The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-25
nRAPED IN BLACK AND WHITE.
rVTIRE PLANT SYSTEM MOURNs
LOSS OF ITS PRESIDENT.

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Donot and office Buildings in Every
city and Town the System Reaches
Are Decked in MOurninG-TheF Fun
eraI VIII BE Held Tomorrow At
+ernoon in New YOrIx-Savannah
omcials VIII Attend-SpecuIntion
as TO who VIII Succeed President
plant and the Retention of the
Present officials of the System.
Believed Mr.. Erwin VIII BE the
Next President.
The general offices Of the Plant System
,rera draped in white and black yesterday
in mourning for President Plant. In eve
srv city and town where the Plant Sys-
TEN has an agency or depot mourning
was seen, and thousands of miles of ter
ritory are embraced in the stretch in
ubicn sorrow over the death OF the presi-
dent of the great system of railways and
steamships is shown. The Southern Ex-
press Company offices are also in mourn
Ing.
orders were sent out from the general
offices to agents and representatives at
the many stations to deck the buildings
in mourning. Flags here and elsewhere
m the Plant depots and offices were at
balf-mast. and will remain so until after
the funeral.
A telegram was received yesterday by
supt C. L. Myers of this division of the
Southern Express Company, stating that
the funeral will take place tomorrow aft
ernoon at o'clock in New York. 1t will
be attended by several of the officials of
the Plant System. Vice President R. G..
Erwin is in New York, as is also Pas
senger Traffic Manager B. w. Wrenn
Freight Traffic Manager D. T. Jack, who
was long Intimately associated with Mr.
Plant will go on from Virginia where
he has been in attendance upon q meet
ing of traffic officials. Maj. Bradford Dun
ham, superintendent of the Plant System,
and Hon. F. G. duBignou, general coun-
sci Of the Southern Express Company, and
a member of the firm that is general
counsel for the Plant System, accompa-
MED Maj. Durham in the superintendent
private car.
Tomorrow afternoon will be suitably
observed in Savannah and at other places
along the Plant System. The Offices will
be closed, as will also the shops. No
more work will be done than can be
avoided, it being the desire of the officials
to have every mark of respect shown the
memory of the president.
Speculation is rife among the employees
and officials of the Plant System as to
just how things will work out now that
there is no longer a president. 1t is said
changes in the course of time that will
result directly from another president be
ing chosen. 1t is not believed, however,
that that will be before the next annual
meeting of the company. For some time
it has been known that Mr.. Plants in
fuence has been that which has kept one
or two of the officials In their places, and
that, had it been left to other executive
officers of less rank, who may now be
elevated the probabilities are that there
might have been some changes. That Is
all speculation, however. The employees
have but little more than rumors and
vague Whisperings upon which to base
their beliefs, while the officials them
selves, who probably know what truth
there night be in the reports, carefully
keep their own counsels. They see the
Improperly that would exist in talking
about such matters, and the result Is
sphinx-like silence.
While it is possible that special meet
ings of stockholders of the Plant Invest
ment Company and of the several lines
that comprise the Plant System may be
called, it is not believed likely that there
viii be any such action needed or taken.
Matters will be allowed to take their
regular course, with Vice President r. G.
Erwin at the helm, until the annual meet
ings next fall. 1t will be then that a new
president will be elected. It is said sew
eral months would be needed for any con-
cuslon to be reached by the executive
officers as to just what should be done
in the matter of retaining officials.
No other belief is expressed than that
either Vice President r. G. Erwin or
Mr. Morton F. Plant, second vice presi-
dent Of the system and the only son of
PRESIDENT Plant, will succeed TO the pres
ldency. Three out of every four who ex-
press view upon the question say it will
be Mr. Erwin. They admit that Mr.
Morton Plant holds, or will hold enough
stock to secure his own election. but they
40 not believe he cares to undertake the
duties of the position. His preference, it
Is said, would be for Mr.. Erwin to sue
coed President Plant