The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-02-19
OL.&LII---NO. &


Hteh INJURED 10y the eAi&eEcieS OF W, =,
directed the transportation OF troops
ana the i0rwardInE OF supplies to tie
'front.'. Inc signal success OF S
EFFORTS III thlS dangerous undertake.
nor ohiy received hitting recognition
from tl!' war department, but marx
ed nm as ra!lroau man OF rare
promise. AZ the conclusion of active
hostillttes III TINS territory he was
renewed from military duty, and in
June, lSh+, was appointed Superin.
tehu Oh Iue Eastern DIVISION OF the
!h'laueipii an" hfle railroad, which
occupied MS time until March, 1873.
aver 'llis experience promotion came
rahluiE- IN March. !H'3, he was made
SUPERINTENDENT OF Motive Power of
the pennsylvania Railroad at Al
toona,;
In TINS position the vast informa-
ton and wide experience gained from
his course III the shops was applied TO
the work OF practical locomotive con
stfucuon' ana so was laid the toun-
canon OF the system which since pro
yucca tnose celebrated locomotives
kho" as tne fehisylVanla Railroad
Standard EnSlne; On July lst, 1874,
ne eiiIqnisiled TINS posi- 10 become
6enerai manager OF the IehnsylVanla
haiifoa" system east Oh llItspurg ana
ERIE -,
AS Geheral manager ne Introduced
huihoeF OF reforms IN the manage
hehl' auihihiStratloi, ana lnaintel-
ahGe OF tue ROAD. Inc standard track
ana SOLID roadDeq owes It's existence
to his efforts, ana the system OF track
inspection ana the award OF prizes for
the best sections OF track were insti-
tuded by him. The adoption of q
superior standard OF equipment, the
building OF picturesque stations and
me ofhainentation OF their groun :,
the use OF the Dlock-siSnalS syste Ii
and other safety appliances, were al
distinctive features OF his manage
menI. lie was also instrumental n
deVeioplng tnaI hlSh grade OF dec D
line for winch the pennsylvania Ra L
road is noted.
On October LIST, 1881, Mr.. Thoms II
became Second Nice-President, viii n
he has held to the present date. ID =
Ing his lncumbency OF the Nlce-Pre /
dental Office Mr.. thomson " IS
charged with the traffic arrangemel 5
OF the system, both in the freight /
passenger branch, and as admInist' /
tive office of the road and direct rep .
sentative of the President was in
position to carry out to their full t
fruition the progressive reforI 5
which he instituted as General Ma! L
ger. His direct supervision OF re
traffic arrangements existing betwe n
the Pennsylvania Railroad and IS
connections kept him in close tou' II
with all the railway interests Of tie
country, and so makes him tod V
one the best informed, most eXpe /
euced, and ablest of American r. l.
road managers. These qualificatio IS
are universally acknowledged by IL
his contemporaries OF the raiiro'
world.
Mr.. Thomson's duties as the mar =
ger OF great railway require somu h
of his time that he has never be n
identified with many other public ia
stitutions. A notable exception, no y
ever, is the Equitable Life Insurance
Company, of which he is a directt r.
The social side of Mr.. Thomson s
life is quite as comprehensive as It's
business counterpart. He is patr' n
of art, literature, and music, and
handsome residence at "COrkerhili.'
near Merton Station. is enriched wi II
many examples of artists in painting
and sculpture, whose works are IS
valuable as they are rare. At tits
mansion, with the assistance of his
daughter, Miss Anne Thomson, lie
dispenses quiet but notable hospita-