Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-06-01
COLONEL MccLUREoN THOMAS
A, SCOTT.

Silent.
COLONEL MccLUREON THOMAS
A. SCOTT.
Thomas Alexander Scott is dead.
Born in obscurity hard by the shad.
ows of the North Mountain, a stranger
TO iOrtuitous circumstances, and with
/, no resources but his own natural abili.
ties, he has carved bis way TO the
highest distinction among men. Thir.
ty years ago he came to Philadelphia
: az a clerk in the Collectors office OF
the State Railroad, and from thence
may be dated his active participation
in our system Of public improvements.
His keen business perceptions, his tire.
less energy and his fidelity to every
public and private trust, speedily at
tracted the attention of those who
were then struggling TO create great
arteries Of trade through our valleys
and over our mountains. Col. Patter
son, then President of the Pennsyva.
MIA Railroad, sought the aid of Colonel
Scott and transferred him to the charge
of the construction of one Of the West.
ern divisions Of the line. lie speedily
advanced himself, solely on his merits,
to Division Superintendent, thence to
General Superintendent, and thence to
the Nice-Presidency vacated by the
death OF William B. Foster in 1860.
He thus completed the circle of rail.
way advancement from the construc.
tion train to the second executive Office
Of the corporation in less than de.
cade, and he never gained q promotion
that did not seek him because Of his
pre-eminent fitness for the position.
Many others have climbed TO power
and wealth IN modern corporations by |
the fortune oil potential friends, but be
never wore an honor that was not
freely conferred as public necessity.
Colonel SCOTS immediate connec.
tion with the executive control of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, dated its great
developement Ii was then but
single track line from Philadelphia TO
Pittsburgh, had little or no preiensions
beyond its local traffic, and the great
railway system that now has the Penn.
sylvania corporation as its parent, was
undreamed of even by the most san.
guine progressivists OF that day. But
war came and tho latent powers of
the Nation were called out to test
their magnitude, and our trunk rail
way became one Of the momentous
factors OF the Republics new depart
ure. 1t was then that Colonel Scott
rose above all others around him in
grasping and executing the startling
advancement demanded by the Ma
tons needs, The writer hereof has
seen him in the council of war, in the
dark days Of rebellion, when veteran
soldiers hesitated TO command and
while great military and civil leaders
gravely counseled, he was the most
undaunted of all. lie moved vast
bodies Of troops with the utmost celer.
ity as plans were matured, by the
clicks of bis little battery, without
schedule and without accident, and
thus days and nights in succession
were gwen to duty with cheerfulness
that seemed to mock the want of rest.
Nor was he permitted to relax bis la
bors after the war had been accepted
by the Nation and its armies organ
lied. While others filled the positions
Of honor, it was Colonel Scott, as As.
sistant Secretary OF War, who brought
order out Of chaos in the direction and ,
handling Of our soldiers. From Fort. {
ress Monroe TO Shiloh, his administra.
tive power was felt and he relinquish.
ed his position after having perfected
the military system of transporting
troops, only because the direction OF ,
his railway corporation imperatively
demanded bis services. How he per.
iected the great railway system that is ,
now the pride of the Nation and the
of the world, is too familiar
to all to require repetition. Ii was
Colonel Scott whose ability conceived {
and whose courage executed the policy !
that made the Pennsylvania Railroad I
the greatest corporation of the New
World. He perfected its trunk line to 4
tap the Lakes of the Northwest, TO
cross the Father of Waters and com.
pete for the trade Of the new born
States, and to reach the heart of the s
cotton belt and the commercial empo. I
rum Of tho Southwest, and countless {
tributaries followed TO develop the S
wealth OF the field, the forest and the n
mine and gather their riches for the {
Of his State. Unlike bis a
Of to-day, who are u
nagnates in railway circles, he created
md perfected the greatest railway L
'ystem under any direction in the I,
world, while they have had predoces I
Iors of another generation who laid I
broad foundations for others to build Il
ipon.
TO record the achievements of Col.
Scott merely as the master railway ;.
mind Of the continent would but i'm ri
perfectly sum up the qualities Of his Il
greatness. lie was the first admins. a a
rator OF his age in this or any other n
'ountry, and no one man Of his gener. 4
.tion who was active in any of the ex. y y
grand events Of bis time, y
Il home or abroad, had so stamped his al
mighty impress upon the policy Of b
government and people. He was the y
rusted counselor of every President
rom Lincoln to Hayes, and there has
Iot been sore trial Of National ad 4
during that period in
which he has not been a summoned Of
dviser. Especially during the con. {.
'ulsivo epoch OF internecino war did "a
10 shed lustro upon the craftsmanship lc
# the threatened Republic, and be
vas as unosteniatious and unexacting n