The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-02-01

sult1ng physicians, but DR.. Lodge was the
only physician present when he died. The
immediate members of Mr.. Roberts am
lily were the only others who saw him
breathe his last.
Mr.. Roberts leaves a wife, who was
formerly Miss Miriam L. williams, and
five children-Miss Elizabeth Williams
Roberts, George Brinton Roberts, who is
connected with the Pennsylvania COM
pany; Algernon Brooke Roberts, a mem
Der Of the class Of 80 law department Of
the University of Pennsylvania; T.. Will
Jams Roberts, a student of Yale, and a
married daughter.
Some little gossip is floating about som
corning President Roberts successor. AL
though high officials Of the Pennsylvania
system were seen with regard to the sue
c%ession, they declined from a sense of
d~elicacy to discuss that matter. The im-
preston is current in authoritative circles
that First Vice President Thomson will
succeed to the position.
George Brooke Roberts was born on
Jan. 10, 1888, in Lower Merton township,
Montgomery county, Pa. His early edu-
cation was obtained in the public schools
and rounded up by a M at the Rens-
selaer Polytechnic institute at Troy, n. Y.
Soon after leaving school, in 1851, he OBJ
tanned a position as rodman on an engl-
neering corps Of the Pennsylvunia Rail-
road company, whose main line to Pitts
burg was not then completed. A consid-
cradle portion Of the mountain division
was yet to be constructed, and it wa on
this division hat the corps was engaged.
His capabilities were soon observed, and
were recognized by his promotion to the
position of assistant engineer Of the AL
legheny division, which included the great
tunnel In the following year he was Of
fered the position Of assistant engineer Of
the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, then
under construction, and accepted it. For
the succeeding ten years, during which
many railroads were projected and built,
he was engaged in their location and con
struction.
Mr.. Roberts diligence and ability had
not passed |unnoticed by that great rail
road engineer, J. Edgar Thomson, who
had located the main line of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad, and in 1862 he induced
Mr.. Roberts to return to the service of the
company in which he began his career,
making him his principal assistant. In
1869 he was promoted to the fourth vice
presidency of the company, and was soon
afterwards advanced to the second vice
presidency, and on the death of Mr.. Thorn
son, in 1874, and the advancement of Col
To- Thomas A. Scott to the presidency.
Mr. Roberts was made first vice president.
During the last two years Of Colonel
Scott's administration Mr.. Roberts per
formed nearly all the duties of the presi-
denoy, and upon his death, in 1880, Mr..
Roberts was chosen his successor.
The cardinal principle Of his policy was
that the business of a corporation should
DO carried on by those methods which have
been most successful in the lives Of indi-
viduals that there should DO integrity in
all things economy, not parsimony, in
expenditures provision for the future in
prosperous t.ns5i ownership Of what 1t is
wise to c~outrol, and keeping up with the
general progress Of the times. Under this
wise financial policy its credit rose as high
as that Of the United States during the
period OF the greatest business depression
the country has ever known.
3 One Of the most important purchases
made during his term Of office was that of
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more railroad. The announcement of this
fact by Mr.. Roberts Mt the annual meet
ing, which occurred ON the day the trans
action was contaminated, created an i'm
describable enthusiasm i'm the great body
Of stockholders assembled in Musical
Fund Hall. In line with this purchase
was the acquisition of the Northern Con-
tral railway by purchase of the majority
of its stock, of the Philadelphia and Erie
railroad, the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and
Chicago railroad, and other integral por-
tons OF tho oompany's western system of
roads which it was essential to own, not
only as a matter of protection, but of econ
omy.