The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-02

ReulnlseeDees q Celesel Seett.
Colonel Thomas A. Scott died worth
Ibput slS, 0OO. 900. He might have been i!
much richer had be cared TO b %. But
No WAS In tho habit Of saying that >lO,. Z
)OO, 900 were quite enough for any one
man to possess, and rather too much for
INV one TO leave 10 his heirs. IL
Colonel SCOTS administrative and
executive abilities, were OF the first order.
lie knew how to do everything himself,
and he inspired his subordinates with
bic own energy and belief that whatever
Vas necessary was possible. He pos
sessed in . remarkable degree the affec.
ton OF bis subOrdinates and associates,
and he had way not only OF making
friends but Of keeping them.
Simon Cameron carly learned to ap.
preciate bis abilities, Is also did Presi.
dent Lincoln in the spring Of 1861, when
the outbreak at Baltimore severed rail.
road communication between Washing
ton and the Northern and Eastern cities.
Cameron, who was then Secretary OF
War, telegraphed to Scott that "a man
Of great energy and decision with ex.
perience as railway officer" was needed
to restore the broken communications,
and that he was Just tho man for the
place, and he fully justified Cameron's
high opinion OF him, for before the Pres
dent and the country fairly realized the
nature Of the work, . new railway line
between Washington and Philadelphia,
BY way Of Annapolis, WAS opened, and
troops from New England, New York,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania came
pouring in for the defense OF the CAPT:
til. For this he was made Colonel Of
the District OF Columbia Volunteers, and
subsequently, Chief Of all Government
railways and telegraphs and Assistant
Secretary Of War.
Colonel SCOTS personal bravery was
as great as bis energy. A an illustra..
ton of this the story Is frequently told
by the employees Of the Pennsylvania
road how he ran . train loaded with
ammunition into Antietam just before
the battle there. He took charge Of the
train himself and ran it 20 fast that the
wheels Of both cars and locomotive began
to smoke, much 10 the alarm Of the
brskcmen. He would not stop, how
ever, until the army was reached, despite
the danger.
He was married twice. His first wife
was a Miss Mulison, Of Columbis, Pa.
, and they began housekeeping when hi.
. salary was fifty dollars q month. Afte'
! her death, more than twenty years ago
, be married Miss Anna Riddle, daughter
Of the editor Of the Pittsburgh Pa.
. Commercial. He had two children b!
I each, the elder in each case being DO,
and tho younger q girl. Those by hi
second vito are respectively eight an
I six years old. LE.
|. Colonel Scott, like many other Phila
4 delphiaus, was never lacking in publ
' spirit. He was ever ready both with ii
: time and money to serve bis fellow.cit
,. Gems. His connection with the publ
Q works Of the Quaker City was ever hol
2 orable, and in one case ct least quite n
a markable. When . new bridge Was
be built over the Schuylkill River in 1S7
!. he undertook the contract to have
:. ready 1t 1 certain time and ct . certal
h price. He turned it over to the author
= ties . month sooner than WAS requires
: and subsequently, he repaid to the city
n large percentage OF the contract pric
Il explaining that the work had not co
nj % much o. he anticipated. 4 .. 80.
hi Colonel Scott held the following 0fiic
s. during bis life: Collector of Can
~ Tolls ct Columbia, Ps., Chief Clerk
y tho Office ol Collector Of Tolls at Phil
=. delphia, General Agent Of the Taste
r. Division Of the Pennsylvsuis Railroa
W. General Superintendent Of the sol
M road, vice.President Of the compar
m Colonel Of tho District Of Columl
~ Volunteers, Chief OF Government RI
,er ways and Vslegraphs, Assistant Sec
= tary Of War, Colonel and Assista
II. Quartermaster on General Hooke
,he sta0, Chief Of transportation, Preside
Al Of the Pennsylvania Company, Presid'
m OF the Texas Pacific Railroad Compal
I'M President Of tho Union Pacific and
~ Atlantic q Pacific Railroads, and Dir
NJ. tor Of the Southern Railway Secul
bar Company.-Ne,0 York Graphic. d''''