Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-11
A Rising Lonisianian.

| W. q. Raoul was born in the parish of
Livingston, July 4. 1913. He received only
a common school education. Left school
in his eighteenth year, and engaged ar
IDENTIFY in the service of the Confederacy,
1 joining the second company of the bat
/ talon of the Washington Artillery; par
/ ticipated in every enga cement of his COM
/ pany for two years, was detailed, on ac-
count of his energetic administrative
/ qualities, TO the Quartermasters de-
/ partment with the rank of Captain,
/ and placed in charge of the car
| building department in Virginia. After
/ the war, on his return home from Vir-
/ ginia, he set to work 70 rebuild his fathers
1 car shops on the jackson Railroad, which
I had been destroyed by the Federal troops.
/ After these shops were rebuilt and put in
| operation, he became the chief manager
! of them, and continued in this position
until by the change of ownership OF the
/ Jackson Railroad. the shops lost the busi-
ness upon which they depended
I Then, leaving his native State, he en-
barked his fortunes in the more promising
/ and productive field of railroad enterprise
in the great State of Georgia. Here his
| great capacity, energy and administrative
skill soon secured him employment in sew
I eral very responsible capacities in the
great Georgia Central, and, finally, on the
retirement, on a liberal salary, of the
superintendent of the road, in consequence
of ill-health, young Raoul was promoted
to the vacancy. In this capacity he served
for several years, with constantly increes-
ing powers and responsibilities, to the
great satisfaction of directors, the stock
holders and the public, From this pO-
sition, through the solicitations of par
ties interested, he was induced to accept
the perintendency of the Southwestern
Railroad. SO marked was the ability with
which he fulfilled the duties of this pO-
stiOn that the Georgia. Central elected
him Vice President and General Manager
Of the Georgia system of railroads. In
this position he continued with great ac-
tiyity and energy to labor until the death
of Colonel W. NJ. Wadley, the President
of the Georgia Central,
At the election of January, 1882, of di-
[ rectOrs of this company an issue was
made, and vigorous battle fought, on the
policy of Col, Wadley, in which the oppO-
sitiOn TO that policy was led by Gen. E. P.
Alexander. of the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad, whose ticket triumphed in
the election. The administration of the
new directory was in direct opposition to
that advocated and pursued by the late
President Wadley and Captain RaOul.
An EFFORT was made by the
new directory to cucumber the
Ocean Steamship Company with
debentures to the extent of five millions
of dollars. This was the proposition which
had been steadily resisted by Colonel
Wadley, who resigned the Presidency of
the Ocean steamship Company rather
than fix his signature to such obligations.
On the death of Colonel Wadley, which
occurred in Angus. hast, the Board of
Directors erected General Alexander to
the vacancy for the uneXpired term
of the Presidency. Opposed TO
the policy Of majority of
the hoard ana of the President, Captain
RaOufs name wa IOt brought forward in
opposition to Ge-aral Alexander, but a
vigorous and determined opposition
sprung up against the general policy of
the General and his board, of which Cap
tain RaOal became the exponent, and in
the election held on the first of January
last the result of this long and bitter con-
test is the splendid victory OF the board,
led by this gallant and energetic young
I-ouisianian.
Thus is exhibited the encouraging and
gratifying picture of a young LOuisianian
leaving his home, mOneyless and friend
less, and embarking in a new and untried
field of adventure and enterprise, and
starting in some inferior aud humble ca
pacity, working his way by good conduct,
fidelity and energy through all the grades
of railroad service and administration,
and within ten years reaching the Presi-
dency of the largest and richest corpora
ton of the South the Central Railroad of
Georgia.-N. o. Times Democrat.
Opening Holiday Suits-something beau
tiful. E. Heidi, 1879 Congress street.-Ady,