Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-01
REMOVED.
Vice-President and General
Manager Payson Tucker
Asked to Resign Refuses Removed
from Latter Office by Directors.
The State Observation-Disclosures With Mr.
Tucker His Life Work.
REMOVED.


meeting of the directors of the Maine
Central was held. today. at which We're
present all the directors, both those
from abroad and those resident in
Maine. except Mr.. George NJ. Pullman
The executive committee invited Mr.
Tucker to tender his resignation. Mr..
Tucker declined to resign. II was then
voted to remove Mr.. Tucker from the
office of vice president and general
manager. Mr.. Tucker. upon being mott
fed of his removal sent to President
Tuttle and the executive committee this
letter:
Portland. November 80, 1896.
LuciuS futile. President of the Boston
& Maine Railroad. and the chairman
of the executive committee of the
Maine Central Railroad:
Gentlemen: / ave been officially in
formed that my services, as vice presi-
dent and general manager of the 4daine
Central Railroad Company will be no
longer required. ] am deeply touched.
This act of kindness so nohly conceived
and delicate!y consummated, teaches
me that all is not base and SCR
did in this world. and that the human
heart. when connected with the Bos-
ton & Maine Railroad is capable of
high ami lofty impulses. Wishing YOU
pleasant journey to Boston. this
afternoon. | am. as ever.
PAYSON TUCKER
George F. Evans. assistant general
manager of the Boston & Maine. was
elected general manager of the Maine
Central.
A reporter for the Press saw Mr..
Tucker at his house. Mr. Tucker said
that he believed that the people of
Maine would he in sympathy with him.
He had been asked to resign but he
had nothing to resign for He had for
30 years, worked night and day to
make the Maine Central a success ana
the pride Of the State. He had raised
its value from IS share to a s per
cent. dividend paying road. But. said
Mr. Tucker, the lines have been draw
ing closer every day. He could say
one thing, that while he felt badly to
sever his connection with the road
and especially in the way he had, yet
stranger to him for years. Mr.. Tucker
was visibly affected, but was manly
throughout the interview.
Mr. Evans. his successor. has been
connected with the Nandalia Road
then with the Boston & Lowell and
more recently with the Boston &
Maine in the capacity mentioned.
Mr.. Tucker has spent practically his
whole life as railroad man. He be
gan at the age Of l6 years. as clerk
with John Russell of the old Portland
Saco & Portsmouth Railroad. During
the long illness of Mr.. Russell, Mr.
Tucker was at times virtually superin
tendent of the road. Later he became
a conductor on the Eastern. Mr.
Tucker went to the Maine Central
from the Eastern Railroad in 1876, first
being chosen superintendent, and in
1852 promoted 10 vice president and
general manager of which position he
held up to today. In 1882 and 1889 he
also held the position of general man
ager of the Eastern Railroad.
The operation of the Maine Central
has been left largely to Mr.. Tucker. of
late years. and he maintained close
DtrSollii SubtfNlSitii VI an IildtltIS It-
lating to the road. The Flying Yam
kee from Boston to St. John. and the
fast express and limited Pullman
trains between Boston and Bar Har
Dor have been Mr.. fuckers pride, as
he has seen in this enhanced accom-
mediation for the travelling public. and
the rapid development of the summer
business of the State.
He has believed that the railroad
should seek to encourage such mat
ter rather than i should delay action
till the bitterly complaining public
practically compeis the addition of
such train accommodations. BY this
method of doing business Mr.. Tucker
may not have so rapidly promoted the
payment of large dividends upon the
stock of the company, but while secur-
ing the payment of good per cent.
seni-annual dividend he has also laid
the foundation for business that en-
sures increased value to the stock of
the road as the years advance.
In 1876, Maine Central stock was
worth anywhere from 80 to so. just
as if was wanted for any special pur
nose. now it is far above par, and
rdnnOt De Obtained III tiit optH ildl htt
Good financial management, combined
with a popular operation of the road
has wrought this change. There is
sfrone suspicion that the removal of
Mr.. Tucker is the beginning of move
ment to more closely unite the man
arernent of the Boston & Maine and
Maine Central Railroads, and that
hereafter the management of the lat
ter road will be less independent than
il has been.
while the statute of the State makes
it compulsory that majority OF the
Maine Central directors shall be resi-
dents of Maine. and that its headquar-
ters shall be in the State. still 1t is not
incompatible with a closer union of the
management of the two roads. However,
several gentlemen supposed to be in
s;de the counsels of the Boston & Maine
deny that any radical changes are IN
tended. though they did not deny that
several minor offices may be CONSOLE
da+ed president Wilson of the Maine