The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-10

Il
BURG RAILROAD OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ATlo.
| OF GOLD wATcH-sPEECHEs, ETC.
The officers and employees OF the Rich
! n1ond and Petersburg Railroad Company
met at the Union depot on Saturday
night for The purpose OF socia! lea1'e
:. taking of their superintendent, MIR. A
Shaw, who has resigned his position in tht
company with the view OF returning TO bi:
old home in Georgia. 4 tasteful little re
! past WAS spreatt in the cosy diniuG-hall oi
the depot. and when the officers, employees
and invited guests. in ali about forty, bad
assembled, Major F. r. Scott, the presi-
/ deps, presented to the retiring superlnten-
dent handsome gold watcB as sensible
evidence OF the love and eSteenrftlt for him
by his associates Of the past sSE years. In
presenting the testimonial, Major Scott
said:
As it bias become generally known that
you have resigned the position Of superin-
tendent OF this railroad and art shout TO
leave the State we have assembled here for
the purpose OF saying farewell to yon some
what more formally than mere gnsd-bye.
think | may safely say that il has seldom
been the fortune OF men to serve together
for six years with rs much harmony and
goodwill and mutual confidence and re-
Spect as have The officers and employas OF
this company. I have never, since | have
been president Of the company, had ali un-
pleasant word with any one connected
with the road in any capacity; but
| cannot take much credit to myself
for that, because I have not had
that daily and hourly intercourse with
the force that you have had. You have
been directly responsible 10 the Board for
the faithful performance Of the duties OF
every one who received a dollar OF pay,
and have had to exercise q close watchfuI-
ness over the behavior OF all, and we hope
it may always be pleasant reflection to YOU
That you part with us now with the testl-
mOny OF all who served with you that no
act OF injustice or partiality Or unfairneSs
has ever marked your management Of the
affairs OF the company. You leave here not
only with the goodwill and respect OF all
who have known you, bat with the conf.
dence and afftciionate regard OF all the Of
ticers and employees OF this company. 1t is
for the purpose OF making known to yon
the sentiments Of kindly interest in your
welfare and sincere regret at your departure,
and hope for your future success and pros
perity and happiness, that we have asked
you TO meet Us here tonight, and | have
been requested to present You with this
gold watch rs Il token OF the regard that |
have so. poorly expressed. but which you
can better understand from the presence
and greeting OF The glvcrS themselves, who
have come here to tell you in better words
than how much they regret that they are
so soon to part with you. This watch is
the Joint gift OF all who are in The employ
ment Of the company. 1t has been en-
sraved With a suitable inscription, which
will not he needed wherever you may go
to remind you OF the faithful and true
friends you have in Richmond: friends
who will always be glad 10 welcome you
should you ever visit Virginia. 1 need not
say anything for myself. Apart from the
social and business association we have had,
we palt with such entire confidence and
friendship that no words can add TO 1t.
Mr. Y. l.. Courtney, CT the Richmond
and Fredericksburg road, and Mr.. John +.
Devine, superintendent Of the Wilmington
and Weldon road, responded briefly to
calls made upon them.
Mr.. N. W. Young, treasurer Of the Rich
mond and Petersburg road, spoke in feel
ing terms in bidding udieu to his co-laborcr
aud friend Alr. SnaW; and Messrs. L. W..
Jones tine auditory, T.. Il. Bridges, +. L.
Walker, John O'Brien, and others, added a
word ut parting.
Mr.. Thomas II. Bran>ford, being called
upon, said:
GentIcmen,-It is indeed most embar-
RAISING 10 me be to be called upon for 4
speech, not only because it is my first al
tempt at specch-makiDg. but greater rea-
son is the queer combination Of pleasure
and pain we must all realize tonight.
Pleasure, sir, only so far as it gladdens the
hearts OF us al to De able TO present you
tins gift, thereby showing y0u the regard
and esteem we have for you-plcaSure, sir,
that we ulc thus enabled 10 make some
manifest proof OF our appreciation OF the
uniform kindness it has ever seemed your
delight To extend to Us. But every sweet
must have its bitter, and the joys OF which
have lust spoken must take their Hight
and give way to feeling or sorrow ana
sadness occa>oned by your resignation rs
our superintendent. We can never forget
the six years ol your management, sir. Com
in" amongst IL, as you nave said, perfect
stranger. and we well knew that majority
OF Us lad but little 10 commend lis u your
favor, rs our railroad career was but III lts
infancy ncy-nowith>'anGin@ these facts, L
can tonight lock back upon all that mas
transprcd in these six years, and they seem
but a'short summer OF sunshine ana smiles,
with not q single cloud 70 cast Il SHadoW'
In this separation there is screrln% or lieS
that are stronger than those usually exist
ing between subordinates and supe-
rior officer. We recognize the fact that
in you we lose not ouly good officer Dllt a
tried and true friend; un officer who has
ever stood by his men in every emergency
4 friend who has seen that kindness anu
Justice has been meted out to each and
|'every one, Of them. Your success in the
management of this road has year aftel
year been recorded and announced to the
public, whose congratulations you have re-
ceived. But, sir, there has been closer
record kept Of another management, which
has received no plaudit until tonight
That management, sir, is OF your men
that record the honest hearts OF the men
before you, and that plaudit their gratitude
expressed in part in the token we present
TO you tonight.
And. in conclusion, let me assure YOU
sir, that, go where you may, you will eror
have the hest wishes OF your old employs:
OF the Richmond and Petersburg railroad
for success, and may fortune crown your
every effort.
r AlmC st all OF those present had some land
word OF parting, and Mr.. J. &. Halle, oGthe
DanyiIe road, offered pretty sentimest in
response to Il call.
Mr. X. Butler, agent at Chester. when
called upon, moved that "we so!purn,"
and the company accordingly dispersed,
after few farewell remarks from Mr.
Shaw, in which he sand that noY, when
about to return to bis native place he really
felt Us though he was leaving hoa1a.