The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-17
ABOUT RAILWAY KINGS.
GIVING SOME OF THEIR CONCERTS
AND ECCRNTRICITIES.


The Vanderbilt Perssnality-Why De-
pew Was Made President - Sam
Sloan as He Is-9ould's Little Joke.
The Most Autocratic Railroad King
In America Is James j. Hill.
(Copyrfoht)
New York, July 16.-Rsilway kings,
like common people, have their conceits and
eccentricities. The presidents of most roads
who have to hustle for proxies to control
each annual election and perform the antics
of Japanese juggler to keep their heads
on are necessarily conservative and diplo-
matte
II Iabored thirty years TO get to be presi-
dent Of this road" said veteran, land
have struggled ever since to retain my job.
OF actual work for the company have
never had time to do any"
The fortunate few, however, who have
a personal grip on majority of the stock
Of the companies over which they preside
are as autocratic as the Gar Of Russia or
his well.fed majesty of the Cannibal Islands.
If such men have any strong characteristics
they are sure to show them.
THE vANDERBILTS.
People of strong personality are the Van
derbilts. They never traded on anybody's
msfortunes, they never attacked anybody g
credit, and in all financial battles they have
invariably been arrayed on the side of
progress With cordial detestation Of shams
and iniquites, the father and grandfather
snubbed demagogues and the parasites Of
the lobby, and turned cold shoulder upon
the hordes of business men who sought a
dishonest advantage OF their neghbors
through the medium of special rates.
Instead of public vote of thanks, this
straightforward course brought upon the
heads of the Vanderbilts a storm of indig
nation. Hated and maligned. they realized
the need of diplomacy. They were them
selves too blunt to be diplomstio, and en-
gagged Chauncey NJ. Depew to assume the
role. This was twenty-five years ago.
Mr.. Depew didn't know a way-bill from
a water tank, but he was talented, popular
and possessed Of Infinite capacity to learn.
He was Just the man to champion cause
righteous but misunderstood.
"THE PUBLIC BE DAMNED"
Depew went to work with will, and year
by year gained In public esteem aud creps
deeper and deeper into the confidence of his
employers. One day q trivial circumstance
intensified the condition Of affairs which he
WAS endeavoring TO overcome and pushed
him still farther to the front.
In an interview with a Chicago reporter
William H. Vanderbilt was reported rs say
ing: 1.-The public be damueln The news
paper were full OF it; the people howled
with rage. That Mr.. Vanderbilt ever said
such a thing has been denied. That ne said
it with the arrogant motive imputed to him
is absurd. About that time several promi-
nent railroad men had been asking public
CONCESSIONS with the hypocritical preten-
sion that they were asking them solely
for the public good. Mr.. Vanderbilt scorned
such hypocrisy. He was business man ,
supplying certain needs Of the people on a
scale more gigantic than the world had ever
before dreamed of, but he never denied
that what he wanted was the legitimate
profits Of the enterprise. If he ever said
''The public be damned" it was merely his
blunt way OF repudiatiDg current hypoc-
risy. The popular Interpretation OF the
undiplomatic remark was an outrageous
misrepresentation.
There is no doubt, however, that those
four words induced Mr. Vanderbilt to make
Depew president OF the New York Central
railroad instead Of himself or one of his
sons.
A similar acknowledgment OF the power
of public opinion comes from the big Read
ing combination, which has gived vice.
presidency to John Russell Young, the dis
tinguishod journalist and diplomat.
AN ECCENTRIC PATRIARCH.
Unique among railway monarchs stands
the Hon. Samuel Sloan, president of the
Lackawanna. He writes his name simply
"Sam," not that he wishes to be familiar
with himself, but it saves time. Vouchers
and minor documents requiring his signn-
turo he merely endorses IS. s." Mr.. Sloaan' s
hair Is abundant and white as
snow, his eyes are as bright as diamonds,
and his huge jaw bespeaks the bull dog that
he is.
He hates typewIiters-male female and
northumberland writes all his own letters
in autograph with big gold pen. No won
der that some OF his episIles are short and
curt.
His venerable secretary handles some of
the routine correspondence of the executive
office, but his chief duties are confined to
opening and arranging the mail and enter
tanning distinguished bores, who are turned
over to him.
Unimportant letters received are thrown
in the waste basket. After the writer has
waited in vain a week or two for a reply he
has been turned down.
For the Trunk Line Association, which
assumes to maintain rates and regulate
methods, Mr.. Sloan is a heavy cross to bear.
The old gentleman is proverbially foxy,
and, while agreeing 10 all forms and fais
perBlSteutlY falls OF IulnllIneub. w nel ne
is taken to task he feigns establishment, and
threatens dire vengeance upon his suoordi-
mates, who, he explains, have not carried out
his instructions.
"When we get Sloan on the gridiron, u
said trunk line president, ''and apply the
inquisition In a manner that would make
Depew, King or Roberts sweat blood, what
do you suppose the old man doesi He leans
back in his chair. by Jupiter, and goes TO
sleep"
Mr.. Sloan rules the Lackawanna with a
rod OF iron. 1t is emphatically a one-man
institution and Mr.. Sloan is tho one man.
The old gentleman has a warm spot in
his heart for the clergy and the lacka-
wanna issues annual half-fare permits by
the hundred, all of which bear Mr.. Sloans
personal signature, and, in accordance with
one Of his many peculiar orders, are filed
out personally by General Passenger Agent
HOW'LL with gold pen.
While an absolute ruler, Mr.. Sloan is
noted for his fatherly wetchfulness over his
Oldest and most faithful employees, TO whom
he extends all sorts OF delicate kinduesses,
usually disguised as imperative orders.
given with eccentric bluntness, as If the old
patriarch was ashamed TO show that there
is any tenderness 10 his makeup.
JAY GoULD's LITTLE JOKE.
At the risk OF running a reputation for
veraoity, as yet in fair state Of repair,
the writer must recall an anecdote of Jay
Gould. Mr. Gonds personal charao-