New-York tribune., 1900-03-26
THREE REMARK lBLE MEN.
CAREERS OF TOMAS F. RYAN.
u H. vREELAO AND An
THoNY y. BRADY.

nes "a ,o- a aore complete measure of
ihs - 7rhoroas = RYAN. while regarding
=. ,oethods the characteristics and the achieve-
ths 80 &c tl,epublic so little familiar
=. .bosa of Mr. Ran- For his most promi-
ot.rar+eristic probably. next TO an lndom-
~, vi, is secetiveness and distaste for
,.;.y Roscoe Conkling years ago cleverly
.,,,reteI,- described this trait when he said
S a., p,-an tha' his left hand did not know
- his right hand did-a characterization
- .ound its latest and perhaps most brill
-, exemplifcaion in the mastery conduct by
I'm -. - fe Stock Exchange transaction
.r-,,,cb which the control of the Third Avenue
.',,~eaa con,any was a few days ago secured
.hn metropolitan Street Railway Company
20 I.-oes p Keene the implacable antagonist
Metropolitan interests. signally
discounted ,.. ,..,
.. oeentation. an originator of policies
-..ster Of execution. charitable. firm in
o. x,-isbirs ard strong in his enmities, large
-. -, and clear of eye. and with almost
" Less capacity for work. Mr.. Ryan. al
- stIr under fifty. has for many years
nan Of mark in the financial world, hav-
- --,rl,ed his way unaided from poverty TO
rs- and wealth re was born in Nelson
rurtv Va. on the eastern slope of the Blue
,,are On October Il, 1851, his ancestors on his
-,o,ber's side having been Of Scotch-1rish de-
.os,, and his fathers ancestors having come
s,on, the North of Ireland TO Virginia before the
Dsvo,tion. Losing his mother when he was
e,e wears of age the Roy went to live with his
s-sndrnother on the old family estate, of which
he ,ook charge at the age of fifteen. But the
ON Donoiuion had just emerged from the devas-
,etirr Of the Civil War, and, finding the task or
satisfactorily developing the property hope
less one. in 1865 young Ryan went to Balt-
more 10 seek his fortune.
IN A DRYGOODS COMMISSION HOUSE.
Peun!Iess and without acquaintance in the
c,fy he had a hard time in obtaining employ
-nent. but finally secured a place iii the large
drvgoods commission house Of John S. Barry
Two years later he came to this city and en-
tered banking house in which Mr.. Barry was
interested. remaining there TWO years. AT the
age Of twenty-one. having in the experience OF
the preceding two years gained an insight into
the principles Of finance which was TO stano
him in excellent stead in his future career MI
RYAN formed a partnership with a member Of
the Stock Exchange and prospered so well in
that firm that in 1874 he was able to buy for
himself seat on the Exchange. Thereafter for
ten wears he was in active business as a stock
broker. numbering among his friends and GUS
torners jay Gould William r. Travers, Samuel
J. Til1en. John B. Trevor and other large Wall
Street operators In 1855, although retaining
his seat in the Stock Exchange, of which he is
still member Mr.. Ryan retired from the
Street for q much needed rest, but within a
year he was back again and began with Will
lam C Whitney the work Of securing and con-
soidating surface railway lines in this city. His
career since then has been threefold, his opera
tions embracing the development and the
ganization Of steam railways, the consolidation
ard extension Of electric street railway lines
and electric light properties, and the manage
nent Of industrial corpora tions and financial in
stitutions.
In the street railway field, Mr.. Ryan's first
move was in this city He was the original pro-
moter Of the present Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company. and has taken an active and
prominent part in all the negotiations and trans
actions from which resulted the successive alb
sorptious and the development of the present
system. eliminating in the acquisition of
the Third Avenue Railroad Company and the
consolidation under one management of all the
surface railroads in New-York City. He was
also Of the original organizers of the Con-
solidated Traction Company Of New-Jersey.
which controls all the electric surface lines
operating in Jersey City and connecting that
city with neighboring towns and municipalities.
Nr. Ryan, too, has taken a leading part in the
oeyeloplnent Of the electric railway and electric
light systems On the Jersey coast, being largely
Interested in the electric road which connects
Long Branch with the nearby seaside resorts,
ana which is consolidated with the electric Ilgnt
companies Of those towns, under the name of the
Atlantic Coast Electric Line. 1t was Mr.. Ryan,
also, who several years ago acquired the old
horsecar lines in Staten Island, changed the
motive power. acquired the electric lighting
plants, and developed the present electric light
ing and street railroad system OF that island.
no LESS Prominent IN THE WEST.
In the West Mr.. Ryan has been no less promi-
nent He was one Of the promoters and build
ers Of the Union Elevated Railroad Of Chicago,
Inc loop which encircles the business part Of
Chicago and is used by all the different ele-
Fateo systems Of that city outlet to the
BUSINESS centre. He was also member of the
..glnal syndicate which acquired from Charles
ferkes the North and West Chicago street
s9itace roads, and organized the present Chicago
.hion Traction Company, which in process OF
ame. il is expected, will be extended until 1t
vHns alI the street railroads OF the city. In ad-
oilon 10 his operations in Chicago, Mr.. Ryan
developed the present system of electric rail-
Rays ana electric light plants in Milwaukee.
When the Richmond and West Point Terminal
company placed in the hands of a receiver
W Ryan elected director in the COM
tang, and il was mainly through his efforts that
me banking house o. DreXel, Morgan & Co was
-n1uced 10 take up the reorganization of this
property, o2t Of which has grown one Of the
.sIeest railway systems in the United States
me Southern Railway Company. Mr.. Ryan and
orAeral samuel Thomas undertook in their pri
1ele capacity the reorganization of the Central
l.1AIoad and Banking Company Of Georgia out
~ ~ Shich has come the present Central Railway
!. georgia. This one OF the largest reor-
sslzafiors ever undertaken by private in
eelVlouals involving 1t did the responsibility
~ VI settling the debts represented by stocks and
''Acs OF the insolvent corporation to the