Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-07
.GLIMPsEs OF sHoNTs.
What Chicagoans Think of Pan-
 anna Canal Board Chairman.
RIGHT MAN FOR THE POSITION.

Originally Lawyer, He Took
 Charge of Railway Construction In
 Iowa to Save Bonus For His Fa-
 ther-in-law - Elected President of
 "Three PE" Road on It's Completion.
 How He Thrashed a Big Contractor.
 The appointment by President Roose- welt of Theodore Perry Shonts, presi- dent of the Clover Leaf railroad, to be chairman of the reorganized Pana- ma canal commission was commended by Chicago men of affairs who know him best as the selection of the right man for the place." says the Chicago Tribune. They unite in saying he is equal to the responsibilities of the po- siti0n.
 Mark Morton at his house in Lake Forest added that Mir. Shonts is lion hearted man, never known to show the white feather,' and related as proof of this all anecdote which he said was characteristic of the fiber of the man.
 "A strapping big fellow, contractor who had a grievance against Mir. Shonts for some fancied wrong called at his office in the Rookery ten years ago and, as Mir. Shonts was busy, had some delay in getting into the private office His greeting was that he had called to get even with Shonts.
 Looking up from his desk, Shonts, without any comment, simply said, I am glad you called sprang to his feet, locked the door and pulled off his coat in a jiffy. Theodore Shonts is as big physically as mentally, six feet or more, in weight 200 pounds, an athlete from head to toe. He went after that contractor fast and furious. It was a battle of giants. Crash, smash, bang the chairs went against the walls of the room, and the clerks stood around outside, aghast. In three minutes the contractor was as anxious to get out of the room as he had been to get into 1t. The chairs were broken, and the room looked as if typhoon had swept through it.
 But Shonts was not through with his man yet. He reminded the con- tractor that he had wanted to see him and that he was there to be seen, and crash, smash. bang some more. Then Shonts put his head out of the door, cool as you please, and told the office boy to ask the visitor to depart. He went, and Shonts resumed his work.
 "That shows the physical energy of the man. One cannot say too much of his integrity, force, ability and judg- ment He showed all these things in the building of the Indiana, Illinois and Iowa railroad years ago. He was su- perintendent of the Iowa Construction company, of which his father-in-law, Governor Drake, was general manager and Russell Sage was president. He took off his coat, got right out on the work and saw that it was done speed- lily and we'll. do not believe there is a man in America more fit for the Fana- ma task than Mir. Shonts."
 Mir. Shonts left the practice of law to take charge of the practical work of railroad construction, and his first task was considered remarkable achieve ment. The Iowa Construction compa- ny had the contract for building sev- eral branch lines in Iowa, which have now become part of the Iowa Central system. There were large subsidies en- dangered by the slow work of the first superintendent. One day in 1881 Gen. eral Drake called Shonts into his of- flee and asked him if he thought the work could be done and who could be got to do it. "Ill do it." Shonts said. He showed remarkable ability in or ganization at that time. He scattered gangs of men along the rights of way and was himself here, there and every where. apparently everywhere at once. He had the respect of the men, and they worked with terrific industry be- cause they believed he might appear any moment The grades were com pleted and the subsidies saved to his company.
 This signal success changed his ca reer. and he was at once put in charge of the work on the Three Is" in H. linois. beginning at Momence. Of this construction work John F. Harris of Chicago said the other night:
 "The Indiana. Illinois and Iowa Is an unusually well constructed road. It was an equally we'll managed road when completed. After its completion Mir. Shonts was at once elected its pres- ident. He has extraordinary executive ability"
 The Three Is" was extended by con. struction and leasing until at the time it was absorbed by the Lake Shore and Mir. Shonts went to the Toledo. St. Louis and Western-the Clover Leaf system-as it's president. year ago. it connected five trunk lines to the east with western trunk lines, which was the original conception of it's project. ors.
 So wholly has Mir. Shonts been con nected with construction and traffic matters in late years, during which he lived in Chicago at the Plaza and the