The Portland daily press., 1892-01-28
SKETCH OF Mr.. FuRBER's LIFE.

His Long Connection With the Boston and
Maine and Its Results.
The death of James T. Furber will be
learned with sorrow by thousands of
men whose connection with the great
Boston & Maine system is more OF less
intimate. Mr.. Furber began life by
publishing a small paper at Great Falls,
n. FL. but early went into railroading,
: beginning by selling tickets at Great
Falls for the old Boston & Maine. Thus
he has worked UP through all the
grades. About 25 years ago he was en-
ployed at Jersey City by the Erie road,
and soon after that returned to the Bos-
ton & Maine, becoming station agent at
Lawrence. Then he became general
freight agent of the road. And then,
when Superintendent Merritt resigned,
Mr.. Furber was put in his place. This
was in the winter of 1873. The Boston
& Maine at that time was far from the
great and powerful corporation that it is
at present. 1t reached into Maine only
as far as Berwick, and was obliged to
handle its Portland passengers over the
line of the Portland, ssSaco & Portsmouth
railroad which was leased to its haugh-
ty rival, the Eastern. 1t was during Mr..
Furbers superintendency that the Bos-
ton &c Maine got its line into Portland.
The Eastern opposed it bitterly, and old
citizens of Portland remember the
War That Followed On Commercial Street
When the Boston & Maine attempted
to lay track across the Eastern line on
Commercial street, the Eastern kept a
locomotive running back and forth con-
tinuously to prevent the work. But the
Boston & Maine got across, and contin-
>ued to improve its financial condition
under good management. The Eastern,
however, secured the majority of the
Maine Central stock. and thus monopo-
ly of the Maine through business. The
Eastern was still the greater road. But
Mr.. Furber and his associates kept quiet
ly at work improving their property.
The results have come within the last
half dozen years. People were first sur
prised to learn one morning that the
Boston & Maine had leased the Eastern,
securing the control by the same move
of the majority of the Maine Central
stock. Then the great Boston & Lowell
system was leased, and then the Central
Massachusetts, Northern, Passumpsic,
etc. Mr.. Furber, who, in 1873, took
charge Of the short and struggling line
from Boston to Berwick, found himself
director of system that touched the
Hudson and Lake Champlain on the
west. the Canada line on the north, and
Portland on the south and east. And he
lived to see the spresident of his road
cast. in a Maine Central meeting that
majority vote which the naughty direct
ors of the old Eastern had acquired in
the days of their might
Mr.. Furber was much liked by his
subordinates. He used to say to his
men, GAS long as you are right will
stand by you as long as [ have
At the time of the lease of the Eastern
Mr.. Furber was made general manager
of the Boston & Maine system. Two
years ago he was elected director and
vice president of the road, and reelected
this year. Mr. Furber was marie d
twice. in 1851 to Jane Knox of Chelsea,
and in 1872 to Mary L. Drew of Great
Falls. His last wife died in 1876. He
leaves one daughter, Mrs. John r. Poor
of Lawrence. The arrangements for the
funeral have not yet been made.
Feet to Stand On"
ana he was dS SOol co lhio WoIta' oAO NJ
them said last night: cit will be hard for
them to find man to fill his place"
There seems to be much doubt as to
his su ccessor. The Boston & Maine has
a number of capable division superin-
tendents from whom general superin-
tendent might be selected. There is
John W. Sanborn, superintendent Of the
Northern DivisionGhe Conway and Wolf
boro branches) who has President JJoness
confidence; but is getting well along in
years, perhaps too far along to take
added responsibilities. His brother, D.
Southern Division. (the Boston & Lowell
and Central Massachusetts, and is
younger, being about fifty: Then there
is Superintendent George W. Hurlburt of
the Worcester, Nashua and Portland
division, FL. E. Folsom of the Passump-
sic, W. T. Perkins of the Eastern, (the
old Eastern with Sangus, Marblehead,
Dover, Essex and Amesbury branches)
s..J w.. Nro,u,;;4. Tho IHpctprp niui