Daily Republican., 1881-05-23
Thomas A. Scott.

tlatterv to say had not his superior III
the circles in which he moved. HIS
life was but another example OF the
honor and distinction to when, uhuer
American institutions, a man may rise
from comparative obscurity to hlgh po-
sitions in the land. Col. Scott, had he
turned his mind on politics, might TO-
day have been President of the Cnlteu
States instead of James A. Garfield, but
fortuitous circumstances moulded his
mind at tender age to become the
leading railroad man in his day OF ac-
tivity. Col. Scott was born poor III 'he
shadows of a spur of the Alleghanles,
his father being a hotel keeper, and he IN
the early part of juvenile life so taraS he
was able, doing the humble part OF host
Ter. All the educational advantages he
had were the common schools, but
these We're enough to prepare the actlVe
mind of the lad for the high position he
afterwards held. He was too poor TO
attend college, but before his majority
his abilities were acknowledged by an
uncle in Columbia, Pennsylvania, who
was toll collector, and who made his
promising nephew, though not yet OF
ace, a clerk in his office. At the time
the State owned the railroad and the
canal, and the offices therefore possessed
political significance The appoint
ment of n minor ga lucrative office
raised howl Of indignation AGAINST
Major Patton, but young Scott gave
satisfaction and was so afable and polite
in the discharge of his duties that the
Jealous public soon ceased its opposition
This was the starting point OF Col
SCOTS greatness From clerk, he adj
yanced to other positions of higher trust
and honor on the Pennsylvania Il. r.,
and in all ofthem he always displayed
that ability. foresight and decision OF
character that made him not only the
leading but the safest railroad man in
the United States. He speedily ad-
vanced himself solely on his merits, to
Division Superintendent of the Penn
sylvania Railroad thence to Genera
thence to the Vice
of the Company, on the
death of predecessor and afterwards to
the Presidency by the death of. Edgar
Thompson, the President. He thus |
the circle of railway advance
ment from the construction train to the
second office in the company in less than
a decade and in 1876 he became the
President The unanimity with which
he was advanced attested his ability
and worth, and he never gained a pro
motion that did not seek him because
)f his pre-emiLent fitness for the posi-
tion. Many others have climbed to
power and wealth in modern corpora
tons by the favor of potential friends,
but Col. Scott never won an honor that
was not freely conferred as a public ne |
cessity. Great as was the acknowl- |
edged abilities Of Col Scott, it was only |
when the late civil war broke out that
he rose above all others around him in
grasping and executing the startling ad-
vancement demanded by the nations
needs. When old soldiers stood
amazed and hesitated to command, Scott
stood undaunted amongst them though
not himself soldier. BY the clicks Of
his little magnetic battery he matured
vast military plans and moved vast
bodies Of troops without railroad time
table or schedule, and without accident.
While Others filled positions Of honor
under the Government, it was Col
Scott who brought order out of chaos,
and 50 great was the necessity for his
services that lie was made tor the time
Assistant Secretary of war, who III con
nection with Edwin NJ. Stanton, per
tcCted that great system Of railroad
transportation without which the war
could not have been brought to a sue
cessful issue. There are railroad mag
mates OF to-day who are achieving re-
nown by graSping and consolidating
great railroad interests, but Col. Scott su-
perintended the buildingo Of his own rail-
road and pushed its connections out un-
til if has become the leading line Of the
nation.
But with all his vast superiority over
other men, with administrative powers
which belonged only to himself, with
fortune lavishing her rich rewards upon
him, the cXaCting cares of life were 90
much for even his wonderful physical
powers, and halted him in his career Of
life when he should have been in the
enjoyment Of his fullest vigor and in.
tellect 1t can be justly said Of him
that he leaves none to fill the vacancy
his departure makes amongst the great
Of the land, but the loss his noble attri-
butes created will keep his memory
green when the names and achieve
ments Of selfish fame shall have per
ished.
THE UNITED STATES Senate adjourn