The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-09
A REMARKABLE MAN.

The late John Gregory Smith, at one
time president of the Northern Pacific
railroad, was a remarkable man. Nature
designed him for an able politician rather
than great railroad organizer and execu-
tive, and his success as a railroad man was
achieved largely by the arts of a shrewd
lawyer and politician. As railroad man
his ardent, sanguine temperament was
constantly getting him into difficult posi-
tons, from which he generally extricated
himself by his wonderful tact, fascinating
personal address and fertility in expe-
dents to surmount or evade obstacles. A
less plausible, prepossessing man than
Governor Smith would have been ruined a
dozen times in the course of his business
career, but his unfailing good temper,
nerve, energy and tact were equal to any
emergency. For at least dozen years the
litigation between the Vermont & Canada
and the CENTRAL Vermont, of which Smith
was president, occupied the attention of
the courts, but in the end Smith triumphed
and passed the last ten years of his life in
the quiet enjoyment of the large fortune
which he had managed to accumulate
through his various railroad opportunities.
The original litigation started with the
lease of the Vermont q Canada, good
piece of railroad property, to Smith and
his associates. The lease proved bad
bargain for the stockholders, for while
Smith and his associates rapidly grew rich
the Vermont & Canada grew poor. The
courts were resorted to, but of course
courts are as powerless to relieve railway
companies of the consequences of an
idiotic bargain as they are individuals, so
that Smith and his associates remained in
control.
of United States Senator Solomon Foot in
1866 Governor Dillingham; offered the sue
cession to Governor Smith. Governor
Smith declined the appointment because
of the pressure of his private business,
and confidently expected that at some
more convenient season he could secure
an election to the United States Senate at
the hands Of the state legislature, but Mr..
Edmunds soon made a national reputation
for superior ability in the Senate, and
Governor Smith, when he felt able and
willing to accept an election to the United
States Senate. found himself powerless to
lift the Edmunds first mortgage on the
seat. He more than once cautiously
sounded public sentiment on the subject,
noteably in 1886, but he found no encour-
agement, and wisely refrained from fore
ing losing fight with Edmunds. When
Edmunds resigned Smith was too sensible
a man to seek an appointment to the
United States Senate at 70.
For capacity to charm a church, cajole
or flank a foe. allay impending animosities,
evade skillfully obstacles that he could not
carry by direct attack Governor Smith had
no superior; we doubt If he had his peer
at the East. He would go before legis-
lative committee that was utterly hostile
and prejudiced and manage to weave into
his testimony so much that was favorable
to his case that when he left the stand he
had captured the committee and made
them all his friends and personal sympa-
thizers. He was by native genius poll
tician, a manager, conciliator, winner and
leader of men, and his remarkable ability
in this respect saved him often from the
consequences of his brilliant but at times
rather reckless tactics as q business man.
ager, railway organizer and executive.
Personally Governor Smith was of pure
private morals, man of kindly, genial,
benevolent and generous temper, and was
exceedingly popular with all classes Of
society.