The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-27
BUSINESS JUDGMENT
Exercised by A. & N. c.
!. officers and Directors
The Purchase of the Atlantic Hotel by The Rail-
road Generally Approved by Business
Men ot the State.
Special CORRESPONDENCE

lack and forth over the new Atlantic
asd North Carolina Railroad between
Geldsboro ard Morehead City. say the
New Atlantic and North Carolina
Railroad because this road is really new
when compared with what it was in the
days when we used tc term it the ''old
Muilet Road The present manage
ment of this part OF the States enter
prsses is a strictly BUSINESS manage
ment, and while l don't believe in dish
ing out fulsome praise, nor giving too
much credit to men who are commits
stoned to do a thing simply because they
do il well, at the same time | do think
that when men, whether they be public
servants or managers of private interests
OF both, apply such business sagacity,
siich intelligent effort and such common
dable energy as to produce the best pos
sible result that such facts ought to be
r.oticed as we pass along
As / said before the management of
the A. and N. G. Railroad is a strictly
business management. The executive,
ahead of the road, Mr.. James A. Bryan,
is BUSINESS man and. this appellation
means coed deal more in this day and
time That il used to mean. 1t takes a more
powerful force to ceIe with conditions
these days than it didAin the decades
that have passed. II takes more compre-
llensive intellects, wider knowledge and
more perfect business training to over
come obstacles, cater to public demands
and requirements than it did in former
days. 1t takes more diplomacy, more
adroitness to successfully deal with
subordiaates and helpers than it once
did. The public demands and ASSERTS
rights that are perhaps more exacting
than ever and the man that is doing all
these things and doing them well and sue
cessfulIy is a modern day genuius. A mix
ed train day, making 10 miles an hour in
former decades was all that the public
expected or REQUIRED, shelter or an
old DISCARDED box car for a station house
WIS sufficient but it is not so any longer
and should never again be SO.
The public demands and ought to have
frequent and rapid opportunities for
transit for themselves or their products.
.ItN should have and must have depot
facilities in which to properly handle
their products and care for themselves.
The present management of the At
lantic and North Carolina Railroad
realizes these facts and it is meeting
public demands and doing it nobly 1t is
mighty good thing to pay dividends,
BuI IL II becomes necessary TO turn OH
your section force or let bridge rot down
in order to pay a dividend it is mighty
poor business. policy. On the same prn-
ciple ii would be good thing to sell the
corn and fodder that your horse eats and
pay dividend on the horse, but it
wuold not be long before horse, dividend
and all would be in mighty bad fix.
The policy of Mr. Bryan and his as
sociates has been to give the horse back
4 sufficient part of the fodder that he
makes to put him in good order so that
after awhile he villa be able to produce
( more, draw more and have a good
dividend left after applying enough for
his maintenance. Because of this policy
the Atlantic and North Carolina Rail-
road today is in better physical condition
and therefore in better financial condi-
ton than it has been in many years.
And | don't hesitate a single moment in
making this statement. | expect some
body who don't know the facts or some-
body who would not admit them if they
did know them, is going to say that this
is saying a little too much. Alright,
can't help that. | am not writing very
much these days but what | do write
am going to base ON living existing facts
as | see them. Let those who believe
that the above proposition is over
stated take trip over the road-not on
the comfortable parlor cars where you
would likely fall to sleep and forget all
about taking an unbiased view of things,
but on the smoking car where we plain
folks ride and keep yous eyes open,
glance al the splendid new brick freight
warehouse, The biggest and best in the
hustling town of Goldsboro, the south
-.
Lines and the Southern's most
important points, see if the ac-
commodations furnished the people of
Goldsboro by. the little State owned road
is not far Superior to those furnished
by either of the bigger lines. While the
train is waiting at Kinston take a look
ut the new warehouse there, counter
part of the one at Goldsboro, and when
you get TO New Bern, just before you
cross over the mingling waters of the
Trent and the NeGse. cast your eyes out
of the window to the left and see the
handsome new and we'll equipped build
ings that are just being completed for
warehouse, office and other purposes.
Indeed, every time the train stops look
about you and see if you don't see some
thing new; n new station house instead
OF an old box ear sitting on stills; new
telegraph and ticket offices, new railroad
ties in the place OF those that have been
decayed for many years, new steel rails
in place of old ragged edged iron new
drainage all along the line. new bitches
leading out from low places that have
been breeding malaria and mosqui-
ties all along. See If the passenger cars
aren't equal to those on other railroads:
take a look at the locomotives and see
il they don't compare faYorably with
those oE the other roads. | think yolI
sill find that all these things are as l
represent them to be.
l think, too, that you will find the rail
road shops well equipped and in the
hands of first-elass mechanics, headed
by Capt ice Green the competent and
experienced master mechanic You will
find such trained railroad men in charge
of the different departments as Mr. S.
l.. Dill. the efficient and popular super
intendeat and traffic manager, Capt. B.
A. Newiand, the transportation manager,
who is known far and wide as a compe-
tent and successful railroad men, Capt.
Hancock and Mr. Harold DOrtch Mr.