His great ability was de-
Assistant Secretary during the early part of the
war. he was the first to Introduce system OF
disabling and efficiency OF course M It has peep h,
grvatest fame He was probably the most prac-
tical and thorough of the railroad magnates, of
the country. He was master OF all the details,
and he could reconstruct the tariff more quick
", than his best freight agent. He could out
talk his liveliest passenger agent on the latters
own ground. He could straigbten out con-
fusion of trains by. telegraph with greater
promptness and skill than his +a1a most expert,
and comprehensive Information always
&C his command; Hs Was , mannger ,.of OF
miles Of road under his immediate personal su-
peryison. Tt was under, his direct control that
ne e ad tnk ne e rew raan b M gen m
every direction. In this case more was exgcteh
from h his management than from that OF Van
quickly silence q dissatisfied shareholder by
buying his stock. -,
COL Scott never had the aid OF great wealth,
but managed the crest interests under his d.
reetion with such thOroughnes5 and so much
personal magnetism that he was always able
to vanauish cliaues and override embarrass,-
h Is said ai hat dn ths great srFe
OF 1871 Scott went to tho depot in Philadelphia
and assumed cbief command with a telegraph
instrument at bis side. Hehas always been the
man for an emerReney, composed. intrepid and
alert under all circumstances.
y Col. Scotts personal experience with the
Texas Pacific project has probably had more to
really M hsn s al oRer Sbe be- oompeon oa
Of the new, road to the Pacific coast as pat OF
the vast railroad system he manages. has been
gWimmingly enough until with the panic came
the crash, and ruin stared Scott In the face as
guarantor of notes and bonds that had been
issued. His troubles were increased by the or
yganizAtion of a faction against him in the
management Of the Pennsylvania Gen raj.
who were moved to take sides against
him probably by the growing jealousy
Of President Thompson's, friends. who said
that Sect was taking off his laurels. Before
Thompson died. and Scott succeeded to the
presidency. New powers and influences aac-
en- his individual liability of the Texas Pacific
paper. to substitute construction bond, con-
tinue to work and bring to bear on Congress an
almost irrepressible pressure for q subsidy to
carry the project through to comLletlon; but
these struggles lost their impress. and Scott fs
paying the penalty of too much ambition and
and mplete isolation from business for few
months will restore him to good health, for he
is too young and too able q man TO be we'll
spared,