Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-09-01

J. W. EElNHART- other than the
first corporation into whose employ he en-
tered, Until at last he became the presi-
dent Of one OF the greatest railway corpora
lions In the world, certainly the greatest
In the number Of miles of track operated
by It, 1t was the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa F. system.
He was only little past 40 when he was
placed In this post of great responsibility
and opportunity, one of the youngest men
ever chosen to such n responsible posi-
ton. President Reinhart. for it is of him
that this experience Is related, never had
other opportunity for learning the details
Of ~ midway business than that which
he Oh d either as subordinate or prin-
cipal in he rooms where railway accounts
are kept.
In that department he displayed unu-
sual ability, and after he was placed in
charge of the accounts of the Atchison
system he prepared and published a re-
port upon the condition of that great prop
erty which fascinated those who are in
terested in railway affairs far more than
any novel could do. 1t had such instan-
famous success in tho railway world As
some of the stories OF Dickens did in the
world of fiction readers. 1t was an almost
marvellous display Of what could be done
with figures and what q dramatic and ex-
citing story they could be made to tell
As a result of this literature of figures
Mr.. Rcinhart was promoted so that he be-
came vice president of the company, hav-
ing supreme control over the accounts,
subject only to the action of the president
or directors. Later he was chosen prcsi-
dent, but within n few months after he
thus became associated with some Of the
greatest railroad managers of the country
his corporation was compelled to ask the
protection Of the courts. Not long after
that another one of those who arc able to
go behind the mystery of figures and to
| dig out from IL the truth which lies con-
cealcd made n IMPORT which alarmed the
business world
This magician of figures, or expert &C
| countant, discovered that in ono OF the
special accounts there was concealed, as
he said, an enormous deficiency or obliga-
ton incurred, rs he reported or suggested,
| through the payment OF rebates, or perhaps
| for some other mason due either to unfur-
tunatc management, or. rs some OF the
| Stockholders have charged, to Illegal acts,
done prior to Mr.. Rcinhart's control. II
| this special account, amounting tO ms much
as 81 COO, 600, was Grated to cover up the
| payment Of r,hatcs, then 10 was n deceit
made possible by the ability to mAnipu.
late figures 50 that they might tell any
tale, for ynder tn" laws OF congress the
| payment 81 p,hatcs Is Illegal. Mr.. Rein
hart was not responsible for these acts
| but he was the victim, because the discuv
cry was made during his term Figurcs
brought him his high ofiicr, and hgur=
aftcrward Gust him his place and splendid
! opportunities.
| Whatever the mason for the CrcatiOn ui
| this account, the cxp1Surc Of the expert
accountant was followed by the rcsigna
ton Of Mr.. Rcinhart from the presidency
| and he thus was made TO Iffcr for tbs
| mistakes Of others
The ability to nnalyxc figures and ths
| capacity 50 to group them rs to make
them tell the truth so that anybody car
understand IL ut a glance arc among tbs
most important Of the qualities which
the direction OF a great railway demands
| There have been very able railway man
ayers who had no special capacity for deal
ing with hgurcs in the way OF account.
and, on the other hand, some very abl'
financicrs would make very poor prac
teal directors of railway companies. Mr.
Gould was ono OF these latter. He haf
an extraordinary capacity for Hnaly EinE
figures. When he was thinking Of buy
ing a railway. he always called for the n
ports, and he went through them almost
by intuition. 81 that no magician If fig
ures was ever able to deceive him. There
In lay his great power. He was able e
employ very able men to manage his rail
ways, but there were only one or two mcr
whom he over met whose Judgment he ~
lied upon I'm tho examination of accounts
and reports.
Lucius Tuttlc. the young president u
the great Boston and Maine system, In,
both the capacity to analyze figures ant
to manage a railroad. and so had Ton
Scott. in some respects the greatest rail
way president we have ever had Com
modore Vanderbilt could organize, coulG
discover the weak or false statements IN
any reports or figures. but hewas not real
" n great practical manager, and know
ing that he always employed at the high
est salaries men who had conspicuous abil
ity n that way. Z J. EDWARDS