Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-12-15
A DRAMATIC CAREER.
rhe Conductor Tint whitney ""se
President of Ills Railways


presidert or Ills Railways.
"rbe career Of ii. II. Vreeland IL rs
dramatic as O play" writes George H.
Fielder In Alnslecs. "lle began as q
section man on the Long Island rail-
road. became brakeman ana 'hen
got employment on what is now known
os tha putnam road. One day Wilham
G. Whitney was making tour OF III
spection on this railroad with other III
rectors. He began to question the Of
flcials of the company on details OF the
roads business. TO almost every ques,
tion they replied lamely. Guess youu
hotter ask Vrecland about that.
".Who is VreelandY said Whitney
"'He's the conductor.
"yreeland was sent for, and Wmtney
found him tall, rawboned man, WIN
square jaw and fine, regular wni.e
teeth. which showed continually White
he answered a rapid fire OF questions
.Whitney hadn't talked with him 10
m,nutes when he had him marked
Same time later Vreeland received
, telegram from Whitney asking him 10
be at the Office OF the Broadway anu
:. Seventh Avenue railroad that DAY al
O'Clock. There was no train on the
ccbedule which would get him INTO
= Now York in time to make the ap-
nointment. But by this time he was
assistant general manager ana hau
q pull enough to order special Tram,
9 He reached the office on time ne n"u
heen waiting for quite awhile when d
:, clerk came up to him and asked, Are
YOU Mr.. VreelandY
.. "sThat's my name said Vreelaho.
- "sWell, Mr.. Whitney Is waiting lol
d you inside
:. "vroa,and was taken In and intro
% duced to the board OF directors Oh tn'
~ West Houston Street and Pavonia FER
=, ~ railway. who had just elected mn
~ nrasident TO fill the vacancy caused D!
~ +be RESIGNATION Of John Crimmins. Int
,+reat lines included In this road wer
st all badly equipped and poorly nanoieu
- u was question Of reconstructiol
in that lust appealed to Vreeiand pecuuS
n. II was difficult He grasped the stun
tion ut once and within few month
No. had the property moving In the rlsn
g. direction. In speaking to one OF III
10 associates AT this time he said, l
In rather do this than make money po
no the making Of money was not far OIL
,is To-day vreeland is president OF u
Metropolitan Street railway and Is col
ia sidered the highest authority on su
no face traction in this country.
an "Then there was George b. M. ia
III vev. Whitney had gained controi
7 all the main arteries Of surface IRA
in ton excepting the Third Avenue iii
,ss He began maneuvers to secure III"
on planning to beat the price OF the sto'
down. he made O newspaper campals
ia. and picked Harvey up as his pre-
tIv AGENT Harvey was then managing
no tor Of The World on small salaF
,nt Today he Is worth probably half III
esq lion and is owner Of The Nortn Anne
can Review. but, strangely enough. d
zed GONE over TO the Morgan camp Mea
nod while Whitney had banged Third Az
az ME so effectively that the price OF |
nlv stock had been cut in two. All u
urt time Vreeland had been studying I
ven property. When it was placed IN
Aid hands of a receiver, vreeland secur
,dv access TO the statements. which he
blv nm in short order After day or {
AXE If digestion he said to his cher
mid ".Now, Mr.. Whitney, is the time
ody buy III
"And buy was the slogan for all
siders. wv,
with characteristic f1nesse the WI
rose nov crowd worked the market d.
an WAYS. Some of the shrewdest men
ago. the street thought that the Wnitl
find neople were selling, but no one seen
/ to IN know what was going on.
FL at was a smooth deal. The Whiti
try people bought the road at lower pl
ator than they had previously oHereu "
the owners. They got In at about 3D.
now the stock Is quoted at 112. In
con- timony of their appreciation OF VI
lands work In this deal the whit
the syndicate sent him a check for 81
very 600, which they could well AFFORD
rgu- do"