The San Francisco call., 1904-06-19

years ago, ana Tor lnal H1ltSi NJ
Williams is dead It wasn't grief that
killed him. either: though at one time
grief came uucommonly near killing
US
1t is an odd sort Of a yarn. too; be-
cause one part OF il never got to head
quarters. and another part Of it never
got from headquarters.
How. FOR instance. the mysterious
car was ever started from Chicago on
such a delirious schedule. how many
men IN the service know that even yeti
How. for another instance, Sinclair
and Francis took the ratty old car reel
ing into Denver with the glass shriv-
eled, the paint blistered. the hose
burned and a tire sprung on one OF the
F1ve-Nine's drivers-how many head
quarters slaves know that7
Our end OF the story never went in
at all Never went IN because II was
not oeemed-well. essential to the get
ting up OF the annual report We could
have raised their hair; they could have
raised our salaries; but they didn't;
we didn't
In telling this story I would not be
misunderstood; ours Is not the only
line between Chicago and Denver;
there are others. admit It. But there
is only one line (all the same) that
could have taken the Mcwilliams spe-
ciaI. as We did. out OF Chicago at four
IN the evening and put it in Denver
long before noon the next day.
A comnnunication came from a great
Lasalle street banker to the president
OF our road. Next the second vice pres
ident heard Of It. but in this way:
Why have you turned down Peter
Mcwiniams' request for a special TO
Denver this afternoon?" asked the pres
ident.
He wants too much" came back
over the private wire. We can't do it
After satisfying himself on this point
the president called up Lasalle street
"Our folks say. Mr.. Mcwilliams. we
simply can't DO it,
You must DO #"
When viii the car be ready?"
At 3 o'clock"
When must II be In Denver!
Ten o'clock tomorrow morning"
The president nearly jumped the wire.
"McWilliams. you're crazy. What on
earth do YOU mean2"
The talk came back so slow that the
wires hardly caught it. There were oc-
casional outbursts. such as situation
is extremely critical grave danger
acute distress" must help me out
But none OF this would ever have
moved the president had not Peter Nc
Williams been bigger man than most
corporations; and a personal request
from Peter. if he stuck 10 it, could
hardly be refused; and for this he most
decidedly stuck.
I tell you il VIII turn US upside
down" stormed the president
DO you recolIect.'' asked Peter Nc
williams, when your internal old pot
Of road was busted eight years ago.
you were turned inside out then.
weren't you? And hung UP to dry,
weren't you2"
The president did reeollect; he could
not decently help recollecting. And he
recollected how. about the same time.
Peter McWillisns had one week taken
up for him a matter OF two millions
floating with a personal check. and
carried IL eighteen months without Sc
curity. when the money could not be
had in Wall street - Government
bonds.
DO yoU-that is. have you heretofore
supposed that railroad belongs to the
stockholders? Not so; 1t belongs to
men like McWilliams. who own 1t when
the need It. At other times they let
the stockholders carry it-untl they
want il again.
Wen 60 what We can. Peter" re-
piled the president, desperately amia-
bic. 'Good-by."
I am giving you only an inkling OF
how It started. Not a word as to how
countless orders were issued, and
countless schedules were Cancelled.
Not paragraph about numberIess
trains abandoned in toto, and number
less others pulled and hauled and held
and annulled- The XcWilliams Special
IN twinkle tore great system into
great splinters.
II set master mechanics by the ear
and made reckless falsihers OF pre-
viOsly conservative traInmen. II made
undying enemies OF rival superintend-
ents. and incipient paretics OF jolly
train disDatchers. It shivered US from
end to end and stem to stern. but it
covered 1925 miles of the best steel in
the world in rather better than twenty
hours and q blaze OF glory.
Ny word is out" said the president
IN his message to al superintendents,
thirty minutes later. You will get
your division schedule in a few mo-
ments- Send no reasons for inability
to make it.; simply deliver the goods
Trrffh