The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-13
PLANT is CHAIRMAN
OBJ SOUTHERN EXPRESS 90. BOARD
OF DIRECTORS.
TWO NEW VICE PRESIDENTS
ELECTED AT CoMPANY'S ANNUAL
MEETING YESTERDAY.

NJ. J. OBricn Reelected President
and Executive Head of the Com
pany-NO Foreign Extensions Con-
templated-Sketches OF the New
Vice Presidents Who VIII Assist
the President in the Management
of Operations and in Traffic and
Accounts.
The annual meeting of the stock
holders and directors of the Southern
Express Company was held in the Of
fees of the company at the Union Sta
ton yesterday morning. The board of
directors and officials of the company
We're present.
The election of officers resulted as
follows:
Chairman of the Board of Directors
NJ. F. Plant.
Directors-H. Dempsey, o. NJ. Sadler,
G. H. Tilley r. w. Leary. NJ. ].
O'Brien, Z. w. Sheldon and NJ. F.
Plant.
Presidential. ]. O'Brien.
First Vice President-T. w. Leary.
Second Vice President-C. L. Loop.
General Counsel-F. G. duBignon.
A noticeable fact in the election of
officers is the recognition of the ability
of men who began at the bottom and
have worked up.
Mr.. Morton F. Plant, son of the late
Henry B. Plant, who founded the
company, relinquishes the office of vice
president TO assume the Craftsmanship
OF the board of directors, continuing ac-
lively in the direction of all matters
of general policy pertaining to the
management of the company, at the
same time meeting the demands upon
his time and attention in the care of
his large and varied financial interests
in other enterprises, a number of which
he is at the head.
Mr.. M. ]. OBrien, who was reelected
the executive head of the company, will
have the assistance of a first vice pres
ident for the general management of
operations, and second vice president,
who will be in charge of traffic and ac-
counts.
list Vice President Leary.
T. w. Leary, of Atlanta, the newly
elected first vice president, has been
identified with the transportation bust
ness since early youth, his first en-
ployment in his native city, Balti-
AhOACs bclil6 VIII llle bdllInOTG ana
Ohio Railroad, from which he resign
ed to accept a clerkship in the office
of the Adams Express Company, build
Ing himself up to the position to which
he has just been elected. Mr.. Leary
came South in 1872 and for eighteen
years served as secretary to Mr..
O'Brien, who was then chief manag-
ing officer of the Southern, with head
quarters in Augusta. Since 1893 Mr.
Ieary has been general manager of
the company with headquarters in
Atlanta.
I'd Vice President Loop.
Mr.. Charles L. Loop, the newly
elected second vice president, entered
the service of the Adams Express Com
pany, while in his teens. In 1857 he
was messenger and clerk in the st.
Louis Office from which place he was
transferred to Memphis. where he was
cashier in charge of the accounts of
the business done for the armies dur
ing the Civil War. When the South
ern Express Company resumed opera
tions in Memphis, and vicinity early
in 1866. at the close of the war. and
organized the Western Accounting De-
partment MIR. Loops qualifications,
which have since made him conspicuous
were recognized and he was appointed
cashier and auditor In 1887 he was
dQNdnCSu 10 a position at
time of general auditor in charge of
both the eastern and western depart
ments and was located at Augusta,
and later at Memphis. These two Of
fees were in 1898, consolidated at Chat
tanooga, which then became Mr.. Loops
headquarters.
In 1895 he was appointed traffic man.
ager. The position to which he
has Just been elected will give
him Jurisdiction over both the traffic
and accounting departments, which Is
a further recognition of his ability.
Company Is Prosperous.
The general affairs of the company.
which were reviewed at the meeting,
are reported to be in excellent shape.
From the present outlook" said one
of the officers, there is no apparent
reason why prosperous conditions
should not continue for the remainder
of the year. At present the company
is not contemplating any foreign ex-
tensions, as has been the current re-
port"
Matters passed upon at the meeting
were of ordinary routine character, the
only important proceeding being the
changes in the official roster of the
company.
President O'Brien, Vice President
Leary and Mr.. Tilley left last night for
Augusta TO pay visit to Mr.. Dempsy.
who is Ill. Mr.. duBignon returned to
Atlanta.