The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-05-18
CW E. Christian in Raleigh News and Observer

I was talking few days ago with
d. A. Tompkins, of Charlotte, touch
in the recent brilliant railroad per-
formances of young Mr.. John Skel-
ton Williams, of Richmond. MIR.
Tompkins is one of the most pros
porous men of North Carolina, and one
of the most thoroughly posted men in
matters Pertaining to the industrial
development of the South.
Il have no doubt,'' said Mr..
Tompkins, "that the extenson of the
Seaboard system, as it is being ac-
complished by Mr.. Williams, will be
Of great advantage to the South. 1t
will increase the tendency for de-
velopment on each of the lines that
were formerly separate lines, but will
now become one new and large
system. 1t will naturally give better
facilities both of passenger and
freight service to large number of
people who heretofore have not been
on any through line or comprehen-
sive railway system. For some years
past the Seaboard system has been
fortunate in falling into strong
hands. Mr.. Hoffman was a man of
great ability. When MIR. St. John
came to the system, he greatly in
creased the strength of the Seaboard
management. Now Mr.. .Hoff offman retires
and Mr.. John Shelton Williams comes
to the head of the system. Mr.. Will
liams is yet a young man and is
known to be one of great talent,
having large reserve strength for
| work. The increased value that his
| youth brings to the management will
without doubt not only benefit the
road, but the entire section of the
country through which the various
parts of the system go.
at has been said," continued Mr..
Tompkins, ''that this new bina-
ton will have bad effect upon the
Southern Railway. l do not think
so. 1t will not injure it in the
slightest degree. The South is grow
ing very rapidly; new manufacturing
plants are being built with astonish-
ing frequency, farming interests have
developed on better lines, and there
is really need for more transporta-
tion facilities. This enlarged service
of the Seaboard simply meets the re-
quirements of the development of the
country. 1t takes nothing from the
Southern. The greater part of the
two systems are not competitive, but
each system is developing certain
sections of the country, not much
touched by the other. There are
several crossing points and common
terminals of course, but in the main
each system has ample territory, the
| development of which will keep it
busy. With increasing manufactures
and a tendency of the farming ele-
ment to come to the South, both
systems will undoubtedly have an
opportunity to grow"
This young John Shelton Williams
is scarce turned thirty-tive. Some
folks think he happened suddenly.
But men who do big things nowadays
do not happen this way. While
tinanciers, especially railroad men.
are marvelling at the splendor of this
young man, old codgers in Richmond
who have known him since he was a
lad grunt, and say: ''Not at all sur
prised; always knew the boy had it
in HIM" In the last fifteen years,
John Shelton Williams has put in
about seven and half years of extra
work while the rest Of the world was
asleep. He is late worker now.
He never stops working. He is as
intent upon his problems as Edison
is upon his. He is SO busy he
wouldn't have time for self commen-
dation, even if he wanted to. He
he has done. He has in his owl
mind only come to his goal by de
grees, and that is all. His father has
been banker for years in Richmond
He had above other things integrity
accuracy and broad-guaged fore
sight based upon scholarship. The
boy went to work early, and he abb
sorbed everything his father had t.
impart to him. His greatest powe
} to-day lies in the confidence Will
which men of money regard his wore
and his judgment. He is head of th'
shortest line from Washington te
Tampa. and the system over which
he has control takes up the substanc,
of the country it touches like !
sponge. Many men had been foilet
| in buying for certain interests tn.
| Seaboard Air Line. John Skeltol
: Williams bought it. Nine hundre'
| more miles remained to be added il
the Florida Central and Peninsula
making 2,300 miles in all. Onl,
within a recent date Mr. William
was at the head of a line of road run
ming from Savannah. Ga. to Mont
r gomery, Ala. This road is known a
the Georgia and Alabama Railroad
a which is the reorganization of tn
e old Savannah, Americus and Mont
= gomery road. The Florida Cen
: trail and Peninsula system reache
e from Columb bia, S. c., to Tampa, Fla.
l going through Savannah and Jack
: sonville, besides having variou
5 branches in Florida. / am told tha
q a line is to be built very soon fror
d Hamlet to Columbia, which will b
e almost the hypotenuse of righ
b, angled triangle. The line now build
s ing from Petersburg to Ridgewa
# will save 80 miles between Atlant
: and Washington, and the rumor
!. that the Baltimore and Ohio. in CT
: operation with the Seaboard, wi
II build line between Washington an
Quantico- If one will study the maj
and is interested in the South. th
g accomplishment of these things wi