Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-18
INCIDENTS OF Az BUSY LIFE.
"reminiscences of the Late Thomas
]. POTTERY {
HIS JUSTICE TO- EMPLOYEES.
The Historical Part HesPlayed in Iowa
Legislation His Hast Meeting
With Governor Larrabee-How
He Quelled Riot iri 1877.

Denver News: The death OF Thomas
j. Potter will doubtless revive amany
"reminiscences of his railway career by
those who enjoyed his acquaintance and
friendship in the years that elapsed
from the date of his humble beginning
to the time of the illness that termi-
mated his life at Welker's hotel in
Washington, ID. c., last Thursday morn
ing. Many incidents are related by his
Denver friends.
HIS CoNsUMATE DIPLOMACY.
AT the time OF his incumbency of the
position OF superintendent OF the Iowa
divisions, general Feeling of hostility
was excited against the railways of that
commonwealth owing TO alleged extor-
tionate freight and passenger rates.
Taking advantage of this discomfort,
gang of cheap politicians for which
Iowa has long been noted, grasped the
opportunity to ride into power upon the
wave of popular discomfort, and con-
Quoted the canvass of 1878 upon the
railroad issue. The republicans had
had undisputed sway in the state for
years, there being at that time
only one democrat in the senate
the Hon. B. J. Hall, of Bur-
lington. The meagreness of the
democratic representatives induced n
facetious republican member to intro
duce a motion to the effect that Mr.. Hall
should be placed in the state museum at
a curiosity. In the contest that followed
party lines were ignored. and legisla-
ture largely composed of hory-handed
yeomanry from the rural district chosen
in both houses. True to their ante
election pledges, the members tackled
the railroad problem, and finally, de-
spite the most determined opposition
from the railway lobby that actually
swarmed upon the floors and fitted
through cloakrooms, a law. cast iron in
its provisions, was enacted for the regu-
lation of freight and passenger traffic.
The operations of this law seriously en-
barrassed the railways, whose attorneys
fought it through the state and federal
courts to the tribunal of last resort
where its constitutionality was affirmed.
This law remained in force until the
winter of 1873, when Mr.. Potter. repre-
senting the Chicago Burlington&Quincy
appeared in the Legislative arena, for
the avowed purpose of securing the re-
peal of the obnoxious granger law. BY
II series of. the shrewdest and most di-
plomatic moves ever known in the his
VI WSoICLll oDpyinEs Nli l. oUuSl ttllu
his leutenants, j. w. Blyth and Judge
Hubbard, solicitors for the Chi
cago, Burlington 81 Quincy: and
Chicago and Northwestern respectively,
the legislature was induced to repeal
the law in the very teeth of the clamor-
GUS public opposition Senator, now
Governor Larrabee, was one of the most
potential factors in assisting Mr.. Potter,
and is credited with having drawn the
bill creating the present railway COM
| mission as a substitute for the granger
law. The specific part taken by Mr..
Potter in this splendid triumph over
popular. prejudice has never been made
public, but Governor Larrabee is author
ity for the statement that to Mr.. Potter
belonged the credit of securing the
| repeal of the granger law. Governor
Larrabee has since changed front, and
is to-day recognized as the head and
front of the anti-railroad crusade in
Iowa.
THE IRONY OF FATE.
Nine years later Mr.. Potter and Mr..
Larrabee.. whose formidable coalition
in 1876. had eXpunged the anti-railway
law from Iowa S statute books, met again
under widely different conditions. The
former had traversed the highway of
fame, and appeared as first vice-presi-
dent of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, whilst the latter had reached
the dignity of governor. This hfstor-
ical meeting occurred in the rooms of
the state railway commissioner in the
new capitol at Des Moines one year ago
the ninth of next April. The Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy had established
an arbitrary rate on coal hauled from
Cleveland to Glenwood, for use at the
home of feeble minded children, located
at the latter point. The distance be-
tween the two points is 1856 miles and
the tariff eXacted $1.S0 per ton. AT the
same time the company was hauling
coal from Cleveland to Council Bluffs,
twenty-five miles further west, for 81 .25.
The governor, in approving bills for the
various state institutions, discovered
the discrimination, and forthwith for
warded q communication to Mr.. Potter,
demanding a modification. Mr.. Potter
very adroitly referred to President G.
Perkins for a reply. Instead of comply
ing with the governors demand, Mr..
Perkins ordered the coal tariff revised,
but instead of basing the revision upon
the Council Bluffs rate, as presumed by
the governor, the Glenwood tariff was
| made the basis rate, and the charge per
ton to Council Bluffs raised from $l.25
to $l.9S. The governor thereupon sum-
moned the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy to account for alleged contempt
of executive authority and violation of
state laws.
THE TILT THEY HAD.
On April 8, 1887, Mr.. Potter and Mr..
Ripley, the latter general freight agent
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy,
appeared in behalf of the company to
make defense. A heated discussion en-
sued, in which the governor severely ar
raigned the railway commissioners for
repeated delinquincies in failing to hold
the road in strict accountability for vio-
lation of the law. In the heat of excite
ment Governor Larrabee turned to Mr..
Potter, who stood leaning 'carelessly ON
the window-sill, and remarked: Il
want to state, Mr.. Potter, that SO long
as the Chicago, Burlington q Quincy
lines in Iowa were under your immedi-
ate personal supervision their manage.
! ment was marked by q policy that en-
deared you to the people of Iowa and Sc
cured for the road in this state a reputa-
tion never enjoyed before,I but ! am re-
luctant to say that since your. transfer
to a wider field of authority, and
your consequent removal from tine state,
4 &