The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-02-19
FRANK THOMSON. PREST.
DENT PENNSYLVANIA
RAILROAD.

DENT PENNSYLVANIA
RAILROAD.
At meeting Of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
held at the General Office in Philadel-
phia on February Sd, Frank Thom-
son, First Vice-President, was unani-
mously elected President.
In every field of American develop
ment Scotch ancestry is conspicuous.
Many great men of the learned profess
sions, the factors of the business world
and the high officials of our CONNER
cial and railroad interests look back
with pride to lineage of the land of
thistle and heater. A family of this
description is that of Thomson. In
I'LL Alexander Thomson sailed from
Scotland and settled as pioneer in
the Cumberland valley. Among his
children was son, Alexander, who.
after winning distinction at the bar of
his State, represented his district in
Congress from 1924 to 1926. Return
ing to the practice of his profession,
he became judge of the Sixteenth Judi
cial District, and subsequently profess
or of law in Marshall College.
His son, Frank Thomson, was born
in Chambersburg, Pa. July 5th. 1S41.
His rudimentary and classical educa-
tion was received at the Chambersburg
Academy, but he did not inherit the
paternal taste for the law. With the
foresight which has been one the dis
tinguishing characteristics of his life,
he saw in his practical work of the
railroad an attractive and promising
field of action, and at seventeen years
of age he entered the Altoona Shoops
of the Pennsylvania Railroad for in
struction. A four years. course of
training in this great school of scien ce
graduated him a mechanical engineer,
who could build locomotive through
every stage of the progress, from the
crude iron to the finished engine on
the rails, while it also fitted him to op-
crate as engineerman the product of
his own skill.
1t required little time for Col.
Thos. Ascot, General Superintendent
of the road, to detect in the young
engineer evidences of unusual ability,
and the outbreak of civil war furnish
ed the opportunity of testing his judg-
ment.
Colonel Scott had been appointed
by President Lincoln Assistant Secre-
tary of War, and placed in charge of
all matters relating to the transporta-
tion of troops and supplies, and he
called Frank Thomson to his aid as
Chief Assistant.
Mr. Thomson took the fell
Immediately, the scene of his opera
tions being the South and the upper
Southwest, where he constructed rail
roads and bridges, repaired those which
had been injured by the exigencies of
war, directed the transportation of
troops and the forwarding Of supplies
20 the front. The signal success of
his efforts in this dangerous undertake
ing not only received fitting recogni-
tion from the War Department, but
marked him as railroad man of rare
promise. At the conclusion of active
hostilities in this territory he was re-
lieved from military duty, and in June
1864, was appointed Superintendent
of the Eastern Division of the Phila-
delphia and Erie Railroad, which oc-
cupied his time until March, 1873. In
March, 1873, he was made Superinten-
dent of Motive Power of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad at Altoona,
In his position the vast information
and wide experience gained from his
course in the shops was allied to the
work of practical locomotive construc-
ton, and so was LAID the foundation of
the system which has since produced
those celebrated locomotives known as
the "Pennsyivania Railroad Standard
Engine" On July lst. 1874, he relin-
guished this post to become General
Manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad
system east of Pittsburg and Erie.
As General Manager he introduced
number of reforms in the manage
ment, administration, and maintenance
of the road The standard track and
solid roadbed owes it's existence to his
efforts, and the system of track inspec
ton and the award of prizes for the
best sections of track were instituted
by him. The adoption of a superior
standard of equipment, the building of
picturesque stations and the ornamen-
tation of their grounds, the use Of the
block signal system and other safety
appliances, were all distinctive fcatur-