Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-07-11
MR.. MERRILL RESIGNS.

Col. Frank B. Merrill, the here
tofore popular president of the Mobile,
Jackson and Kansas City railroad,
has resigned to take effect at once.
The genial Merrill had made very
large acquaintance and many friends
throughout this section and it will be
" 18th genuine regret to them to learn
that he has rendered his resignation.
In speaking of the matter the Mobil
Register of the 10th contains the fol-
lowing:
Doubtless there will be general sur
prise this mroning when the an
nouncement of the resignation of
Colonel F. B. Merrill, president
the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City
Railroad Company is read. So far
as we are aware, this action on his
part was not preceded by any hint of
it's coming. He has disposed of all
his interest in the railroad to Mr..
Stratton and other New York capital
lists, who are already largely inter
ested in the property, and has BET q
succeeded by Mr.. Stratton in the office
of president.
This change means, we are told, nc
change in the intentions of the COM
pany. AS before, the company IT,
tends now to complete its road with
ont any delay, and to establish trunk
line through new territory in Missis-
sippi into Tennessee and beyond, Will
Chicago as the objective point.
The Mobile, Jackson and Kansas
City RAILROAD has in short, passed
the developmental or experimental
point. Its utility is fully recognized
by men of capital, and it is business
and not sentiment that has caused
them to invest III it. They purpost
TO complete and operate the road will
the view of doing their chief business
through the port of Mobile because thi
is the best port, and there is the most
profit in the long haul. The New
Workers are not here as philanthro
pists, but as men having keen eye t.
the profits. Taking charge as they d.
now is the best sign of the permancy
of Mobiles prosperity.
The road from Jackson, Tennessee
to Hattiesburg, Miss, will pas
through country having now $50, 00
population, population that will b
greatly increased by the building O
the road. 1t has two hundred mile
of pine lands, one hundred and twent,
of hardwoods, and as much of TIL
finset agricultural lands-and the pro
ducts of this valuable territory will
be made tributary to Mobile. Their
will be timber, live stock, cotton AM
all agricultural products broght here
and in return, Mobile will do larg
business up-country by means of thi
road.
Colonel Merrill has become familia
figure here, where his geniality ha
made him favorite. He has til
credit of putting this enterrpis
through the primary grade of raj
road construction, and has bee
eminently successful in operating til
road to profit and to the advantag
of Mobile. In retiring from til
railroad he retires also from the hea
of the Cnetral Banking and Trus
Company and from active participf
ton in our business life. What hi
future intentions are we do not know
but Mobile people have reason to hol
him in grateful regard, and wish hil
we'll.
Mr.. Stratton has been conspiciou 81
identified with railroad constructio
and management in the East for til
past twenty five years, and he becam
identified with this enterprise in il
inception and has been the chic
financial hacker of it ever since
While he is not personally known t
very many of our people he is no strar
ger in Mobile; his interest havin
thrown him into association with on
bankers and leaing business men, VIII
have learned him most highly on az
count of his modest, unassuming an
straightforward manner, and his cor
rect dealing. He is firm believe
in the future of Mobile, snd there
assurance that, in his hands, this rail
road property will steadily develop
and that its development Mobile
prosperity will be greatly enhanced.