Connecticut western news., 1899-01-26
JUDGE HALL NOW IN CHARGE.
(Hartford Courant.)

President Clark of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad Con- pany sailed for Europe on the 18th of January, intending to go to Egypt and make long stay abroad for the resto- ration of his somewhat impaired health. During his absence Vice-President John M. Hall will be acting president of the company, having administrative super vision of the whole spstem.
 Judge Hall came to the vice-dresi- dency in 1893, succeeding Lucius Tut tie. Although then inexperienced in practical railroad management, he brought to the place combination of peculiarly useful qualities. In the first place he was an able lawyer of large experience at the bar and on the bench. He had served in both houses of the Legislature and as speaker of the lower house and president of the upper one. He had wide acquaintance with the people of Southern New England and knew their interests, characteristics and sentiments While these were special and possibly, decisive qualifications, they were supplementary to high rep utation for general talent, acumen, in- tegrity, working power and hard com. nonsense.
 It is a mistake to suppose that Judge Halls service has been chiefly as legal counselor of this company. While his professional learning and skill have been available in the consideration of all hot hor this service Is only one phase of his various employment and responsibility. His work has been restricted to no special department; but has embraced all, being as general in its scope if not as authoritative as that of the president himself
 From the beginning he has been in- timately and confdentially associated with the president in formulating all the schemes of finance, consolidation, con- struction and operation of both steam and electric roads that have marked the last six years. Their offices in New Haven have been practically one office, and while the president has been ab- sent most of the time for the past two years giving personal attention t the extensive improvements in and around Boston including the great terminal sta- tion, Judge Hall has been, as 1t were, the presidents other self in active man. agement of affairs in the western dis trict, which are now more multifarious and complicated than was the whole system when President Clark took charge eleven years ago.
 This does not mean that Judge Halls work has been confined to one part of the system. He has been called into consultations with regard to all mat ters of moment everywhere. He has been of the inner council which delib- erated upon and determined, in general and in detail, the plans of all important engineering and construction. He is thus well acquainted with the great works accomplished and in progress in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connec. hcut and New York. He will, as Presi- dent Clark has done, spend portion cf his time at the Boston end of the line, and railroad men at that capital will have an opportunity of becoming bet. ter acquainted with him. ..
 To the problems of traffic and of op- eration he has given ernest attention and is thoroughly conversant with the details of freight and passenger traffic His knowledge of the department of op- eration is comprehensive as the result of special study of the conditions of effic- ciency and economy in accomplishing results. He knows what results must be obtained from every department of the road to insure its successful opera tion, and upon whom the responsibility rests for any failure to produce the de- sired results.
 In short, Judge Hall, by diligent use of an exceptional power of acquiring in- formation by study, by observation, by assimilation of the intelligence of oth- CTS, by the extraordinary opportunities of instruction furnished through his close and trusted relations with Presi- dent Clark, has become an all-around | railroad man, in whose wise and con- seryatiye management, during the presi- dents vacation, stockholders and the | public have reason to feel perfectly se cure.