The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-30
THEODORE SHONTS
WESTERN PRODUCT
Chairman of Canal Commission
is an Athlete
He HAS GREAT ABILITY
Is Known AS Man Who Does Things
and Friends Say He viii Finish
Panama Canal in Ten
Years.
He HAS GREAT ABILITY


Theodore P. shonts, the new chairman
of the Panama Canal Commission is
forty-nine years old. According to the cal
culatons of his friends, who know some
thing of his capabilities for doing things
he will have completed the great canal
and gone on much needed rest by the
time he is sixty.
Those who know Mr. Shonts well believe
in him fervently, and yet when he was
first mentioned for the office of executive
head of the canal there were few persons
in the east who had ever heard of him,
or having heard of him, had not promptly
forgotten there was such a person.
If the expectations of his friends are
realized Mr.. shonts is going to be heard
from more frequently, and his name is
going to be known all around the world
as the man who carried through the great
est piece of construction on the Western
| Hemisphere. For Mr.. Shonts' admirers
| do not doubt for an instant that he will
succeed where De Lesseps and the almost
inexhanstible wealth behind him failed.
Built Like an Athlete.
| Mr.. Shonts is one of those physical
giants of the west. He is not entirely a
| product of the western country, because
| he was born in Crawford county, Penn
| sylVania, but he was transplanted to Iowa
| and Chicago. Most of the railroad men of
! the west who have made their mark are
| large in stature Many of them began
! to makeq their way when they dominated
| by sheer physical force the men ON the
section. and from that climbed sometimes
to the presidency of great railroad sys-
| TENS
Mr.. Shonts is no exception. He stands
! a trihe more than six feet ana is built
! like an athlete. He is an athlete. He has
face that shows good humor and, at the
same time, great irmness His mustache
| is tinged with gray and his eyes are usu-
| ally laughing He has a firm jaw and
| backbone that is straight as an Indians.
/ 1t is also stiff.
| Mr.. Shonts is the son-in-law of former
| Governor Drake of Iowa, and he began
active life in that state building railroads.
| Mr. Shonts has done everything In the
railroad line from obtaining the right of
way to completing the sytem, equipping
it, putting 1t in operation, and then run
ming 1t. He is one of those men who,
given a scheme and eXpanse of prairie
and two points for termini,, would turn
out "A railroad and run 1t for the benefit
of the stoekholders-and sell 1t for them
If a good bargain could be made. He
has been a success as a railroad construc-
tor as an operator of a large system as
traffic manager as a master of railroad
law, and as manager of an auditing de-
partment. He Is one of the best account
ants In the country, and is recognized as
very successful traffic manager.
Pau Morton's Estimate.
When he was selected by the President
to be chairman of the new Panama Canal
Commission. Mr.. Shonts was president OF
/ a.ffw. 10
legal name of this road is the Toledo, st.
Louis and Western.
When the directors of this railroad
wrote to Paul Morton, Secretary of the
Navy asking him what he thought of the
capabilities of Mr.. Shonts for the head of
that system. Mr.. Morton replied
IF owned a railroad l would want Mr..
shonts to run it, | would rather have
him at the head of a railroad property of
mine than any other man in the United
States.
Mr.. Morton knew the man he was talk
| ing about He and Mr.. Shonts had been
associated in what to them was
great enterprise. This was the Indiana,
Illinois and Iowan railroad. Mr. Shonts
built this road and then operated 1t. He
and Mr. Morton controlled the property.
and Mr. Shonts finally sold 1t to the
Vanderbilts so as to net profit OF about
IS. 600. 000 Mr.. Shonts profit was about ST.
5G0oO0 He Is still a director in the Iowa
Central railroad. which was the first road
he built This he did In connection with
his father-in-law
Mr.. Shonts. as chairman of the Panama
Canal Commission will receive salary of
$40 600 a year His salary as president OF
the Glover Leaf system is understood to
have been about the same, so that he mas
made no great sacrifice In income. His In
come outside of his salary is supposed to
t. Of
Keen making his home in Chicago His
family consists of his wife and two daugh-
ters The daughters are now at school
In this city.
Can Take Care of Himself.
The canal builder Is a man of nerve. He
is capable of taking care of himself al
most anywhere. Not long ago man en-
tered his office in Chicago to blackmail
him. Mr. Shonts waited until he had en-
tered his office and had stated his pur-
rose Then be locked tho door put the
key in his pocket, and, taking off his coat
with depreciation, proceeded to thrah his
caller. This work was well done. When
he had finished his caller was taken to
the police station in an ambulance. There
his injuries were looked after. Then he
was exhibited to the police and he was
Instructed to leave town. and orders were
issued that If he appeared in Chicago
egain he would be put to work breaking
stone. The man has never visited chi
cage again.
Are Close Friends.
Mr.. Shonts comes from much the same
stock as President Roosevelt His grand
father was Dutch from Holland. His
grandmother was Huguenot. from France.
these were his fathers parents. One of
Mr.. shonts' sisters is Miss Eva shonts.
continent ternnerance lecturer, who is re-