The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-03

mind by entering the Rensselaer, Polytech-
hic institute ut Troy. n. y, wnere ne WAS
graduated as a civil engineer In 1Ss9. He at
once syiank Into the active pursuit or his
proTesslun. nnoing a ned Tor his services in
the location or q railroad In Georgia, but in
1901 ne went to fhilaaeipnia. anu then en-
tered the service OF the PENNSYLVANIA Raj
road Company, snouioering the rod OF an
unoer survey or.
That marked a turning point in this won
uerrul mans career. While the president OF
the pennsylvania organization was John =.
thompson, his executive o1ncer was Wee
PRESIDENT 7. A. Scott, who was also AS
sistaat secretary Of War. 1t was un0er mis-
supervision that the young employees OF the
company were trained. lie was noted for
the foresight he displayed in selecting as
sistants. and he at once rscos nized in young
Sassatt a man of his own kinney, ana rap
10y pushed the young rodman forward I'M
III he was made an assistant engineer in the
construction of the connecting railway
mixing the Pennsylvania to the Phiiadei-
phia and Trenton Railroad; resident en-
glneer OF the Middle Division of the Phila-
oeiphia and Erie Railroad, with headquar-
tiers at Remove; superintendent of the War
rem and Franklin Railroad; superintendent
OF motive ? " and machinery on The
quarters at Williamspurt; superintendent
OF motive power ana machinery on the
pennsyivania Railroad. with headquarters
PENNSYLVANIA Rail- DAD, and subsequently
In ISL, when the lease OF the United Rail
road of New Jersey was accomplished, he
wac hidtt 6Slltl dl 1ldllGRGE pl ali the BSDO-
syivania lines east of Pittsburg and Erie.
This latter promotion necessitated his re-
moval to Philadelphia. where he came INTO
Scott. and from him learned much that
nodded his subsequent career.
After j. EDGAR 1nompson's death and the
succession of Colonel Scott to his position as
president. Mr.: Cassatt. in July, 1874. was
advanced to the position of third vice presi-
dent. which office he filed until June. 1880,
when. upon the retirement OF Colonel Scott.
through Cpvarn i1nlSS Ganroo z ppharfu
stepped into the presidential office and Mr..
Cassatt became first vice president. 1t was
that he made his first great railroad coup,
the accurate story of which is best told by
Colonel Frank n: Barksdale; head of the
advertising department of the great cor
poration. in these words:
The Philadelphia. Wilmington and Balti-
more Railroad Company. owned by New
England capitalists. extended from Philadel-
phia 10 Baltimore and was operated in the
interest Of the Pennsylvania. The Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad regarded the close alli-
arce with exceec.ng jealousy, since that cor
poration coveted 1t as a means of reaching
New York. Baltimore and Ohio agents. un
der instructions from the CARROTS. had been
secretly securing the stock. but quiet as
their work had been pushed it had rot es-
capped the watchful eye of Mr.. Cassatt.
When the Baltimore and Ohio management
felt assured that sufficient shares had been
acquired to secure contro, Robert Garrett
| walked into the office of George B. Roberts,
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, one
morning and exultantly remarked:
NH Roberts. we have secured control OF
the Philadelphia. Wilmington and Baltimore
Railroad. we are, not disposed. however, to
disturb your relations with the property and
| you need not give yourself any uneasineSs
on that score
Well replied Mr.. Roberts. in his dry
manner. I did not know that you. had pro-
crossed SO far In your negotiations
AN ALLNIGHT MEETING.
the conclusion of the interview there
| was a conference between MT. Roberts anG
i Mr.. Cassatt. which resulted in a meeting
Of the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad directors in
longed far into the morning hours. but at it,
conclusion q check was drawn for 81, $40,
o.. 20. and a block of stock of the Philadel.
phta. Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
Company was transferred to the Pennsyi.
vania Railroad Company. and with It passed
the control of the road.
Mr.. Garrett had somehow overlooked
this block Of shares. but Mr.. Cassatt knew
where It was and how to get at the proper
moment.
1.-The stockholders of the Pennsylvania
met in annual meeting the next day. ant
the announcement by Mr.. Roberts Of the
purchase Of the Philadelphia, Wilmington
thunder out Of a clear sky not only to the
public. but to the Baltimore and Ohio people
as well. who were resting In fancied ~securit,
most resourceful competitor.
For a number OF years this check was thu
largest ever drawn in settlement of an,
uiIdicEai diSdCtiou. ana II hangs now OF
the wall of the treasury of the Pennsyl
vania Railroad. a tribute to the sagacity
strategy arN readiness of one of the bodies
railway generals"
While at the very height Of his fame II
the transportation world MIR. Cassatt. only
about AZ years of age. and in the very
prime Of life. voluntarily stepped down II
1882 from the high position which he had s.
admirably filed in the vice president:
There was talk at the time that he wa
not in entire harmony with Presiden
Roberts's conservative methods and tina
he would have liked more of the Ton
Scott aggressiveness introduced into th'
management of the corporat!on; but. as
matter OF fact. he was In complete. har