Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-14

REGRET ON THE STREET

There was but one important topic of
conversation in business and financial cir
c!es today, and that was the expected
severance of the official relations existing
between President George H. Harries and
the Metropolitan Railroad Company. Nor
was the gossip confined to these quarters.
The general public was as much interested.
In 1t as the men of active affairs, and on
all sides there was but one opinion ex-
pressed, and that was that the company
would be making the most fatal mistake
in its history If it permitted Mr.. Harrtes
to retire. The sentiment that prevailed in
counting rooms and business offices was
reproduced In stores and establishments
and at the District building and up at the
Capitol as we'll. 1t was declared by an
eminent senator that the Metropolitan
Company owed more to the personality of
Mr. Harries than it did to every other in
nuence 1t could possibly secure because
the legislators for the District had long
ago become convinced that they could put
absolute dependence in his representations.
Ine employees of the company even joined
In the general regret at the news that they
would lose their president.
FOR the first time in years." said old
conductor, we haven't got disconnected
man on the road Our hours of labor have
been reduced under Mr.. Harries and our
conditions improved in every way. If it
was left to the men Mr.. Harries would
stay"
citizens who patronize the road deplored
the news and hoped 1t was not true. They
all SAID that under the present manage
ment the service was the best ever known
the lines
Naturally, where there was so much dis
cussion there was a desire to learn the
reasons for the expected event.
Some Reasons.
They were not far to seek. A well-known
gentleman who is thorous hly familiar with
the affairs of the various railroad corpora
tions in the District, but who naturally
wished his individuality concealed in this
come elton, conversed with a Star reporter
this morning. "The selection of Major
Harries for the presidency of the Metro
politan company last year was a good deal
of surprise he remarked, but it was
brought about by a set of perpleXing cir
cumstances. and in the end proved to be
proVidential When Sam Phillips COM
pleted the construction of the Did transit
system and determined to retire the owners
of the road were in quandary. A man
was needed who could relieve the company
of the many difficulties that confronted it
1t was an admitted fact that there was no
member Of the board of directors who could
solve the problem. Major Harries was
suggested to Mr.. Phillips as the best man
for the place. Inquiry on the part of Phil
lips, of Robert Weaver, of John Cammack
and those who own. the majority stock in
the road developed that Harres was better
equipped than any other man in Wash
inSton, despite the fact that he was not
experienced in railroad affairs. There were
powerful influences ,exertcd against his Sc
lection, which could easily detail if neces-
sary, but they We're overcome and Harries
1.-The task that confronted Harries was
a herculean one continued the gentleman
luminous labor troubles threatened the
road: There MAS a substantial boycott
labor. such as the printers and the tele-
graph operators. The Knights of Labor
had sworn that no legislation favorabl
to the road should pass Congress. and
many senators and members sympathized
openly with the Knights. There were
strained relations between the Metropoli-,
tan and the Capital Traction Company.
There were powerful personal influences
arrayed against the road in Congress, and
there We're irritating differences between
ii and the District Commissioners Major
Harries successfully ameliorated all these
conditions. He alIayed the labor trou-
bles; he secured the legislation the Knights
OF. Labor swore the company would never
get; he settled the differences With the
Traction company, and, besides, improved
the facilities of the road In every direc-
ton. / do not say too much when l as
sert that all this was due TO his fearless
honesty; his indomitable energy. and his
sleepless devotion to the interests he rep
resented. In WORD, MS personality
worked wonders"
I'm every way possible he sought to
make the road popular with the public,
continued the gentleman. The exchange
system of transfers with the herdics when
they were replaced on 18th anu u streets
and the extension of the Metropolitan sys-
TEN to Washington Heights are two OK
amples of his wisdom in this regard, which
have also added substantially to the reve-
nues of the company. This modern way
Of however |
not suit the views Of the majority inter-
est. They seemed 20 regard the office of
president as one 10 be filed by mere
clerk who should do nothing without con-
sulting them on eyery detail. and in broad
questions they antagonized Major Harries
steadily
The Annual Meeting.
The annual meeting of the stockholders
of the Metropolitan Railroad Company is In
session at the company Offices. 14th and
East Capitol streets, this afternoon. The
meeting began, after a delightful cham
payne lunch, with Mr.. Samuel L. Phil
lips in the chair. Among the stockholders
present were H. Clay Stewart, Dorsey
Clagett. A. b. Grunwell. John B. Larner
Charles r. Spence Of Baltimore. John Cam
mack, Robert D.. Weaver. Edward F.
Droop, c. o. Edmonston. A. B. GrunW ell
S. Thomas Brown, William B. Guriey
George Gray, Archibald Greenlees, Thomas
of others.
The interest in the meeting was intense.
as 1t was generally known that the result
of it would be the retirement of President
George H. Harries from the service of the
road.
The meeting was commenced by the read
Ing of the report of the secretary and gen.
eral manager by that officer, Griffin b.
Coleman. This was a detailed statement.
During the reading of the report tickets
containing the, .naH,es to be voted for for
directors We're passed around. The ticket
was as folloWs: s, Thos. Brown, John
Cammack, Griffin 81. Coleman, John Joy
Edison, VIM. 3, Gnrley, A b. Grunweli,
Charles R. Spence, Robert d. Weaver and
Nathaniel Wilson. Many of the minority
stockholders placed George H. Harries'
name on their tickets and scratched Brown.
Cammack, Coleman Cromwell and Weaver.
At the conclusion Of Secretary Coleman's
report President Harries read his 1t Gre
ated a sensation ahong the stockholders
who represented the minority.
Mr.. Hnrries' Stptement.
After the meeting this afternoon Mai.
Harries in his1 annual statement to the
stockholders. gave many items of changes
which had takeR piaee in the road since his
term of office began One of these was
that when he took charge the road was