The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-25

Mr.. Scott to come to Washington; | sup.
pose he was considered about as near the
typical railroad man of the United States
zas anybody. Shortly afterward the presi-
dent appointed him to take charge in the
war department of railways and teie-
graphs between Washington and Annapo-
lis. had thought a good deal about the
war and wanted to get to the front, but
i had no intention or desire to give up
my apretceship in the shops, the three
years OF which would soon expire. felt
much tiattered and overjoyed when Col.
Scott, for he was now officially a colonel
and aide-de-camp, wrote asking Inc to join
him in Washington in April, 1861. i
jumped at the chance and felt no heSita-
ton in leaving the Altoona shops at the
suggestion of the man who had been re-
sponsibe for my entering them. On May
q. 1861. Col Scott was put in charge of
all government railways and telegraphs,
as we'll as of those appropriated for gov
eminent
''The strategic use of railways in war
times was a problem that had not yet
been worked out. There was no man bet
ter fitted by nature and experience to
solve this momentous question than was
Col. Thomas A. Scott. Napoeon's great
forte is said by some critics to have been
the concentration of large bodies of troops
from long distances in an incredibly short
time to a point where a decisive blow was
to be struck Now the movements of
large bodies of troops along military rail-
ways depend upon considerations in many
ways different from those which influence
co transportation along other highways.
The rolling stock available for the men,
their arms, equipment, animals and COM
nliSSary is first of all to be considered.
But the condition of the roadbed and
tracks, of the trestles and bridges, at any
given time when delay is dangerous if
not fatal. constitutes a consideration of
equal Importance in railway transporta-
ticn.
1.-The railways in the state OF Virginia,
which was the seat of war in the earlier
periods were liable to be ripped up over
night. the ties and bridges burned, the
rails heated over the same fires and then
twisted out Of shape. If, for strategic
purposes. the Confederate troops worked
this havoc upon any portion OF line
necessary to the governments purposes,
Col Scott's forces were at once called
into action and were required perhaps
at an hours notice, in the middle of night
and as often as not In the pouring rain,
to go to the scene Of destruction cut new
sleePerS from the adjacent forests heW
them into shape, replace them, heat and
hammer the rails in impromptu FORCES
back to the shape necessary for relay
ing, rebuild the trestles and bridges, and
work all the while In immediate danger
OF an attack by the enemy'S SharpShoot-
ers Such an apprenticeship stood me in
good Stead-for this was my second ap-
premiership. What I had learned in the
shops l now had an opportunity of APP
plying on the road What I had studied
indoors I was called upon to put into
practice out of doors. OF course, Col
Scott would never have sent for me at all
If he had not known the school of expert
cnce IN which at Altoona I had been
learning to do the very things l was now
to demonstrate.
1t is said there are in every mans life
turning points to which he can look back
with the reflection that any deviation
there would have changed his future My
perseverance in the car shops. L firmly
believe, marked such crisis in my ca
reer. 1t was the means of bringing to
me my great opportunity, the chance to
see service at the front under the person.
al supervision of Thomas A Scott on the
military railways Of the United States
through period which was also turn
ing point in the history Of the nation. A
single exploit of the bureau of military
railways which experts say resulted in
complete surprise of the enemy and a
far-reaching victory will show just what
Col. Scott could do in an emergency and
by implication what were the labors and
duties Of the men who were proud to
work under him.
''The plan of the battle of Chickamauga
lockout mountain), as Gen. Grant de-
scrlbes it III his memoirs, was in brief for
Sherman to attack the enemy-s right
flank, Hooker to perform like service on
our right attacking the enemy's left
f1ank) and Thomas, with the Army of the
Cumberland. to occupy the center Now
that Hooker was enabled to make this
decisive attack upon the enemy's left
W. TO tbo :.
mand of two entire new army corps,
which were at short notice transferred by
Col Scott, in complete fighting form, over
many hundred miles of railway from the
Army Of the Potomac in Virginia to Look
out mountain in Tennessee The entire
success and wonderful celebrity with
which this great movement, up to that
time unprecedented, was performed. was
due entirely to the magnificent efficiency
Of Col. SCOTS corps and to his own gen
1us for generalship. There could be no
| more signal illustration of the Importance
and difficulty of railway transportation
in war time
AFTER Col SCOTS return to the service
of the Pennsylvania Railroad company,
to become it's president in 1853, I remain
! ed in the military railway bureau But in
June, 1864. Col. Scott invited me to Join
him In the service Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad company as superintendent Of
the Eastern division P. & E.), and in
June, 1873, was made superintendent of
motive power east of Pittsburg. In July,
1874, l became general manager, IN Octo-
Der, 1882, second vice president, and on
July II, 1888, first vice president On the
Sd day of February, 1887. was made pres
fdent Of the Pennsylvania Railroad COM
pany, after thirty-seven years Of contin-
uous service.
Now, you see, perhaps your son doesn't
realize what have gone through Which
shall 1T be for him-kid gloves or car
CHI