The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-31
BARR NOW
PRESIDENT
Was Chosen Head Of tile Sea-,
board.Air Line System
on Yesterday. i5
j. S. WILLIAMS rs CHAIRMAN
lie S Placed at the Head Of the
81 Executive Department
Other Officers Elected

Tho retirement If MIR. John Shelton.
Williams from the presidency Of the Sea!
board Air Line Railway 10 become pres:
idcnt Of the Board Of Directors, and tho
se1ectlon OF Mr.. James NJ. Barr, hereto
fore vice.president and general manager,
10 be president, has been officially nr,--
nounced. s4i
Ever since tho entry Of the Ryan ana
Blair interests Into the Seaboard It has
beer Understood that a condition Of their
undertaking. tho financing OF tho road
was that they should secure control Of
the Directorate, and thereby Of tha rail-:
8way property itself. It was understood
at that time that Mr.. Williams would rec.
tain his connection with the railway.
Rurnors were persistcnt!y circulated that
he would retire from the presidency, buE
these were genrally dlscredited., .lS
NATURE or ARRANG EMENTS
Yesterdays announcement discloses the
PRECISE nature OF the former presidents
future connection with tho great rail:
road system. OF which he Is the real
architect and builder. He will be chair
man Of the directorate OF thu road, but
wlll not DO burdencd with the active
managerial problems Of the business t5i5i4'i
Mr. williams will have a very influcn-
tial voice in the affalrs OF the road. ana
the company win have tho advantage OF
X his Judgment in all matters affecting It's,
Motley. Mr.. Williams himself Will be
enabled TO devote moro time to his bank
ing and other interests. His headquarters
will be in Richmond.
Tho other noteworthy feature OF thu
reorganization OF the Seaboard 10 the
retirement OF Mr. j. ", Middendorf. OF
The well known Baltimore banking firm
~, frnr1 EhcoOd
dency, The new executive committee in.
dicates tho Ryan-Blair control OF the
system. ssdsst t V
800. OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Tho details 81 the reorganization are
thus officially stated In the following
press dispatch Gent out from New York r
last night:
! B, At the meeting Of the directors OF the
seaboard Air Line to-day. ]. Shelton
Williams resigned the Office OF president
oe5the company, and Vice-Presidents Barr
was elected president and genera; mana
ger. Mr.. Williams was elected chairman
I OF the board of directors.
MIR. Williams expressed desire! to BIO
relieved OF the active management IN or
der to give more Of his time to hia bank
Ing interests and personal affairs. IT.
was therefore decided TO amend the by.
laws and to establish the ONCE OF chair
man of the board, to which he was then
elected. V (. n Y i0.4i1 ig
J.. w. afvddendorf was nominated, hut.
declined reelection as second yice.pr esi-
dept. and tbs oAce- .Has, there fore NJ moi
The following members Of the board
were elected TO be members of4tho ex-i
ecutiye committed: r. r. Ryan. 7. J.
Coolidge. Jr..I j, A. Blair,t.J. S. Williams.
i. 3. Denis, 3. F. Yoakum and 8. y.
Warfield. 532i r. IL
Other officers were elected as follows:
N. g.. AIeldrIn, vice president and treas
&nrer: D. G. Porteous. secretary, and 7.
wv. Roby, comptroller.
Mr.. Bars succession to the presidency
\ was expected some months ago. IN spite
+ OF repeated denials from official quar-
t..rs. His selection was urged by the
interests which more recently became
dominant In tho Seaboard system.