The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-31
Entered Service Of the Road as Rod
and Rose TO the Highest Position.
DEATH DUE TO HEART FAILURE
FOLLOWING A LONG ILLNESS. PROB
ABLY CAUSED By OVERwoRK.
Gen. Andrew Jackson smith. n Brave
Participant in Two Wars, Sue
cumbs To Paralysis.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3o.-George B.
Roberts president or the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, died AT 4:30 this after
noon, at his home i'm Bala. a suburb OF this
city, from heart failure, which was super
induced by acute indigestion. aged sixty
three years. Mr.. Roberts was first taken
i'll in August last. but there have been
periods since that time during which ne has
been able To be about the house. He was
forced TO take 10 his bed about two months
ago with catarrh Of the stomach and grew
steadily worse until the time OF his death
During the past two weeks his condition
had become practically hopeless, the at
tending physicians giving but little en-
couragement To his family. He was
conscious TO the last Probably the
real cause OF death wac over
work Mr.. Roberts simply gave out under
the strain OF his responsibilities and the
labor involved in looking after the largest
corporation i'm the United States. He had
never been accustomed TO take rest or rec
reation. lie began his career as a rodman,
surveying the line OF the Pennsylvania
road over the Allegheny mountains, and
served consecutively for more than forty
years in one position or another. where his
efficiency had always been rewarded with
promotion until he reached the top. lie
gave his life TO the road. He seldom took
vacation. He never enjoyed amusements.
The social side of his character was seen
only by a few intimate friends The great
est pleasure he enjoyed was in puttering
around his farm and i'm his garden on the
line of the Pennsylvania road about a half
hours ride from Philadelphia The only
respite from labor he had was Saturday
afternoon holiday. The constitution that
endured this terrible strain so long was
nnally worn out and broken down
george Brooke Robertss ancestors came
10 TINS country from Wales in 1858. buying
the property at Bala, Montgomery county
Whlcn mas since been the Roberts home
stead. Mr.. Roberts born June 10 ISe
In 1901 he entered the service OF the Penn
SylVanla Railroad Company as rOdman I'm
the engineering corps. From May. 1852 To-
the spring of 1888 he was assistant engineer
IN lne location OF the Sunbury a. Erie
Railway and from the spring of 1853 TO the
ran of 1884 he was principal assistant en-
gineer in the location of the North Penn
sylvania Railroad. From the fall OF 1854 to
the spring of 1851 he was principal assistant
engineer in the construction of the North
western pennsylvania Railroad. Then he
became chief engineer of the Allentown
Railroad OF Pennsylvania. He nlled various
positions until May 2S 1852. when he be-
pennsylvania Railroad Company In 1869 he
was promoted to the position of fourth vice
president. When Col. Thomas A Scott sue
ceeded Mr.. Thompson as president OF the
company in 1874, Mr.. Roberts was advanced
TO the post OF first vice president Feb 9
1919, he was elected secretary and treasurer
OF the West Jersey Railroad. a position he
held for nine years and I'm 1876 became presi-
dent. When President Scott died in May.
1850, Mr.. Roberts was chosen TO succeed him
and has been reelected annually ever since