The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-03-11

or over which he cannot fix the rate
Every fiber of the vast body respond
to the touch of his potential fingers
| presume he controls more miles o
railroad than any man living, certain
ly with the exception of Jay Gould
who has built up bundle of roads
that looks like pile of Jack Straws
THE NEwcoMB'INrLUENcE.
Bat it may be asked-in fact. | ask
ed it inyself-why it is that these
roads are controlled by the Vice Pres,
ident. The answer. as given by eve-
ry one, is that it has been the New
comb brain and Newcomb influence
that controlled and developed, through
father and son, the Louisville a. Nash
vile railroad, from its inception to
the present. One of the most inter-
esting things connected with its histo-
ry is the manner in which the old
Newcomb dynasty gave way to the
new. This story is but one of the
thousands put afoat by the late extra
ordinary advances of the road, and
may or may not.be true. | heard it,
however, from gentleman formerly
with the Louisville & Nashville sys-
tenn, and it is pretty well avouched.
The story goes that the elder New
comb went from house to house in
Louisville, hat in hand, begging for
subscriptions with which to build the
road. 1t was finished just about the
opening of the war, extending from
Louisville to Nashville, about one
hundred and eighty FIVE miles. After
the war was over and the smoke had
cleared away, Mr. Newcomb saw that
the road must be extended to prevent
its stranding. He therefore secured
connection from Nashville to Mem,
phis, and arranged to build a line to
Montgomery, Ala. These enterprises
were hardly in working order when
the panic came, and there was crash.
Mr. Newcomb, with the stern loyalty
to conviction that made part of his |
faith, had pledged his private fortune
to the credit of his company, aid he
found himself in 1874, in the depres
sion that followed the panic, a ruined !
man. There was a floating debt of |
about s6,0S0,000 on his new road,
and bankruptcy faced the whole colt
cern. Worn out in mind and body. |
he was advised to surrender every
thing aud retire. And here comes in
a story that comes to me from an old
THE NEwCoMB DYNASTY HANDED
DOWN.
One day meeting of Newcomb's
friends was held in his office, and it
had boen determined that the old man
should give up to the inevitable. La
the corner of the office at desk,
quiet, studious, apart, sat young Vie
Tor, less than thirty, shortly returned
from Europe, where he had finished
his education. Finally some one sug-
yested:
"Why don't yon send Victor to
Europe aud let him try to sell our
Donds?"
Effort after effort had been made to
iell these same bonds, but to no pur-
pose. The father, however, seemed
o find some hope in the suggestion,
md asked:
"Would you go?"
II would 60 anywhere for your
he son replied.
He sailed for Europe in few days,
ne father, in the meantime, being
tricken down in paralysis. In three
lays after reaching London .he bonds
we're sold, the road saved ard its cred
re established, and youngIN INewcomb
hurried home in time to receive his
athers dying words.
Whether the details of this story
,e true or not. the facts are true.
Victor Newcomb, before he was thirty,
aved the'road from receivers hands,
nd since then has been its controlling
,enius.
HIGH AMBITION WE'LL WORKED OUT.
I-have it from one who knows him
velI, that years ago. in the darkest /
lays of the road, Newcomb would in- ,
list that the Louisville & Nashville
must at one time control the South
IN States and Mississippi Valley .
lie outlined then. with marvellous .
'l,ecision, the general plan of expan- |
ion since accomplished.
Having reached Montgomery and