Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-26
THOMAS ALEXANDER sCeTT.
Death of the Great Railroad Manager.
SKETCH or THE DEcEAsED--
MS EARLY CAREER, SERVICES DURING

RAILROADS, AND MS
FINAL TAXING orr.
Colonel Thomas A. Scott, who died at
Q o'clock on Saturday evening last at
his country residence, near Phlladel'
phia, was born in Loudon, Franklin
county, Pa, December 2s, 1923. lie
worked on a farm in summer, went to
the village school in winter, and before
attaining his majority had been clerk
in several country stores OF Waynes'
boro', Bridgeport and Mercersburg. Ar.
terward he became the clerk of his
brother in law, Maj. James Patten, who
was collector of tolls at Columbia, on
the State road, and Il little later clerk
to the extensive warehouse and com
mission merchants of Columbia, the
Messrs. Leach. In lS47 he accepted
the post of chief clerk to A. Boyd Cum.
mings, the collector of tolls in Phila.
delphia, the eastern terminus of the
State road. II was in 1851, at the age
Of twenty.eight years, that he first be
came connected with the Pennsylvania
railroad. then only partially construct
ed. After residing for about a year Mt
the Junction, near llollidaysburR, in
charge of the business of the company
passing over the Portage road and the
western division of the State canal, he
was appointed to the responsible post
Of general agent for the eastern or
mountain division of the road, with
headquarters at Duncansville. On the
completion of the western division he
was made its general agent at the Pitts.
burg office, and on the withdrawal OF
- 4 1 q h..
post of general superintendent of the
entire line in 1857 he assumed the va
cant position with headquarters at Al.
toona. In 1859, on the death Of Mr..
William B. Foster, vice president OF the
road, Mr.. Scott was chosen his successor
and quickly became known as one OF
most active and enterprising railway
managers in the country.
At the outbreak OF the war, in 1861,
he was appointed colonel on the staff of
Gov. Curtin, and distinguished himself
by his energy in equipping and for.
wardlng the Pennsylvania volunteers.
His mastery of the important details of
military transportation pointed him out
for the position of assistant secretary OF
war under General SIMON Cameron and
his successor, Edwin VI. Stanton, and
he held that position until 1862, when
his railway interests rendered necessary
his resignation. lie again temporarily
accepted governmental position in
1868, when he went to Louisville and
superintended the dispatch OF the Elev.
enth and Twelfth corps via. Nashville
to the relief OF Gen. Rosecrans at Chat.
tanooga. At this time he was appoint
cd colonel aud assistant quartermaster
general on Gen. Hooker's staff.
Returning to his railway duties, he
was instrumental in securing tile con.
troll of various western lines of railways
necessary for opening continuous com.
munioation with the great cities of the
west. In 1871. rival routes to ST. Louis
and Chicago having been brought under
the same management, 1t was deemed
expedient, for the simple and effective
working Of the lines west of Pittsburg.
that n separate company should be
chartered, 'and this was accomplished
by charter from the State legislature
on March |, 1881, Colonel Scott becom.
ing president OF this company, known
~ the Pennsylvania company, being
the agency through which the western
roads leased by the Pennsylvania rail
road are operated. At the same date
he was chosen president. of the Pan
Handle Route, otherwise known as the
Pittsburg, Cincinnati and st. Louis rail
way. He was also president Of the
Union Pacific railroad from March, 1871,
TO March, 1872, when this road passed
under the control Of Vanderbilt; pres
ident of the Texas Pacific railroad,
from its organization on April -, 1871;
president of the Atlantic and Pacific
railroad, which is TO follow the thirty.
fifth parallel OF latitude, from August
;. 1878; controlling director of the
Southern Railway Security Company,
which had the management of great
network of roads in the south, and di.
rector OF the Kansas Pacific, Denver
and Pacific. Denver and Rio Grande
marrow guagel, and numerous other
roads, and he declined, in 1874, the po.
sition of president of the Erie railway
of New York.
The results Of railroad collision
many years before, and his living two
lifetimes within one by reason Of his
ceaseless activity, began impairing Col
onel Scotts physical vigor. and after he
had suffered q slight stroke of paralysis
in 1879 he was hurried of TO Europe.
He returned, much restored in health,
but still felt that he should be looking
around for some one to whose hands he
could commit the interests Of the Penn
sylvania railroad in case of serious sick.
ness, and in January, 1880. he indcat.
ed his choice by having Vice President
George b. Roberts made president of
the Pennsylvania company, the organi
zation controlling all the lines west OF
Pittsburg. Finding his condition grow.
ing no better. Colonel Scott on May |,
1880, sent letter to the board Of di.
rectors Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company resigning his honorable posi-
ton.
His wishes were reluctantly complied
with and Mr.. Roberts succeeded him.