The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-02-03
GEORGE 3. ROBERTS DEAD.
President of the ?. R. R. sucounbs TO Dis
ease.

wears. stated lO-nif5At 10 a ltFlf-tA-lAttf@ 20 4
of the United Associated Presses that !
Mr.. Roberts had had a serious orgeHie |
trouble of the heart for more than fifteen
years. In July last Mr. Roberts went 10 /
New England for short rest and change /
and while there more serious symptoms |
were developed. on his return 10 his /
home, on August 81, his aiilicti0n had 50 I
increased that it was necessary for him |
TO be confined TO his room. Since then |
he has been gradually falling, and Tor the |
past week his symptoms became more |
alarming, until his death this afternoon. |
During his illness Mr. Roberts has |
been attended by DIR. Lodge and Drs- J. |
NJ. Dacosta and James Tyson, as consult |
ing physicians. His wife and immediate |
family and DIR. Lodge were at the bedside !
when the end came. No arrangements /
have yet been made for the funeral.
In the death of George 3. Roberts |
Philadelphia loses one of its foremost |
citizens, and the Pennsylvania railroad |
company an official whose executive abil- |
ity and practical knowledge have placed |
the road in the very forefront of modern |
railway systems of any country in the |
world. Mr.. Roberts life from boyhood /
almost. was history OF the Pennsylva- !
mia railroad company. for when he was
not yet out OF mis- teens he entered the
service of that corporation and by indus
try, ability and attention TO the thousand
and one details of railroading advanced
from one position 10 another until he
reached the presidency of the great cor
poration.
Mr.. Roberts in character was a plain
man and sought but little distinction and
place in the social world, but devoted all
his time and ability to the forwarding of
the interests OF the company with which
he was identified. He was recognized
among railroad magnates and financiers
as their equal in the world of business,
and his interest and opinion were sought
and respected, and by the shareholders,
directors and his co-workers in the
Pennsylvania railroad company he was
considered TO be the directing brain Of
the great enterprise. SIr. Roberts
unostentatiousneSs, lirmness and justice
endeared him to the employees of the
company, and not since the great strike
in Pittsburg in 1857 has there been any
serious difficulty with the employees OF
the road.
Mr. Roberts was descended from an
old Welsh stock, and was born in 1898 or
farm owned by his father on the out
skirts of Philadelphia. This farm Mr..
Roberts maintained all his life, and of
late years has used it as country resi-
dence. He received 4 professional'train-
ing in the Polytechnic institute at Trg;,
y. y, aud Immediately after graduation
entered the service of the Pe9lnglvauia
railr6si company. lie bega8 his career
as a rot tman in an engineer corps on the
AlleghehSsummit division. and in 1852,
while he sstili bgs19 years Of age, he
had reached a poyltion of assistant en-
gineer of the Eilglelphia and Erie rail-
way. Durih,i be next ten years he was
actively eng>Eed in the location and con-
! struction the various divisions of the
PennsySs railroad company i'm this
fla.@ 5r, nS d., Ss% . 5sesy ss e his II h. e5rs -ae
] fors, and in 1852 Mr.. Roberts was made
assistant to President }. Edgar Thom-
son. His engineering abilities and exec
uiive capacity We're developed by seven
years at work in this position, and in 1863
he was promoted TO the position Of fourth
vice president Almost Immediately
afterwards he was promoted 10 second
/ vice president. on June 3, 1874, when
4 the late Colonel Thomas A. Scott sue
ceeded Mr.. Thomson in the presidency
of the road, Mr.. Roberts was advanced
/ TO the position of first vice president. In
this position all engineering questions
relating 10 the construction, extension
and improvement Of the Pennsylvania
system were under his control, aud lie
| further had general supervision OF the
accounts Of the company through the
comptroller.
on June l, 1850, Colonel Scott resigned
the presidency, and Mr.. Roberts, rs his
\ logical successor, was chosen for the
head of the corporation. Since that time
4 Mr. Roberts has been reelected annually
and under his management has seen the
road grow with leaps and bounds until
to-day It's railroad system is unsurpassed
! by any railroad in the world.
For years there have cropped ont per
/ ennially rumors that President Roberts
was about 10 resign and that this, that,
| or the other Pennsylvania railroad mag
nate was to be his successor. These rti-
mors, although uniformly denied, were
1 largely based upon gossip from the inner
circle as to Mr.. Roberts poor health.
/ Repeatedly it was said that a. J. Cassatt,
4 once "Pennsy's" most influential vice
I president, was TO succeed to the first
place. But as frequently Mr.. Cassait,
whose policy at one time differed radical
" from that OF Mr. Roberts, was leh in
/ the background. OF late, especially
within the past year or two, rumor has
been elec;ing Vice President McCrea, of
Pittsburg. TO the presidency in the in
/ valid executives stead.
As a matter OF fact, First Vice Presi-
dent Frank Thomson, OF Philadelphia,
who for years, although Young man.
! has been at the head Of the transportation
department. will likely be the new presi-
dent. The Pennsylvania railroad IS Ike
/ a clock. Not q cog or a wheel is a misfit
Every man has been elevated 10 bis
! present position. not only 10y reason OF
his certain qualifications therefor. bat for
the place next higher. So it is a perfect
4 civil service machine. Consequently.
there will he no shake-np, no change Of
policy. Each executive officer nesr the
J head viii simply step mp one peg, and
/ the machinery viii not even be Jared by
Z this noteworthy stoppage Of its principal
part.
An Old Settler.
a 49,